As you look to the right hand column, you will see I've also just added a really cool, calm and destressing photo slideshow!
And I added a new picture of myself with my Welcome!
This was done by simple going into the "Customize" menu and clicking on the tools you want to add!
I also just selected a new Template, new colors and a new look! Enjoy!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thing 29 (Catching up on Morethings!)
Thing 29-This was probably the most fun I had on any of the "Things" we've done as a class! It also seems to have the most useful info. of all the Things!
On Thing 29, it enables one to learn about and use Google Tools that are awesome for notonly educatiobal purposes, but also to improve productivity and searching abilities, as well as many others that incl. gmail, g news, wiki, etc. I went to Google news through this Thing and monitored the national news streams.
What was really cool was this Thing also enabled me to upload Free Essential Software directly from Google! I uploaded many incl. Picasa, Firefox, Earth, spyware and it updated my Real Player!
The educational uses are obvious along with keeping your computer safe w/ updated software from a reputable source!
I like it...
On Thing 29, it enables one to learn about and use Google Tools that are awesome for notonly educatiobal purposes, but also to improve productivity and searching abilities, as well as many others that incl. gmail, g news, wiki, etc. I went to Google news through this Thing and monitored the national news streams.
What was really cool was this Thing also enabled me to upload Free Essential Software directly from Google! I uploaded many incl. Picasa, Firefox, Earth, spyware and it updated my Real Player!
The educational uses are obvious along with keeping your computer safe w/ updated software from a reputable source!
I like it...
Thing 34 (More catching up on Morethings!)
Thing 34 is about Online Answer Sites, and the fears and benefits that surround them!
These sites are praised by some, and condemned by others because, on one hand they allow the common man to have more voice than anytime before in history! People can go to these websites and expound their knowledge regarding questions posed by other folks! For example, one could go on and ask advise on how to treat a bee-sting, and many other folks can suggest the remedies they know of!
This can be however, a les-than-reliable means of obtaining important information as the people who write on these sites are not necessarily experts! One could easily given bad advice and pay the price for it!
I guess these sites are like anything else, take it with a grain of salt and, if it's very important, seek expert/ professional opinion over some "Joe-bag-o-donuts" you found on the Internet!
These sites are praised by some, and condemned by others because, on one hand they allow the common man to have more voice than anytime before in history! People can go to these websites and expound their knowledge regarding questions posed by other folks! For example, one could go on and ask advise on how to treat a bee-sting, and many other folks can suggest the remedies they know of!
This can be however, a les-than-reliable means of obtaining important information as the people who write on these sites are not necessarily experts! One could easily given bad advice and pay the price for it!
I guess these sites are like anything else, take it with a grain of salt and, if it's very important, seek expert/ professional opinion over some "Joe-bag-o-donuts" you found on the Internet!
Thing 38-Screencasting (Catching up on morethings! More!)
Thing 38 is interesting indeed! Basically, this Thing enables one to turn anything that crosses their computer screen (ie photos, videos, audio, powerpoint etc.) into tutorials, photo and video laden power points, online clips for YouTube and many others.
Thing 38 offers these technical abilities by also enabling the user to easily upload the necessary software (ie Wink, Jing) needed to accomplish these features.
One can even record music or their voice to add as the sound track to their presentations, clips etc. Then, all the pieces can be edited together to formulate a hightech and impressive final product! Even a tutorial to teach people useful tools!
I can see how this Thing could be useful for these many educational purposes and more!
!!!!!! All CAUGHT UP ON MORETHINGS-FINALLY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thing 38 offers these technical abilities by also enabling the user to easily upload the necessary software (ie Wink, Jing) needed to accomplish these features.
One can even record music or their voice to add as the sound track to their presentations, clips etc. Then, all the pieces can be edited together to formulate a hightech and impressive final product! Even a tutorial to teach people useful tools!
I can see how this Thing could be useful for these many educational purposes and more!
!!!!!! All CAUGHT UP ON MORETHINGS-FINALLY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ch. 7 English Teacher's Companion-Burke
There were indeed many intriguing ideas in this ch that I found could be helpful in the classroom! For example:
One idea I liked a lot was the Group Essay! This basically entails a group of students to write an essay together, rather than seperately. I think a great way to approach this would be to utilize a poetry exercise I have used. Each student could take turns writing a line of the essay, then passing it on to the next student who writes the next sent, relating it to the previous one! This would get all the students working together and ensure that all do their part!
Another idea I liked from ch 7 is journal entries! I feel journals can be beneficial in a lot of ways like, teacher can assign group journals where each student writes an entry into their own journal, then exchanges them w/ a partner. Each stud. reads other stud.s response then writes in a reply, comment re: original response. This can be done again w/a third stud. etc.
Or, journals can be done the traditional way by one student. A true benefit to journal writing is that, like poetry (always w/ the poetry!) it is a more casual, personal exercise where kids might be more relaxed and secure and feel they can communicate ideas, personal feelings, concerns etc more freely. This allows the teacher to better see what is on their stud.s minds, and how to best respond to that knowledge. Conversely, it is also a great way for teachers to respond back to a stud. by writing comments in their journals. Also more effective sometimes than confronting a kid w/ words!
A lot of good ideas in this ch, and these were the ones I related to best!
One idea I liked a lot was the Group Essay! This basically entails a group of students to write an essay together, rather than seperately. I think a great way to approach this would be to utilize a poetry exercise I have used. Each student could take turns writing a line of the essay, then passing it on to the next student who writes the next sent, relating it to the previous one! This would get all the students working together and ensure that all do their part!
Another idea I liked from ch 7 is journal entries! I feel journals can be beneficial in a lot of ways like, teacher can assign group journals where each student writes an entry into their own journal, then exchanges them w/ a partner. Each stud. reads other stud.s response then writes in a reply, comment re: original response. This can be done again w/a third stud. etc.
Or, journals can be done the traditional way by one student. A true benefit to journal writing is that, like poetry (always w/ the poetry!) it is a more casual, personal exercise where kids might be more relaxed and secure and feel they can communicate ideas, personal feelings, concerns etc more freely. This allows the teacher to better see what is on their stud.s minds, and how to best respond to that knowledge. Conversely, it is also a great way for teachers to respond back to a stud. by writing comments in their journals. Also more effective sometimes than confronting a kid w/ words!
A lot of good ideas in this ch, and these were the ones I related to best!
Another Blog Update!
I just again visited all my fellow students blogspots, and posted comments on their most recent writings. I was able to become a follower to the 6th student; only the 7th won't allow followers, seems to not been updated since 2007? Maybe they have a diff blogspot address that I'm not aware of? Anyway, they all look good!
Thing 39
I have found many of these "Things" very Frustrating! I go in and do what they tell me to do, but I still can't figure out how to accomplish the tasks. Oh well, at least I have been navigating the "Things" and becoming familiar w/ the technology. I'll tell you what I did on Thing 39 and what I learned anyway!
Thing 39 builds on the original Thing 23, working w/ digital photographs. 39 introduces 2 diff. ways to tell stories using photographs: scrapbooking and combining photos. This Thing can be used for educational purposes of all kinds ie having students create a word-less narrative using a progression of photos. It can also be used for simpler goals, like simply scrapbooking family photos of vacations, school pictures etc.
Thing 39 asked me to go back to my Flickr acct. and create a narrative story utilizing photos. Then it asked me to (somehow) transfer this photo story from Flickr to my Blogspot and post it there. EASIER SAID THAN DONE! This is how it went...
I was easily able to access my Flickr acct that I created earlier this semester (Thing 4 in Jan.). It is located at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikehargarten/
I was also very easily able to upload photos from my H Drive onto Flicr, and arrange them w/ captions to tell a narrative, prgressive story. To view this, just click on my above link to Flickr.
Then it wanted me to upload this creation from Flickr to my Blogspot and post it there. I tried for over an hr and was unable to accomplish this. I need to manage my time and move on to other assignments/ blogs. Maybe someone can send me a comment on how to accomplish this?
Michael
Thing 39 builds on the original Thing 23, working w/ digital photographs. 39 introduces 2 diff. ways to tell stories using photographs: scrapbooking and combining photos. This Thing can be used for educational purposes of all kinds ie having students create a word-less narrative using a progression of photos. It can also be used for simpler goals, like simply scrapbooking family photos of vacations, school pictures etc.
Thing 39 asked me to go back to my Flickr acct. and create a narrative story utilizing photos. Then it asked me to (somehow) transfer this photo story from Flickr to my Blogspot and post it there. EASIER SAID THAN DONE! This is how it went...
I was easily able to access my Flickr acct that I created earlier this semester (Thing 4 in Jan.). It is located at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikehargarten/
I was also very easily able to upload photos from my H Drive onto Flicr, and arrange them w/ captions to tell a narrative, prgressive story. To view this, just click on my above link to Flickr.
Then it wanted me to upload this creation from Flickr to my Blogspot and post it there. I tried for over an hr and was unable to accomplish this. I need to manage my time and move on to other assignments/ blogs. Maybe someone can send me a comment on how to accomplish this?
Michael
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