T3 Grant online learning course

BubbleShare: Share photos – Easy Photo Sharing

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicemariedesigns/491436560

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bumchd/393616097

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dyxie/466391014

I subscribed to several different types of blogs.  I found one I liked and that day it was talking about Girl Scout cookies and how there are two different types of thin mints.  It was very timely as I had just ordered some from a student.  i thought that I had subscribed to that particular blog, but I must not have done it correctly because it didn’t show up in my google reader.  Just for kicks I subscribed to www.horoscope.com and I have been receiving and reading it. 

I found this video on teacher tube on Prepositions.  I found several more like it on other parts of speech.  My small group students have a lot of trouble recalling the different parts of speech from day to day.  The use of videos to reinforce the different parts of speech should help.  On You Tube I really enjoy the videos depicting the Improv Everyday activities.  Knowing how to embed will expand the videos we can show the students giving us access to blocked sites.

I learned a lot during the live podcasting training.  We made a sample podcast.  There were several podcasts that I think would be good for Reading/LA such as Grammar Girl.  I did not get a chance to use podcasting in the classroom this year with my small group Reading/LA classes. 

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The program that we used this year in small group Reading/LA  required the use of pictures for sentence prompts.  Flickr will be great to use to find interesting and different pittures to use.  I searced for soccer pictures and sailing pictures.  I found a beautiful picture by Henri Bonnell. 

I definitely learned something new about copyright.  I didn’t know that copyright was automatic and this is the first I had heard of creative commons.  I makes sense that creative commons came about due to the web.  Where before would we have gotten all this information to share without asking permmission directly from the provider?  There is so much out there that copyright lawyers would be overwhelmed with work if not for the advent of creative commons.  I have never noticed the CC logo before, but I will now be on the lookout for it. 

The idea of wikis for collaboration  between students is great and worthy of the time.  The wiki that the third graders used to talk about Westward Expansion was a great way for the students to reinforce what they learned in the classroom and I am sure gave them ownership of the information.  I also think that the wikis that use collaboration between students in different countries is an awesome idea, such as “The Flat World Project”. I do find fault with the wiki that had sixth graders posting medical information for self diagnosis. .  Even with sites such as WebMD people should use caution and see their doctor for any serious symptoms.  Students will come to believe that information on the web is always factual, and we as adults know to be very carelful about we believe and use on the web. 

I found an interesting blog and thought that I had set it up to come to my google reader.  I must have done it incorrectly because it is not there and I can’t remember the name of it.  I did set up www.horoscope.com for fun and I have been receiving daily horoscopes.  I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed of late and haven’t had as much of an opportunity to read much. 

There are so many new things to learn and find on Web 2.0.  It is a wealth of information for teachers and students.  If you can manage to work it in to your curriculum Web 2.0 can add tremendously to the learning rate.

There are also many negatives.  You can spend hours searching for and looking for specific information and never find exactly what you are looking for.  Time is too precious.  Growing up in a time where computers, video games, and myspace were not available I think was to my advantage.  I read constantly when indoors and when not reading I was outside playing in the neighborhood.  We rode our bikes everywhere in town.  There was not an overweight or unhealthy child among us.  We also were kept much more naive about adult matters that children of our age know way too much about due to the internet.

Having access to so much knowledge is a wonderful thing, but along with it comes the responsibility to balance our lives, our children’s lives, and our student’s leaning.

I am and always have been an avid reader.  I feel that just that fact has made me a good life long learner.  Of the seven habits I feel that habit # 6 ( Use Technology to Your Advantage) w ill give me the most trouble during the online course.  Even though I am learning something new constantly about technology, I still feel very overwhelmed by it all.  Just remembering all the passwords is a feat in itself.  Maybe once I learn at least one thing thoroughly I will be able to use that it to my advantage.

I need to always keep in mind habit #4 (Have Confidence in Yourself as a Competent, Effective Learner).  I know that I am capable of learning anything new that I desire.  I just have to keep at it until I become competent.