Thing 5a- (7a)

Wow- there is way to much to read and far too little time to do it. I found several posts that I flagged so that I can go back and investigate them more. My favorite one so far is one that Caroline sent me about a week ago. It's title is Free Technology for Teachers. It is full of information that I feel is useful for me and my students. One of the blogs mentions a site that I have not heard of before. It is called SlideMap. SlideMap is a combination of Flickr and Yahoo maps. You can search a location on the map and it pulls pictures that have been taken there. I even searched for Winder, Georgia and we had pictures of several places in town on the map. I think that this site will be an amazing resource for teaching about geography or specific locations in the world. For me, it will be useful when collaborating with other schools throughout the nation. I will be able to allow my students a view into the world of their peers. The blog on SlideMap also shows applications for educators.

Video on Blogging for Students

This video says it all.....

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=be6ec9b852b0a542e2f3

As I read through the feeds I found something that was interesting to me. It was a teacher who was taking her students around the world in 80 days.
The feed was particularly interesting for me because I am working with my students on global warming and we have been looking for a way to collaborate with other students. I really wanted to go International with this project, however, I was worried about time changes and not being able to access Skype from our school. After reading the blog I got several ideas as to how to make it all work. I also liked the way that they used Google Maps to show the distance between the schools. I liked the break down of time she allowed the students too. I found this blog to be inspiring. It was a validation for me that it can be done! I actually bookmarked the site with Diigo to show my students the videos. I look forward to learning more from this innovative teacher.

Thing 2

If a teacher today is not technologically literate - and is unwilling to make the effort to learn more - it's equivalent to a teacher 30 years ago who didn't know how to read and write. (http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/09/is-it-okay-to-be-technologically.html)

Wow! I love it. I did find myself smiling several times throughout the authors blog or 'rampage' better yet. It does seem harsh but it is so true. Why are we allowing people to educate our children that are unwilling to learn- unwilling to make advancements in their own education? As a school system we need to realize that technology is now a part of life not something that is an 'extra'.

Now on to the assignment....I think that blogging is very informal and allows people to voice their opinion to something. There is no right or wrong- just an opinion. I feel that being able to comment back and forth with someone can validate an opinion or make someone stop and reevaluate what they wrote. It is like a conversation that takes place online in writing.
I think that blogging can can be incorporated into the classroom in several ways. It can be a student to student blog or student to teacher. Either way collaboration takes place! I would like to use blogging in the near future for book studies and shared inquiry with my fifth graders. I know that they have really enjoyed the discussion board on my wiki page and think that they would enjoy blogging as well.

Thing # 1-B

Web 2.0 has changed the way I teach forever. I love being able to collaborate with my students and them with each other online. My students and I have used Wikispaces to collaborate with other schools throughout the nation and am currently beginning to explore the international realm of video conferencing. I feel that I am no longer confined to the four walls of my classroom. We can collaborate with other schools at the click of the mouse. My students love taking an active role in publishing content. I find that they are checking the Wikispaces site at night to see what is posted. They seem to think that it is not 'homework' if they are discussing a book online versus writing about it on paper. My wiki site is: mrsmcnall0809.barrow.wikispaces.net
I feel that I must incorporate as much technology into my curriculum as I can. Not only do they enjoy it, but I feel that it is imperative that they learn to use the computer and the 'new technology' available or the world is going to pass them by!

I loved the video students are changing! Oh, how true! :)

Thing # 1-A

Hi, My name is Meggan and I am the gifted teacher at Yargo Elementary School. I have been at Yargo since the doors opened in 1999. I am excited about taking this course and look forward to using what I learn with my students.