Go2Web20.net is a resource for finding Web 2.0 tools and apps. During my exploration of the site, I found an amazing website called ZinePal which can be used to make PDFs or eBooks from information found on the web or information entered by hand.
I can think of a multitude of uses for this tool! Personally, I can use it as an educator to create lesson books that students can access from a reader platform which can be installed on any smartphone or tablet device. If I am not working with students who have access to those technologies, I can just as easily print the book or magazine to a PDF to hand out a paper copy. This makes organizing lessons so much easier because all of the information I would want to give the students could be placed in one easy to read location.
I could also use this site as a project assignment for the students. They could create magazines about a topic they research, and it can quickly be shared with parents as a progress report on what we are covering in class.
I am astounded by the versatility of this web application and look forward to using it in my own education as soon as possible!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2013
Stop #5: "We have the technology..."
What does "School 2.0" mean to you?
What does it mean for schools of the future?
Based on the reading assigned for the 5th thing (23 Things - Thing 5), I've gained a new perspective on what learning means in the 21st century. School 2.0 is a concept forged from the evolution of the Web into a vast creature nicknamed "Web 2.0" which is the new way of the internet; a collaborative experience versus a one-way street of information. With the evolution of the web came new resources for the classroom that teachers can use to upgrade the experience. Since more students have technological experience coming into school, it is important that educators cater to that experience and build upon it. To me, this means integrating blogs, pod-casts, and online research into the classroom and teaching students what should and should not be shared on the Web. School 2.0 should allow students to create and collaborate online, offering their experiences to other people and contributing to the flow of information. It is so easy for students to excel at subjects that interest them using the internet, and they can quickly become a part of the ongoing conversation if they so choose.
For schools in the future, we can only anticipate further evolution of the beast that is the internet. There will be more opportunities for inclusion, collaboration, and creation than ever before. Classrooms will harness technology using SMARTboards, iPads, smart phones, etc, as well as new devices that aren't even available yet, and engage students with these mediums. More jobs will require more technological experience, and it is the responsibility of the educators to make sure students are prepared for college and what lies beyond. Educators and students alike will have to grow with the ever-changing World Wide Web, and schools will have to accommodate that growth. Frequent educator training will be necessary for everyone to keep up-to-date with the endless changes. Changes will need to be made on a state and federal level as well, but further comment on politics can stay out of the posts for now. In general, it seems that the whole conglomerate that is education will be getting a makeover.
For schools in the future, we can only anticipate further evolution of the beast that is the internet. There will be more opportunities for inclusion, collaboration, and creation than ever before. Classrooms will harness technology using SMARTboards, iPads, smart phones, etc, as well as new devices that aren't even available yet, and engage students with these mediums. More jobs will require more technological experience, and it is the responsibility of the educators to make sure students are prepared for college and what lies beyond. Educators and students alike will have to grow with the ever-changing World Wide Web, and schools will have to accommodate that growth. Frequent educator training will be necessary for everyone to keep up-to-date with the endless changes. Changes will need to be made on a state and federal level as well, but further comment on politics can stay out of the posts for now. In general, it seems that the whole conglomerate that is education will be getting a makeover.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Stop #4 The Golden Rule
"Do unto others as you would have them do to you." Everyone wants to be noticed, liked, and treated with respect. The number one way to ensure those three behaviors happen on your blog is to do them "unto" the blog of someone else.
I have an extremely difficult time doing this and would be defined as a lurker by the blogosphere. Commenting is scary! What if they don't like me? What if my comment is dumb? What if I actually don't know what I'm talking about? What if's are the key to lurking. The more what if's you have, the easier it is to continue lurking. But what if you're wrong? When you comment on a blog, unless you personally insult the blogger's post or person, spam, or swear (in some cases), he or she will be glad you participated in the conversation. After all, we don't write blogs for no one to care about. The Blue Skunk said it best, if people didn't want their posts read or comment on, "they'd be writing in a spiral notebook - probably locked away in a garret." Blogs are made to be responded to.
Now don't just carelessly throw words into the comment section and call it a day. "With great power comes great responsibility" (RIP Uncle Ben). To produce a worthwhile conversation, you must first produce a worthwhile comment; one that inspires the blogger and inspires a response. It ought to be heartfelt and meaningful.
The blogs I chose to comment on for this section were chosen at random:
Christy Washington*
Davie Wallace*
Mrs. Foster-Johnson*
Laken Bowlin
MelissaMP*
* already commented.
The two outside blogs that I have chosen to comment on are learningismessy.com and thejosevilson.com. The former is a blog about using technology in education whether it be blogs or social networking sites. The latter is a blog by an inner city teacher name Jose Vilson. This one is important to me because my goal after graduation is to work in inner-city Chicago. It will be beneficial for me to follow a blogger who is already in the field I intend to enter.
I have an extremely difficult time doing this and would be defined as a lurker by the blogosphere. Commenting is scary! What if they don't like me? What if my comment is dumb? What if I actually don't know what I'm talking about? What if's are the key to lurking. The more what if's you have, the easier it is to continue lurking. But what if you're wrong? When you comment on a blog, unless you personally insult the blogger's post or person, spam, or swear (in some cases), he or she will be glad you participated in the conversation. After all, we don't write blogs for no one to care about. The Blue Skunk said it best, if people didn't want their posts read or comment on, "they'd be writing in a spiral notebook - probably locked away in a garret." Blogs are made to be responded to.
Now don't just carelessly throw words into the comment section and call it a day. "With great power comes great responsibility" (RIP Uncle Ben). To produce a worthwhile conversation, you must first produce a worthwhile comment; one that inspires the blogger and inspires a response. It ought to be heartfelt and meaningful.
The blogs I chose to comment on for this section were chosen at random:
Christy Washington*
Davie Wallace*
Mrs. Foster-Johnson*
Laken Bowlin
MelissaMP*
* already commented.
The two outside blogs that I have chosen to comment on are learningismessy.com and thejosevilson.com. The former is a blog about using technology in education whether it be blogs or social networking sites. The latter is a blog by an inner city teacher name Jose Vilson. This one is important to me because my goal after graduation is to work in inner-city Chicago. It will be beneficial for me to follow a blogger who is already in the field I intend to enter.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Stop #3: Using blogs in the classroom
While using a blog is an awesome idea for a student, there are also ways I could utilize this technology as an educator. While in classes that were both successful and unsuccessful, I have compiled a list of "DO's" and a list of "DO NOT's." One of the items on the list of "DO's" is to create a blog to keep my students up to date with assignments, lessons, and classroom happenings. I have a vision that there will be a website that my students can log onto to read a review of that day's lesson, the homework assignment, and a list of resources for further study. This vision makes it easier on students who miss a day because they were sick, students who may have been called out of class, and students who just need a little reminder every once in a while. In a perfect world, a blog would eliminate the "we had homework?" excuse and the "I forgot to write down the assignment" excuse. In a perfect world...
Depending on what field I end up teaching, math or English, I may also require my students to keep a blog. This would be particularly useful as an English teacher. The students could write responses to readings, comment on each others' posts, and produce narratives which will instantly update to their class blogs. Student collaboration on projects and assignments would be much easier to enforce with blogs already in the picture.
Depending on what field I end up teaching, math or English, I may also require my students to keep a blog. This would be particularly useful as an English teacher. The students could write responses to readings, comment on each others' posts, and produce narratives which will instantly update to their class blogs. Student collaboration on projects and assignments would be much easier to enforce with blogs already in the picture.
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