In this final exercize I would like you to learn how to create slide shows and even quizzes using a great web 2.0 tool called PhotoPeach.
Discovery Exercise
1. Go to photopeach and create a username and password (unless you already have one).
2. Upload a few pictures...Put them in the correct order and click next. Then choose music and add a title. You can add text on the image if you like. then click finish. It is ready to be uploaded to facebook or embedded online.
3. Share your quick creation on your blog and come up with some ideas for using this with your students. Here is a quick one I did with some pictures on facebook.
Emily and John the Romance on PhotoPeach
In addition, this final thing includes some evaluation...These can be included in a final post called evaluation.
Please give me your feedback on your experience by reflecting on your learning journey by blogging a few thoughts. Here are some questions to prompt you:
Please give specific answers for each question.
1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
4. What could I do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
I hope this is not the end of our learning journey together but the start of something amazing …Think about you next steps...you can continue this journey by...
maintaining your blog as your educational journal
adding your blog URL to your e-mail signature line
re-purpose it as your School blog and share it with your colleagues and administrators
I look forward to hearing how you are continuing to be a life long learner.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Thing 15.5: Twitter
Don't be mad...but you need to see this too...Just play with it a bit.
First read this article on Personal Branding with Twitter. It is worth checking out! Watch the following video and then create a Twitter account.
My twitter screen name is doctordkwilson send me a tweet about what you are doing and two ideas for using twitter professionally.Be sure to follow me...I suggest you also follow Kathy Schrock. She often teaches me new things. Look at this link on ways to use Twitter in an educational setting. Subscribe and follow a couple of other twitterers and then Blog about that experience as well.
My username is doctordkwilson and I used my gmail email dawnkathleenwilson@gmail.com
Please also follow @HBUEducators so you can keep up with all the news from the School of Education.
Look at 50 Ways to use Twitter for Education and
Using Twitter in and Out of the Classroom
Any ideas? As you tweet with me be sure to include your screen name so you can find each other and do additional tweeting.
My twitter feed shows up on my blog. You can add yours too - explore.
Another way to manage your personal branding is using LinkedIn. Read this blog post on using LinkedIn as a way to connect with professionals in your area. This video is a quick lesson on writing effective professional summaries to use on your LinkedIn site.
Be sure to ask me to join your network. I love to serve as a professional reference for you.
Discovery Exercises:
1. Create a Twitter and LinkedIn account. Follow me and invite me to join your network.
2. On Twitter, choose to follow a few people professionally and watch it for a few days. Also follow @HBUEducators. I will also follow you. Tweet or reTweet something interesting you learned.
3. On LinkedIn build a beginning network. Add a summary.Be sure to request an invitation to join HBU Educators Association on LinkedIn.
4. Blog about your experiences.
First read this article on Personal Branding with Twitter. It is worth checking out! Watch the following video and then create a Twitter account.
My twitter screen name is doctordkwilson send me a tweet about what you are doing and two ideas for using twitter professionally.Be sure to follow me...I suggest you also follow Kathy Schrock. She often teaches me new things. Look at this link on ways to use Twitter in an educational setting. Subscribe and follow a couple of other twitterers and then Blog about that experience as well.
My username is doctordkwilson and I used my gmail email dawnkathleenwilson@gmail.com
Please also follow @HBUEducators so you can keep up with all the news from the School of Education.
Look at 50 Ways to use Twitter for Education and
Using Twitter in and Out of the Classroom
Any ideas? As you tweet with me be sure to include your screen name so you can find each other and do additional tweeting.
My twitter feed shows up on my blog. You can add yours too - explore.
Another way to manage your personal branding is using LinkedIn. Read this blog post on using LinkedIn as a way to connect with professionals in your area. This video is a quick lesson on writing effective professional summaries to use on your LinkedIn site.
Be sure to ask me to join your network. I love to serve as a professional reference for you.
Discovery Exercises:
1. Create a Twitter and LinkedIn account. Follow me and invite me to join your network.
2. On Twitter, choose to follow a few people professionally and watch it for a few days. Also follow @HBUEducators. I will also follow you. Tweet or reTweet something interesting you learned.
3. On LinkedIn build a beginning network. Add a summary.Be sure to request an invitation to join HBU Educators Association on LinkedIn.
4. Blog about your experiences.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Thing 15:Things like Skype
Skype and things like Skype.
Almost all the articles referenced below have a sentence in them that tells about a service that is "like Skype". So, read and try lots of tools that are like Skype or try Skype! I would like you to pair up and skype with someone in class and write about the experience. On Skype my user name is dawn.wilson7 if you want to also skype with me.
Skype - At the Skype site, scroll down and click on the various tutorial videos. Explore. Click on the links. Read. Click on links in the right sidebar. When you are ready, click the "Download" tab at the top left. Check this post out by The Edublogger: Quick Start Tips for New Skype Users.
For other support articles and lists of other resources like Skype:
Keeping in touch by Library Web Chic talks about Skype for personal and professional use.
10 Disruptions that could transform your class by 2 cents worth - all are interesting , but read #4.
The Best Sites For Making International Telephone Calls by makeuseof.com These many options may even be better than Skype. Be warned, when the makeuseof site opens there is about a 15 second commercial with sound that may startle you. Click on the speaker in the upper right hand side to mute the sound.
A new Librarian wrote a manual about how to use Skype in her district. it can be found at her blog The Learning Librarian.
Instant Conference Calling, with Gizmo5 again by makeuseof.com Gizmo5, like Skype let's you call and video conference from computer to computer free.
Share Your Screen With Others Using Mikogo by makeuseof.com is a free way to share screens and conduct a web meeting.
Skype-based Reference Service by Library Voice
Tools for Schools: Live Online Conferencing by Kathy Schrock's KaffeeKlatsch
50 ways to use Skype in the classroom
How might Skype be used in the classroom? Blog about your experiences with Skype and ideas for classroom use. Was it easy or hard to make it happen?
Almost all the articles referenced below have a sentence in them that tells about a service that is "like Skype". So, read and try lots of tools that are like Skype or try Skype! I would like you to pair up and skype with someone in class and write about the experience. On Skype my user name is dawn.wilson7 if you want to also skype with me.
Skype - At the Skype site, scroll down and click on the various tutorial videos. Explore. Click on the links. Read. Click on links in the right sidebar. When you are ready, click the "Download" tab at the top left. Check this post out by The Edublogger: Quick Start Tips for New Skype Users.
For other support articles and lists of other resources like Skype:
Keeping in touch by Library Web Chic talks about Skype for personal and professional use.
10 Disruptions that could transform your class by 2 cents worth - all are interesting , but read #4.
The Best Sites For Making International Telephone Calls by makeuseof.com These many options may even be better than Skype. Be warned, when the makeuseof site opens there is about a 15 second commercial with sound that may startle you. Click on the speaker in the upper right hand side to mute the sound.
A new Librarian wrote a manual about how to use Skype in her district. it can be found at her blog The Learning Librarian.
Instant Conference Calling, with Gizmo5 again by makeuseof.com Gizmo5, like Skype let's you call and video conference from computer to computer free.
Share Your Screen With Others Using Mikogo by makeuseof.com is a free way to share screens and conduct a web meeting.
Skype-based Reference Service by Library Voice
Tools for Schools: Live Online Conferencing by Kathy Schrock's KaffeeKlatsch
50 ways to use Skype in the classroom
How might Skype be used in the classroom? Blog about your experiences with Skype and ideas for classroom use. Was it easy or hard to make it happen?
Thing 14: Podcasting and Bookmarking
PodcastingThe word podcast is used to refer to a non-musical audio or video broadcast that is distributed over the Internet. What differentiates a podcast from regular streaming audio or video is that the delivery method for podcasts is often done automatically through RSS. In 2005, "podcast" was named the "word of the year" by New Oxford American Dictionary and with the growth of podcasting over the last year and a half; it’s easy to see why.
Podcasts take many forms, from short 1-10 minutes commentaries (like the ones used in this Learning 2.0 program) to much longer in person interviews or panel group discussions. There’s a podcast out there for just about every interest area and the best part about this technology is that you don’t have to have an iPod or a MP3 player to access them. Since podcasts use the MP3 file format, a popular compressed format for audio files, you really just need a PC (or portal device) with headphones or a speaker. iTunes, the free downloadable application created by Apple is the directory finding service most associated with podcasts, but if you don’t have iTunes installed there are still plenty of options.
Discovery Exercise
Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Education Agency have joined together to launch Texas Education on iTunes U, which provides free multimedia content to educators, students and parents in Texas and around the world. Explore some of the free content already available on Texas's iTunes U channel and write about something you found that you think you can use. Be sure to mention it's name so others can explore it as well.
Discovery Resources:· To find out more about podcasts start with Yahoo: What is a podcast tutorial· There are many, many podcast directory and finding tools out there. Here are just three of the more popular ones that don’t, like iTunes, require a software download:
Podcastalley.com
Podcast Directory
Bookmarking
Bookmarking has become a valuable skill if you don't want to become overwhelmed by the Internet and all of it's resources. There are several social networking options for bookmarking as well as a few great Web 2.0 tools designed to help with this important skill.
Bookmarking Websites:
Delicious.com is a web 2.0 tool that allows you to bookmark websites from any device to a "virtual favorites" list. As you add websites that you want to bookmark you are asked to give them tags and titles and then you can search your virtual favorites by tag to find what you are looking for. This is great for collecting lesson plan ideas, youtube videos, articles and even recipes.
Bookmarking Images and such:
Pintrest.com is a place where you can "Pin" images, quotes, recipes, technology products etc for safe keeping. When you set up an account, you also set up Pin boards by categories. Then add a simple "Pin this" button to your searching toolbar. Then as you come across things you like - you pin it to your respective board. The cool thing is that other people can repin your pictures to their boards, and you can follow other people and see what they are pinning (sound a little familiar). For those who have tried it it seems to be addicting.
Etsy.com is another type of bookmarking site but it adds a twist. The things you browse through Etsy.com are all for sale. You can bookmark things you like and never buy them, or if you like - you can click a little deeper and fill up your mailbox with some great items. You must also set up an account to use this bookmarking site but you don't have to buy a thing if you don't want to.
Stumbleupon.com is a searching tool that can link with Pinterest and it can do the searching for you according to permitters you set. Investigate stumble upon as well and see which you prefer. Stumbleupon will allow bookmaking for images, websites and videos.
Discovery Exercise: Create a Pinterest or Etsy account and add several items to it. See how easy the bookmarking can be. Check out the new features on your Delicious site you created for another class (they tool stacks away and instead is using tags). To export resources in Delicious go to the profile - settings and on the right click export as HTML. Feel free to follow me on Pinterest if you are interested. I occasionally add to an education board and or technology tips board.
Write about your experience with bookmarking as well when you post your Thing 14. Have fun!
Podcasts take many forms, from short 1-10 minutes commentaries (like the ones used in this Learning 2.0 program) to much longer in person interviews or panel group discussions. There’s a podcast out there for just about every interest area and the best part about this technology is that you don’t have to have an iPod or a MP3 player to access them. Since podcasts use the MP3 file format, a popular compressed format for audio files, you really just need a PC (or portal device) with headphones or a speaker. iTunes, the free downloadable application created by Apple is the directory finding service most associated with podcasts, but if you don’t have iTunes installed there are still plenty of options.
Discovery Exercise
Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Education Agency have joined together to launch Texas Education on iTunes U, which provides free multimedia content to educators, students and parents in Texas and around the world. Explore some of the free content already available on Texas's iTunes U channel and write about something you found that you think you can use. Be sure to mention it's name so others can explore it as well.
Discovery Resources:· To find out more about podcasts start with Yahoo: What is a podcast tutorial· There are many, many podcast directory and finding tools out there. Here are just three of the more popular ones that don’t, like iTunes, require a software download:
Podcastalley.com
Podcast Directory
Bookmarking
Bookmarking has become a valuable skill if you don't want to become overwhelmed by the Internet and all of it's resources. There are several social networking options for bookmarking as well as a few great Web 2.0 tools designed to help with this important skill.
Bookmarking Websites:
Delicious.com is a web 2.0 tool that allows you to bookmark websites from any device to a "virtual favorites" list. As you add websites that you want to bookmark you are asked to give them tags and titles and then you can search your virtual favorites by tag to find what you are looking for. This is great for collecting lesson plan ideas, youtube videos, articles and even recipes.
Bookmarking Images and such:
Pintrest.com is a place where you can "Pin" images, quotes, recipes, technology products etc for safe keeping. When you set up an account, you also set up Pin boards by categories. Then add a simple "Pin this" button to your searching toolbar. Then as you come across things you like - you pin it to your respective board. The cool thing is that other people can repin your pictures to their boards, and you can follow other people and see what they are pinning (sound a little familiar). For those who have tried it it seems to be addicting.
Etsy.com is another type of bookmarking site but it adds a twist. The things you browse through Etsy.com are all for sale. You can bookmark things you like and never buy them, or if you like - you can click a little deeper and fill up your mailbox with some great items. You must also set up an account to use this bookmarking site but you don't have to buy a thing if you don't want to.
Stumbleupon.com is a searching tool that can link with Pinterest and it can do the searching for you according to permitters you set. Investigate stumble upon as well and see which you prefer. Stumbleupon will allow bookmaking for images, websites and videos.
Discovery Exercise: Create a Pinterest or Etsy account and add several items to it. See how easy the bookmarking can be. Check out the new features on your Delicious site you created for another class (they tool stacks away and instead is using tags). To export resources in Delicious go to the profile - settings and on the right click export as HTML. Feel free to follow me on Pinterest if you are interested. I occasionally add to an education board and or technology tips board.
Write about your experience with bookmarking as well when you post your Thing 14. Have fun!
Thing 12 and 13: Discovering and Using YouTube
Within the past year online video hosting sites have exploded allowing users to easily upload and share videos on the web. Among all the web 2.0 players in this area, YouTube is currently top dog serving up over 1 million video views a day and allowing users not only to upload their own video content easily, but also embed clips into their own sites easily.
Do some searching around YouTube yourself and see what the site has to offer. You'll find everything from 1970s TV commercials and 60s music videos to library dominos and a video made by library school students for National Library Week. There's also the cult classic Conan the Librarian. Of course, like any free site you’ll also find a lot stuff not worth watching too. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore and see for yourself what the site has too offer. :)
Discovery Exercise:
1. Explore YouTube and find a video worth adding as an entry in your blog.
Create a blog post about your experience. What did you like or dislike about the site and why did you choose the video that you did? Can you see any features or componets of the site that might be interesting if they were applied to a classroom?
2. OPTIONAL: Try placing the video inside your blog using the copy and paste code for the for "Embeddable Player.” Note: you'll need to use Blogger's Edit HTML tab when pasting this code.
Here is one of my favorite movies...
3. No doubt you have viewed videos for personal reasons and used educationally sound ones in class from YouTube and/or TeacherTube. You probably have had to use a conversion program like Zamzar in order to see the the YouTube videos in district.
YouTube has an Education channel where you can see what other educators have uploaded videos to be shared by others. There is a U.S. Government channel as wellBut the availability of streaming video in a 2.0 world is unquestionable. It's everywhere!Now it time for you to learn how to upload videos of your own. For YouTube, you do have to register to upload (and use some of the other special features .)Here is a video from the YouTube staff on how to upload a video.
Now why don't you give it a try. Create a short video (use moviemaker or imovie with some of your own personal pictures or video) then upload it to Youtube. Once uploaded use the embed link and copy and paste using the HTML editor to your Blog.
Important things to remember:
1. No more than 10 minutes.
2. No more than 1 GB
3. Must be in acceptable movie format including (but not limited to)
.AVI (windows)
.MOV (mac)
.MP4 (ipod/psp)
.MPEG
.FLV (adobe flash)
.SWF (shockwave flash)
Here is a nicely organized set of instructions for uploading to YouTube. YouTube even has its own blog full of ideas and help.Here are some more articles that may help you with this activity.
Getting Started: File formats
Getting Started: Editing my video
Getting Started: Videos with JPEGs
Getting Started: Video length and size
Interesting facts about YouTube
One specially nice feature of TeacherTube is the arrangement of subjects and topics into channels. For instance, if you need teaching support for math, you can click on the Math channel and see everything that has been tagged with math and other related tags. To upload to TeacherTube, you also must register and create an account.
Here is some help in using TeacherTube. Included in this information is the list of formats accepted by the site. For videos, they are similar to the ones listed above in the information about YouTube.
Here is a video on how to upload to Teachertube. And some help pages that can answer your questions.Try uploading to one of the sites. Use something you have already created (you may have to check the format) or create a piece like an Animoto to upload. Include your thoughts to these questions in your blog post:
What would be some advantages of having teaching/learning videos available on online at sites like these?What about student created work -- would there be advantages to having it uploaded?
P.S. Did you know there is also a School Tube site - Check it out too?
Do some searching around YouTube yourself and see what the site has to offer. You'll find everything from 1970s TV commercials and 60s music videos to library dominos and a video made by library school students for National Library Week. There's also the cult classic Conan the Librarian. Of course, like any free site you’ll also find a lot stuff not worth watching too. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore and see for yourself what the site has too offer. :)
Discovery Exercise:
1. Explore YouTube and find a video worth adding as an entry in your blog.
Create a blog post about your experience. What did you like or dislike about the site and why did you choose the video that you did? Can you see any features or componets of the site that might be interesting if they were applied to a classroom?
2. OPTIONAL: Try placing the video inside your blog using the copy and paste code for the for "Embeddable Player.” Note: you'll need to use Blogger's Edit HTML tab when pasting this code.
Here is one of my favorite movies...
3. No doubt you have viewed videos for personal reasons and used educationally sound ones in class from YouTube and/or TeacherTube. You probably have had to use a conversion program like Zamzar in order to see the the YouTube videos in district.
YouTube has an Education channel where you can see what other educators have uploaded videos to be shared by others. There is a U.S. Government channel as wellBut the availability of streaming video in a 2.0 world is unquestionable. It's everywhere!Now it time for you to learn how to upload videos of your own. For YouTube, you do have to register to upload (and use some of the other special features .)Here is a video from the YouTube staff on how to upload a video.
Now why don't you give it a try. Create a short video (use moviemaker or imovie with some of your own personal pictures or video) then upload it to Youtube. Once uploaded use the embed link and copy and paste using the HTML editor to your Blog.
Important things to remember:
1. No more than 10 minutes.
2. No more than 1 GB
3. Must be in acceptable movie format including (but not limited to)
.AVI (windows)
.MOV (mac)
.MP4 (ipod/psp)
.MPEG
.FLV (adobe flash)
.SWF (shockwave flash)
Here is a nicely organized set of instructions for uploading to YouTube. YouTube even has its own blog full of ideas and help.Here are some more articles that may help you with this activity.
Getting Started: File formats
Getting Started: Editing my video
Getting Started: Videos with JPEGs
Getting Started: Video length and size
Interesting facts about YouTube
One specially nice feature of TeacherTube is the arrangement of subjects and topics into channels. For instance, if you need teaching support for math, you can click on the Math channel and see everything that has been tagged with math and other related tags. To upload to TeacherTube, you also must register and create an account.
Here is some help in using TeacherTube. Included in this information is the list of formats accepted by the site. For videos, they are similar to the ones listed above in the information about YouTube.
Here is a video on how to upload to Teachertube. And some help pages that can answer your questions.Try uploading to one of the sites. Use something you have already created (you may have to check the format) or create a piece like an Animoto to upload. Include your thoughts to these questions in your blog post:
What would be some advantages of having teaching/learning videos available on online at sites like these?What about student created work -- would there be advantages to having it uploaded?
P.S. Did you know there is also a School Tube site - Check it out too?
Thing 11: Web 2.0 Tools
Discovering Web 2.0 tools
Throughout the course of this Learning 2.0 program we’ve explored just a small sampling of these new internet technologies and websites that are empowering users with the ability to create and share content. But given time there are so many more we could explore. Current estimates place the number of web 2.0 tools at somewhere between 300 & 500 with only a handful emerging as market dominators. And although time will only tell which of these new collaborative, social networking and information tools will remain on top, onething is for sure, they're not going to go away (at least anytime soon).
For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to select any site from this list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees and explore it. With so many to choose from, it might be handy to first select a category that interests you (like Books or Personal Organization) and then simply select a tool/site to explore. Be careful to select a tool that is Free and that doesn't require a plug-in or download.
The majority of these are free, so this shouldn’t be a problem.
There are so many fun Web 2.0 tools that allow you to create animations. Explore one of these, create and animation and then embed it into the blog. Write about two or three possibilities for using a site like that.
DoInk a great website that allows you to create flash type animations using your own drawings.
GoAnimate allows you to use some of their artwork and then animate and add voice.
Discovery Exercise:Select any site/tool from the list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees.
Explore the site you selected.
Create a post about your discovery. What did you like or dislike about the tool? What were the site’s useful features? Could you see any applications for its use in a classroom setting?
Choose one other site from this larger list and blog about it's possible use, features and applications.
Web 2.0 – with so much to explore, just start with ONE. :)
Throughout the course of this Learning 2.0 program we’ve explored just a small sampling of these new internet technologies and websites that are empowering users with the ability to create and share content. But given time there are so many more we could explore. Current estimates place the number of web 2.0 tools at somewhere between 300 & 500 with only a handful emerging as market dominators. And although time will only tell which of these new collaborative, social networking and information tools will remain on top, onething is for sure, they're not going to go away (at least anytime soon).
For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to select any site from this list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees and explore it. With so many to choose from, it might be handy to first select a category that interests you (like Books or Personal Organization) and then simply select a tool/site to explore. Be careful to select a tool that is Free and that doesn't require a plug-in or download.
The majority of these are free, so this shouldn’t be a problem.
There are so many fun Web 2.0 tools that allow you to create animations. Explore one of these, create and animation and then embed it into the blog. Write about two or three possibilities for using a site like that.
DoInk a great website that allows you to create flash type animations using your own drawings.
GoAnimate allows you to use some of their artwork and then animate and add voice.
Discovery Exercise:Select any site/tool from the list of Web 2.0 Awards nominees.
Explore the site you selected.
Create a post about your discovery. What did you like or dislike about the tool? What were the site’s useful features? Could you see any applications for its use in a classroom setting?
Choose one other site from this larger list and blog about it's possible use, features and applications.
Web 2.0 – with so much to explore, just start with ONE. :)
Monday, September 10, 2012
Thing 10: Online Productivity Tools
Online Productivity Tools 
Try out Zoho Writer’s features and create a blog post about your discoveries. Optional: If
you're up for the challenge, try using Zoho’s "publish" options to post to your blog.*
The availability and use of online productivity web-based applications (think word processing and spreadsheets) has exploded over the past two years and for good reasons! These powerful applications provide users with the ability to create and share documents over the internet without the need of installed desktop applications. Some experts speculate that this emerging trend may mean the death to Microsoft Office and other software-based productivity tools, while others think web-based applications have their place, but not in the office.
But no matter which side of the office suite platform you side with, on this both sides seem to agree; web-based apps have their place.One large benefit to web-based applications it that they eliminate the need to worry about different software versions or file types as you email documents or move from PC to PC. Another bonus is that they easy accommodate collaboration by allowing multiple users to edit the same file (with versioning) and provide users the ability to easily save and convert documents as multiple file types (including HTML and pdf). And, you can even use many of these tools, such as Zoho Writer and Google Docs* (formerly known as Writely) to author and publish posts to your blog.
It’s this type of integration with other web 2.0 tools that also makes web-based apps so appealing.For this discovery exercise, participants are asked to take a look at a web-based word processing tool called Zoho Writer, create a simple document and then document your discoveries in your blog. If you're up to the challenge, you might even export your document as an HTML file or publish it through Zoho to your blog.
With Zoho and web-based applications, the possibilities are endless.
Discovery Resources:
A short list of web-based productivity applications – Note: I authored this list in ZohoWriter and exported it as HTML.
Discovery Exercise:Create a free account for yourself in Zoho Writer.
Explore the site and create a few test documents of two.
Explore the site and create a few test documents of two.
Try out Zoho Writer’s features and create a blog post about your discoveries. Optional: If
you're up for the challenge, try using Zoho’s "publish" options to post to your blog.*
Note: You can also explore Google Docs (formerly known as Writely), Google's online word
processer, as an option for this exercise. On Oct 11th, Google relaunched Writely (which it
acquired in Spring 2006) as Google Docs.
processer, as an option for this exercise. On Oct 11th, Google relaunched Writely (which it
acquired in Spring 2006) as Google Docs.
BTW: Here’s a document (viewable as a webpage) I mocked up in Zoho about some of the features I found beneficial.
Thing 9: Play with Wiki's
"Sandbox" is the term that wikis often use to describe the area of the website that should be used for pure play. For this discovery and exploration exercise, we’ve set up a whole Learning 2.0 Favorites wiki* that’s for nothing but play!
Discovery Resources:
PB Wiki Tour - Find out how this collaborative tool can be used
PBWiki Video Gallery - Short videos of PBwiki features
Discovery Exercise:
For this “explore-and-play-with-wikis” exercise, you are asked to add an entry or two to the Technology Poppers Wiki Dr. Wilson's Classes are creating. The theme of this wiki is simply “Poppers”. 
Come up with an idea for using technology in the classroom that is not a giant integration technique but a small way you can use a little technology that can enhance motivation, interest, or achievement. You may be able to add an entry as a guest but if not you will have to create an account on this wiki site to click on edit and contribute. Put your first name next to your idea and if the idea is specific to a grade level then include it as well.
Come up with an idea for using technology in the classroom that is not a giant integration technique but a small way you can use a little technology that can enhance motivation, interest, or achievement. You may be able to add an entry as a guest but if not you will have to create an account on this wiki site to click on edit and contribute. Put your first name next to your idea and if the idea is specific to a grade level then include it as well. 2. Create a post in your blog about the experience. Can you think of ways you could use a wiki either personally or professionally? Blog about this too.
Thing 8: Wiki's
A wiki is a collaborative website and authoring tool that allows users to easily add, remove and edit content. Wikipedia, the online open-community encyclopedia, is the largest and perhaps the most well known of these knowledge sharing tools. With the benefits that wikis provide the use and popularity of these tools is exploding. Some of the benefits that make wikis so attractive are:
Anyone (registered or unregistered, if unrestricted) can add, edit or delete content.
Tracking tools within wikis allow you to easily keep up on what been changed and by whom.
Earlier versions of a page can be viewed and reinstated when needed. Users do not need to know HTML in order to apply styles to text or add and edit content. In most cases simple syntax structure is used.As the use of wikis has grown over the last few years, libraries all over the country have begun to use them to collaborate and share knowledge. Among their applications are pathfinder or subject guide wikis, book review wikis, ALA conference wikis and even library best practices wikis.
Discovery Resources:Use these resources to learn more aboout wikis:
Wiki, wiki, wiki - from PLCMC's own Core Compentency blog
Wiki’s: A Beginner’s Look – an excellent short slide presentation that offers a short introduction and examples.
What is a Wiki? – Library Success wiki presentation
Using Wikis to Create Online Communities – a good overview of what a wiki is and how it can be used in libraries.
Discovery Exercise:
For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a look at some library and teaching wikis and blog about your finding. Here’s a few examples to get you started:
Library wikis
SJCPL Subject Guides – a pathfinder wiki developed by the St. Joseph County Public Library system
Book Lovers Wiki - developed by the Princeton Public Library
Library Success: A best practices wiki
ALA 2006 New Orleans wiki – an example of a wiki created to support a specific event
The Bull Run Library wiki - a public library wiki and also a Learning 2.0 participant
Teaching wikis
For Teachers New to Wikis gives application idea for using wikis with students
Educator Wikis after you scroll below the ads you will see lots of teacher blogs.
Teacher Wikis
AFter looking at all of these Wikis, spend a few minutes blogging about what you saw, ideas you had, and whether or not you have ideas for future wikis that might help teachers in their profession.
Anyone (registered or unregistered, if unrestricted) can add, edit or delete content.
Tracking tools within wikis allow you to easily keep up on what been changed and by whom.
Earlier versions of a page can be viewed and reinstated when needed. Users do not need to know HTML in order to apply styles to text or add and edit content. In most cases simple syntax structure is used.As the use of wikis has grown over the last few years, libraries all over the country have begun to use them to collaborate and share knowledge. Among their applications are pathfinder or subject guide wikis, book review wikis, ALA conference wikis and even library best practices wikis.
Discovery Resources:Use these resources to learn more aboout wikis:
Wiki, wiki, wiki - from PLCMC's own Core Compentency blog
Wiki’s: A Beginner’s Look – an excellent short slide presentation that offers a short introduction and examples.
What is a Wiki? – Library Success wiki presentation
Using Wikis to Create Online Communities – a good overview of what a wiki is and how it can be used in libraries.
Discovery Exercise:
For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a look at some library and teaching wikis and blog about your finding. Here’s a few examples to get you started:
Library wikis
SJCPL Subject Guides – a pathfinder wiki developed by the St. Joseph County Public Library system
Book Lovers Wiki - developed by the Princeton Public Library
Library Success: A best practices wiki
ALA 2006 New Orleans wiki – an example of a wiki created to support a specific event
The Bull Run Library wiki - a public library wiki and also a Learning 2.0 participant
Teaching wikis
For Teachers New to Wikis gives application idea for using wikis with students
Educator Wikis after you scroll below the ads you will see lots of teacher blogs.
Teacher Wikis
AFter looking at all of these Wikis, spend a few minutes blogging about what you saw, ideas you had, and whether or not you have ideas for future wikis that might help teachers in their profession.
Thing 7: Image Generators
Wordle or WordSift, Glogster/edu or VoiceThread, Animoto, or Voki
All of the above are tools students can use to create products for assignments. Choose two of the items to explore. Reflect on the questions asked as you post your blog Thing #7. Be sure to choose something you haven't seen or used before.
Questions include....How can this tool be used with your students? and What is one assignment that you could use that includes these tools?...either as a one computer assignment or as a class asignment.
Wordle is a tool to create beautiful "word clouds". You copy some text and paste it into the Wordle page after clicking on the "create" button. Be sure to explore the edit tabs at the top to change the layout, color etc. At the right is a Library Resources Page in Wordle.
In addition to printing, you can always print the screen and then copy into a draw program like PowerPoint for editing and saving. The fact that the words most repeated appear larger would help a student to find the main concepts of an article or essay. How could a student use this tool?
WordSift, like Wordle, takes text from any document or webpage and creates a word cloud. In addition, it gives you links to websites that might turn up if you did a search on those terms. So, the words become hot links. Again, how might students use this tool in their learning and creating?
Glogster/edu "poster yourself" or a poster online! Glogster is a tool that allows picture manipulation and mashups and adding hot links to parts of the pictures. Scroll down and play some of the tutorials. If you want to create a personal Glogster account before trying a classroom account go to Glogster homepage. Would there be any different thinking a student would have to do to turn in a poster online as opposed to a cardboard poster? If there is different thinking, is it better or worse, more or less, or how is it different?
VoiceThread--digital storytelling made simpler with 5 ways for the authentic audience to comment. Click on the K-12 at middle right. Then click on Learn More in middle. Watch Overviews. Then click on "Visit our K-12 pricing page". Then apply for the third or free column. What situations might this be the most appropriate tool for students?
Animoto - surely you have seen an Animoto! If you have not made one, now is the time. Be sure to explore how music with different tempos effect the changing of the pictures. Be sure to notice how the size of your picture effects the quality of the finished product. Be sure to re-arrange the sequence of the pictures to create a different effect. Be sure you can save, send, and post an Animoto. How can students and/or educators use this?
Voki - a talking avatar. Click get started. Be sure to click on all the possible buttons to see the various editing features you have. The students love to use the voice spoken typed text. Avatars could be used for other things than just to pretty up your blog. What would happen if a Voki was sent in an e-mail. Might the recipient get a stronger message than just text?
I can't wait to hear from you. Blog your responses...
All of the above are tools students can use to create products for assignments. Choose two of the items to explore. Reflect on the questions asked as you post your blog Thing #7. Be sure to choose something you haven't seen or used before.
Questions include....How can this tool be used with your students? and What is one assignment that you could use that includes these tools?...either as a one computer assignment or as a class asignment.
Wordle is a tool to create beautiful "word clouds". You copy some text and paste it into the Wordle page after clicking on the "create" button. Be sure to explore the edit tabs at the top to change the layout, color etc. At the right is a Library Resources Page in Wordle.
In addition to printing, you can always print the screen and then copy into a draw program like PowerPoint for editing and saving. The fact that the words most repeated appear larger would help a student to find the main concepts of an article or essay. How could a student use this tool?
WordSift, like Wordle, takes text from any document or webpage and creates a word cloud. In addition, it gives you links to websites that might turn up if you did a search on those terms. So, the words become hot links. Again, how might students use this tool in their learning and creating?
Glogster/edu "poster yourself" or a poster online! Glogster is a tool that allows picture manipulation and mashups and adding hot links to parts of the pictures. Scroll down and play some of the tutorials. If you want to create a personal Glogster account before trying a classroom account go to Glogster homepage. Would there be any different thinking a student would have to do to turn in a poster online as opposed to a cardboard poster? If there is different thinking, is it better or worse, more or less, or how is it different?
VoiceThread--digital storytelling made simpler with 5 ways for the authentic audience to comment. Click on the K-12 at middle right. Then click on Learn More in middle. Watch Overviews. Then click on "Visit our K-12 pricing page". Then apply for the third or free column. What situations might this be the most appropriate tool for students?
Animoto - surely you have seen an Animoto! If you have not made one, now is the time. Be sure to explore how music with different tempos effect the changing of the pictures. Be sure to notice how the size of your picture effects the quality of the finished product. Be sure to re-arrange the sequence of the pictures to create a different effect. Be sure you can save, send, and post an Animoto. How can students and/or educators use this?
Voki - a talking avatar. Click get started. Be sure to click on all the possible buttons to see the various editing features you have. The students love to use the voice spoken typed text. Avatars could be used for other things than just to pretty up your blog. What would happen if a Voki was sent in an e-mail. Might the recipient get a stronger message than just text?
I recently also found Flipsnack - a free way to make a flip book. Here is one I made using pdf copies of student collages.
I can't wait to hear from you. Blog your responses...
Registering Your Learning Blog
You have created your learning blog, but now we need to take care of a couple of housekeeping chores so that you can continue to play:
1. Now that your blog is created AND you have blogged about Things #1 and #3, 4, and 5 in YOUR blog you MUST register your blog with Dr. Wilson.
2.Submit the blog address in Bb. so you can be added as participants:
1. Blog name/title of your blog,
2. Your name as you are known in your blog--YOUR blog identity, AND
3. Your blog address which will look like http://insertname.blogspot.com
Until you do this, you are not officially a player and are not eligible for credit.
Remember:You must record your progress on each of the 16 Things’ on your blog. Clearly identify each THING in the title of your entries. Each Thing needs to be written in a separate blog posting. Please do not combine Things! Also you should include in each of the posts examples of your exploration of the tools. Either link or embed the tools you created while exploring.
1. Now that your blog is created AND you have blogged about Things #1 and #3, 4, and 5 in YOUR blog you MUST register your blog with Dr. Wilson.
2.Submit the blog address in Bb. so you can be added as participants:
1. Blog name/title of your blog,
2. Your name as you are known in your blog--YOUR blog identity, AND
3. Your blog address which will look like http://insertname.blogspot.com
Until you do this, you are not officially a player and are not eligible for credit.
Remember:You must record your progress on each of the 16 Things’ on your blog. Clearly identify each THING in the title of your entries. Each Thing needs to be written in a separate blog posting. Please do not combine Things! Also you should include in each of the posts examples of your exploration of the tools. Either link or embed the tools you created while exploring.
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