Facing "Darth Commenter"

Well, it has happened...I have faced my first "Darth Commenter"! I was glad that the "23 Things" training had discussed this aspect of blogging with us so that I was prepared to handle the situation.

At first, I was very upset that the DC had treated the blogger so terribly with the disrespectful comments (I was a commenter on the attacked person's blog). When a few of us other commenters offered support for the blog writer by pointing out that none of us were in the same situation so we really couldn't completely understand, the DC attacked us as well!

It is truly amazing that people can be so narrow minded to believe that their point of view is the only one that could possibly be correct :^( However, thanks to my "Things", I was able to respond to the DC and tell her that I would "respectfully agree to disagree" with her.

Of course, taking the respectful tact just made her angry causing another "written assault", but I felt better and knew that I had continued with the spirit with which we were intended to blog. I think it's great when people can discuss opposing views of a topic intelligently and respectfully, but the DC definitely put my patience to the test. :^)

Blogging with Students

I'm really interested in using blogging with my class this upcoming year, but I'm a bit nervous about it too. Have any of you used it with you class and if so, how did you go about it? Did you have to get special permission from parents? Did you just set up the blog and let them respond to your posts or...? Thanks for sharing your ideas! :^)

TeacherLingo and Blogging

TeacherLingo is a site for teachers to get together and talk about anything and everything. We exchange ideas, swap advice, commiserate, and just generally gab. It has several different categories of blogs, such as Elementary Teachers, High School Teachers, ESL Teachers, etc.

The blog I started on TeacherLingo is Ms. P.'s Place. Stop by to chat, check out some other blogs while you're there, and start a blog of your own.

If I don't watch myself, I could easily become addicted to these "Things". Wonder if my district has a treatment program for that, since they are responsible for getting me "hooked"?? :^)

Happy Blogging!

Come on, Comment!

Ok, I'm really seeing what you were trying to get across to us about commenting on people's blog entries. "Lurkers" definitely outnumber those who comment. On the TeacherLingo blog I started, I have had some posts that have had over 300 views, but only averaged 3-8 comments. I'm finding that there seems to be a core group of bloggers that are also good commentors and these are the people with whom I am engaging in really good conversations. So come on people, come on in and comment!

Learning is Del.icio.us!

Ok, even more success with sharing my learning from "23 Things"! Several of my "blog buddies", for lack of a better term, from TeacherLingo have been trying out del.icio.us after reading my post about how it is helping me organize resources for my students. They are truly excited about using it and many of them will begin their first year as a "real" teacher this fall. Just wanted to share how the life long learning message is really getting out there to people outside our district and outside the state.

People are Flickring!

Some of the people outside our training that I have been blogging with are really excited about some of the sites they have found on Library2Play. One of them commented that due to my posting about what I learned with "23 Things" that she woke up this morning thinking about Flickr and how to use it to show pictures when she gets back from a trip she is taking. Yeah, Kickball Captains, your life long learner message is spreading!!

TeacherLingo.com

If you haven't visited TeacherLingo yet, you should. There are a lot of really good discussions going on there. I also liked visiting Mr. Teacher's blog. Check them out because they are really good opportunities to practice your commenting!

Sharing What I've Learned

I've been spending some time "talking" to a few other teachers through another blog and have been sharing all the incredible things I have learned by participating in "23 Things". I included a link also to Learning 2.0. All of the responses have been positive and some of them have even begun to explore some of the items. I hope this helps pass on the knowledge I have gained and encourages others to continue their lifelong learning goals.

Thing #23 - Summarize your thoughts about this program

I have to say that this is the most worthwhile training in which I have participated in a long time. I really enjoyed being able to set my own pace and work when it was convenient for me.


Question answers:

1. My favorite "Things" were hard to narrow down, but I finally managed to pick only 4. Blogging was great and I think I will be continuing to use it both professionally and personally. The Google Tools/Trading card maker were great and I know I will be using them with my students. Google Docs is going to be helpful for communicating with my team and I think my kids will be able to use it on several different projects. Finally, I picked Del.icio.us because it is such a time saver. I am planning to get back to it in the days I have left and put together some more groups of items to use with the curriculum.

2. "23 Things" has really had an impact on my goals as a lifelong learner. I now have more tools in my technology arsenal that should be able to enhance my teaching and my kids' learning. It has really reaffirmed my love of learning. I have a message from a fortune cookie that I received my first year of teaching when some of us went out for lunch and it says, "The best teacher is also a student." I keep this fortune taped to my desk year after year because I truly believe in its message. This training has been a perfect example of how teachers are still students.

3. I think what surprised me to most was the amount of tools that are available for free. I know we haven't even scratched to surface of what is out there and I can't wait for more.

4. I'm not sure how to improve the program. I could say make it easier by explaining things a little more step-by-step, but that would take away the challenge and that would make the learning not as worthwhile. I find that I like learning more when it provides a bit of a challenge, even if I grumble about it a bit at the time. Keep up the outstanding work and I'll try to advertise it more too.

5. I would most assuredly participate if another program of this type was offered. I have gained so much information and my confidence in using technology has been boosted quite a bit. I can't wait to tell other teachers from my school about this training.

6. "23 Things" - Most worthwhile useful staff development training the district has ever offered.
"23 Things"- Fabulous and worth the time.

7. Comment on other blogs? Ok, ok, I'm going!

Thing #22 - Nings

I thought Nings were interesting and very similar to other "things" we have looked at like wikis. I think they are a great way for people to be able to communicate with others both professionally and personally. I can see myself using a Ning as a way to talk to other teachers about various educational topics, getting ideas for lessons, and generally talking to others who understand what a teacher goes through on a daily basis during the school year. I think older students could also benefit from using a Ning to discuss group projects, ask each other questions on things they don't understand, and generally establishing a group of people to talk to who share their hobbies and interests.

I liked looking at the Librarian Nings and reading a few of the entries about what they see as the future of libraries and their uses. Of course, I related a bit better to the Ning for Teachers because they were discussing curriculum, parent involvement issues, etc., that are very relevant to my daily school year life. It's great to be able to communicate with others who "get me" and understand the educational issues we, teachers and librarians, face with trying to improve the learning of our students.

Thing #21 - Podcasts and Audio Books

I found trying to use Switchpod as a podcast hosting site very challenging and frustrating. I think this is one that I will need some more work on to be any good at it. I could view podcasts, but couldn't get mine loaded right. Oh well, practice makes perfect!

I liked working with Photostory and I've used it before with my students. I've also used Audacity a little, but now have a bit more experience due to this "Thing". I think Photostory is very kid friendly and they can catch on quite quickly with a little instruction. The video I made using Photostory contains pictures that I got from FreeFoto. You have to register with this site, but all of the basic photos can be used for free without worrying about copyright.

Our librarian had the kids participate in making a class podcast with poetry and some vidcasts with book reviews and they loved it! I think it can be a very powerful tool that is easily adaptable for any subject area.

Thing #20 - YouTube, TeacherTube and Zamzar

I was surprised by the number of videos available and all the different topics there were from which to choose. I liked being able to see what other teachers had put together to help with lessons, but it took a long time to go through them and some of them were not at all what I was looking for or were filled with extra things in which I wasn't interested. I think YouTube and TeacherTube could be good tools for teacher and student learning, but would have to be used very judiciously. It would help if the district would unblock YouTube and trust us to make good choices in what is being viewed.

I had some trouble getting my video chosen and converted with Zamzar just due to my own lack of knowledge about what format to choose, process to follow, etc., but I finally managed to get it figured out. Thanks for "pushing" me to learn this new skill!

Thing #19 - Web 2.0 Award List

I looked at several of the sites on the Web 2.0 Award List and one of my favorites was BBC Player under the 2nd Place Video category. Under the Explore the BBC section I really liked the Science and Nature page. It has many different things that could be used with students. I particularly liked how the different animal study sections were set up. They had a Reading section to get information, a Game to practice what was learned from the Reading, and then a Quiz to evaluated what was learned. This could work for whole group instruction, small group instruction, or work stations. I can't wait to get more time to go back and explore this site more thoroughly. I mean where else can you pretend to be a chimpanzee and meet/greet other chimps based on their body language? Yep, it's there...check it out!

Thing #18 - Online Productivity Tools

Ok, I'm a bit frustrated with Open Office. I downloaded it like we were supposed to, but I can't open it because it says I don't have administrative rights. Do I need to do the "at home" log in to make it work, and if so, does that mean I won't be able to access anything I create on it unless I'm logged in like that at the time?

I'm much happier with Google Docs. I can see many benefits using it and it seems really similar to a wiki. I'm going to get my team to try and use it to create our roadmap this first nine weeks and see how that goes.

I see the advantages of offering this as a way for people who can't afford the Office Suite or have a computer that doesn't come with it and the ease of collaborating with others. I, obviously, prefer Google Docs since I can't get the other one to work for me.

I'm much more familiar with Microsoft Office, but I like having more than one option to use.

Thing #17 - Rollyo

Wow, talk about a time saver! This was really easy and I like the idea of being able to share sites I search with others and them with me. I created a search engine, called Kid Crafts 1, that has sites I use to get ideas that are easily adaptable to curriculum projects and activities. Check it out and I hope you find something you can use! Remember, if the link doesn't take you to the list where you can see Kid Crafts 1, you may have to go to "Explore" and look for it under "recently added".

I think Rollyo would also be a great way for me to organize some of my most used and favorite items off of the Library Resource page too.

Thing #16 - Wikis

Well, I definitely understand wikis much better now. I can see using them with the kids when doing research. I think that would be the easiest way to start out so that we can learn how to use them together. I am thinking of a few other ways that we might be able to use them, but we are so limited in our computer access that I worry that we really won't be able to do it justice. I don't know, I really have a lot to think about regarding the use of wikis with my students.

I liked playing in the sandbox because I got to see what others were thinking. It seems that a lot of us are really excited about the "23 Things" class and regard it as one of the best trainings we have participated in for quite a while. I hope others will take the opportunity to participate after I tell them how much I learned.

Thing #15 - Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and the Future of Libraries

I took time to read all of the articles, blogs, etc. listed in this activity and it was a bit of an overload, not because of how many items I read, but because of all the implications and view points that were presented.

When I read, "But if our services can't be used without training, then it's the services that need to be fixed - not our patrons." from Rick Anderson in 'Away from the "icebergs"', I found myself a bit split in my thoughts. I agree that library services have to be easy for patrons to use, but this makes it sound like everything should be DIY with no one ever needing to ask a question or get help. I don't think that is the way a library should ever be, now or in the future.

I felt much better after reading "To a temporary place in time" from Dr. Wendy Schultz. I felt that my way of thinking meshed a lot better with her perspective, "...people will prefer personal introductions - they will want a VR info coach." This sounds more like it and doesn't give the impression of abandoning library patrons to find their own way through all of the new tools and information that they want to access.

I think, overall, that Library 2.0 means change and a new way of thinking for a lot of people, not just librarians and teachers. If we are to succeed in meeting the needs of our students we must have greater more judicious support from those in power. Wireless that only works if I stand 6 inches in front of and to the left of my desk of Tuesdays and Thursdays, two student classroom computers, once a week computer lab trips, COWs that have to be disassembled and locked up at the end of each day, etc. isn't going to get it. We need individual or paired laptops for the classroom, interactive white boards for all classrooms/libraries, and flexible scheduling for use of the library. I feel that my school is lucky because we have a flexible schedule for the library which allows for more usage, lessons from our librarian, and access to more computers. However, I know many schools don't even have that, while other schools have much more than that.

Ok, off my soapbox. I guess it all comes back down to "change"...and many more dollars. :^)

Thing #14 - Technorati and How Tags Work

I can see that Technorati can help with a variety of topics, research, news updates, etc. It will help to maximize reading time by narrowing the amount of time it takes to find what you are interested in at the moment.

Tagging can be helpful because not everyone categorizes or organizes things the same way in their minds. I might think of something as one tag and someone else think of it as a different one, but we can both end up accessing the same information.

An example might be two people looking for information on the koala. One person might think specifically, "marsupial", while someone else might think more generally, "Australia". Even though it was approached through different tags, the two people will probably be able to find the same information on the koala.

I think "tagging" can be very helpful, but as with anything one reads, take it with a grain of "thought"! One person's tag may not lead you to what you are looking for, so brainstorm another possible tag or two as a backup.

Thing #13 - Tagging and Discover Del.icio.us

I LOVE DEL.ICIO.US!!! This has so many wonderful time saving applications that I can use for my kids this coming school year. I started tagging sites that will help us with math concepts and will be working in this more as soon as I finish this course. It will be fabulous for research to help the kids and me. Teachers can use this to get ideas for kids who are struggling or for help in planning lessons. The professional and personal applications are thrilling!

Thing #12 - Creating Community Through Commenting

I'm having a hard time narrowing down which two points I think are important when it comes to commenting on someone else's blog; they're all important. I guess the one that was most meaningful to me was "Don't be afraid to comment". I think that I fall into the "Lurker" category. I worried, and still do worry, that what I have to say to someone else might be regarded negatively for whatever reason. So, this was good for me to "force" me to make comments and realize that it was ok to say what I wanted to say. The second one that I thought was important was to be respectful when commenting, even if you are disagreeing with what someone else is saying. I dread my first encounter with DC. We, adults and children alike, already face so many situations with negative/disrespectful people that it is really important to point out that you should treat others with kindness and respect always, whether in the "real world" or "cyberspace".

Making comments on the blogs of people who are currently involved with "23 Things" was a lot easier than commenting on outside blogs. I could relate to many of my fellow players regarding their celebrations/frustrations, but found it harder to comment on the others. I chose blogs about animals because I really enjoy animals, especially dogs. I thought it would make it easier, but discovered that I still have a long way to go before I'm comfortable being a "Commenter" instead of a "Lurker". I'm sure I'll get better with more experience as my comfort level grows.

Thing #11 - LibraryThing

LibraryThing was really interesting. I can see myself using it as a tool to help me keep my own organized list of favorite books that I like to teach with during the school year. Goodness knows, I have a hard time remembering the titles/authors sometimes and this would really help. I also like being able to see other books that people recommend on a subject/topic in which I'm interested. I believe this could really be a time saver.

I did find a couple of groups that sounded interesting and I joined one of them. It's great knowing there is a place that I can go to get suggestions from others who understand "where I'm coming from".

What's next?!

Thing #10 - Online Image Generator

Totally addicting! I really enjoyed playing with these. I particularly liked Comic Strip Generator and Image Chef. I can see many uses for these from poetry writing displays to content miniposter making to class rule displays.

Thing #9 - Useful Library-Related Blogs and News Feeds

The Cool Cat Teacher blog about selecting your "Circle of the Wise" was very helpful because those feelings of confusion were exactly what I wrote about in my previous post on Thing #8. I think that I found the Edublog Award Winners list one of the easiest ways to find feeds that I was interested in because of the category lists.

Technorati was really easy to use and I did not find it nearly as confusing as Topix.net, which had a page that was just way too busy. A lot of them have pages that are too busy and I find they overwhelm me a bit (I think that they are an excellent way for adults to get the idea of the confusion students go through the first time they see the TAKS test!).

While I will continue to look for feeds on my own sometimes, I think Cool Cat really gave good advice about starting out subscribing to people you trust and then using their blog rolls to get possible ideas for others in which you might be interested.

Thing #8 - RSS Feeds and Readers

This was interesting, but a bit frustrating because there were just so many things to choose from for which to subscribe. I spent a great deal of time putting in various key words to see what other options would come up and found more than anyone could possibly ever read. I know I missed some really good ones, but I did finally settle on some to subscribe to for this project.

Now, to answer the project questions...

What I liked was the fact that I could see all of my choices at a glance instead of having to go from site to site. The brief descriptions helped me choose whether I wanted to go ahead and read the full "thing" or move on to another. This allowed me to maximize my reading time.

I could see me using this professionally by blogging with others in the field of education to discuss various topics, share discovered sites, ask for suggestions on whatever I'm struggling with at the time, etc.

Not being a librarian, I'm not sure that I'm qualified to answer how libraries could use this technology, but here goes...I think it would be great if it was used as a way to share education/technology issues and sites with teachers. It would be a way for a librarian to give teachers information without having to have a face-to-face meeting. That way, the librarian would be saving teachers from looking and looking for information that the librarian may have already gathered. I know that our school librarian sometimes finds it frustrating that she can't meet with our grade level team because of all the other meetings we already have. Maybe by creating a shared Reader we could eliminate some of that frustration and save time. However, I know that she would have to spend time teaching our teams how to access the reader, etc. so I'm not sure how much of a time saver it would be for her.

Thing #7 - Cool Google Tools

Ok, we have got to put a stop to this madness (and I'm not even half way through)! Yet another group of very cool items for which I will need to find extra hours to play with... I mean study!

I really like Google Earth and I'm sure that we can use it in our map/geography studies in class. I think the kids will really be able to get a much better understanding of how maps are translated into symbols. Students will also be able to "visit" places to which they may never actually travel.

Google Notebook and Google Docs could really come in handy for student and teacher use. I can see the kids using both to gather research data and putting together presentations. I also believe teachers could find both of these tools useful for communicating with each other during summer break for planning and building units of study.

I set up a Google Alert, but quickly discovered that I will need to try to figure out how to be more specific in what I want to be alerted to because my request seemed to generate a lot of items that did not provide information I was seeking. I'm sure I'll get better with practice.

I can't wait to try the calendar out because it looks really useful and versatile. I like that so many of the items have a "tutorial" to show you about it before you actually try it out.

Thing #6 - Mashups and 3rd Party Sites

Very interesting and addicting! I found several things that I can use with and for the kids. Mapmaker would be a great way for the students to track their progress on their states tests. I think I will use Motivator to have the kids make updated posters of the Life Skills we study using their own pictures and descriptions (maybe this will give them a bit more ownership in class behavior).

I really liked the Trading Card maker. My librarian shared this with my class last year and taught them how to use it to create state cards. This would really have a lot of applications from making cards to support research projects to generating vocabulary cards to help ESL students.

I need more time in the day!!

Thing #5 - Explore Flickr

I liked this site and I can see many possibilites for using it to create lessons to help my students.

The picture I chose to share in this blog entry will help with my Science unit on plants. It shows a group of various kinds of plants and will allow the children to see the many different types of leaves that exist in the Plant Kingdom. Photos like this one are very good for classifying activities.

I look forward to exploring the Flickr site further when this course is complete.

Thing #4 - Register Blog

Ok, this was the easiest "Thing" so far; I can handle sending an e-mail for registration. Thanks to all of the Kickball Captains for taking the time to monitor this course and help all of us out with continuing our goals as Lifelong Technology Learners.

Thing #3 - Set Up Blog

Wow! This was really much easier than I thought it was going to be when I first read the assignment. I spent more time thinking about a blog address and ID than it took to set up the blog. Setting up the avatar was interesting and fun.

I also liked reading the advice from others about setting up a blog and why they are important. The statement that made the biggest impression on me came from David Warlick..."Rather than just making students information consumers, make them information artisans." If learning these 23 Things can help me encourage my students to become "information artisans", then I think it will be worthwhile.

Thing #2 - Lifelong Learners

The "7 1/2 Habits" online tutorial was really interesting! I really liked the emphasis on individuals being in control of their own learning. I agree that if you want to learn more about a subject there are numerous resources available and you are the only one standing in your way. I also like the "1/2" Habit...learning through "play" can be very powerful.

I think the easiest habit for me is #2, Accepting responsibility for your own learning. I have always been one of those eager learners constantly asking "Why?" and "How?" and generally pestering others to teach me things I don't know.

The habit that is the hardest for me is #6, Using technology to my advantage. I feel that I do use technology to help me, but I waste more time than necessary sometimes. A lot of my knowledge of technology is self-taught and I don't always discover the most time efficient steps right away.

Thing #1 - Read Program Blog

This online course sounds really interesting, but I'm a little bit worried that I won't be able to complete all of the components correctly and on time. However, I'm always willing to try to learn new things, so here I go!