THING#11.5 EVALUATION

1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?I loved the image generators especially wordle. I have plans to use that one the first time I teach Library Resource Page. Also, I really like GoView and think that will be a favorite to use because it is so user friendly.
2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?Let’s say it encouraged me to go out of my comfort zone again. I think it was very thought provoking and makes you realize all the possibilities out there for education. Digital Citizenship really lays resposibilites and safety issues on the line and that is something we know but so good to see it in print and read about how to handle different situation when they happen.
3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?Even though 11.5 Things took lots of my summertime I think it was well worth the time and effort. I tried to do something with it everyday because I wanted to finished weeks ago but that did not work out for me. I do feel encouraged, succesful and motivated to start a new school year.
4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?Nothing, you have been such an awesome group to take care of us every step of the way so do not change anything now. I loved the beach theme even though I never saw real sand I thought I was there, ha!

THING #11 DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

WOW what a responsibility we have as educators to teach our students Digital Citizenship. I have read everything suggested on Thing#11 plus numerous blogs and I do feel overwhelmed. But as I start making plans to see students and orientate them to the library I am beginning to settle down. Also I Google Digital Citizenship and found lots of interesting though provoking reading.
Things to tell students during Library Orientation:
1. The goal of Spring Branch ISD is to educate students. Technology is playing a role in how students will learn reading, math, science, social studies, etc. SBISD has spent money for students to learn out to us iMac, iPods, document cameras, etc. (I will show parts of the power point on Bond tools from the LibrariansShare folder).
2. Responsibility and Etiquette
There is appropriate and inappropriate behavior using technology. We will learn how to be responsible with the freedoms that are extended to each student, teacher, etc. Copyright laws are very important when using technology just like when you are using books.
3. Safety
Texas School Safety Center has lots of material to use including flyers to have up in the library. It is important not to tell anyone personal information about yourself. Talk about Cyber bullying! Barbara Holt does a great interview with Fox News found under Texas School Safety. http://www.cscstxssc.blogspot.com
4. Explore
Get out of comfort zone and learn to use Slideshare, Image Generators, Skype, Social Networking, iTouch, Video Resources, etc!
5. Evaluate websites by showing the treeoctopus lesson (http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/sightings.html). Do not believe everything that you read.

THING #10 VIRTUAL WORLD

Oh my this virtual world. It took me forever to get dressed and I am not sure I matched at all! My hair ended up striped for some reason I will work on that one some more. My gestures was so funny and for some reason I like flying around with the birds. Once I was going in circles and that was fun and I did not even get dizzy. I like it though and had fun playing for hours and hours. I was telling my grandaughter about Second Life and she was like yes I did that several years ago and you paid for it??? They are always one or maybe two steps ahead.
I visited Rebecca Zebendein world and she owns a castle with some cool things like the Alamo. Rebecca already has great plans for her students. I have thought about it a lot and not sure of all the ways that it can be used. I know safety is very important! Teen Second Life will be a place for students ages 13-17 to explore a virtual world. Right now I think a facilitator and exploring the possibilities will be a good place to start!!! Keep a look out for Maryhele Caggle.........

THING #9 SLIDESHARE

I spent some time reading and learning about Slideshare and came to the conclusion that is was just another power point. But when I read and watched a 9 minute video on Comparison of PowePoint Hosting tools I decided I like Slideshare. Like the guy said it is a way to 'jazz up a power point'. Wow the ease of uploading videos or pictures into the Slideshare seemed effortless.
Students love to create power points and will spend days creating and admiring their work plus share it with whoever will look even long past the assignment deadline.
I wanted to checkout Slideboom but did not want to pay or register for the trial run right now but might later???
280 Slides looks amazing and with great reviews! I also looked at the Prsentation Power Online about 280 and it looks easy enough.
Students love to make power point presentationS and they will really like SLIDESHARE.

THING #8 SCREENCAST

My goodness I have spent many hours on this Thing#8 and have had so much trouble trying to get this done. Finally after deciding I would be a 11.5 Things drop out I did try GoView and was somewhat successful. I did the video on how to save to a San Folder but did not like it. So I am just teaching the students how to play Freecell. It is one of my favorite card games so here goes...




Oh yes I did have trouble with the sound but I will deal with that another day, whew!!!
I can see how students would enjoy using GoView to make videos for their own projects/assignments. The jouralism class did a 'Me' project at the end of the year and the teacher showed the students what she wanted several times using the computer, LCD projector and screen. I think she could have produced a GoView video and the students could view it on a need to bases.
I still want to do the 'Saving to san folder' video but I have to move on for now...

THING #7 VIDEO RESOURCES

I watched Creative Common Licensing several times and it reminds us to give credit when we use others videos just like we give credit when we use peoples words.

Blinkx
OMG over 35 million hours of video. You can find out about anything and everything 'you always wanted to know about but afraid to ask'. I searched how to do wordle, use smartboard, info about different countries, sports, Every subject is on this thing. I have bookmarked it! Blinkx will come in handy helping students find out information for assignments, class projects, etc! I have added a how to video for wordle because I think they are cool!!!

More DIY videos at 5min.com

PBS
I have always been a fan of PBS! I have used it for years and have always trusted the sources to be accurate for student use.

Google video search
is another that has unlimited information to individuals to use.

THING #6 iTouch Apps

I think it is was cool that there were apps for all the core classes plus everything else offered at school. I read an article and Steve Jobs refered to the iPhone as mobil learning and that is what all of this is about. Another article talked about a school giving iPods to all the students and teachers to use. The article was very positive. It talked about students need to thrive in the world that they find themselves in. Students are not passive observer learners anymore but participants. An example was used that they do not need to know the date of a battle but how to google and know it within seconds.

I understand that everything is at your finger tips and right now I am a wannabe.

Okay I have spent some time with an iPod, iTouch, iPhone and WOW. I kinda seem to be all over the place with this one, as usual! I have played with, read articles and now all that is left is for me to buy an iPhone.

THING #5 MICROBLOGGING

facebook
I like facebook. I do not check my account everyday or even everyweek but have enjoyed visiting with people I have not seen or heard from in a number of years. I have heard from a number of past students and that is cool to catch up on what they are doing. For that reason I am a facebook fan. I think the Book Clubs for Kids on Facebook would be way cool.

twitter
One good thing about twitter is the 'shortness'. Yes it was simple to join! I have joined yet another 'thing' I am a twitter! After watching the Twitter in Plain English I thought of something I would like to follow, books. Lots of time I just want to know what someone is reading and nothing else. This is a way to do that one because of the shortness.

back-channeling
I like this concept! The only one I have particpated in is the one we did at our library meeting in April and I thought that was cool. We have all passed notes during conferences or lectures why not do them electronically.


Facebook and Twitter are social networking blogs that can be used by students in and out of the classroom. The idea of driving to meet face to face for group meeting can be thing of the past! These can be used for individual assignments, group and class projects, announcements the use is certainly unlimited.
Back-channeling for the student that is not sure of self, quieter, thinkier to participate by either asking or anwering questions.
I am trying to get into the SBISD twitter page but so far no luck.

THING #4 VIDEO HOSTING (YouTube)

I am apprehensive about YouTube! I guess because all or most of my experience with YouTube has been problems. I usually can view them okay at home when they come in emails or I see one on the web. Of Course viewing at school is a problem because our District does not allow them, yet. I hate it when you can see a few seconds and then have to wait for buffing or whatever it is doing and see another few seconds. I love the concept and I think schools will catch up to using them.





Actually this was very easy and that is close to a miracle for me, YEA!!!

Thing #3 Like Skype

I remember having penpals in elementary school and if you got one or two letters the whole school year that was awesome! This Skype thing is something else. First thing I thought of was 'ask the expert' on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire because that is how that are contacted and connected. I set up my account using my school email and several names came up. I guess that means they have Skype accounts, too? Actually my grandaughters name came up, she is out of town so I texted her, and I know we will do some serious visiting on Skype and that will be fun. For school there are all kinds of opportunities to use this. Librarians can visit about issues! I know the students will love this both individually and as a whole classroom.

Thing #2 Image Generators 2

I chose The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost because that has always been my very favorite poem. How cool is it to play with the words like this!


WORDLE

This is cool and I look forward to using it next year starting with the 6th grade Language Arts classes. I wondering to start with if the teachers would like to Wordle. I am thinking of some fun ways to get them involved.










WORDSIFT

This was okay but I think I want to Wordle first!

GLOSTER

This thing is a mystery. I have created several but never can find them. This one may become a RTI (round to it)! Actually I can see students would have lots of fun using Gloster. I loved the ease of making the bulletin board and all the different ways to personalize them.

Okay after another full day learning about gloster I think I have it for this 11.5 Things!





now it is too big and I will get back to this one later!

Thing #1 Registration

OKAY HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!
I watched the video and it was plain and easy to follow. He did a good job explaining the process of the project and the student freedom to research and add as much or as little information necessary creating a vitual texbook. The fact that students can share work on wikispace for future researchers is very cool. I was glad to see that the teacher will still plays a huge part in the students learning by modeling, giving guidance, getting help from experts, organizing mountains of information, etc.