I never dreamed I would be exposed to so many different tools and actually be able to "master" (at least to some degree) some of them when I started this class. I signed up because I knew it would "force" me to go through these tools and that through the process I would become somewhat more "literate" on the web! Yeah!! Mission accomplished!!
Now the challenge for me is to continue learning and experimenting, not being afraid to try new things and to implement at least one or two of these "things" in my classroom and/or personal life. The ones that I want to try to use are Google Docs and Google Reader.
The most challenging part of that for me is to be confident and to take the time to play around with a new "tool" in order to set up a new "system".
Right now I feel like I've just been to a banquet with many delicious foods being served, but I've been rushed through each "course" and only taken a few bites. What I'd really like to do is to choose several of the foods and eat a whole meal of that food!
All in all, this has been so amazing and helpful for me and has helped clear up some of the fog in my brain about many of the web tools that are available. And at least now I know where to go to find answers and help in utilizing them in my profession! And I will be ready to sign up for another discovery class like this in the future!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thing - #23 Ning Network
The last "thing"! I think these "things" are finally clicking with me! I feel like this last exploration into another web 2.0 tool has caused it all to make more sense to me and brought everything together.
I definitely can see how the use of a Ning network could benefit me professionally in my pursuit of excellence as an educator. Searching through the comments of other educators really pricks my brain and stimulates thoughts in many areas. I found a Music Techie Teachers network that had interesting posts on Garage Band ( a tool we've used in choir for recording). I would like to use this more and it was interesting to see that it is so widely used in music classes. I also found an interesting music theory project that could possibly be useful.
Another use for a Ning network could be our TFME group (Texas Future Music Educators) or our Region 3 choir directors. Again, I can see that email is cumbersome at times compared to some of these new tools.
In my personal and family life, my husband and I enjoy running and have been in quite a few 5k and 10k races. It would be fun to set up a Ning network for runners or sprint triathletes (I've been in a few sprint triathlons) - or to narrow that to educators that are runners!
Visit 23 Thingsters
I definitely can see how the use of a Ning network could benefit me professionally in my pursuit of excellence as an educator. Searching through the comments of other educators really pricks my brain and stimulates thoughts in many areas. I found a Music Techie Teachers network that had interesting posts on Garage Band ( a tool we've used in choir for recording). I would like to use this more and it was interesting to see that it is so widely used in music classes. I also found an interesting music theory project that could possibly be useful.
Another use for a Ning network could be our TFME group (Texas Future Music Educators) or our Region 3 choir directors. Again, I can see that email is cumbersome at times compared to some of these new tools.
In my personal and family life, my husband and I enjoy running and have been in quite a few 5k and 10k races. It would be fun to set up a Ning network for runners or sprint triathletes (I've been in a few sprint triathlons) - or to narrow that to educators that are runners!
Visit 23 Thingsters
Thing #22 - Facebook
Well I finally joined Facebook! I know it's about time and probably I've been resisting due to the "time sucking" machine that it is!
I'm glad I was required to for this class so that I would have that "push" to do it. I know it's important as an educator to be current on what my students are doing, and also as a parent to keep up with my children! The funny thing is, though, that most of MY age friends, coworkers, and people I go to church with are the ones that are so wrapped up in Facebook!!
Educational uses and applications?? I'm not sure about this one! I can see students really getting bogged down in the social aspect. How many are really on Facebook to get help with a homework assignment?? I think a wiki or a blog would be a better tool for collaboration and communication for a class.
What do I like about Facebook and what insights did I gain? I like the options for privacy settings. I would prefer not to have the entire universe able to search for me. I do like the ability to communicate quickly with a lot of people if there is something going on that I want my friends to know about -- (i.e. trips, graduations, weddings)
I think Facebook has the most useful features. I think more of the communication is "appropriate" than on MySpace. I also liked the ability to upload pictures quickly and easily.
The whole concept of these social networks blows my mind! It is important to understand the ramifications of this in our students' lives - truly their way of approaching learning, relating to people, and communicating is totally influenced by this!
I'm glad I was required to for this class so that I would have that "push" to do it. I know it's important as an educator to be current on what my students are doing, and also as a parent to keep up with my children! The funny thing is, though, that most of MY age friends, coworkers, and people I go to church with are the ones that are so wrapped up in Facebook!!
Educational uses and applications?? I'm not sure about this one! I can see students really getting bogged down in the social aspect. How many are really on Facebook to get help with a homework assignment?? I think a wiki or a blog would be a better tool for collaboration and communication for a class.
What do I like about Facebook and what insights did I gain? I like the options for privacy settings. I would prefer not to have the entire universe able to search for me. I do like the ability to communicate quickly with a lot of people if there is something going on that I want my friends to know about -- (i.e. trips, graduations, weddings)
I think Facebook has the most useful features. I think more of the communication is "appropriate" than on MySpace. I also liked the ability to upload pictures quickly and easily.
The whole concept of these social networks blows my mind! It is important to understand the ramifications of this in our students' lives - truly their way of approaching learning, relating to people, and communicating is totally influenced by this!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Thing #7B - Google Reader Revisited
One of the blogs that I have been following on my Google Reader is of particular interest to me. This particular post,"Where's the Art in Autism Education?(& the music too)" is written by a mom and professor, whose son is autistic. I think this particularly interests me because there has been quite a bit of research and interest in the effects of music on children with special needs. She tells how her son's education is missing an important ingredient - that of exposure to and experience in the arts. She would love to see those more integrated into his "basics". I thoroughly agree, not just in the case of an autistic child, but with all children. Music provides a way to reach children in a way that nothing else can and in this case, although the child is not able to read words, he can read music. What a challenge and opportunity for us as music educators to learn how to reach those children with special needs and to instill a love of music to help them through the many challenges that they face!
Thing #21 - Google web tools
I explored several of these google tools, and decided to set up a Google Calendar and Google Alert. My calendar is for my husband to keep up with all of our personal "comings and goings" and also some job related stuff that I have going on this month. I am such a calendar nerd! We all tend to live by them in my family, so this will be a very helpful personal tool. I think I will also use it for my colleagues to keep up with my busy schedule during the school year. And of course, this would work for our "choir calendar" to share with students and parents.
The Google Alerts that I set up are for the Texas Rangers Baseball team and the Van Cliburn Piano Competition - two items of interest to me! I definitely think that on a professional level keeping up with news events for my field as well as education in general is very important. Google Alerts is good for people like me that don't have time to sit down and scan a newspaper or magazine, but can be up to date on information relating to a specific subject, team, competition, or specific event. This will be very useful!
The Google Alerts that I set up are for the Texas Rangers Baseball team and the Van Cliburn Piano Competition - two items of interest to me! I definitely think that on a professional level keeping up with news events for my field as well as education in general is very important. Google Alerts is good for people like me that don't have time to sit down and scan a newspaper or magazine, but can be up to date on information relating to a specific subject, team, competition, or specific event. This will be very useful!
Thing #20 - Google Docs
I have had a little exposure to Google Docs at a training session at Poteet last year, but had not really experimented and put it to use, but had thought of many ways to implement it. In working directly with and actually "co-teaching" with 2 other choir directors this "thing" will eliminate all of our messy email attachments that actually get really confusing when we are constantly editing and updating information. Last year when we were preparing our NYC trip packet, I was confused on several occasions as to which was the most recently edited version! With Google Docs we can all make corrections and changes as we need to without the confusion. Another use would be for the uniform check out process that I am responsible for, but at times the other directors need to update or change information as students drop or add choir, change sizes, etc. I think it could also be useful in preparing our programs - one director prepares the document, and the others can proof it and edit without emailing the attachment back and forth. Wow! This would save a lot of hassle! The spreadsheet that I prepared is a roster for my piano studio next fall. I have 2 assistant teachers that work with me and they can edit and collaborate with me on this.
Finally, I prepared a document to use in my choir classes next fall. It's basically a "Welcome to Choir" and" answer basic questions so I can get to know you" questionaire. I put in a link to our choir website so the students can also "get to know the directors" and get in the habit of checking the website for updates and information. Again, each of the directors would be able to update information, collaborate, and make changes as necessary on this document! I love this "thing"!
Finally, I prepared a document to use in my choir classes next fall. It's basically a "Welcome to Choir" and" answer basic questions so I can get to know you" questionaire. I put in a link to our choir website so the students can also "get to know the directors" and get in the habit of checking the website for updates and information. Again, each of the directors would be able to update information, collaborate, and make changes as necessary on this document! I love this "thing"!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Thing #19 - VoiceThreads
I looked at several Voicethreads and was interested to find out about this tool as I had not been familiar with it before. One that I explored gave ideas for "bellwork", the concept of students having an assignment as they come in the classroom while the teacher is taking care of "housekeeping" duties. This was intriguing to me as we have Theory packets in choir that students do as they come in the room. I'm not sure if the VoiceThread would work for this or not, but I think if there was a way to incorporate it, the students would definitely be more motivated and engaged
in learning. The Web 2.0 Promises and Potentials VoiceThread that I had seen before was such a statistical reminder that our students truly "think" and "learn" in a totally technological way and we as educators by necessity need to utilize the tools that are available.
I think of all of the "things" so far, this one is the most difficult to adapt to a fine arts classroom. Maybe I need to do a little more "sampling" or hear comments from other fine arts teachers who have used Voicethreads, to stimulate my creativity as to how to use them in my own classroom.
I could see them being helpful for a department "meeting" instead of an actual face to face meeting or a conference call, all participants could make comments and viewing and listening to the information being presented.
in learning. The Web 2.0 Promises and Potentials VoiceThread that I had seen before was such a statistical reminder that our students truly "think" and "learn" in a totally technological way and we as educators by necessity need to utilize the tools that are available.
I think of all of the "things" so far, this one is the most difficult to adapt to a fine arts classroom. Maybe I need to do a little more "sampling" or hear comments from other fine arts teachers who have used Voicethreads, to stimulate my creativity as to how to use them in my own classroom.
I could see them being helpful for a department "meeting" instead of an actual face to face meeting or a conference call, all participants could make comments and viewing and listening to the information being presented.
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