ONE LAST THING.........

WHEW!!! Finally....the last THING....
I am truly glad to have arrived at the end, but so glad I took the trip!

What were my favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
Julie Andrews had her favorite things and these are a few of my favorite APSU 23 things....Google calendar, Animoto, Flickr, Online Image Generators and just learning to Blog. I am not sure I every would have created my own blog if not for this class.

How has this program affected my lifelong learning goals?
Way back in Thing #1, I mentioned that playing was one of the Habits that was difficult for me to do. I sometimes focus so intently on the task at hand that I forget to have fun during the process. This program definitely showed me another example of how you can have fun while learning. There were several activities that were very fun and seemed much more like play than homework. There were times when my husband took over home responsibilities so that I could work on the 23 Things and I felt really guilty for getting to "work" on them when I felt like I was just playing on the computer.

Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised me?
The biggest surprise was how much is out there that is free and so useful. I knew the Internet was amazing, but did not know how much web 2.0 has changed things. It seemed like every week I was telling my friends and family about something new I learned. I have said many times during this semester, that this is a class that could be taken every few years and be totally different just because technology changes so fast.

What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
I really liked the program. The only thing I might change it to try to combine some of the items to streamline a little bit. There were a couple that were similiar enough to be able to do this without sacrificing content and learning.

How will what I have learned influence my practice as a teacher?
I will definitely use what I have learned in the classroom. There are so many educational resources to use in the classroom. The pictures and videos are wonderful resources that can be incorporated into any lesson plan. More importantly, I will not be intimidated to try to use these, and other, new tools in the classroom with students.

How do I plan to keep up with new developments in web 2.0? Recommend a way that I have found to be useful.
I have already subscribed to the RSS feed for the Learning 2.1 blog. That will be a great way to keep up with new developments.

Thanks for such a great experience!!!

Thing #23: Creative Commons

There are many references that make it clear that APSU 23 Things is based on another work. Some examples of those references are:

1. The note after Thing 23: *Note: This project is loosely based upon the website 43Things (which allows you to set and track personal goals) and the Stephen Abram article titled 43 Things I (or You) might want to do this year (Information Outlook - Feb 2006).

2. The note in the "About Learning 2.0" section: Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers is based on Learning 2.0 - 23 Things. That program is based on the Learning 2.0 program that was designed by Helene Blowers, Technology Director at the Charlotte Mecklenburg County Public Library system, with the support and assistance of several staff. Helene's program was loosely based upon Stephen Abram's article, 43 Things I (or You) might want to do this year (Information Outlook - Feb 2006) and the website 43Things.

Until reviewing the resources about Creative Commons, I had no idea it was so complex. I am so glad I had the opportunity to review them and I feel so much better equipped to teach students how important this is. Teaching by example is definitely the first step. Secondly, these are such great resources to help teach students about this too by incorporating them into my curriculum as well.

Thing #22: Podcasts: No iPod Needed!

I used Podcastalley.com to find a podcast of interest. It was very user friendly and did not require download or password to listen to the podcasts. I found a podcast I liked called Bytesize Science. I actually found it in the Kids and Family section of Podcastalley. It is an educational podcast designed for young listeners from the American Chemical Society (ACS). It translates scientific discoveries from scientific journals into interesting stories for kids. I found podcasts to be very interesting and can see where they would be a useful resource in the classroom. Though this activity did not inspire me to create my own podcast, it did interest me enough to subscribe for future listening.

The following podcast is one I found interesting and I think students would enjoy:

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BytesizeScience/~5/z46oS9i9ksI/Ep38_ChickenFeathers_4-8-09.mp3

Thing #21: Animoto

I love this tool!! It was so easy and fun. I can think of so many uses for this one personally and professionally. In the classroom, it would be fun to document different class activities and make a video for the class, other teachers, new students, etc. I made this of our baseball team's district win last year. VERY FUN!!!

Thing #20: You, Too, Can YouTube

I chose to include a current event video from YouTube. This is a video about the recent tornado that touched down in Murfreesboro, TN. I chose this one because I can see how YouTube could be used in the classroom to tie a lesson (weather) to relevant events. After watching this, I don't think it would be hard to explain the tremendous power of storms. I both like and dislike YouTube. I agree that there are many good videos, but also many that are not worth watching. It is a good resource if used with care.

Thing #19: Beyond MySpace: Other Social Networks

I joined Teacher POP and was a little surprised at the approval time, but am glad I was approved in time to post and think I will enjoy being a member. The two activities I chose to complete for Thing 19 were:

1) Add the Teacher POP badge to this blog. This is posted on the top left of the blog.
2) Left a message, AKA commented on a video entitled, " Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth" posted by Dr. Wall.

Other than Facebook, this is the only online community I have joined. Teacher POP is appealing because it was created specifically for educators and is an APSU original. I think I will enjoy the networking with people who share common experiences in the APSU education program. I will be able to learn much from fellow students and others through this online community.

Thing #18: Explore Social Networking

I added a badge to this blog with my Facebook profile (see bottom left). I have been on Facebook for a couple of months, but only get on a couple of times a month. I guess that's not being too social on a social networking site! It just takes a time commitment that I can't really make right now. I do enjoy doing it from time to time to catch up on all my "social friends" though. I can see why it is important that educators know how social networking works because that is what students are doing now. This is the "hang out" area of our day. It is also another way to network with other teachers. I didn't really gain any new insights, but confirmed what I already knew about the sites. I like them both fine, but prefer Facebook primarily because that is where my friends are to be found. I can see where these could be used in the classroom to foster relationships and communications among teachers and students. I do think it should be used with caution and proper discernment, however. There are school system rules to be followed when it comes to after school socializing with students. There have been several articles in the local newspaper recently about Facebook contact between a SRO and students.