Thing #11 Web 2-0 Tools

I explored a lot of the web 2.0 tools in my class and even am planning to use some of the tools I have explored in my classroom for some project next academic year. Out of the Web 2.0 Awards tools I like the Picnik tool because you can import pictures from anywhere and manipulate it multiple ways. Its almost like having kodak gallery, but with alot of other features to spunk up your pictures. You can also share your picture directly from Picnik to facebook, picasa, twitter, flickr, and myspace. Below is an image that I uploaded and changed to make it look "cute."

Image taken from Google image


I like playing with all the new Web 2.0 tool that I am coming across but the one that I enjoyed creating with was Prezi. Our principal had asked us to do a book study on book called Guided Math. After we had read the whole book each grade level was assigned a chapter to present at a staff development. I was assigned chapter 6, Supporting Guided Math with Math Workshops.  I wanted to make my part of the presentation more entertaining and attractive so I decided to do it on Prezi. A lot of my faculty members liked my presentation and Prezi. Many of them asked me to send them the link to Prezi and show them how it is used. I learned that day, that power point was not the only thing left to use for presentations, there are other free Web 2.0 tools like Prezi that are available to create presentations that are more attractive, and motivational.  Below is my presentation from Prezi that I created for our staff development presentation.

Guided Math-Chapter 6 on Prezi

Thing #10 Online Productivity Tools

I never knew about a collaborative web base tool that allowed multiple people to input their views, text, links, and ect...all while others are on the same document being worked on. When I started my technology grad courses, I was introduced to Google Docs. Google Docs is pretty user friendly and I love that it has all the Microsoft features in it. The best part about Google Docs. is that it has an option to make forms. As an educator we are making anticipation guides at towards the beginning of our lessons to get the students thinking about the topic. Its more like getting the students opinion on things. It promotes great conversations and the teacher just listen and manages the conversation. The form option on Google Docs. is a great way to create anticipation guides. 


I explored Zoho Writer and thought that is was a lot like Google Docs. I like that it had many more options to make your document(s) look presentable. I didn't find a form option on Zoho. I created a animal adaptation question quiz for the kids to take, but had a hard time attaching it to my blog. Was anyone successful in putting their document on their blog? 

Thing # 6 RSS & Newsreaders

RSS...O M G! This was the most complicated thing that I have done so far. Many of the tutorial links and videos are not working on Dr. Wilson's page about RSS feeds. Therefore all I did was play with the website to see what I can get out of it. After all the surfing I have decided that the Blogline website is not user-friendly at all. Regardless of all the issues I had with RSS feeds, I have seen a lot of RSS feeds on a lot of websites. I am still wondering how to add those RSS feeds on my Blogline. Suggestions are welcome.
I did add some RSS on my Blogline account. Here are a few feeds that I have add to my Bloglines.

Thing # 9 Play w/ Wiki

I added my suggested activity on Technology Poppers Wiki which Dr. Wilson posted up. I really like that idea to have a Wiki to collaborate ideas off other teachers. It was nice to see the wonderful ways technology could be Incorporated to do the activities listed by other teachers and educators.


I shared the following:
Kiran: This year I had planned for my students create a glogster poster ad for a made up healthy snack. They had to first collaborate with their group members and decide on a health snack to sell to parents of all children. They had to incorporate the food label for their snake, highlight anything special about their snack, and give some quick reasons as to why their snake is worth buys for kids. This taught the kids to understand the importance of food labels for our Health topic in Science.


Can I think of ways I could use a wiki either personally or professionally?
I would definitively use a Wiki professionally the same was as Dr. Wilson did with my colleagues, but make it more grade level specific. Personally I don't really know what I would make a Wiki for?? I defiantly would not use a Wiki as a reliable source for research and would not encourage my kids to either. 

Thing # 8 Wiki

Wikis are a  good idea depending on what it is being used for. I never knew any Wiki expect for Wikipedia. At first I thought Wikipedia is a great online encyclopedia then I found out that you can go and edit and change the information on it. Now, I'm not sure how reliable the information is because so many people can edit the info. I do see the point to Wikis but don't like the idea of someone going in and changing what I have written. How can one know any better than what I have put up on my Wiki. Obviously, I will not write false information about something of my interest or feel passionate about. I don't mind if someone comes and updates information underneath my inputs. This way one can see a trend of changes that have occurred over time.

Here is a nice example of Wikis being used effectively, The Book Lover's Wiki. Here people of Princeton can write about certain books they are reading. They can come to this Wiki and give a synopsis of the book they are reading, they can comment on the books being read by others, give their options about the author, images, etc... Its like being part of a book club, but on a Wiki. A librarian at a middle school or high school can use this same idea and set up a Wiki for students to talk about the books they are reading, especially for books that are a mandatory read. 

As a teacher, I can see districts setting up a Wiki for teachers. The Wiki can be used to upload effective lessons and activities. These lesson and activities can be useful to other teacher in the district to implement in their classroom. Teachers can comment on how well a certain lesson went compared to what  needed to be tweaked to make the lesson better for a particular type of class. It would be a great way to collaborate with teachers on other campuses. 

Thing # 7 Image Generators

Voki was so much FUN! I defiantly want to do this with my students. There are so many activities that are coming in mind in which my students can use Voki for. Some examples are, my students can use Voki to explain the steps of multiplying and dividing big numbers, tell the the difference between customary and metric measurements and some real world examples that can be measured using those measurements, they can create an verbal acrostic poem for a vocabulary word for the Science unit being taught, and much much more!! The best part about Voki is that it is easy and user friendly. The kids will be self motivated to want to express their learning through their avatar. 

Tagxedo is another cool motivational image creator. Students get on Tagxedo and create a "cloud image" of words. These can be vocabulary words, words that students are having difficult recognizing, spelling word practice, or just putting together words that help students retain taught knowledge. During this previous year, my students attend a seminar which was conducted by a police officer. The officer informed the 4th graders that when they turn 10 they are responsible for their own actions and can receive legal consequences for their negative actions. As an activity form that seminar,  I had my students come up with as many words as they could think of from the seminar they had attend and put together a cloud of words to help them remember the good choices they would have to make as they got older Then we printed the cloud images and  hung them on my behavior bulletin to keep a visual reminder for my students and the choices they will be making for the rest of the year. They loved going to Tagxedo and creating their images with words. I plan on using Tagxedo for other assignments as well, more vocabulary base assignments for Science unit. 

Things #3, 4, & 5

Thing #3- Images

This is me and my lovely husband. We have been friends since 1998 and meat at a church camp. According to him it was love at first sight. The picture with me and my husband by a helicopter was taken in Hawaii, Honolulu. We went to Honolulu for our one year anniversary last year. It was a blast and such a great experience. My husband and I love to travel and are looking forward to traveling throughout our lives. Its interesting to see how alike and different places are compared to where you live. BUT no matter what "THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME." 

Thing #4 - Flickr

While searching in Flickr, I came across some great pictures taken in nature settings. This picture in particular caught my eye. My brother and I, while growing up watched many nature channels. We are so amazed to see all that nature has to offer to man kind. Today we watch planet Earth which is ten time better. Its so awesome seeing areas in the world which man does not live in but yet it exists and bring about its own space and purpose for being on our planet. 

Thing #5- Mashups

I went and shared my wedding pictures on Flickr. I figured that if I put my pictures on Flickr I will have my pictures back up and others around the world can use them to referrer to if needing. It was interesting to see all the mashups that can be done using pictures. I was looking for some ideas to put together for my brother's upcoming wedding and thought how cute would it be if I can make a cube of pictures for the bride and groom to put on there guest's dinner tables. I made this sample with my pictures so I can show my brother and sell him this mashup idea!