Thing 12

I explored Google calendar and Google translator.  My Google calendar and Google translator is uploaded on my profile.  Both of the tools were very simple and easy to use.  Google calendar is a great way to make weekly or monthly calendars for the parents.  Teachers can include homework assignments, quizzes, and upcoming events.  Teachers could also use Google calendar to make a lunch schedule.  Google translator is a great way to translate letters or notes if needed.  If a student is in your class and their parents do not speak English you could translate it to their language.  Another way to use this is if the parents write a letter in a different language you could translate it to English.  I plan on using Google calendar and Google translator in the classroom. 

Thing 11

I found Technorati to be the easier method for finding feeds.  Topix was a confusing search tool for me to use.   I did not like the layout of the website and I found it confusing.  I found many useful blogs that will help me with my career.  I also found useful blogs for arts and crafts!  Two other tools I found to help my with blogging was Omea Reader and Awasu Personal Edition.     In conclusion I found Technorati to be the easiest and most organized method to find newsfeed. 

Thing Ten

I like how newsreaders allow you to see all the new information without having to check every blog.  A way to look at this is if the newsreader is Facebook.  It allows you to see all of the new information being posted without clicking on each person’s account.  I also like how organized it is. It allows you to save time in your day and keep your information organized.  I would probably use newsreaders in my life to keep all my blogs in one place and remind me which ones I am following.  Teachers can take advantage of RSS by using it to keep all of their education blogs together.  It also shows you how many new posts have been made on each one of the subscriptions.  It is a really easy way to follow blogs and save you lots of time.   

Thing 9

              My first image I chose because of Halloween.  I made it on Image Chef on the Jackolantern Frame site.  I figured this picture frame would be a great present for the children to take home to their parents.  You could take a picture of each child and put their picture in the frame.  The middle image I chose because I thought it would be useful.  Teachers could use this to be on a PowerPoint as the students came into the classroom.  There is endless of options for teachers to use this program.  I found this program on Image Chef on the Sticky Note site.  The last image would be great to put on the door.  This way other students could find your room more easily and know for sure that it is your room.  I made this image on Image Chef on the Notebook site.

Thing 8

 

              I did not realize that Flickr had all of these programs.  I think that using Flickr mashups would be great to make cards or to decorate for a party.   I do not think that I would really use Flickr in the classroom.  If I was going to be a computer teacher I would definitely show the children this website.  I may show children this for them to make titles for projects or in daily life.  This program would also be great for an art teacher. 

              Flickr shows lots of peoples personal photos.  This may bother some people, but I guess they would not use this program.  It does not bother me sharing pictures online.  I love looking at my friend’s and family’s photos.  Uploading pictures online does put you at a risk for others to see them, even if they are private.  But if you take caution while posting pictures then I see nothing wrong with it.



Thing Seven

I do not think that I will use Flickr for the classroom.  If I do it would be to make stuff that had to do with photos.  I may use Flickr for my personal use, if I can figure out how to use it better.  I currently use Instragram and I like it a lot better.  It is a lot simpler to use and more of my friends use Instragram.  The two are similar because you can upload photos and follow other people.  Flickr is different because it has groups.  I like how you can edit pictures easily on Instragram also.  Another thing that is similar is that they both allow you to tag people.  Instragram does not necessarily have groups but you can use hash tags to put photos in a group.  It does not really bother me having my photos online.  Even though there is an option to make the photos private, they really are not.  Whatever is posted on the internet someone else can get to besides you.  I still do make my profile private because I like to see who is actually looking at my photos.

Thing Six

               Out of the Web 2.0 Awards I chose to explore Etsy.  I chose Etsy because I have never been on the site, but I had heard lots about it.  I really liked the tool because it was very well organized.  I also liked how most of the items are actually handmade and the money is actually going to them.  It is a great way for people to express themselves.  The site is very useful for buying stuff for the classroom or themself.  They have envelopes for students to take home, clip art, bulletin boards and lots more for school.  Etsy could be used for schools to sell shirts or even students work as a fundraiser.  This way people could order stuff whenever they wanted to or even at home. 

Thing 5

                 School 2.0 means a brand new school system that takes advantage of their electronics.  I think for School 2.0 teachers will teach children mainly off of the internet.  I can see students using iPads instead of school books or white boards in the future.  I think School 2.0 will be a great way to prepare students for the future.  Students can learn how to use electronic devices while they are in school to help them when they enter the real world.  In School 2.0 teachers will use online dictionaries, blogs for their classroom, homework online, electronic textbooks, libraries and much more.  In classrooms now students are learning about word documents, blogs, PowerPoints, excel and much more.  Students are also being taught by 2.0 by learning from PowerPoints and online programs.  I think School 2.0 is going to keep improving and is going to be great.

Thing 4 Commenting and such

                Commenting is a great way to communicate and interact with others that share a same interest.  Bloggers do not blog to give themself information, the reason they blog is to help out others or inform them.  If bloggers did not want to help others out and receive comments, then they would write in a notebook.  Commenting gives bloggers the motivation to keep posting and allows them to know that others are reading them.  On many blogs bloggers can see who else comments on similar posts as them.  This forms a sense of community for the bloggers.  They are allowed to see who else shares common interest like them. 

I found it important to make a meaningful comment.  When I do discussion boards for my classes, I get so excited when I see someone has commented on mine.  Someone saying “Great job” or “Excellent post” is really positive, but I wonder did they even read my whole post.  I really like it when someone posts on my discussion saying what they liked the best out of it, or telling me what they believe.  I think that people making meaningful comments is a great way to let the blogger know someone is reading their blog and have similarities in their post.  Not only is it great for the blogger to get feedback, it also brings attention to your own blog.  Lots of bloggers will go look at the person’s blog that commented on their blog.  Meaningful comments are also a great way to inspire other bloggers in your decision. 

I found it important to interact with comments left.  If others see that you are interacting with other comments and actually reading them it will be more likely for them to post.  If I see that none of the comments are getting feedback, then personally I will not leave a comment.  The reason I do this is because I feel like the actual blogger may not even read this.  Sometimes other bloggers may leave questions asking you how you feel about a subject.  I think that it looks rude if the blogger does not take the time to try to answer the question.  I personally plan to interact with my comments left on my blog.

                I chose to read coolcatteacher’s blog first out of all of the rest because I really liked the name.  The post was wonderful and taught me a lot about commenting.   I always have liked when other people comment on my posts, but I rarely do it myself.  Reading the blog really made me change my mind and decide to comment on other’s work I enjoy.  In my comment I told her how she changed my outlook on posting.

                I chose to read thecraftingchicks blog.  I love arts and craft and making stuff so I googled crafts blog.  This one was my favorite that I looked at.  It is very easy to navigate and look at all of the different crafts.  They also had a section for home projects such as home décor, trash to treasure, organizing and cleaning.  I left a comment on a Halloween craft telling her how I had never thought of decorating in that way before.  I thanked her for blogging about this craft and told her how I plan to do the craft but with glitter added.

                I commented on Hemingson’s 23 things, thing 2.  I chose her post because I saw her name on the side of the website.  This is how I chose to read all of my five posts by picking a name on the side.  When I got to her page I then decided to comment on thing 2 because it is my favorite.  I commented and told her what was the hardest part for me when I set up my blog, and then I told her how I chose my avatar.

                I commented on M Donahue’s 23 things, thing 8.  I chose to comment on thing 8 because I really liked her photo.  I also enjoyed reading her post and it made me excited to get to that point.  I commented on her blog and told her how I enjoyed reading it and her photo.  In my comment I also said that I really liked her saying and background.

                I commented on Ava’s 23 things at 32, thing 2.  I chose to post on her wall because of the name of her blog.  I told her how I liked how she showed her personality throughout the post and her blog.  I also told her how I felt like I was reading a professional bloggers post.

                I commented on Jessica Shaw’s 23 things, thing 7.  I chose this one to comment on because I really liked her saying and photo.  I commented and told Jessica how I was glad she liked Flickr and could use it in her everyday life.  I then told her she seemed like she would be a great inspiration to the children and I love the quote also.

            I commented on Simple Southern Girl’s blog on thing 9.  I chose thing 9 because I really liked her images she used.  I felt like they would be great to use in the classroom especially since she is going to be an art teacher.  I told her how I liked her images, the colors, and especially her blog.

Thing Three

            When I become a teacher I will definitely use a blog to write about specific teaching units.  This will be a way to make me improve and help other teachers.  I plan to also share ideas for teaching activities or playing games.  I believe that having children interact by doing an activity helps them learn better.  I plan to share my ideas that I have for activities with others to help them, and gain information on how to improve the activities.  A blog would also be a great way to post calendars, events, homework and test.  This can also be a simpler way to communicate back and forth with parents.  Another neat thing you could do on blogger is post pictures of the class.  This way former and current students and parents can see what is going on in your classroom. It is important to remember that not all students have access to the internet, and not to make it the main place for information,

Thing Two

I decided to use my real name, Alyssa Tobin, as my posting name.  I am not good at making up anonymous names or screen names, which lead me to use the easiest one.  I am also a simple and straight to the point type of person which meant Alyssa was going to be my screen name.  Using my real name also lets me remember easier what my posting name is.  I wanted to keep the name of my blog very simple and straight to the point.  I named my blog Tobin’s 3040 Reflection.  I chose this name for me to remember what class this was for.  Another reason I chose this name was in case I decided to continue blogging I could sort out my post.    

Creating the blog itself was easier than I thought it would be.  I have never had any type of blogging account, and I was kind of nervous.  The hardest part for me was to follow along with the class instead of setting it up myself.  I think that setting it up as a class was probably easier for most, but I like to set it up the way I like it the first time.  I had to go back and redo some of my blog, such as my background and avatar, because I did not have enough time.  My overall experience setting up the blog was very simple and straight forward.    

I tried to make my avatar look as much like me as I could.  I am a simple person and wanted my avatar to resemble me.  I tried to give my avatar a personality like me.  I usually wear my bangs to the side, but the closest one was the bangs pinned straight back.  I then dressed my avatar in a skirt and top because my favorite clothing is dresses!  I did not see a dress I liked, which made me pick the skirt.  I feel like the avatar lets you show everyone your personality in an interesting way.