Thing 15 Podcasts and Vidcasts

I am familiar with creating and uploading podcasts. I have done this a couple of times for previous classes at UHCL. Next school year my campus will be receiving 1 iPad for each classroom. To prepare for this technology, I have paired with the literacy coordinator to compile a list of web 2.0 tools, apps and websites that can be used in the classroom. We paired with a 4th grade class last year to create book trailer podcasts. The students were able to complete all the work and had a blast sharing their opinions.

Check out my summer reading list created using PhotoStory. (After much frustration!! I did it!!)

Thing 14 More Online Tools and Applications

I like how many premade templates there were to choose from. Student will have an easy time learning how the program operates. I used my final collaborative lesson PowerPoint to create a prezi. To do this you first need to select a template or use a blank template. Then I clicked the drop down box on the top titled “Insert” then “PowerPoint”. I was given the chance to insert all or some of the slides. Then I realized that I needed to use a blank template, and started over. After taking a couple of deep breaths, I was able to move text, add slides or text, insert images and more quicker than I thought I was going to.

Check out my presentation on Make Beliefs Comix.

Thing 13 Online Applications and Tools

I love the cloud. We have a cloud through my school district. This cloud allows me to see everything if it is saved to my personal U drive. It has saved me from going to school at night or on the weekend more than once. I love that I am able to access my documents quickly and effectively.

A helpful tip when using the cloud on computers other than your own:
Always save a copy to the desktop and resave it in the cloud. I have been working on something at home but for get to upload it back to the cloud. If you do not do this then you will not be able to see the most current edition of your work.

When I started grad school, I was always with a flashdrive. Through my academic career I have been able to stop carrying it around. I have most of my personal documents for school saved on my Google Drive. This really helps as all classes rely on technology applications to complete assignments. I am usually on more than one computer a day. Google drive allows me to have easy access to my school work no matter where I am.

Image from: http://www.dvice.com/archives/2012/04/googles_drive_c.php

Thing 12 Microblogging

I looked for my school library, Mark Twain Elementary, in twitter but they did not have a searchable account. I did find Alvin ISD and Alvin High School and started following them. Then I searched around for other library pages and library associations, such as: TLA and ALA, and joined in. I like that twitter allows for instant communication. I will be using this to stay current professionally. 

Thing 11 Play In the Sandbox

After uploading my blog URL to Pasadena ISD's group wiki in Project Share, I looked around at Project Share. I really like the concept. I have used it through Alvin ISD but that was 3 or 4 years ago when it was first introduced in my district. Once it was introduced, it had never been spoken about it again. Project Share's mission is to aid teachers in collaboration with an engaging, interactive technology application. I plan on looking around at a later date to find academic resources for both elementary librarian and first grade groups.

Thing 10 School Wikis

The three resources provided Wiki’s: A Beginner’s Look, I Use Wikis. What Do You Use?, and A Wiki Walk-Through really helped explain the concept to me. I appreciate how the material was broken down and presented in clear, manageable chunks. Before this course, I knew that anyone could create a Wiki page but I was unsure why or how. Boy the difference a couple of weeks makes. I like how Wiki’s can be created and changed by anyone. This makes taking notes and sharing ideas a breeze. Even though it is not acceptable to cite Wiki in a research paper, you can use Wiki’s footnotes to verify the information and possibly cite that information.

I can definitely see Wiki’s being used in the classroom both as educational tools and professional resources. I can see using Wiki’s in all grade levels to help promote learning at home. If you have a student who will be absent for an extended about of time, you can upload scanned notes, slide shows and other resources for them to learn while they are out. I can also see starting a staff Wiki to push out Web 2.0 tools and the monthly library newsletter. A librarian can also start a list of books read in the library to show the students throughout the year.

Thing 9 Useful Library Blogs

I had previously added Elementary Library blogs to my RSS reader, so this time I added first grade blogs to my RSS reader. After learning how to use a RSS reader, I use it constantly to check on favorite blogs. Since Google Reader will stop on July 1, I have been looking for a back up reader. I chose Feedly. I have since added RSS feeds for:

• First Grade
• Library
• Children's Literature
• Young Adult Literature
• Elementary Library
• ALA and TLA

This list will be consistently growing as I include personal topics like recipes.