One last thing before I go!!

The most important thing I have gained from completing the Learning 2.0- 23 Things is the all the technological information that will benefit me now and in the future. A lot of this information gained I still use even at the end of my journey through the 23 Things.. some I may never use.. and other information I have simply forgot already! Below I have answered each question separately:

1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
I really enjoyed making the animoto video and exploring Flickr.

2. How has this program affected your lifelong learning goals?
I think 23 Things has helped me expand my prior knowledge on computer and has made me more confident when using my computer.

3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I was really enlightened on Creative Commons I had very little knowledge about copyrighting laws prior to the 23 Things.

4.What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
I thought the program was set up wonderfully and was easy to navigate and use. I really enjoyed the videos and information linked to each Thing.

5. How will what you have learned influence your practice as a teacher?
All the knowledge gained from the 23- Things will benefit me when I start teaching in the classroom. I can use the RSS feeds to stay up-to-date and the organizer tools to stay on task with my busy schedule.

6. How do you plan to keep up with new developments in web 2.0? Recommend a way that you have found to be useful.
I will have to motivate myself to look back at my old blogs to keep track of everything I have learned, but eventually I will remember all the information that I found most useful. Now that I have become an expert blogger I hope to one day start my own teacher blog and help teachers around the world who share the same love and passion for teaching as I do!

I want to thank Dr. Wall for introducing me to blogging and all the other fun features that are found across the internet and through learning 2.0- 23 Things.

Laura

Thing # 23

The above image is an example of a creative commons. I went to www.comicstripgenerator.com and typed in the word "dog" into the search engine. I then found this image on the first page through txt2pics.com. This site let me change the text, font, size, and adjustments of the text on this image. I even had the option to send my creation as a free ecard or buy as a magnet. This site has bought the rights to use this image, but the public is allowed to use this image for personal or educational use. This image is an example of how learning 2.0- 23 Things is based off someone else's work and modified for learning purposes.

Educators can now freely use images, videos, books, and much more because of Creative Commons or CC. Creative commons gives owners and companies the right to put certain restrictions on their creation, but also allows the public to benefit from their creations. As a teacher, I can use Creative commons to create a lesson plan or even use a photo in my classroom PowerPoint. This allows educators to freely teach without worrying about getting sued or in trouble for the illegal use of copyrighted material. Now that I understand Creative commons I can use this to protect my personal work or the work of a students. Creative commons is an educator's best friend!

Thing # 22

I listened to an educational podcast called "Really Learning Spanish" http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/2398014. I chose this podcast because I have always had a love for the Spanish culture and had an interest in learning to speak the Spanish language fluently. There are several episodes in this podcast that deal with learning pronunciation, meaning and spelling of the Spanish language. The episodes are like mini lessons that are both interesting and entertaining. The best part is that these lessons are completely free rather than spending tons of money on software that may not be helpful to everyone who seek to learn a new language.

I discovered podcastdirectory.com was the easiest directory to find podcasts that truely interested me. This directory had various topics to chose from such as arts, business, comedy, education, food, games, heath and much, much more. I found many interesting podcasts that I have now added to my RSS newsfeed. The one that truly interests me is "Really Learning Spanish" and I'm looking forward to hearing the next episode!

This Thing has really given me a better understanding of what a podcast entails and how it works. Podcasts are a great source of information that children and adults alike will enjoy and create. I know that I will soon have to make a podcast for my Education 3040 project, so now I feel more confident in creating my first podcast. I hope to make many podcasts in the future to enhance my teaching and broad my strategies of teaching.

Thing #21

Animoto is very user friendly and quickly transforms simple pictures into entertaining videos. On Animoto there are three easy steps to follow in order to create your own personal video. First you must select what pictures you want to use, then pick your music, and lastly make a title and your done! It takes about five or so minutes to upload then you can share your video with anyone you chose. I could definitely incorporate this into my classroom by making educational videos or just for fun. The possibiliites are endless with Animoto!

Thing # 20

Youtube is a wonderful way to view videos that are instructional, informational, and entertaining to people around the world. I like to view funny or entertaining videos when I'm bored or simply off task. I also have several friends that upload videos of their own music or funny adventures through college and everyday life. Youtube can sometime be addicting, but I enjoy taking a few minutes out of my life to have a quick laugh or learn something new.

I chose a video that my good friend Kayci Orr made with her friend Joe. She is singing "Follow you into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie. I picked this video because it was made by a student at Austin Peay and it just serves as a great example that anyone can post a video on Youtube!!

Besides the entertaining side of Youtube there are tons of ways to make it educational for future students. On Youtube you can incorporate educational videos into your lesson plans to give students another way to learn or grasp material. You could also search for videos on Teachertube, which is a site more focused on bringing educational videos and media into the classroom.

Thing # 19

I already mentioned earlier in Thing # 18 that I am a member of MySpace and Facebook, and I use Facebook frequently to stay connected with my friends and family. I know in several of my education classes it is encouraged that we join a social teacher network such as Teacher Pop so with this Thing I have officially joined!! I commented on one of the former students at Austin Peay that had to join Teacher Pop because of Thing #19 in 23 Things. I also explored and found great blogs on subjects such as Autism and Praxis 11 that were very helpful to me. Teacher Pop is a great site because it is specifically created for teachers. It is an easy way to stay connected with several teachers at one time and share ideas on lesson plans and teaching practices. I thought Teaher Pop was similar to Facebook, but more professional and geared towards my career.



For my next social community I signed up for Fuzzster which is a site for animal lovers to blog about experiences with their pet or see what other pet owners are doing. I chose this site because I have a beautiful Miniature Pinscher named Sissy who I love and adore!! I live on campus at AP so I don't get to see Sissy as often as I would like, so I thought this was a great way to connect with other animal lovers. If I can't see Sissy all the time at least I can blog about her!

Thing # 18

I had no problem with this thing because I already have a Facebook and MySpace account. I remember that I set up a MySpace account my sophomore year of high school in 2006. MySpace was really simple to set up an account, but I forgot my password so I can no longer look at my page. I haven't even looked at MySpace since high school because the new social networking site for college students is definitely Facebook. I set up a Facebook account my freshman year of college and I try to check it everyday if not at least a twice a week. I love Facebook it is a great way to stay connected with old friends and meet new friends. You can add friends and even become a Facebook stalker and snoop on everyone's page. Of course I would never stalk anyone on Facebook!

I think it is very important that teachers stay connected with each other on social sites such as Facebook or MySpace. In our busy lives it is sometimes easier to check our Facebook page and send a message to an old friend or fellow teacher rather than actually talk on the phone or in person. As a teacher you could post great educational sites or lesson plans that any of your friends could check out and use. On Facebook you could start a network with just teachers from you school or county where teachers could join and stay connected with each other without having to search through a hundred friends that aren't teachers. If your child's parent(s) have Facebook you could even add them and write messages to let them know how their child is doing in your class. Parents may look at their Facebook pages more frequently then if you were to send an email. If you did stay connected with parents you would have to make sure you didn't disclose any information to the public or for anyone to see. Also, when using Facebook you must always make sure what you say and the pictures you post are professional and classy.