Thing 11 – FlickR

Flickr is a pretty neat invention of sharing photos and utilizing them for further developments. I found the site quite easy to navigate through, and find photos I needed. I can see how it can become a little overwhelming, and I would demonstrate where students needed to go, and encourage the finding of photos through searching groups or tags. If you stay within a certain source of photos, it is easier to find what you need faster.

As I was looking through these photos, and contemplating how I can use these with my students, I thought of projects. Photos are a way to help students see math visibly. I could assign them a simple journal entry to find a picture that demonstrates math, and what kind, define and reflect on this finding. Or I could get more detailed and have them in groups creating wiki’s. The neat thing is photos can be embedded online almost anywhere in Web 2.0. How will you utilize photos? Do you have any other suggestions for math?

I chose the following two photos that interested me; they could be used for students to reflect on in a journal entry about what mathematics they see in the picture, and why it is important to know these qualities of math.

By NMC Second Life, http://www.flickr.com/photos/nmc-campus/249565073/

By Mykl Roventine, http://www.flickr.com/photos/myklroventine/3355106480/

Thing 10 – Creative Commons, What’s it to us?

In looking at sights online, I have noticed the CC logo before, but not often. I saw it on wiki’s, and a few blogs that I read. It has also been in a few videos that I have viewed, and before I think it had something to do with closed captioning, but now I see that it probably meant Creative Commons.

I think CC has the potential to impact the way students learn, since CC brings the old age idea that we build upon others ideas to create new thinking. CC allows us to do this with information that is in our technology without the fear of stealing someone else’s idea. Utilizing CC grants students the opportunity to work with many different resources confidently, so they can be mindful of other’s work, and the use of it in their own projects.

In my teaching, I have used videos, digital images, and audio clips from the web to enhance my lessons, and keep them integrated with the use of technology. A video clip or audio is good for students, especially when it adds to the lesson being taught. It helps to keep them engaged and thinking.

In my graduate program, I shared content on the web with my classmates, and professors. I have not shared within the teaching network, but benefited from the sharing of other teachers. What are some things that you have shared online that you believe has benefited other educators?

The teaching materials I used last year were from CSI, but I think that is changing next year. From my understanding my teaching materials that I use is owned by a variety of different places. My teaching consists of working with a bit of a hodge podge of it all to formulate my lessons to make them meaningful and engaging for my students. Can you say your teaching materials are only from one source, or is it several?

I believe some potential negatives for the use of CC is it can be taken too far. What do I mean by this? If someone uses CC to create something to make a large profit out of eventually, then the person who offered their content in the first place may lose the right to their work. In the event someone who profits from his/her new work with CC content copyrights the new work, disbanding the previous author. If after something is created it is immediately assigned a copyright, then this could be an issue.

Thing 9 – Digging in the Sandbox Wiki

I took a little more time in working on the sandbox wiki, because I started it, then returned to work on it. I went through a semi shock mode when I had difficulty locating my wiki. I didn’t save it in my bookmarks! But I knew it was there…. The [toc] code gave me a little difficulty, so I left it out. Did you figure this function out, by chance? My page still looks the same to me. It was very easy to put all I needed into my wiki. I think I may utilize links more for a class wiki to keep things organized, and un-confused.

As I was adding content, I found it quite easy to upload photos, and edit the text. I have an old video clip from college on a performance about my thoughts on teaching, and that that was my goal after graduating. The pictures I uploaded may slow the loading of my page down, which I do not like. Here is a link to my wiki page, is it slow to load for you?

Thank you for reading this, I really appreciate it! Sorry I have been behind a little…. I’ll catch up!

Thing 8 Wiki's Intro

I looked at the following three wikis closely: the Flat Classroom Project, Math 12V Outcomes Portfolio, and Schools in the Past

The Flat Classroom was very well done, and not difficult to understand. I think the layout was easy to follow. They had links to all of the important details of their project, and how it progressed. The collaboration among students across the globe eventually made it to holding a conference to come up with more projects. I liked how sophisticated the wiki was, and how easy it was to understand. I don’t think I would change anything about this site. I really like how it has gone beyond the internet; from their collaboration, students are completing real projects as an outcome.

Math 12V Outcomes Portfolio looked like a pretty simple wiki. I liked how the TEKS were assigned from the different links, and to see what the students did for each one was interesting. I may add student input to each project or problem, and have them answer one another’s questions and decide together if the problems work, or not, and refer questions to me after trying problems.

Schools in the Past was an interesting wiki. At first I was a little confused about the organization, but then I figured it out. For the sake of easiness, and ability to scan through, the titles for each part of school should be links on the side of the wiki, so they are easy to answer to, and one does not need to scroll through the list to find the one they want. This would guarantee easier access, and maybe more replies.

In my first wiki experience, I have found that wiki’s are an integrated, sophisticated place to share information, if they are set up in the correct fashion. I may see a wiki being created for each lesson I teach with my students, and have them work collaboratively with me on the project. I’m not sure exactly how or what my focus would be on, whether it would be reflections on the lessons, or example problems they create that I include on tests, or working with someone to make up problems based on what we just learned. There are plenty of options, and it may also be possible to do all I have just mentioned. The only thing it needs is good planning and organization.

Thing 7 – Comments, comments Eh?

I just made five new comments to five different blogs in response to ideas within posts. It was very interesting. At first I was nervous, and feeling a little uncomfortable sharing my ideas. What will other people think when they read my comments? If they do? These were some obstacles going through my head.

Then I realized it is better to get your ideas, and thoughts out, even if is just to thank the author for what they have written. After responding to the third comment, I felt pretty comfortable with commenting, and I think it’s a healthy thing to do to continue the conversation.

I found that since these blogs were all interesting ones, it was not difficult for me to contribute a word or two from my own thoughts in commenting. I am new to this, so I may have said something a little incomprehensive, but it is good to do on my way to learning how to utilize a blog to the full potential. Commenting can be a little daunting, but I think once someone steps into the realm, and give it a try, the task does not seem overbearing or difficult at all. It all begins with the first real comment.

Thing 6 - RSS Exploration/Implementation

The RSS reader is revolutionary, and I am a little surprised I have not stumbled across it in my technology experience. It is something I definitely look forward to utilizing. In my ventures using it today, I have found three specific blogs to follow.

The first one, A Difference, concerns the methods of teaching, and how we can incorporate technology in our planning. I joined this to gain insight in pedagogy, as I look for ways to improve my teaching.

The second blog I subscribed to is about teaching ESL, ELL, and EFL students. The author discusses what educators can do for these students, and how we can reach them by teaching them to set goals.

Then the third one I joined is called Moving at the speed of creativity, which I mainly employed because it looks like a blog that keeps up to date with what is occurring with technology. I watched a video about the laptops that are supposed to come out in 2012. They are trying to find a way to make these flat, touch screen laptops completely out of plastic to be very accessible for students, and they will only cost $75.

Then I also added a few more subscriptions, and one was TedTalks, which is completely made up of videos. I watched one of them from Marian Bantjes, and her talk was very inspiring. Her message reminded me of teaching. In her art, and design, she hopes to inspire ideas in others to help them pursue their own personal passions. We do this in teaching, we don’t know which students we will inspire, unless they return to share their own stories.

She also pointed out the visual stimulation is really important, and key to creation of our ideas, as she hopes her work inspires. I found this point interesting, and her designs highly relating to mathematics in this aspect. In math, a lot of concepts are understood better when they are visually represented. But the challenge is making the majority of it visual, as that is what students need.

RSS is a pretty neat invention, and I look forward to using it, and figuring out ways to use it in my classroom as well.

Thing 5 Reflections of the Reader

In venturing through the Google reader, I listened to a podcast from NPR, and read through three blogs from Student 2.0.

The podcast featured a discussion of a study concerning the bible’s gospels, and how they were written, and to what audience they are for. To begin, the speaker discussed the oral traditions of storytelling before books were written. The claim is the gospels were written in the same way, but to different people. The only story that was the same through all the gospels was John the Baptist, as he baptized Jesus, and recognized him as the messiah. Then there are differences between the four main gospels with one having a higher Jewish undertone than the others.

It was an interesting podcast to listen to, and it was not recoreded to discredit the bible. The discussion focuses on being aware of the differences, and focusing on where the gospels are originating. It highlights the opportunity to read and observe these insights in the bible.


The three posts I read from Student 2.0 were interesting.

The first two were about college admissions. One detailed the idea of documenting the college admissions process for readers to see. It was short, and focused on the college prep audience.

The second one was interesting; it was about preparing for college through one’s passions, rather than endeavors that will suit a resume. This particular author does not want to travel and go on mission trips since she has no interest. Rather, she prefers to apply to college with the confidence her passions will shine through.

I enjoyed reading the third post the best, since it brought out a discussion that creativity is not taught in school. In the argument, art is taught, which is acquiring skills, and applying practice to understand something, creating a norm for students to follow. If creativity was taught, then students would see a different norm, and not be able to build skills to follow from mere creativity. The author claims creativity may be practiced, but not taught. We need both in our schools to implement creativity. I think using the practice of creativity, we can foster student’s thinking, and allow them the understanding they can think on their own, and they are smart enough to complete the subjects they are currently enrolled.

Thing 4 Read to Blog, Blog to read

The genre of blog writing is open, inquisitive, and informing. In general, it generates a lot of thinking, learning, and ideas from reading other people’s view points on our evolving world. Reading a blog is similar to reading someone’s open reflections on an article, or from a journal. It is a mixture of their opinions with other shared viewpoints, from media, videos, podcasts, articles, etc. Some blogs are very informative, and may be compared to readings from scholastic journals, and news articles.

Writing may be looked at in a similar fashion. Writing may be primarily from an authors standpoint, utilizing the “I” throughout his or her blog, presenting their view on a topic. In other blogs, we may see the use of I less, and witness informative sharing with an integration of both an authors view, and reliance on outside sources through links.

It is clear that most blogs are not edited, which gives them a genuine appearance to readers, as long as they are understandable to audiences.

When we read an article, book, or magazine, we are entering a conversation with the author. Commenting on blogs makes this conversation a two-way venue. I think it is a really neat idea, and also a way to deliver information instantly. When one may have these conversations with the author, more ideas are developed and shared.

Blogging is a way for us to contribute our ideas without the worry of editing and publishing. We can express ourselves in our blogs how we choose, allowing other people to enter into our conversations, and share ideas.

When we enter into these conversations, we enable ourselves to learning through the experience of having these discussions with others. There are also those who will agree with an idea, or disagree. But when we share our viewpoints, and ideas on topics, it opens us to searching for more answers to our questions. It allows us to be inquisitive, and encourages further learning. The first blog experience for me took me through links from the blogs, and videos on some things I have not thought about with technology, and what type of access it grants us. In pursuing the exploration of blogging, one finds a very interesting array of ideas.

Thing 3 This blog

Creation of blog. complete

Thing 2 Reflection on Web 2.0

I think it is a challenge to utilize all of these tools from Web 2.0 in my classes. The main challenge is the majority of my students do not have internet, and they only have access at school, so I would have to factor in time with the computers during my classes. This would assure that my students had time to use these tools.

I think the article concerning Web 2.0 was very informative. When I read it, I felt a little overwhelmed at what one may do with these tools. This is a reality I think only very few of educators are using. The school depicted in the article displayed a rhythm and integration in utilizing Web 2.0.

I may be able to use these tools in the assignments I give to my students. I would be interested in reading their thoughts on mathematics through a blog. Another idea was reflecting on the homework assignments that my students complete, evaluating how my classes are doing with one another. Their progress could be charted on the blog, or wiki.

It is important to use these tools because this is the world our students live in. They know, understand, and are familiar with the technological age. We need to do wht we can to connect with them on this level. If we can incorporate digital activities to engage our digital learners, I think they will feel engaged and understood.

Thing 1 Reflection on 7 1/2 Habits

The habits that may be the most challenging for me to employ as part of my learning experience are holding my confidence and viewing problems as challenges. It is easy for me to become frustrated, and to avoid this; I will look at a problem as fascinating, and a challenge, rather than a burden. My confidence is something I think everyone needs to tackle, and I know I am capable of writing in a blog, as is everyone. I do know my writing is decent, but sometimes difficult to understand. If you have a question about anything I am saying in this blog, please do not hesitate to ask me to clarify.

For the other habits, I see them as equally pretty easy for me. I have always considered myself a lifelong learner, and my philosophy of education is summed up in the quote from John Dewey, “ Education is not a preparation for life, education is life itself.”

The most important habit will be in teaching, and mentoring others throughout this course, and also making sure that I am learning along the way. If it challenges me, or makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable, I know I’m learning.