Feb./Mar. articles

I read several of the articles.  Two of the articles really resonated with me, both had to do with using iTouches in the classroom.

Symbaloo

I have made my symbaloo public.  It's called Westerville Edu Sites.  I've published it in SymbalooEDU.  You can search for any webmix by typing in a keyword in the box on the right (says search for tiles).  It will look for tiles and will show you if there is any webmixes with that keyword.

See if you can get it up.  The link is below.

http://edu.symbaloo.com/

Vokis

Well I can publish the links but I still haven't been able to embed the vokis in the sidebar of my blog.  I've tried selecting the Blogger icon and it wouldn't let me into my blog (kept saying it couldn't log me in and I know it was the correct username and password).  Then I tried copying the embed code on the design template as a gadget.  It said it had broken links. Then I tried copying the URL for a standard Voki link and it said it wasn't valid.  So I give up.  Here are the links.

Digital Native
Digital Immigrant

Think I've got it now!

Ok, I think I now know how to embed my vokis and my website.

http://mrsirbyclass.weebly.com/

Voki's

These vokis I plan on using in my presentation "Integrating Technology in the Classroom".  One is a digital native and one is a digital immigrant.  The information that the vokis are sharing came from an article by Marc Perensky called "Digital Natives" in 2001.

links

Not sure my links in my last post will work.  Im going to try again.

Symbaloo
http://edu.symbaloo.com/shared/AAAAA2uYHQUAA41_V650yg==

Voki
I don't know if anyone else has had issues but I really have had a time with voki.com.  I finally got my avatars after many repeat efforts.  I am still having trouble sharing it.  I don't see myself using it much due to the time it takes.

Still having trouble.

TED video and more

I haven't blogged in a while but I have been busy! I spent the weekend exploring new apps and websites. I now have wireless in my classroom and my students and I are finding new ways to use the iTouches. It's like a whole new world. I used the app (gwhiz mla) mentioned in one of the articles in ISTE to make my own Force and Motion assessment. The kids took it and the results were posted in my google docs. Amazing!

I also worked on my symbaloo page which can be accessed below. I'm still working on it but I am getting close to finishing. I want to be able to share it during my presentation on May 3. I also put in your email address so you can access it.
http://www.symbaloo.com/shared/AAAAA2uYHQUAA41_V650yg

Speaking of my presentation, I made two avatars using voki.com, one a digital native and the other a digital immigrant. I will add those to the blog.

My website is www.mrsirbyclass.weebly.com

I watched a TED video called Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms. It was very interesting. His arguement for change was built upon the fact that the education system was built to meet the societal needs of the industrial revolution. Our society is now in the middle of another revolution, a digital revolution and our education system must change. He used some statistics about ADHD to make the point that we are overmedicating our children to meet the needs of the school system and not the other way around. This struck a chord with me. I have wondered that myself. Very interesting and thought-provoking video.

iTouches online!

I know this isn't a response to any article, (I'll do that later.) but I am so excited! I wrote a grant last year to get 6 iTouches for my classroom. We have been using them but our use has been limited because we don't have wireless. I emailed our IT department head to see if there was anything we can do. He just responded letting me know he is assigning someone to work with me to make it happen!I have been researching and reading about all the different apps (I have many of them) and now I feel as though a whole new world has opened up!

Yeah!

Web 2.0 tools

Played around all morning with the 3 web 2.0 tools reviewed in the article on David's blog.  WOW!  Great applications!  I can see direct applications in my classroom.  I am also finding out how little I know.  I have been trying to "embed" some of these applications and haven't figured it out yet.  Well, I'm sure that there are some instructions to be found on the web!

One thing that has become very clear to me is that the time spent investigating the applications can be prohibitive to most educators.  We are limited on time as it is and the internet can be overwhelming.  It is for me so I really feel for my more technology-limited colleagues.  I know we have to change how we teach and we must integrate technology into our lessons.  I think most teachers will need human guidance to navigate what's out there.

Well, back to more mundane matters, grading papers!

edutecher.net

I have been exploring edutecher and I love it!  I already know of some of these links but it is so nice to have them all in one spot.  I definitely can see the value in decreased searching time.  I loaded the App on my iPhone as well.

I was playing with two websites.  One was polleverywhere.com and the other was 280slides.com.  polleverywhere allows you to ask questions and the audience can text, tweet or log their responses.  The responses show up immediately.  280slides is a cloud powerpoint program.  You can create a presentation and save it.  It can then be accessed from any computer.  I was able to import my polls from polleverywhere.com into my slide presentation on 280slides. com.  Very cool!!

April 7

Just got grades entered, now I can play around and have fun! I just got an iPad 2 right before I went on spring break. I love it! I downloaded several apps that allow me to write documents, view PDF files and print to my printer wirelessly through my home network. Technology is great!

A little about myself. I grew up in Alabama. I went to Auburn University (War Eagle! I was so glad they won the nationAl championship this year!) and received my B.S. in Chemical Engineering. I worked as an engineer for ten years and enjoyed every minute of it. However, after I had my 2nd child, I quickly realized I couldn't have it all. I tried to quit but they convinced me to try working halftime at the manufacturing plant and halftime at home by telecommuting. I was actually one of the first telecommuters, if not the first at our plant. It worked for 6 months but then my husband got a job that allowed me to stay home. I went back to school and received my teaching degree and when my fourth child started kindergarten, I started teaching. I have only been teaching for 5 years and I love it. It is probably the hardest job I have ever had but it can been so rewarding. I teach third grade. I have always been a technology nut (geek, as my colleagues refer to me!)and have really brought that into my classroom. I actually had one of the first Apple IIe computers when I was in college! (that really dates me doesn't it!)I have a website. I have included a blog on that website for the students to use. I wrote a grant and got 6 iTouches for my classroom (no wireless yet so they are of limited use, great apps though!) I use a Smartboard and try to design my lessons so that they are engaging and fun. I use technology to differentiate for my students. Some of what I use is Kahn Academy, Raz-Kids (paid for), YPP (online math program we use that students can access at home). Actually all of the aforementioned sites can be accessed at home. My classes have used Moviemaker to make a DVD of poems that they wrote along with music they recorded with our music teacher.

I am really excited to learn more tools that I can use to make learning engaging and fun!