Thing 23 ... I want more!

This has been an awesome journey and a perfect way for me to FINALLY learn about Web 2.0 applications. While I had some frustrating moments in the beginning, I now feel very confident to use the applications with my students. I highly recommend the 23 Things journey to anyone wishing to learn more about Web 2.0 applications.

Many THANKS to the Ephrata Public Library for providing this FREE trip to the world of Web 2.0! It's been better than sitting in any 8-hour training conference.

I'm going to miss this . . . can we have 23 MORE THINGS?

Thing 22: Eaudiobooks

Eaudiobook, originally uploaded by EvieG78.

I'm looking forward to listening to my first Eaudiobook -- Emily Dickinson: Poems and Letters. I've always enjoyed reading her poems. Her work wasn't published until after her death when her sister found over a thousand poems and letters among her possessions. I wonder how many educators are aware of the possibilities that exist with ebooks and eaudiobooks. Great for the kids who always have their earbuds in their ears!

Thing 22: Sample Ebook from NetLibary

Sample Ebook from NetLibary, originally uploaded by EvieG78.

Tonight I was completing Thing 22 which introduced me to ebooks and eaudiobooks. I found this ebook on the NetLibrary site and actually read the first chapter in just a few minutes. What a great resource for teachers! I can assign students to all read (or listen to) the same book and not spend a penny! With all the time students devote to being on the computer, this is a way to engage them in learning with a technology that appeals to their learning style.

Great money-saver for schools!

Seek and Ye Shall Learn!

When I started 23 Things, I had NO Web 2.0 skills. While I had dabbled with Google Docs, I did not see the usefulness of the application for me since I have access to computers and software all the time in my classroom. Like I said in an earlier post, I needed to see a graphic organizer to understand how it all interrelates. Well, now I have Web 2.0 fever. I love exploring all the various applications, and I'm confident enough to figure out how to apply other features to my blog, things that are not part of the 23 Things lessons.

This morning I figured out how to automatically play a song when my blog opens!! At first it appeared as an RSS feed, but that's not what I wanted. I kept working at it until I was able to link the song of the week from Garageband.com to my website. So Much Fun!!!!! It's like I tell my computer students, you may not know the exact steps, but if you explore and keep at it, you'll eventually get it. There are SO MANY websites that teach procedures. It took me a while till I found the one that really guided me in the right direction.

Watch out world, here I come!

Thing 21: PODCAST for My Students

I made a podcast for my students for Monday's class. I think they will like it and one thing is for sure, I won't have to repeat the instructions over and over and over! :-)

Pretty Little Lady!

Pretty Little Lady!, originally uploaded by EvieG78.

Thing 20: Podcasting

I'm hoping that sometime over the next few days I can create my own podcast to use in one of my classes. In the meantime, I placed a podcast of a daily devotional on this blog. I searched and searched for hours to find a podcast and each one that I found kept taking me to Google Reader and I couldn't get the right kind of link to save on my blog. Finally I was able to get this one to work. I'll just have to play around with this feature some more so that I can use it effortlessly.

Podcasting, like blogging, provides a forum for anyone to communicate with the world. You can have your own "radio show" just by writing and recording your own podcasts. You don't need training, a license, or expensive equipment.

Podcasts are already being used to provide technical training. I think we are going to see a big increase in the amount of teaching that is provided through the use of podcasts.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg2zTRRXry4

Thing 18: Online Library

I didn't have any luck logging in with my library card bar code, so I will have to call and check that out. However, I explored the HELP screen to see the features that are available with this application and I'm very eager to use it. The Reading History tab is of great interest to me because I can't always remember an author's name, so I can review that to seek out other books written by the same person. I used the online card catalog several years ago when I was getting my Master's Degree. It was very helpful in getting the books I needed for my research project.

This is such a cool feature provided FREE by our library. I'm glad this activity was included as a part of 23 Things.

Thing 19: YouTube Videos

Finally, we get to something on 23 Things that I already know. YouTube has been around for quite a while in our household. In fact if you use the tags "hungry cat Emma" you will see a video of my kitty called "Just a Little Attention, Please."

I didn't know it was so easy to upload a video to a blog. Here's a great video that I can use in my law class to teach burden of proof in a civil case.

Thing 17: ZOHO Writer Document

ZOHO Writer has a lot of potential for students to use in the absence of software. Many kids at school have Works on their home computers and cannot open those files at school unless they know how to use the SAVE AS feature to make it compatible with MS Word.

Things 15 and 16: Check out my Wiki!

There are some really strange Wikis out there! I found a recipe Wiki that I'm going to spend some time exploring. It would be fun to have a family Wiki of recipes.

I've established a Wiki for my teachers (and others) to share learning strategies that they use in their Business Education classroom. This will also be for Business Educators in other schools to join and share their thoughts.

Check it out! This is a great way for people to share and communicate with each other!

Things 12, 13, 14: Del.icio.us and Technorati

What a great answer to "where was that web address?" Wow! I could have really used this when I was getting my Master's Degree a few years ago. I had so many web sites saved in MY FAVORITES on my home computer, but then I had to keep a list of websites for the times that I was not working on my home computer. Del.icio.us is a valuable tool for school students to use!

Technorati is blocked here at school, so I'll have to work with this from my home computer...

I discovered Mashable when I was exploring Technorati tonight. It is described as the "leading tech blog focused on Web 2.0 and Social Networking news." This site will be helpful in keeping me up-to-date with the latest Web 2.0 tools.

Thing 11: Glogster!

I wasn't sure I saw any benefit to this application until I found this which gave me lots of ideas -- Revolutionary War

Possibilities are endless -- I'm going to revamp one of the assignments for my graduate students (Alvernia University) and require them to use Glogster for their Career Exploration unit.

Thing 10: Rollyo

Rollyo is a great way to assemble websites for my students to use. I am going to put one together that my law students can use to get dependable information (summer project?)!

For now, I made this Rollyo search engine:
http://rollyo.com/evieg78/the_business_of_education/

Posting a link to Bloglines?

I'm trying to post a link to my bloglines. Not sure if this is correct. Would someone let me know?

http://rpc.bloglines.com/blogroll?html=1&id=EvieG78

I love hearing this devotional every morning on the way to school!

http://www.listenersbible.com/devotionals/todays_devotional

Thing 9: Marabelle, The Christmas Cat

Believe it or not, the antlers are tied on the cat like a hat! This is typical behavior for her, which makes her so much fun. The family's favorite poses of Marabelle include bunny ears at Easter, riding in a doll carriage, and curled up for a long nap in a basket.

I created the "frosted glass" at bighugelabs.com

Things 7 and 8: RSS stands for Really Simple Stuff

Thing 7: I like using the BlogLine' RSS feeds as opposed to getting them in my email, as I do for some educational organizations. Using BlogLines keeps all the feeds isolated, away from my email inbox, which is a very good thing. I can control when I read them, or not. There is great potential as a teacher to set up a BlogLines site for the subjects that I teach (law and accounting) and allow students to use them for acquiring knowledge.

I'm looking forward to spending more time on this Web 2.0 tool. Can't wait to show it to my husband because he has his favorite sites that he likes to visit, too.

Thing 8: I put the 23 Things RSS feed on my blog, but I'm not sure why it doesn't show the most recent feeds. I also put a feed for the library's events.

Things 4, 5, 6: Hummingbird found on Flickr

Hummingbird, originally uploaded by _Maji_.

Hummingbirds are such fascinating birds. We get so excited when they visit our backyard pond and garden.

I use Snapfish to share photos with my family, but I can put them on Flickr just as well and then upload them to Snapfish. I've had lots of fun playing with Flickr!!

Early Morning Visitors

We were so surprised to see these three visitors last year in our back yard. Since that time, we have noticed their tracks in the snow several times -- always heading in the same direction -- from the front of our property to the back. This must be part of their early morning walking trail.

Need a Graphic Organizer

I've been working with computers since 1983 and have learned multiple versions of Word, WordPerfect, Excel, Quattro, PowerPoint, etc. This Web 2.0 stuff, though is hard for me to catch on because it isn't WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). For example, when I go to my blog through the 23 Things website, I can't do anything with it except read it. This is the part that was confusing to me, at first. Since it's my blog, why do I have to go to a different-looking format to enter information (i.e. this screen)?

I need a graphic organizer! That's IT! I'm too sequential to make sense of this virtual technology.

Over the weekend I signed up to Twitter. That was confusing to me at first, too. When I saw my Twitter site on someone else's "following" list, I could only read it, not edit without logging in first. Oh well, I'll get used to it. After all, I am a DIGITAL IMMIGRANT, so don't laugh at me too much!

My little granddaughter is the joy of my life!

Things 1, 2, 3: Getting Started

This is a new experience for me. I'm not sure how I like having my thoughts exposed to the entire world. While I like to read other people's information, I'm not sure about being an author.