Thing #16

I chose the iGoogle start page because I have so many things in Google now.  I actually already have something similar with Yahoo called myYahoo so I don't know if I will make iGoogle my permanent home page.  I didn't use Google for anything other than searching until this class so everything else I have is through Yahoo.  Because I've already set up two online calendars in Google, and because Remember the Milk was a web site I blogged about earlier, I chose to make a to do list with Remember the Milk.  At first I couldn't figure out how to add a new task because I kept looking for a calendar but then I realized that all I have to do is type in the name of the task and when it's due, like Wednesday at 3:00 and it puts it right in.  The other thing I like about this is the option to share tasks.  I think this could come in handy with my husband because he can put the Remember the Milk app on his iphone and I can send him things like dates and times for our daughter's doctor's appointments.   Exploring some of the other tools I found Chalksite which is designed for teachers to use in the classroom.  It lets teachers create a class website, and lets teachers and parents communicate as well as allowing students to chat about homework.  It's pretty cool I think.  I would recommend Remember the Milk and Chalksite to other people. 

Thing #15 wiki wiki wiki

The word wiki reminds me of an old '80s song.  So ways to use a wiki, it seems to me that wikis are great tools for collaborating so any group project might lend itself to a wiki.  My only question is, can you limit who has the authority to change things on the wiki?  Or can anyone from the public edit every wiki?  If I were going to use a wiki as a classroom tool, I would definitely want to be sure that only my students and I could edit it.  I like the fact that you can create links to other pages so you don't end up with one document full of so much information that you can't find what you need.  I have to say the only limitation I can see with most of these School 2.0 tools is the students access to computers and the internet.  I've observed in two classrooms so far, one in public school, first grade and the other a private school.  The private school had laptops the students could use.  The public school had a few computers in one corner of the classroom but I never saw them in use.  There were more students than there were computers so I don't know how they would use them unless they break in to groups.

Thing #14 A map of mind, in case I get lost

So I've often said that of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most and I guess I've been lost in thought, but I never knew I could make a map of my mind!  I chose bubbl.us to make my mind map because I didn't have to pick a shape or tell it to connect the bubbles, it just did it.  It was simple and I like how it doesn't need you to already know how you want your thoughts connected so it really is like brainstorming.  For the flowchart I chose gliffy, primarily because I didn't have to wait for an invitation to use it.  For me using gliffy was a lot like creating a flowchart in PowerPoint.  The whole flowchart gives me flashbacks to my Army days and I'm really not a fan of them.  It's like creating an outline with figures and I'm not good at outlining, which I find odd, but anyway my brain tends to dump data and I need to get it all out and look at it and then I can organize it.  Now if I can just figure out how to add GPS...

Thing #13

So I created a document in both Zoho and Google Docs and I think they were equally easy to use.  I tried to use the post to blog function in Zoho and my computer froze. Now whether that is a Zoho issue or an issue with my computer I don't know but either way I couldn't get that to work. But here is the link to the Google Doc I'll try to link the Zoho doc now.  Zoho The one bad thing is I  had to make the document public so I'm not sure this would be the best way to share a document.  The other option is to create a group of people with all of their e-mail addresses.  Based on the  limited use I have with both programs, I favor Google Docs.  Even though the Zoho screen puts more things right at your finger tips, the actually functional use after you create the document seemed easier in Google Docs.  I haven't every actually shared a document with anyone on Google Docs so I'm not 100% certain how it works but I think that you can actually collaborate in real time.  That would be really neat if you are working on a project together but can't be at the same location.  Students could work on a group project without having to physically be in the same location.  As a teacher, I could get input from other teachers on anything from a lesson plan to an idea for class activity.

Thing #12

So I explored some more Google tools and created a calendar, actually two calendars, and a Picasa photo album.  One of my calendars is mine so it's private. The other one is 'school projects' and it's public.  I actually have two Picasa albums as well.  One was apparently created when I made my photo mosaic and the other is the one I created for this thing.  The public photo album is in memory of Cosmo and has just six photos of him.  In part because a lot of the pictures I have of him, especially as a puppy, are actual photographs (you remember those don't you?  Put film in a camera, take photos, take film in to be developed) so I can't put them on unless I scan them which is on my list of things to do some day when I have free time.  I know, try not to fall off your chair laughing!  But I digress.  I found both the calendar the the Picasa album to be very simple to use.  I like the fact that you can create as many calendars as you like and choose to keep them private, make them completely public or share them with just selected people.  I could use the calendar to post deadlines and give the web address to parents and students so everyone could keep track of what is due when.  Here's a link to the calendar.  I can use the photo album for class projects or to post photos of a class event since I can share the photos without making them completely public.  Here's a link to the photo album.  Now I hope that my links will still work on Monday. 

Thing #11

The easiest way for me to find a feed was actually by reading blogs I am already following.  I got two really good feeds that way.  I found another feed by simply typing a keyword in the Google Reader's search and I found two more from Google Reader's recommended feeds list.  Topix was interesting because it pulled up everything related to Clarksville, and for me Syndic8 was the most confusing.  I wasn't sure how to actually add any of the feeds to my account because I didn't see the Google icon on the page.  I found two great feeds that deal with parenting and I found a feed that is kind of like a quote of the day but instead of just some random quotes it actually relates a quote to a current idea or topic.  Newsfeeds can be found on most websites and on Yahoo! or Google.  I think the best way to find a feed that you will be interested in is from websites you already like or from blogs you enjoy.

Thing #10

I like the fact that Google Reader keeps all of the things I'm following, blogs and feeds, in one place.  I don't have to go to blogspot to read the blogs I'm following, I can do it right from Google Reader and all of my blogs were already there!  In the classroom I could probably use this to keep up with a specific event for a social studies class or I could use it to follow blogs from other teachers that  I find interesting and helpful.  In my personal life I could use it to keep up with news and events as well as just following blogs I find interesting.  Teachers could use RSS in the classroom by letting students create their own 'newspaper' with feeds that the class finds interesting and that relate to subjects being taught.