BP4_2009112_Web2.0_Research

The Web 2.0 tool that I have chosen to explore and investigate more closely is Notely.net. Notely.net is an organization tool first and foremost, but it is also a collaborative tool as that is part of what makes a web tool a Web 2.0.

I have taken a screen shot of all of the features that Notely.net utilizes. On tab that I really like that I would use to create a classroom assignment would be the grades tab. The grades tab allows students to track their own progress in their classes. Hypothetically, I could have students get a grade printout from all of their teachers and they could actually keep track of how they are doing in their classes. This tab could easily be used in conjunction with the tasks tab. If students typed in all of their tasks as they were assigned and created a grade category at the same time, keeping track of their own progress would be a breeze. Also of note, there are applications for Notely.net for iPhone and a mobile version as well. Perfect for our tech savvy students.

Other features I like that I feel could be extremely useful are the uploads, journal, and links. The journal of course, is going to be something that you keep private, but a tool that allows uploads and links to be shared is amazing. For example, today in class a student asked me how to find out how many pages were in her novel that she returned to the library. If we were using Notely.net, I could have easily posted a link to her from amazon.com showing her how to look up how many pages were in her book. Another benefit with uploads would be targeted toward the incessantly disorganized student who inevitably loses the handouts that you give him or her. If a Notely.net network between teachers and students existed, the student would have access to the teacher’s Notely page where they could download the uploaded work.

All in all, Notely.net has an unlimited number of uses and I think teachers and students alike could benefit from its use.

BP3_2009111_Google_Reader

Research and choose five RSS feeds for educational purposes. Briefly explain why you chose each one and how it will benefit you in your profession.

The first RSS feed that I chose was BBC Education World Edition. The reason that I chose this is because although we tend to get wrapped up in our day to day life in this country, education happens all around the world and it is interesting and important to be aware of educational happenings worldwide.

The second RSS feed that I chose was TEDTalks. The reason that I chose TEDTalks is because the videos and presentations are kept to a 20 minute limit and in today’s busy world, I appreciate being able to gain quality information that is relevant and important in a short amount of time and in video form. TEDTalks is definitely about maximizing information in a short amount of time.

The third RSS feed that I chose was Edutopia. Edutopia is a teacher’s best friend for finding out what is happening in education and for the most cutting edge research and methods for the classroom and teaching in general. As far as educational websites go, this is a favorite of mine.

The fourth RSS feed that I chose was NOVA from PBS. I have to admit that I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to learning about new things. I like knowing about science and nature and gaining new information. I love it when a student asks me a question that would traditionally be out of my area of “expertise” and I can answer it without missing a beat. NOVA provides me with that type of information.

The last RSS feed that I chose was also from PBS but it is the Tavis Smiley feed. Tavis Smiley is a black journalist and political commentator. He also does a bit of motivational work but he namely is known for his TV talk show in which he sits down with renowned public figures and has conversations with them. Again, this feed allows me to gain information that I can share and discuss with my students.

All of the RSS feeds I chose were selected because I could go to any of them and find something interesting that I could easily print out and have my students read, discuss and write an opinion paper on and possibly even have them do some further research.

BP2_2009111_iGoogle_Setup

Here are my requested screen shots.

BP1_2009111_EDU_Blogs

I followed the instructions for my ETC assignment of doing some research on the educational uses of blogs today. First I went to edutopia.com because I always find pertinent information there. As you can see from my screenshot, I did a search on “educational uses of blogs” and I really did not have to go any further to get a quick and literal snapshot of how blogging is being utilized in the classroom today.

“Digital Discussion: Take Your Class to the Internet” is an article talking about how to set up blogs in the classroom. Clearly, blogs can be used for getting students involved in online discussions as the next listed article “Blogging Is History: Taking Classroom Discussions Online” implies, but blogging can simply be used to disseminate information as well. I know of at least two co-workers of mine who are using blogs to post homework and classroom updates online for students and parents to use as resources. Both teachers have seen an increase in work being completed and a decline in late work as a result. Therefore, I feel it is safe to say that blogs can also be a tool of organization and accountability for students as well.

The next resource that came up that caught my attention and made me think was “Teaching with Visuals: Students Respond to Images.” I interpreted that title a couple of different ways. As part of our ETC Blogging process, we are required to include images. My original thought was that using a blog to display images related to different content areas would be an interesting and innovative use of a blog. My secondary reaction was more literal to “Students Respond to Images.” Students could be required to respond in writing via the blog to images that are provided or that have to be researched and posted with their writing.

Finally, “Real-World Issues Motivate Students” does not appear to have much to do with blogging, but it made me think of how kids learn best. Kids learn best when they have something to actually relate to their lives and are able to make connections. An easy connection to the lives of teenagers is with technology. I look at technology like this: kids are going to use technology to help facilitate social interactions, so why not harness that passion for using the technology in ways that can grab their attention and foster social interactions that help them learn. Blogging is a great way to do this especially when you require students to not only discuss questions posted by a teacher, but also require them to challenge and respond to each other.

http://www.edutopia.org/search/node/educational%20uses%20of%20blogs