Response to "A Conversation with a Digital Native"

This is in response to Lois's blog.

This was a really funny post. I love the conversation Lois had with her 11 year old niece who happens to be a digital native. I had to laugh when she was surprised that Lois knew how to podcast and blog. It was really interesting to see that her niece is using photoshop. Way to go niece! Click here to view Lois's blog.

Online Collaboration and Wiki's

I really enjoyed the readings on collaboration and wiki's. I have done several projects that involve collaboration. When I think of the word collaboration, the assignment we had to complete during the presentation comes to mind. Each member in my group had to work together completing each of the assigned chores.
Disclaimer: I was video conferenced in by my wonderful instructor Dr. Z who has been very supportive during my time of recovery. The problem I encountered was the sound. It kept going in and out.
Confused
Using google docs, I created my own group and then proceeded to add people to my group instead of adding people to Steve's group. Sarah came over to check on me and told me she would call me on my cell because the sound kept going in and out while using the videoconferencing site mebeam. She explained my task in detail. I then joined Steve's group.
Frustrated:
My other task was to invite Sarah and Dr. Z to Steve's group, I became frustrated because I could not find the invite tab anywhere. Steve had to change the settings so I can invite others. I was unaware of this, so I sat at home annoyed thinking I did something wrong, going from page to page looking for the invite tab. I am quite sure Steve was unaware of this because we were all in different locations. Sarah came over to check on me. I told her what the problem was and she immediately came to my rescue. She had to find Steve and ask him to change the settings so I can invite others. She came back to the computer and told me I was able to invite. I did so and continued on with the other task. In the end it worked out really well.
Relieved:
During our break Dr. Z switched videoconferencing applications. We then started Skyping. I really liked Skype because there were no problems with the sound. I felt as if I was right there in class. I even chimed in and answered a question or two. I love technology!

Response to Second Life

Second Life

This is in response to Patrick's post on second life. I also had a wonderful experience with my classmates in second life. The first time I enter second life. I had a hard time trying to get off the training island. For some strange reason, I could not pick up any objects or even sit. How weird was that? As Patrick stated, "I have went to other links at different sites and have enjoyed far too many hours looking around." I have done the same thing. I look forward to using Secondlife as an instructional tool.

Response to "18yr old's YouTube video lands him an Ad"

18yr olds Youtube video lands him an Ad

This is in response to Derek's blog. I am glad to see the 18yr old British student land an ad in a commercial. All from a YouTube video. I am not one who loves to be in front of the camera talking, but it is a cheap way for people to be discovered. YouTube is has lots of online video, and is a place where I go to watch original videos. I have used YouTube upload and share video clips on www.YouTube.com and on my blog.

Click here to view Nick Haleys iPhone commercial

Response to My Blog at School

This is in response to Sarah Levenduskys' Blog. Mrs. Levendusky is making use of blogging in her classroom. I would have to say it is a great tool to use. I would have to say that students are the same in any part of the United States. She teaches in Iowa and I use to teach high school in Louisiana. And the response of the parents during conferences are the same when asked what has their child told them about the class? She said the parents states nothing. I would receive the same response. She states that students finish most of the work during class, but she still updates her classroom blog. I can tell that Sarah has a passion for teaching and that her primary interest is her students because of the statement made in her post.

" Since most of the work we do in the class must be done at school, for a variety of reasons, I don't foresee that the blog will be used too much for missing work. However, even if one student a week can use the information to help keep up with the class, it will be worth my time to update it." Sarah Levendusky 2007

Way to go Sarah! I wish you the best of luck with your blogs. Your students will love the technology you are integrating in your class.

I know that she is well aware of the fact that most students do not have a computer or probably can not view the blog as frequently as she would hope, but she still constantly updates her blog. She also described how blogs are used in reference to Learning Outcomes, Information, Reflection, Interaction and Assessment.

Click here to view Sarah's Blog.

Click here to view Sarah's Computer Class Blog.

Response to Religious YouTube

Religious YouTube?

This is in response to Megan's Post on Godtube. This is great. As Megan states, you can subscribe to this site the same way that you can to YouTube. There are groups, ministries, videos and channels. You can also subscribe to the site free of charge. Compassion in Politics also blog about Godtube. Compassion explains what Godtube is and mentions featured videos such as funny Mac Parody and reading of Psalms 23 by a young girl, which has received over a million hits. I wounder who has the most hits psalms 23 by young girl or evolution of dance? You decide!!!

Everyone I know fell in love with dance evolution, but the reading of psalms 23 by a young video was too cute. She stumbled along the way but the guy filming helped her out. I guessing he was her father. I really enjoy learning about Godtube. Thanks Megan.

Response to "High Tech or What?"

High Tech or What?!

This is in response to Regine's post on an article found on CNN titled "Google at the gas pump . Google maps are now on the gas pumps? WoW! I can not believe it is in color and on a small screen. Well, I can believe it. I will never be able to catch up with technology. It is always evolving. Every time I look around something new is coming out. Motorist are able to print a copy of the directions to local landmarks, hotels, restaurants and hospitals selected by the gas station's owner.
I would have to agree with Regine.
It is a "good device for those of us who like to take road trips and need to make sure we are on the right track".

I can understand why Google has decided to make maps available at the gas stations because it is where most people stop to get directions. Would anyone agree?

Widget helps adult visual learners

Hello everyone,

I am really excited about my new widget called Snap Shots. It gives any user a fun and interactive experience on my blog. It also works on websites. You don't have to leave my blog. Just read the text and when you get to a link, pass the mouse over the link and you will see an image of it. This holds true for podcast, blogs or website. This is a great way to incorporate images.
This a great tool to use in a classroom that use technology to engage learners. The students who would benefit the most are visual learners. Wikipedia describes visual learning as a teaching method in which ideas, concepts, data and other information are associated with images and represented graphically. Graphic organizers, such as webs, concept maps and idea maps, and plots, such as stack plots and Venn plots, are some of the techniques used in visual learning to enhance thinking and learning skills.
It will save readers time because you don't have to worry about clicking back and forward between links. This is a technology I would use while teaching adult learners. If anyone is interested in using snap shot just click on the link and sign-up. You must have an email address and url.
Have fun.

Technology Integration in Haiti

WoW,
I really enjoyed listening to Regine's Podcast on technology integration in Haiti. The use of sound effects really added kept me interested along with all of the research based information. I have learned that technology use in Haiti is really limited and there is a need to integrate technology in the Haitian Classroom.

Mobile Phones Used in Class

The first completely open mobile phone:

I was on youtube and ran across this video. There are open source computers, and now there is a open mobile phone. It is called openmoko. OpenMoko is a GNU / Linux based open software development platform. Developers have full access to OpenMoko source and they can tailor their implementations to underlying hardware platforms. You will also have access to many different free applications, all have been tested. The applications will not damage your phone.

Good reason to use. If I had an open mobile phone it would sense conversation is going on in the room and would automatically turn the ringer silent. I think that is totally awesome. I know for a fact there are a number of people out there who cell phone has rung during a meeting, class, or at work.
Leaving you with feels of shame, or saying to yourself "I can not believe my phone is ranging". With openmoko you will not have that problem.

Some government agencies are going to use them to track things, such as forest fires. This technology can also be using in an adult education class. There are many adult learners who have jobs, families and many other activities that are done during the course of the day. With this phone everything thing needed is compact into a small device such as this. Homework assignments can be done at the students convenience. Students can use cell phones as an educational tool in a number of ways. There are many students using cell phones as a handheld scanner, reminder list, and instant blogging. Those are just a few named on a wonderful site called Think Mobile Phones for Learning.

Two Technologies Used in the Classroom

Hello All,

Here is my second podcast. I have included two different technologies used in the classroom.The two technologies discussed were social networking and blogging. The technologies are defined and examples are given as the integrate them in the classroom.
Click here to listen.

Working on Podcast.

Hello All,

I am working on my second podcast. I am looking forward to completing it. I am going to talk about two technologies and how to use them in the classroom. I have more technologies to discuss. After listening to my podcast, I hope you are enlightened.

Scavenger Hunt

Here is the link to my 25 pictures from the scavenger hunt. Click here to view.

Check Out My First Podcast!!

Click here to listen to my podcast. My podcast is about different technologies used in an online setting.

Ferdi’s Assignment for Leigh Zeitz’s Class

1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
A. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
B. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
C. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
D. identify trends and forecast possibilities
Student can use inspiration software to create a time line of events or brainstorm ideas.

2. Communication & Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
A. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
B. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
C. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
D. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
Students taking online courses through WebCT. Students being placed in groups. This helps build a learning community. Students working collaboratively to complete assignments. At the end of the course students have to complete a final project using an emergent technology of their choice. (For example, Wiki's, podcast, and bloggs)(being used)

3. Research & Information Fluency
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
A. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
B. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
C. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
D. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
Students can use the del.icio.us website to organize research articles and to search database for relevant content. Delicious is a bookmarking database you can access from any computer.

4. Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, and Decision-Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
A. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
B. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
C. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
D. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.
Math project (Who’s Your Mathematician?) Using google pagecreator to create a webpage on a famous mathematician. Students can work in groups to complete this project. Students will plan and conduct research on the famous mathematician. The students webpage will be the complete project. Students can visually display content by using pictures and text.

5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:
A. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
B. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
C. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
D. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.
Students can create netiquette content for technologies being used in the classroom. Students can work collaboratively to create a classroom list of policy and procedures on how to conduct themselves when using technologies. Students can research the term netiquette using any search engine such as google or yahoo.

6. Technology Operations & Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
A. understand and use technology systems.
B. select and use applications effectively and productively.
C. troubleshoot systems and applications.
D. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.
Podcast Journaling- Students can podcast thoughts, ideas and reflections on classroom content.

Podcast Episode 1

Hello Guys,

I am finish my first podcast for this class. I had a really enjoy editing the audio. My podcast was about Engaging at a Distance, what are some technologies used in online classes.

Ms. Diva

Episode 13 - College Teaching Tech Tips

Episode 13- College Teaching Tech Tips

This podcast was very informative. The podcast was an interview with Anne T. Ottenbriet-Leftwich from the Indiana University School of Education. She is an instruction who teaches instructional technology classes.
The department has 400 students. She starts off by talking about ways to engage students. She mentions building a learning community and having lab instructors with students so that physical engagement is there. The department uses WebCt blackboarding system to communicate with students. Students submit assignments to the discussion boards and add their picture and respond to others. This way the instructors and students know each other names.
Clickers are remote controls students use to respond to questions on a large screen. Students point and answer questions. This is a good way to assess students knowledge of material or past experiences. The instructor can see percentages of students responses.
Tablets are laptops that turn into a tablet you can write on. If you are grading papers you do not have to print the paper out or use the insert comment option in word. You can circle and make comments within the document. You can also make voice comments on the document. It is just like you are talking to the student. Tablet can be used in any application.
For distance education classes, you can have video conference with experts in the field. Students can meet experts in the field and ask question.
Audio and Video conference can be used to talk back and forth with students from other parts of the world. Can deliver instruction using conferencing.
Using a listserv so you can email all of your students at one time to communicate with students.
When doing assessments instructor can have a link to a survey. Free online survey tools surveyshare.com is free. Have pie charts and drafts.
Online office hours if students are at a distance. Have in chat forum using instant messenger and Skype. Use multiple user names so you are assessable to your students when you want.
Review session for test can be podcast so students can download and listen to at their convenience.

Scavenger Hunt

It was a difficult task, but I am done. The scavenger hunt was really fun. I had a hard time finding # 9. The hint from #8 did not help me. It stated something about attending the 2007 conference, I did not go so it did help me. I started clicking all of the teleport links and I did a lot of flying, to see a better view. I finally clicked the correct link. There I am victory is so sweet. I really enjoy this assignment. I look forward to interacting more often in secondlife.

I just got a chance to listen to the podcast on Podcast: Using Second Life for Immersive Learning.
It was really interesting to hear how Cynthia Calongne, she is using secondlife. Her students meet and collaboratively work on projects and exchange information.
I really liked when she said she has an underwater office and she has sharks on the island. (WOW)She mentioned she goes to her office for relaxation.
She also talks about the avatars and how they represent the inner you. I know mine does. I would have to agree when she says there is a strong sense of community in this virtual world. The meetings we have in second life are great. We all have an opportunity to explore a "WORLD" without ever leaving the comfort of your home.

Second Life

Hey guys,

I think I am getting better at second life.

Knowledge Share

Knowledge Share

Knowledge Share™ is a powerful place to share your Knowledge. It is a place were businesses have a uniform place to access all the organizations databases. I can see myself using knowledge share in a company I work for. I feel it would bring about a sense of community among people who work together. The employees would be able to share ideas and brainstorm new ones. I like the fact that you are able to create a project register within the program because everything is in one central location.
Knowledge share was designed by ICS which is an intranet knowledge management framework. Knowledge Share™ is a cost effective, flexible and user friendly solution.
create information domains
easily access documents
Knowledge Share provide an easy front-end to the organizations databases and let individuals and departments publish information they need to communicate and collaborate with the rest of the organization, partners and customers in the context that suits.

What about Secondlife?

What can I say about secondlife?

I know it is a community working together to build a new online space for creativity, collaboration, commerce, and entertainment. I joined secondlife today. I am in the process of doing the tutorials. I am still on the beginners island. Can some rescue me? It is very interactive and interesting. It was funny looking at avatars walking into things and trying to fly. I guess I am not the only one struggling.

Ed Tech Talk: 21st Century Learning Podcast

Jeff Mao Coordinator of Educational Technology manages professional development workshops. He makes sure things are headed in the right direction. He works in a school district with 4400 laptops for students. One of the teachnologies used is Studywiz. It is an online learning system. Once you log in everything is there from all of your classes, it is different from blackboard where you have to go into each class separately. It is teacher-student centered. The teacher can set up chats for a certain number of students at one time. I think this is a really nice way to integrate technology. The student have an opporunity to engage in the classroom from there home just as college students do.

Noteshare- is a digital notebook. I like the way you can drag files into noteshare. You can organize digital resources. You can download it for free. You must have Mac os x 10.3.9 here is the link http://www.download.com/NoteShare/3000-2267_4-10620729.html

The laptops are deployed to 7 and 8 grade students. The district will work on 9-12 deployment next year. I also like the fact that there are professional development workshops for teachers and principles. The district ulitizes 4 levels of technology integration. The workshops for principles has an emphasis on how to become an effective leader and how to look for technology integration in the classroom. I like the fact that the principles are the only ones in the room and they have group work and discussions on how to improve.
Mao states “technology can be used as a solution to make the schools run smoothly". I would have to a gree. Because everything is at the tip of your fingers, it is less paper work, and the students are totally engaged in learning.
To listen click here Ed Tech Talk: 21st Century Learning Podcast.

Wikispaces

I just finished listening to the podcast of Vicki Davis of Westwood Schools in Camilla, Georgia and Adam Frey of Wikispaces who sat down for a brief interview at NECC to discuss how Vicki is using wiki technology to support her award-winning Flat Classroom project. I feel it was really interesting. I was wondering how would the students be assessed? As I listened, she stated that rubrics are used and the students have to post to the discussion area and make edits to show they have been collaborating. She also stated, she looks in the history to see who has been doing what. I never thought about using wikis in a k-12 setting. I thought it was too technical. I guess I was wrong. Here is the wiki link to her classroom's wikispace westwood.wikispaces.com.

My thoughts on using emergent technologies in the classroom

I think that emergent technologies are needed in today’s classrooms. As a child, I sat in classrooms that were very boring. All my teachers used drill and practice instructional methods. My grade school teachers would always stand in front of the classroom and lecture to me. As a child, I thought it was how the classroom should be run.
Once I graduated from college, I became a mathematics teacher. My thoughts and beliefs on what instructional methods to use in the classroom shifted. I believed it was my duty to make sure my students were engaged in the classroom. My instructional methods had a variety of learning styles. For example, my students would have an opportunity to get on the computer and engage in mathematics games. One of the sites was funbrain.com. There are games for students in grades k-8 in any subject. There is also a section for teachers. I hope you enjoy.

"First Time"

My name is Tiffany Poche'. I am taking a graduate course called emerging technology.
This is my first time blogging. I do not have a lot to write. I will talk to you all soon.

Ms. Diva