Thing 6

After looking through the flickr site, I found many were "all rights reserved" and "some rights reserved." I was unsure on whether I could use the "some rights reserved" pictures, so I only chose ones that said "no known copyright restrictions." Though this ensured me that I was safe to use them, it also limited my choice of pictures. From this list of pictures, I chose this one with the flowers because it was the most visually appealing. I simply think this photo is a nice landscape photo. We're also studying Botany right now in the classroom, so this picture went along with that nicely.

Thing 5

I found Thing 5 to be incredibly difficult for me. After trying to navigate and search for blogs to subscribe to, I encountered many problems. I used both searches (Google blog search and Technorati), and I found Technorati to be difficult to use. I was searching for blogs that went along with my Science education folder, yet I was finding pages that weren't even blogs. I also couldn't get the bookmarklet to work either. It wasn't in my dropdown menu, so I was unable to do that. My question is how can you be sure when something is a blog? I found pages in a blog search page, yet pages I clicked on weren't blogs and they didn't have any sort of RSS button on them. I might use RSS more in my professional life to assist me in finding information I can use in the classroom and for lessons, but I feel I need to understand how it works more, because right now I'm very frustrated with it. I hope I can understand this more in the future.

Thing 4

I find that information overload can be very overwhelming, and at times, frustrating. Bloglines will be a nice tool because it allows me to search through and find sites that I feel are beneficial for me, then information from those will be delivered to me. This can save a lot of time, which is very helpful. I'm also an organized person, so having everything in one place, in folders, will be easy for me to work with.

Thing 3

I think a blog would be a helpful tool at work because it could help with communication with parents. I send home a newsletter with the students, but with a blog, I could post upcoming test dates, project due dates, classroom news, etc. It could also be a helpful tool to share information between teachers.

I could use a blog with students by using it as a discussion tool. Students could respond to something I posted and also comment on other students' posts. This will incorporate technology and thought-provoking conversation.

When first given the blog assignment, I think some of my students would be apprehensive, because it's something new and different. However, since many of them are familiar with computers and the internet, I think they would respond positively. It could provide a means for them to communicate outside of school.

One concern I have is that parents would not be on board at first because it's something new and different than what they're used to. My other concern would be that students wouldn't take the assignments seriously. Hopefully, after both students and parents become familiar with educational blogging, they will all find it to be as worthwhile as I do.

Things 1&2

I completely agree that technology is beneficial in the learning environment. The article mentioned how the entire teaching/learning community was connected to each other. I think the sharing of ideas is a wonderful way to help maintain a cohesive curriculum throughout the classrooms. I also think that the technology can help promote student independence, as in the example from the article with the students and their Social Studies project. I also feel that blogging would be a nice tool for students to share ideas and use technology in a fun and simple way. I found the blog to be very easy to make. In fact, the hardest part was thinking of a creative name to use. I would love to introduce these technological tools to my students, however, I feel that it would be difficult to do so until we have the materials necessary for all classrooms to do so. I look forward to learning these tools and being able to make them accessible to my students.