Final Reflection

Over the time I have spent creating my social network in this class I feel I have grown more than I have in any other class. I feel so empowered by the knowledge I have accumulated. Before this class I didn't really like searching the internet for content because I felt so overwhelmed on how to sort though it. Now that I have made some connections with professional bloggers that relate to my specific field I can go to their websites and look for the information. Oh wait, I don't! Since I am subscribed to their blog in my google reader it all comes to me whenever they post something. I can look at my reader when I have some free time and if something doesn't sound interesting I don't really have to read through it. I do feel that it is still important to venture out of the reader every once in a while and browse their blog site. They may add new and interesting blogs to their blogroll and I don't want to miss out.

I feel that everything I have leaned in this course has definitely changed the way I learn. I feel more independent than I was before. I can go out and find anything I need and don't have to rely so much on people in the first person. There are people out there who are more than willing to interact and help through web 2.0 tools without us even asking. Some of the blogs I subscribe to post multiple times per day on anything and everything they find. They want their readers to learn, and they want them to hear it from them first.

I feel I might have some more questions as my network keeps growing but at this point I feel pretty comfortable where I am with my social network. Everyday I find something new and exciting. I am really becoming more and more engaged in my professional life through my social network!!

Final Project

Posted on a previous post I described a project I did with my students a couple years ago and they made 'old fashioned' posters on posterboard. That has since been revamped to become a web 2.0 savvy project that the students will then put into a glog.

I do plan on having the students use glogster before this project so they will be familiar with it.

Here is the google document that they will receive once they have signed up for a google account (which will be required).

They then can go to my wiki and follow the directions in the screencast's to complete the project.

Response Blog #4 - Planning and Implementation (for instruction)

As I am preparing for our final project I am feeling very overwhelmed. I feel I am pretty well planned for the podcast we will be doing tonight but I am also nervous. I have chosen to use jing to record my podcast and I am worried about implementing it. It does make me feel a little better that we will have time in class to ask questions but I just hate hearing myself talk; I just need to get over it.

At the beginning of this class I felt very reluctant to blog as well, I think I mentioned that in a previous post, but now I feel very comfortable. It is all about stepping out of out comfort zone and trying new things. I am sure after a couple try's with the podcasting it will feel natural but for some reason I am just nervous!! Hopefully in a couple years I will look back at this post and laugh because it will be a daily process :)

As far a planning and implementing goes for use in my classroom... I am still very reluctant to use some of the web 2.0 tools with math. In my podcast tonight I am planning to do a lot with the tools I have found (posted on my wiki) and then my students will be able to watch it to help them do their own project. If I am not able to use all my web 2.0 tools successfully tonight and get them to do exactly what I want then I will need to rethink everything or just start over!

I feel that for math this process of using the web 2.0 tools must be somewhat easy or the kids will get frustrated and give up. My project is simply a revamp of an old project where students would write everything out and make a poster. I am hoping they will like using the new tools. Another reason I decided to revamp this project is that it is a great real world problem but it is also very complex and difficult for them. I almost hated doing the project because I would have to reexplain myself over and over. The podcast should make this part so much easier because I can just have them watch the podcast again!! And they can do it from home!

So I am keeping my fingers crossed for tonight!! I really want it all to work out.

Response Blog #3 - Safe practices with Web 2.0

I think the most important aspect in keeping kids safe when using Web 2.0 is education. The kids really need to be educated in what types of actions and content are appropriate for the internet. Not only will it effect their life now but it will also effect their future reputation. Some things within the realm of Web 2.0 can never be erased and it will stick with them forever.

Kids also need to be educated in internet ethics. Its not so much that kids need to know that they shouldn't write bad things (i.e. harassment) about others on the internet, they need to understand that nothing about another person should be posted without permission from that person. Kids in general just have to be respectful of themselves and others. They should treat others the way they would want to be treated.

I see this rule being used less and less in high schools today. And I think for some kids in particular the internet can be a tool that makes it easier for them to be even nastier. They can do and say things to other students without even being face to face. They need to understand the consequences of their actions. They need education.

I also think that this can go the other way. Kids who are shy are more open to give feedback and praise over the internet than in person and this is great for boosting confidence. I was actually very shy in high school and I found networking through the internet to be very satisfying because I felt safe in that I could read what I was going to say before I really said it.

All in all kids need to feel safe using the internet and all it's web 2.0 tools and applications. We need to prepare kids for the world out there after school and how to be successful in it. They need to understand what is acceptable and what is not. Our district was shown this video by an administrator at the beginning of this school year. She went on to say how important it is that we educate our students for the ever changing world out there but she didn't really express how very important it is that we educate them in the ethics of the 21st century. It is our job as educators to teach them how to be a respectful internet user which I feel will lead them to overall success.

Glogster

Project Outline/Ideas

I have decided to revamp an old project that I used to do with my students. I have not done it in the past couple years due to time restrains and our heavy curriculum. I feel it is a great real world example that kids will relate to so I want to try to get it in this year. I am going to incorporate some web 2.0 tools into the aesthetics of the final product and how they could present it to the class. Below is my outline of the project...

Car 1 Vs. Car 2 Project

Lets pick 2 comparably priced cars that you may someday want to purchase. How can we figure out which car will be the better deal in the long run?

My Example: 2006 Honda Accord VS 2006 Toyota Prius

1. Pick two cars and find their price:

• 2006 Honda Accord – $18,225

• 2006 Toyota Prius – $21,725

2. Find Miles Per Gallon (MPG):

• Accord – 34 MPG

• Prius – 60 MPG

3. Find current price for gas per gallon (look at any gas station) – $3.00

4. Find price per mile by.... gas price /miles per gallon

• Accord - ($3.00/34mpg) = $.088

• Prius - ($3.00/60mpg) = $.05
  

5. Write a system of equations in the following form...

x = total number of miles driven, independent

y = total amount of money spent, dependent on # of miles driven

Equation for each car: y = sales price + (price/mile)x

• Accord --> y = 18225 + 0.088x

• Prius --> y = 21725 + 0.05x

6. Solve the system of equations two ways, by the substitution method and then the graphing method.

• The substitution method will give you the point of intersection….
• The x value tells you how many miles both cars must be driven before both cars cost the same price, y.

• The graphing method should show the point of intersection and you should be able to make some sort of conclusion from the intersection.
• The line (which represents a car) that is lower (smaller y-intercept) is a better deal until the point of intersection and then the other line (the other car) becomes a better deal.

7. Which car is better if you are only going to keep it for 5 years (written conclusion)?

• The average American drives 12,000 miles in one year.

Response Blog #2 - Research and the Reflective Practitioner

Over the last couple weeks I have been doing a lot of research on web 2.0. The amount of information out there is mind blowing. I have sat for hours on end going through numerous wiki's, blogs, podcasts and other tools trying to absorb everything I can. I found a lot of great information but it has been very hard to keep it all in line and remember what I found where.

One great tool that I have been using a lot is the diggo social bookmarking tool which not only keeps your bookmarks in one place but also allows you to tag each bookmark. Once I learned how to use that I was able save any website I found and not have to search through a big list to find it again. Just search for the tag you gave it in the bookmark list. I also love that when you bookmark a site through diggo it gives you suggested tags; It makes the whole process so easy. I also just recently learned that you can also highlight parts of a site that you bookmarked and they will pop up when you return. I have not used that feature yet but that should make research and keeping track even easier. I am continued to be amazed by the tools I am learning about in this class; I would have never found them on my own!

I have also found an aggregator to be very useful within my research. Since I have come across so many blogs and other websites with articles posted daily, it is nice to not have to go back to each site and look for new posts and articles. Instead they are delivered right to me and I can look at them when I get a chance, no hassle whatsoever.

Also throughout my research I have decided to make a wiki for my classroom. I have already started it but it is not even close to being done at this point. I have made other websites for my classroom but the wiki just seems so easy to use compared to other options. I plan to post homework, links to our online books, other online resources and maybe have a section just about me and my interests so students can see another side of me.

Response Blog #1 - Creating my own social network

Over the past week or so I have been creating my own social network. I set up this blogspot along with a ning account and a wikispaces account. Since I have used myspace and facebook quite a bit to keep in touch with friends and family, I felt pretty comfortable setting up these accounts and it didn't take me too long.

The only thing I felt somewhat uncomfortable with was the actual posting and blogging itself. I do read a lot of blogs and forums but I consider myself more of an observer and don't participate too much in all the interactions. I guess this is something I just need to get over and dive into.

I feel that all the new tools that web2.0 provides to educators today will change the face of education in the very near future. I am so excited to learn more about all the tools and providing more resources to my own students. It is also exciting to see what other educators are doing by expanding my own social network.

1st class reflection

I felt that this first class along with the 1st online session has been very informative. I enjoyed reading the book and learned a lot of new and interesting facts that I had never even thought about! I also enjoyed leaning about the aggregator and google reader. I had always wondered what that little orange button was in the address bar was and now I know. And know what to do with it :)

I am still a little concerned about how this will fit in with my math curriculum but I am also excited to learn about new methods of making my classroom more student centered around technology. We will soon see! Can't wait.