Thing 10: Online Productivity Tools

The ease of using Zoho Writer was refreshing compared to other software.  The following information is linked directly from my document on ZohoWriter's word processing tool:

Thing 9: Play with Wiki's

Learning to "play" via Dr. Wilson's Technology Poppers Wiki gave me new insights into how to continue teaching through the use of differentiated instruction.  Wiki's could be used to assist absentees or provide individual peer-to-peer accountability.  I plan to incorporate a grade level Wiki for students who attend after school reading tutorials.  Per Dr. Wilson's request, I posted the following information on the Technology Poppers' page:

Teaching visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles is imperative to assure student educational achievements. Software such as Camtasia or CamStudio are excellent options for creating effective video clips. The Pick Me app's impersonal student selection eliminates any misperception of teacher preferential treatment and encourages student participation.

Thing 8: Wiki's

A wiki is an online collaboration tool for anyone and everyone. It allows users to update or add information. In the educational setting, wiki's are frequently being used as a means of openly disseminating information. In all of my formal education, I have been taught that, because wiki is reader-editable, it is not formally recognized as a credible source.  Therefore, my initial reaction to this posting was hesitancy.  However, after further research, I have a better understanding of the hype of Wiki's.  One benefit for teachers is using a Wiki to effectively communicate with parents and students.  Using Wiki's reminds me of the generally accepted think-pair-share strategy used in some classrooms.

Thing 7: Image Generators

Wordle is a program designed to generate "word clouds."  Each cloud can be modified and personalized to the personality of the user.  I created a wordle to emphasis the importance of figurative language.  As an educator, my students can create word clouds to show characterization and symbolism pertaining to specific characters.  It provides a fun and spontaneous way for students to reflect on their thinking.  It also allows for easy informal assessments of comprehension.

Voki is a tool used in some classrooms to provide learning or reteaching in a variety of innovative ways.  In my professional opinion, Voki could be used to assist students in tutorials working on different TEKS or standards.

Thing 6: RSS and Newsreaders

A Rich Site Summary, or RSS feed, is an internet format designed to deliver regularly changing internet content.  Watching the online tutorial and YouTube video prepared me to know how to begin adding news feeds.  Per Dr. Wilson's post, I accepted her challenge and created a Bloglines account.  Customizing my dashboard and tracking my favorite websites was time consuming.  Nevertheless, once personalized, the most recent information is readily available for news, local blogs, and events.  I believe that anyone can benefit from using RSS and newsreaders so as to have a quick go-to place for special interests and current news.  However, I still occasionally forget about the Bloglines account and use Google to research a variety of topics.

Check out my personalized Bloglines account.

Thing 5: Exploring Flickr

I am just showing off my creative side with the use of Spell with Flickr, a third party application used in conjunction with Flickr.  This application finds letters on Flickr to create images using a combination of pictures and words.

Sometimes my creativity is limited, but this site offers endless possibilities.  My favorite part was being able to search and change individual letters to add balance.

Thing 4: Flickr

colburnsw's photostream on Flickr.

The newest addition to my life.

Flickr is an online source for sharing images in a quick, convenient online format.  I am familiar with viewing images and sharing photos on Flickr, but I never created an account until now.  Photography is one of my favorite hobbies and this site provides a way to share my pictures with friends and family.  I may definitely be hooked after this assignment.

I chose to upload a picture of my car, a 2012 Infiniti G37s.  It looks almost identical to my previous car, but it is an upgrade from my 2010 G37.  Most people choose to buy cars, but the leasing alternative has proven most beneficial for me.  Since my first Infiniti in 2006, many people have questioned my reasoning for buying such a nice car.  Infiniti liked my credit score so much that they ignored the fact that I was young and they did not require a cosigner.  Leasing offers a more affordable monthly note that includes maintenance and I never worry about expensive car problems.