Thing Twenty-three

I thought I would be elated when I finished my 23rd Thing. I am not. Yes, I have been exposed to many new tools. Yes, I have seen some that students can benefit from. My problem , I think, is that it will take a long time to develop materials that will benefit my students and that time does not exist within the constraints of this CEU activity. In order to create materials that will truely require students to read, collaborate and THINK will take longer than we have in this activity.
Those are the two missing elements. Time and thinking!
You have shown us the options, but now it is time for us to take the tools and run. This will not happen today - but will develop with time. Borrowing helps, but thinking is the element we need to focus on. The thought processes we encourage everyday comes from interaction with our students; it comes from watching students' reactions to statements and building on them. To build a wiki, a cloud, a blog that will do that will take careful consideration and planning.
I wish all those who complete this activity the best of luck in making it all work.

Thing Twenty-two

Editing a wiki wasn't too bad after all the other things we have been doing. Fortunately, once you get started in these endeavors, they work in similar fashion. It was easy to get to the site, create the account, and insert the required links and widgets. The interesting part will be to create one that will actually be usable by others. I set up this initial attempt to be private. My hope is that before this summer, I can plan out one that would really be good for my students to use. Given the time constraints here, that is impossible.

Thing Twenty-one

Wikis. Lots of possibilities. Another way to connect with students and make use of technology as an effective teaching tool. But certainly not the only way. It seems as if more and more of our Things are simply new ways of doing old things. Talking, communicating, working together, accomplishing what you want them to do/learn. Do they work? Sure, if used properly. Can you do the same thing without them? Sure. Did I see things I liked? Yes, especially in Wikinomics. Will I use them in my classroom this year? Could happen! Other items discussed in these 23 Things have successfully found a home in my classes. Will my classes be successful if I don't find a chance to implement them? What do you think?

Thing Twenty

eBooks is an easy one to take care of! I am a believer. My wonderful husband surprised me with a Kindle for Christmas and I have been using it with delight ever since. But beyond my use of it for recreational reading, the possibilities are staggering for education. Obviously, ebooks is the direction of all reading materials. Textbooks, reference materials, newspapers and magazines will all be following this trend if they haven't hopped on-board already. Schools can be the big winners. Instead of constantly updating textbooks and worrying about the weight in the student's backpacks, they can fill a student's Kindle or other similar device with the text books they need every semester. Students with learning problems will benefit immediately as the device can read to them, offer a place to keep notes, and define words within the text as they move along. Soon, interactive charts and diagrams will be part of this text and those possibilities are really exciting. In checking the NHS eBooks, I found interesting materials on Acid Rain, and I am sure you remember the significance of that search!

Thing Nineteen

Ok, I'll admit it. This one is causing us some technical difficulties. I totally understand the merit of this concept . . . but it won't work! I cannot get the programs suggested to run on our desktop. So I have made the decision to move on to Thing Twenty and then to revisit Thing Nineteen when the tech gods are smiling with more favor upon me.
Thanks to my husband's great wisdom, I can now complete this last thing.

Free online screen recorder

Thing Eighteen

Podcasting! It is a wonderful tool and we use it frequently. Our favorites are those from NPR. We collect "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me", "Car Talk", and "A Prairie Home Companion" and listen to them in the car whenever we travel. (Probably last summer, some people on the train wondered what I was laughing about as we traveled cross-country. It was undoubtedly "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!")

In school, there certainly are uses for Podcasts. How about directions for assignments? Captured SMARTBoard lessons? Tutorials for PhotoShop or PaintShop? No doubt about it, Podcasts are a great tool for us to make use of. Hmmmm, sounds like a great PD activity to put together. Watch for it coming soon in a theater near you!

Thing Seventeen

Funny Overloaded Equipment

View more presentations from Boubaker Gharbi.

Ever feel this way with technology? 23 Things getting you down? Listen brother, you have it easy! Check these overloaded beasts out and you will feel the weight of the world lift from your shoulders!

Thing Seventeen

Funny Overloaded Equipment

View more presentations from Boubaker Gharbi.

Ever feel this way with technology? 23 Things getting you down? Listen brother, you have it easy! Check thes overloaded beasts out and you will feel the weight of the world lift from your shoulders!

Thing Sixteen

So many ways to do the same things. Yes, we have more choices than ever before! It boggles the mind!!! But which one of these tools teaches people to think? Oh, dear, I am showing my age! Most of the items of interest to my on this 'thing' I do every day on my iPod Touch. Reminders - Alerts - Calendar of events - News - it's all there and it fits in my pocket! Even one of my former students who owns one and uses blogs, technology and toys in general, more than anyone else I know, one and feels that it takes care of most everything he needs. So, I believe, that although the items on the list all work fine, I will stick with the Touch for these apps. Hmmmm, but next month when the iPad comes out . . . might be a different story! Or . . . maybe when the iPhone comes out for Verizon. Like I said "So many ways to do the same things."