Thing #10 Twitter

I have been dragging my heels on getting all set up in Twitter! I like the status posts that my friends put on Facebook and see this as the same concept...it just seems very redundant. I did set up an account and was pretty proud of myself for adding a badge to my blog. :) My username is dredmanjohnson. I think it could be useful if all or most staff at SMS set up an account. I like keeping updated on what's going on with people and maybe staff could just share ideas, sites, and just things that are happening. I just have my doubts that people would use it on a regular basis.

Thing #9 Social Networks

I tried to look at MySpace. I couldn't find much for educational pages. I didn't really like the pages I looked at...and don't like that just anybody can look at your info.

I have had Facebook for awhile, but hadn't really explored any educational pages. So, that's what I did. I added the groups Third Grade Teachers, Have Fun Teaching, and Free Technology for Teachers. There have already been a few posts that I've found helpful.

I think Facebook is fast-growing because it allows for people like me to be connected to people I care about...old friends, new friends, colleagues, family... It is a way to keep updated on peoples' lives and it's an easy way to communicate. I love it!

As for adding students as friends, I've stayed away from it for the most part. I have a few that are friends with my kids or family friends. It's a cool way to connect with them, but I don't know if it could cause a problem or cross a line. I'm very undecided...(not surprising!).

Thing #8 Wiki

I really like the wiki concept! I especially like idea of using one the way Cheryl K. is using it to communicate with a committee and then keeping others updated on what they are doing! I think the uses are endless with many benefits!

I think our staff could benefit from using a wiki just for times we sign up for stuff (bus safety, priest visits, Track and Field Day...). I saw one wiki that the school was using for conference sign-ups which seems MUCH simpler than the current way we are doing this.

I thought I might like a classroom blog attached to my website, but I wonder if a wiki would also (or instead of) be good. Some of the classroom wikis I looked at had pages for each student and they did homework on their page. I think I had a student last year who did not have access to a computer at home, so that would be something to consider. This would have been helpful for group projects that my own kids had to do outside of school time, as the hardest part was usually finding a time for all group members to get together.

I want to keep exploring different blogs and wikis to try to get my arms around if and how I could use these with my class and my colleagues.

As for banning wikis for research... I think we need to teach students about the problems of using this format and let them explore and learn as they go... But, I'm not sure!

Thing #7 My creation

My creation
Originally uploaded by dee.johnson

I can see using trading cards as a group portfolio of projects done by my class showcasing their projects on a theme. I like that there can be a picture and then a description that they could write. Or, perhaps, students could document their own projects or learning done throughout the year as an electronic portfolio. Could we put stuff from flickr on our school web pages? I'm not sure how this would work....but think there are some definite possibilities.

I posted this on my blog by first saving it to flickr. That was easier than I thought it would be. Then I saw that above the image there was an option to email it to someone. I emailed it to my home address. That's pretty cool. Students could create something and email it home to share with parents. On the email there is a place where they can be redirected to flickr and make comments on the project.

So, I think a flickr account has some possibilities as a way to share class projects, trips, and just to document things happening in the classroom. The trading card format gives the opportunity to put both an image and description into a fun format. FUN!!!

Thing #6 Fun with Flickr

OK...I think I am officially an addict to this whole "23 Things" thing!!! I am glad this is a summertime project!

I love the spelling app and so would my students. It would be a fun way to post our "Word of the Day." Some of the other apps I looked at were fun and some I didn't really get or had trouble with. I'm sure it's just a matter of taking more time with them to figure them out!

Thing # 5 flickr photosharing

Our Piano
Originally uploaded by dee.johnson

Logan and I have been going through the pictures of him and his "gigs" and I ran across this picture. It is one of my favorites. My parents bought this piano when I was in elementary school in South Dakota. We brought it home in the back of a truck up and down steep hills on a gravel road. It made the move to Owatonna with us. My younger sister Wendy probably used it the most (by far she had the most talent). When my parents moved to the lake I only lived a few blocks away, so I got it! Hannah and Logan have both learned to play on it. Logan gives it a real workout!! It is old and worn out...but loved!

I like the idea of organizing pictures this way. I'm a little unsure about making them public. My kids have done basically the same thing on facebook. I never thought about the fact that all of our pictures on our computer could be gone if something happened to the computer. We print some pics, but there are many that we haven't. So, putting them on the web is a great idea.

I'm not sure how I would use this with kids. It's a great resource that I could use when studying a topic....pictures of animals, rocks, places that we are talking or learning about.

We could upload pictures from field trips (rock quarry, zoo) and write descriptions of the pictures. I wouldn't want any of my students to be in the pictures, unless we made it private and available only to parents.

I'm sure there are many ways people are using this in their classrooms. I'd love to hear about them or any of your ideas.