Wow...the beach is awesome. I thought about you this evening as I was enjoying my time with family. The weather is gorgeous....sitting on the beach and soaking up the sun is just what I want to be spending time doing.
There were dolphins swimming off shore and we watched them circle up and back. The ocean is calm and we have been kayaking! The kids have been playing with the skim board and trying their best to stay on it.
This evening we played Apples to Apples...interesting to watch how people connect the phrases.
The young guys have been playing PS2. I have watched them with intensity. They have this guitar game and I can't believe how fast they must react to be able to keep up with the song. My very physically handicapped nephew is a PS2 addict. He was playing College Football, and some shooting game...kind of amazing seeing he can only use one hand. He has figured out how to manipulate and can sometimes just direct the other player exactly what to do.
I have also played Sponge Bob Monopoly with my nephew...interesting how he compensates for his lack of reading ability. He will be twelve in December. He is witty, and very funny.
We have been launching water ballons at each other...and to the beach from our porches. I have laughed until I can cry....looking forward to the next few days before returning to VA and then off to PA.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
All finished
It was quite a ride! My wish is that all educators would be able to experience the support a learning community can provide. I look foward to applying Web 2.0 next year.
Best of luck with your exit interviews next week!
Best of luck with your exit interviews next week!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
June 19th
Only one more class! :-(
I can't believe that we are finishing our work for the cohort. We met briefly for with our exit experience group and decided that we should use Angel to collaborate. We spent time talking about how we wanted to proceed.....it will be interesting as we prepare for this experience.
We have finished our advocacy site and now are just waiting to have a look at the others in our course.
My head is spinning with ideas of how to use all of these ideas in the fall. You know how you get so excited about new things you learn and then you get involved with something else and forget that you wanted to use another tool.
I am hopeful that as a cohort we will continue to collaborate after we finish. The ideas of my peers have really inspired me to keep going throughout this experience...they also remind me when I forget about particular projects we have completed. ....I know that I won't easily manage without them.
I can't believe that we are finishing our work for the cohort. We met briefly for with our exit experience group and decided that we should use Angel to collaborate. We spent time talking about how we wanted to proceed.....it will be interesting as we prepare for this experience.
We have finished our advocacy site and now are just waiting to have a look at the others in our course.
My head is spinning with ideas of how to use all of these ideas in the fall. You know how you get so excited about new things you learn and then you get involved with something else and forget that you wanted to use another tool.
I am hopeful that as a cohort we will continue to collaborate after we finish. The ideas of my peers have really inspired me to keep going throughout this experience...they also remind me when I forget about particular projects we have completed. ....I know that I won't easily manage without them.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Sunday night
It is amazing to me to watch my teenage daughter use the computer. She is able to move through applications and screens with ease. I asked her about blogs and Wiki's nd she didn't really know about them....wow...is it our responsibility to educate the kids about Web 2.0 and RSS feeds?
She has not been interested in playing video games...so what is she missing? This scares me after what we have learned in our cohort. Should I have her read Will Richardson's book? I keep thinking about how she could extend her network. Wow how about all the parents who aren't tech savvy, we have some work to do folks.
She has not been interested in playing video games...so what is she missing? This scares me after what we have learned in our cohort. Should I have her read Will Richardson's book? I keep thinking about how she could extend her network. Wow how about all the parents who aren't tech savvy, we have some work to do folks.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
June 14, 2007
I can't believe only two more classes. I am really enjoying the Web 2.0 tools. I look forward to experimenting with them more once I finish classes.
I am enjoying using this collaborative site. http://classroom20.ning.com/ One of the discussions was on Pink's book.
Tonight we worked on our podcast! Using Audacity we were able to easily create our 30 second spot. We did have difficulty trying to get it to post to our Wiki!
We posted our PSA. It was neat coming home and being able to share it with my family and daughter in KY. I think this is such an awesome tool!
I now wonder if we should have considered advocating for Wikis and blogs in the classroom!
We smiled when planning for yet another staff development workshop, because that is all we have been doing for the last month for our jobs!
I am enjoying using this collaborative site. http://classroom20.ning.com/ One of the discussions was on Pink's book.
Tonight we worked on our podcast! Using Audacity we were able to easily create our 30 second spot. We did have difficulty trying to get it to post to our Wiki!
We posted our PSA. It was neat coming home and being able to share it with my family and daughter in KY. I think this is such an awesome tool!
I now wonder if we should have considered advocating for Wikis and blogs in the classroom!
We smiled when planning for yet another staff development workshop, because that is all we have been doing for the last month for our jobs!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
June 12th
I can't believe that this program is drawing to a close! It has been an interesting road.
Tonight we watched a video on the making of PSAs from a Today segment. It was validating to watch how they went through the process. I know that we actually do the same thing when we use DEAPR. Creating our treatment and storyboard was a task that Jess really had a handle doing. I don't always think that way so it was neat working with someone who did.
We filmed our PSA. Carrie had created such neat props...she is so clever! Again, I have learned how important it is to collaborate and you are able to accomplish great things! We began to create our story using Movie Maker. We will add music in the background.
Next we will be thinking about our Podcast. We have been writing our script using a Wiki.
I plan to brainstorm a list of possible uses for digital video in the lower elementary grades. I think that having students go through the process of writing a treatment, constructing a storyboard, and then filming will allow them to increase their visual literacy skills.
Tonight we watched a video on the making of PSAs from a Today segment. It was validating to watch how they went through the process. I know that we actually do the same thing when we use DEAPR. Creating our treatment and storyboard was a task that Jess really had a handle doing. I don't always think that way so it was neat working with someone who did.
We filmed our PSA. Carrie had created such neat props...she is so clever! Again, I have learned how important it is to collaborate and you are able to accomplish great things! We began to create our story using Movie Maker. We will add music in the background.
Next we will be thinking about our Podcast. We have been writing our script using a Wiki.
I plan to brainstorm a list of possible uses for digital video in the lower elementary grades. I think that having students go through the process of writing a treatment, constructing a storyboard, and then filming will allow them to increase their visual literacy skills.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Saturday, June 9, 2007
June 9th
I keep thinking about Josh's post. I can see so many uses for Wiki's. I was listening to Jess's idea in class on Wednesday for a Wiki for the Revolutionary War...and it will actually help with writing skills. I think that Wiki's allow for interdisciplanry teaching. I know that years ago students hated to do the writing, but I know very few students who complain about typing. Writing should become easier for this generation...it takes so much less time once you have the keyboarding skills down.
I look forward seeing the resource site that Josh is designing and seeing how excited the teachers will become when they find things they can use. Technology should be the driving force behind change and collaboration in schools today.
I look forward seeing the resource site that Josh is designing and seeing how excited the teachers will become when they find things they can use. Technology should be the driving force behind change and collaboration in schools today.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
June 6, 2007
As I sat in class this evening, I was thinking about how far we have come in just a year and a half. As we worked on our advocacy Wiki, I wondered what our product might have looked like two years ago....oh wait a Wiki two years ago...probably not!
It is so exciting to think about these tools and how we can introduce them to our colleagues and how they might use them in their classrooms. It would be wonderful to use the COWS to collaborate in the same room. Students can work together and watch the progress without uttering a spoken word...and as per my daughter no one talks on the phone anymore...this is their world.
Instead of emailing some of our ideas to Bill we just posted them on our Wiki...paperless....and we didn't even fill up us inbox.
It is so exciting to think about these tools and how we can introduce them to our colleagues and how they might use them in their classrooms. It would be wonderful to use the COWS to collaborate in the same room. Students can work together and watch the progress without uttering a spoken word...and as per my daughter no one talks on the phone anymore...this is their world.
Instead of emailing some of our ideas to Bill we just posted them on our Wiki...paperless....and we didn't even fill up us inbox.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
May 31, 2007
Week 3
I enjoyed watching Bill play with the toys! I am definitely a digital immigrant because I can't watch and get it...I need to do it.
I found that working on the position paper was loads of fun! :-) I do believe that having an Instructional Coordinator at the elementary school is a needed position.
Wiki's have loads of potential in the classroom! I look forward to using them next year with students. I think that even lower elementary students could use these to collaborate on writing projects. It would be wonderful for them to be able to work back and forth to perfect a sample.
I am finding that it is difficult to finish everything that I want to get done as the year closes. My mind is going in a million directions....I am hopeful that as Bill said that in about six months it will be much clearer as I think back through the past 16 months.
I am still confused how to anchor the professional portfolio page...how do you do two index pages and post in the same folder? Can you link pages off a page that is not an index page?
I enjoyed watching Bill play with the toys! I am definitely a digital immigrant because I can't watch and get it...I need to do it.
I found that working on the position paper was loads of fun! :-) I do believe that having an Instructional Coordinator at the elementary school is a needed position.
Wiki's have loads of potential in the classroom! I look forward to using them next year with students. I think that even lower elementary students could use these to collaborate on writing projects. It would be wonderful for them to be able to work back and forth to perfect a sample.
I am finding that it is difficult to finish everything that I want to get done as the year closes. My mind is going in a million directions....I am hopeful that as Bill said that in about six months it will be much clearer as I think back through the past 16 months.
I am still confused how to anchor the professional portfolio page...how do you do two index pages and post in the same folder? Can you link pages off a page that is not an index page?
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Week 2
I enjoyed learning about the tools from Dr. Warrick! Now to find the time to use them and organize the RSS feeds. This is amazing technology and I can see how this should help everyone with organization. I am often forgetful about were I put things...so definitely this would help me.
I liked working on the Advocacy topic! I think this is a wonderful venue to help us develop leadership skills. I do feel passionately that IC's should be present in the elementary schools.
It is neat to see how we have developed as a group and depend on one another.
I liked working on the Advocacy topic! I think this is a wonderful venue to help us develop leadership skills. I do feel passionately that IC's should be present in the elementary schools.
It is neat to see how we have developed as a group and depend on one another.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Leadership course
I have really enjoyed the Leadership course so far! The articles describe what makes a great leader! I am interested in finding out if you believe that leaders require certain characteristics!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Week 1
Tonight I watched an amazing video on digital text...multimedia....hypertext..... I found that the possiblity of connectedness is exciting as we continue forward in the 21st century.
I enjoyed learning about Wiki's and Blogs.
I found the amount of work required for this semester overwhelming! There is so much out of class work to complete while we are attempting to finish the year, plan Pd's and have a life too!
I do not look forward to redoing my portfolio....I know that it is good to be able to do this and review for the exit interview...but the task seems daunting! I spent so much time redoing it after the design course..I am not excited to do it again.
Maybe I am just tired. :-)......we have learned so much and I know that it will be fun to see what we create this semester.
I enjoyed learning about Wiki's and Blogs.
I found the amount of work required for this semester overwhelming! There is so much out of class work to complete while we are attempting to finish the year, plan Pd's and have a life too!
I do not look forward to redoing my portfolio....I know that it is good to be able to do this and review for the exit interview...but the task seems daunting! I spent so much time redoing it after the design course..I am not excited to do it again.
Maybe I am just tired. :-)......we have learned so much and I know that it will be fun to see what we create this semester.
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