Thing #9

Creating different things with these generators is entertaining and could be used in many situations. I would use these to entertain myself and others, have fun while educating students on a topic, and could also help students study in a fun way! This is a great tool for those with an imagination because there are so many uses that can be educational and enjoyable.

I found both of these generators at Generators Widgets which was easy to understand and use.

Thing #8

I think sharing photos online is a great way to share ideas and experiences with others. I do not share pictures with the public online. I have networking accounts that have personal pictures on them but they are shared with people selected by me.

I probably would not use these tools in my personal life but they will be great sources when it comes to teaching. These mashups are fun, entertaining, and can be used to decorate a classroom.There were many mashup tools such as puzzles and maps that can be used to educate too.

Thing #7

Exploring Flickr was definitely an experience. There are a lot of great photos and groups to explore through this site. I found it pretty easy to search and find pictures that were interesting. On my search to find pictures that related to education I had a hard time. There were not many pictures that I found that directly related to education. I did manage to find some pictures that future teachers would enjoy! 

Click on Photo to see the source, photographer, and other great photos!

Thing #6

While looking through the Web 2.0 awards I found Mint. I decided to look into the website and see what it had to offer. It asked for my bank account information, which I did not want to share, but after reviewing the site I realized that it is a trusted and verified website. Once I started using this site I realized that it is a financial planner that helps save and budget the money that comes in and out of your bank account. It was really neat to see what percentage of money was spent on food, entertainment, gas, etc. This sites main functions are calendars and goals set to help save money and insure financial stability from month to month. I did not use these functions but I mainly used this site to keep track of my money (where it was going and what it was going to).

Even though this site would not be very helpful in an educational point of view there are links to other sites such as Twitter and Facebook, which helps with communication and involvement with other people, which is always important as an Educator.

(Click the picture above or the Mint link to be taken to the website)

Thing #5

School 2.0 is the future of classrooms and education. It will combine the world wide web, technology,  and educational tools to provide easier access, quick feedback, and communication between educators and students.

Advancements in technology make this possible and will create a more efficient way to educate. This means, in the future, students and teachers will have easier and quicker access to their education inside and outside of a classroom.

Thing #4

Commenting is a very useful source when creating blogs. Comments not only show interest but also show initiative to learn. Because blogs are created online there is little face-to-face interaction between bloggers. Commenting creates a sense of community and interaction between bloggers who otherwise would have little to no contact.

Commenting and Responding to comments will help educate others on the topic you are discussing. There may be questions or suggestions towards the topic that readers feel are important. There is also room for friendly criticism that would be helpful to other readers and the blog writer too.

Future references, ideas, and sources can be shared through commenting much like the “website of the day” activity. This is a great source of information to bloggers that would not be as easily sharable if it weren’t for the commenting tool.

My comments to classmates in the sidebar: (still editing).

• The first comment I left was on Lea's "Thing #5 As explored by me..." I thought this post was interesting and made me think about what technology will be available in my future classroom. 

• Amber Kerns' "TheKernsreality." I decided to comment on her "Thing #3" because her post was very similar to mine and we had common ideas that I thought we could discuss. 

• TPlummer: Taylor wants to be an educator and an administrator just as I do. When I heard this I thought it great! Someone who has the same goals I do has to have some of the same ideas in their blog, right? That is why I comment on her "thing 4."  Hopefully, with help from all of the available technology resources, Taylor and I can keep in touch and help each other reach our mutual goals.

I also commented on Amy Rutledge's and Walter Gott's Thing 4 because I thought it was interesting to see why other people thought commenting was important.

Thing #3

I think a blog could be very useful in any education program as well as my future classroom. Creating a blog and sharing it with others will help document my experiences and share them with others.

From a teachers perspective blogs can be used as an educational tool to share information, pictures, documents, and ideas. Students can use blogs for experience in reading, writing, and using technology. Blogs can be used for sharing examples, thoughts, and ideas as well as teaching yourself and students ways to utilize technology to your advantage.