Is It the End or Only the Beginning?

  

My favorite discovery from this learning experience was all of the things Google has to offer.  There are many different websites that do many different things, some charge and some are free but Google puts everything in one place and the most important thing is that it is all free. 

I may use a blog when I start teaching but for now no more blogging. I need all the time I can get to finish all of these assignments for classes.  I see the importance of all the Web 2.0 tools and I plan to use many of these ideas once I get my own classroom! 

This has been a awesome learning experience.  I am glad that I took this class even though I was not required to take this class.  Math majors must take C++ programming but I thought that many of the tools learned in this class would be useful for the future. 

Thing #23 - YAY!!!

I just finished Thing #23! So exciting! This one was easy because I already created my Creative Commons assignment for EDUC 3040.  The first example I thought of was Dr. Wall changing the 43 Things to the 23 Things.  Dr. Wall took a great idea and made it ''do-able" for a class that only last one semester.  I would have pulled out all my hair by now if we would have all these assignments and 43 Things.  So I am glad Dr. Wall modified it for the 23 Things!

I really think Creative Commons is important for teachers to understand.  I think that many teachers (not knowing) break copyright laws all the time.  After looking into Creative Commons, I realize that I have broken copyright laws more than once.  (OOPS!!)  The idea that I had originally was to have the students create something and use Creative Commons to create a copyright for it.  I think that students actually obtaining their very own license will help them truly comprehend copyrights. 

Thing #4 (Out of order!)

I just finished Thing #4, which is Why is Commenting Important?  This "Thing" was a lot of work!  I think that blogging does create a sense of community because people with the same interests can get together and discuss things that interest them.  I really like blogs because mathematics blogs are usually very informative.  With educational blogs, commenting is very important because you can assist each other. 

I think commenting is very important to blogging.  People like to be reassured in their thinking.  It is always nice to hear that someone agrees with you or likes what you have to say.  The main thing about commenting is that people should always remember the power of words.  I do not think people always realize how people can interpret what they say in a blog. 

The first blog I commented on was Math-Blog.  I really like the title "Mathematics is wonderful!"  This blog also has many different areas of mathematics posted on it.  I also signed up for the RSS feed from Math-Blog.  The comment I made was that I thought the blog was great and I plan on using it when I begin teaching. 

The second blog I commented on was Wild About Math!.   I really enjoyed this blog because different math problems are posted.  These problems would be good for bell-ringers.  The blog also provides followers with the math contest links from many different cities and states.  The comment I made was the fact that I thought the cartoon that is posted was hilarious. 

The first classmate's blog I commented on was Sarah Jones.  I was amazed with the video she created on Animoto.  It created with pictures of her wedding!  I thought it was beautiful. 
The second classmate's blog I commented on was Skylar Riley.  I discussed that I experimented with iGoogle too. 
The third classmate's blog I commented on was Mallory Morris.  I noticed that she enjoyed Zoho.  I really had a hard time making it work!
The fourth classmate's blog I commented on was Katharine Green.  She used mashups and made a really beautiful mosaic.
The fifth classmate's blog I commented on was Rebbecca Dean.  I was looking through her blog and she used Image Chef to create a Help Button on a computer keyboard.  I could really use a help button after doing the 23 Things. 

Thing #22



I just completed Thing #22, which is Podcasts.  I looked at two Podcast directories: Educational Podcast Directory and Podcastdirectory.com.  Of the two, I liked Educational Podcast Directory the most.  I went on the site and found math podcasts immediately.  The second, Podcastdirectory.com, was very umimpressive.  I never found any math podcasts but somehow I found pornographic ones (BY ACCIDENT!!).  As soon as that happend, I stopped looking! 

My favorite podcast I have found is The Math Dude, which is attached above.  He is funny, informative, and educational.  I signed up for RSS feeds through The Math Dude because I would actually use these videos.  They can be used for supplementary activities or just review.  If I end up teaching Algebra, I will use The Math Dude. 

Listening to different podcasts helped motivate me when completing the assignment for my course project.  I listed to a few different podcasts by men and women and decided what I like and disliked about each.  Then I sat down to decide on how I would record my podcast.  I recorded my podcast on Garage Band.  It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience.  I could use podcasts to record my lectures and post them to a Wiki page.  This would be great for students who are absent.

Thing #21

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

I just completed Thing #21, which is Animoto.  I was amazed! It was the easiest and most exciting "Thing" so far.  I used pictures from our trip to the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The pictures are mainly of the Lego store because my son loved it! 

Animoto is the most user friendly website I have found.  The hardest thing was deciding the theme of the slide show and picking out the pictures.  I have shown my son how to use it and he has been going around the house taking pictures of the cat to put in his video! 

Thing #20

I just completed Thing #20, which is YouTube.  I have used YouTube many times to see music videos but this may be the first time I sat down and looked at educational things.  I found this hilarious video called Mr. Duey - Fractions.  This is the link to the video.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V96_PjlrVQc It is for younger students but I still really liked it.  Mr. Duey is very funny and I think students would actually pay attention because it it so funny.  Well I finally figured out how to add links to the post! Now I am going back and adding things to the post instead to the bottom of the blog! DUH!

YouTube has it's positives and negatives.  I am a mother of a 10 year old boy and it scares me to allow him to browse YouTube.  There are many inappropriate videos on this site.  If I were to use YouTube in the classroom, I would find the links ahead of time and share them with the students. I would not allow them to look at the site on their own.

Thing #19

Visit TeacherPop

I just completed Thing #19, which is also on social networking.  I set up an account with Teacher Pop.  After I set up the account, I posted a comment on Dr. Wall's page.  I also added my badge to this blog posting.  I think that Teacher Pop is a really cool social networking site because it's focus is on teaching.  One thing that caught my eye first was a Teacher's Guide to Facebook.  I think that every teacher/teacher candidate needs to read this.  I skimmed through it and there was a lot of interesting information.  I downloaded it to my computer, so I can read it over Thanksgiving break. 

The online communities that I am a member of are Teacher Pop, Facebook, and Classroom 2.0.  Other than Facebook, I do not find any of the other appealing.  I think that social networking is extremely time consuming and I barely have time to update my status on Facebook just one time a month. 

I found most of the information on Teacher Pop interesting and useful.  I think that Dr. Wall puts time and effort into this site and wants teacher candidates to understand the importance of social networking.  I really do not know if I will use social networking once I start teaching.  I have been debating on deleting my Facebook account when I complete student teaching.

Thing #18

I just completed Thing #18, which is exploring social networking.  I already have a Facebook account and I use it all of the time.  The main thing I love about it is because I can share pictures with my friends and family.  It is also amusing to see all the funny things people post as the day goes on.  The one thing I absolutely dislike about Facebook is that people share way too much with other people.  There are some things that people should have enough sense to post online but that does not seem to be the case.  I have had to delete friends because of their inappropriate comments. 

I think it is very important to know how social networking works, especially with high school teachers.  Teachers should know what the students are talking about and what they like.  I did not gain any new insights from this assignment because we have been continually lectured on social networking since my major is education.  I do not enjoy the social networking site, MySpace.  It seems to be targeted more towards teenagers.  I do not think that I would ever use Facebook in a high school mathematics class. 

Thing #17

I just completed Thing #17, which is Social Bookmarking.  I really think that Delicious would be useful in the classroom if the students needed to do research.  I could have a Delicious account and have the students look at only certain websites.  This would help ensure that the students would only look at credible websites.  I do not think that Delicious would be useful in a mathematics classroom that much.  I think that other subjects would really benefit social bookmarking.

I think that I would use Delicious for my own personal use.  I have the problem that I browse the Internet at APSU and then come home and try to find the same website and I cannot remember what I was looking at.  I usually open a word document and copy and paste websites and then save it on my jump drive.  It would be much easier to have everything in one single place. 

Thing #16

I just completed Thing #16, which is Get Organized.  First, I rearranged my start page on iGoogle.  I changed the theme, deleted some of the widgets, and added a widget.  I will not be making this my permanent homepage because I have Comcast email and I like having the link to Infinity TV on my homepage. 

Second, I created an online calendar, Google Calendar. I really like all the Google products because they are all tied together.  I attached my google calendar to the bottom of my blog.  I would use google calendar on my Wiki page.  That is the great thing about Google calendar, it is very versatile. 

Third, I signed up for the online tool Remember the Milk.  I really did not like this tool because I think it would be much easier and quicker to just use paper and a pen!  I have found, since I have done some of the 23 Things, I do not always like technology all the time.  What is so wrong with Post-Its? I love Post-Its and I will NEVER download Sticky Notes on my computer!!

Thing #15

I completed Thing #15, What in the World is Wiki? I have observed teachers that use Wiki Pages and I really enjoyed them.  The teacher had the textbooks website and resources attached.  The teacher also would post homework assignments on the page.  There is a space where parents and students can ask questions.  I enjoyed looking at other wiki pages because they have given me ideas of what I could use one for when I start teaching. 

This may have been the toughest thing for me to complete. I still am not sure that I posted what I wanted to on the APSU 23 Things Sandbox.  I was really frustrated because I set up an account and added a page but I could never post anything on the main page of the APSU Sandbox.  If anyone has any advice please post a comment! I would really like to do it the right way.  I did have my page show up on the Navigator box on the right side of the screen. 

I set up a wiki at Wikispaces.  All I have completed so far is the layout and the colors of the page.  I will use a wiki when I teach because it is a good place for a high school student to look at homework assignments.  Parents will also have a place to look and see what is going on in my mathematics's classes.  The link to my Wikispace is Mrs. Hayes's Pi. 

Thing #14

The first thing I explored was Mindmeister and created a mindmap.  The theme of my mindmap is mathematics.  The subcategories are all the mathematics courses I have had to take to accomplish a degree in secondary mathematics.  I do not know that I would ever use this website because it is much easier to use Microsoft Word. 

The second thing I explored was Gliffy. The thing I created was a flow chart.  I really liked exploring Gliffy.  The website has floorplans, flow charts, Venn diagrams, and etc.  I really would use the Venn diagrams if I were teaching probability. I like the floor plans because I could use it for my classroom or even at home.

Thing #13

The first thing I did when looking at ZOHO Writer was to look for the equation editor.  That is the most important thing to me, since I am a math major.  The equation editor seems to be okay but I am just not used to it!  The equation editor is not the easiest thing to use on Word either.  ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​A feature I really like about ZOHO is I can revert the document to an earlier version if I messed up the current version.  I have messed up documents on Word and have not been able to fix it but I can actually pick what day/version I want to change it back to. 

I also tried out ZOHO Sheet, which is a spreadsheet.  I tried to use equations that I am familiar with from Word and they did not work!  I could not find where to look for help!  I do not think I will be using the spreadsheet...ever!  I really like Microsoft Word and I have tried other programs before and I did not care for them either.  I think I will be sticking to Microsoft Word!

Thing #12

Thing #12 asked us to explore Google tools.   I had no idea when I started the “23 Things” that Google has this much to offer.  I set up a Google Calendar and looked at Google Translate.  I set up a Picasa but I really did not like it compared to Flickr. 

I really like the Google calendar.  It was easy to schedule dates and times.  The calendar is now embedded in my blog.  (At the bottom of the page!!) The directions were really easy to follow; I actually did it on the first try! I think Google Calendar would be very useful for a teacher.  If I were to use this in my classroom, I would put homework, project, and test dates on the calendar and share it with the students and their parents.  This would also be useful for a principle to require the teachers to use because everyone would always be informed of what is going on and when. 

I really think Google Translate is a useful tool for teachers.  I did not know that Google even had this feature! (I feel like I have been missing out on something!)  The first thing I thought of when investigating this is that some parents and students do not speak English fluently.  So, if I have access to Google Translate, I will have a tool to help me communicate effectively with them.  Google Translate will translate G-mail, Chat Bot, web pages, and just about anything done through Google.  I am also impressed that it can translate 57 languages.  Google Translate is also useful for math teachers.  Math is a universal language but when I have searched for proofs of difficult math problems, sometimes I have found the words to be in another language.  This is extremely frustrating because the math is there but I am unable to read the explanation!  So Google Translate would translate it for me!

Thing #11

For Thing #11, I was supposed to learn how to find good RSS feeds. Well, I have now become an expert on finding bad feeds!  It has been a great learning experience because if this wasn't an assignment, I would have given up after an hour!

The method I found the easiest for finding good feeds is Google Blog Search. I do not know if I found it easier because I always use Google but I did find the most useful feeds. I found that Yahoo! News is just as easy to use as Google.  I tried both Yahoo and Google and they both worked equally well. 

The search tool I found the most confusing was Syndic8.com.  I really never did figure out how to make it work right.  I searched mathematics, mathematics teachers, school 2.0. I found nothing that fit any of those descriptions.  Topix is an annoying search tool.  I kept getting pop-ups every time I hit search.  I have a pop-up blocker and still had pop-ups. 

The most unusual RSS feed I found was a blog.  I used Technorati and found a math teacher who is crazy! I mean crazy in a bad way.  The person used derogatory remarks to comment on the people that commented on his/her blog.  I will not post the name of the blog because I really thought it was inappropriate for a teacher to write those things.  One good thing about the website is that it has a lot of useful information about teaching mathematics but the negatives far outweigh the positives!

When searching, I found a blog http://www.121maths.com/ and the content is useful to me as a soon to be teacher.  The blog has many useful math explanations and ideas for lesson plans. I subscribed to the RSS feed and plan to use it in the future.

Thing #10

Thing #10 had me sign up for a free account with Google Reader and subscribe to five RSS feeds.  I subscribed to NCTM, CNN, TN.gov, PBS TeacherLine Blog, and Free Technology for Teachers.  One thing I like about RSS feeds is that I do not have to go to each site and see what is new. All I have to do is go to Google Reader and see what is new at each website.  I did not know what RSS was until I completed Thing #10.  I really think that I will use RSS for personal and classroom use.  I like the idea of not having to bookmark every site that I visit.  I definitely be using RSS feeds for personal and professional use. 

I think high school teachers can use RSS feeds to their advantage.  Teachers that have classroom blogs can make good use of RSS feeds. In the beginning of the school year, the teacher can ask the parents to subscribe to a reader, such as Google Reader. Then have the parents subscribe to his/her RSS feed on the classroom blog.  This way the parents of high school students can keep track of what is going on within the classroom.  The teacher can post homework, test reviews, calendars, and classroom news.  This is a good way to keep parents of older students in the loop. 

Thing #6

I chose Etsy from the Web 2.0 Awards nominees list.  I love this website! It features handmade items that are very unique. Sellers can create a virtual shopfront and personalize it.  The useful features for sellers are that users do not have to buy a special domain, write code, build a website, and pay for hosting. People can items that fall into one of three categories: vintage, supplies, or handmade.  It does not cost users much to use Etsy. Etsy charges $0.20 to list an item for four months and 3.5% transaction fee.

People looking to buy can find items by browsing by categories or by an advanced search.  There is even a way to request custom items from a seller.  The more I browsed, the more I wanted to buy!  The only downfall of this website is that I could spend a fortune!! 

I could use this in a mathematics class. I could have the students create a store front on paper and figure out what they would sell. Then they could calculate Etsy's charges and figure out how many items they would have to sell in order to make a certain amount of money.  This could be a fun and creative lesson!

Thing #5

When I started Thing #5, I thought I knew nothing about Web 2.0.  I now realize that I use it daily in my life.  After reading many articles, I think that School 2.0 is a means advancing the curriculum by adding technology into the classroom.  This is already being accomplished in many school systems by incorporating Smart Boards, Wiki Spaces, blogs, and classroom websites.  Many textbooks are available as a eBooks.  I think that many schools will be incorporating more technology into the classrooms. Schools need to teach students how to use the Internet more effectively and to show students that social networking can be used as much more than just My Space and Face Book.  I looked through many articles about Web 2.0 but I am only going to discuss two of the sites I visited.

The first article I read was Web 2.0 A Guide for Educators.  The article discusses that students already use the web and schools really need to get on board.  The website states ”55 percent of all online American young people between the ages of 12 and 17 use social networking sites,"  that is huge compared to when I was in high school.  I am amazed how much computer use has increased over the years.  I graduated high school in 1995 and I was required to take keyboarding!  That is not that long ago! 

Teachers 2.0 is another site I visited. It is a blog for educators. I really thought this was a great site because it gives educators a place to look for ideas to incorporate technology into the curriculum.  There is a monologue for the week and this is basically a lesson that someone has used.  I really enjoyed the blog! I really got sidetracked though. One of the monologues was about World of WarCraft in Schools and I spent at least an hour on that site!  There are actual lesson plans set up for WOW. The only reason I was interested was because I have a few WOW players in my family!

Thing #9

I spent a long time looking over image, text, and graphic generators. I attempted to create a comic strip but it took way too long. I also tried out countless other websites that were either not appropriate or were just stupid! I think I narrowed my search down to my top four sites!

I created this image on ImageChef. All that I did was pick a background and then pick out what words I wanted on the picture. I could change the color and the font. I found many fun things on this site.  I could use this website to add interest to PowerPoint presentations and to create for posters around the classroom.

http://www.imagechef.com/ic/word_mosaic/

I created this at MatrixText.com.  All that I did was pick a word, font, font color and then just click create.  This was quick and easy. I think this would be a great website to use when making a PowerPoint. It would at least be good for the first slide. 

http://www.matrixtext.com/

I uploaded this picture to BeFunky and created this image.  It is a easy website to navigate and laid out easy to change your image.  I do not know if I would actually use this in the classroom but I would use this website for personal use. 

http://www.befunky.com/

I thought this was a funny image generator.  I found it and decided it would be good for science teachers that teach labs because they can create actual caution signs. Other teachers can create signs that say "No cell phones" and many other things.  I think I would use this for my classroom to make signs.

http://www.warningsigngenerator.com/

Thing #8

I tried many of the Flickr mashup sites.  I really enjoyed Jigsaw and Mosaic Maker the most. I think I could use these two sites to create images to decorate my classroom.  I also could assign the students to investigate a mathematician and make a mosaic that explains the life of that person.  I will use the Mosaic Maker for my personal use to create Christmas cards.  I think I could make a great card!  The following two pictures are my two creations.

I used Mosaic Maker to create the following picture. I uploaded pictures directly from my Facebook account to Mosaic Maker and created this cool picture!

I used a picture from my Flickr account to create this image on Jigsaw. I thought it was fun deciding on what picture I liked as a jigsaw puzzle.

Thing #7

I explored Flickr for Thing #7. I enjoyed learning a new way to post my pictures to share with others.  I really do not believe that I will use Flickr in my classroom. A mathematics classroom does not have much need for a picture sharing site.  I would possibly use it for my personal use but currently I use Facebook to share photos with family. I have never used another photo hosting service. This is the first time and I think that it is easier for me to post photos on Facebook because I use it already.
I do not mind having my photo in a public place.  I do not behave in a fashion that can be misconstrued, so any picture of me on the Internet does not bother me.  I would be concerned if I behaved in a non-professional manner.

This a picture I took of a Day Lily that grew in my back yard!

This is a picture of my son. We spent a day at Percy Priest Dam throwing rocks and having a picnic!

This a picture of North Dakota at 6:00 am. Beautiful sight!

Thing #3

There are numerous ways to use blogs in the teacher education program. I think that student teachers can use a blog to reflect on what went well and what did not go well in a lesson. The student can also ask others for assistance. Other students may be able to relate and give good advice on what worked for them in a similar situation. I think that being a reflective practitioner is the most important attribute of being an excellent teacher and a blog is a perfect place to reflect.


I am really excited to use a blog when I start teaching. I plan to use a blog to keep an up to date list of homework assignments and important events. This will help the parents because they will be able to check to see what their child was assigned for homework. This will put an end to kids telling their parents that there was no homework!! Students and parents will also be able to post questions about any assignments.

Thing #2

My posting name is Cool Math Teacher. I chose this name because I think many students assume math teachers are all dorks with pocket protectors. We are not all dorks! (Well, maybe sometimes!!) I want to be able to teach students mathematics in a way that makes learning fun. When I learned math, I memorized formulas for a test and then forgot them. I want my students to be able to relate to the material, remember it for years to come, and remember a cool math teacher taught them.
The name of my blog is “Pi (not the kind you eat!!)”. I chose this title because I think it is humorous and because Pi is my favorite number. Pi is a number that everyone has at least heard of and most people can actually tell you it is 3.14. The number pi is important to both mathematicians and non-mathematicians. It is used in mathematics, physics, business, art, engineering, architecture, and many other fields.
I think that creating the blog was easy. The hard part of creating the blog is deciding on your posting name and the name of the blog. I have actually changed the name a few times. At first, I decided I would use my real name and then decided against it! The title of my blog was also hard. I wanted to reflect my personality but did not want to sound like an idiot. Hopefully it worked!!
My avatar reflects my personality because I it looks wide eyed and ready to begin. I am standing in a classroom, in the picture, ready to teach. My avatar looks similar to me and is dressed how I prefer to dress. I can not dress in jeans and a t-shirt every day in a classroom, but those are the clothes I feel more comfortable wearing.

Thing #1

I watched a video on the 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners.  The easiest lifelong learning habit I learned watching the video was to begin with an end in mind.  I am a very goal oriented person and I always have a goal in mind when I start something.  The hardest lifelong learning habit for me is to have confidence in myself as a competent, effective learner. I do not always have the confidence in myself and sometimes get discouraged easily.  Sometimes if I do not get it on the first try, I do not even want to try it a second time.  After watching the video, I learned that in order for me to be a successful lifelong learner, I must always keep a positive attitude about learning.  
I am excited about learning Web 2.0. This course was not required for my major, but educational technology is a useful class for me when I begin teaching high school students.  I am excited that I learned how to set up a blog. I cannot wait to learn how to use the web more effectively.  Setting up the blog was very easy and straightforward. I kept two windows open so I could easily flip back and forth between the instructions and the Blogger website.  I did not have any problems!