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.