Thing #8-Part 1 - Wiki

This is really my first experience viewing wikis. They are incredible! Of all the wikis I have reviewed, my favorite is Code Blue. It is a web site designed for kids to explore the human body. It really looks to me that it would be good for any age. All you have to do click on a section of the human body and pick your topic. They even have a topic on Boogers! Now, what kids doesn't want to learn about boogers. Thousand Project is another wiki I reviewed. At first glance I like this site but after a couple of minutes, got very bored. Their object is to post questions and receive 1,000 answers. That is all well and good but then what? There really is not much you can do with the information after that. It is basically just a list of personal preferences. The last wiki I reviewed was Salute To Seuss. This site is wonderful. It has every book written by Dr. Seuss. It gives discussion ideas, coloring pages, background information, lesson plans, etc. It is perfect for the younger grades. It even gives recipe and art project ideas. Way over the top Wiki in my opinion.

Thing #7 - Commenting

After completing Thing #7, I cannot honestly say if commenting on blogs is something I would do on a regular basis. I am enjoying reading the blogs but really see them as informational not conversational.

Thing #6

Okay, after several weeks I have decided maybe, just maybe blogging is pretty cool. I have been searching and reading several blogs. Some I like and others........ Before this class, I'm not sure if I really understood the power of a blog. You see, I have a side business and I make crafts. For years everyone has been telling me that I need a website. So I have researched and have been trying to create the "perfect" website, but what I have really learned is without a lot of $$$$$ the perfect website does not exist. All I wanted was a place to put pictures of my crafts, tell what they are and how much they cost. It would be a place were people could go and look at my stuff at their leisure and if they are interested in purchasing them, email me. Well guess what???? That is a blog. Then I found all these other people just like me with the same crazy ideas as me and low-and-behold, I'm not alone anymore!!!!!

My favorite blog so far is Today's Creative Blog. It is a blog for crafters to share their ideas.

As far as educational blogs, check this one out: Dangerously irrelevant. This is the guy who did "Shift Happens". His blogs are really insightful in an educational way. He posted a blog about 7 Steps to success When Working with Administrators". He states that those of us that work in Educational Technology can assist our principals and superintendents by the following:

1. Administrators are unknowledgeable, not evil. Recognize that most of them are dedicated educators who want to do the right thing but may not have the necessary knowledge base or skill sets.
2. The world has changed. Help them see the big picture: the larger, deeper societal shifts and transformations that form the external context within which schools are operating.
3. We need to keep up. Help them see that the larger context is a desirable and/or inevitable destination for school systems generally and for their school organization specifically.
4. We’re not keeping up. Help them see that the school system’s not where it should be in regard to the big picture. Create cognitive disconnects for them between their school organization’s status quo and the desired destination.
5. Facilitate success. Help them gain the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to move toward the desired destination.
6. Rebut the naysayers. Help them counteract the inevitable yabbuts (“Yeah, but…”; “Yeah, but…”).
7. Rinse and repeat. Do this over and over again until they, you, and the system win.

Good rules to practice!

Thing #5

The blog I chose to reply from comes from a high school student who compares life with the Greek Tragedy Oedipus. http://students2oh.org/2008/09/21/tragedy-of-the-student/. She writes about life being a journey of self discovery. She comments on whether a tragedy defines who we are or does it bring about what was to be our reality in any circumstance.

What I liked about this blog is it reminds me of what is is to be a life long learner. Part of the charm and beauty of life is that it is a never ending search for meaning. Basically, it ain't over till its over! A person is never becomes who they really are until we die. There are basic parts of your life that will have similar traits but we are consistently evolving and changing through our history, life experiences and knowledge.

Thing #4

There are many reasons why people blog: they can voice an opinion, be used as a marking tool, used in education or even as a campaign strategy. When reading several blogs, the thing I noticed most was the passionate tone in which people write. Most people who blog, have strong feelings about the subject matter and I feel are trying to persuade the reader. Commenting on a blog contributes by adding your opinion to the subject matter or even giving additional information that the writer may have missed. One interesting way blogging could be used in the classroom would be for book discussions. Students read the same novel but can have very different views on its content. Each student blogs their thoughts and educators can post questions to provoke certain thoughts or ideas about the book.
We do need to be careful though when reading blogs and realized it is just someone's opinion not necessary the facts.

Thing #2 - Thoughts about Web 2.0

With the technology and design of Web 2.0 users can actively participate and produce content instead of just passively viewing it. Students can actively engage in the learning process and even add to the lesson with their own ideas and thoughts. Companies can connect with users on a more personal level. We now have sites where we can describe how we feel and what we are going to do about it. No event happens in isolation. No company exists in a vacuum. No person lives alone.

Not with that said..... are we loosing some of the human interaction that our students need? When a student can get his assignments online, turn them in to a drop box and then check his status page for find out a grade, how has that teacher impacted that student on a personal level?

I do believe that technology has a major role in our society and each of us needs to continually learn and progress with the times but I also feel there is a fine line that needs to be treated lightly.