Dabbling in the World of Web 2.0

Seven brilliant things teachers do with technology

By Doug Johnson, Blue Skunk Blog

1. Empower kids with technology.
2. Creatively find and use resources.
3. Make conferencing real-time.
4. Put kids in touch with the world.
5. Accept the role of co-leaner.
6. Use the kids own devices to teach them.
7. Delight in the discovery, the newness, the fun technology holds.

This mirrors exactly what our system is doing with its Teach21 program. Our philosophy is to engage students with the technology available in a 21^st century classroom. We use the Levels of Technology Integration (LoTI) scale to measure this integration, which includes critical items on the list such as learning globally and switching roles away from the traditional teacher. We have migrated to a SharePoint web presence that fits in perfectly with #3: posting of newsletters, assignments, study notes, links, and reminders that allow parents to be a part of the classroom world. I am proud to be a part of Cherokee County Schools, preparing our students for life in the 21^st Century.

By the way, I’d also like to recommend Seven stupid mistakes teachers make with technology!

From Wordle.net:

This was my very first experience with any type of online social networks. I have never “MySpaced” or “Facebooked!” I have heard of Ning, but this exploration of Classroom 2.0 and Ning in Education was a maiden voyage for me.

I looked at Sara-from-South-Carolina’s profile and a Georgia Classroom 2.0 group. I’m glad to see evidence of social networking in the deep south! There are quite a large number of videos to review…..I know I can use the one I watched on Creative Commons. I explored the postings under Google Earth and Interactive Boards. While reading under the subject History, I found a link to the Teaching Digital History ning. This will be something I can use in preparation for my primary sources class as a great way to expand the scope of my instruction. I have already tried Admarket’s flickrSLiDR that I found there, embedding a SLiDR in my class webpage!

That is the beauty of social networking – learning from others who love what you love! I probably will never join MySpace, but there is certain to be ning in my future!

I enjoyed reading a blog post by Doug Johnson on his BlueSkunk Blog. Here are the top ten things he wishes he had known as a first year teacher. It’s quite a list!

1. Leave your ego at the door.
2. Admit ignorance or uncertainty.
3. Let the kids teach each other.
4. Don’t play gotcha on tests.
5. Some administrators are incompetent.
6. The majority of parent complaints will come from extracurricular decisions.
7. You’ll never be able to live on a single teaching salary.
8. If at first you don’t succeed, try a different age group to teach.
9. Lighten up on yourself.
10. Some kids will do well because of you; some will do well despite you.

I started teaching in 1975. I have certainly learned many lessons myself since then….and there’s always more to learn!

I had fun creating a Pageflakes page for a professional development class I teach on using digital primary sources. I picked the perfect theme and added RSS feeds for a couple of my favorite blogs on using primary sources. I embedded a YouTube video, a Flickr photostream, and a PictureTrail photo cube. It was great! I am so proud of myself! My next class is in January….and thanks to this class I have several 21^st century examples ready to wow my students!

From the first time I heard about Google Docs I knew it was going to be a good thing! I was a high school media specialist and immediately thought this could be the salvation of many a group project! Students can work together without having to BE together!

When NECC was in Atlanta, I listened to a presentation in the Google booth given by a teacher in California that used Google Docs to create and edit the school newspaper. I couldn’t wait to get back to school and do “show and tell” with my newspaper sponsors!

The interface seems to work easily. Even though there aren’t the bells and whistles that you have with Microsoft Office, it would certainly be great for students who don’t have Office applications on their home computers and students doing collaborative projects. I am a state officer for my professional organization and have worked on a large document together with other board members across the state. Distance is never a problem with Google Docs!

I want to gather family recipes before next year’s family reunion. I think I will start a Google Doc and invite family members to contribute! It should be easy!

My brother really enjoys and learns from YouTube and has even started uploading himself in an effort to save and share some family things. I’m glad Thing 19 is making me stop and explore YouTube! I found a useful clip on examples of plagiarism and Google’s new web browser, Chrome. After my recommitment to using my ipod better, I watched a clip on how to add YouTube videos to my ipod! I will also include one of Richard’s short clips featuring a few of Dad’s dahlias in his north Georgia garden along the banks of Washblue Branch….and if you watch ‘til the end, you will see my name in the credits, however brief…..

I couldn’t resist sharing a funny clip from TeacherTube that points out common errors in PowerPoint presentations……one of my own pet peeves!

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I am scheduled to teach a class on primary sources in January. After taking this Web2.0 class, I want to be able to share Web2.0 applications with my students! This is my very first podcast ever, but I hope I’ll be able to share it (and its message) with others!

When I got my National Board Certification in 2004, I rewarded myself with a new video ipod! I knew this was a technology that I needed to know about, but I will admit that I have not used it to its full potential. I was able to download podcasts from the 2006 and 2007 GaETC, two conferences that I was unable to attend. It was great to be able to hear nationally recognized leaders in the technology world as if I was there! I also used my ipod to download several podcasts to help me prepare and enjoy a recent trip to Paris!

I did explore several of the podcasts under Education and added Techpod and TechTeachers to my podcast subscriptions in iTunes, as well as an episode of Karen’s Mashups. As soon as I finish my homework, I’m going to sync my ipod and be ready to listen as I travel in my car throughout the week!

I attended several Tony Vincent sessions this year at GaETC and did some exploring in his website, Learning in Hand. I hope to have more time soon to explore the 100 ways to use your ipod…..it’s time to get my monies worth out of mine! I have signed up to take Freda’s podcasting class in the new year…..I have much more to learn….and Freda has lots to teach me!

As a librarian, I met LibraryThing from its beginnings.  I knew then that someone had a great idea!  I hadn’t visited LibraryThing in a while, and I was amazed at the statistics.  I logged in and updated my profile.  My original intent was to catalog my own collection of books by, about, and illustrated by Tasha Tudor (1915-2008).  My sixth grade teacher introduced me to Tasha Tudor as one of her favorites and she instantly became one of mine.  I have been collecting copies of her works for several decades now.  I really need to be able to know what I have – and LibraryThing is just the thing!

I was also pleased to see the local tab included the public libraries and the local FoxTale Book Shoppe.  I highly recommend both!