Slideboom Presentation

You learn something new everyday. Adding narration to a powerpoint presentation is great and I cannot wait to use it at work.

Which version of the presentation do you think is a more effective teaching tool?
I think the presentation with picture and narration is the most effective. It addresses both visual and verbal learners. Did the images you originally selected convey messages or emotions that text cannot?
I think some of the pictures were more effective than the narration. Especially my slide about the on campus living being the difference between success and failure.
How might students use the SlideBoom tool in their learning experiences?
Slideboom is great because it does not hold a person hostage to Powerpoint. It is a great way to also search and review other presenations.
How have these activities changed the way you will use PowerPoint in the future?
We use powerpoint a lot in our office. Many of our regularly used PowerPoints we link to our website. Being able to add narration will allow a more personalized touch.

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I never thought I would say it....

I love technology and usually spend more time than I should surfing the web.... but this assignment is turning me off to all things web related!

Constantly doing a count down till these are done. I guess one headache and challenge for me is that I am not an educator and so much of this is geared toward educators.

Ok... just had to vent... back to my things.... :/

Thing #23 - Using your creative license.

Ok, I was not able to find an example of the Learning 2.0 used elsewhere, but Creative Commons is a great site. I think when working on a project and utilizing outside resources, everyone is afraid they will inadvertently violate copyright laws. This site allows you a way to look for resources that are legal to use.
In my own day to day, I have had to find music legal to use in my own videos. It is great to have a resource for finding information that won't land you in federal prison.
I'm not a teacher, but I can see myself using this site when I am working on a project related to work. The variety is such that I just might find something related to my profession.

Thing #22 - Podding

I did not completely follow instructions on this one. But in my defense, I did not find any of the podcast sites listed to be very user friendly and I kept getting these random pop ups asking me to download stuff. I want to do well on this assignment but not at the expense of my hard drive.
So, I went with Podcast. I had used it before and find it to be very user friendly and has a variety of casts to choose from.



One podcast I have followed on a semi regular basis is:
http://storytelling.podcast.com/show/17961/Baba-the-Storyteller-Timeless-Tales/

This artist has a fantastic way to incorporate poetry, music, and politics.
http://babathestoryteller.com/
I linked to my blog through blogline:
http://www.bloglines.com/myblogs


Which of the directories did you find the easiest to use? None of those listed were user friendly in my opinion. I used a different one.
Has this Thing inspired you to create a podcast yourself or with your students? No
Did you find a podcast that you might subscribe to and listen to regularly? Just the one I listed above.

Thing #21 - You ought to be in pictures!

Super EASY!

From beginning to end it took me all of 3 minutes.

Can't believe I never knew about this!

Love the free music. That is always an issue with video projects. You want it to be catchy but you don't want to end up in jail because of it!

I highly recommend this service and can't wait to use it for something besides class.

I did not try to linking directly to Flickr thing though.

Here is the one that I made. The cute kid is my nephew.

Thing #20- Youtube? Me too!

I am a big Youtube fan. If I am not careful, I can spend way too much time on the site!
There is nothing I dislike about the site. I love that anyone can post information and share videos. I love the idea that there are folks who have their own "Youtube Shows" and broadcast on a regular basis and others can subscribe to their videos.
Below are a few of my favorite videos. The first I created.
I selected all of them because at some point they have brought either a sense of pride, a smile to my face, or a flat out laugh.










This is my all time favorite... Do you have days at work where a person like this would come in handy??




I can see the videos listed below being a nice link to have on a library's website.
They demonstrate learning aids and/or techniques used in education. In this way, Youtube is not just for fun, but a learning tool and resource.



Tools for teachers

Thing #19- social networking and beyond

Can mark this thing off my to do list, but won't ever use it for anything after this class (Ning network).
I uploaded my picture easily.
Here is the badge


Visit TeacherPop

I could not figure out how to add Ning widget to my blog, but I added the banner to my main page as well.
Now
Open Source Food is something I can sink my teeth into. Pun intended. I really liked this site because I love to cook and love sharing recipes with other people.
Are you a member of any online communities? I am member of several listservs operating under my profession.
Are any of these social networks appealing to you? With the exception of the open source food site... not really. I think I am getting burnt out on looking at websites.
What did you find that was interesting and that you might use later? The recipe site.

Thing #18 - my space or yours???

I already have an account on each. Below is the link to my facebook profile. I have it set to private.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/kimberley.morrow

I think it is important for edcuators to know how social networking work so that they can share and receive resources and educate their students on the dangers and advantages of such sites.

Facebook has been a great way for me to share ideas with former collegues and peers. It has also assisted me in linking with 'I don't know anything about that, but this lady I know might be able to help you" type moments.

As with anything there are pitfalls. If I have said it once I have said it a million times, nothing beats face to face interaction. I can understand when distance and circumstance does not allow it but there is no reason under the sun people in the same building should be doing all their socializing with each other via the internet. But sadly it happens.



I think Facebook has more beneficial features than Myspace, but I have never been a fan of myspace.
How can it be great in an educational setting? Great way for schools to keep parents updated on athletics, school functions, upcoming events, etc. I think the majority of High School athletics have a myspace page. I know that Austin Peay does.

Thing #17 - Social Bookmarking

If you visit a lot of sites on a regular basis, this would be delicious. It is similar though to a lot of the other tools I have learned about in this class for bookmarking pages.

Can you see the potential of this tool in the classroom? I can see this being a great tool for teachers who have found online resources that they will want to use year after year. The lesson may only last a week and the educator not have to look at the site again until the next year. This allows a great way to track those useful sites in one location. It is great that the information can also be shared easily with others. Sharing resources is key in all professions.
I am a creature of habit and have my favorites organized by topic area through Internet Explorer. It works great but does not allow me easy share aspects this application does.

Thing #16 - start page

For this I used igoogle. I am trying very hard to avoid downloading anything else to my computer.
I personally would never use this other than for this assignment. I use Outlook for all my calendar needs and have text sent directly to my blackberry for any news reports and weather.
Here is a link to my page:
http://screencast.com/t/q5dCYO52

I liked the online to do list. And the little games and interactive applications you can add are fun as well. Especially if you spend the majority of your day in front of a computer and need a little distraction.
I liked igoogle because it did not involve having sign up for yet another service. Due to the tools I already use that work great for me, I will not make this my permanent home page.
If someone did not have Outlook, I can see the online calendar being a huge help as well as the to do list. Especially if you are inclined to use technology to help you organize your day.

Zamzar is a great program. There are so many times I have a document and need to convert it for a different use in a different venue. This site is one I am bookmarking for future use.

Thing #15 -Wiki

Here is the link to my addition to the APSU 23 Things Sandbox wiki:
http://apsu23thingssandbox.pbworks.com/Kim%27s-thoughts-on-things.
Not the most elaborate, but I decided to since I could share on anything I would share on the 23 things I really enjoyed and have been using. I have posted a lot of fun things to my Facebook page.
It was fun playing around with new applications on Big Huge Labs that I had not used initially. I love taking pictures and can see me using the site A LOT.

I can see how the use of a wiki can be a huge benefit to educators. Seems like there is a lot out there for them to review and means to share ideas and resources. It is not a resource I would use personally.


3

Thing #14- flowchart

I love the Internet and technology but some of this stuff we are reviewing just seems to be more trouble than it is worth!

I can see how something like mindmeister would be a benefit for folks working on a major project together where different people take an aspect of the project and move it in a different direction. With Mindmeister, they would be able to see the total flow of the project. Not really something that would benefit me in my work, but I can see it assisting others.

Of mindmeister and Bubbl.us, Bubble.us might have been a tad more user friendly. I guess since I can't see a personal benefit (and honestly a little tired of looking at websites and applications LOL), it is hard for me to see which would be more beneficial.



Flowchart did not really differ enough from the other two for me to change my opinion or figure out a way I could use this in my own day to day.

Thing #13 - Google Doc

I have used Google Docs before and found it to be helpful. There is no better way to work on a paper with other people.
I like Google Docs because it allows you to see what changes have been made and by whom. You give people access to the document.
Below is the document I already had in Google Doc.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AbQ5MT6Hy6FJZGRqejY5OXJfMGRyNmhkbWYy&hl=en

Things!

These "things" are so time consuming!!!
Just had to share that.
I will be soooo happy when I can mark this assignment off my to do list.

Thing #12

I decided to try out Google Alerts. This application allows you to put in key words and received alerts when that word appears in different formats (news, blogs, web, video, or groups).
I like this far more than the RSS feeds and it serves a similar purpose. With Google Alert the information is emailed directly to you. I set mine up for SEC videos. It is one of those random little things I never think to look for but I have an interest in. This way when something new pops up, it will be mailed to me. You can even get text emails.

I can see this having a lot of uses in and outside of education. I guess I fall back on social studies and civics type classes a lot but it would be a great way for students and teachers to stay abreast with a topic they are following for a project.

Another great point - it is easy to edit your alert. Realized that SEC was probably not the best alert because I instantly got anything that had the letters SEC in it!

Try it!

Thing 11

I guess Feedster was the easiest to use. Simply because it started with categories already. None were really confusing. But none really perked my interest or impressed me simply because this is not a tool I am wowed by.
It worked just as well to put in a search in google for rss news feeds.


Feedster

Thing #10

This tool did not impress me much. I don't view websites that update regularly, so, this is not something I would use
But I did sign up for a few to fulfill this assignment. After this class I will probably never look at them again.


Click here for a listing of the feeds I subscribed to.

I can see how this could benefit people in particular teachers. I remember my social studies teacher providing our class with news articles from different news magazines and newspapers for class discussion. This would be a quick and easy way for someone to provide those types of resources.

On a personal level - I can see how this can free up a lot of time for someone who has tons of sites bookmarked. This would be their one stop spot.

By sharing your blog and news feeds, you can share ideas and resources with colleagues.

Thing #9

I decided to use the Comic Strip Generator.
Here are a few examples of the comics I was able to create:

For the fake magazine cover I was able to upload my own pic. This was great. They had tons of magazine cover layouts to choose from. Unfortunately, you have to process through all of them since there is no easy search method. Here is my celebrity pic with Morgan Freeman

The process was very easy. The site offers a lot of popular culture images that are easily recognized. I simple browsed through the images and followed the directions to change the title, words, and saving the images.
The comic strip generator would be a great tool to use in a creative writing exercise for students. The fake magazine would make a very catchy and creative book report cover for a student. And since there are so many to cover templates to choose from (technology, history, science, etc) the student could find one that closely relates to the topic of the project.

Thing #7

Now, this kind of stuff I really like. A friend of mine who teaches 6th grade set up a "Summer Vacation" Blog for her class to access and load pictures and video clips. She said the students really enjoyed it and they continued to use it throughout the school year.
This type of technological tool can really help connect students. It would also be a great way to enhance academic topics.

I love this site. I have used it before and it is a great way to share pictures and video with family and friends. Will you use Flickr for classroom, library or personal photos, or in some other way? I am not a teacher, but I can see possibly using it to post training pictures from my residence life staff.Have you ever used another photo hosting service besides Flickr?
Yes
Which one?
I like using Facebook to share photos.
How do the two compare?
I prefer facebook because it gives other people the option to tag your photos.
How do you feel about having your photos in a public place (note that you can mark your photos private too) -- any concerns?
You have to be careful posting any type of personal information on the Internet. Always use Internet caution






My nephew's 3rd Birthday.... that was some delicious cake!





Don't laugh! A little karaoke time with my lil sis Lori.



This is Lori. She is my little sister through Big Brothers/Big Sisters. We were matched 5 years ago when I lived in Knoxville. I have been in Clarksville for 2 years but we still keep in touch. This was recording during a visit here.

Thing #5- Technology: Friend or Foe

I love technology. I get a thrill when I am introduced to some new applications that I can apply to my life or share with others. It is great and I am always amazed at how people are able to come up with these great new ways to approach a task.
Introducing and incorporating Web 2.0 applications into the educational process helps our students stay competitive and abreast. As stated in one of the readings - the possibilities are endless. Technology is not a fad. It will continue to advance. The more schools incorporate technology into all aspects of their curriculum are doing a service to their students.... Or are they?
Now, I will get on my soap box. As much as I love technology,I feel that something very basic and very crucial is being lost in the mix of it all - Person to person contact. I'm not talking about webcam and Skype, I am referring to sitting down in the same physical location and interacting. In my job I have had conversations with students having difficulties with their roommate and have communicated only through text messages, instant messenger, Myspace, Facebook.... but never sat down in the same room and discussed their grievances. What are we teaching our students through this flooding of technology? I feel there should be as much emphasis on the face to face. Life is not a drive through - sometimes you need to get out of the car and speak to a person face to face. Use technology, but don't let technology use you or abuse you.
What does Web 2.0 and School 2.0 mean for the future of education? Great things. Great advances. Opened doors to students. But the balance must be there.
Ok... stepping off my soap box.

Thing 8 Big Huge Labs and Motivational posters Personalized

I decided to use the Flickr application Big Huge Labs to create a motivational poster using my own photo. I think that this is a great way for a student to express themselves and show those link to their blog their thoughts and ideas in a fun way.

BigHugeLabs: Do fun stuff with your photos

Posted using ShareThis

I also used the Flickr tool Big Huge Labs to create a puzzle using a personal picture. This is great! Take a look at me :). This application has a vast number of uses. I think it would be great to use with younger childern learning learning words by using pictures, developing fine motor skills, etc. And it is just fun. The site gives you the options to buy the pictures as an actual puzzle. or you can print it out, clue to cardboard, cut and put it together. I am not 100% comfortable sharing personal pictures online and feel that people should always practice online safety.

Thing #6- I got the music in me!

This go round I decided to do something a little fun. I selected Pandora.
Pandora is a music site. You can listen to music by artist or genre. You can even load the program on your smart phone and carry Pandora with you every where you go. The search features are great.
For the entertainment value of it - I have only positive things to say about Pandora. I can see it useful for a classroom or library setting. Maybe in exploring different music styles and genres... and yeah, somethings you just need to have a little fun.

Thing #4

Blogging is for me is like dieting... I do great with it for a few days and then I just stop.
I can for the purpose of class how commenting and reading other people's blogs would be a benefit. It is great to share ideas and get a new perspective on things.
For class I will follow
Baning Hatchett - Reason - this person is in my class and in reading their information so far I can appreciate the thoughts and ideas expressed.
Stephen PaulkMcGinley -Reason - this person is in my class and in reading their information so far I can appreciate the thoughts and ideas expressed.
Ursula Price - Reason - this person is in my class and in reading their information so far I can appreciate the thoughts and ideas expressed.
Kimberly Ragin -Reason - this person is in my class and in reading their information so far I can appreciate the thoughts and ideas expressed.
Mindy Engle -Reason - this person is in my class and in reading their information so far I can appreciate the thoughts and ideas expressed.
Laura Czecholinski - Reason -this person is actually one of my student employees. I saw her name listed under another class and thought it would be great to see a different side of what she is doing academically
Cynthia Smith - Reason - Don't know this person but really liked what she discussed in her blog.

I like the fact that people are putting in graphics and cartoons. It breaks the boredom of the process.

Learning for Life- Thing 1 and 2

Here is my little avatar person. Was shocked it did not give me any options for ethnicity.

Of the 7.5 items listed to be a successful life long learner the easiest ones I feel I could incorporate into my life long learning process is to accept responsibility for my own learning. I understand the importance of gathering and gaining new information. I know that I need to take the steps to obtain it. I will have help along the way and will seek help along the way - but as the saying goes "you canlead a horse to water..."
In everything task I undertake I begin with the end in mind. I need to visualize what the end result will be, what success will look like.
The hardest by far is viewing problems as challenges. Sometimes I problem just seems like something else I need to get over, under or through. I know I will come out of it a stronger person, but I don't necessarily think I will come out a smarter person.