Thing #6

From the category of photo and video, I chose to discover more about Webware winner Hulu (http://www.hulu.com/).  Webware winner link: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13546_109-10237704-29.html?tag=mncol

I have always been interested in this site because of the commericals they have on television.  I am glad I now have the opportunity to explore Hulu and get class credit for it for thing #6!  Hulu is a Web video service from NBC Universal and Fox Entertainment Group. Users can watch full-length movies and television shows right in their browser, and with limited commercials and other on-page advertising.  What I really like about Hulu is that the content comes from the content provider and not from other users.  The only drawback is that the shows will not remain on Hulu forever, they do expire after awhile. 

One update from the Webware winner article is that Hulu is now available on mobile devices!

I have always had an interest in Hulu because as I teacher I am too busy to watch a television program when it actually airs on television. Hulu allows me to catch up on what I miss on my favorite tv shows.  Also, I appreciate the video clips that are available on the website.  This allows me to show clips to my classes if I need supplemental material or visual aids for my lessons.

Thing #5

Just as education had to evolve from the pioneer's chalkboard to the industrialization age  paper and pencil, we are now faced with another evolution in education: School and Web 2.0.  Because of the revolution of the internet and the development of social networking, education is marked to now evolve from pencil and paper to blogs and wikis. 

The articles and videos on the transition from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 are of interest to me.  I remember when the internet was just a place of research.  If you needed something for a class, you would just scroll through a limited number of read only webpages in order to obtain some information needed for a paper.  The Web as it is now, the 2.0 version, is an interactive community where you can learn AND teach.  Now, websites have interactive sections where you can leave comments.  There are websites like Wikipedia where you can educate someone else on something you know about, and then of course there are the social networking sites and blogging.  All of the perks of Web 2.0 have created a community in which you can be engaged in what is happening in the world wide web.

Schools are emerging their own 2.0 version.  Schools now have students involved in online groups, blogs, and webquests.  Students can publish their material online and have it viewed by others.  Education is now engaging students at school, at home, and in the community.  This is what School 2.0 means to me.

Coming up next...Thing #6...more about Web 2.0 (Discovering Web 2.0 Tools)

Thing #4

Personally, I think that commenting on others blogs help to validate ideas and reflections.  Commenting can also provide guidance on a topic and allow for an open forum to share different ideas and unique perspectives.  Regardless of what the comment is, commenting on each others' blogs gives a sense of community and the blogger does not feel isolated and alone.

Some important information I gleaned from the articles on commenting on blogs is that through your comments you can inspire the blogger, validate what the blogger is saying, and provide guidance on what the blogger could choose to focus on for future posts.  It was also interesting to read that whenever you can relate the topic to your own blog include the link to what you have posted on the topic.  This would seem intrusive, but this helps create a sense of community in the exchange of ideas.

So far, I have posted on blogger C. Sensing's blog.  She caught my eye when she posted blogging ideas for third graders, because I have a third grader!  I enjoyed reading her ideas and thinking through them from the perspective of myself as a teacher and as a parent.

.....TO BE CONTINUED.....

Now that more of my classmates have shared their wonderful ideas I have been commenting on their blogs...

C. McClenathan posted a great chart for Thing #14...I couldn't help but comment on how it would be a great idea to have students not only fill out a graphic organizer but create one too!

Authier's Thing #9 was neat since he had a great idea to use imagechef.com to post images that could be used on the school's website to advertise for different clubs.

I also posted on Molly Wilson's blog because I loved her Thing #8 and how she created a great looking collage called "Falling for You" (about her skydiving adventures) and she posted an hysterical mashup.  I couldn't help but comment!

Thing #3

Blogs are useful for so many things and in so many ways.  I know I will create a list here of how blogs are useful in education and still miss out on many other valid and insightful ways to use them. 
First, off the top of my head....
-Blogs are useful to reflect on teaching experiences with other educators.
-Blogs are useful to share classroom activities, lesson plans, and classroom management strategies and tips. 
-Blogs are a useful to keep parents and students informed regarding what is happening inside the classroom and current/upcoming school events.
-With the wealth of information "out there" on the internet, it is impossible to keep up with all the education news and trends, blogs are a great way to share what insights you have again from personal research in education that others may not be aware of.  I thought of this because the other day while reading the discussion board posts by fellow graduate classmates, someone had posted some really great articles about using iPads in the classroom.  I would not have been exposed to that, if my classmate had not taken the time to post those articles.

After reading through the Edublog Insights, I thought about how I might use a blog in the following ways (as a high school English teacher)...
-It is important in my school to not only use technology in education but allow students to connect to real world experiences.  What better way than letting students keep a blog and perhaps complete a modified 23 Things! 
-I teach in a college-prep school, today many professors require students to submit assignments online even if they are a part of a face-to-face classroom.  I like the idea of having a writing prompt blog.  Students would log into the blog, read the writing prompt, and respond by either leaving a comment or keeping up with their own blog (journaling).
-I like the idea of using blogs to connect to other classrooms.  The modern equivalent to pen-pals.
-Blogs are a great tool to use for online group projects, class newsletters (produced/published by students), and literature circles.

Coming up.....Thing #4 Why Commenting is Important

Thing #2

Let me introduce myself: my name is Erica Coleman, official BLOGGER!  I have to be honest, I set this blog up in about three minutes!  It was so easy and user friendly (thank you, blogger.com).  I think it took me longer to set up my avatar, just because I enjoyed playing around on doppleme.com.  I just went for the plain ole, easy to remember blog name.  I have so much I am trying to keep up with these days: work, graduate school, and my personal life, so I just went for something I could remember easily.  I am taking two graduate classes, so I put the course name in my title so I would remember which class I am doing this for!

For my avatar, I decided on the classroom background because I am a teacher, but I have to admit my avatar has a WAY more excited expression than I usually do.  Because she looks so overly excited, I gave her a Starbucks coffee to hold.  The purpose is two-fold because I admit my avatar looks like she's had too many shots of expresso AND because I do love coffee!  Other than the overly excited expression, she does look like me.  I went the route of attempting to create an avatar that shares a resemblance to myself than creating an avatar that is completely different than I.

Coming up Next: Thing #3 Reflection on Blogs in Education

Thing #1

Habits of Lifelong Learners:
When people think of learning, the mental image of someone sitting in a desk listening to a lecture (or in a collaborative group working on something together) in a formal classroom setting.  It was refreshing to listen/watch the online tutorial about how and when true learning occurs.  Sure, there are a vast amount of learning opportunities in the classroom for both young and old; however, learning also occurs while dancing, exercising, playing a game, reading, using technology, acting, and working on one's personal hobbies.  I gleaned from the tutorial that it is never too soon nor too late to learn and that learning takes place at all levels and at any age. 

Having said that, the easiest habit for me is "being responsible for my own learning" (habit #2).  I see my continuing in education as an investiment in myself and my future.  I see the benefits of my continuing education on others around me: in my personal life and professional life.  I take great pride in my accomplishments at the end of every graduate class, teacher in-service, article review, professional development, and any training I may come across.

The hardest habit for me is probably number one and three.  I believe because I have a hard time with habit #1 (begin with the end in mind: consider the major goal first) that is why I have to say I have a difficult time with habit #3 (view problems as challenges; not crises).  I believe if I started with the end in mind, it would help me gain a better perspective when problems arise.  If I keep my goal in mind, problems disappear and I would see these challenges as opportunities to learn. 

Coming up next: Thing #2 -- Reflection on setting up my very own BLOG!