Hurray for wiki's! What a great idea. You don't know how many times "us counselor people" will have questions about different things. Take for example, the dreaded gifted and talented screening. Some sweet person will have a question about something and will send out an e-mail to all the counselors. Within a few minutes, several counselors will have responded with their interpretation of the correct answer. Now, if we could figure out some way to "wiki" the answer, we would have a variety of answers in the same place all on one document. (and there is where I am confused....how do you get a wiki started in the first place? I get the "save" and "edit" business. I don't get how you get the original "wiki" started. I must have missed that somewhere!)
Again, today, I had problems watching the video. The video kept stopping and starting all over from the beginning..frustrating.
I did like Thing 16. I am a big wikipedia fan. My boys use wikipedia all the time. I am so "computer with it" I can hardly stand it. I have come a LONG way from Thing #1!!!!
Let me find some blogs to comment on!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Thing #15
I LOVED the video in this "thing". So true, so real, so with it! As the parent of a 16 year old I am amazed by the amount of time and the expertise he has on the computer. This year, the 16 year old did the dreaded sophmore research project. He spent countless hours writing information on index cards. I said, "I remember doing the same thing when I was in high school." He said, "That just goes to show we should have stopped using index cards a LONG time ago!" I guess he was saying that the old fashioned way of doing things just doesn't make sense. Here he was all over the computer with countless ways to find research on his topic, stopping to write down information on an index card. He said, "Why am I having to write this fact down when I have it at my fingertips with the click of this mouse?"
I read a few articles about "Library 2.0" I see that the future of our libraries is all about keeping current with up-to-the-minute changes in computer technology. I also think there has to be a balance between new and old. In one of the articles "Away from Icebergs", the writer suggests one day soon libraries might not need books because they will be available on the web. While I know that won't happen any time soon, I just can't think about it. One of the things I love about libraries is the "community of books". I love checking out a well-loved and well-used book that has been enjoyed by so many others. Libraries have always been about community building. I know that will always continue no matter how computer savvy we become.
I read a few articles about "Library 2.0" I see that the future of our libraries is all about keeping current with up-to-the-minute changes in computer technology. I also think there has to be a balance between new and old. In one of the articles "Away from Icebergs", the writer suggests one day soon libraries might not need books because they will be available on the web. While I know that won't happen any time soon, I just can't think about it. One of the things I love about libraries is the "community of books". I love checking out a well-loved and well-used book that has been enjoyed by so many others. Libraries have always been about community building. I know that will always continue no matter how computer savvy we become.
Thing #14
As usual I am a little overwhelmed. I guess I understand the point of Technorati is organzing blogs, tags, etc.,. I looked up "School Library Learning 2.O" at the various places and found the same thing, so I guess I am looking it up correctly. I also spent some time "exploring popular blogs, searches, and tags"and I did not find one surprising thing. I think I am on overload, there is just so much information everywhere..it is mind boggling! What have I learned? I know that tagging is a quick way to organize and update information. I also think I am one of those people who are just not in to knowing everything there is to know about computers. If I need to know something and it will help me with my job I am all about it. I have learned quite a bit "on the playground" and hope that at some point I will be able to say, "let me go to Technorati and get the answer!" I will let you know when that happens.
I am still on cloud 9 because I figured out how to use Filemaker Pro this year for the gifted and talented screening. Technorati...here I come!
One last thing, I was not able to view the video....I got a screen that said "access denied!" Did that happen to anyone else?
I am still on cloud 9 because I figured out how to use Filemaker Pro this year for the gifted and talented screening. Technorati...here I come!
One last thing, I was not able to view the video....I got a screen that said "access denied!" Did that happen to anyone else?
Monday, June 16, 2008
Thing #13
del.icio.us is addictive. I was planning to get Thing 13 done fast. I started looking at different tags on del.icio.us and Magnolia and next thing I knew 2 hours had gone by. I like del.icio.us better than Magnolia and Furl. Not sure why I do, but something about Magnolia seems very social rather than professional and Furl just sounds too much like hurl.
Now here is another ding-dong question from me. Does the word del.icio.us mean something? I hate in when the "in" computer crowd throws terms around that mean something and I don't know it (like VPN, for example) So does delicious mean something? WHAT IS IT?
While I'm venting...here's another thing on my mind. I am a little concerned that all this technology is addictive and can take over your whole day. I was out of town this weekend and missed the whole sad story on Tim Russert. So, I decided to look up some info using this delicious business. Like I said, 2 hours and one box of tissues later and where did the time go?
I can see how some of our less than dedicated teachers will discover all these wonderful tools available to them and they will spend more time on the computer than ever.
I can see how using this type of tagging or bookmarking can be useful for me. I can also see that once you get going with this you can see what other people have tagged to get even more info.
The possibilities are endless.
And I do know it is all about using your time wisely. You have to manage your own computer time.
Now on to Thing #14!
Now here is another ding-dong question from me. Does the word del.icio.us mean something? I hate in when the "in" computer crowd throws terms around that mean something and I don't know it (like VPN, for example) So does delicious mean something? WHAT IS IT?
While I'm venting...here's another thing on my mind. I am a little concerned that all this technology is addictive and can take over your whole day. I was out of town this weekend and missed the whole sad story on Tim Russert. So, I decided to look up some info using this delicious business. Like I said, 2 hours and one box of tissues later and where did the time go?
I can see how some of our less than dedicated teachers will discover all these wonderful tools available to them and they will spend more time on the computer than ever.
I can see how using this type of tagging or bookmarking can be useful for me. I can also see that once you get going with this you can see what other people have tagged to get even more info.
The possibilities are endless.
And I do know it is all about using your time wisely. You have to manage your own computer time.
Now on to Thing #14!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Thing #12
Great articles on the etiquette of commenting on blogs. Everything I read made such good sense. Two things that caught my attention and were mentioned in several of the articles were: it's just not nice to write mean comments and make sure your comments are specific.
You know what? I think my 2nd favorite thing in this whole "Playground' journey has been commenting on other SBISD people's blogs. I loved it. I have looked at a few blogs along the way but was hesitant to make comments. This "thing" was helpful in giving me the push I needed to "blog comment." I also think that once you have made your 1st official blog comment it becomes much easier.
I also posted comments on 2 blog sites outside of the SBISD playground. Both of these blog sites I found from the "Cool Cat". What drew me to these blogs was the titles of the blogs. And yes, in case you are wondering, I did check in on the teacher who is trying to decide about a crown for her broken tooth. I promise to keep you posted.
You know what? I think my 2nd favorite thing in this whole "Playground' journey has been commenting on other SBISD people's blogs. I loved it. I have looked at a few blogs along the way but was hesitant to make comments. This "thing" was helpful in giving me the push I needed to "blog comment." I also think that once you have made your 1st official blog comment it becomes much easier.
I also posted comments on 2 blog sites outside of the SBISD playground. Both of these blog sites I found from the "Cool Cat". What drew me to these blogs was the titles of the blogs. And yes, in case you are wondering, I did check in on the teacher who is trying to decide about a crown for her broken tooth. I promise to keep you posted.
Thing #11
Hallelujah! Hurray! I love http://librarything.com! I love it! I especially loved that I figured the whole thing out all by myself! Hurray! I signed up, logged in, and added lots of books to my profile. I am a member of the Book Club Chicks (or Babes, depending on what kind of mood we are in) and have been wanting to keep a list of all the books we have read over the years.
Wa-la! I've started keeping track of our books.
I was so excited about how simple this Thing was I forgot to check out some of the groups.
I will do that later.
I am crossing my fingers there will be more Things like this to come.
How will I use this at Sherwood? Well, I will add all the educational books I read (like the one I am reading now, Conscious Discipline) in my Library Thing list.
After my hours of working on that stinkin' cartoon, I feel so much better!
Adios!
Wa-la! I've started keeping track of our books.
I was so excited about how simple this Thing was I forgot to check out some of the groups.
I will do that later.
I am crossing my fingers there will be more Things like this to come.
How will I use this at Sherwood? Well, I will add all the educational books I read (like the one I am reading now, Conscious Discipline) in my Library Thing list.
After my hours of working on that stinkin' cartoon, I feel so much better!
Adios!
Thing #10
I made a cartoon using Custom Sign Generator. I enjoyed it for a minute. I found lots of funny cartoons. It was fun playing around with different cartoon characters. I got goofed up (again) when I thought I had saved the message and it disappeared. Somehow or other I found irfanview or should I say it found me??? I'm not sure what Irfanview is about..(and what's the deal with the red cat?) but my crazy hubby is impressed. How can I use this technology with my students next year? Again, another wonderful way to give students some time to calm down or reflect on an issue before we talk.
Here is my cartoon...and yes, a sweet student did call me Mrs. Birdsauce this year!
Here is my cartoon...and yes, a sweet student did call me Mrs. Birdsauce this year!
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