Week 5 Using Wikipedia for Academic Research-Video

" Don't use Wikipedia!"  That is a phrase you hear a lot in schools, especially schools that subscribe and pay for internet databases. Wikipedia is peer edited so it is not totally reliable. I do agree you should not cite Wikipedia, but you can use it to your advantage.  You can use it to identify terms and categories and maybe something you had not thought about before reading through Wikipedia about your topic.  Use it for what it is, a whole bunch of information added by people all over the world, some know what they are talking about and some do not.  Make sure you use credible sources in addition to the information gleaned from Wikipedia.

Week 5 You're Gonna Hear Me Roar: Overcoming Classroom Stage Fright

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/overcoming-classroom-stage-fright-todd-finley

Loved this article, it really hit home.  I was terrified to start going into the classroom for practicums, then student teaching but I never thought about giving up and changing my career.  Once I got familiar with the building and the staff it was less nerve wracking.  You have to look at the kids as individuals also because if you look at them as a hungry pack waiting to eat you up that's not good!!!  I have had a few professors that you could tell were nervous, it is OK to be nervous as long as it doesn't stop you from doing something.  I am in a high school this year after years of elementary schools...I was nervous at first but they are turning out to be a lot of fun!!

Week 4 7 Tips for Great Selfies

http://readwrite.com/2013/11/06/7-tips-great-selfies?utm_source=feedly#awesm=~onBnsT5thtFcfP

I just had to comment on this article, I can't believe someone actually wrote what I have been thinking.  I can't believe the pictures that people take.  I can't even say kids or students, adults are to blame also.  No matter what site you go to you will always see these selfie pictures, they are often in the news too.  I agree with everything this article says it is like they were reading my mind, although I would have said just let someone else take the picture but if you feel you need to take a selfie please, please follow these guidelines.  The 2 major problems I see are the duckface and the obnoxious background.  Please clean your room before you take a picture of you in it!!  I am not sure where this duckface came from but that should be something to go bye bye really quickly.  Thanks, just my 2 cents!!

Week 4 Podcasting, Video and Screencasting, and Live Streaming

In chapter 8 it talks about podcasting and how it was just getting started around 2004.  In the book it says that Matthew Bischoff had an internet radio podcast that because it was on the net was delivered to millions of people.  This makes me think of the people that you see on your local city's cable channel.  If you are flicking through the channels late at night you can catch a homemade video or live music from some basement band.  If they would put their talents on to YouTube, they would have quite a few more viewers.  This is obviously the way to go now, your best chances of being seen are to put whatever it is on the web somewhere.  I look at all of these videos that go viral, these people were just regular Joes a few days ago.  The internet is a very powerful tool.  I sure hope we can use it wisely.

Week 3 Chapter 7 Fun with Flickr

In chapter 7, Richardson says Flickr is a great "current events"  website.  Sometimes things get on Flickr before they appear on the news' websites .  Flickr Magazine Cover, sounds like a great way to get students involved in journalism or writing period.  Have them design a front cover and then write a story to go along with that.  You could have them add stories all year long and at the end they would have a great magazine of their own. 


Reference: Richardson, W. (2010) Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms.Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.

Week 3 Pen Pals in the 21st Century

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/pen-pals-in-21st-century-lisa-mims

I loved this article!!!  I think that everybody is so reliant on technology we are losing our writing abilities.  I love the fact that this teacher created her own section on a communication website  to find pen pals that actually write letters as opposed to connecting on the internet. There was something wonderful about receiving a letter back when I was a kid.  It seems like the kids in this classroom get excited to get real letters. I think this is a great idea and they should teach some sort of letter writing in schools along with all of the technology that is being introduced. Some of the high school students I deal with, have to really try to not write in texting slang...btw, b4 for example.  I think it's sad that it has come to that.

Chapter 3 Weblogs

I liked the blogging with students section the most in chapter 3.  I think it is very natural for students to log in to a computer now a days, so why not let them connect with their teacher that way now.  I feel that students may find this a friendlier way to communicate with their classmates and teachers. Having a class blog can keep the parents updated and in contact with the teacher. It would be easier to log in to a blog rather than look for 3 different papers handed out in the beginning of the school year.  I like how the book suggests that the teacher post a question each day so the students can discuss.  They gradually get used to using the technology and work toward creating their own blog.  It sound fun and will be common place sooner than we think.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.