Is it the end or only the beginning?

My journey through the completion of my 23 Things has truly been an adventure. There were times during the exercises when I was both amazed and completely frustrated by the resources. I began my journey intimidated, worried by the technological aspect and unsure if I would be able to master the various tools. Now, here I stand at the finish line elated. The amount of knowledge, skills, and self-confidence I have acquired through these tasks is amazing. Two of my favorite exercises were Thing 6 where I discovered my love and new addiction to Pinterest and Thing 12 where I discovered Google Translate and Google Books. The knowledge and skills I have gained from this course will aid me in becoming an effective educator. The resources presented in these activities will assist me with organization, efficiency, and foster increased communication and collaboration with students, parents, and peers. I intend to continue following the educational blogs I have identified in previous exercises to maintain and further my knowledge regarding 2.0 tools. I also intend on maintaining a blog, if not this specific one, something very similar. I do not have any suggestions for course improvements at this time. I enjoyed my experience and look forward to future opportunities to utilize the knowledge and skills I have acquired.

Thing 23

I discovered on the 23 Things original website that: “Learning2.0-23 Things for Teachers is based on Learning 2.0-23 Things, a Staff development programs for the Mesquite Independent School District. That program was based on the Learning 2.0 program that was designed by Helene Blowers and adapted by the California School Library Association and others. Content and style for Learning 2.0-23 Things for Teachers has been borrowed and duplicated with the permission, under a Creative Commons License.”

The Creative Commons License gives credit to the original authors/creators and permission for others to utilize it. Now that I am aware of Creative Commons I will look for opportunities to incorporate it into my future as an educator. I also intend on educating my students on its purpose and how to properly share and utilize their own and other’s intellectual property.

Thing 22

Live Binders is an extremely useful tool for gathering, organizing, and storing information. Additionally, information stored in a live binder can be accessed easily from a number of devices with internet access. I would utilize this resource in my classroom for organizational purposes involving important documents and websites. For this exercise I created my free account on Live Binder. Set up was fast and uncomplicated. Next I created a new educational binder. I named the binder SPED for special education. The first tab is TN. Gov. and contains links to Tennessee’s Department of Special Education. The second tab is labeled AT and contains resources for Assistive technology. My third binder tab is labeled Communication Disorders and contains resources regarding communication disorders and a research paper that I wrote on them. I think Live Binders is a great resource and intend on utilizing it further. Special Education Binder.

Thing 21

This may have been my first time using Animoto, but it definitely will not be my last. I had so much fun creating my presentation and can imagine numerous applications for future projects. Set up for my free Animoto account was extremely easy and quick. I browsed through free themes until I found one that appealed to me and began uploading photos. I chose to create a presentation using photos form my family’s trip to Walt Disney World this past summer and was very pleased with how all of the elements came together for the final product. The only downfall with the site is that it requires a paid membership to create presentations longer than 30 seconds.
Walt Disney World 2013

Thing 20

YouTube is a video hosting website that I have previous experience utilizing. In the past I have searched through videos on YouTube for research and entertainment. One aspect that I find extremely useful is how simple it is to share videos that you post or find on the site. One downside that I have encountered is that some schools block the website so it cannot be accessed in the classroom because not all content presented on the site is suitable for students. During this exercise I was introduced to TeacherTube, which is very similar to YouTube but designed for teaching. I selected the following video from YouTube regarding the use of technology in special education classrooms. I recently had the privilege of observing in a Life Skills class and observed firsthand the important role technology plays in educating special needs students.

Thing 19

Facebook and Twitter are probably the most common names that people associate with social networking. As the popularity of social networking continues to rise, so does the number of available sites. Sites like Facebook and Twitter encompass a wide variety of subject matter. However, there is an increasing trend in subject specific social networking sites. I recently became an active member on a site called GoodReads. This site is designed to inform and connect readers. Through the site I have reviewed books, participated in literary circles, made book suggestions to friends, and discovered scads of new books I would like to read. Social networking sites present enormous opportunity for individuals to connect and share valuable information. As a prospective educator it is my responsibility to set an example of proper social networking etiquette. One way of doing that is by always considering your audience and ensuring your comments and content is appropriate.

Thing 18

Being an effective communicator is an essential element to becoming a successful educator. Social networking sites like Twitter provide opportunities for people to connect and communicate.  Individuals can share ideas, events, and express their emotions. Social networking has the potential to be an extremely powerful resource for educators seeking to foster communication and additional interest involving academic activities with students, parents, and colleagues. For this activity I set up the following Twitter account   Zero4Operator. I chose to utilize an alias connected to my 23 things, rather than use my real name. While setting up my Twitter account I selected several educational sites to follow.  Teachers. Net and Special Education are two examples. My experience searching with hashtags was a little disappointing. Due to the high number of search results I spent a lot of time sifting through information that was not always relevant to what I was looking for. Perhaps I only require additional exposure and practice using Twitter. Overall, my experience was positive and I look forward to becoming a proficient “Tweeter.”