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.”

Thing 17

I can’t say that I am overly impressed with the Delicious bookmarking tool. Perhaps I have become spoiled by a certain social image bookmarking application. For this exercise I created a free account on Delicious and viewed the associated tutorial. I then performed a search using the words “educational technology.” A list of bookmarks appeared. One of the differences that caught my attention was that there were no pictures with the results from my search, just tags. I am a very visual person and I like being able to see a preview of what the bookmark is about. I ended up clicking on a few different links and was really surprised that they had nothing to do with educational technology and had been mistagged. I spent a lot of time just searching for something relevant. I am not sure this is the most efficient site available. With that said, I absolutely see a place for social bookmarking sites within education. I think it is a great way to exchange information and collaborate with peers. Perhaps the most rewarding benefit is being able to organize and access your bookmarks from multiple technologic devices. I have read multiple posts by individuals who swear by the Delicious bookmarking tool. I believe my evaluation boils down to personal preference.

Thing 16

UStart equals increased productivity. That is a joke right? Not since I discovered Pinterest has anything come close to equaling that "time sucker," until today. I consider myself to be a very organized individual. Nonetheless, there is always room for improvement, which is why I was so excited to acquaint myself with the tools suggested in this exercise. I started out by exploring NetVibes and quickly realized that the content heavy page was not to my liking. I was able to create “Dashboards” but was unable to figure out how to get multiple tools onto one single page. I moved on to Symbaloo and felt that I still had to spend a lot of time clicking on the various icons to get to the places and information that I wanted. Finally I tried UStart and instantly felt at home with this application. I customized my page by adding specific widgets and feeds I regularly utilize. My biggest problem came while I was customizing my page I happened upon several new widgets and feeds that caught my interest so I added them. I actually began using my UStart page exclusively for a few days until I realized that I was not being as productive as I had been before I began utilizing the tool. I routinely found myself reading articles and engaging in activities that took me away from my original task. I did utilize the calendar feature offered on UStart and appreciated being able to sync it with other applications such as Google and Facebook. However, I was disappointed that I was never able to figure out if the tool offers an alarm feature to notify you about upcoming events. One resource from this exercise that I did find useful was the Lifehacker website. The site offers a lot of suggestions on how to search for things online more efficiently and other web tools that can increase productivity. I found the following article pertaining to Google searches especially helpful. I am not positive if I will continue to use UStart on a regular basis. In one respect having all of my online tools/applications in on location was convenient. On the other hand it also led to a lot of unproductive, off task behavior.

Thing 15

Wikis can be a useful resource for gathering and sharing certain types of information and exchanging ideas. However, one aspect that still concerns me is the accuracy of content. Because Wiki pages can have multiple contributors it can be difficult to monitor all the material being contributed. Additionally, there is always a question of objectiveness.  Is the shared information from a nonbiased perspective or is it colored with personal opinions and preferences? One of the Wikis that I especially appreciated was the Book Lovers Wiki. This Wiki requires users to obtain permission before adding or modifying content.  I believe this practice is one method that assists in maintaining the integrity of the of the Wiki. I see many valuable uses for Wikis within an educational setting. I intend to utilize one in my own teaching practice to champion open communication, assist in creating a community of learners, encourage collaboration, and make classroom information and projects more readily accessible to students and parents. One of the main concepts I will impart to students regarding the use of Wikis is the importance of carefully considering the source of the information and its creditability.