Thing 23: Other things and last reflection

Junkies we have reached our last thing.  I hope you have become addicted to the great world of web 2.0 and instructional technology tools.  It is quite a bug to catch!  Many of you are using these tools reguarly in your classrooms.

A few other 'things'...
If you get a chance check out Prezi. It is a presentation tool which is Powerpoint on steroids!  Go to the website to view some examples and just imagine the possibilites.


Another popular presentation tool is SlideRocket which allows to import, create, share and store your presentations on the internet in the cloud.  It works on any platform and is capable of viewing video in the presentation instead of being directed to another window or player.





Final Tech-tivity Thing 23:

Sum up your findings in a 2-3 sentence reflection and post to your blog labeled Week 9 Thing 23.

Next, pick your favorite thing and comment on it on the Junkie Blog.

Thing 22: Glogster and the webquest

This tool is really versatile.  It is a virtual poster maker called Glogster.  It is capable of doing a multitude of  things including posting video, sound, images and links.  Glogster EDU is specifically for educators and it is FREE!  You can set up an account and create student accounts which are completely monitored under your username.  Students posters will be collected under your name and you can even collaborate amongst each other by using the blog feature in Glogster.

I have been using Glogster for over 3 years now and LOVE IT!  It opens up creative choices for students who are not into the poster making web 1.0 method.

Tech-tivity Week 9 Thing 22:
*Please note:  the district web filter blocks www.glogster.com so you must go to the educational site instead.  It has safer content anyway...many people use Glogster for personal reasons at glogster.com.

1.  Go to www.edu.glogster.com and create an account.
2.  Create your very own Glog.
It must have 3 text boxes which list ways you could use Glogster in the classroom.
It must have one Graphic.
It must have one video from School Tube.
It should have a title.

3. Post it to your blog labeled Week 9 Thing 22.  Now go to Edmodo and send it to the Technology Junkies.  We all want to know how you would use this tool!

Yep, that's right.  You can even post them to Edmodo!!

[Edmodo directions:  Simple click on the LINK in the post box and paste the embed code < > into the link field. Type in Technology Junkies and select SEND]

Here is a tutorial if you need help.



So what is a webquest?


So you probably know from looking at my wiki that I use a glog as my wiki homepage. You could also easily create a inquiry webquest using a glog. It is hard for students to sort through the internet and know what information is valid. Primary students searching through a Google result list? May be a little tricky. Eliminate the search time and create a Glog that acts as a webquest. Link images for primary students or have them follow the linked text to come up with solution.

For example:


This is a very simple webquest I created for a second/third grade teacher who wanted to save time by taking them where she wanted them to go to gather information on Greek Trivia.

Week 9: Presentations

Keynote and powerpoint definitely get the job done, but do they really capture the attention of your audience?  Most of our students are visual learners and your classroom presentations have to be top-notch to keep the learning flowing.  Web 2.0 has allowed for creative presenting.  In these last ‘things’ we will explore how to savvy up your presentation methods.  We will also see how the cloud is eliminating the need for external storage and increasing the opportunity to share.

Quickly add a comment on the Junkie blog about your use of presentation software.  Do you use it?  How often?  Do you allow students to create using this software?


Ummm...what is the "cloud"?


This video is from YouTube and will need to be viewed off campus due to the web filter.

Thing 21: Other digital storymakers

There are so many digital storytelling tools.  Take a moment to explore these two tools and think about connections to your classroom.

Tech-tivity Week 8 Thing 21:
1. Explore Storybird and GoAnimate.
2. Add a comment on your blog about digital storymaking and how you would use it in your class.  Also note any tools you might use- label your post Week 8 Thing 21

StoryBird


Storybird Quick Tour from Storybird on Vimeo.
Go animate


GoAnimate.com: Junkie Promo by clmcginn

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

Thing 20: Animoto- the instant professional slideshow

This web 2.0 tool will blow your mind!  It is a slideshow creator with music called Animoto.  It is as simple as upload, add text and choose a soundtrack-and there you have it a digital storybook slideshow

Tech-itivity Week 8 Thing 20:

1. Go to www.animoto.com.
2. Create a log in.
3. PLAY!  Uploads pictures or movie clips. (HOW AWESOME!)
4. Embed your slideshow on your blog and label Week 8 Thing 20.
5. Comment on the Junkie blog about how you could use this tool in the language arts or science classroom.

Notice how the lessons are getting brief?  It is because I am hoping you are learning the art of self-exploration!  PLAY PLAY PLAY makes a tech savvy teacher!

Extra Credit: Dropbox

Dropbox is a storage system tool.  It gives you 2GB of FREE storage accessible anywhere and anytime you have Internet.  You can even share folders with others.

Download it now http://db.tt/9PH3bUw and earn 250MB of FREE storage space in addition to your 2GB!

Thing 19: Bubblesnap- A perfect beginning

So you have browsed the web researching digital storytelling and I am sure you have seen some pretty amazing products!  Let’s start small, shall we?

A really easy digital story tool is called Bubblesnaps.  You can use this tool to upload a picture and then add comment bubbles to add story detail.

Here’s mine:




Tech-tivity Week 8 Thing 19

1.    Go to Bubblesnaps.com and create an account.

2.    Create a digital snap by uploading a picture and add comment(s).

3.    Embed on your blog labeled Week 8 Thing 19.

4.    Include any reflections on your blog about this tool and how you can use it in the classroom.
5. Optional: make additional comments here on the Junkie Blog.  You could even embed your snap to the Tech Junkies group on edmodo if you like!

This tool really is the perfect beginning to digital storytelling.  It is simple and versatile.  Enough said!

Extra Extra: Blog all about it!

Like this?

Go to http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp and generate your own!

Week 8: Digital Storytelling

The Center for Digital Story Telling defines digital story as a “short, first person video-narrative created by combining recorded voice, still and moving images, and music or other sounds”.

Retrieved from, www.storycenter.org



Take a moment to browse some examples from the University of Houston.
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/mathematics.html

Take a moment to do your own research on digital storytelling or relate a personal application of this tool.

Post a brief reflection of this idea here on the Junkie blog.  How could we use this in the classroom?

Thing 18: Words of Wisdom

Two of my favorite tools featured here as a combined thing 18. 

Wordle is a cloud tool which allows you to take any text and create a cloud.  You can generate a list, cut and paste a text or even write phrases in order to create a beautiful cloud image.

Here is one of our Junkie Blog:

Yes you can even take your blog or RSS feed and turn it into a word cloud!  WOW!

Wordle allows you to print your cloud upon creation but does not have a save feature.  If you want to save you can post to the gallery for all to see.  Warning-there is no search feature!

You can though, take a screen shot of your wordle and then use a cropping tool in a program like Microsoft Picture Manager to create a clean jpeg of your wordle and use it like any other image.

Watch this brief slideshow of classroom applications of wordle:

Twenty Five Interesting Ways To Use Wordle In

View more presentations from rjensen

The second word cloud tool is called tagxedo.  This is very similar to wordle except you are able to shape your cloud.  For example, students would write a Valentine to a friend and then using tagxedo create a cloud in the shape of a heart or write a biography of George Washington and shape their cloud as his profile.

Tech-tivity Week 7 Thing 18:

                      

Option A:

1.  Go to wordle and CREATE a word cloud about wordle applications.

Follow this format-typing enter after each phrase or word:

a.       Type "wordle~in~the~classroom " 3 times [the more you type a word or phrase the bigger it will be in your cloud.]

b.      Type 4 adjectives to describe wordle.

c.       Type 3 two-three word classroom application phrases [you must put a ~ in between words to keep them together]

d.      Type 2 words to describe your feelings about usability of wordle.

2. Now click GO and play around with the design features or RANDOMIZE button.
3. Once you have decided on design you need to SAVE.  Notice there is no save button.  You will need to take a screen shot of your wordle. Here’s how:
            a. Make sure your internet browser is maximized and you are displaying your wordle.
            b. On your teacher county issued laptop, locate the key F11.  You will see PRNT SCRN

in blue writing.  Every keyboard on a PC has a print screen shortcut key.  What this does is take a picture of your screen as you see it and place it on your clipboard.

            c. Hold down FN and press F11.  [If you are using a desktop or your home desktop you
                        may not need to hold down FN.  There is a PRNT SCRN button probably near the
                        upper right of your keyboard.]

e.        Go to START MENU of your computer select ACCESSORIES and find the program PAINT.

f.       Open PAINT and then click EDIT from the MENU BAR and click PASTE.

g.      Your screen shot should appear on the paintboard.

h.      Now you need to SAVE your picture.  When you save make sure you change the file from BIT to JPEG and change the location to your DESKTOP for easy locating.

i.        Now go to your DESKTOP and RIGHT CLICK on the file you saved.  OPEN with MICROSOFT PICTURE MANAGER.  Select PICTURE in the menu bar and select CROP.  Move the black markers around the picture to get rid of the unwanted borders for a clean picture of your wordle.

j.        Now SAVE your file and you have a clean image without the whole screen!!  Seems like a whole lot to steps but it is easy and quick!

4.Post your wordle on your blog as Week 7 Thing 18.

OR

Option B

1.      Go to tagxedo.com and click START NOW to make your word cloud of our Junkie blog.

2.      Click on LOAD.

3.      Type or copy and paste the URL http://technologyjunkiegroup.blogspot.com where it says WEBSITE.  Click SUBMIT.

4.      X out of the load screen and then you can play around with the color features and shapes.

5.      When you are satisified with the shape and color select SAVE.

6.      Copy the html code snippet and embed on to your blog labeled Week 7 Thing 18.

7.  Post any reflections you have about these two tools and how you can use them in the classroom.

Online Storage for Folders in Google Docs-FYI

Retrieved May 4, 2011 from, http://docs.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=guide.cs&guide=1247871

"Overview of uploading to Google Docs

Google Docs allows you to upload and store files in the cloud. You can upload both files and folders, including an array of file types ranging from document types to image types to video formats. Here are some of the things you can do when you upload files or folders to Google Docs:

• Access your files and folders from any computer, anywhere in the world by signing into Google Docs. The only requirement is that you have an Internet connection.
• Share files and folders with friends, family members or colleagues, allowing them to view the files in the Google Docs Viewer.
• Convert files to Google Docs format and collaboratively edit these files online.
• Upload photos and videos to view or share."

Thing 17: Weebly websites!

That sounds like something Scooby-Doo might say!  Weebly is not just a funny word or part of a phrase, it is a simple and easy website creator web 2.0 tool.  The best part…wait for it…wait for it….it is FREE!!  Now you know from your experience with just cutting and pasting html code (embed codes) html jibber jabber is almost indecipherable to the untrained!  Those codes are even Greek to me sometimes!  I am by far not a website pro-when it comes to building one from scratch using only html code.  I did suffer through some website creating courses with the html jibber and came out alive, but believe me-spending valuable time looking up codes and figuring out why something will not appear on your website because you forgot to add an > is just too much for me!  I am a teacher too ya know!

Do  you have a classroom website?  Would you like one?  Let me introduce you to the neatest tool ever! Weebly!

I bet your head is just spinning because after I learned what this tool can do I wanted to be back in the classroom.  If you watched the introduction you saw how your students could have accounts and websites, in essence web portfolios! OMG can we say paperless! And the assignment form tool is phenomenal!  By the way you get 40 student accounts for free but there are ways to obtain more accounts.

If you are as excited as I am about this feature and would like more help with weebly go to SchoolTube and search “weebly”.  There is a high school that has created a great series of tutorials on weebly.  Or you can just go play with the features yourself.

Tech-tivity Week 7 Thing 17:

1.    Go to Weebly and sign up for an account using this link: http://education.weebly.com/referral.php?xrlU2RWH83Hgu0qK

2.   Create a very simple web page with two pages: Home and Blog.  The home page can have your contact information and the blog can be an external link to your blog.

3.   Submit your Weebly URL (i.e. www.ocsmedia.weebly.com) in the Google form below.

4.   Optional: Post any comments about Weebly’s features on the Junkie Blog.

Thing 16: Wiki –the “quick” way to a 21st Century Community

Want an easy forum for collaboration?  Try a wiki!  Wiki means “quick” in the Hawaiian native tongue.  Wiki’s have become all the rage in collaboration on the web…  Let's watch a brief explaination and think about classroom application:

So you've probably heard of www.wikipedia.com.  Yes it is a public information sharing wiki, where anyone can edit and add infomation on many topics.  It can, although, be a good source for information and even can be considered credible.  Regardless of it's origin, it is a great place to start looking for informaiton or keywords for further research.  Not to mention it is usually the first result link from a Google search...

What are some applications for the classroom?  Take a look at this article published by the University of Oregon on pages 6-7 for application ideas.

Now you know the basics!  Many teachers use this web 2.0 tool as a website or as a forum for collaboration on units, projects, or even literature circles.  It can be a way to post and share files or even host a group writing assignment or project brainstorm.

I personally have had a wiki for my classroom and used it as an informational website and also as a way for my classroom to go paperless.  The discussion board forum is very similar to an online class format and provides a way for students to communicate their ideas and respond to others in a controlled format under your username.  You can create student usernames without emails and students can create a profile and participate on your wiki. 

There are many different wiki hosts for education.  A few popular ones are:  pbworks.com, or wikispaces.com.

Tech-tivity Week 7 Thing 16

Let’s explore my personal favorite: Wikispaces

Watch this brief tutorial to get started-

Wikispaces provides AD FREE wikis to teachers.  In order to get your ad-free wiki you must go to a special link for teachers.  You get 2GB of space under this plan.  No, I have not reached my limit yet but I am close!

1. Go to http://www.wikispaces.com/content/for/teachers  and create a username and password for your free educational wiki.
2. Think of something creative to call your wikispace. Are you a classroom teacher? librarian? special area? support?  What could you call your collaboration space?  My classroom wiki was called www.read-a-wiki.wikispaces.com and my library wiki is called www.hooked-on-books.wikispaces.com.
3. Now take a moment to play around with the edit features of the pages.  Also go into your “manage wiki” feature and look at your different options.  With an educator account you are able to create user accounts for your students without having to use an email.  You are also able to monitor posts and send private messages.
4. Take a look at my classroom wiki from when I taught at Deltona Middle School from 2007-2009. I created a book talk exchange.  Students were able to edit the page and add their book talk to the list.

Now look at another way I have used a wiki.  I taught a poetry unit to my seventh grade reading class and we used Love That Dog by Sharon Creech as a muse for our own writing.  After analyzing a poem by William Carlos Williams I had my students use the same format to write their own and respond to another student.  We did this in real time in the computer lab and the results (we never wrote anything on paper) was amazing!

5. Write a brief reflection here on the Junkie blog about the wiki and how you could use it in your teaching.  Use the resources below to post a notable wiki site you like or even your own if you have one.  Become a member of hooked-on-books and participate on my library wiki discussion board on the home page the July discussion question is waiting for you! (You can leave a comment without waiting for me to approve you if you like). 

Other resources:

http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/  A walk through on wikis, how they compare to blogs and some killer classroom applications for all subjects and age groups.  Focus on younger students as well!

http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/ This link gives more great application ideas, notable educational wikis, and articles supporting wiki use in K-12 education.