Week 9

Thing #20



I had already been using You-Tube. It is a tool I used often either as a link in a presentation or just uploaded the video. It is a magnificent tool. This past school year a group of students uploaded their video project to You - Tube....The only word of caution is to always see the entire video before posting or showing it to an audience. This is to be done to avoid surprises...I have been surprised in the past. I surfed teachertube.com and absolutely fell in love with it!!!





Thing #21



I was also familiar with podcasts. iTunes is something my children use often. I surfed some of the other sites and came across an interesting podcast http://feeds.feedburner.com/coffeebreakfrench. I found this podcast @ alleycast. Just as in all the other sites I have visited there is and endless amount of information and interesting things to listen to, read and watch.



Thing # 22

Librivox and the other sites are also very helpful and interesting. One thing I found quite amusing is the number of free podcasts and online books available. With my son, last school year we downloaded several chapters from his geography book. As he was given a reading assignment, he read along with the podcast. Sometimes he even connected his iPod to the car radio and we would listen to the lesson. Simply AMAZING.

Thing #23

To be quite franc, I did not enjoy the first few lessons. I found it quite frustrating not being able to talk to anyone or to get immediate help. It was exasperating clicking on buttons and not being able to get the results I desired. As time progressed, I got better at it. I depended less and less on other people to answer my questions. I felt quite comfortable surfing by myself. I realized that I was becoming more computer literate and the terminology was beginning to "sink- in". I began to understand the words "tag, podcast, blogger, wiki" etc. I could say my brain and the all the information out on the web had not quite connected. I cannot enumerate the number of things I learned. I can list my favorite sites and they are: Zoho.com, teacher tube, flickr, google reader. I really learned what a "blog" is.

This course has also given me a whole new teaching perspective. My usage of the web was limited. I wasted time going from one site to another every time I signed in. But now, I used my time in a more efficient manner and now know how to get to sites that are helpful and instructional. I am ready to start my new adventure next yearor should I say this summer. I want to really plan and start a blog with and for my students.

Week 8

Thing # 19

Took a trip along Library Thing. It is a site that will really require more time to visit. Nonetheless, it is a site that without a doubt be an asset for any library to have. As to the idea of using it in the classroom it is good. I perused and found some book in the target languages I teach. I really liked the fact that there is now easy and quick access to this type of literature. Our bookstores in our area offer very little. This is the link to my library :http://www.librarything.es/catalog/esaenz

Thing # 18

I visited, played around and created an account with Zoho Writer. Loved it!!!. I created a worksheet for one of my summer courses at home and edited it at school without carrying around a USB or sending it via email as an attachment. The idea of being able to access my documents from any computer is quite fabulous . It has the same features as Word. The only thing I could no figure out is to how to change the language I want to write in. I am sure there is a way. Have to keep on "looking around". A "sharing" feature made in very attractive. I can share documents with my colleagues rather than simply send attachments!!! Took the challenge and exported a mock assignment. Worksheets or other materials can be posted for the students!!

Sample quiz

Sample quiz exported from Zoho.com

Identify

____________________ ____________________

Week 7

Thing # 16

Today I learned what wiki means. I had used Wikipedia but never had the curiosity to know how it was created and which functions it has. It is another tool that can definitely be incorporated into teaching. I visited the PBwiki for educators and librarians. I learned about wiki etiquette. One section I found extremely interesting is the one titled Online Classroom. There are many advantages to this tool. Group brainstorming, web research and community problem solving activities can be implemented. Also, a class notes section is included and polls can be created. I looked at various samples and saw the many different ways in which this tool may be used. In fact, I saw one for ESL students and it had links to games. This could be very useful for target languages. http://teflgames.com/ (just figured out how to do a link!!!)



In one of the readings, a sentence caught my attention. It said the a wiki "has an effect on language". I gave this some some thought and came to the conclusion that this comment can be related to learning and teaching language other than the maternal one. A wiki can be an excellent tool for this purpose. In a classroom setting, a wiki can also be used as a place to travel, to hear different accents of the target language, and to see the culture first hand to only name a few. A wiki can definitely can help teach and learn. I can certainly give a more global approach to teaching. Needless to say, it is a more active way to learn.



Thing # 17

I played with the Region 1 Sandbox, created a wiki, visited the site, and pasted a section on my blog. I even invited some friends to see it. (It is limited to family members. Not until I am comfortable with what I am doing will I allow "exterior" access). Upon visiting the California Curriculum Connections Wiki I corroborated what a revolutionary tool a wiki can be. All the concepts I have been learning at the workshop can be incorporated in a wiki. Activities from Flikr toys, trading cards, technorati, to name only a few can be tools that can be part of the wiki. For example, students can incorporate their own vocabulary trading cards into the wiki. As I continued to visit the site I stumbled upon the word VoiceThread. I looked into it and loved it. Check it out voicethread.com. I can visualize what a helpful tool this can be!!!! The students can have a lab a home!!! However, one assumption I am making is that all students have access to technology.

Weeks 5 & 6

Thing #10

Playtime has been fun. I "cruised" all the sites. The ones I used and really liked were Sign Generator and Image Chef. Both images on the blog were done through these sites. With my French II and French III classes, I was able to use both of them. The kids loved them. They chose a picture and used the bubbles to write in their captions in the target language. They later presented their "work". It was a fun and learning activity. These image generator sites will enhance the power point presentations I use in the classroom. I HAVE TO ADMIT, I'M HAVING FUN!

Thing # 11

From the list, I selected Mango Languages. I could not access the site due to restrictions placed on the school computer. It looks interesting. From what I saw, it will work for educational purposes in the classroom. When I get home, I'll check it out and I'll add to this part of the blog. I got the chance the view Mango Language. It was average. As as classroom tool, it would be helpful to review certain concepts. Unfortunately, it is not free.


I explored Ning. I joined the foodtube.net group. I saw recipes and how to videos. In our department, we consider food as being an important aspect of a country's culture. This site could very well be used as a teaching tool. On a personal level, I enjoyed surfing it. I got a Classic French Vinaigrette recipe that I'll prepare this weekend. It was simple and looked delicious.


TravelIQ was also a site that may be used in the target language class. Besides having the "quizzes" it had images of places around the world. This site will be the perfect visual aid for all the classes in our department.

Thing #12.

I explored and created a rollyo. This is another excellent tool. I tried to do the optional section but could not figure out how to do it. I asked two people for help but they did not know what to do either. I continued playing with "rollyo" and feel a bit more comfortable. I registered and chose various links related to the classes I teach. I wonder if I am going to remember everything I have learned. Will I remember the names of all the sites and what they are for? I'll try to print each page from this point on as I continue to learn.




Thing # 13
I viewed the del.icio.us tutorial. It was out of focus but could still be understood. This could also be used for the classes I teach. I set up a blog for French class. I found information here that the students could easily access. I found an awesome verb conjugation site. The only reservation I am having as this point is that I am getting all the information mixed up. I cannot remember what I did where. I'll have to revisit some of these sites to untangle my mental mess.


Thing # 14

Thechnorati seemed similar to the other sites. As I perused the information available at "school library learning 2.0", I saw again how useful it is to have all the information in one place. I liked how it had relevant and specific videos lined up . Claiming my own blog would be beneficial . However, I am confused as to how this works. I know what is meant by claiming my own log but how can I related this or attach it to Technorati. I think I have reached my personal "information overload mode." I wish I could talk to someone..and I mean TALK. I am the type of learner that needs to bounce ideas around. Writing it helps but not enough for me. I know I may sound extremely old-fashioned. This is how my brain works. Do not take me wrong. I want to learn but I feel I can really run with this if I could sit down with a knowledgeable person. In this manner I can ask questions (sometimes really logical ones). Glad I got this off my chest!!! I will continue to try and learn as much as I can via the computer. I do not think I could ever take an Online degree. Am I born in the wrong century?


Thing # 15

To be very honest, I did not know what Library 2.o existed before taking the course. My field of expertize is in the classroom and I am not familiarized with libraries as a specialist would be. An idea I found interesting and pertaining to the times we are living, deals with the fact that library services have evolutionized. I agree that its services should be integrated into our every day life, work, study and play time. I believe that the library has been incorporated into the classroom. Technology has allowed the teacher to take a "library on wheels" into the classroom.The use of computers and of course the Internet have revolutionized the world of learning , research and teaching.

After reading some of the articles, The ideas of the 3D library and the 4.0 neo-library experience go hand in hand with the comments previously mentioned. The article that mentioned the 3 iceburgs that can pull back moving into the new concept of libraries were quite accurate. Today, I see the library as being a more "active" place.

One year old me.

Week 4

Thing # 8

I am feeling more comfortable surfing the net. I did not know what an RSS and a news reader is. Now I am certain that I had been searching for information the old-fashioned way. I surfed most of the cites and opened an "account" or registered with Bloglines and Google Reader. Personally, I liked Google Reader much better. I found it to be "friendlier" than Bloglines. As I visited the sites, I wondered if this could be useful for my target language classes. I knew that if I could use them in the classroom with the students we could access the cites and be able to read and talk about current events in the target language. I continued to surf, visit and play with the cites and was able to access feeds in the target languages I needed. Without a doubt, I will incorporate this to my teaching next year. I am teaching summer school and plan to do a test run during this time. Come next school year, I will be ready...REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.



Thing #9

I "checked-out" all the sites that could help me find feeds. The one where it was simpler and less complex to find new feeds is by using Google Blog Search. All the other sites where helpful and provided plenty of information and feeds. For the type of learner that I am, the Google Blog Search was the one I liked most. This site also is the one where I could find feeds in other languages much easier. I could not figure out how to do it with Topix. I am eager to see how it will work with my summer class. I just used it in class. I still had questions about RSS. I needed to bounce certain ideas with someone. I talked it over with a friend and figured it out completely. I also added additional feeds to Google Reader such asEL Norte de Monterrey, El Sol de Mexico, and Le Monde.

I used it with my French II class. It will without a doubt be a excellent tool to used in the classroom. We also tried to view some videos but were unable to do so due to restrictions our school computers have. As I surfed the feeds I learned that in Spanish and in French RSS is also available. I finally feel I have accomplished something that will better benefit the new teaching strategies I will be able to incorporate. Once I got home, I was able to access the video websites. Loved them!!!

Week 3

Week 3

Thing # 5

Explored Flickr...very interesting...it resembles facebook. You can do many of the same things. Took the challenge and downloaded some pictures of when I was a child. Rather than using the digital camera and taking pictures of the school, I scanned these pictures. I wanted to learn how to do that since I had not done it before.

One thing I still find uncomfortable is to "share" with other my things. I left my pictures as private. Can't help it. I have never carried pictures of my loved ones in my wallet. Although I can control who has access so far its not my thing. I know that for classroom activities I can really use this without sharing personal things...On my profile for the blogger I did not write much..

Thing # 6

Saw the mashups...I did not know what they were. The one I found interesting is the one where you could do a whole itinerary with pictures and all if taking a trip....Found tons on the third party one. ...Took the challenge and created a trading card....This is without a doubt a great tool for vocabulary for my target language classes

Thing # 7

My son has X-Box Live and I find in fascinating how he can play and communicate with people all over the world. At night, He and his cousins in Mexico City, Washington and San Antonio "hang out" and play..HOW IS THIS DONE!!! I COULD NEVER IMAGINE THIS!!!

Weeks 1 & 2

Week One

Thing #1- Went over introduction

Thing # 2 - Read about learners...very interesting ....I can consider myself for many things an active learner...on the obstacle section I know that I am quite impatient...I'm finding it extremely frustrating not being able to talk to a person...

Week Two

Thing # 3 I need someone that knows the stuff to better guide me....

Thing # 4 I have spent over two hours trying to figure out some of the blogging things...I feel I am wasting time trying to figure out the buttons I need to choose just to get to one thing...hope I have the patience to finish this...just figured out how to register the blog as instructed