Media Manipulation

I worked on fotoflex. I found it difficult to save. Each time I tried to save I was kicked off the internet. I finally got it to work with the help of my wonderful friend Stef. This in a neat program. It reminds me of photobooth and kidpics. Those are two programs the children use that they really enjoy. This would be a fun creative outlet for the children.

Vod Casts and Pod Casts

I liked looking at the pod casts. I think they are neat for adults but I think that children need to have something to look at. I preferred the vod cast. Vod casts provide visuals and I think visuals make comprehension easier, especially for children. The vod casts I viewed I enjoyed and I could see showing them to my class. I may show them a few this week.

http://voicethread.com/#q+3rd+grade+.b284357.i1494066

How Big is a Foot?

I watched the vod cast called Titanic Retelling. My class studied the Titanic. We read many books, did book talks, and did fact sheets. This vod cast shows beautiful pictures from the Titanic and the students in the vod cast read retelling cards. They students on the vod cast are giving more facts about the Titanic. I think my students would like to see this kind of work. It would be neat to be able to record them reading their own work. This was a creative way to display class research. The Titanic is such an interesting topic and the children are engaged in learning about it so making a pod or vod cast would be exciting for them.

http://voicethread.com/#q+titani.b128425.i669262

Here is a Titanic Pod Cast that is a retelling done by young students.

Social Bookmarking

Social Bookmarking? I guess I see how you could use it in everyday life but I am not sure about my classroom. I think if I visited sites each day this would be helpful but at this point in my teaching I do not check sites each day. If I need a new idea or want to read about others lessons plans I would use websites. Then social bookmarking would be helpful. I have so many sources now that I am not use to going to the internet for information. This is the first year I have internet in my classroom that and I need to get use to using it more.

This is my delicious link-

Google Docs- Document Sharing

I think using google docs is a neat idea. I do like that we can share ideas with others. I think my students would like adding on to a story. I have done that kind of assignment with a small group on paper and it has been fun. Another idea would be to add onto a sentence. My third grade students choose to write short sentences, for example, The car sped. They could then add adjectives and adverbs. This way I could see if they know what an adverb and adjective is when they add to simple sentences.
I'd like to hear other ideas as to how to use this feature.

Digital Storytelling

After learning about digital storytelling I found it interesting. However, I do not feel that I would use it in my classroom on a regular basis. I do like the idea of putting field trip pictures on it. The class would enjoy seeing it but then that is all there is to it. Usually with field trip pictures I print them and the children have to write in a bubble to explain what is happening. I feel that is more interactive. Yes, the students would enjoy seeing the video.
Also, at the end of the school year it may be neat to make some videos and share with parents. This may be something that parents may enjoy at portfolio sharing. Again, this is just more work for the teacher. I feel that if I am going to do more work I would like the children to be involved and they would not have much involvement in the video. By that, I mean they do not experience any educational benefits from me making a digital story.

Animoto Trial

Learn Your States and Capitals

One more comment about Wiki's - I work with a middle school student from the Locke and she told me she is not allowed to use wikipedia for info since the info can be changed. Is this policy consistent through out Billerica?

Wiki

After wathcing the Common Craft video about Wiki's I seemed to understand the concept better. The example about the camping trip made sense and I liked the way it was used to share ideas. The wiki worked well for changing that camping list and getting 4 people involved.
I read a few of the wiki articles as well. I was interested in what people had to say as to how wikis are benficial in a classroom. The ideas given were connections, creativity, engagement, interpersonal skills (developing team work), and writing. I feel that as an educator of young children they need to write with paper and pencil. Next, the children could edit their work, or work with an adult or peer to edit their work. Discussion would be needed and the child's imput can be used. Children are still learning how to write so I would not want them to edit each others work independently incorrectly on a wiki page.
Another acticle states that wikis are great for team building. In my opinion children need to work with one another face to face rather than on a computer to pracrtice cooperation and collaboration. I see this idea working for older children who have to collaborate on a project. If I were to give a group project the children would do it in class not on a computer.
Wiki's are new to me and I feel that with more hands on experience I will have a better understanding. I would like to see more elementary examples in action so I could have more ideas...

Remember to bring snacks March 25th

After reading the articles I do have a better idea of how blogging would work in a classroom setting. I agree with the point about writing to an authentic audience. I think chldren would like the fact that other children could respond to their writing. Most children like to share their ideas and this is a way for all of them to share. This would make it feel real for them. I am not sure how parents would respond. As is, I think parents are afraid of the access the computer gives children to the outside world so this may open that can of worms even more. Getting children to blog at such a young impressionable age could lead to too much time on the computer instead of interacting with others. I think as I see blogging used more and I see real examples then I will feel better about trying it out.
February 1, 2009 10:25 am

http://adifference.blogspot.com/

I read some of the blogs from the TOP 100 list. This was my favorite link and I thought other teachers would enjoy this post.