Final Evaluation

1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
The first thing that I would say was my favorite part of the assignment was creating the blog. I never thought I would be capable of creating a blog, but it is so easy and fun. I can see how blogging can be a great tool and I hope to create another blog when I begin teaching. My favorite "thing" was exploring the Web 2.0 Tools. I had already learned about the tools in the previous technology class, yet I loved learning about new tools: Go Animate, Voki and Glogster (both in the image generators "thing"), Game Classroom, PhotoPeach, and many more. There are many educational uses for all of the Web 2.0 tools, and I hope to use all of them in my future classroom.

2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
This blog and completing the 16 things has assisted my lifelong learning goals in various ways. I think that all of the goals were strengthened, but especially Goal #3 Viewing Problems as Challenges, Goal #4 Having Confidence, Goal #6 Use Technology as a Tool, and Goal #7.5 Play. There were times when I did not know how to do things, yet I knew that there had to be an explanation and help somewhere online. I would go online and look through videos and read tutorials and would figure things out by myself. The blog was not really hard work- I found it a fun experience because I loved creating my blog and using the different tools.

3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I think one unexpected outcome from the program is that I am actually liking Twitter. I thought that there was really no reason for me to have Twitter, yet now I can see that it is helpful. I do not have a lot of things to tweet about, but I do like to follow other organizations and people to stay informed. I will keep my account open, and I hope to use it in the future when I am working to communicate with other teachers and parents. More importantly, the program taught me that I should try the different tools that I find online and that I see others using because I might be surprised and end up finding some that I like and will use.

4. What could I do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
I loved the program because we are provided guidance on what to do and are allowed to explore on our own and learn. There were some links that did not open and were no longer unavailable, so I would just check on them to make sure that they work. I personally wished that there were more things to complete because completing the 16 things and blogging about them was both fun and very informative.

Thing 16: PhotoPeach

PhotoPeach is a great tool! It is very easy to use and the slideshows look very professional. It is a tool that could be used in many areas- in school and at home. I would love to create slideshows like the one below for family events and parties. Also, in the classroom there are many ways to use it. I know several teachers who take and collect pictures of their students throughout the year, and at the end of the year create individualized binders for each student; however, I think that Photopeach is an easier way to present the pictures to students and parents. Students could also collect pictures for projects and then present the slideshows to the class. They could create stories for language arts and narrate the stories to their peers and even create stories for younger students in lower grades. All of the projects can be kept in the site or in the class' blog, and students and parents could access the site to see the projects.

Honors College on PhotoPeach

Thing 15.5: Twitter

I created a Twitter account and it was very easy to do. I had never thought of creating an account because I did not see the use of it in my life, but I think that there are ways that I could use it professionally. I could communicate with other teachers and parents who do have Twitter about reminders about meetings, special assignments, and other activities. At the same time, it is a way to stay informed. I am following the US Department of Education to be informed about educational legislation occurring in the nation. I want to follow other organizations and people, so I will continue to explore Twitter.

Follow me @e_silva22

The more I use Twitter, the more I see it as a valuable tool!

Thing 15: Skype

Skype is a great tool! My family and I have used Skype when we want to talk with family in Mexico. Usually we just talk on the phone, but we also like to see each other and Skype allows us to do this. Also I have seen Skype used in the schools. When I was in high school we Skyped with others students who were also in a Sacred Heart school in Louisiana and in other states.

This past summer I was able to see how Skype can be used in the classroom to enhance instruction. I worked in a summer camp with several classes, including a Spanish class. The teacher used Skype to have her lower school and middle school students talk and see native Spanish speakers who live in Guadalajara, Mexico and London. The students loved seeing the other children and were amazed by their Spanish skills. The native speakers showed our students several items and toys, which made the experience a favorite of the students.

While looking through the resources for this "thing," I found several uses for Skype that I think would be great to use. One of them is to use Skype to communicate with students who are sick and unable to attend the classroom. A teacher learned that a student had leukemia, so used Skype to stay in contact with the student. I have also heard about the ePals Global Community, which I think I would like to use in the future. As students see and talk with each other, they can learn so much from each other's lives and experiences.

I have seen the benefits of using Skype, and I know that it is a great tool to use in everyday life and in the classroom.

Thing 14: Podcasting and Bookmarking

Podcasting 
I visited the Texas Education on iTunes U and I found so many resources. One of the newest videos is on Phonemic Awareness, which is a topic that we are currently discussing in my PreK/K Curriculum and Instruction course and I hope to explore it more in depth to learn more about it. I also found several videos, slides, and handouts on English and Spanish Language Arts and Reading so that teachers can understand how to implement the TEKS, English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), and College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) in the classroom.

Bookmarking
I have already created an account on Delicious on classroom resources in English and Spanish. I found many different sites with lesson plans, games, videos, music, activities, and resources in both languages for future use. I think that Delicious is a great tool because you are able to access your bookmarks in multiple computers and there is no danger of losing bookmarks if a computer does not work.

I decided to explore Pinterest after hearing that several of my classmates love the site. I had to create an account by requesting an invite and while I waited for the email to be sent, I was able to look through the boards others had made. There were boards on recipes, clothes, and even home decorations.
After I have received my invite, and I was able to create my boards! I have begun with 5 boards: Wise Words, Teaching, My Wish List, Books Worth Reading, and Craft Ideas. I have pinned several things, and I can see why it can be such an addicting site! Now I want to pin everything I see!

Thing 13: Using YouTube

I created an account with my Google information and it was very easy to upload the video. I decided to upload a Photostory I created in my social studies class about individuals (Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Banneker, Cesar Chavez, Ruby Bridges, and Rosa Parks) who changed their community.

Here is my video.



There are many advantages of having teaching/learning videos online because parents, students, and other teachers can access the videos. If students are able to upload their work, they will learn that their work can influence others. At the same time, web safety would be essential instruction when uploading the videos.

I did not know about TeacherTube and SchoolTube, so I am glad I was able to learn about them. I searched for videos in TeacherTube and it is a great resource because the videos are made specifically for the classroom.

Thing 12: Discovering YouTube

YouTube is a great free site with videos on basically anything that you can imagine. The only problem with YouTube is that when searching for a specific item, there are times when the results are not relevant. There are uses for YouTube in the classrooms; I have used several videos, including how a seed becomes a plant and several songs, in lessons that I have taught in the previous years.

I wasn't sure what video to post, but I recently heard one of my favorite songs on the radio, so here is a video.

Thing 11: Web 2.0 Tools

GoAnimate is definitely a tool I will use in my future classroom. I took the tour around the site, and it was very easy to create my video. I am sure that students would enjoy creating videos about really anything that they learn about in the classroom. They could create a story in language arts, share information they learned when researching a social studies theme, and even share information about themselves in a sort of interview. It would be another way for them to present their work to the class and even to their parents. The site is user-friendly and students would only have to select a scene, select characters, and type in the text. Below is my own video!

GoAnimate.com

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

I also looked at some of the Web 2.0 Award winners and nominees. There were so many that looked interesting, but I chose Netvibes which is a program to create a dashboard with the blogs, news, email, videos, photos, social networks, search, widgets, and applications that matter to you. You personalize your dashboard and will be able to open it up in different computers by logging in your account. I took a very informative tour around the site, and it seems like a great program. There is always so much information to keep up with and very little time to do so, yet with this tool you can look at the information that matters to you in one single page.

I also tried searching for other Web 2.0s and I found Game Classroom, which has math and language arts games, videos, lessons, and homework help for K-6th graders. The site has great resources for teachers, parents, and students, yet it can be a little overwhelming for the younger students. If I were to use it in a K-1 classroom, I would have access the site, navigate to the grade's game page, and then have students choose the game they want to play. 

Thing 10: Online Productivity Tools

Here is my Zoho Post. 

Besides Google Docs, I have found Zoho also works great!

Thing 9: Playing with Wiki's

The Technology Poppers for Classrooms is a great wiki. I read over the poppers other students had added to the wiki, and they are all very informative. I then added my popper about using Storybird in the classroom; I learned about Storybird in the previous technology class I took with Dr. Wilson and I love the Web 2.0. It is a great way for students to work together in creating their own book. They can then share their books with other students and parents. It was very easy to add my popper, which is why I think wikis are so popular.

Teachers and students can create wikis for many purposes about various subjects. Teachers can create wikis to share ideas and information on using manipulatives, technology, and other materials in the classroom that other teachers and parents might not know how to use. Students can work on a project in the wiki, which allows them to use technology and share their findings with each other. There are many uses for a wiki, which I hope to incorporate in my future classroom.

Thing 8: Wiki's

Using Wikis in the classroom is a great idea. I learned that the word wiki comes from the Hawaiian word "wiki wiki" meaning something fast, which is something that can happen when people collaborate to write about a subject. I knew about Wikipedia, but I did not know that teachers and libraries were creating and using wikis.

The site that I found the most interesting was the educationalwikis site that has an accumulation of teacher's wikis. One of the teacher wiki's was a Spanish classroom's project about insects. Each of the students collaborated information, pictures, and videos about one insect with the help of their parents and teachers. Another wiki, the flatclassroomproject, was created by students from schools in different countries of the world (US, State of Qatar, China, Australia, and Austria). Their teachers organized the students into groups and they learned and reported on different aspects of the internet in the wiki.

Thing 7: Image Generators

I was very excited to try the different Image Generators. The first I tried was Wordle. I decided to make one with different words relating to state symbols of Texas. I pasted some text, and then generated the Wordle. I am sure that students would love to use Wordle because of the different designs and colors that it generates. Students will be able to see the different words, that can guide them as they research information.

I next visited the Glogster site and I took the tour around the site to learn more about it. It seems like a great idea for students to use in the classroom. The site allows students to create a multimedia poster with images, animations, attachments, and much more; in addition, it is appropriate for all age-groups because students can drag and drop to create their poster. Turning in a poster online is different to turning in a cardboard poster because students will not be limited to text and pictures they would have found online, but also could include videos, music, graphics, and much more in creative positioning in the Glog. I think that teachers still need to remind students that their content should be relevant and appropriate to what they are reporting on, and that they should not lose focus on adding images or other components that do not address their topics. Below is my own Glog!

The last site I visited was Voki. I created my own avatar and it was a lot of fun. The first time I saw Voki was in this class, so I was excited to create my own. I am sure students who love cartoons would have fun creating their own character. Listening to the avatar speak definitely makes the message seem more important and interesting. Voki is a site that I will continue to use in my future classroom.

Thing 6: RSS and Newsreaders

I had seen RSS in different sites, yet I had never paid much attention to them. After reading the information about Thing 6, I was interested in finding more about them. I looked at the different links regarding RSS feeds and then made an account in Bloglines. I was not sure where to begin, but after reading the Help section I was able to understand that I was supposed to add the different urls of blogs and sites. I visited the 100 best blogs for teachers and found many that seem helpful and interesting. I wanted to have blogs with current information about education policy and also classroom/lesson plan ideas. I also added the sites that were in Dr. Wilson's blog- Learning 2.0, the Reader's Club new book review feeds, and the Unshelved. I then organized the RSS feeds and News Feeds into different tabs in Bloglines: Education News, Web 2.0, Classroom Ideas, Literature, and Others.

After organizing them, I was able to explore the newsfeeds. Each of them has valuable information that displays the most current news as they are published in the blogs and sites. They help everyone stay informed and Bloglines helps keep the rss and newsreaders organized and in one place easy to access.

I tried to make my Bloglines page public, but I was not sure how to do so- yet I will continue to try.

Thing 5: Mashup

I had never heard of Mashups, but I had fun exploring them and the third party tools. I found several interesting ones at Big Huge Labs including the Bead Art that is below and the Pop Art Poster where you can turn a picture into Andy Warhol poster.

I tried the Spell with Flickr, which I am sure students would love to try to see their own names spelled with different images. I had some trouble inserting the images to the blog, but I was finally successful.



I also looked at some of the third party tools and I found the AlphaLearnr. The AlphaLearnr allows students to click on the different letters of the alphabet and see pictures of a word that begins with that letter. It is a neat tool, yet each letter only has one word. I also tried the Color Fields Colr Pickr that Dr. Wilson had in her blog. It is also an interesting tool where you chose a color and different public photos of Flickr come up;  students could select a color, and then write and describe the different images.

These are very fun tools that I enjoyed, and I am sure that students would also have fun exploring them.

Thing 4: Flickr

Exploring Flickr was very interesting! I looked at several of the 150 most popular tags, and then looked up classroom ideas. I found several photostreams by different authors with many pictures. I loved going through each of their streams and looking at their classroom displays, projects, and ideas. I found many pictures, including this picture of a poster that serves as a monthly calendar with the students' birthdays, the seasons of the year, and a clock that I found in Kautif's Photostream. 

Flickr allows people to store and present pictures, and I am glad that teachers are also using it to show their classrooms and ideas.

Thing 3: Photos and Images

This is a picture of me in my high school graduation in 2008. I can't believe it has been three years since then and that next year I will be graduating from college. I will post that picture soon!

Thing 2: Blogging

I had read blogs friends had made for their trips and activities, yet I always thought that they were too difficult to make. How wrong I was! Blogger is very user friendly, and I was able to create my blog very quickly.

I decided to have a simple title that described exactly what the blog is about. What took me a long time was the template design. I looked at the blogs that previous students of the class had made and I found that there are many backgrounds, designs, buttons, and so much more available to add to your blog. I finally found Shabby Blogs and decided that this was the site where I was going to find my background. There were so many different options, and I had to try several of them until I found the one that I have now. Once there, I found that you could add headers and sidebar tags, so I added them to my blog too.

I like how you can create a blog that represents who you are by the design and the posts that you include. Now I cannot wait to add more posts and explore other blogs.

Thing 1: Lifelong Learning

I never considered myself a lifelong learner, yet after taking the 7.5 Habits of Highly Successful People tutorial I wish to be one my entire life. I have learned that one should not stay stagnant, but continue to learn skills and information. I found interesting that things like learning a new language, dancing, and reading- (things that I am interested and love doing) could help me become a “highly successful person.”

The 7.5 Habits are each distinct and important to consider:

1. The goal should be the initial focus. If you know where you are heading, then you can create a plan (like a learning plan) to reach that goal.

2. Accept that you’re responsible for your learning- searching for information, asking others…Be an Active Participant.

3. Problems are Challenges that you can overcome.

4. Have confidence! None is born knowing everything- it takes perseverance to learn something well.  

5. Create a toolbox designed for your goal.

6. Use technology as a tool!

7. Teach and mentor others to practice what you have learned and also give back to the community.

7.5 Play! Have fun!

Looking through the 7.5 Habits, the second one- “Accept responsibility for your own learning” would be the easiest habit for me because I have learned that I must be responsible for whatever I set to do. If I need help, I know to ask for help. There is always someone or a resource that can hold the answer- one just has to actively search for it.

On the other hand, the third habit “View problems as challenges” would be the hardest habit for me. Unfortunately, there are times when there are so many problems/challenges that I feel overwhelmed and do not know where to even begin solving them. The important thing that I must always remind myself is that nothing is impossible. One has to be strong and follow through the other habits, such as having confidence and being responsible, to be successful.

Being a lifelong learner is something that I wish to be during my life, and I hope to inspire my future students to also be lifelong learners!

My goal for the semester is to create a website that I can use in the future when I have my own classroom. Here is the link to my learning contract.