Concept-Map Extra Post

One of the tools we learned how to use in Week 10 was how to make a concept-map. There are quite a few porgrams/websites that allow anyone to do this for free. I personally used Bubbl.usto create a concept-map for social tools and skills that I can use in my future career.

This is my concept-map, which I exported into a jpeg:

Week 9: Social Tools & Cloud Computing

This week we discussed cloud computing and learned about two useful tools designed for everyone: Google Docs and Delicious social bookmarking. Cloud computing is being able to use server-based applications as a service rather than being tied to a specific platform on a specific machine or device. In my opinion, cloud computing is quite complex, but I use it everyday - when I check my email or use Facebook. Social bookmarking is a way of using cloud computing to share bookmarks and favorites on the web. It is useful because instead of all of your bookmarks being saved to your personal computer, bookmarks can be saved on Delicious and accessed from any computer through the internet.

This week's tools were especially useful to me as a future teacher. First of all, Google Docs is great way to share information with parents, other teachers, colleagues, and even personal contacts. With a Google Doc you can share information in real time with constant editing power. One example is using a Google document to share information when doing a group project. Each member can edit and add to the document so that everyone is up to date and there is no need for multiple emails.

Social bookmarking is also useful for teachers because it is a way to share teaching resources with everyone. For example, if there is a lesson plan or new technique that many would benefit from, a person simply has to add the bookmark to their delicious and share it with other teachers. These links are easy to find by using "tagging," a method of classifying each bookmark - just like we do on blogger.

This website gives an explanation of social bookmarking and how it can work for any individual. I believe that this tool is great for any profession and is growing in popularity. I'm excited to use these tools in the future!

Week 8: The Sound of... Podcasting

This week we learned about tools that can be used to create and use sound for multiple purposes, including Audacity and Apple's Garage band. We also received information about Podcasts and how they can be used in the teaching arena. I created a sound file using Garage Band, which was much easier than I expected. I was able to choose a genre of music and then change the various instruments, as well as the bass, treble, and volume. Apple has found a way to make editing sound and recording simple, and I was pleasantly surprised. In order to share the mp3 file, I created an account on the Box.net which allows people to share files by uploading to folders on the site. To listen to my file click here.

Using sounds and audio tools can be useful in teaching, especially, in my opinion, in the elementary setting. Students greatly enjoy hearing music and being able to dance and participate in music. Being able to create my own audio files would allow me to create music for dancing, plays, and almost anything I wanted to teach on. It could be something as simple as learning the alphabet... how did we learn it? Through a song. Another tool I could use is Podcasting. A podcast is a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that are available to download from iTunes and other sources. From my experience, many teachers choose not to use this tool, but from my research it seems like a new technique that could be quite beneficial. One way you could use Podcasting is by finding free podcasts from other teachers and using it in your own personal classroom. For example, many language teachers can give students access to podcasts that help them practice a particular language.

This video demonstrates ways in which to integrate podcasting into the classroom. In my opinion, this tool would be most useful in the middle and high schools. But perhaps when I have my own elementary classroom I will be using podcasting and other sound and audio tools that I am learning about now.

Week 7: Digital Storytelling

This week we discussed Digital storytelling and were introduced to tools such as iMovie, PowerPoint, screen capture software, Animoto, and GoAnimate, which can all be used to create a digital story. "Digital Storytelling" refers to using digital tools, like the ones above, so that ordinary people can tell their own real-life stories. For my Digital Storytelling Forum post I used Windows Movie maker to create a slide show of pictures from my mission trip to Matucana, Peru in May 2009. I also used 3 songs that related to the story of the trip. I utilized YouTube in order to share my video anywhere on the web.

Digital Storytelling is useful to teaching and the Education field for a number of reasons. The most obvious is that visual story telling would catch the attention of young students. Students are constantly being bombarded with media, such as television, so they would pay attention to whatever message/lesson I was trying to teach. Another important use of digital storytelling is to present other cultures and ideas from our own, much like the Stride video we watched in class. I could use the video I made, for example, to give a lesson on what I saw and learned about the culture through my experience.

The Center for Digital Storytelling is a resource I found that is helping people all over the world tell their personal stories. They provide work shops that help individuals use digital technology create their own version of a digital story. This website reinforced the importance of having an understanding of digital storytelling. Every person, young and old, has a story to tell and unique experiences. With an understanding of digital storytelling, I can help students recognize their unique stories and experiences and help them grow in many ways.