23 Things - Thing #21

AND IT WORKS! I don't know what I did differently this time, but all that matters, is it works! Yippee!!!

23 Things - Thing #23

I have really enjoyed this experience on Library2Play. At first, it was overwhelming, but now I truly do see the value in it. I have learned a lot of useful information for me both personally and to use in the classroom/library. One of my favorite tasks was creating the blog. I had fun with this, especially creating my own avatar. I also appreciated the chance to review Library Thing again. I had previously heard about it and had every intention of signing up. Thanks to this exercise, that's one I can check off my list. I also found Rollyo interesting. I know I will using it this school year.

Every exercise I worked through had its level of challenge. Some were easier than others, and I am actually still trying to upload my Photostory to Thing #21. That was difficult and still is, but I am working through it. I am not sure if it is a computer issue or human error, but I will go forth and conquer.

I think that going through this program and learning new things about technology and its capabilities has given me a thirst for more. I want to know what else there is, and I know there is probably a lot more to learn. If there was another opportunity to participate in something like this again, I think I would be very agreeable to it. Although time consuming, it is well worth it.

If I were to sum up this experience in one sentence, I would say: Library2Play is Web 2.0 at it's best, so take a chance and play.

23 Things - Thing #22

After exploring different Nings, I thought that the Ning for Teachers was the most user friendly. It was attractive and easy to search. I really liked the "Find Teachers" and "Sharing Lessons" features.

Ning seems to be a great concept for the classroom. I like the fact that you can keep it totally private and have the option to allow others on to your Ning by invitation only. I think a Ning has multiple uses for many different subjects. For Language Arts, it could be a community that discusses all the books read in one school year, or a place to share ideas for projects. The possibilities are numerous.

23 Things - Thing #21

Blood, sweat, tears, and still no video upload. I can't seem to get this to work. I have tried for two days with no success. I even recruited my husband who is a computer geek, at home and work. We researched it, which it appears that this is a common problem. We converted the video to many different formats, which according to Blogger are acceptable. Again, no success and very frustrating. I really think that Blogger has a glitch in the system.

The only other option I could think of was putting the video on "You Tube" and downloading the embed code, which I know works. However, my photostory that I created is of my family, and this is not something I wish to share with the world. Oh, what to do?

Anyway, I will keep trying before I get to Thing #23. I did, however, have great success and fun creating my photostory. Too bad I can't share.

23 Things - Thing #20

I went to Teacher Tube, because most of the time, You Tube is blocked at my school. I would rather spend time searching through something that I can use. I typed in Language Arts in the search box, and it listed quite a few videos about grammar and parts of speech. To me, this was a great find because some times it is difficult to get students motivated about these things. I actually found a video of a mystery storyboard about "noun" disappearing. In the story, somewhat like Clue, all the other parts of speech are blaming each other for "noun" missing. In a cute way, it tells how each part of speech is dependent on "noun" or each other.

23 Things - Thing #19

After browsing through the Web 2.0 Awards List, I was very impressed with the various tools available for users. I have used some of these tools before. One of my favorites is Hair Mixer. My daughter and I have actually played around with this one before. She always has such a good time. Who wouldn't want to try on Paris Hilton for a new look?

I like the easy access provided on the Web 2.0 Awards List page. Since everything is categorized, it is easy to find the tool you are looking for. Obviously, these have been chosen to be the best in their category, so I feel comfortable using these sites personally and in the classroom (if not blocked). For schools and libraries, I can see using the bookmarking, books, collaborative writing, and mapping applications sites. These are all good for various content areas.

For me personally, I looked into the genealogy sites. I am interested in genealogy because we have been working on my mom's family tree for quite some time now. The family tree dates back to the 1800's. Her family used GenoPro, a program you can purchase to complete your family tree. Right now there are over 850 different Irish families listed. However, I like the sites on Web 2.0. Ancestry.com is very interesting. If you go to birth records and type in your information, guarantee you will be listed there. It's kind of scary! In fact, not only was my birth record there, but my marriage certificate was also available, for a fee of course.

23 Things - Thing #18

I explored Google Docs and liked many of the features available with this product. It is very similar to Microsoft Office; however, Google Docs allows for sharing documents to be edited without having to send in an email as an attachment. This is great for receiving instant and continual feedback on your document. There is even real time collaboration which allows you to see the document actually being edited. There is also the capability to chat during this process. Google Docs also has added new items such as the Drawing application, which allows for the use of charts and graphs. One of the disadvantages to this program is that it is internet based, so if for some reason your internet service is suspended or temporarily unavailable you will not be able to use this product. Microsoft Office is part of your computer's software, so access is always available for the most part.