"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Albert Schweitzer
I am happy exploring the possibilities of Web 2.0. The potentials I see for my students are making me feel (call it) happiness for the first time this year. My confidence in the breadth of technology available online free allows me to see myself better able to meet my students' needs. No longer am I freaking out about not have the Microsoft Word programs available. There's Google Docs that helps compensate for our district's financial short comings. I will be successful in my work with my students, because I am happier and more confident in finding the things I need, the things they need but don't know they need, on the web.
I have found that, for the past week, I have confused myself with all of the media that is out there. Nearly every blog I read consists of something that piques my interest. I have made many comments on blogs in response to the tools their sharing. I have emailed from my RSS several blogs to my coworkers. Several of the science teachers may be overwhelmed by my emails. I've thought particularly they would benefit from many of the posts from U Tech Tips . I have also sent posts to my librarian. I am hoping that I will be able to show her how to use her RSS reader. She could benefit from The Shifted Librarian posts by Jenny Levine. Her post Pre-meditated Lust really sold me on the Palm Pre. I love the voice I heard in her post. I sent the The Clarence Fisher post Feltron Report to the math teachers in my building, and after looking at Nicholas Feltron's Feltron Annual Report for 2008, became fascinated by numbers and how they can be represented--who wouldn't. I hope my team members find value in my suggestions.
Media Sharing: Give it a Shot revealed media that I hadn't heard of before. Cotterhall did a nice job with this media sharing. As I commented to her "I seem to be taking and taking ideas from everyone. ... . Keep sharing and I'll keep taking; I just hope that there will be a point where I can start offering you new ideas."
I suppose that at this point my sharing is limited to taking and using myself or sharing the ideas with the teachers that I think could benefit from their use.
For the first time I visited Teacher Tube. I see such a neat source for me and my classes.
I have used YouTube to present things to my students. How easy is it to get my school on You Tube? What permission hoops must I jump through? I can just imagine, but what a great place for them to post their poetry project videos! Their veteran interviews! Their book reviews!
United Streaming is another source I have used to help frame lessons; although, this is a tool with a cost. I know now that there is so much more variety out there for free.
Where is the money for knowledge being made in the world of Web2.0? Everything is free?
Next, I have to determine the tools, the media that best suits my needs. I love the challenge--I just hope Albert Schweitzer is right!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
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The Web 2.0 tools are truly incredible. I also wonder how money can be made on these. I need to figure out a way to allow the use of these in school; students are blocked from most of them. YouTube is out for sure. A student asked today if she could use her iPod (no electronic devices are allowed in my school) during computer literacy class. I told her to bring it to her student council representative. I wonder if I'll hear about it. I say if it keeps them focused , why not? But, rules are rules.
ReplyDeleteThen there are students that will take advantage of the tools available. There needs to be a way to establish mutual respect in the use of the technology available. Certainly by outlawing usage of technology, students may be more prone to taking advantage of the appropriate use of these tools. At this point it's all in their court. We haven't been given the opportunities to teach our students their potentials.
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