Thing # 5

Teacher 2.0

I checked out Teacher 2.0 and I really enjoyed this perspective. It's a great website that has tons of information. The author Aaron Smith conducts podcast that allows teachers to share technology information and techniques they utilize in their own classrooms. He also provides lesson ideas and links on his blogs. I found a couple of his suggested ideas to be great. He mentions delicious.com and how it's a great way to share saved information with multiple computers.  He also gave me a lead on a math blog since my power point is going to be math.

Web 2.0 A Guide for Educators

The next one I read was Web 2.0: A Guide for Educators. It discussed how technology has changed the way we live and learn. Many young people are already using Web 2.0 by using social networks where they are able to stay in touch with people all over the world. Children can learn from a wide variety of ways that do not always include a textbook. Through blogs and podcasts they can gather large amounts of information.

School 2.0

School 2.0 means that learning does not always have to happen in a classroom. Children can learn while at home and within their own community. Children need to be aware of their community and what it has to offer. School 2.0 to me means that the traditional ways of learning of just reading a text book and listening to your teacher is a thing of the past. Those methods are no longer enough for our children to keep up. While I was in school I RARELY used a computer or any type of technology. My daughter is in the first grade and is able to navigate the internet and computer with ease. She taught my mother how to log on :). I believe in the future schools will be more technologically advanced than we ever dreamed. It does make me sad in a sense because several months ago on the news learning how to write in cursive in schools was up for debate. Many thought it was not necessary because much of the work is now done on computers.

Thing # 3

I found it pretty easy so far setting up and registering my blog. I do plan to use a blog and/or website in my classroom. I think it is something that will benefit teachers, students, and parents. It is a great tool to post homework assignments and class news. This way there is little room for error. I also think it is a good resource for parents to keep up with what their children are learning in the classroom. As a parent, I would love it if my daughter's teacher had a website and/or blog. There have been many times after school when I asked her what she did and her response is 'I don't remember'.

Thing #2

My experience in creating my blog was very interesting and at times frustrating. As I became familiar on how to navigate the site I became more comfortable. I had a hard time deciding what my font, colors, and background should be, and I imagine I will want to change them frequently. When naming my blog I wanted to keep it simple and something easy to remember. I am not very creative when it comes to naming things (I let my daughter name all our pets).
The avatar I made for my blog was the first one I have ever created. I found it to be easy and the instructions on Learning 2.0 website very helpful. I designed my avatar to resemble me as best I could. I wanted to use features that did not resemble me but decided it would take too much time going through all the features. I used textbooks as my accessories because I feel like that is all I do. I think a blog would be a great way to communicate with parents and children, as well as, help them learn how to use technology. Overall, I found this activity fun and can see the usefulness in the classroom and personaly.