Shannon McKinney's 3040 Blog

ONE LAST THING- AAAWWWW Yeah!

2009-07-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

Coming to the end of the Things is like swimming in a kiddy pool full of $247 worth of pudding. It's cool, refreshing, and squishy. Honestly, I did not think I would enjoy the 23 Things as much as I did. My favorite discovery on this journey was turning myself into a digital cartoon. My kids made a "Wii" version of me, but my Avatar in the "Here's me in digits" post is a true portrait. Creating the Animoto video with my photos and adding music was pretty exciting too.
The 23 Things program has given me useful knowledge of Web 2.0 tools that I can use to create fun interactive activities for my future students. My lifelong learning goals have been enhanced by the program by helping me organize and keep track of my goals. I learned many things that I had no idea existed just five short weeks ago.
The Education 3040 class is chalk full of "things", projects, group work, and presentations. My only concern was the amount of time that went into the homework. I always felt like I was rushed. Don't get me wrong, I learned a great deal- I just think the course load is too much for the 5 week Summer term. Dr. Wall once told me that students who attend the long Spring and Fall terms must complete the same program of study to earn their 3 college credit hours. It would not be fair for the 5 week students to do less to earn the 3 college credit hours. I believe that is a fair statement that examples Dr. Wall's fairness across the board. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have taken this course in the Spring or Fall to have more time to complete all the tasks and projects. My family, my garden, and my animals suffered this past 5 weeks because I simply had no time to do anything except this course.
I know that some of the things I've learn will go into daily practice when I become a teacher. Much of it will be shelved in the bookmarks of my virtual library until such time comes that requires their use. A few items will be put in my "info dumpster". Overall, this was a worth while project. I will continue to receive news and information in my Google Reader. I will continue to subscribe to Dan Bach's dansmath.com and I will continue to be a part of the Teacher Pop professional network. Thank you all for your comments.

Now - a PERSONAL One Last Thing from me to all readers - I once heard a radio interview by Penn Jillette (from the comedy duo Penn and Teller). He was on an airplane sitting next to a man who began to speak to him about the love of God. Penn, being an athiest, was a little annoyed. He listened patiently and politely. The plane landed and both men went on their way. Later, Penn reflected on the experience. Penn said, "How much would you have to hate someone NOT to tell them about the love of God?" Atheist or not, Penn was moved by the experience and realized the man's intentions were coming from the love of God. So I make it a point to tell you- I don't hate you- I want you to know God loves you and I love you. I'm not perfect by any means- but I know someone who loves all of us no matter what.

Thing 4 Revisited

2009-07-06T01:16:00.000-07:00

I have tried very hard to keep up with all the people I've left comments for or conversed with online, but I may have missed a couple of folks (please forgive): Takesha, Melinda, Kevin, Mitchell, Amber, Lori, Lora, Jeffrey, David, and Dr. Wall (on TeacherPop). Dr. Griffy and Dr. Mensure on Facebook. I've commented with members of PBS Teachers and left feedback for Dan Bach at dansmath.com. I've written many Thing Posts in the hopes that someone would read them. My classmates did not let me down.
I think people in general just want to be heard. Many blogs had their beginnings due to someone just wanting to be heard. Commenting is a way of showing others, we hear them. I like getting comments because it lets me know, people hear me, people are reading about what is important to me, people may disagree with me- giving me a different perspective. Dialog can go a long way in connecting people. Amber Sager said that if you are going to be critical, do it in a constructive way. She also said that if you are going to leave a comment, make sure the comment adds to the string of discussion. I think she is on to something. I told her so in my comment to her.
The 3040 class members were brought together by a common assignment. But what connects us is our willingness to read each others' blogs and to support each other in the cyberworld as well as in the classroom.

Thing 22 More Podcast Fun

2009-07-06T00:49:00.000-07:00

I went to PodcastDirectory.com to look for interesting podcasts to listen to. I typed in math into the search area and found about seven podcasts from the Math Tutor (a pay site- hey the guy has to make a living- and he's a really good math tutor). The next podcast listed in the directory was one of my favorite podcasters dansmathcast. There are approximately 33 podcasts for middle school and high school students all dealing with the subject of math. The producer, Dan Bach, is an amazing college math teacher and textbook author---- and Wow! can he build a podcast site. It's like it's own radio station.
Back to PodcastDirectory.com- The ease of use is worth mentioning. It can be useful in searching for interesting podcasts for classroom instruction. It narrows the search from Google, into an application specific search. I predict, I might use the podcasts found at dansmathcast for hoaning the skills of my students in the future. I already use this podcast site to help my ACT Math prep students to help them prepare for the ACT coming up in November 2009. I recommend PodcastDirectory.com and LearnOutLoud.com for finding educational podcasts. Educational podcasts can be used as Assistive Technology for students who are blind or hard of seeing to listen to lessons and use them when they study. LearnOutLoud.com also has what we used to call books-on-tape (it is a pay subscription site, but books-on-podcast might be worth it if you like to read, but have no time). I enjoyed searching through the podcasts.

Thing 17 Mmm DELICIOUS! Not really! - Chewy is more like it.

2009-07-06T00:29:00.000-07:00

I signed up for Delicious (or Del.icio.us) and found the APSU 23 Things tags (or bookmarks). After reading through a couple of them, I got bored. I had already explored the APSU 23 Things Sandbox in a previous Thing assignment. Yes, I sat through the 8 minute tutorial, still the site did not interest me. Instead of looking at the tags of other APSU 23 Thingers, I decided to search for Math tags. The first tag to come up under the Math heading was one of my favorite resources, Wolfram MathWorld. Well, afterall Del.icio.us is a place where several people have tagged many things of interest. Why wouldn't the best Math website be the top tag? If you don't know, Wolfram Mathematica is, in my opinion, the BEST interactive interest site that exists for learning and/or teaching math at any level. Many other tags were under the Math Tag, like Math playground, and Euler Project (very cool- Euler came up with Trigonometry- ha ha ha- anyone want Euler to "sin" his autograph? He may even "cosin" your loan- okay enough going off on "tangents" - LOLOLOL). I crack myself up. Del.icio.us was not difficult to sign up for. It can be used to help students with homework at home or even help them find resources for group work or projects. I can see possible uses for this Learning 2.0 tool in the classroom. Mostly, I would use it to set up some bookmarks for students to use in homework help and research.

Thing 21 ANIMOTO VIDEOTO from the AQUARIUMOTO

2009-07-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

NEEEAAATTT!! I created my Animoto video using my photos taken at the Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg, TN on Columbus Day weekend 2008. I enjoyed making this Animoto short. I could use this application in my classroom as a project for my students. They can make Animoto videos of their Summer vacations, or to show the class photos of their Fall and Spring breaks (as long as they are appropriate). Perhaps it is not completely perfect for a math setting, but Animoto could be modified in the next couple of years (by the time I become a teacher) as it is still in the beta phase. I hope you enjoy this video voyage with the sharks.

Thing 20 "What's this, some sort of tube?" (Bob Dole on the Simpons)

2009-07-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

The coolest thing about YouTube for a teacher is being able to share instruction with other teachers and students. As a math major and teacher candidate, I've used JediTeacher2007's YouTube lessons before. Another great YouTube instructor is KhanAcademy (especially for Calculus). I use some YouTube videos to help teach my daughter (who is home schooled). Of course, like many things on the internet, YouTube usage MUST be monitored in the classroom so students stay focused on their work and not focused on watching water skiing squirrels and goofy commercials. This Web 2.0 tool is attached to my iGoogle home page so I can manage my YouTube subscriptions (namely JediTeacher2007 and KhanAcademy). I would recommend that teachers allow access to YouTube instructional videos, but monitor vigorously to ensure students keep to their lesson.

Thing 16 EYEGoogle - MYGoogle - Zoho Cool!!

2009-07-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

IGoogle is just perfect for me. I attached my Google Reader, GMail, and Google Calendar to my iGoogle page. I added a To Do List on my iGoogle page that helps me keep things (the APSU 23 things) and projects on track.The To Do list was a little difficult to set up, but now that it is set up, I can see my daily tasks at a glance as soon as I sign in to my home page. iGoogle is pretty useful in my opinion. I can predict that I will use it on a daily basis as a teacher so I can keep up with the latest news and important emails. It took about 45 seconds to set up the iGoogle page and attach my RSS feeder, calendar and email. The To Do list took about 20 minutes. But editing the To Do list takes no time at all, and will be used daily (or at least weekly).
I also enjoyed exploring Zoho Projects. It is a web-based manager for projects. It can be used to help students keep track of group projects and complete them faster. They can work on their own tasks and the completed tasks of their group members. Both iGoogle and Zoho Projects will be part of my future classroom. I would recommend Zoho Project manager and iGoogle to anyone trying to organize information that is important to them.

Thing 15 WIKIWIKIWIKIWIKI lots of wiki fun

2009-07-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia.org is a site I've used in the past for researching history. For this assignment I explored Wikipedia.org for a more thorough look. After choosing Wikipedia in Enlgish, I clicked on the Mathematics tag on the top of the main page. The featured article was about Leonhard Euler, an 18th century mathematician who is known as the inventor of modern trigonometry. I followed tags to get info on calculating, trigonometry, calculus formulas, and "Did You Know..." Did you know... is a part of Wikipedia that gives you a quick (wiki means "quick") view or tidbit of knowledge. This is one of the "Did You Knows" found on the site: "Did you know that there are 6 unsolved mathematics problems whose solutions will earn you one million US dollars each?" All 6 of these unsolved math problems are also listed on Wikipedia.org. Under the Mathematics tag are links to thousands of tidbits, definitions, and formulas all organized under subjects including Analysis, Algebra, Geometry, Number Theory and more. Wikipedia.org will definately be a resource I will use in my future high school math class. I will ensure my students are aware of the site and how to use it to find information that will grow their understanding of the math content.

Thing 14 Mind Maps - Where's my mind? My mind was somewhere else.

2009-07-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS NOT A WASTE OF TIME (OR MONEY)- READ ON!! Thing 14 task is to explore mind map and flowchart software. In my experiences (mostly military), I've used Microsoft Power Point to create flowcharts and data graphs. Anyone could use power point for the creation of flowcharts. Word has drawing tools that can be used to create mind maps and flowcharts also. I'm assuming that online flowchart/mindmap software is supposed to be easier and more user focused than the Microsoft tools. Otherwise, someone may not have gone through the trouble of developing this type of software. THEY AREN'T! DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY! (Take the time to learn how to use what you already have - google "power point help" and figure it out - don't be lazy, and money wasteful please.)

For this exploration assignment, I chose to explore Flowchart.com as the flowchart create tool over Gliffy Online Diagram Software because Flowchart.com is actually free (with the exception of Spam that will show up in my email inbox). Gliffy offers a free 30-day trial (they want your credit card number). I was sent an invitation to join the Flowchart.com site within a few minutes (they're in beta form currently). Next, I searched for different software located at Bubblus.com. There, I found SmartDraw which offered a free trial version download. SmartDraw allows you to make mind maps, flowcharts, visible personnel rosters, phone rosters (great for Parent Teacher Organizations). I read and agreed to the terms of the free trial (anything produced on the free trial software will print out with a watermark. Also, the free trial will cease to work after a one week period of time.) SmartDraw didn't ask me for my credit card information. That's always a plus. They only require payment if I choose to pay for and download the full licensed version of SmartDraw. After the trial version downloaded, I made a mind map out of a word play game. Then I printed out my mind map (after sending it to power point- I'm seeing a pattern here). As stated in the license terms, there was a watermark.
SmartDraw is a neat tool, but is highly unnecessary because power point does the exact same thing. Smart Draw isn't any easier than power point. I guess some people think they are too busy to work (or play around) with power point to figure it out. I think of it this way- (I mentioned before that I am a cheapscate)- I paid for my Microsoft Office suite 2007. Why would I pay AGAIN for a small program to create a mindmap or flowchart when Power Point does the same thing? I already own the technology! Busy or not, I'd rather spend time using the power point flowchart and mind map applications. That's just one of hundreds of reasons our economy is in disrepair. Some people will WASTE money on things they don't really need because they are too lazy to use what they already have. People and Businesses who own Microsoft Office Suite for PC or MAC - save your money, use what you already have.
How can these software options be used for education? If a school system does not have a Microsoft Office Suite for their networks, then these tools could be used to create mind maps and flowcharts for instructional purposes. I personally would not use them in my future classroom because (as I said before) I already have power point that creates the same tools.

This assignment was quite revealing. If I had not explored these flowchart and mind map softwares, I would not have come to the conclusion that they are frivolous. They promise ease of use, but do not really deliver. They require the user to export their creations to power point for printing. If I need power point to use SmartDraw, or FlowChart.com, then I'm paying twice for one application. If I ever become a school administrator, I would ensure that faculty and staff are fully educated on the most up to date technology. I would also ensure that new software purchases are based on actual need.

Thing 23 Creative Commons

2009-07-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Credits

Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers is based on Learning 2.0 - 23 Things, a staff development program for the Mesquite Independent School District. That program was based on the Learning 2.0 program that was designed by Helene Blowers and adapted by the California School Library Association and others. Content and style for Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers has been borrowed and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License.

At the bottom of the 23 things the above statement is written. This is how APSU's 23 Things has attributed credit to the creator of the original 23 Things for Teachers.
As a future teacher, I will be sure to use Creative Commons to License any educational material I create, so others can benefit without fear of infringing on copyright laws. I benefit from the experiences of other teachers. When I become a teacher mentor, I would like to be able to pass on my intellectual property to new teachers for professional development.

Thing 13 Zoho is So SoHo Chic

2009-07-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

For thing 13, I explored Zoho writer. I signed up for a free account and read through the instructions for creating a document (similar to Microsoft Word). The neat thing about Zoho writer is that I don't need to buy the Microsoft Office Suite to create a professional looking document. I have used Google docs in the past, but Zoho is easier to use for me. The test document I created was a family letter. The Zoho tabs look similar to Word, but slighty different. The help menu is better compared to Word. The Word help menu is part of the software, where as Zoho is more on point because it is updated with questions from other members. This makes the help menu more user focused. I would recommend using Zoho writer or Google Docs to people who do not have an updated version of Word (and don't want to spend money on something you can get for free) or people who do not have the Microsoft Office suite on their computers. Technology (internet based) that is free is the best way to learn new things and not have to deal with contant suite changes and updates.

Thing 19 Revisited

2009-07-01T08:12:00.001-07:00

Check out my Teacher Pop badge.

Thing 19 SOCIALS AGAINST THE GREASERS

2009-06-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

I signed up to be a member of Teacher Pop on Ning. Currently I am still pending membership approval. This is not upsetting to me. I believe that a social network like TeacherPop should ensure that potential members will enhance the social network. It is a professional social network for teachers, so members should be closely associated with the education fields. Once I become a member, I will attach my Teacher Pop badge to my blog. Look for it.
Another excellent professional social network for teachers is PBS Teachers. I have been a member of PBS Teachers since September 2008. It is an awesome social and resource network. I currently posted a comment for "teacher in training" on PBS Teachers concerning located interesting content for elementary school students. One of my RSS feeds is a discussion posted on PBS Teachers. So, it seems I've been using Web 2.0 (Classroom 2.0) tools all along and didn't know it.
Social networks can be tricky. One thing that Professional networks (such as those listed above) can provide is a web identity that future employers can look at. For example, suppose I put in a resume to become a teacher at a local high school. The school district human resource manager wants to make sure that I am teacher material. Of course, my degree is one source. But my professional appearance on the internet gives me clout. Anyone can be "googled" now-a-days. I want my google profile to reflect positively and professionally to potential employers.

Thing 12 ALERTS AND CALENDARS

2009-06-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

Since I have a Gmail account, it was very easy to activate my Google Alerts account. I signed up for weather reports for areas where my friends and family live. My Google Calendar is now filled with tasks that must be completed prior to 7 July (3040 project and things unfinished). Even though I have a calendar at home that I write on, it's good to have another visual account of my tasks available via internet. I have used Google Notebook in the past when collecting research for papers. I may find a use for iGoogle sometime in the future, but not at this time. My Google account makes it easy to connect these tools to to my email account. I don't have a use for Picasa Web Album (much like Flickr) at this time either. Although, I have bookmarked Picasa as a resource for images to use in my projects and in my future classroom. Tools like the ones listed in this blog have a definate use in my future classroom. I could use Google Calendar to set up tasks for my students and share the due dates with parents. Google Alerts for news, weather, and sports will keep students up to speed with the world around them. Setting up a Google Notebook for research projects is an excellent use for technology in the classroom.

Thing 11 One eyed, one horned RSS Feeder Finder

2009-06-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

I found an excellent blog while using Syndic8. Luis Anthony Ast is the creator of videomathtutor.com. I recently used a video podcast from Luis for part of my 3040 project. Little did I know, his blog can be subscribed to through Syndic8. Google Blog Search was extremely easy and useful in finding other blogs of interest to me. Both of these feed finders were simple to use and contained mountains of information, but I prefer Google Blog Search over all the feed finders I explored. I searched the term, "math" in Google Blog Search. The first search connected me with the very best math resource site, Wolfram's MathWorld. Of course, tons of articles on math curriculum came up, along with math worksheets, math teacher blogs, many pages full of content. Sticking with the term, "math" I found a very unusual article from the Chicago Tribune entitled "House painting math". It was an article that described a painting company's bid to paint a house. The article identified the way some businesses charge more for "top of the line" paint compared to the regular "good" paint. Overall, the article did contain the term "math" but was not exactly what I was looking for. Using tools such as Google Blog Search (now my favorite) can greatly reduce the time I spend on the internet searching for relevent resources.

Thing 8 - The new Thing 8

2009-06-30T19:04:00.000-07:00

I have deleted previous Thing 8 posts, due to SPAM comments. Yes, Spammers are commenting on our blogs.
Well, back to the Thing 8 assignment.
First, I took a look at Jim Bumgardner's Flickr Colr Pickr mashup. Jim took hundreds of thousands of pictures and rearranged them into color wheels. The user can pick the type of color wheel he or she would like to see, for example, "Doors and Windows". I clicked on Doors and Windows and my color wheel was made up of hundreds of photos of doors and windows. This site poses the question of creating one's own color wheel. Jim suggested a starting point for creating one's own color wheel was to see his book, Flickr Hacks. Second, I used a link from the Flickr Colr Pickr and found at cute little application called Flickr Chia Pet. This site did not allow me to save my chia creation due to the nature of computer code that creates the magical chia pet seeds. I did show it to my kids however, who are now in the process of making crazy chia pets out of Flickr images. To see the Flickr Chia Pet mashup, click on the link.
Well, now to answer the questions for my assignment. I don't think that this particular mashup has any use for the math classroom. However, an Art classroom would have lots of fun with this mashup.

Thing # 10 Google Reader the RSS Feeder

2009-06-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

The thing # 10 assignment was to set up an RSS feed. I chose Google Reader because I already have a Gmail account that will easily allow me to access my email and feeds in one spot. I subscribed to six blogs from my classmates, The Pioneer Woman blog, and The Cool Cat Teacher blog. I also subscribed to a few news feeds, namely, BBC World News, Reuters and the Christian Science Monitor. One thing I like about my reader is that I can get the most updated news headlines with a world perspective. I cannot stand many of the U.S. news sources because many of their journalists input their own opinions in their stories. BBC World News reports more factually without all the rhetoric. Another thing I like about my Google Reader is that I can read the latest blogs from my peers, making it easier to give them comments.
I don’t think I would have a use for RSS in my future math class, although I can see using my Google Reader daily in my personal life to keep up with the latest world news and the latest blog entries of my peers and collogues.
If I were a Social Studies or Government teacher, this technology could be used in the classroom on a daily bases to enhance subject matter, especially the news feeds. I considered creating a public page with Google Reader for about two seconds. Then I realized that I have other “things” to do.

Thing # 18

2009-06-26T08:02:00.001-07:00

For Thing # 18, I created a Facebook account. I sent friend requests to Lorretta Ussrey Griffy and Kirk Menser from the Facebook group, APSU Mathematics. This group was created by Kirk Menser for APSU math majors, current and former students, and current and former employees of the APSU Mathematics Department. Kirk runs the Facebook group from the Claxton building at Austin Peay.
I also joined the Way-FM (88.3 FM) group to fan my favorite radio station. Way-FM is a listener supported communications company that has radio stations across the country. It plays Christian Rock, Alternative, and Contemporary music. You'd be surprised to know how many Top 40/Mainstream Musicians are actually Christian Rockers.
One band, the Afters (performers of the song, "MySpace Girl") are Christian rockers. Skillet, Decipher Down, Daughtry (American Idol), Jordan Sparks (another American Idol alum), Switchfoot, Jars of Clay, and tons more.
I chose Facebook over MySpace because Facebook is more of a professional adult format. MySpace seems more geared toward young adults and teens.
My experience setting up the Facebook account was a good one. It was easy and straightforward. I searched for friends and found them quickly. Joining groups was also very simple. As a future educator, knowing how to network will help me gain knowledge and experience from other teachers and peers. Being part of a social network will assist my career by providing a professional image of me for potential employers. I can use this social network to contact parents of students, display class projects for parents to see, and collaborate with other educators.

Thing # 9 What's your Sign?

2009-06-23T21:24:00.001-07:00

I originally went to http://www.customsigngenerator.com/ to find a sign generator. They had many links to other sign generators depending on the type of sign the user wants to create. I created the warning sign for road and construction workers. Concrete is pretty hard, and yet plastic is not. It was funny to me. Then I created a road sign for those who lost their way. It was not meant to be funny, but to make the reader think. I am a teacher candidate, but I am also a believer. I'm not ashamed to say so. Maybe I'll get lucky and teach at a religious-based private school, or be a religious-based home school administrator for an area. Before I get all the leftists upset, remember- this is my blog and I'll bless you and love you if I want to brother and sister. Back to the assignment!

Creating these signs was as simple as picking a sign type, putting in my message and clicking a button. Saving the code costs money on this site now (it used to be free). But saving the picture was easy and free. I right-clicked my picture and then "saved picture as" on my hard drive. I might use this tool to create T-shirt transfers. I love funny T-shirts. I may also use this tool in my classroom to label things in the classroom. I could also use it to post formulas on the walls and bulletin boards. Using this tool as part of a project would be fun for students.

Thing # 7 Flickr fun

2009-06-23T01:23:00.001-07:00

This photo was published on Flickr by MoonshineBluebird. She has about 196 photos published on her Flickr account. You can see more of her photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonshinebluebirds/

My assignment was to explore Flickr, the groups, and tags, and find an image that I wanted to post to my own blog. I searched a topic that I was interested in: gardening. I found thousands of gardens around the world, but not exactly what I was looking for.

I limited my search by typing in "vegetable garden." That's when I found this lovely photo by MoonshineBlueBird. In the original Flickr image, many plants have been tagged with comments. She used tags to label her sugarsnap peas, cucumbers, pepper patch, and more. She also mentioned "carrots, I need to thin it." I like this photo because it is an excellent example of a small backyard garden. You can see the structure of the garden, the organization, and the soaker hose layout. I am not an environmentalist by definition. I am, however, CHEAP. As a parent of teenagers, I'll do almost anything to save money. I also have a garden area in my backyard that takes care of a large chunk of my grocery budget. I love this photo because it reminds me of the beauty of my own backyard garden.

The Flickr site is enormous. If anyone was looking for an image for educational purposed, this would be one of the best places to find it. Flickr is a place where regular people can showcase the images that make them happy. The quality of the photos is amazing. An educator could use images from this site to enhance power points, and webquests, or just to liven up a worksheet. Flickr gets permission from the photo uploaders for common use ahead of time. This way, if you want to barrow a photo, you can download the image without fear of copyright infringement. Not all photos are for common use, but a large portion of the photos on Flickr are. This photo and it's tags can be viewed by clicking on the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonshinebluebirds/473736439/

Thing # 6

2009-06-22T20:22:00.001-07:00

www.mangolanguages.com
For my Thing # 6 task, I needed to look at a Web 2.0 tool, play with it, and write a review of my experience. I chose Mango because I love learning new languages. In my 18 years of military service, there were many times I had need to learn a little or a lot of a certain language. No matter where one goes, I believe it is always important to know a few key terms, for example: “Hello, please, thank you, you’re welcome, excuse me, where is the (anything), and how much is this?” As a teacher candidate it is even more important for me to educate myself on the native languages of my students.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE SITE- Mango is a pay subscription site. I liked the fact that I didn't need to subscribe to the site before trying it out. My SPAM box has increased exponentially since I signed up for Education 3040. The site allowed me to use the “Try a Lesson” without having to give up my email address or credit card number. I attempted a Russian lesson because I did not have any previous experience with the Russian language. After my lesson, I felt pretty confident that I could use the formal form of the Russian language for polite small talk.
The lesson combined the actual written spelling, phonetic spelling, and audio to gain complete understanding of a word or phrase.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT THE SITE- The "Try a Lesson" section did not combine photos or visual cues to help with comprehension or memory storage. I used Rosetta stone before and Rosetta Stone will show a picture of a man eating an apple along with the phrase, "Der Mann apfel essen". So I can see the man eating an apple and put photo image of the phrase into my memory. Perhaps the full pay subscription of Mango does the same thing, but I don't know. Any case, I enjoyed everything else about this Web 2.0 site.
USEFUL FEATURES- The lesson allows the user to run the mouse over the Russian word to see a phonetic spelling of the word for better verbal comprehension. The lesson also allows the user to move forward and backward in the lesson. The "Try a Lesson" section does not have a time limit for trying it out. The site will allow a user to try a lesson for every language it supports.

This site can be immensely useful for English Language Learners, as well as teachers and parents of English Language Learners. Any school with a Mango subscription could easily enrich the education of ELL students and all students in general. Also, setting up Mango as part of a high school language program could be useful for anyone enrolled in a foreign language.

I took formal classes to learn Spanish and German. I learned a little Korean by a combination of written lessons and conversation. Using interactive tools that combine audio, visual, spelling, semantics, grammar, and voice recognition work better for me. I believe that total immersion is the best way to learn a language, but when that is not possible, sites such as Mango can be the next best thing.

Thing # 4 Learn why commenting is important

2009-06-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

My "thing # 4" will be added later.

Thing # 5 School 2.0? A Godsend or waste or resources?

2009-06-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

http://www.techlearning.com/techlearning/pdf/events/techforum/sd06/David_newliteracies.pdf
http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604380
http://www.techlearning.com/blog/2008/03/web_20_is_the_future_of_educat_1.php
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/web_20_is_not_a.php
http://www.techlearning.com/quickflicks/showArticle.php?articleID=196604901

What does School 2.0 mean to me, and what does it mean for schools of the future?

A very daunting question. Well since this is my blog, I'll misspell if I want to.. misspell if I want to... lol lol. I'll tell you what it means to me. It means a whole lot of misspelled words, texting language, and (BFF) novel acronyms. Does MySpace or Facebook require proper spelling? Do they require proper sentence structure? If your child (or you) are in the 55% of Americans that use networking tools, you'll know the answer to this question. Similar to this blog site- a big fat "NO". I must concede that I do have a computer, my children have a computer. I will also tell you that they are extremely more adept at using their computers than I. It is frustrating for me to see all of their vocabulary and grammar mistakes.

BUT AS A TEACHER CANDIDATE- I can see the limitless potential for using technology in the classroom. Many students who do not have access to computers at home, benefit greatly from computer access at school. I instruct an ACT preparation class in the subject of Math for Upward Bound students. I showed my students an interesting website that will help them with math homework and math concepts.
http://www.schoolfamily.com/
The use of Web 2.0 tools and School 2.0 is a way that any teacher can enrich the standard curriculum with more active interaction for their students.
I do believe that technology (even with its limitations such as service outages, misspelled networking, and more) is the wave of the future. As educators, we should continue to learn the latest technology and input our own imagination to enhance our students' learning experiences.

Thing # 1 Seven and 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learners

2009-06-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

www.plcmc.org/public/learning/player.html
The Seven and 1/2 habits of highly effective lifelong learners are all very simple. I need to write about which habit is easiest for me and which is hardest. After viewing the tutorial, I wrote out each of the 7 1/2 habits and looked at them.
1. Set goals - keep the end in mind
2. Accept responsibility for my own learning
3. View problems as challenges
4. Have confidence in myself as a competent, effective learner
5. Create my own learning toolbox
6. Use technology to my advantage
7. Teach and mentor others
7.5 PLAY! Make it fun for myself and for others

The easiest habit for me is #1, goal setting. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Planning is the first part of doing. I wanted to be a teacher, so I researched the requirements. I did some self searching to determine what kind of things I would like to teach and to whom. I spoke to some experienced teachers, college advisers, financial aid counselors, and put my plan into action.
The hardest habit for me is # 3, turning problems into challenges. It is somewhat difficult to turn an obstacle into an opportunity. I believe this is true for anyone. I can and usually do turn problems into challenges, by prayer, faith, and an open mind. For example, if I'm running late for work or school and traffic is heavy, I slow down. I pray for all the people on the road with me that we will all arrive safely to our destinations without an accident. It's hard to let go of road rage. It's hard to NOT get angry at the idiot that just cut me off. Habit #3 is the hardest for me to incorporate. But, I know Someone is watching out for all of us on the road (even the idiot who just cut me off). I let go of the anger, the obstacle, the problem. And it turns out for the best EVERYTIME. It's the hardest habit for me, but I'm still here, listening, teaching, mentoring, and lifelong learning.

Thing # 3 How can I use my blog in my future classroom?

2009-06-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

Thing #3 - write about ways that you might use a blog in your teacher education program or your future classroom. For some ideas, click on over to Edublog Insights by Anne Davis.

I am studying to be a high school math teacher. I intend for my blog to be a place where I can reflect on my own teaching experience. I could give blog readers an insight into what life is like for a high school math teacher. I love philosophy, so, I could insert my ideas on math in philosophy.

My blog could be used to assist students by giving them step-by-step instruction for reference for mathematical concepts or formulas. I could attach links to interactive math websites for homework help. But, I must keep in mind, not all students have access to computers at home. So, I would not be able to use my blog to post homework assignments, or require the use of my blog for class work. I believe it is important for teachers to understand that technology is a wonderful tool, but it cannot be used for requirements unless every student has equal access.

My Thing # 2 Questions

2009-06-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

I accidentally put these questions in a comment under my first Thing 2 post.
1. How did you decide on your posting name and the name of your blog? My teenagers always jokingly say, "I don't wanna!" every time I ask them to do a chore. Initially, when asked to set up my own blog, this phrase was the first thing that came to mind.
# What was your experience in creating the blog? Was it hard for you or easy? Why? Setting up my own blog was easier than I thought it would be. Taking the step-by-step directions from blogspot made it easy.
# How does your avatar reflect your personality? Did you create an avatar that looks like your real self or someone totally different? Why? My DoppleMe avatar reflects my image (I'm short and squatty) LOL. I attached a stack of books to my avatar to depict my college text books. The book on the top of my avatar is "Calculas for Dummies" LOL, LOL, yes, I really do laugh out loud even when I'm by myself.

Here I am in digits!

2009-06-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

Thing # 2 No longer reluctant to read things

2009-06-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

Thing # 2 - Setting up my own blog was easier than I expected. Thank you Dave for your comment. You're right about having an open mind. My attitude towards blogging has changed a bit after I read some of The Pioneer Woman blog. thepioneerwoman.com
My Thing # 2 of APSU's 23 things is complete and I am ready to start on my other "things". I am no longer reluctant to read things. I'm actually excited.

Reluctantly, I read things

2009-06-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone who reads blogs. This is my first attempt at connecting to the world of bloggers. Hopefully it will be a successful attempt. I like to read. I read magazines, books, the bible, my textbooks. Reluctantly, I am now reading blogs from others and writing one of my own.
Let me be perfectly clear. I do not care much for TV, especially reality shows. I always thought of blogging, You Tubing, Facebooking, My Spacing, and Twittering (get a life) were just as time wasting as reality TV. I have plenty of reality in my own life. After 18 years in the military, and raising children, I would rather spend time with my children, friends and neighbors than read blogs about other people's lives.
With all this said, I now endeavor to learn about this new media (new to me), and will probably find out a few things about myself by connecting with others maybe half way across the country or across the world. It is possible.