Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Thing #23 - Comments

This has been quite a journey! I will need to go back and revisit the instructions pages for the "things" that I plan to incorporate, so I'm glad to have the blog as a resource.

1. My favorite activity was Photostory. I had so much fun creating my video and will figure out ways to incorporate it with my students, most of whom are reluctant writers and might not be as reluctant if we're breaking it down into screens of text. I am also intrigued with Wikis and want to explore using them with our dyslexia teachers' group.

2. 23 Things has pushed me to experiment and explore technology and take the time to consider how I could use it. Because we had guidance, feedback, and exercises to complete, I put forth the effort to explore. It also helped that we get 18 hours!!!

3. It has been a lot of fun to see how many things are applicable to both my professional and personal lives, such as Photostory.

4. I thought the format was very well designed. It might be good to go back and try the directions for the various things where we encountered problems to make sure that it is still functioning in the same way that is written; the embedding of the TeacherTube videos, for example. My IT husband ended up helping me with it.

5. I would definitely participate.

6. Empowering.

7. Will do.

Thanks so much for all of the work that the team captains do for this staff development. I think the idea of the face-to-face sessions was a very good one. If there had been some a little later in the summer, I might have been at a better place in the process to attend.

Thing #22 - Nings

Ning for Teachers - Teacher Lingo - was like being in the teachers' lounge - except in cyberspace. And I mean that in a good way. The teachers' lounge can be a place to take your concerns, celebrations, questions, classroom management issues, or fantastic ideas that you need help refining. This is what Teacher Lingo seemed like to me. It could be a tremendous source of inspiration or help that reaches past the physical boundaries of the teachers' lounge on your campus.