Thing 17

Ah, my last blog. So when checking out the CNET Webware 100 winners website, I looked at a few of some new websites that caught my attention.

#1 Mozy- As someone who has lost school data twice already (once from a zip disk crash and once from a computer crash) I could really use some data back up. $4.95 is pretty cheap for unlimited space. And I really like that it automatically syncs my computer files whenever I add something new. I just saw that a home user can get 2GB for free, which would cover all my precious school documents.

#2 Tripit- This is a cool tool for traveling! It can organize all my travel documents (like airline itineraries, hotel confirmations, etc) into one online document that I can access from my cell phone! It will even include current weather, relevant maps, and photos. I could have really used this 2 years ago when my husband and I went backpacking around Europe for 27 days...

#3 Skype- This is the tool I chose to look at more in depth. I've heard of it a little, but really had no idea what it was capable of! I think it is great that someone finally developed a program that will enable video chats for free! Basically Skype works by importing a contact list with their phone numbers and you can text, call, videochat, or IM them on their computers. You can also download Skype on your cell phone so you can use it on the go. I would definitely use this feature to video call my brother who lives in Miami, that way I can see him when we talk...it'll be much better than chatting on the phone. I can see this as a useful tool for new parents to show off their new babies to family members who live far away. The video chat is priceless and the possibilities are endless! As long as the person you care planning to talk to downloads Skype, everything is free! They also have great rates for calling land lines or mobile phones, which could be a great alternative for calling friends/family who live overseas.

Thing 16

I did a screentoaster shot of me using www.brainpop.com. I had a lot of issues using this website though and therefore I don't like it. The biggest problem was that 2 of the computers I tried using this on were old and couldn't handle the website. The computers froze up and had huge lag times. Therefore my video isn't that great. Also, after creating my video, I couldn't figure out how to save it because the computer kept freezing. I think this is a cool tool to use, especially for a classroom that uses a lot of computers. I could easily show a screenshot video for my students to watch instead of me teaching a short concept. Make sure you're using an up to date computer that is very fast when trying to use this website! It's the only one I had problems with!

Thing 15

I really liked Voicethread. I think it's such a unique and interesting tool. I'm not sure that I would actually use it in my classroom, because I would need more of an online classroom setting. Maybe we could go to the computer lab and use it one day where I require each of my students to leave a certain number of responses on the voicethread that I have created. It could be a nice review tool where students could ask questions and have their classmates answer them. So actually now that I think about it...I might actually start using it in class!

Thing 14

This is also my first experience with wiki. I think it's cool and could be a valuable classroom tool. In science, I can see wikis being used in much of the same ways that Kellie talked about. I could have my students post data from whole class labs or ask each other questions about homework assignments when they need it. I could also have a wiki for use during research projects, where students could post other useful websites. The possibilities are endless.

Thing 13

This is my animoto video. I chose to do a video that showcases the amount of fun we have in cross country. I liked animoto, but I was hoping to be able to make it more interesting by adding text...but since I only did a 30 second trial, I didn't get those options. I thought it was very easy to use and might want to have students use it someday as a project. Here is my video:

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Thing 12

I think that the creative commons idea is a good idea. I always search on google web or images for tons of stuff that I use in my classroom. I use a lot of pictures during powerpoints. I think the the owners of the pictures should get credit, but then again, I don't want to not have access to the pictures anymore. I use those pictures to help the students understand the topic we are covering or to see an example of it. Without them, my class wouldn't be as good.

I could see how it could be used with student projects, especially those that students don't want to be stolen or copywrited. (for example, papers) This way the students can realize that if they post something online, anyone can search for it, find it, and use it. This will prevent that from happening if they don't want it to. I also think that creative commons can help students to understand more about copywrite laws and user privacy.

Thing 11

I created a GoodReads account and my username is sterlingk. I added a bunch of books since I've read the Harry Potter and Twilight series. I've also read a couple of Mitch Albom books and one that I am planning to read once I get some free time. I like the website but unfortunately I don't read a ton, so I wouldn't use it much. Most of my reading happens over the summer and then I usually just pick something popular. I could definitely see a website like this being used in a literature class where students can post books that they've read and give summaries of them. It could probably be a pretty neat aspect of the classroom.