Thing 10

RSS and newsreaders may be the best thing we have done in this class so far!  Blogs are a great source of information, but with a busy life, it is not possible to sit and read a bunch of blogs each day.  However, with an RSS feed, it is easy to skim the new material on several websites at one time.  When you subscribe to several feeds, you can easily see which sites have new content that is worth reading.  Teachers have busy lives and this tool is great for helping teachers find the time to utilize all the wonderful tools available to help them!  RSS is a great tool for educators (and really anyone).  This tool helps make web 2.0 things more accessible.  The article likened newsfeeds to e mail,  but I see them as more similar to Facebook, a platform almost everyone uses regularly now.  All the new information from your favorite sites are in one location, and you can chose to look at whichever things look interesting or useful to you!

Thing 9

You knew a school assignment could end up being so much fun....

Discovery of the day--I love image generators!  I had so much fun playing around with these sites today.

 Who wouldn't want a cute flower sign to direct them to their history class?!?!


Or you could make a custom jersey for a special athlete....

The photos above were both created at imagechef.com, a site suggusted in the instuctions.

However, there are many more image generators.  The next image is an example of a photo collage, created at http://www.fotor.com/.  This site is free and allows you to make a photo collage, using your own photos.

 Image generators have a multitude of uses, both in the classroom and in everyday use. 


I plan on using these in my classroom to create cute signs to liven up the often boring white walls of a school.  I could use a photo collage to creatively present several pictures in a PowerPoint.  I plan on using these types of sites in my everyday life to spruce up my social media and to just be more creative in general.

Thing 8

I had so much fun with Flickr the first time, I looked forward to this "thing." The amount of apps using Flickr shocked me.  Some of these apps let you create something while others simple help you use Flickr.  One of the most interesting things I found belonged to the second group.  This site, http://www.whatsthatpicture.com/flickr/commons-map.php, allows the user to view a world map and see where different pictures from Flickr were taken.  All these pictures are from the Commons, so they are something I could use in the classroom.  This site is very useful.  For example if you wanted to find a picture taken of something in Ireland, you can zoom in on that country and see all the pictures from the Commons from Ireland.  The site mashed Google Earth and the Commons to provide the map.  It is important to note that this map is still in the process of being created so their are still some kinks and things to be desired.  The site also has a very interesting page called on this day where you can select a date and they will provide a picture from that day in history. 

Other sites allow the user to create various objects.  Some of these seem less academic to me, but can be fun for use in my personal life.  For instance, I created this using a picture of some penguins.

This website, http://bighugelabs.com/, has a variety of tools for use with Flickr.  You can put captions of pictures, which could be quite useful in creating presentations.

This further exploration into Flickr has changed my mind on the site.  I now plan on using it in my classroom for finding pictures from history and using them in my lectures.

Thing 7

I have never really used Flickr before.  Honestly, I thought it was just kinda a site for teenager girls to use to show off their newest Miley Cyrus impersonation outfit.  When I saw that exploring Flickr was one of our assignments, I knew I must have been mistaken!  After looking around Flickr some, I realized the site is actually really cool.  You can look at a world map and see where people are posting pictures around the world.  When I clicked on a picture someone posted from Dublin, Ireland, I found the picture below.  The picture was posted by the National Library of Ireland and was taken around 1900.  The caption invites viewers to debate on what exactly is seen in the picture.  Is the giant cross an ornate mail box or something more?  I thought this picture was both gorgeous and intriguing.  It made me think a little bit about what exactly I was seeing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47290943@N03/9682531809

Photographer: Robert French

The amount of historical pictures on Flickr shocked me.  As a historian and future history teacher, this is an excellent resource.  As the overly cliched saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.  Although this is  true in the more commonly accepted meaning of this saying, a picture can be worth countless words in the classroom.  Displaying a picture on the projector is a great way to transition topics and spark discussion with students.  A lesson like this forces students to think about a topic and immerse themselves in histroy

The Commons area on Flikr is the most useful part of the website to my future classroom.  The Commons is an effort to digitize photo archives and make them available for public use.  Several large institutions partipicate in the project.  This project would be a great tool in the classroom because the teacher can trust the image since it comes from a reputatable institution.  The captions are reliable, whereas if an image is just found on Google it may not be.

The tags feature is also really nice, allowing a user to find photos with similar tags.  I looked at photos with the tag libraryofcongress.  All these photos were uploaded from the United States Library of Congress.  Below are some photos with this tag that I thought were interesting.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8623220@N02/9733702037/in/photolist-fQ8LuV-fQ8NVk-fQ8Mup-fQ8Mkt-fQqnyq-fQ8Nst-fQqn6b-fQqmxh-fQ8Mcp-fQ8LaZ-fQ8Nha-fQ8PqP-fQqo6W-fQ8N4Z-fQ8Mqt-fQ8N2M-fQqkSw-fQ8Nd8-fQ8Myx-fQ8PcH-fQ8M2t-fQ8NKi-fQqjXS-fQ8MW4-fQ8KQe-fQqnm9-fQ8KXz-fQqosy-fQ8Phr-fQ8KVv-fQ8Mhk-fQ8N6R-fQqnMU-fQ8Pwa-fQqmqN-fQqo4s-fQqkaq-fQ8LDK-fQ8Mar-fQ8M8r-fQqnY5-fQqksC-fQqkhU-fQqk7Y-fQqjDd-fQ8PDp-fKKBot-fL3jr5-fL3kto-fKKKfi-fKKHkB

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8623220@N02/9574727213/in/photolist-fA5YPF-fA5Zu8-fA5YD4-fAkjPN-fAkk3A-fA61PF-fA5ZTB-fA5Z5M-fAkjyE-fAkkuy-fA61jn-fAkhEo-fAkhxL-fA5YKr-fA5ZDB-fAkhch-fAkkL7-fAkj8Q-fAkjGs-fAkicm-fAki4J-fA613M-fAkm4L-fA61WF-fAkkyE-fA5ZdB-fA5Yft-fA61rr-fAkhAU-fA5Y4D-fAkkny-fuUq7X-fuUsSZ-fv9Lg5-fuUswi-fuUqtD-fuUs2K-fuUqHz-fuUrrn-fuUrUH-fuUsLa-fuUqzM-fuUsZx-fuUriD-fuUsaM-fuUr4c-fuUqWr-fuUpKR-fv9HSd-fuUpT6-fv9Jro

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8623220@N02/9473050638/in/photolist-fr6RVh-fr6S6o-fr6ToE-fr6Rzw-fr6SR5-fqRA5z-fqRByH-fqRC7M-fqRzLa-fqRzsx-fr6QLs-fqRCwZ-fr6Ua9-fqRzTi-fr6SYE-fr6ReL-fqRBVt-fr6T7w-fqRAXk-fr6QGw-fqRzDi-fr6SCU-fr6Snq-fqRzvK-fqRCEg-fr6RMy-fmsYDe-fmsYvx-fmHa3L-fmsY1z-fmsYnB-fmH9ML-fmsYzr-fmH9Fd-fmHaTf-fmsYLe-fmHb7d-fmsYQ6-fmHaaL-fmsZ28-fmsYiP-fmH9QJ-fmGRxb-fmGQ6J-fmsDCp-fmGTdC-fmsExz-fmsD4F-fmsG32-fmGRJY-fmGQTE

After this experience with Fickr, I learned that the sight is easy to use and a great tool in the classroom (and an even better way to spend some free time!).

Thing 6

TV watching has become the new national past time.  I am as guilty as anyone else.  I turn the TV on after dinner and spend the evening watching it instead of doing something mentally engaging or productive to society.  However, the television is not going anywhere.  But maybe life would be easier if there was an easy way to watch all your shows on line without worrying about being home for a show or even remembering to set the DVR? (Side note--I am a little concerned about the fact that is this a problem for people--including myself-- in the first place.)


While trying to find a website for this activity I started out looking for something strictly tied to the classroom, but I found this quite difficult.  Every educationally related site I found either charged for use, was not as cool as it first seemed, or was in another language.  However, when  I expanded my search and just looked for websites I personally found useful or interesting.  I ended up finding this handy site that links users to locations where they can watch shows on line.  This site, http://www.tv.com/, does not link users to illegal streaming sites, but rather directs them to legal methods of watching the video.  At first, I just thought this was a nice site that I could use in my free time, but then I explored the site further and found some great educational videos including lectures on Ancient Egypt and a movie about the Hidenburg disaster, and an entire series made by the National Archives.  Sometimes, videos accurately depict a historical event and cane be extremely useful in a classroom.  I am so glad that I found this website that I can use in both my free time and in the classroom!

Thing 5

I am from a small town in a rural area.  Technology was non existent in my high school.  The only computers available for student use were located in a classroom and reserved solely for the Information Technology classes (typing, document creation, etc.).  I also attended a small liberal arts school.  Although more technology was available at this school, things were still pretty low key.  Thus, technology was never part of my education.  Until I attended Murray State, I was much more comfortable with a book than a computer.  It was only after several trips to the library that I became comfortable with internet research.  School 2.0 is a completely different type of education than the one I am familiar with from experience.  The multitude of resources available for educators is astounding.  It is possible (and not even difficult) to assign students a project entailing them creating an animated video online.  This could provide a great opportunity for students to learn in a unique manner.  I believe school 2.0 is a chance for students to move past the knowledge level of learning.  No longer do students of ANY subjects need to be assigned the memorization of facts solely.  Teachers have thousands of resources available to them that that help engage students in lessons and help them more fully learn the material.  Future schools may look very different.  As technology becomes more affordable (and practical for schools) teachers will adapt their lessons and use different tools more regularly.  Technology is not only changing the way we communicate with family, but also the way we learn and teach.

Thing 4

I love to read cooking blogs. Whenever I can't think of something to make for dinner, off I go to my favorite blog.  I regularly read comments to see how different recipes worked out for people, but I never comment myself.  I have never even thought about commenting myself though.  Commenting is so important to the blogging process.  The various pieces about commenting reminded me how valuable commenting is.  Positive reinforcement helps encourage bloggers and comments can help guide a blogger in developing new ideas.  Commenting creates a sense of community.  A blog is not a private diary.  Rather, people read your posts and comment, fostering a deeper sense of togetherness.  For the purpose of this class, I have chosen to follow and comment on the following blogs: Alexa Aguilar, Catherine Ericson, Stephanie Freeman, Tonya Van Winkle, and Natasha Long.  Other blogs I want to follow this semester are The History Teacher's Attic (a blog for history teachers) and Speaking of History. Since I love history (and want to teach it) I hope these blogs will both help me learn something and become a better teacher.  My comments all try to identify with the comments and encourage the blogger.  I believe optimism is a great quality and encouragement goes a long way when someone takes the time to put their writing in a public sphere.

Thing 3

Since I have little experience blogging, I struggled thinking of ways to use this practice in my education and later my classroom.  However, after spending some time blogging for class, I learned the potential usefulness of this tool.  Hopefully, I will be teaching high school history.  Blogging could be very useful when requiring students to do any form of research.  Students could post their research search and receive a quick response to their work.  A blog would also provide a wonderful forum for students to exchange ideas and discuss topics.  Blogging provides another way to facilitate discussion and debate between students while encouraging critical thinking.  Discussion of a topic requires a deeper level of understanding, rather than simply memorizing dates and re-writing them on a test.

Blogging not only provides students a method of discussion, but also allows the same opportunities to teachers.  A blog could provide sample activities, lesson plan ideas, or just some encouragement after a rough day.  Blogging is quick and simple enough for almost anyone to do, making it a great tool for teachers in any subject.