Thing #12: Google is not just for searching anymore

Below are screenshots of the two tools that I chose to use, google translate and google alerts. I chose two simple English sentences to translate to Spanish and found it incredibly easy to understand the forms. I also chose to receive google alerts about standardized testing, because I wanted to know how they're affecting our school systems and how they are changing. The form provided for this tool was also very easy to understand. It took me only a matter of seconds to become familiar with all of the tools google provides to its users.

These would be great for educational uses when writing a long term research paper google alerts could keep you up to date on your topic and the developing news around it. Google translate would be great for students of different cultures to find a way to communicate, as well as teach students trying to learn a different language learn the proper pronunciation of each word.

Thing #11: Finding Good Feeds

I found using google to look for blogs related to the topic I was interested in the most helpful. It brought up a large selection of blogs for me to view and choose which ones fit my interests the best.

I found the search tool provided on the blogger website to be the most confusing because it didn't provide me a detailed preview of the blog.

I also asked fellow classmates how they found blogs and began to follow some of the same ones that they were following.

Thing #10: Set up an RSS Reader and Add Feeds

I set up my RSS reader and added feed many weeks ago when we began using blogger for this class. I have thoroughly enjoyed sporadic updates from the cooking, photography, travel, news, and education blogs which I follow. I like that it keeps a "news feed" type list for me that is self updating so that I don't have to worry about searching through bookmarked links on my computer to keep up with my interests.

I can use the education and news blogs that I follow in my academic life to relate the material that I am learning at school, which helps me understand it better. I can use the cooking blog to better my nutrition and relaxation when I am at home, because I enjoy cooking and find it to be rather relaxing. I use the photography and travel blogs, simply for enjoyment and relaxation. After a long day of going to school, followed by work, followed by housework, I like to just sit down in my big comfy papasan chair cuddled up with my dog and look over these things on my iPad. It is one of my favorite ways to end my day.

I have found ways to use RSS Readers in every aspect of my life. There are many feeds relating to management and serving and the pizza industry and the burger industry, all of which relate to my jobs.

Teachers can use RSS readers to collaborate with other teachers about issues, lessons, and technology in their classroom, essentially using the blogs as a support system.

Thing #9: Online Image Generators

Each of the images below came from a different website, but they were all customized by me. I cannot personally think of any reason that I would use these in a library or classroom setting, other than for the purpose which i listed in a previous blog, to label items in a creative way. I can't really think of any academic purpose for these in a elementary classroom. I did enjoy this exercise though, because it did not involve a lot of mental involvement from the academic portion of the brain!






http://www7.flamingtext.com/net-fu/jobs/131129675.html?use=personal
http://free.text2logo.com/happy-face-smilies.htm
http://www.comicstripgenerator.com/create-duo.asp?text=Spring+break+is+almost+here%3F&title=Spring+Break&move=&move2=&fontsize=12&font=comic&color=black&cartoons.x=74&cartoons.y=9&cartoon=see-hear-speak-no-evil-smilie_&text2=You+don%27t+say%21&tag=March+5%2C+2013&mover=&mover2=&time=1415

Thing #8: Flickr mashups

The first image is an image of a flickr mashup, created on http://metaatem.net/words/. This particular tool creates a word from various tiles and could be used in the classroom to have students create unique nametags to place on their cubbies(since I'll be teaching elementary school) or their folders which they keep homework, notes home, report cards, etc. in so that they are easy to sort through upon check in and check out from the teacher each day/week. I used in in my personal life to create my name not only for this assignment, but also for my facebook cover photo.

The second picture is a mosaic which was created on bighugelabs.com. This tool would be useful for putting photos from field trips, classroom activities, and just daily activities to place around the classroom. Many people feel more comfortable in environments containing pictures of themselves, their friends, and their families. It makes them feel like it is okay to "nest" there. In my personal life, I can use it to create neat little backgrounds for my iPhone, iPad, and laptop.

Personally, I have no issue sharing photos online, as long as I have some control over who can view them and what can be done with them.

Thing #7: Explore Flickr

This image was found here on flickr. I searched for the tag Blue Lagoon Malta, because that is somewhere I visited as a student ambassador when I was twelve. I felt by viewing others photos as well as my own of this site I would be able to remember more about the experience that I had there.

Flickr's search engine made it extremely easy to find photos for the purpose I was using it for. It brought me to a page with a wide variety of images, from which I chose my favorite. This image depicts a castle which used to be used on the land surrounding the Blue Lagoon. It also shows to people using a special type of goggles(which you must have for saltwater) to look at the beauty below the water surface, which I did when I was there!

I also took the tour of flickr which showed how to share your photos to tell a story, leave comments on others photos, and explains the benefits of having your photos wherever you go. I found flickr to be a very intriguing site that I would like to explore further when I have more free time on my hands.

Thing #6: Discovering Web 2.0 Tools

When I read the assignment for this blog my mind began to wander from cooking to work to school to my social life. It was almost overwhelming when I opened the link which we were supposed to find a tool at. In the midst of this confusion, a light bulb came on in my head which said "you need to organize your thoughts to complete this project, you will never get it done by being scatterbrained." So I looked at the tags on the right hand side, and saw one titled organization, so I clicked it. Then I saw one titled "tools" so I clicked it. Quickly I came upon the one which would be a winner for me, moreganize. Moreganize is useful for me in multiple aspects of my life. I can create a to do list which I can access from anywhere of homework assignments, and then a separate list of things that need to be done around the house, and the one which I found the most rewarding was being able to create a list from anywhere on my phone, laptop, or iPad which I could share with coworkers telling them things that needed to be accomplished that day. For example, the list would be titled with the date and name of our workplace and it may list deep cleaning for BER, consider CLC roles, ensure great service is given to each guest, etc. Then when my coworkers open the list they can check off the things which they have completed, communicating to the rest of the team what projects are still left. I tested it the last few days, and it has made us communicate so much more and accomplish more as a team all together.

I think this tool would be especially useful for college students to collaborate on group projects, and for team teachers to collaborate on field trips, lesson plans, etc. You can find this tool at moreganize.com