Tool #4

I created a Google doc and shared it with some coworkers and received feedback in real time. We were not sure if the document sent or if the changes were saved. Once we discovered that we had completed everything right, we had a fun learning experience collaborating with Google docs.


I also created a form in Google Docs and shared it via email with coworkers. My coworkers learned some things about my interests and summer plans and I was able to learn about them as well. In the form you can create different kinds of questions like multiple choice, check all that apply, and free response.


I can use the form and writing document to discuss problems, lessons, and homework with my teammates. I can also use the Google documents to have my students collaborating with each other using the iPads and netbooks. I would also like to use Blogger as a place my students can check homework assignments, quizzes, and tests. I would like to use the Google apps jointly with my teacher Facebook account because many of my students are already using Facebook as a social media. It is helpful when you can combine technologies that are new to students with things they already understand.

Tool #3

This is a video I found on YouTube.com. I used it to introduce the Quadratic Formula in my classroom last year. Most of the kids thought it was funny and the song ended up stuck in their heads. It helped some students memorize the formula and helped others remember the name of the formula and how to use it. It is somewhat goofy...enjoy

I found another video on TeacherTube.com that I could use to introduce the math at the beginning of the year. I get questions all the time in my Math Models class: "When will I use this?" and "Why is this important?" This video shows different places where math is used, and it's in a fun and entertaining way.

http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=3682

I had never really read and educated myself about Copyright laws and the Fair Use laws for my classroom use of media. I learned that many times teachers can get into trouble because they don't know how to site their usage of media in their classrooms. Under Fair Use laws, teachers can use small portions of a work and site where they found it. If they are using the majority of a work, they need permission to use it. If the work you are using is a well known fact, then you do not need permission to use it. If you are not making money off of someone else's work, you are probably okay. Teachers also have the ability to print copies for classroom use as long as they are destroyed when you are finished using them. As a student in band we were faced with this every year. We had many copies of different musical pieces and were required to turn in our copied music at the end of the year, so students could not violate Copyright laws.

Dropbox is a tool that could be used with my students when working on our budget projects. Many of my students forgot to print their projects, and if they saved them in Dropbox, I could have viewed them from my computer with little hassle. It is also a way for team members to share documents quickly and efficiently.

Tool #2

I was able to view some different blogs from the list provided, other teachers at Northbrook HS, and previous blogs I have found interesting. I added a few that I enjoyed to my blog under Blogs I love, so I could come back to them at a later date. That particular gadget shows you the title of the most recent post from each blog, so you can quickly see if you want to read that post.

I like the idea of having a PLN because you can learn so much from those that you work with on a daily basis and others around the country and world who are using innovative ideas in their classrooms. I love commenting on other people's blogs and sharing thoughts on their ideas. The list of commenting tips helped a lot when considering how you pose questions in each post and how you structure your blog. I enjoy sharing my thoughts with my network on my personal blog, and I think it will be useful and helpful as I improve my classroom practices and usage of technology in my classroom. One thing to remember when posting online versus talking to coworkers is that once it is posted anyone in the world has access to it. We must be very careful what we say on our blogs/comments.

One blog that I will visit again in the future is http://learningismessy.com/blog/ . I enjoyed reading their posts because they presented some information about education today. Much of what they said was and is controversial and it allows you to read different viewpoints on where education is going and how it needs to change.

Tool 1: Creating a blog

Woohoo!! I created my blog for 11 tools. It was pretty easy because I have created a personal blogger in the past. The only difficulty I had was adding my voki to the blog. I was not sure which gadget to post the voki code into. (Now I know...it is the HTML gadget.) I look forward to learning about new technology and applying it to my specific classroom.