Reflection #7 - Weebly vs. Webs

What?:

So I originally was going to create my final project website using Weebly.com, but I was struggling with the format. Although there were a lot of options and room for personalization, the options weren't really what I was looking for. I switched to Webs.com.

So What?:

So... after I switched I found it way easier to format the pages and keep myself organized. On Weebly each entry on a page had to fit a certain format within their options - this made it difficult to manipulate things and adjust items to fit your own needs. Also, there was no true organization and it made it difficult to remember what I had and hadn't done. It also made it hard to know what to place where and keep it all straight in my head. Webs.com was super organized and had "pages" already created for within your entire site. This made it easy to decide what to put where and to have it place and formatted just like I wanted it to be.

Now What?:

I think the most applicable lesson I learned from this experience is that it's definitely okay to swap formats, but also that in the first place, check out the software or program you're going to use. Make sure you like it and check your options before you put too much time into it. Having website-building.

Until next time.

Week 14 - A FINAL Post Vomiting All This Info Back Out of Me

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, technology. My friend and rival. My buddy and my adversary. Mi amigo y mi sustantivo.

Oh to be a teacher in the 21st century. Glorious. The future - who really knows what it holds. I know that the information that spews out of the mouth, minds, fingers, screens, wires, and projectors these days blows my mind. It makes me feel sick to my stomach with excitement.

Moogpal.

urgentevoke.com

iPad.

Windows 7 (bleh).

etc. etc. etc.

Did You Know 4.0:

The future of technology and education. It just goes up, up, up, up. You have to be on your toes. Be informed. Be aware. Be seeking the new and the improved. Because that's what your class is going to need. Your students are going to need. They need stimulation their way. The tech way.

The future of technology and education. Everything is changing as I write. Advancements are put into place. Ideas are formed. Concepts pitched. Stats collected. Tests run. Etc. Etc. Etc.

The future of technology and education is bright - we just have to be willing to jump on the band-wagon and put in the time. It will be rewarding. Completely. Significantly. Unbelievably. Irrevocably. Undeniably. Presently rewarding.

Until next time.... oh, wait, that's my last post like this. Until my next reflection post... :)

Week 13 - A Post Converting PC Users

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. My evil plan.

No, I'm pretty sure there will be no converts - you just have to like Mac.

A little background on me - I grew up a PC, but always knew I wanted a Mac. Sleek body, cool symbol, simple complexity, sweet name, rad programs, built-in webcam; they were the Swarovski Gems of computers. Although I grew up obsessed with right click and "alt-tab," I knew the grass was greener on the other side.

And it was.

I got my MacBook last August. It was a gift (of sorts) for free, from my boyfriend's dad. Praise Jesus I didn't have to buy my own! I have since learned the general ins and outs of my beloved Mac (aka MacDaddy). P.S. you don't need a mouse to right-click on a Mac - just hold "ctrl" and click. "Alt-Tab" (to toggle windows) has been exchanged with "apple symbol-tab" and "apple symbol-tilde" (apple symbol = command key). It took me a month to readjust to my new key-commands, but it was worth it. My Mac was 4 years old when I got it and still works PERFECT. Yes. Perfect. I only had to get my battery replaced - which, by the way, the Mac Store did for free: free battery and installment. Amazing.

Ok. Awesome customer service is something else to add to my list of "likes" about Macs. The "Genius Bar" at the Apple store really know their stuff. Amen.

Three programs I love on my Mac:

1. Photo Booth: Pshhhht. Anyone that has a friend that has a Mac understands the joy that Photo Booth brings. 16 different effects and an unlimited amount of fun. For school, it could be useful for documenting projects, self-portraits for assignments or journals, and overall classroom enjoyment - "Best Photo Booth Picture of the Week" (that'd be a sweet contest).
2. DASHBOARD:

I freaking love my dashboard: calculator, Michael Scott quotes, games, calendar, STICKY NOTES, Sudoku, weather, dictionary, clock (currently at Sydney, Australia where my friend is). I have dozens of other "widgets" downloaded for my dashboard but those are the ones I currently have up. Endless hours of fun and convenience, all you have to do is click "F12." Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

3. Okay, some little simple things that I appreciate: the "dock" - yes, Windows 7 now has this, but know, understand, and be in awe, Mac had it first; don't be surprised, Mac has everything first. I can personalize my "dock" and put whatever programs I use the most in it. Love it's simplicity. Next, "system preferences": everything you need to personalize, configure, change, update, destroy, and otherwise control your MacBaby is in ONE place. That's right people, ONE place - bahahaha! Last, convenience and cohesiveness: yes, iTunes is an Apple manufactured program; yes, iPhoto is an Apple manufactured program; yes, your iPod and iPhone are Apple manufactured; yes, Mac's are Apple manufactured. My point: all these are so easily configured and combined that it blows my mind! They are so intricately woven that everything is easier! Gosh, if only all of you could experience the joy that my Mac brings me.

Side note: don't be confused, Mac had all the ideas first. PC/Windows 7 is a far cry from Mac and is still lagging behind even after its near identical changes to its programming. A comic to make my point - bahahahahaha.

P.S. I'm the only Mac user at my house - it's okay to set yourself apart, people will still love and accept you, even if your laptop is a MacBook and therefore infinitely better than anything they have. HAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes, I am that proud of my Mac and yes, I am that ridiculously and illogically immovable and un-persuadable as to any inkling of "better" that the PC MIGHT, hypothetically have. I'm a Mac lover and I'm proud of it.

P.P.S. if God had a laptop, it'd be a MacBookPro.

Mac, FTW.

Week 12 - A Post Re-digesting "Moogpal in Action"

"Moogpal in Action"

Welcome to Moogpal - Moodle + Google Apps + Drupal.

I was unbelievably confused when I watched this video, not to mention that I found myself bored for a while. But then Chris Fitzgerald Walsh started talking about it with the direction of education. It was AMAZING.

Moogpal is still in developmental stages and will be a free, open source internet program for teachers and students. The home page will be similar to the Facebook home page, in that it will provide a "News Feed" that announces assignments, test dates, notices, reminders, etc. from each class that the student/teacher is a part of. It's single-sign-on and connects to each class and teacher. There will be multiple apps available just like in Google Apps. It won't be an open community, meaning that people who aren't registered for the program and such won't be able to view things.

OKAY, OKAY - I know you're like, "Jordan, I don't really care, what you're saying doesn't really make sense, and it seems really lame." WAIT! THERE'S MORE! Haha.

GRADE PORTAL - yes, "oooooo" and "ahhhhhh". Grades by course, grades by SKILLS, recent activity, colored grades, feed of activity. Yes, that's right - Grades by SKILLS. So not only do you tell the student their grade, but you then grade them according to more specific behaviors, work, techniques, etc. So cool. What brilliance!!!

Watch the video. DO IT!

What I learned??? I DON'T KNOW. I didn't even know there was such a thing as Drupal or Moodle - so I learned that. I learned that developers could combine programs! And I learned that those developers love me, because they're taking care of my needs as a teacher; future teacher. Yes, they love me. And I love them. :)

Anyways, the screen shots that they've developed make Moogpal look fairly simple and easy to use. Which is good. I'm excited to see where this all leads. I'm especially excited about the Home Page and the Grade Portal.

Until next time.

Week 11 - A Post Commenting on "Edutopia: How to Make Research Papers Relevant for Students"

Edutopia + my comment

I learned that even when teaching the fundamentals of English (one being research writing) that it is still important to integrate technology. But I suppose I already knew that. But it was encouraging because I haven't heard much discussion about research writing which was disappointing because I especially love that.

I wrote about an idea for a lesson that I had - which will be written about in a reflection here sometime soon. I hope it was supplementary!

Overall it was just generally encouraging.

Until next time.

Assignment #4 - Technology Project; Part One (required)

Alright-y.

For my final project I will be using the following Web 2.0 tools: Weebly.com (to make a website), Box.net (to convert normal word documents into files for a website), Vocaroo.com (for podcasts), and Delicious.com (for resources).

I will be creating a website on Weebly.com that is dedicated to a lesson unit that I'm basing on the life and works of Lewis Carroll. I am creating the unit for my Childhood Literature class and decided to use this project to supplement that project. The plan is to create links from the website to Delicious lists and different podcasts as well. Also, for the Childhood Lit assignment I will be creating assignment documents and rubrics that I will then convert, using Box.net, into files to put on the website. I really want the project to be all-encompassing and if it turns out anything like I think it will, it should be fabulous.

Until next time.

Part #2 - Friends' Blogs I've Posted On

Bethany P

Matthew W

Sarah W

Shayna P

Daley L