Thing 11: The Sandbox

Well because this one seemed easy I put it off.  Today I am going back to check to see if I have done everything and realize that I missed this one and I can't modify the page.  So...I going to add it here...

My Favorites
Food	Singers	Movies	Usual Music
Chinese	Anita Baker	The Sound of Music	Kathy Matteo
Italian	Bebe and Cece Winans	Pretty Woman	Garth Brooks
Indian	Brian Mcknight	Princess Bride	Randy Travis

One of my favorite songs…it’s very poignant

 

Thing 23: Congratulations (Sigh!)

1.      What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?

 

I think my favorite thing is the mosiac maker which will help me make my annual Christmas cards.

 

2.      How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?

 

I thing the tools I have discovered help make me a more effective classroom teacher  with diversity tools at my disposal and build a solid foundation as a librarian.

 

3.      Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

 

First, I never really understood what was meant by the term 2.0 tools.  I also didn't realize how many different free tools are available to enhance the way we teach and products that students submit.  Most surprising was the joys of Twitter (although I still won't keep it up).

 

4.      What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?

 

I would consolidate things 4, 8 and 9 which are all related to RSS feeds and blogs or maybe just combine 8 and 9 because they go hand in hand.

 

5.      If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?

 

Yes, but only in the summer time when I have more time to really explore.

 

6.      How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote 23 Things learning activities?

      Enhancing

Thing 22: Your Turn

This is easy. PINTEREST! I know that most people are aware of the joys of Pinterest but it bears mentioning again.  Form lesson planning to finding recipes Pinterest is the place to go.  It also allows you the means for or organizing the gems you find and sharing them with everyone.  But beware it is like a black hole.  If you're not careful, you'll never leave your seat in front of the computer screen.

Thing 21: Online Image Generator

I know this task was suppose to be fun but I was working on my laptop which decided it need to update 38 things when I embarked on this journey. Once it was done I tried to make a logo use Happy Face Generator and it was a lesson in frustration.  It would allow me to get as far as choosing a font and background when I input my logo all that would happen was that a new web page would open.  I finally abandon the task and moved to Dumpr and made an image sketch, then ImageChef and Comic Strip Generator.

Thing 20: Recess

As with my kids when recess is mentioned I breathed a sigh of relief.  No rules, the freedom to visit whatever I want with no constraints, no real structure , finally this is more like life but the time is set aside to do it. I used this time to visit things in the Livebinder with titles that caught my attention.  I visited WordStash which was cool the flashcards are digital and I didn't see a way to print them. I also visited Storybird which I will use for my final project, ComicMaster, Spiderscribe and Schmoop.
I had so much fun here.

http://wordstash.com/
http://storybird.com/

http://www.comicmaster.org.uk/

http://www.spiderscribe.net/
http://www.shmoop.com/

Thing 19: Mashups

I really liked like two mashups Mosaic Maker and Mapr.  I made a mosaic and while the process was slow and tedious (especially waiting for the pictures to upload!) the end result was fantastic.  I think this would be a great way to display the year's activities and or showcase authors and their books.  Although I didn't create a Mapr, I think it may be a great way to create a scavenger hunt.  Personally, these maps would great for me because that's how I direct people somewhere i.e.., turn left at the shell, right at the red house... Lots to explore... See my mosaic below:

Thing 18: Shelfari and Goodreads

It is fun to create these accounts but once again this is another tool that on my own I will not keep up. This has file as part of my job requirements all over it.  I obsess about making it perfect I will rarely will revisit the site. See the Widget on my home page.

Thing 17: Ning

I tried to visit all the Nings listed to see which drew my attention.  Educator Ning and Texas School Librarian Ning seem defunct. Future of Education Ning was linked to a lot of good resources but it requires the investment of time to visit and read.  Ning for Teachers is another Teacher Pay Teachers type site that is less busy and has less resources. I did download a couple of free resources the Word family centers and games, I have, Who has subtraction...  I think my favorite was the Teacher Librarian Ning.  It had resources that address some current needs. I particularly liked the Elementary Library Routines corner.
Ning is a great way to showcase upcoming events in your library, district and State events.  Once you gain a solid network core group it could be a one stop shop for all library related events and conferences.

Thing 16: Video Sharing

Youtube is one of my favorite teaching tools.  I use it for both math and language arts.  Because of the ease to access Youtube in my district, I haven't really explored Teachertube. On my first try, I found a new ABC rap that I will be using in my classroom.   It was fantastic!
Below as assigned is a video about web 2.0 tools on Youtube and a new favorite video (ABC rap) on Teachertube:

   

After trying to embed them both I found it easier to embed the Youtube video than the Teachertube one.

Thing 15: Podcasts and Vidcasts

 

 

This was easy to use.  The most trouble I had was finding the right music.

Thing 14: More Online Applications and Tools

Although, I have created several Prezis, I have never imported a Powerpoint into a Prezi. Well, I made it harder by "thinking" so this took longer than it should have.  I tried to create by using a template, then with a really long presentation.  Not smart but I finally got it done. 
 http://prezi.com/4klpze0zaggf/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy