Thing 14: Go with the Flow

So Thing 14 is about flowcharts and mind maps. When I think of "mind maps" I imagine a brain with each location labeled...and a lot of people with a HUGE blank spot where "common sense" and "common courtesy" should be.  Obviously that's not right...I think...so let's consult the ultimate source of knowledge- Wikipedia! According to them, a mind map is a diagram used to visually outline information. Ok, so now that we are armed with that knowledge, let's address the assignment.

The first thing I need to do is sign up for two web-based tools: one that is used to create flowcharts and one that is used to create mind maps. Gliffy (hahahaha...I cannot say that out loud without giggling)is a web-based application used to create flowcharts.

So this is neat! There's a nice assortment of templates available to use. After clicking through each of them, I am thoroughly impressed! I plan to possibly return to this tool later...I believe we will be making a floor plan of our ideal classroom later on down the line...but for anyone who ever needs to create a chart or diagram for a presentation, or is just bored and wants to organize their family tree by who they feel is the most important, I highly recommend Gliffy. (heh heh)

So to mind maps. bubbl.us is fun! I made this brief example of a mind map for you.

What are you waiting for? Go and check these out! They're free, fun and useful!

Question of the Day: How would you utilize these web-based tools in the classroom if you were a teacher?

Thing 13: Web-based Applications

Sorry to have been gone for so long! But I'm back with a vengeance and ready to get the second half of this project done! Thing 13 is an introduction to web-based applications. Apparently there are some who think that web-based applications will eventually replace actual computer software. Now I'm of the opinion that this may eventually happen, but for now I don't see people just getting rid of Microsoft Office in place of free (sometimes) online software. 

This learning activity focuses on Zoho, which is a site containing MANY different tools you can utilize for various projects. Zoho writer is the one I'll be investigating today, and I will then compare it side by side with Google Docs. So buckle up, kick back and relax and enjoy the ride!!

Right off the bat I'm pleased with Zoho because I can log in with my Google account. Holy cow I have been seriously impressed with the amount of applications you can access simply by having a (FREE) Google account. Ok so back to Zoho. The layout of the document writer is very similar to that of Word or other such software. See...

I found it super easy to make a short document in Zoho. You have all your basic tools (font type, size, page formatting. spell check, etc.) as well as a mail merge option and the capability to share it with others. I do like this website, so you should take a moment to check it out!

Now to GoogleDocs. I am already familiar with the word processor offered on this site, but for those who aren't here's what it looks like:

Looks super familiar, huh? I do like that so many word processor software is so similar in format. I won't bother creating a document in the writer portion of Google Docs (actually now called Google Drive) since I have experience there. My assignment says I can create a presentation (like a power point), spreadsheet or word document, so let's play with a spreadsheet! I made just a small sample gradebook, here's how it looks:

Now something that is cool (if you're familiar with Microsoft Excel, you've probably used this), I didn't manually find each student's average. If you look just above the list of numbers on the left, you see fx. This is where you can perform various functions. I clicked in box G2 to insert J. Albertson's average. I typed =average(B2, C2, D2, E2, F2) and his enter. I'm not familiar with all of the functions you can do, but the averaging function is super useful! The best part is rather than doing each student's average individually, after you've found the first average, you click the bottom corner of the box and drag it down. The program will automatically do the remaining averages! And here is the best part! Once you are done with your project, go under the file menu>download as>and you can save it as a compatible file with Microsoft Excel! And yes, the same is true for a presentation being downloaded for Microsoft Powerpoint and a Word document for Microsoft Word. This is EXTREMELY awesome since Microsoft Office is NOT cheap software and is generally the preferred format for documents submitted to college professors. 

So as for use in the classroom, group projects are super popular...for some reason...so let's say that you're working on a group power point. Each student can make their own part on their own time in their own home! No more having to arrange meeting places and having only one person with the presentation on their computer. And since you can share your documents and make them viewable to the public if you so desire, it is useful for a teacher who wants to put up an education power point that students can view on their own time. 

So then here's the big question-do I like Zoho or Google Docs better? Well there is no contest. I ♥LOVE♥ Google Docs and highly recommend it. It is user friendly and has many different download options for documents. 

Question of the Day: Do you see web-based applications completely replacing computer software?

Thing 12: Google is Not Just for Searching Anymore

Alright so Thing 12 shows us some of the awesome things you can do with Google!! Yay! So for this assignment, we will be exploring two awesome Google tools:Google Calendar and Google Translate.

Google Calendar: So I already use this tool, so let me tell you about how awesome it is! You visit http://www.google.com/calendar and that is where you will sign it. If you don't already have a Google account, I highly recommend signing up for one. It's free and...well it's awesome! Anyhoo, so you can set up reminders on your calendar and it links with your phone (provided you have an Andoid phone. Although I'm sure you can link it with an iPhone or Windows Mobile OS as well). You can set up various types of reminders, including a pop-up on your phone and/or a text message. You can set numerous reminders and set how far ahead of schedule they go off. I absolutely LIVE off Google Calendar! No joke! I would not be able to keep track of all my bills, doctor appointments for me and the kids, etc. if I didn't have that reminder on my phone. 

Google Translate: This is actually a tool which I have not previously utilized. So let's take a field trip to http://www.google.com/translate! Holy cow! This site is SUPER user friendly! Just type in the phrase you want to translate (you don't even necessarily have to select which language it is! Google Translate will detect it for you!) and then pick the language to translate it to and BAM! You can sound super smart to your friends! 

Ok, since this is a blog for an education class, let's discuss the potential uses for these tools in the classroom. Google Calendar has some obvious uses. It would be very useful in keeping track of class events as well as personal goings on. As for Google Translate, well America is very quickly becoming a bi-lingual country. I plan to teach second grade, and I think it would be fun to perhaps have a Spanish word of the day. It could also be useful in teaching a student whose first language is something other than English. It's also fun just to sit around and play with!

Question of the Day: How do you feel about Google Translate being used in the classroom?

Thing 11: Finding Good Feeds

Okee doke Thing 11 is more about RSS readers and finding feeds and blogs to follow, specifically zoning in on various search tools for locating blogs. We've got Google blogsearch, Topix, and Technorati. I'm not subscribed to any education-related blogs just yet, so I'm going to search for elementary educators with helpful blogs and see what each search engine yields. I'll be back in a few to report my findings. While you wait with great anticipation, please enjoy this comic:

 

Right off the bat I like Google Blogsearch. I did a search for "elementary educators" and immediately found National Journal: Education Experts. I'm definitely going to keep up with this one. As an aspiring teacher, it's important to keep up with current events in education. Google Blogsearch works exactly like an ordinary Google search, only it brings up blogs for you instead of, you know, everything. Very user friendly, I give it a 10 out of 10!

I'm not sure why Topix was listed...as far as what I gather from the webpage, it contains news, popular topics and forums, but is not a place to search for blogs. I mean..I could maybe see myself visiting this page...maybe...or maybe not. It gets a 3 out of 10 for effort.

Technorati doesn't make any sense to me. I did a search for "elementary educators" and this crap is the only thing that came up in the results. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are racist? This site gets a 1 out of 10..only because it's a website. 

I still think my favorite way to locate new feeds and blogs is to do a search in Blogger. It's quick, effective and puts the site right where I need it. 

Question of the Day: How do you find new blogs to read?

Thing 10: Set Up an RSS Reader and Add Feeds

Alright so Thing 10 introduced me to something new! RSS (Really simply syndication) reader! I can view blogs I want to follow on one web page, rather than having to manually go to each website and check for updates. Pretty sweet!!! What's even better? I don't have to sign up for one since I already have a Google account. Is there anything you can't do with Google?? Per the assignment, I need to subscribe to at least 5 blogs. Not a problem! I enjoy cooking so I found a few that involve family-friendly recipes. Since I'm a mature adult, I also added a few daily comics :) I also added a few fellow students who I have already checked out. 

So Thing 10 asked me if I would do a brief interview now that I'm educated on RSS readers. I happily obliged!

Thing 10: What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?

Me: Well, I ♥LOVE♥ that I can see all these updates in one convenient spot. This opens up the opportunity for me to learn things I may not have stumbled upon on my own.

Thing 10: How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your school or personal life?

Me:Well I love to cook and enjoy trying out new recipes for myself and my family. I've already found a few good blogs to help me with that! As for my school life, I could connect with other college students around my age to get advice on study tips, balancing family and school, etc.. 

Thing 10: How can teachers use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?

Me: I feel as though this would be more useful on a high school or college level. A teacher could assign students to write a blog about a particular subject, then use an RSS reader to keep track of their students. Parents could even get involved at that point, subscribing to the students' blogs. It could also be used on a larger, school-wide level to keep teachers, parents and staff up-to-date on what's going on in the school.

Thing 10: Thank you so much for your time, Alana! That will be all for this evening.

Me: Any time!

Question of the Day: If I started writing a cooking blog, who would follow it?