Concept Map

Blog Entry 8: Social Bookmarking

In week 9, we also learned about another example of cloud computing, which is social bookmarking. Social bookmarking is an easy way for users to save links to web pages that they want to remember or share with others. Descriptions can accompany these bookmarks, which allows users to see what the site offers, without having to download it. The descriptions include text, votes favoring or against its quality, and tags. Social bookmarking allows one to stay organized, for one can organize their bookmarks in a way that best suits their purposes. These ways include organizing the bookmarks chronologically, by tags, or by search engines. One of our major projects for this class was to create our own Delicious account. This project was the first time I was exposed to social bookmarking. I think I will definitely be using it when working on projects in college and I need to remember a bunch of different websites.

In the field of education, social bookmarking is extremely useful. It allows teachers to share resources with teachers all over the world. Also, it helps teachers to stay organized and remember all the different sites they would like to share with their students. In addition, if each school or each department within a school has its own account, it will allow teachers to provide websites they think the other teachers could also use in their classrooms. It will be very helpful when working with students because it allows teachers to share bookmarks with the children when working on research topics. I will definitely be using social bookmarking very often when I become a teacher!

Below is a video that explains how to use the social bookmarking site Delicious.

Blog Entry 7: Google Docs

In week 9, we learned about Google Docs, which is an example of cloud computing. Google Docs is a free service offered by Google that allows users to create documents, spreadsheets, forms, and presentations while collaborating with other users. Different users can edit documents at the same time and each individual will be notified of changes made via email. Open documents and such are automatically saved and are tagged so a person is easily able to stay organized. Our assignment in week 9 was to create our own Google Doc. I thought this would be very difficult, for I had never heard of Google Docs before this class. However, this service was self-explanatory and very easy to use. Google Docs is useful since it is a server-based application. Therefore, when using this service a person does not have to use a certain type of computer.

Google Docs will be very useful in the field of education. It will allow me to create a lesson plan and share it with my fellow colleagues and the administration of the school. It makes it very easy for these people to make changes they deem necessary for my lesson plan. Google Docs also will allow me to create presentations that are accessible to my students. In addition, I plan to encourage my students to use Google Docs, so that it will make it very easy for them to collaborate with others when working on a group project.

Below is a video that explains why Google Docs are so useful in the field of education.

Blog Entry 6: The Sound of...Podcasting

In week 8 of this course we learned about podcasts and how easy they are to create. Podcasting allows the general public to download audio files from different podcasting websites to listen to on their computers. There are also various podcasting websites that allows people to upload their own personal audio files that they have created themselves. I believed it would be very difficult to create a podcast; however, in class we were taught how simple it can be. Using Apple's Garage Band I was able to create my own sound file. This program allows one to record voices and music and include various jingles and pictures within the podcast. This program was user-friendly and I would definitely recommend it to people I know.

Podcasting will definitely be very useful in a classroom setting. As a teacher I will be able to find various podcast episodes pertaining to the lesson plan of the day for my students to listen to or watch. This will be very beneficial to students who are auditory learners. There are also different podcasting websites that contain recordings explaining different concepts in the areas of math, writing, grammar, etc. I will definitely be recommending these sites to students I feel can use a little extra help in certain subjects. Also, having students create their own podcasts can have a very positive effect. Knowing a real audience exists can increase a student's motivation to try hard and create something they are proud to call their own.

Below is a website that contains podcasts explaining different mathematical concepts. I thought this was really cool and I will definitely be having my students use it!

http://www.mathgrad.com/

Blog Entry 5: Digital Storytelling

In week 7 we learned about the usefulness of digital storytelling. Digital stories usually focus on specific subjects and contain one or more of the following: text, images, audio recordings, music, and video clips. Throughout my life, I have watched many digital stories such as You Tube videos and never thought about their creation. We were assigned to create our own digital story and I used a website called animoto. I made a thirty second slide show which included pictures of my friends and I and background music. I very much enjoyed creating my own digital story. In class we were introduced to other outlets we could use to create digital stories such as iMovie, PowerPoint, and other websites such as GoAnimate.

In the field of education, digital storytelling will be very useful! Many students are visual learners, and digital storytelling will allow them to view the material being taught to them, rather than just listening to lectures. I believe that digital storytelling will help make each lesson plan more exciting and will help to gain the students' attention. Each of these different venues for digital storytelling make it very easy to stay organized, which is very important when working with children.

Below is a video that describes the usefulness of digital storytelling within education and how it can greatly benefit students.