Annnnnnnnd onto number 12!

I found google alerts to be very cool, and I even set one up just to test it out and right after I set it up I did get an alert, so obviously it works.  I just want to be very choosy about what alerts I do set up so my phone isn't blowing up. Then I did get in to google calendar and that also was easy to use and inputting dates and events was a breeze which was great.  I have used Picasa web albums in a previous class and loved it.  It seems like google apps are for the most part user friendly and make you want to keep using them or at least find out more about them.

As far as education, I can see how alerts would be fun because a class could keep up with current events in real time, and also a teacher could appear to be a genius by knowing the latest about whatever her classroom by receiving updates on subject which interest his or her students.

http://www.google.com/alerts/manage

I set up on alert for the St. Louis Rams because my husband loves the Rams, and I like to know what he's talking about when he updates me on what they're doing and who they're drafting and so on.  I like them too, and am trying to up my knowledge of them and football in general.  After 20 years of marriage, I figured it's about time.

https://www.google.com/calendar/render?pli=1

I set up a calendar and put a couple things on it in March just to get my feet wet in it.  It's pretty cool, but there are so many way to keep track of my schedule that I just don't know if I want to deal with another one.  This was pretty cool though, and I could see how having everything concentrated onto one calendar would be pretty nice especially when it seems like there is always something happening.

Thing No. 11

*Which method of finding feeds did you find easiest to use?

For where I am at right now in my technology journey, I liked google the best because I could just type in a word or phrase and it searched for me. 

*Which Search tool was the easiest for you?

Google blog search because it was a very simple search page.  I didn't like the busyness of the topix and technorati pages.

*Which was more confusing?

Okay, I think I answered this in the previous question, but here we go again, topix and technorati were the most confusing.

*What kind of useful feeds did you find in your travels?

I found sever on emerging writers and great ones on Special Education law and literacy.  I'm looking forwarding to receiving updates from these feeds because information to those subjects is always changing.

*Or what kind of unusual ones did you find?

I really didn't poke around enough to notice anything unusual.  I will need to take more time and really look, because I have no doubt the way the world is today there are those out there posting and blogging about things that would probably leave me wondering, "What the heck is going on in this world?"

*What other tools or ways did you find to locate newsfeeds?

Most websites that provide information give searchers the opportunity to subscribe to what they have to say.  So I have seen newsfeeds on various websites.

I've hit the double digits! Thing 10!

What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?

Okay, so here's my take on this RSS and newsreaders stuff.  I cannot believe in the world of higher technological powers, RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication".  That blew my mind.  I was expecting some long drawn out title.  As I started to dig deeper into this whole RSS thing, I realized you almost have to be subscribed to something to keep up with all that is out there.  Information is updated constantly, and in order to stay in the loop of whatever your world is centered around, subscribing to one feed or 20 can make a world of difference.
  

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

Okay I admit, it is pretty dang cool, and I could see how it can keep a person informed about not only world events, but the arts, science, and any other subject a person is interested in.  I think this would be awesome to use in a classroom because as a class it would be possible to keep up with different causes and subjects.  As far as my personal life, I can see how I could keep up with special education topics and different organizations where I can get information on challenges I may be having or the latest strategies in teaching exceptional kids.

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

Teachers can use RSS technology to keep informed of all things related to the discipline of education and their particular subject area.  I think it would be important to subscribe to a few RSS feeds in order to keep up with changes in education at the national, state and local level, but I can see how subscribing to too many would seem overwhelming.

As far as creating a public page.  I am interested in doing this, but I need a little more time to figure out what kind of blog I want to do and whom my audience will be.

Tech Potion No. 9

http://www.txt2pic.com/signs/


http://www.imagechef.com/


http://www.imagechef.com/

Okay, this one was a pain at first and then almost reached fun.  Image Chef was the easiest to navigate and the most user friendly.  I can see how creating custom signs would be a great tool for the classroom, and the students could be more apt to follow classroom rules if they were presented in signs that looked familar but were tailored to their class.

The license plate represents my home state, and a phrase that I hear often when people find out I am from New Jersey.  The buttom I created was kind of a personal stance because I hear my name literally over 100 times per day, and sometimes I wish I could wear a button for about ten minutes per day, although it is a personal wish and not one I would ever put in to effect in class.  My sign is how I am feeling at this moment in time, and thankfully, I know it will pass.  I had no idea there was so much out there to utilize as far as creativity for the classroom.  After I come off my tech overload, I know I will enjoy digging deeper into these different flickr associated websites and learning all I can offer my students.

Mashin' Up No. 8

 

I created the above inspirational word using Spell with Flickr.  Why?  Because honestly, it was the only one of the programs I could completely wrap my brain around and have it respond as it said it would. 

 

I tried to use Big Huge Labs, Mosaic Maker, Clockr, Splashr and Flickr color picker and could not get any of them to cooperate.  Yes, I am aware I am challenged and probably need to block out about a week to truly get to know each one of these programs because I have no doubt I am missing out on some amazing tools.  Maybe I am showing my age, but it seems like these programs should be much more user friendly for all. 

 

I enjoyed using Spell with Flickr, and I like my coffee Mashup very much.  I can see how using it in a classroom would be appealing to students of all ages because you can look for just the right images that reflect your personality or period of time.

 

I believe sharing photos online is good to do as far as inanimate objects, scenery, or architecture, but when people are added, I think that is where it may get a little messy.  If the pictures are of me, then I take the risk of putting myself out there for perception or being recognized, but as far as putting pictures of others even family members, I believe that without receiving their okay, it is not worth it.

My Flickr Journey also known as Thing No. 7

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6818152075_b8823914ea_m.jpg

Okay, let's talk Flickr.  This was not an easy journey only because I think I was getting in my own way.  I was searching for pictures at first trying to find just the right one, and then I thought, "Well, ya big chicken, just upload your own."  So I did.  I uploaded five different images and it did get easier as I became a little more open to the process, but it is going to take a lot of practice to embrace this flickr world. 

When I was an undergrad I took a digital photography class, and we were instructed to use Picasa Web Albums in order for the class to view each others work.  To tell the truth, I still use Picasa when I want to send lots of pictures to people because then I can send them in an album and it has always worked.  Picasa took a little getting used to, but I did adjust to it easier than flickr.  I will give flickr more time and more practice because I know it's become a huge way to share images, and  the tags and groups do help make it seem not so enourmous, and I did like that aspect.  I was impressed with how schools and libraries use them.  I thought is was cool the way schools would use it either to display student's artistic abilities and also use it as a forum to present their positions in different areas of education.  The Library of Congress was very interesting because it allows people who may never get the chance to go to visit all the incredible images they have to show.

My image is my french press filled with that wonderful nectar of the gods known as coffee.  It is imported from Carmel, CA and is called "Foglifter".  I absolutely love it!  In this day and age, when luxuries are rare due to the economy, I treat myself every morning to making coffee in my press and treating myself to something that does take more effort than hitting a switch to start the dripping, but to me the extra time is worth every wonderful sip.

Thing Number Six out of Twenty-three

My tool/site of choice is woot.com.  I remember first finding woot.com in 2006 and back then, all they would sell was one item per day.  There were no wines or t-shirts, it was just one item per day, and if it was a good item, then you had to act fact because once it was gone it was gone.  I had a boss who I turned on to woot.com, and every morning I would get an email or she would call my desk and ask if I had looked at woot yet that morning. 

Since they have added the alcohol and the section where they sell the second string items that didn't sell, the site doesn't hold the same excitement it once did.  I have to admit I do still check woot.com everyday, but rarely do I travel around the site.  I always check for the thrill of the main item and how many they have, how many they've sold and how many are left.  I have purchased some very cool stuff from woot.com and consider this one of the benefits of Web 2.0.  Commerce has become user friendly and how people can make purchases in such a vast variety of ways has made it fun to shop online at the sites that may be a little off the beaten path.

http://www.woot.com/