Thing #14 - Technorati & tags

I claimed my blog! LOL! Actually, I claimed my personal blog, not my 23 Things blog. But still ... I feel more "in touch" and legit!

Having the Technorati lesson immediately follow the del.iciou.us lesson was really well-planned, because one segued very easily into the 0ther. After reading about and working with tags in Thing #13, this lesson was very easy to follow.

Tagging is obviously invaluable. Trying to navigate through the blogosphere without knowledge of tags would be like blindly bumping along with no real goal in mind (exactly what I've been doing 'til now!). I can't imagine that it's a constructive use of anyone's time.

Use of all of these tools has opened so many windows in regards to utilizing blogs. It's very easy (and fast!) to weed through the fluff, or superfluous information, and actually cut straight to the chase. Suddenly, things seem much less cluttered and overwhelming. I'm actually looking forward to implementing these new search features and resources into my daily and weekly planning in the classroom -- it's going to be so much more efficient!

I'm already feeling more innovative and creative!

Thing #13 - del.icio.us

Just when I thought RSS feeds were the absolute coolest "time saving" tool I was going to get out of my adventures with 23 Things, along came del.icio.us! Holy smokes, I feel so out of it! Where have I been?!?

Besides feeling totally behind the times, I've gotten such a kick out of actually LEARNING SOMETHING USEFUL from this course! I can really see del.icio.us.com being something that can change my internet life. So many uses for social bookmarking were popping in my head as I was watching these tutorials (so much so that I had to keep pausing the podcasts to re-focus and pay attention!).

Sidenote: my sister, currently a doctoral student, is reaping the benefits of all my newly-found knowledge as well. I've passed on so much of this to her!

I keep returning to the idea of book clubs in so many of my blog responses, but I guess that's because I'm such a book junkie! Both professionally and personally, this would be an excellent tool for collaboration in book clubs. I could easily envision our faculty using del.icio.us tags to discuss a professional book study subject, as well as associated topics.

As an alternative to the grueling Wednesday afternoon faculty meetings (when everyone is brain dead and not really interested in discussing books), I think exploring del.icio.us tags and ideas independently would be a great way for teachers to explore and share ideas "in their own time" (much like we are doing in this course), submitting their own thoughts and resources along the way.

Thing #12 - communication

(attached image courtesy of HomesickTexan)

1. I guess the reason that any of us blog (or read blogs!) is because we enjoy communication -- specifically, written communication. Receiving feedback and thoughts from others is part of that process. Who doesn't like to hear, "I know exactly what you mean!" or "I've been there too!"? It confirms and validates our thoughts, feelings and actions, which makes the entire blogging experience a better one.

I noticed that in the ProBlogger article (10 Techniques to Get More Comments on Your Blog), several of the suggestions sounded very similar to questioning strategies that we, as teachers have long been encouraged to implement into our classrooms. Advice such as "Invite Comments", "Ask Questions", and "Be Open Ended" sound exactly like good techniques in a well-planned lesson! It makes sense, for sure. If you want good discussion, you've got to create an environment that fosters it.

An additional point that struck me after reading several of these articles is the fact that utilizing good common sense can go a long way. The Ten Commandments of Blog Commenting really exemplified this fact. Advice such as "Read before you write," "Be polite," and "When in doubt, ask" initially sound like statements of the obvious. But I think we frequently forget the old adage about true meaning often getting lost online. Never make assumptions that your point is being made, or getting across as you've intended. Throwing in a smile and using humor, as the Ten Commandments encouraged, can break down walls online, as well as in real life!

2. ongoing

3. I've mentioned in my profile that I'm a military wife. That's always a challenging role, but I believe that being the wife of a member of the Coast Guard can be particularly unique, in that many people aren't even aware that the Coast Guard is a branch of the military (a very old and revered one, at that!). As a result, the Coast Guard often feels like the forgotten child and is seldom recognized. Coast Guard families deal with many issues that members of other branches don't necessarily encounter, and it's sometimes hard to find a community of support.

Because of this, Waiting for ships to come in... is a blog that's become particularly near and dear to my heart. It's very well-organized, it's written and operated by articulate and supportive women, and just an all-around fun place to visit. I realize that it wouldn't be universally interesting to most, but for me, it fills a void. And isn't that what this whole blogging process is essentially all about?

Another one of my absolute favorite locations in the blogosphere is Homesick Texan. I'm a die-hard Texan, and an avid cook. I'm also someone who gets terribly nostalgic myself when I'm away from this great state, so I completely and thoroughly relate to the author of this blog. The site is a wealth of information, has original photography, and just an overall fantastic site to bookmark if you enjoy Texas cuisine (and who doesn't?!).

Thing #11 - LibraryThing

What a great resource! The obvious professional use here is the potential for dialog among educators, specifically, teachers of the same grade or subject matter. Suggestions for historical biographies for a particular social studies unit, or book recommendations for great read alouds! The sky is the limit!

I love the LibraryThing Local feature as well. The thought of one storehouse for all Houston book events (book festivals, author readings, signings, discussions and other events they host) is a fantastic tool! Planning ahead for group gatherings (personal or professional) couldn't be easier, based on this information. Very cool!

I think this would be a great resource to share with parents at conferences. It seems like parents are forever asking me for book recommendations and local literary resources. This would be a great place to start!

I did do some exploring in the groups area of the site. I found one that fits a personal interest -- the Twilight Club (for fellow Stephenie Meyer lovers!). And although it's currently listed as a private group, I also stumbled across one called "5th Grade Readers and Writers." That might be worth exploring some more!

Thing #10 - image generator

Thing #9 - useful blogs and news feeds

Which method of finding feeds did you find easiest to use? Choosing specific words or phrases and plugging them in was the easiest method for me. Being as detailed as possible helped weed out some of the superfluous results. But still, many unrelated topics and blogs made it through. What an overwhelming amount of information! It sort of boggles the mind.

Which Search tool was the easiest for you? Google Blog Search, for sure, probably because of the familiarity of the elements on the page, as well as the overall feeling that it's related to what I've already set up and used (the Reader, gmail, etc.). Plus, it was very user-friendly.

Which was more confusing? I wasn't real big on Syndic8. I didn't care for the lay-out at all. It was very busy and not at all easy on the eyes. I might be judging it rather harshly, but it just seemed rather thrown together and not as polished.

What kind of useful feeds did you find in your travels? Or what kind of unusual ones did you find? I found the SBISD Flipchart Repository! :) Something really fun (and unusual) I found when searching for blogs associated with the remote location where my husband is currently stationed is a site that lists all the rivers in the U.S. that begin with the letter Q! My students would love this random, crazy information! They're always really into trivia and obscure information, so I saved it to share with them in the classroom (great geography-related lesson!).

What other tools or ways did you find to locate newsfeeds? Following suggested links, on sites such as Syndic8 (i.e. "most read" or "recently updated"), or simply visiting my favorite sites and being more observant as to whether or not they supply newsfeeds.

WHEW! I'm exhausted! That was a lot to take in all at once. I think I'm going to have to revisit this after a glass (or two!) of wine this evening!

Thing #8 - rss feeds

I think this was my first "A-ha!" moment in this whole little adventure! It blew me away! It was like a light was turned on in my brain -- RSS feeds: what they are, how they work, etc. The TeacherTube video was especially helpful, as far as getting the big picture.

I've avoided learning about RSS feeds because up until now, it seemed to complicated and not worth the effort. I'd see that little organge square and just scan right past it. Boy, was I wrong! I'm so excited to have finally tackled this (I actually forwarded the information on to my sister too ... so I'm spreading the knowledge wealth!). I used the Google Reader, and it couldn't have been easier.

• I love the fact that the news is literally coming to me. How much lazier (and useful!) can that be?! Rather than scrolling through the same old stuff every morning, I now have a personal delivery system that is tailored to my needs. This is what technology should truly be about -- making our lives easier in a meaningful way. I also appreciate how "user friendly" the whole process is. You can't get much simpler than cutting and pasting a URL.
• Subscribing to curriculum-based blogs would be an obvious way that this tool could make my life easier in the classsroom. And the more specific, the better! Reading ahead and planning lessons accordingly that are current and up-to-date is the immediate use that comes in mind. As far as personal use, oh man! The sky is the limit! But favorite blog updates is the first and foremost use I see using.
• I'd say a big advantage for librarians would be the ease in using this tool to stay current and to keep a faculty current. New book releases, new ideas to share, new ways to disseminate information to students ... the possibilities are endless. Receiving a quick school (or deparment)-wide email from the librarian regarding a new and relevant bell or whistle would be a fabulous and helpful start to the day for most teachers.

Thing # 7 - google mania

Who knew Google was so vast?! Wow!

The first thing I looked into was iGoogle, and I'm so glad I did! I now have my very own customized Google home page. I chose an Artist Theme (NIGO® ... super fun!) right off the bat and added some more cool tools -- Amazing Photos of Places to See Before You Die -- talk about instant motivation early in the morning after booting up your computer! I also added Inspirational Quotes, as well as Puzzles and Riddles. Who knows? Maybe I can share the really good ones (puzzles/riddles) with my students! This is a wonderful, "feel-good" resource that I really enjoyed exploring.

Another area I checked out was Google Notebook. This is a great, user-friendly tool that I'm definitely going to share with my students. What a fantastic way for students to individually keep track of their thoughts for future reference during book club discussions ... or to make notes on during ongoing projects and research ... and what about just for personal reading? This would be perfect for storing quick notes on Bluebonnet Books for future use in voting!

Thing #6 - mashups (and mosaics!)

Ooooh! This litle project sure got the ol' creative juices flowing! How rewarding to create something so polished and fun! My specific tool on this task was using MOSAIC MAKER! I love, love, love it!

As I was uploading my own pics and playing with the format, I was thinking of countless ideas for the classroom. How about each student creating a collage with famous individuals and events during the Civil War (or any other major period in U.S. history)? Or, a mosaic of significant U.S. inventions? U.S. Presidents?

A cute way to start the beginning of the year would be to take pictures of all the students on the first day of school and print up a classroom mosaic to hang in the room (parents would LOVE that at Back to School Night!)? I can't wait to use this fun tool with my students!

Thing #5 - fun with Flickr

A picture is worth 1,000 words, right? I think this one might surpass that number.

So much potential, as far as use in the classroom: free-write journal responses (emotions evoked?) ... symbols ... history of the U.S. flag ... national celebrations and holidays ... natural resources ... The Star Spangled Banner ... patriotism ... civil rights and Constitutional amendments ... responsibility ....

Thing #4 - done!

Vaughn also graciously reminded me that I needed to make sure and add my "Thing #'s" to every blog title ... I've gone back and edited my previous posts -- you've got to love that writing process in action!

On the road again!

Thing #3 - setting up shop

...WAS FUN!

Two things I need so much more of in my life are creativity and reflection. I'm hoping that this little "project" will provide me with a little bit of both at the same time! I can't wait to explore more of the bells and whistles that are out there, and to visit with and comment on other bloggers, which I have yet to do.

In a short period of time this morning, I've explored my attitude (7 1/2 habits, actually!), fiddled through avatar animation (it's amazing how great I can make myself look with only a few clicks of my mouse!!!), and begun to think about goals I have for this adventure -- what I want to learn, what I want to get out of it, and how far I want to take it.

This was an easy-schmeasy process so far, and I really enjoyed it. The captains have made it painless! Like my title says, I'm on a journey, and this was a fun stop along the way!

Thing #2 - attitude is everything

Right from the beginning of this short clip, 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners, I was reminded of something simple (yet easy to ignore, at least in my little world) -- attitude is everything. Specifically, "Successful lifelong learners believe attitude is everything."

It's very cliche, and something we've all been told countless times, especially in the world of education, where an important chunk of our responsibility lies in our ability (or lack thereof) to motivate! However, I repeatedly find myself bogged down in cynicism. I guess you could say, I'm often guilty of a 'glass-half-empty' attitude.

As a result, it was very easy for me to choose the most personally challenging habit of the 7 1/2 provided -- Habit 3: View problems as challenges. Man, oh man. I'm just not good at it. I'm a perfectionist, so any problems that may arise get in the way of my best laid plans for smooth sailing. Rather than viewing every obstacle as a learning opportunity, I instead tend to focus on how it has hindered me or impeded my progress. It's a daily struggle, and a personal challenge, for sure.

The easiest habit for me is Habit 1: Begin with the end in mind. I'm a goal-setter. It again goes back to that planning facet of my personality. But I'll readily admit that setting goals, at least for me, in no way ensures acheievement of these goals. In fact, I'm notorious for keeping a running list of goals in my head, yet stumbling and making excuses, as far as why I've yet to achieve them.

The good news is, I'm workin' on it!