Thursday, March 6, 2014

Thing 12: The Wonderful World of Google!

Thing 12:  The Wonderful World of Google!

Before this entry, I was already pretty familiar with the myriad functions and uses of Google beyond its normal search engine capabilities.  So, this activity did not take very long for me, as I have already been using these features for years now.

However, I will focus on these two:

Google Scholar:  This feature is quite handy in finding articles and essays that pertain to whatever particular topic you are researching.  Though the availability of full-text articles is limited at times, it does help you supplement your research by maybe giving sources that you can try and find in other databases, libraries, bookstores, etc.  I have used Google Scholar numerous times before in my research papers, not so much as my main source of information, but as a helpful add-on and starter for my research. 

Google Books:  There are numerous books I have bought (or NOT bought) because of Google Books.  It is VERY helpful when you can read a few (or many) pages of a given book to finally decide if you wish to purchase it or not.  At times, Google Books provides a larger preview selection of a book than other book sites, and that can make all the difference in a decision.  I usually review a book from three different sites and read the reviews before I ever buy it, so another resource with which to gauge the quality of a book is always beneficial. 

These tools can be helpful with education in many ways.  Google Scholar is obviously useful for researching material, and providing students another avenue to pursue their own research.  Google Books can also be useful, moreso in providing students books they could search for in a given topic; serving as a "Google Scholar," but of suggested books that may be interesting and related to a research topic.

In conclusion, Google has numerous features beyond its search engine, and I have fortunately been using them for years to assist in many different tasks and assignments. 

Thing 11: RSS in Live Action!

Chapter 11: Bankruptcy of my Free Time

Simply put, RSS feeds could be the death of me...or at least all my free time.  As I've mentioned in previous blogs, I am an ardent reader of news and all things political, so even MORE information at my fingertips is bad for my productivity!

I, personally, found all the blog-finding technology to be a bit "wonky," in the sense that I had numerous thing to choose from, but it kept descending into evermore complexity.  For some sites, I could not only subscribe to the main site, but particular issues that the site may cover.  When there is an RSS feed for "Adam Levine," on a news site, that seems a bit much. All-in-all, I'd say Technorati was the best site of the ones suggested to use. 

The other blogs I subscribed to were:

RealClearPolitics (because, of course).
ThinkProgress (your standard left-wing views)
The Blaze (your standard right-wing views)
FactCheck (kinda somewhere in the middle)

In conclusion, yet another exercise in finding excellent information which will consume even more  of my free time! 

Thing 10: Give Me an 'R'! R! Give Me an 'S'! S! Give me another 'S'! S!

Thing 10:  What's That Spell?!  RSS!

I found using the RSS on Feedy to be very fun, but addicting. I'm a news junkie (I read dozens of news articles every single day), and I immediately added my main sources of news---things like CNN, NPR, USA Today, The Huffington Post, The New York Times, and Le Monde (I read it to help with my French!).  This kind of site is bad for my health and productivity as I'm likely to get lost in a sea of useful information for hours upon hours...and my procrastination distractions are already bad enough! 

I will certainly use this in the future for my own personal use, but it would be also VERY useful in a Social Studies class where we can select articles from these sources and have a class discussion about current events and issues. 

Teachers can use this technology to find sites that could give them helpful suggestions with different classroom activities, teaching tips, and a myriad of other beneficial things.   As I already suggested, I would use this in a Social Studies class to discuss current events with my class and help create constructive conversation. 

Thing 9: Make Your Own Memes!


Thing 9: Online Image Generator (Or Make Your Own Memes!)

The first thing I noticed is the sites for these online image generators seem straight out of the 90's.  It made me feel a little nostalgic, haha.  I had a little trouble at first in getting these images to load properly, but, once I got the hang of it...I had a little bit of fun, haha.  Some of the sites kept crashing or wouldn't load correctly, and only two of them even really seemed to work. Aside from that, this exercise was quite fun and entertaining, as well as informative. 







Thing 8: Flickr Madness (The Remix)

Thing 8:  Flickr Madness (the Remix)

My first thing to say is the maddening experience of trying to fix HTML codes when they don't want to properly format.  So, you all miss out on my name in fancy block lettering.  Sorry. Blame Flickr and HTML...and maybe my poor coding skills.

Anyway, picture mash-ups, mosaics, and the other tools would be helpful in compiling pictures for a given topic or lesson. Or, they could be helpful in simply personal usage of finding neat images for a collage, or something of that nature.

I used the tag "Washington" to compile these random photos...and it turned out pretty well! 


1. Oregon White Oak 20140228_0631, 2. Stone, March 5 (#64), 3. Grain Elevator, Sequim, Washington, 4. Jamestown S'klallam Tribal Art, Sequim, Washington

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Thing 7: Flickr Madness!

Thing 7: Explore Flickr...(Or Flickr Madness!)

My first thought when opening Flickr was that it must be a nightmare for any ADD or easily distracted person who ventures to the main page of that site.  I was certainly...oh hey, look at that!   Sorry, I saw yet another amazing photo that I just had to click on.  Anyway, where was I?  Oh, yes, Flickr is certainly an amazing site, but also very bad for those who are indecisive when trying to choose our favorite pictures...yes, it took me a while....

At first I had trouble finding what I really wanted to see because I was merely browsing the random assortment of galleries that popped up.  I finally decided to simply search for pictures of what I really wanted to see:  France and Italy.

I finally selected this photo from the Vatican by the page CubaGallery. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cubagallery/5022886549/sizes/m/

I found this picture almost heavenly with the light streaming in through the ceiling on those in the Church.  The grandiose elegance of the building coupled with the beauty of the light just made for a mesmerizing picture.


Thing 6: Discovering...PowToon!

Thing 6:  Discovering Web 2.0 Tools...(In This Case...PowToon!)

The Web 2.0 site I explored and used was called PowToon, a handy little site which helps you create videos and slideshows using their very accessible utilities. http://www.go2web20.net/site/?a=Powtoon

Needless to say, I could spend hours on this site making neat and funny videos!  I found this tool very fun and useful, and definitely something I will utilize in the future in many different ways.

I found the setup to be a slightly difficult, but that was probably due to my newness in using that particular formatting.  It took a little while to get the hang of.

Overall, I will certainly use the videos from PowToon for my future lessons as a teacher. 

Thing 5: Web 2.0...to the Internet & Beyond!

Web 2.0...to the Internet & Beyond!

One thing I know for sure is that the Internet & technology will continue to change even more than it already has in since the inception of the World Wide Web (does anyone call it that anymore?).  But, it is this changeable nature that I think should give us pause about being too sure about what is to come.

Steve Hargadon's post is such an example.  In it, he mentions MySpace as an example of the power of the Internet's creative power.  His piece was written in 2008.  It is 2014, and MySpace is basically dead.  The creative...and destructive...power of the Internet is so radioactive that assumptions about what will stay are not quite so set in stone.

I found Steve's perspective, while accurate and interesting in some places, to take things a bit overboard.  He made it seem as if the Internet will spawn an alternate reality all to its own with people building content out of nothing and making a profit on it.  Yes, blogging is a profitable enterprise, but what is being produced is merely IDEAS and discussions of those ideas.  What creates that profit is the site traffic and the advertisements that can be sold to go on that site....advertisements for things in the real world.  So, the economy of the Internet, as Mr. Hargadon seems to trumpet, is really still linked to the real world, and real world commodities.

I disagree with Mr. Hargadon's notion that the Web 2.0 is the future of education.  I agree that technology, the Internet, and a greater saturation of digital information readily available at our fingertips is the next step in SUPPLEMENTING classroom learning.  But, it can never, ever replace it.

As much as one can learn from technology, there must still be one to teach the basic skills necessary to know how to use it.  And it still takes the right impetus to push people to learn about things which will be beneficial to them.  I can surf the web (again, does anyone still say that?) all day reading about sports, and, while that is fun, it's not exactly educational.  Technology and information need the right conduit to make it work and serve an educational purpose.

While I enjoy online classes, there is something that is missing from them---the human element.  I read a chapter, make a discussion post about it, and have a few faceless names comment back.  It separates us from humanity, which is something I feel is essential for a true education.

I think of a quote by Aristotle which goes something like: "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."  I believe that, while technology is great for absorption of information, it cannot and will not replace the importance of the human element, teachers, students, and classrooms. 

Thing 4: Don't Lurk! Comment, Silly Troll!

Thing 4: Why Commenting is Important (Or...Don't Lurk! Comment, Silly Troll!)

Commenting is important because it helps give feedback to thoughts and interests, promotes discussion, and furthers the interplay between ideas.  It helps "build community" in the same way that normal conversation does---it breeds a sense of familiarity and common interest in a given topic or issue.  While I don't habitually blog, I do participate in message boards that pertain to things from Tennessee Vols football to the religious influences on American politics.  Those forums help create a community through a shared interest and a discussion of that interest.

I liked the point by Vicki Davis on her Cool Cat Teacher Blog that comments give a blog post a greater sense of purpose.  Comments "cast a vote on the importance of a topic," and I definitely agree with that sentiment.  I often post very political statuses on my facebook, and the ones which affect people the most are the ones which people "like" or comment (and sometimes furiously debate) on are the ones that I feel have a greater sense of importance. 

I also liked Darren Draper's (Drape's Takes) post about the importance of responding to the comments on your blog.  Some people may genuinely want a response, or feel very nervous about replying on a blog, such that a comment is not only helpful, but also courteous.  Not replying to comments could even give off an air of elitism.  So, I liked Darren's emphasis on being sure to respond to comments.

Also, it's important not to just "lurk," but to make sure you comment! 

The 5 blogs of my classmates on which I commented are as follows:
Mr. Sturdivant's 23 Things--Thing #2:  I commented because I am also a procrastinator and, while I am thoroughly enjoying and learning much from this blog exercise, it seemed to get put "on the back burner" in favor of other assignments.

Mr Jones' 23 Things--Thing #9:  I know Joshua Jones from a previous class, and I always appreciate his dry wit and sense of humor.  His pictures he made in Thing 9 I found funny for their sarcasm.  I always poked fun at him for his hipster avatar.

KHS Chemistry 23 Things--Thing #8:  I found the name plate and puzzle picture which Courtney had made to be very rustic, nice, and interesting, and I remarked on her post saying as much.

Miss Z's Top 23--Thing #5:  I commented to agree with Christin that, while technology can help supplement the classroom experience, it can never replace the value of a classroom and human involvement. 

The Amazing and Wonderful 23 Things According to Mrs. Pigg--Thing #10:  I remarked to Kyrie Pigg that I shared the same enjoyment in being able to consolidate all the information I want to know in a convenient way.  I also mentioned the pleasant aesthetics of her blog's design and layout.

The Two Other Blogs:

I commented on blogs from Patheos, a theological & philosophical blog network, and the NYTimes blog of Paul Krugman, the Conscience of a Liberal.

I commented on the Patheos blog post of prominent biblical scholar Dr. Marcus Borg entitled "Amos and American Christianity," which discussed the prophet's call to social justice and rebuked the rich who took advantage of the poor and ignored their plight.  I found this blog striking because it discussed the nature of American politics as it intertwines with religious belief and how we as American Christians, though being rich, often seem deaf to the cries of the poor and many vote for a party that continually tries to cut government assistance to those in need.  I mentioned the disconnect I feel between many our my fellow Christians' beliefs about helping poor and their political policies which seem to be so anti-poor people.  Articles, like the one by Dr. Borg, remind me that the Holy Scriptures speak clearly about God's love for the poor and downtrodden, and our need to help. 

The blog post on the Conscience of a Liberal, by Nobel Economist Paul Krugman, was entitled "The Real Poverty Trap," where Dr. Krugman addresses the Paul Ryan Budget and his plans for cutting SNAP (Food Stamps) and Medicaid, both of which many poor people depend upon to survive.  Dr. Krugman discusses how the real poverty trap is not government assistance, itself, but that welfare actually does help people escape from poverty and better themselves.  I found this quote rather compelling, "In fact, the evidence suggests that welfare-state programs enhance social mobility, thanks to little things like children of the poor having adequate nutrition and medical care." In my comment, I addressed a recent situation where I debated with a friend of mine over the merits of raising the minimum wage and making sure we have well-funded welfare programs.  My friend believed in not only doing nothing about the minimum wage, but also cutting the government assistance of those in need, which left me disturbed as to how one could so senselessly undercut the support of those already struggling to get by.  Needless to say, I found Dr. Krugman's article very informative, edifying, and encouraging that my belief in helping the poor is actually more beneficial to bringing them out of poverty, rather than consigning them to an austere existence barely above subsistence. 

In conclusion, I enjoyed this section on commenting, and found it quite a beneficial exercise.