Exploration

Over the past week, I have had such mixed feelings over the online applications I was experiencing for the first time. I found that I could classify these applications by its organizational potential or by its curriculum integration potential. I certainly need help with both so I am truly excited about what I can do with these tools.


Before I detemine what to do with these tools, I need to learn how to use all their features.


My organizational quest began with Delicious and I can't understand how I could have missed this one. To be able to bookmark sites and have them handy when I want to access them is worth so much to me. Add the fact that these sites can be tagged in whatever fashion personally organizes them further has sold me. On the suggestion of one of my classmates, I will tag all the sites I have been introduced to while taking a course.


Shelfari will be my social cataloging tool. I find it simple to use which is a huge plus for me and what a great way to keep track of the titles, read reviews, and rate the books. I feel that this would be a great place for some of my older students to create book clubs.
In my searching, I happened upon PageFlakes. This seems to do it all: Notebook, calendar, message board, To do list and you can add Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, RSS feed, and more. PageFlakes can become your personalized social homepage. I feel this may have potential for me to become more organized with all that I am trying to do.
I had so much fun with Flickr. I plan to do much more with my loads of photos when I can find some down time.
I sent my first Voki and did I look cool. It was for my sister's birthday. I have always called her on her birthday to sing to her and this year I knew she would not be home. So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to test this one out. I created the perfect Voki Me and recorded my rendition of Happy Birthday!! My sister is a teacher at another elementary school in my district and since she was at school, I decided to send it to her there. My only problem was that she didn't receive the first one. I sent one to myself to test the filters. I received "Me". I made one more attempt to send my sister hers only to find it was not successful. This reminds me of the problems I may have with integrating some of this new technology into my lessons.
More to come...