Reflection

Finally it is done! I must admit I am proud of myself, at the outset of the course I was apprehensive about my tech abilities and whether or not I could navigate the many new challenges. However I must say that the videos and links provided throughout the course were easy to follow and equiped me with all the information I needed.


The possibilities are endless for learning in the virtual world, through Web 2.0 I have explore and mastered sites that will allow my students to extend their learning to where they want it to go. I work with Gifted students who are always thirsty for new challenges and ways to learn. Google.docs, bubbl.us, flickr, glogster to name a few have been quickly embraced by my students.

Technology is the way of the future, as teachers we need to become literate in this sphere of education so that we are able to skill our students. It is really no different to expecting teachers to be literate and numerate in order to teach our students to be the same. Put simply it is another KLA that needs to be taught, however the beauty of technology is that it supports and enhances all the other KLA's. Technology allows us to actively engage our students, bring their learning to life and assist us in developing expert learners.

Module 10

At last the end is in site, I have really enjoyed the ride and learnt so many new skills. These new skills can be applied to my students and me personally.

Being able to interact with other educators through Wikis and Nings has expanded my learning space and this has had a flow on effect to my students.

Networking is here to stay and it is about how we use it responsibly and how we skill our students to be part of it  while still using commonsense. It is our responsibility to make students aware that while virtual space make not seem real it does have implications and consequences in the real world.

Module 9

Scootle is an amazing site! I have spent quite a bit of time exploring what is a available and identifying learning paths that are applicable to my students.

Second Life is an engaging and fun way to stimulate learning for both students and teachers. The virtual worlds bring topics to life, as with most technology the students will very quickly learn how to navigate the site. I would use this site with upper primary students and some of the Stage 2 students in my Enrichment groups. 

Module 8

Googlereader is fantastic and very user friendly. I have spent alot of time adding my favourite sites to my personal page. I have also added my link to Delicious as well as my school site.

Googlereader will make browsing the web so much quicker and easier.

With each new module I complete I become more amazed at what is available and how easy it is even for someone like me to use these sites and tools.

Module 7

Delicious what a great site.

It certainly makes finding my favourite websites quicker and easier.

As a site for classroom use it definitely has a place. A class page  could easily be constructed that all students could access, on this pages the most useful and most visited sites could be stored. This would enable student to use these sites easily both at home and school. Better time management would be the advantage as the endless search for suitable sites would no longer be necessary. However the teacher would need to manage any additions to the page that the students wished to make.

Delicious definitely has a place in the classroom. A staff page would also prove useful in sharing useful sites with colleagues.

So far I have enjoyed learning how to use all the great sites and tools that are part of this course. I have in no way mastered any of them but at least I now know they are available and I am growing in my understanding of how to use them in the classroom.  

Module 6

This module was a lot of fun, it has endless possibilites for engaging students in learning.

Bubbl.us is a fantastic tool for organising thoughts and planning a learning task. I think many of the tools we have been exploring are better suited to Years 3 to 6 in the Primary school. However the sites could be used in joint constructions using a IWB for the younger grades.

This is the link to my Gloghttp://cosican.glogster.com/web-20-glogging/

Module 5

Well it is very soggy Saturday so I decided to work through another Module.

The Podcasting video on Youtube was informative and I now understand what Podcasting is and how to go about creating and uploading a podcast. It is obvious that this technology has many uses in education.

 I immediately thought of how a storyboard collaboratively constructed by the ESL students I work with would enhance their learning and add an element of fun. Rather than write a particular text type the students could use a flip video to film the illustrated storyboard  and then use audacity to add the narration and sound effects. 

The New Literacies for a New Age video just reminded me of how history repeats and how the methods and technology might change but in many instances the attitudes to change don't. As professionals we need to keep up with the technology this has never been more important as for most of our students this technology is an integral part of their daily lives which they use without thinking about it. 

As for downloading from iTunes fortunately I'm familiar with the process as my iPod is currently on holidays in Sweden with my daughter as surprise surprise she couldn't find her own. If you saw her room you would understand what I mean!!!!!

Module 4

Flickr was fun once I got the hang of how to use it. I loaded my own photos so I know there won't be any nasty copyright issues.

I am enjoying the Web 2.0 course the biggest challenges being slow internet at school, finding the time to complete each module and thinking of something to write in each blog.

The easiest way to overcome slow internet at school is to work at home, to get around the time challenge I get takeaway so that I can use the dinner preparation and cooking time to complete a module. As far as finding something interseting to  post I have decided to just write about whatever.

I just love this ship!!!

Yeah! I have managed to  successfully upload one of my photos from Flickr.  

Module 3

Slowly but surely I am working my way through the modules. Exploring the links and 'playing' with some of the tools that are available through Google and others highlights the endless possibilities that are available to teachers to assist in enhancing students learning.

I have just completed my first Google doc, it took me a few tries to get the hang of it. Learning to use the technology really demonstrates the importance for both teachers and students to be given the time to 'play' and learn.

My first Google doc was about Italian Food my favourite.

I am looking forward to the next module.

Module 2

Yes it is me again, I must say that creating my first blog was a challenge, but I now have a sense of achievement in completing the task. I have to thank Louise for her most splendid assistance.

I found the Art Projects for Kids and The Read/Write Web in the Classroom links both contained ideas that I would use with students.

I am looking forward to 'playing' more with creating blogs and hope to be competent in adding pictures and graphics to make my blogs more exciting.

On with Module 3!!

Module 1

Hi everyone at last I have made it to creating my own blog! So far so good with Web 2.0 I had a fun time creating my own igoogle homepage and adding all sorts of gadgets! My daughter who is 22 was quite impressed that I could do something on the web that she couldn't! Power to the older generation!