Last THING

Final blogpost! Write about your experience in this "23 THINGS" module, using the following questions to guide your post:

• This was meant to give you exposure to new things and give you a chance to explore and experiment. Did it do that? Did you learn anything new? How will you use it?

Overall, I really enjoyed doing this activity. I learned about several new tools that I can hopefully incorporate into my classroom one day or use as a TIS. I think Twiddla will be a great resource for classroom collaboration. If I should happen to get a TIS job next year or my county miraculously finds funding for us.... I would like to have my teachers complete the 23 Things at the beginning of the year or over the year. I really think they would benefit from learning about these tools and just blogging in general. I have learned alot from blogs this year and I think my staff would benefit from them as well.

• This module was organized around the 5 ISTE National Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers (NETS-T). Do you have a better understanding of the NETS-T now? Explain.

Yes, I do have a better understand of the NETS-T. After reading over them again, I see how each of the 23 things correlates with the standards and indicators. Teachers she provide oppurtunities and be provided oppurtunities to collaborate, demostrate, create, model etc 21st Century skills to their peers and their students. It is important as a 21st century educator that you process or have the willingness to learn theses skills.

• How could you use the "23 THINGS" format to introduce new "things" to your teachers, or to help them introduce new "things" to their students? Explain.

I think this would be a good way for teachers to try to use technology tools. I like how you are given just enough to do the basic skills and grab their attention and then they will wnat to learn more about the tool. Everything forthe most part was basic and simple and could be done within a short amount of time. Teachers have very little time so if they have to sit down and figure something out it needs to be fairly simple. I also think this would be a good way to introduce blogs to teachers as well. I have learned alot of great ideas from teacher blogs and my staff would benefit greatly from blogs. Teachers post numerous free resources on their blogs and they are great teaching tools. THe only thing I would do differently for my staff is maybe tweak a few of the things to suit my schools needs better.

Webtop Youtube Video

I have been helping the Reading Interventionists at my school plan our Read Across America Activities. I was in charge of finding resources to use in lab to integrate technology into our event. I have scheduled each class grades K-5 in one of labs for a half hour during RAA Week. Students first watch the video of Tim Tebow reading Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.

Then students read an electronic book at www.wegivebooks.org , after students read a book students are asked to donate a book to a charity. My goal is to donate 200 books by the end of the week to World Vision. They then fillout a reading buck (bail our gym teacher out of jail) and take an AR test. If time permits they can read another electronic book or play educational games at www.seussville.com . I have tried to incorporate as much technology as possible in a half hour time. Also, to track hour many books we have donated I created a Cat and the Hat themed bulletin board in the lab.