Final Course Reflection

I have to say I have thoroughly enjoyed learning all about Web 2.0. Even though I have been exposed to many different tools, I think what I have learnt is only the tip of the iceberg. I know now that I need to connect with other educators and keep on learning.
As an Integration Aide, I had not heard of the iLE@RN Model, but after watching the video, agree with the statement -"Remember, it's not about the technology. It is about good learning and teaching first. The technology is merely a tool to enable us to achieve our goals." - Matt Wells   And this is where many of the Web 2.0 tools can help.
I have enjoyed reading many of the blogs and have come across some interesting readings through the Twitter accounts I am following. Picasa has become my favourite tool and I have spent quite some time organising the hundreds of photos I have on my laptop and the next time I need to do a presentation, I will be using Prezi.
 As the year 5/6 students at our school all have laptops, I know I can use the Web 2.0 tools to enhance their learning. I feel confident in keeping up with the students I work with, and this is what I had hoped to achieve by doing this course.

Module 10

In this module I explored three popular Web 2.0 tools - Wikis, Nings and Google sites. My first thought was how similar Wikis are to Google Docs. So I googled, asking what is the difference and found this website  http://web20-libraryservices-ya.wikispaces.com/google+documents

 with this article -

What is the difference between a Wiki and Google Docs?

There are some similarities in terms of functions. Both are collaborative tools for drafting and creating documents. Both have features that keep track of different versions made to the document.

A difference is in terms of access. Google Docs users must have a Google account, whereas a wiki does not. Also, a wiki is structured more like a website while Google Docs is more of a office productivity tool.

Whatever it is, what is more important is what you wish to achieve. Either tool may help you achieve the same desired outcomes. Sometimes it is a matter of preference (e.g. Google Doc tends to look familiar to most users than a wiki). Take time to experiment and learn!

A Ning is an online platform for people to create a customized social network. It is where you can build your own interactive virtual community and Google Sites is where you can create your own website. I had a go at this and it seemed fairly straight forward, although I have yet to put any content on the page. Further down the track I will explore it a bit more.

With the 1:1 laptop program in our 5/6 level we use Wikispaces daily. The majority of students have found it easy to use and therefore are able to access their lessons fairly quickly. Any Web tools that help the students stay focused and look forward to learning can only be considered a great asset to any school.

Module 9

After investigating Second Life, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, I needed to consider this question - 'Which of these social and professional networking tools could enhance learning, both in the classroom and beyond it, and how?'
Second Life - I had not heard of Second Life, but knowing how much students love to play computer games- especially 3d interactive virtual world games- this platform could be helpful in teaching various subjects such as History, Art, Cultures, Acting, Social Skills, etc.
Facebook - Having teenage children, I was interested in having my own Facebook page. I am a 'lurker' at the best of times, when it comes to social sites. I am happy to read everyone else's comments and I will occasionally 'like' other posts, but rarely post anything myself. Although, recently my daughter got her licence and instead of sending a group text, I put it on FB. I can see that for the 15 to mid-20 year olds that it is a way of life. I think that FB is mainly a social tool and not so much an educational tool.
Twitter - I opened a Twitter account while completing Module 2. I am following a few famous people (and then deleted some as they tweeted too often) and some work colleagues. As with FB I am not really into tweeting, but am happy to read others. I can see by using the hash tags that I could find information if I needed to. I think Twitter can be a great professional networking tool but not so much for Primary age students.
LinkedIn - Funnily enough, only the other day a friend requested that I join LinkedIn. I have set up my profile and connected with a couple of friends. I can see that if you are looking to develop network connections with other teachers, looking for a job or looking for a service that someone has used and could recommend, LinkedIn would be the place to go. This is a professional tool and I don't think Primary School students would benefit from it.

When thinking about your 'Digital Footprint', I remember a quote my mother sometimes said - 'Never put in writing anything that you wouldn't want read...' Once you have put something on the Internet it can not be totally erased. The 5/6's that I work with and most of the school have learnt about their 'Digital Footprint' and hopefully they take it seriously when they use the Internet.

Module 8

Again, another topic I had not heard of before - RSS feeds. As Google Reader finished mid-July, I have now started to use Feedly - an alternative suggested by a work colleague. All my feeds from Google Reader were transferred to Feedly without a problem and without me doing much. I can now enjoy updated content from websites that I subscribe to.
Our schools 5/6 blog page uses RSS feeds, which is a great for parents who want to know what their child is learning about and what is happening around the school. I'm not too sure whether the students - being Primary School students would benefit from using RSS feeds, but it gives them the knowledge to use them later if needed.

Module 7

Before I had started this module, I had heard that Delicious was a great bookmarking site. But after reading '10 Reasons To Use Diigo', I decided that Diigo was the way to 'go'. http://www.ictineducation.org/home-page/2009/11/2/10-reasons-to-use-diigo.html
I installed Diigolet so I can quickly bookmark, highlight, read later, share and place sticky notes on sites I am interested in. Bookmarking, like Google Docs, is another collaborative platform that makes searching for relevant websites very easy and again, a huge time saver.
In the classroom it cuts down on all the wasted time students spend looking for sites they have previously used.

Module 6

Picasa is a great tool to showcase photos. It is something I am very interested in and can see myself spending hours organising, editing and creating some great photos. Besides Picasa being very easy to use, as it is linked in with Google, it keeps everything in one place.
Only recently the 5/6's at our school were taught about Copyright. It was good to see that they were using the Creative Commons licensed material and understanding why. Picasa gives the students another way to present their work.

A collage of a holiday in Darwin

Module 5

Just recently the students used Bubbl.us to create their own mind map. Everyone was capable of using this tool and like me, found it very easy. The only concern I have is that the creative students enjoy 'drawing' their own mind maps. Therefore I think  Bubbl.us is a bit restrictive. On reading some of the other blogs, the tool exploratree offers many more templates - http://www.exploratree.org.uk/ 

My very simple mind map on the 4 modules I have completed. 

Glogster EDU is a great way to incorporate images, audio, text and video to create an interactive 'poster'. I have had a bit of go at using Glogster and I found that it takes a long time for the content to load. In a classroom situation, this could affect the lesson - timewise and causing frustration.

Prezi is another tool I had not heard of before. I thought the 'Thoughts on using Prezi as a teaching tool' was very informative and showed exactly what Prezi is capable of doing.
http://prezi.com/pbjhhagacuxe/copy-of-thoughts-on-using-prezi-as-a-teaching-tool/
Prezi is similar to a Powerpoint presentation, but through the use of zooming and finding information in obscure places, it will help keep the students engaged.

Module 4

This module exposed me to the huge choice of Digital Storytelling tools. I recently received an iPad and am keen to use it to its fullest potential. I downloaded a Podcast for the first time and my 17 year old daughter is now downloading anything and everything, so I'm going to have to keep an eye on that! Having teenagers at home, both iTunes and YouTube are constantly used. YouTube is a great source for any subject and therefore can easily be used in the classroom. We have used quite a few clips in the classroom. I had a quick look at iTunes U  - there are some great free educational courses that you can download. Both Vimeo and TeacherTube provide great videos to enhance the students learning in the classroom. I really enjoyed using Animoto and was surprised at how quick and easy it was to create a great video. I have included my Animoto video of the Adelaide Zoo. All of these tools will help visual learners, but will also provide a different way to engage students.

Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Zoo

Module 3

This is where the 'Magical Moment', as suggested in my title, comes into play. I did not know that Google Docs existed - until - I was helping a student answer some questions on her laptop. We were discussing what she could type - when words started to appear on her laptop. I looked at her and asked if she had typed this in before - my only thought was that the computer was 'lagging'. She casually answered that someone else in the classroom was typing. I was both amazed and a little embarrassed.
I couldn't access the Atomic Learning site but a work colleague (thanks Anthony) had provided staff with the Google Guru site http://bit.ly/YNdtai. I went straight to the beginners area and watched a lot of videos. The potential for Google Docs is huge. It makes communication and collaboration so easy. A great time saver.

Module 2

I have to say that I spent a lot of time reading other peoples blogs and then finally committed to mine (after previewing several times). The module made it easy to follow the steps to the end result.
Our school has been using blogs for the past two years. The majority of students are confident in blogging and many enjoy using this platform to get their views out there. Using blogs, the students can practise their comprehension and writing skills, while learning about copyright and more importantly, cyber safety.
I also opened a Twitter account, but as yet haven't posted a comment, or is that 'tweeted'. I now understand what and how hash tags work. I'm not convinced that using Twitter, with its 140 character limit, would work in a classroom.

Module 1

I previously hadn't heard of Web 2.0, but on using a computer daily, I now realise that I have used quite a few of the Web 2.0 tools - Skype, Facebook, Google Earth, YouTube, Ebay, Pandora, Etsy, etc.
I enjoyed customising my iGoogle page - but wonder why it is closing later this year. I am sure something bigger and better will replace it.
I am looking forward to using Flickr, Photobucket and other tools related to Photography (I'm the one that turns up to any function with a camera in tow).
By learning about and using more of the Web 2.0 tools, I will be able to keep up with and enhance the students I work with.

Hi and Welcome to my very first blog. I am an Integration Aide and help in the 5/6 areas. I am really looking forward to learning all about Web 2.0. This year our students have started a 1:1 laptop program, so I need to be 'techno savvy' to answer all their questions. From observations in Term One, the students know alot about computers, therefore I need to know more...