Is RSS becoming easier to understand? Do you recognize new benefits of using this tool? Do you remember to check your feeds regularly? Has it become a habit (or obsession!) yet?
RSS is becoming easier to understand. Like before, I do think it is very beneficial to my productivity. I sometimes forget to check my feeds. I read the news from the Fox News app on my iPhone. I'm not sure that this will change. I do not spend a lot of time at my desktop or laptop when home, and that would be where I would check the news. As for the art blogs that I have been following. I find the tool very helpful. It has kept me up to date throughout the week. Not sure I would call it an obsession.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Thing 10 is so "essy"-Dot Dot Dot (Official Video HD)
For all of my English buffs out there. This is my absolute favorite video on YouTube. It is a dramatic voice over of a comment made on a game app for iPhone. It is a hilarious example of poor grammar used in social networking.
Thing 10 Revisited
Add comments to the video you embedded. Why did you select it? Were you also able to download a video?
I selected this video because I will be introducing Doodle 4 Google 2012 to my classes this week. This is the video I will be showing to them to spark some ideas. I want them to understand how to transform the logo into an image that reflects their own creative idea.
Embedding a video from YouTube was much easier than described. You just select the embed/more button and embed to Blogger. Super easy. So easy, I will be using it more often.
Thing 14
Then reflect on how you think social bookmarking can be used in your teaching. Does Delicious seem to be a tool that can enhance your productivity?
I understand tagging and bookmarking much better now that I have had the opportunity to use Delicious. In Thing 13 I was concerned that tags would not be labeled properly. What I didn't realize was that I would be the one assigning the tags. I thought delicious did this for you. Awesome find.
In teaching, I will use it primarily to organize lesson ideas, images, and sites.
It will enhance my productivity between machines. I can use Delicious to bookmark a link no matter what computer I am using. Currently, I have bookmarks on at least three different machines. Yuck! I can never find anything. Even with links in folders, I still feel disorganized.
I haven't had the experience with Delicious to give it my seal of approval, but I do believe that it will be a tool that I will work with quite frequently. It reminds me of Pinterest.
I understand tagging and bookmarking much better now that I have had the opportunity to use Delicious. In Thing 13 I was concerned that tags would not be labeled properly. What I didn't realize was that I would be the one assigning the tags. I thought delicious did this for you. Awesome find.
In teaching, I will use it primarily to organize lesson ideas, images, and sites.
It will enhance my productivity between machines. I can use Delicious to bookmark a link no matter what computer I am using. Currently, I have bookmarks on at least three different machines. Yuck! I can never find anything. Even with links in folders, I still feel disorganized.
I haven't had the experience with Delicious to give it my seal of approval, but I do believe that it will be a tool that I will work with quite frequently. It reminds me of Pinterest.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
There should be 24 Things
Did you know that there is a free blogger app for your smartphone? Cool :)
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thing 13
Share your thoughts about tagging. Is tagging a useful way to organize your digital resources and why? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages? What is important to think about before assigning tags to bookmarks or other Internet content?
I have always been curious about the tags on the side of blogs I visit. I just assumed that these were gadgets that were added, but instead they are actually labels and tags.
The advantage is that it organizes your resources for you. The downside. I haven't tried it yet, but I am thinking that it may be occasionally off when tagging a resource. Lets say I found an art project on a math site. Will it tag that project with the appropriate name? I guess I will find out in Thing 14.
I have always been curious about the tags on the side of blogs I visit. I just assumed that these were gadgets that were added, but instead they are actually labels and tags.
The advantage is that it organizes your resources for you. The downside. I haven't tried it yet, but I am thinking that it may be occasionally off when tagging a resource. Lets say I found an art project on a math site. Will it tag that project with the appropriate name? I guess I will find out in Thing 14.
Thing 12
I do not understand how to embed code. Check back Monday for some awesome doodling widget I want to add. I did add a gadget to the left. It is a building list of artists I admire.
UPDATE:
If you have noticed I have figured out how to add a widget. To save face I would like to add that the widget that I was trying to add from WidgetBox actually had bugs in it. I was unable to embed the code. So it wasn't that I did not know how, it was that I did not trouble shoot with other widgets. Lesson learned.
As for widgets, I can not think of many that would benefit a classroom blog. I do not like that the load time of my blog has been increased do to the widget I added. They can be buggy. I would rather a student or teacher visit my site and see a sleek minimal design with good content than I crowded site that will not load properly.
However, there may be more useful tools that would not take the same amount of load time. I could only think of three useful widgets to add to my art class blog. A poll or questionaire to check for student involvement and understanding, a countdown clock to the end of the year or special event, and a slide show of student work.
UPDATE:
If you have noticed I have figured out how to add a widget. To save face I would like to add that the widget that I was trying to add from WidgetBox actually had bugs in it. I was unable to embed the code. So it wasn't that I did not know how, it was that I did not trouble shoot with other widgets. Lesson learned.
As for widgets, I can not think of many that would benefit a classroom blog. I do not like that the load time of my blog has been increased do to the widget I added. They can be buggy. I would rather a student or teacher visit my site and see a sleek minimal design with good content than I crowded site that will not load properly.
However, there may be more useful tools that would not take the same amount of load time. I could only think of three useful widgets to add to my art class blog. A poll or questionaire to check for student involvement and understanding, a countdown clock to the end of the year or special event, and a slide show of student work.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thing 11
What do you like / dislike about leaving comments? How did you feel when you received your first comment? Why do you think commenting is so important in online communities? What might this mean for students who share their writing online?
I am pretty indifferent to leaving comments. I comment only when necessary, when I really like and idea, or disagree with content. I don't like how some individuals get caught up in a conversation that has nothing to do with the original post.
You feel validated when someone posts to your social network, like someone is listening to what you have to say. That is why Face Book is so popular. People want to know that they are being heard. Even if that means commenting on what they made for dinner.
Students will learn more by reflecting on their work and the work of others. It feels safe to have a conversation about your work in writing, as opposed to face to face. It is less threatening. However, because of this anonymity, social media can also cause a lot of heartache. Student comments need to be closely monitored.
I am pretty indifferent to leaving comments. I comment only when necessary, when I really like and idea, or disagree with content. I don't like how some individuals get caught up in a conversation that has nothing to do with the original post.
You feel validated when someone posts to your social network, like someone is listening to what you have to say. That is why Face Book is so popular. People want to know that they are being heard. Even if that means commenting on what they made for dinner.
Students will learn more by reflecting on their work and the work of others. It feels safe to have a conversation about your work in writing, as opposed to face to face. It is less threatening. However, because of this anonymity, social media can also cause a lot of heartache. Student comments need to be closely monitored.
Thing 10
Add comments to the video you embedded. Why did you select it? Were you also able to download a video?
Check back for an embedded video.
Check back for an embedded video.
Thing 9
What do you like or dislike about YouTube? Did you find videos that would be useful for teaching and learning? Is YouTube restricted in your building?
I like YouTube for the amount of video I can browse, but I do not like the lack of a filter. It has become a place of expression, but with personal expression comes some "junk" that I do not approve of for my classroom. I also get quite annoyed with the comments left on different videos.
I just used it in my classroom the other day. My students created Wacky Invention Drawings. I showed Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure Breakfast Machine. It was perfect. Not only did we get a good laugh before the lesson, it also improved their understanding. It was short, sweet, and FREE.
YouTube is not restricted in the building, but sometimes it doesn't cooperate.
I like YouTube for the amount of video I can browse, but I do not like the lack of a filter. It has become a place of expression, but with personal expression comes some "junk" that I do not approve of for my classroom. I also get quite annoyed with the comments left on different videos.
I just used it in my classroom the other day. My students created Wacky Invention Drawings. I showed Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure Breakfast Machine. It was perfect. Not only did we get a good laugh before the lesson, it also improved their understanding. It was short, sweet, and FREE.
YouTube is not restricted in the building, but sometimes it doesn't cooperate.
Thing 8
I loooove image generators. Endless and simple to implement possibilities. I honestly can say that I will be going back to create more images at Big Huge Labs. I really like the bead mosaic tool. I have made real bead mosaic images. This tool would have really helped me out with color selection and count. Great idea for students. The circles can be changed to squares or blocks too, which would be beneficial to a pixel lesson I do for 8th grade.
It is definitely time consuming, but not frustrating.
P.S. This is not a picture of my son Lucas. (he is cuter)
Thing 7
Think of ways you may be able to use Flickr in the classroom or in your work and share your ideas. What issues might you face?
Flikr is a great tool for students to create an online portfolio of their work. However, I would like to use Artsonia along with Flikr. At Artsonia students can upload photos of their work. Their work can be saved from preschool all the way up through high school. When they graduate, they can print a digital portfolio of all of their work. Parents can purchase items with their child's art printed on it. All proceeds go to their school of choice. In this case, RMS.
So how can Flikr and Artsonia be used together? Students could use Flikr as a more public domain for their work. Is Flikr a safe site for children? That I am not sure of. Artsonia protects children's identities from creeps and plagiarisers. That is why I prefer that site for my students.
An image of my paper art is soon to follow.
Flikr is a great tool for students to create an online portfolio of their work. However, I would like to use Artsonia along with Flikr. At Artsonia students can upload photos of their work. Their work can be saved from preschool all the way up through high school. When they graduate, they can print a digital portfolio of all of their work. Parents can purchase items with their child's art printed on it. All proceeds go to their school of choice. In this case, RMS.
So how can Flikr and Artsonia be used together? Students could use Flikr as a more public domain for their work. Is Flikr a safe site for children? That I am not sure of. Artsonia protects children's identities from creeps and plagiarisers. That is why I prefer that site for my students.
An image of my paper art is soon to follow.
Thing 6
Create a post on your blog about one of the photos you downloaded. Why did you choose a particular photo? What is it about the photo that you found interesting?
I chose this artist's intricate cut work because it represents my passion for detail in my own work.
P.S. Downloading this image was a piece of cake. I plan on uploading my own work to build a portfolio.
I chose this artist's intricate cut work because it represents my passion for detail in my own work.
Art has always been an interest of mine. I have been blessed with not only talent, but a passion for the creative process. This may sound bold of me, but behind this boldness there has been many years of finding myself. Although God blessed me with an admirable talent, He led me on a 30 year journey to discover my medium.
Painting, ceramics, drawing, computer art-you name it, I took a class on it. I had always loved working with paper, but had thought that paper construction was not considered a respectable medium for fine artists. It wasn't until last year that I finally discovered my medium of choice.
I guess you could say that "I heart paper cut art" I love cutting out fine details and layering the images. Paper options are endless--printed, textured, weight. I have blended my skills as an illustrator along with this passion to create "cute" (yes I said cute Professor Haggerty) dioramas for children's rooms.
P.S. Downloading this image was a piece of cake. I plan on uploading my own work to build a portfolio.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Silly Me! I forgot Thing 3
How might a blog support the work you do? How might you use a blog with students? How might they respond to a blog assignment? What concerns do you have about educational blogging?
So many blogs. So little time.
I perused through the list of blogs provided by the 23 things administrators. I clicked on as many as I could and breezed through several. I did not find any on art education, but many on tech ed. I did come across a blog called "Qrious." Although outdated, I found one lesson idea very interesting. It incorporates reading and technology through something called "Fake Book." Fake Book is a tool for teachers and students that is used
to chart the plot of a book, the development of a character, a series of historical events, the debates and relationships between people, and so on. It is really neat. You can create a conversation between different characters like a real Facebook page. Very relevant. It would be neat to do this between famous artists throughout history. I believe that students would have a lot of fun with this.
My concerns with educational blogging is the time constraints. I have so many things that I try to fit into my personal life. I have priorities. Family and church come first. I would be concerned that my educational blog would be put on the back burner.
So many blogs. So little time.
I perused through the list of blogs provided by the 23 things administrators. I clicked on as many as I could and breezed through several. I did not find any on art education, but many on tech ed. I did come across a blog called "Qrious." Although outdated, I found one lesson idea very interesting. It incorporates reading and technology through something called "Fake Book." Fake Book is a tool for teachers and students that is used
to chart the plot of a book, the development of a character, a series of historical events, the debates and relationships between people, and so on. It is really neat. You can create a conversation between different characters like a real Facebook page. Very relevant. It would be neat to do this between famous artists throughout history. I believe that students would have a lot of fun with this.
My concerns with educational blogging is the time constraints. I have so many things that I try to fit into my personal life. I have priorities. Family and church come first. I would be concerned that my educational blog would be put on the back burner.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Thing 5
RSS can be a difficult concept for some to grasp right away - what questions do you have? It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of blogs out there - how do you handle information overload and how do you think RSS might help with that? Find anything in your searching that you'd recommend to others?
I will be the first to admit that I do not find this overwhelming at all. I think that anyone with a little knowledge about the Internet can navigate this information. There is a lot of volume, but you just need to know how to weed out the junk. RSS is really a simple tool that can be used to bookmark information that you find useful. I often forget the names of blogs or forget to visit them. This will help me keep track.
I highly recommend "paint cut paste" to any mom out there who is looking to be inspired in the area of children's art.
I will be the first to admit that I do not find this overwhelming at all. I think that anyone with a little knowledge about the Internet can navigate this information. There is a lot of volume, but you just need to know how to weed out the junk. RSS is really a simple tool that can be used to bookmark information that you find useful. I often forget the names of blogs or forget to visit them. This will help me keep track.
I highly recommend "paint cut paste" to any mom out there who is looking to be inspired in the area of children's art.
Thing 4
How might you use RSS in your personal or professional life? Which method of subscribing do you prefer? What didn't work or doesn't make sense?
I did not realize how simple it is to follow multiple blogs. I will enjoy using google reader in my personal life. Originally I was saving sites to my history or favorites. Now I can save blogs to my reader and read them daily without visiting each individual page waiting for updates.
Professionally, I can follow other classrooms or art teachers for updates. I believe that this would connect the school and create better communication between different curriculum and grade levels.
Some of the links, like Bud the Teacher were not working today. I did not care for the information on these sites and will most likely delete them from my reader. I have many art teachers, core teachers, and budding artists that I would rather follow.
I did not realize how simple it is to follow multiple blogs. I will enjoy using google reader in my personal life. Originally I was saving sites to my history or favorites. Now I can save blogs to my reader and read them daily without visiting each individual page waiting for updates.
Professionally, I can follow other classrooms or art teachers for updates. I believe that this would connect the school and create better communication between different curriculum and grade levels.
Some of the links, like Bud the Teacher were not working today. I did not care for the information on these sites and will most likely delete them from my reader. I have many art teachers, core teachers, and budding artists that I would rather follow.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Thing 1 & Thing 2
I really enjoyed the animation of Thing 2. I watched several more of the same artist videos.
I would like to create more animation in my classroom. Maybe I will come across tools for animation while on my 23 things adventure.
I would like to create more animation in my classroom. Maybe I will come across tools for animation while on my 23 things adventure.
Learning 23 Things
So, I will be learning 23 new "things" before the end of February. 23 new "technological things". My husband will be proud. At the end of each thing I will be completing the reflections as described below.
"At the end of each Thing, you will be asked to post to your blog. Your reflective post should provide insight into what you’ve discovered and learned. Write about what worked, what didn’t, what you might try in your classroom, any surprises, frustrations, or eureka moments. We will offer some blog prompts. You do not have to answer all the questions nor should you feel limited by them -- they are just prompts to get you thinking. Make sure that the title of each blog post refers to the Thing that you are writing about (by number) -- give this first post the title: Thing 1 and Thing 2"
"At the end of each Thing, you will be asked to post to your blog. Your reflective post should provide insight into what you’ve discovered and learned. Write about what worked, what didn’t, what you might try in your classroom, any surprises, frustrations, or eureka moments. We will offer some blog prompts. You do not have to answer all the questions nor should you feel limited by them -- they are just prompts to get you thinking. Make sure that the title of each blog post refers to the Thing that you are writing about (by number) -- give this first post the title: Thing 1 and Thing 2"
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