Take a few moments to reflect on your journey. You've covered a lot of material over the past ten weeks. What does it all mean? How has your thinking changed between Thing 1 and Thing 23? Has this program changed how you view the Internet or how view teaching in the digital world? What plans have you made for using these tools in and out of the classroom? How will you continue to learn about Web 2.0 tools? What are your big "take aways" from this experience?
Woohoo! Finally here! The strongest emotion I am feeling right now is regret...I wish I had actually taken the intended 10 weeks to finish the course rather than doing the large majority of it in the past two weeks. But of course, life takes over and there are just some things that you can't control.
This journey actually started this past summer during the four day technology workshop at RESA. My inspiration and exploration of Web 2.0 actually started there. I consider the workshop as the actual beginning of my journey rather than Thing 1 and Thing 2. What RESA has done for me with these two programs is radically change the way I present information. The use of wikis, podcasts, online polls and surveys have revolutionized my classroom "bag of tricks."
I have jumped right in and started using these tools with my students and colleagues. My wiki is used on a daily basis. I have already used my blog and zamzar for an assignment with students.
My plan for the future is to continue learning. I received my Master's Degree in Instructional Technology 4 years ago and I already feel like the technology I used in my course work is outdated. You cannot simply rest on what you know. There is always something newer and better out there to discover and incorporate into the classroom.
My big "take away" from this course has to be Zamzar. I love it. I find so many amazing things on YouTube and feel so hampered by not being able to use it in the classroom. This has made possibilities just open up! I don't like how long it takes to convert a video but once it is done and embedded into a blog you can keep it and reuse it again and again. I intend to start converting videos from YouTube- if I can do a few a week I can start building up my resources for the future.
Another big "take away" was Slideshare. I really liked this site but wasn't able to fully explore because of my rush to finish the last few things. I intend to use this site as a resource I always check when starting new units and recommending to my colleagues as a resource. Now that the course is "over" I want to go back and explore the other online productivity tools and image generators that I didn't chose to do the first time around. I also will continue to look for more podcasts that can be used for my classroom.
This class came at a perfect time in my career. Beginning to teach a new course in Media Literacy these Web 2.0 tools are now the foundation of my pedagogy for years to come.
Thank you RESA!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Thing 22
In your blog post be sure to include the link to your wiki. Then discuss your feelings about using a wiki. How does a wiki differ from a blog? When is one more appropriate to use than the other?
My wiki is at http://dentonmedia.wetpaint.com
I created this wiki in July and have been using it since the start of the school year. I applied for it to be ad free and am happy with the results.
I love using my wiki. It is so easy to manage. I have even used it for interdisciplinary units (see the Election link on the left). I have used polls from polldaddy, posted videos from TeacherTube, make a list of links to follow, and even helped a friend develop her own wiki for a project on French Artists http://mmesmith.wetpaint.com/ which she is now expanding for other projects.
One thing I both love and dislike about the wiki is the simplicity. It is basic and I guess that what makes it easy to use but sometimes you want things to be a little more complex... usually for visual purposes only. I have some problems embedding videos and other widgets. All of my videos disappeared one day. Weird.
I love my Sponge Links page. This is a page of a whole bunch of school appropriate web sites that students can visit when they are done with their classwork. It "soaks up" time at the end of class if they finish early. This helps keep the students from getting into too much trouble on the Internet.
A blog is different in that each entry is piled on top of one another. I found this a little frustrating when putting an assignment in my blog, and then having the students have to scroll through newer entries to find the assignment.
Sometimes I feel a little skitzophrenic- I have a wiki, a website, a blog, a podcast site... But not one central location. Over time I think I will figure out which ones I use the most and how to integrate them together. Just haven't figured out the best way yet.
My wiki is at http://dentonmedia.wetpaint.com
I created this wiki in July and have been using it since the start of the school year. I applied for it to be ad free and am happy with the results.
I love using my wiki. It is so easy to manage. I have even used it for interdisciplinary units (see the Election link on the left). I have used polls from polldaddy, posted videos from TeacherTube, make a list of links to follow, and even helped a friend develop her own wiki for a project on French Artists http://mmesmith.wetpaint.com/ which she is now expanding for other projects.
One thing I both love and dislike about the wiki is the simplicity. It is basic and I guess that what makes it easy to use but sometimes you want things to be a little more complex... usually for visual purposes only. I have some problems embedding videos and other widgets. All of my videos disappeared one day. Weird.
I love my Sponge Links page. This is a page of a whole bunch of school appropriate web sites that students can visit when they are done with their classwork. It "soaks up" time at the end of class if they finish early. This helps keep the students from getting into too much trouble on the Internet.
A blog is different in that each entry is piled on top of one another. I found this a little frustrating when putting an assignment in my blog, and then having the students have to scroll through newer entries to find the assignment.
Sometimes I feel a little skitzophrenic- I have a wiki, a website, a blog, a podcast site... But not one central location. Over time I think I will figure out which ones I use the most and how to integrate them together. Just haven't figured out the best way yet.
Thing 21
Describe a wiki you found that inspires you to create one of your own. What hurdles might stand in the way of your using a wiki? What would it take to remove the hurdles? Is it worth the fight?
I already use a wiki in my classroom and I love it. I do have to admit that I do not use it to its full abilities because of those "hurdles" of using a collaborative tool with my students. Mostly I use it right now as a website. It is so much easier than creating a website in and posting it from home (cannot do it at school because it is blocked). The ease of editing something in real time for students to use immediately has been immensely helpful. It is also easy when sending work home for students who are suspended or sick.
One great fear I have is having students being able to save to the wiki themselves. It has so much potential for collaborative writing. I know that is at the heart of what a wiki is, but I am not ready to take that step. First, I want to know wetpaint inside-out before letting my students use it. I want to know all the ways it can go wrong. Second, I want to be more comfortable in my curriculum before using this tool. I can see the dangers of students deliberately or accidentally fooling with other students posting and that is not a headache I want to take on at the moment. I would be more inclined to have the wiki be a collaborative space with other teachers rather than having the students contribute.
Another hurdle is the same problem with using Google Docs...students having email addresses in order to be able to sign up to edit the wiki. I don't want to open it to every person who stops by. I do believe I need to have control over who can edit it. Yet, the problem of having students use an email address to sign up is the same problem with having students use a lot of the Web 2.0 tools.
I already use a wiki in my classroom and I love it. I do have to admit that I do not use it to its full abilities because of those "hurdles" of using a collaborative tool with my students. Mostly I use it right now as a website. It is so much easier than creating a website in and posting it from home (cannot do it at school because it is blocked). The ease of editing something in real time for students to use immediately has been immensely helpful. It is also easy when sending work home for students who are suspended or sick.
One great fear I have is having students being able to save to the wiki themselves. It has so much potential for collaborative writing. I know that is at the heart of what a wiki is, but I am not ready to take that step. First, I want to know wetpaint inside-out before letting my students use it. I want to know all the ways it can go wrong. Second, I want to be more comfortable in my curriculum before using this tool. I can see the dangers of students deliberately or accidentally fooling with other students posting and that is not a headache I want to take on at the moment. I would be more inclined to have the wiki be a collaborative space with other teachers rather than having the students contribute.
Another hurdle is the same problem with using Google Docs...students having email addresses in order to be able to sign up to edit the wiki. I don't want to open it to every person who stops by. I do believe I need to have control over who can edit it. Yet, the problem of having students use an email address to sign up is the same problem with having students use a lot of the Web 2.0 tools.
Thing 20
Include in your post the name of at least one podcast to which you subscribed. Describe your experience using the various search tools. Which do you prefer and why?
I already have experience subscribing to podcasts. One of my favorites was also the saddest. NPR: My Cancer is the story of Leroy Sievers. He was a prominent journalist for NPR, CBS, and CNN. For the past few years he has battled cancer. He shared his journey via his blog and podcast. Sadly, Leroy died this year. Now his blog is taken over by his widow. The blog has turned into a blog about widowhood and grief- one that I relate to immensely. She has not continued the podcasts though.
All of the podcasts that I have experience have been personal in nature. I have never used a podcast as part of instruction and was interested to see what was out there.
I found Tech Tip Tuesday on the Education Podcast Network. Very clever. Like the music, sense of humor, and sound effects. (The narrator sounds like Kermit the frog actually!). There are so many different topics to chose from. A very slick production with use of effects that help with understanding and interest. The podcast is very specific though to the University. I especially liked the one on Spam. The podcasts were categorized by subject area but I found like I was blindly picking a podcast from a list rather than finding a podcast that was suited for my needs.
I am an avid iTunes user...but have never touched their podcasts! I knew there was so much information out there. I friend of mine who teaches High School level French uses iTunes to find podcasts all of the time for her students but I never "went there." The search tools of iTunes were much superior to the Education Podcast Network but the problem is that not all of the podcasts are middle school appropriate.
I already have experience subscribing to podcasts. One of my favorites was also the saddest. NPR: My Cancer is the story of Leroy Sievers. He was a prominent journalist for NPR, CBS, and CNN. For the past few years he has battled cancer. He shared his journey via his blog and podcast. Sadly, Leroy died this year. Now his blog is taken over by his widow. The blog has turned into a blog about widowhood and grief- one that I relate to immensely. She has not continued the podcasts though.
All of the podcasts that I have experience have been personal in nature. I have never used a podcast as part of instruction and was interested to see what was out there.
I found Tech Tip Tuesday on the Education Podcast Network. Very clever. Like the music, sense of humor, and sound effects. (The narrator sounds like Kermit the frog actually!). There are so many different topics to chose from. A very slick production with use of effects that help with understanding and interest. The podcast is very specific though to the University. I especially liked the one on Spam. The podcasts were categorized by subject area but I found like I was blindly picking a podcast from a list rather than finding a podcast that was suited for my needs.
I am an avid iTunes user...but have never touched their podcasts! I knew there was so much information out there. I friend of mine who teaches High School level French uses iTunes to find podcasts all of the time for her students but I never "went there." The search tools of iTunes were much superior to the Education Podcast Network but the problem is that not all of the podcasts are middle school appropriate.
Thing 19
Which podcasts did you find interesting? Identify one or two podcasts and describe how you would use them in your teaching. (Be sure to include links in your blog entry to the podcasts mentioned.)
Next, I explored Booktalks Plain and Simple by Nancy Keane. This was a great twist on the book report. Again, this could be a great interdisciplinary unit. My class is called a "Fifth Wheel" which means I am considered a Core Elective- an elective that every student is required to take. Because I am on a team all of my students have the same Language Arts teacher at one time. Podcasts could be part of a literature unit- as the students read independently they write a report for the language arts teacher and then record and post it in their media literacy class. An added bonus could be teachers doing podcasts on their favorite middle school books. The list could be posted on the school website for students to listen to for inspiration on which book to read next.
I currently podcast on a daily basis. The podcasts are the school daily announcements.
I first listened to a few This I Believe segements created by students at Charlotte High School. I love the original NPR serious and think this is a wonderful assignment for high school students. The montage introduction was very moving and the variety of topics reflects the variety of students. Some were incredibly moving. I enjoyed listening to them. I can see this being an interdisciplinary unit with either Language Arts or Social Studies. The LA or SS teacher could doing the writing, the research. In my class we could do the recording, the mixing, and the posting. Very fun.
Next, I explored Booktalks Plain and Simple by Nancy Keane. This was a great twist on the book report. Again, this could be a great interdisciplinary unit. My class is called a "Fifth Wheel" which means I am considered a Core Elective- an elective that every student is required to take. Because I am on a team all of my students have the same Language Arts teacher at one time. Podcasts could be part of a literature unit- as the students read independently they write a report for the language arts teacher and then record and post it in their media literacy class. An added bonus could be teachers doing podcasts on their favorite middle school books. The list could be posted on the school website for students to listen to for inspiration on which book to read next.
I currently podcast on a daily basis. The podcasts are the school daily announcements.
Thing 18
What did you like about the presentation you embedded? How might Slideshare be useful in the classroom? out of the classroom?
This is very much like Zoho but much better. I like the variety of options. I had to go back and check to see how Zoho was different than Slideshare. I can see that in Zoho you have the ability to create presentations with their tools. With both you can upload the presentations and embed them. For ease of use I prefer Slideshare and had fun searching through the options.
Again, I picked a slideshow of photography since my students are currently going through a photography unit. I like the presentation of the slideshow better with Slideshare as well. The tags, title, and links were nice. Very much like YouTube.
Thing 17
Give a review of the tool you explored - what worked, what didn't work, how might it be used either in or out of the classroom?
(This is my third attempt at posting. My internet tonight is wacky!) I explored Zoho. At first I tried to upload my own powerpoint presentation but it didn't work. I don't know if it was my computer, my Internet connection, or the site itself. My computer hasn't worked right since I installed Delicious icons! uggh.
So, instead of uploading my own powerpoint, I searched through the public presentations. I found the one above and thought my students my find it interesting when we are doing the photography unit. It was very easy to search and embed into the blog.
I can see how easy it is to use. I like the idea of using someone else's presentation. Why reinvent the wheel? This would be great to embed a powerpoint into a blog for students to explore individually (rather than in a classroom presentation) or for absent/ homebound students. It is hard when students miss a classroom presentation and having the powerpoint online would help greatly in getting students caught up.
Thing 16
How might you use this tool in your personal and professional life? What issues come to mind about using this tool with students (ie, they need email addresses to log-in)?
I was introduced to Google Docs during the Technology Workshop at RESA at the end of July. I love the concept of this tool. There are so many times that I am collaborating on a document with a colleague and we all need to make edits. It can get really messy very quickly. Google Docs is perfect for a collaborative situation. A great example comes to mind. Recently another teacher and myself were working on a document to give to all of our students on our team. He sent it to everyone and asked for feedback. We all sent him back changes, but that meant he had to take the changes we all sent him and integrate them into the original document. Messy and not time effective. The only hindrance right now in using this is getting everyone in a group to learn how to use it and agree to using it instead of email (quicker).
I want to use this with my students. I hate it when they are working together on a project and a student saves it in their folder only to be absent the next day. By using Google Docs students could collaborate at home and not be held back by who "owns" the file. There are issues though and the biggest one is each student having an email. I do not want them using their personal email accounts at school. I don't want them public or forced to share with other students if they do not want to. I have approached my administration about getting my students special Google educational email accounts just for my class but they are hesitant. I am also hesitant because it is one more thing that needs to be monitored closely to prevent any abuse.
I was introduced to Google Docs during the Technology Workshop at RESA at the end of July. I love the concept of this tool. There are so many times that I am collaborating on a document with a colleague and we all need to make edits. It can get really messy very quickly. Google Docs is perfect for a collaborative situation. A great example comes to mind. Recently another teacher and myself were working on a document to give to all of our students on our team. He sent it to everyone and asked for feedback. We all sent him back changes, but that meant he had to take the changes we all sent him and integrate them into the original document. Messy and not time effective. The only hindrance right now in using this is getting everyone in a group to learn how to use it and agree to using it instead of email (quicker).
I want to use this with my students. I hate it when they are working together on a project and a student saves it in their folder only to be absent the next day. By using Google Docs students could collaborate at home and not be held back by who "owns" the file. There are issues though and the biggest one is each student having an email. I do not want them using their personal email accounts at school. I don't want them public or forced to share with other students if they do not want to. I have approached my administration about getting my students special Google educational email accounts just for my class but they are hesitant. I am also hesitant because it is one more thing that needs to be monitored closely to prevent any abuse.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Thing 15
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?
I understand RSS just fine, but have very little time to use it. It is kinda like getting a subscription to a newspaper.... A while ago I had a subscription to the newspaper. I love reading and I love the news. But when I got busy the papers would just pile up, unread. After a while I cancelled my subscription because it was just a waste of paper and money. In addition, I always felt guilty about not reading them. They sat there looking at me... accusing me of neglecting them...of neglecting the world! The RSS does not cost money, nor does it waste paper. But it has added to a list a things that I can't get to. Guilt becomes associated. I need to go read the RSS because I have to, not because I want to.
I definitely see the benefits of using this tool. It can save time by quickly scanning through all of the feeds to find something of interest. The problem is that it hasn't become a habit to check them regularly so when I do there is so much piled up that it is overwhelming. Reading the Bloglines isn't a necessity to my daily life like checking my email or voicemail. It is a luxury that I don't have much time for right now so it gets neglected (like finishing my 23 things in time!).
I understand RSS just fine, but have very little time to use it. It is kinda like getting a subscription to a newspaper.... A while ago I had a subscription to the newspaper. I love reading and I love the news. But when I got busy the papers would just pile up, unread. After a while I cancelled my subscription because it was just a waste of paper and money. In addition, I always felt guilty about not reading them. They sat there looking at me... accusing me of neglecting them...of neglecting the world! The RSS does not cost money, nor does it waste paper. But it has added to a list a things that I can't get to. Guilt becomes associated. I need to go read the RSS because I have to, not because I want to.
I definitely see the benefits of using this tool. It can save time by quickly scanning through all of the feeds to find something of interest. The problem is that it hasn't become a habit to check them regularly so when I do there is so much piled up that it is overwhelming. Reading the Bloglines isn't a necessity to my daily life like checking my email or voicemail. It is a luxury that I don't have much time for right now so it gets neglected (like finishing my 23 things in time!).
Thing 14
Include your Delicious username in this blog post so that others can view the bookmarks that you have chosen to share. 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 don't want to post my user name as some of my students are accessing this site : ) If you want to know if, leave contact info in the comments and I will send it to you. Thanks.
I guess I jumped the gun in Thing 13- I didn't have to sign up for Delicious then, but I do for 14 so I just want to voice the same disapproval. I don't care for this site. It felt counterintuitive and this was the first time in the 23 Things that I found something that I don't think I will use in the future.
I can definitely see that Delicious could enhance productivity for some people. By having the bookmarks centrally located so that it can be accessed from many different computers, there would be no more searching for a site you saw a few months ago. The social bookmarking would be helpful if you can find a professional community of teachers all in the same field, using the same program to share their bookmarks. But I can find this same information listed on people's personal websites, professional organizations sites, and in search generators.
I don't think this is a "Thing" I will be using though. A little too much for me right now.
I don't want to post my user name as some of my students are accessing this site : ) If you want to know if, leave contact info in the comments and I will send it to you. Thanks.
I guess I jumped the gun in Thing 13- I didn't have to sign up for Delicious then, but I do for 14 so I just want to voice the same disapproval. I don't care for this site. It felt counterintuitive and this was the first time in the 23 Things that I found something that I don't think I will use in the future.
I can definitely see that Delicious could enhance productivity for some people. By having the bookmarks centrally located so that it can be accessed from many different computers, there would be no more searching for a site you saw a few months ago. The social bookmarking would be helpful if you can find a professional community of teachers all in the same field, using the same program to share their bookmarks. But I can find this same information listed on people's personal websites, professional organizations sites, and in search generators.
I don't think this is a "Thing" I will be using though. A little too much for me right now.
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 did not have a good experience with delicious. I do not like using a tool that needs to install itself on my computer. This inevitably just ads up being another wasted icon that adds to the clutter on my toolbar. I do see the benefits to using it though, but at the same time, I primarily use one computer. When doing most of my planning I use one computer (which I occasionally back up my list of favorites). If I want a website on the fly I can usually do a quick search and find it.
The advantages to using this resource of course is instant access to all of your favorites no matter where you are at. The disadvantages is having to add yet another icon onto your computer. I prefer using google bookmarks anyways.
I think it is important to add as many tags as possible to your content before saving. If you think narrowly and assign few tags you might have a hard time in the future finding your content (as well as for others doing searches with tags). Try to think about all of the different contexts a website could be used before tagging it.
I did not have a good experience with delicious. I do not like using a tool that needs to install itself on my computer. This inevitably just ads up being another wasted icon that adds to the clutter on my toolbar. I do see the benefits to using it though, but at the same time, I primarily use one computer. When doing most of my planning I use one computer (which I occasionally back up my list of favorites). If I want a website on the fly I can usually do a quick search and find it.
The advantages to using this resource of course is instant access to all of your favorites no matter where you are at. The disadvantages is having to add yet another icon onto your computer. I prefer using google bookmarks anyways.
I think it is important to add as many tags as possible to your content before saving. If you think narrowly and assign few tags you might have a hard time in the future finding your content (as well as for others doing searches with tags). Try to think about all of the different contexts a website could be used before tagging it.
Thing 12
Review the widget you selected. Are you getting comfortable with embedding code? Do you belong to other online communities? Are relationships formed online as meaningful as face-to-face relationships? Why do you think MySpace and other social networking sites are so popular with kids today?
I really like polldaddy. It is a quick and easy way to create an interactive poll or survey to post to a blog or a wiki. I am comfortable embedding the code into the blog. No problem.
I do belong to other online communities. They are not as meaningful to me as face-to-face relationships but they do have an impact in my life in many ways.
I think social networking sites are so popular because they are fun! I enjoy them myself. I don't have the time or energy to devote to them like a teenager does. I have found myself up at 2a.m. playing games on facebook though! The widgets are so fun to collect and send to each other. One other very important aspect to their popularity is how easy it is to use them. The entrepreneurs who developed these codes made them so easy, that, well, a child could use them. And they do.
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 like leaving comments on blogs that I read frequently. It is almost like I know the author personally after reading their thoughts, seeing their pictures, and learning about their points of view. But usually, I read without commenting. The reason that I usually don't comment is that I don't like publishing my email along with my comment. I appreciate it when the author sets up their comments to allow the commentor to hide the email address. On the other hand, I do not like posting anonymously.
It has been so long since I started blogging but I know the feeling of checking in on a post to see if there were comments there--wondering if anyone was reading. It was a nice feeling.
I have noticed in many online communities that very strong bonds are built through the comments. I personally have not built extremely strong connections with my commentors, but I have seen other bloggers who develop life long friendships with people they meet through online communities. I guess it is the pen pals of the 21st century!
I think that a teacher using this tool in the classroom have to be careful to regulate the comments. I am trying my first assignment using posting comments on this blog tomorrow and am interested to see how it progresses. I will definitely be moderating the comments and right now only want them commenting to my prompt- not commenting on each other. I can see the potential of it being very engaging and interesting...as well as having the potential for many pitfalls as well.
I like leaving comments on blogs that I read frequently. It is almost like I know the author personally after reading their thoughts, seeing their pictures, and learning about their points of view. But usually, I read without commenting. The reason that I usually don't comment is that I don't like publishing my email along with my comment. I appreciate it when the author sets up their comments to allow the commentor to hide the email address. On the other hand, I do not like posting anonymously.
It has been so long since I started blogging but I know the feeling of checking in on a post to see if there were comments there--wondering if anyone was reading. It was a nice feeling.
I have noticed in many online communities that very strong bonds are built through the comments. I personally have not built extremely strong connections with my commentors, but I have seen other bloggers who develop life long friendships with people they meet through online communities. I guess it is the pen pals of the 21st century!
I think that a teacher using this tool in the classroom have to be careful to regulate the comments. I am trying my first assignment using posting comments on this blog tomorrow and am interested to see how it progresses. I will definitely be moderating the comments and right now only want them commenting to my prompt- not commenting on each other. I can see the potential of it being very engaging and interesting...as well as having the potential for many pitfalls as well.
Thing 10
Instructions: Watch the movie above of photographic images that changed the world. When you are done, go to the post below, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words."
Add comments to the video you embedded. Why did you select it? Were you also able to download a video?
I selected this video from my Media Literacy class. We are studying photography and I thought it would be a great way to introduce some famous and infamous pictures from history. I had Zamzar convert it and embedded it into this blog. Love it.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
There is a famous phrase that states, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words." Think about that phrase. . .
What do you think the phrase, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words" means? Do you think it is true? Why or why not? Write two thoughtful paragraphs with your thoughts.
Write using correct grammar and spelling.
Assignment: Post a comment to this blog. In your comment begin by writing your name. last initial, and hour (example: Sam R. 4th Hour). Answer the following question:
What do you think the phrase, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words" means? Do you think it is true? Why or why not? Write two thoughtful paragraphs with your thoughts.
Write using correct grammar and spelling.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Thing 9
What do you like or dislike about YouTube? Did you find videos that would be useful for teaching and learning? Is YouTube banned in your building?
I love YouTube. Talking, not as a teacher, but a computer user. I love the freedom of expression and creativity that YouTube offers. The twisted searches you can take- how one video links to another, which links to another, etc.... I love the absolutely beautiful amateur videos I have seen there. I have laughed and cried and become angry. Very few sites on the Internet have evoked such emotional responses from me.
Of course there are a lot of amazing videos on YouTube that are useful for teaching and learning. I teach Media Literacy so YouTube is a great resource for commercials. Our grade level did an interdisciplinary election unit and YouTube was a great resource for debate clips, interviews, and political ads.
Unfortunately, YouTube is banned with a capital "B" in our district. I have tried several ways to get around it for my classroom but no one will bend on this point. I have been using TeacherTube instead. TeacherTube though doesn't have the breadth of resources that YouTube offers. I understand the reasons why YouTube was banned, but think that it should be available for teachers to use for educational purposes. I cannot figure out how to download, copy, or get a YouTube video on another source so that I can play it at school... any suggestions?
I love YouTube. Talking, not as a teacher, but a computer user. I love the freedom of expression and creativity that YouTube offers. The twisted searches you can take- how one video links to another, which links to another, etc.... I love the absolutely beautiful amateur videos I have seen there. I have laughed and cried and become angry. Very few sites on the Internet have evoked such emotional responses from me.
Of course there are a lot of amazing videos on YouTube that are useful for teaching and learning. I teach Media Literacy so YouTube is a great resource for commercials. Our grade level did an interdisciplinary election unit and YouTube was a great resource for debate clips, interviews, and political ads.
Unfortunately, YouTube is banned with a capital "B" in our district. I have tried several ways to get around it for my classroom but no one will bend on this point. I have been using TeacherTube instead. TeacherTube though doesn't have the breadth of resources that YouTube offers. I understand the reasons why YouTube was banned, but think that it should be available for teachers to use for educational purposes. I cannot figure out how to download, copy, or get a YouTube video on another source so that I can play it at school... any suggestions?
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