Thing 23: Congratulations!

• What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?

  My new favorite thing is Delicious.  This is going to be so helpful as I go between school, work and home computers!  I also like Photostory a lot.  Just wish I was able to upload my story to the blog :(

• How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals? 

I have learned so much from the 23 things project.  These are things that will help me in my teaching, in my pursuit as a librarian, and in my personal life.  This may be the end of 23 things, but this is just the beginning of my journey to become technologically savvy.  

• Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

My husband is a computer science major, and he is always talking about new developments in technology so I thought I already knew a lot.  I learned so much more than I expected from 23 Things.  

• What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?

I wish I could have taken this class during a longer semester.  It would have been fun to learn about these tools and then apply them in real time with students.

• If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?

Yes, 23 Things forced me to do things and use tools that I don't think I would have tried on my own.

• How would you describe your learning experience in ONE WORD or in ONE SENTENCE, so we could use your words to promote 23 Things learning activities?

EXPERIMENTAL

Thing 22: Your Turn

One thing that we have not talked about in 23 Things is Google+.  It is something that I have recently started using, but have had great successes with it.  It is very similar to Facebook, but I feel like it is geared more to adults because the content is more professional.  You can follow people like on Twitter so you can see things they post, but they won't see your stuff unless they follow you.  My family and I especially like using Hangouts which is similar to skype.  We "hangout" without my in-laws at least once a week so they can see Grant in action.  Since Google+ is linked with my gmail account, I like that everything is tied in to one account.  This makes it easy to access all sorts of web tools.  Google really has it going on!!  I think Google+ is going to be the next popular social media site as more people join and see how much it has to offer.

Thing 21: Online Image Generators

The first thing I tried to play with was a logo maker, but unfortunately it would never show up and I would get an error message.  I like the idea of it, but there were also a lot of advertisements on the page so I don't think it would be something to use with elementary students.

I had way too much fun with the comic strip generator!  It was super easy to upload a picture and then I had lots of bubbles to choose from.  The hardest part was placing the bubble in the right spot.  This is going to be such a great tool when I teach dialogue in writing.

This is how I felt earlier! I was having connection problems all night!

Thing 20: Recess

Who doesn't like recess?  It's funny that our students don't realize teachers like recess just as much as children do.

As I looked through Live Binders, the tab I looked at most were the Apps.  Teachers will be issued the Dell Tablets this month, and I've wondering about the Apps we would be given or what we could get.  This list in the Live Binder is a good place to start as I begin looking for effective materials.  Eventually all the students will also be issued tablets, and if used correctly they will be such a great resource.

Thing 19: Mashups

I learned that Mashups are mixtures of different applications.

BigHugeLabs offers a lot of cool stuff you can do with photos!!  Endless possibilities and so many things that can be used at school...Movie Posters, Jigsaw Puzzles, Trading Cards.  I'm definitely adding BigHugeLabs to Delicious!!

I had fun playing with Mosaic Maker.  This is from our first family camping trip in May.

Thing 18: Shelfari

Shelfari is very similar to Goodreads.  I do have an account with Goodreads, but I have not been active on it.  Since I have a Kindle and purchase my books from Amazon, I can see myself using Shelfari more. It will be nice that it's all together within one account.  

The books I chose to put on my shelf are books I have used with my 4th grade class.  These are some of my favorite books! They are excellent for read aloud because students really get into the stories and find connections to the characters.

Thing 17: Ning

I explored the Texas Librarian Ning and Ning for Teachers.  What an awesome way to connect to professionals all around the world! The Nings serve as a great tool that allows you to communicate through groups, forums, and blogs.  I enjoyed looking through the videos and photos people have shared.  Texas Librarian Ning will be another helpful resource that I can depend on as I continue my pursuit to becoming a librarian.

Thing 16; Video Sharing

What can't you find on Youtube or Teachertube?  There are infinite videos regarding education and technology that are so informative.  Technology can be a scary and overwhelming.   That is why teachers are hesitant to try Web 2.0 tools.  For those that are willing to experiment, I found a great Youtube clip that recommends 5 tools to try.

Thing 15: Podcast and Videocasts

I had never used Photostory so I was excited to try it out.  Of course I had to create a Photostory using our pics from Disney.  Photostory was really easy to use, and I think elementary students would love creating a story using this tool.  I'm so glad I was able to try Photostory.  This is a fun and easy tool.  I will definitely be using this personally and professionally.

More pics from our Disney vacay... COMING SOON!

I can't get it to upload to the blog.  Will try again later.

  

Thing 14: More Online Applications and Tools

The TIS on our campus introduced some Web 2.0 Tools during a campus professional development.  One of the tools he talked about was Prezi.  I had to do a couple presentations for my Children's Literacy course and decided to try Prezi.  It was fairly easy to use, but I had to experiment with it.  I had some trials and errors, but was happy with my final product.



On one of the projects, I worked with a partner and it was easy to share the link with her.  We were both able to work on the Prezi at our convenience and the changes were immediate.  We didn't have to worry about emailing a Powerpoint back and forth.

Take a look at our creation.  

Thing 13: Online Applications and Tools

My district had offered a professional development on using Google Drive so I've been using it for about a year to create documents and spreadsheets. I've heard the district will be pushing employees to use Google Drive because they are running out of drive space.  I have not yet played with the Presentation or the Form applications.  My husband has created a file using Draw which he has shared with me and it seemed easy to use.  The TIS at my professional development described Google Drive as a generic version of Microsoft Office.  It will do the essentials, but it might be missing the fluffy stuff that makes it pretty.   

My experience with Google Docs has been great! I actually use it more now than I use Microsoft Word.  I like the easy accessibility to my files.  If I do need something it Word or if I have a old file I want to use, it is quick and easy to convert into Word Documents and vice versa.  Sometimes there are minor spacing issues, but nothing unmanageable.  If I start a Document on my school computer I no longer have to save and email it to myself.  All I have to do is log back into Google.  I can also share files easily with others.  No more emailing and then saving.  My husband and I share things all the time.  Once he shares, something with me it appears right in my drive.  I can also access Google Drive from my phone.  It's awesome!!

The sharing ability can so useful when you want to share things with coworkers.  How many times have you gotten the email with "Updated" document or document with "Corrections"?  I don't know about you, but with all these emails I get confused which version I should use.  When you share something on Goole Docs and need to make changes, it occurs on the original document and you don't have to worry about resharing.  I hope the district will do more pushing and encouraging employees to use Google Drive.  People are scared of trying new things, but once they realize how easy it is, I'm sure more people will be willing to try. 

Thing 12: Microblogging

Tweet me @themamaglenda
My husband signed me up for twitter around the time our son was, but I didn't have time to learn something new when I had a newborn.  I never used it and didn't even know my password.  Looking at my following list, I was surprised to see some people on my list...Ashton Kutcher, Snoop Dogg??   Really?? My husband surely did that.  Also not sure why my user name is "the"mamaglenda.  Maybe it verify that I'm the real deal.  HA! All my husband's doing.  I only have one follower and that is my friend/coworker.  Not even sure how she found me or how she knew I had a twitter account. 

I found a twitter account for my school, but not sure if anyone is still keeping up with it because the last tweet was done in 2009.  I still followed it anyways.  I also started following the Freeman Library and Helen Hall Library.  They continually post throughout the day about library happenings.  I was unable to find a twitter account our school library or for any of the high schools in the district.  In the elementary level, I can see this being useful for parent and librarian communication.  At the intermediate and high school level, I think this will be very useful to reach out to students as well. 

Thing 11: Play in the Sandbox

I've put my feet in the sandbox and joined the Pasadena ISD librarian's 23 Things Project Sandbox wiki on Project Share.  I tried to look at blogs from other contributors (besides my classmates) but some blogs were no longer available or some required permission.  Even though I was unable to look at the other blogs, I can see how this wiki can be very helpful.  It's sad that I have a Project Share account and didn't even know it this whole time.  Hopefully soon I will be able to play and experiment with it more.

Thing 10: School Wikis

When I was first reading through this assignment, I wasn't sure how a school wiki would work.  In browsing through the examples, I realized it is basically a class/teacher website, but can be edited by other users.  This could be such a useful tool for collaboration and enrichment between parents and students in the library or in the classroom.

In my school district, we currently use Google Sites for our classroom webpages.  I was unsure if it had wiki capabilities so I started to investigate.  Sure enough you can change the settings for accessing and sharing information.  I have honestly only done the bare minimum to my classroom Google sites page, but if possible I would like to try making it a wiki.  When we go back in August, I will have to check with our school TIS if there are any district restrictions to doing this.

Thing 9: Useful Library Blogs

In my previous searches, I had found several blogs using the Edublogs Awards List.  It was very easy to add these blogs to Pulse.  All I had to do was click on add content and type the name of the blog or key words, and it found the blog very easily.

I have added Brad's Blog (which I had mentioned in Thing 8), The Adventures of Library Girl, and Watch.Connect.Read to my news feed.  These bloggers are truly inspiring, and I look forward to reading about their journeys.

Thing 8: RSS Feeds

In my search of RSS Readers, I realized I had been using Pulse and Flipboard on my Kindle for over a year.  I just didn't realize they were RSS Readers. HA!

When I started using these readers, I never actually subscribed to anything, but during the initial start up the Readers asked me to select things I'm interested in.  From that it selected materials, they thought I would like.  Great mind readers!! Now I have imported my feeds from Google Reader to these RSS Readers so no need to worry after July 1st.  Just to be extra cautious I also joined Feedly and imported my Google Readers feeds into that too.  Problem solved!

In my search of mentor blogs, I found a post from a blogger/teacher who used Pulse on iPads with his class. Cool learning, Dynamically delivered, RSS feeds for Upper Elementary What a great way to incorporate technology, current new, and student interests!! This blogger has also recommended feeds that he uses with his students.  Our district will be issuing Dell Tablets to every teacher and student next school year, and this is definitely something I would like to try with my students!!

Thing 7: Blog Searching

Today I'm browsing through Technorati.  I like the idea of being able to search for other blogs, but I just don't see myself using it very often.  Looking through the tags and the Top 100 list, is definitely has a lot to offer.  When I did a couple searches, it was able to find blogs related to my key terms.  It also includes articles related to the page topics.  My big issue is the appearance of the site.  It is too busy and overwhelming for me.  There is just so much information on every page, and I was getting lost in it.  I like websites that are simple and clearly organized.  I'm sure Technorati can be very useful, but in my brief search I just don't think it's for me.

Thing 6: Tagging

Del.icio.us is an AWESOME web tool!! There are way too many webpages in my bookmarks list, and it's basically not functional.  This is definitely something I will be using.  I'm not the most organized person and I'm just too lazy to sort my bookmarks in folders.  I like how this can be sorted by tags and you can also create tag bundles.  I also love that you can access it on any computer at anytime.  Now I won't have to worry if I saved it to my school computer or home computer.  I also like that you can follow other people, and see what they have tagged.  This is so helpful professionally.  There have been several times that a coworker has emailed a link, but that email gets lost in my inbox.  If we follow each other on Delicious, then I can access what they have used.  I wish I could use Delicious on my phone too, but unfortunately they only have an app for iPhone users and I'm an Android user.

Thing 5: Social Networking

I have been a member of Facebook since 2008.  When MySpace was popular, I use to think it was ridiculous and didn't understand why it was so popular.  My cousin constantly kept recommending Facebook.  Out of boredom after Hurricane Ike, I decided to sign up and I've been hooked ever since.

I'm not someone who constantly posts and updates, but I do upload a lot of pictures of my son because I want to share them with my friends and family. My husband doesn't like that I do this. He feels like Grant's whole life is there for the world to see even with secured privacy settings.  I understand his point, but several of my friends and family are on Facebook, and it's a fast and easy way to share what's going on in our lives.  I try not to be one of those people who explodes the news feed, but when I have a cute picture or an accomplishment to share, I'll post it.

I liked the Freeman Public Library in Clear Lake and Helen Hall Public Library in League City.  Grant loves going to story time at so we attend regularly.

I tried to search if any library in Clear Creek had a Facebook page, but surprisingly I didn't find any.  I could understand why an elementary librarian would be hesitant since I don't believe children should have Facebook accounts.  However I think this would be a great way to communicate with parents and teachers.  The librarian could remind them when books are due or upcoming events.  Our school PTA has a Facebook page, and I see parents communicating all the time.

I am a member of Pinterest, but don't use it often.  I have some fabulous "do it yourself" projects pinned that I hope to try one day!

Thing 4: RSS and Newsreaders

When I first started this thing, I didn't know what an RSS was watched the YouTube video RSS in Plain English.  I signed up for Google Reader even though it said it would be disabled on July 1, 2013 because I read that it would be copied into Feedly.  As I started subscribing to feeds, I was playing around the with explore functions and wanted to see recommended items.  What interested me most was that you could "sort by magic".  As I researched I found this just means that it will find and sort what is most popular and interesting.  Once you start "liking" things, the program will be able to generate lists in an order that is more relevant to you.   It's going to be able read my mind...interesting and scary!

I enjoy cooking and often use recipes from The Pioneer Woman so I subscribed to her cooking feed.  This was much easier to use then her actual website because it is not busy with advertisements and unnecessary pictures or recommendations.  The Pioneer Woman blogs about homeschooling, home decor and a bunch of other stuff I don't care about.  I really just like her recipes so it very nice that this feed will only relate to cooking.

As I continue to look at more sites, I will look for the RSS icon.  I've seen the icon or subscribe button many times before but didn't realize that's what is was.  Now I can add it to my Google Reader!  We are always looking for something more convenient and RSS Feeds definitely do this.

Thing 3: More Photo Sharing

Using Yogile I was able to create a slide show of some favorite moments of our Disney Vacation.  My parents were with us, and of course, took several pictures with their cameras and phones.  Instead of sending a text, emailing, or borrowing the memory card from the camera,  my parents can share and add to this album just by clicking on the link provided.

Grant's 1st Disney Vacation

Thing 2: Photos and Images

My husband and I are constantly taking pictures as we try to document all our son's first big moments.  We like to use Picasa because it is linked with our Gmail accounts and have found it very useful to share albums with our families using Google+.

I love the look of amazement on Grant's face in this picture! We took our first family vacation to Disney and this was expression during one of the parades.  From the rest of the pictures I'm sure you can tell how much he loved it!

Thing 1: Blogging

Hi! My name is Glenda!  I am a graduate student in the school library media program at UHCL.  This summer I am taking Media and Technology Selection and Application.  As a class project I have created this blog to document 23 "things" (Internet and Web 2.0 tools) that I have researched.  I am excited to explore and experiment with different "things"!

A little bit more about my self... I am a wife, mother and teacher.  My supportive husband is encouraging me every step of the way and my adorable son is my constant motivation.  I was a 4th grade teacher for seven years, but this next school year I will be teaching 4th & 5th Resource.  While change can be intimidating, I am looking forward to the change and the new opportunities that lie ahead.