535 wk 3

This week we did a few things that I find useful. The RSS reader is a new concept to me and I related it to the google alerts we used previously. I signed up for Google Reader because I wanted to be able to access it from any computer or even my Ipod. I will use reader to monitor the class blogs to see when others post and I also added some blog searches for the packers and a general automotive repair topic, this will allow me to start following other blogs. Also I know that I can use reader to follow a specific topic and filter the internet to find information on that topic from the sources I choose, that could be useful.
I enjoyed reading more about Ning and putting some thought into if I am going to design a Ning or Wiki down the road. I am still not sure, but it was nice to see how others in education are using Nings.
I also started a Flickr account to manage my professional pictures. I thought I had an account already, but I actually use Shutterfly for my personal pictures and I was confused. With Flickr I will be able to back up all of my pictures as well as share them with others.
This has been a very useful week and I look forward to using these tools more in the future.

535 wk 2

I enjoyed the discussion on micro blogging. I am not all that thrilled to have made a twitter account because I am not sure it is useful in my busy life. If I had a phone that had the internet, maybe it would be more fun, but I don't. Blogging for class does interest me however, I think it is a great way to communicate with students and also give them a forum to express themselves and maybe be more creative than they are in a live classroom. I also found a number of educational blogs to model. I did not find any blogs in my content area, but that does not surprise me. When I start my blog, maybe others in the automotive industry will follow.

535 wk 1

What did we do this week that I can use in my job? Well, I never thought that I would say this, but I am interested in using blogs in my classes. Teaching automotive and collision repair is rare. No one in the state does anything like I do in the classroom, and sometimes I have trouble being creative enough to put ideas to use in my classroom. Blogging was one of those things that I thought I could never put to use in my classroom. After reviewing some of the resources this week I have been inspired to at least try blogging. I am going to start by adding an automotive blog to my school website and TRY to post once a week. Once I get established in my own schedule, I will require students to occasionally post a response to my discussion. This will be a great place to start in my classes and I know that I can grow from there!