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!

530 wk 6

Well here we are, 15 credits down and I dont know how many to go. I am glad to see that we are at the half way point. 530 was a great class and I am glad we got to use tools like animoto, voicethread, and prezi. I have enjoyed seeing the work that I was able to create and I am looking forward to including these tools in my classroom. I may begin to use these tools as soon as next week and I will have my students using some of them soon. My only complaint seems to be a common theme for me during this program and that is that we cover too many of these tools too quickly and I don't feel like I get enough of a chance to master any of them. I am looking forward to the next class and I am glad that I can begin to see the fruits of my labors in the classroom.

530 wk 5

Things are starting to get crazy for me! I am busy coaching everyday and I don't have anytime to do anything. I feel like I am falling behind on my work, but as far as I can tell I am keeping my head above water. I had a bit of fun making the pecha ketcha, but it didnt turn out as cool as I hoped. When I started on it I lost some momentum and lacked a really good theme. I used a topic that I know would be useful to me and I am satisfied with how it came out. Its not quite as cool as my prezi (which I really enjoyed after I figured out how to use the program). The group work will be trouble for me as I will be out of town the next two weekends so I hope I can still do my part and be fair to my group members. Finding even an hour in my schedule can be pretty impossible!
I have enjoyed this class and I feel like we have learned some things that will be useful to me in the classroom and will develop into great learning experiences for my students. I am looking forward to starting our next class and I am glad Louis is teaching!

530 wk 4

I continue to be impressed by Gar and his presentations. I have really enjoyed watching the videos and even the book has proved useful and interesting. I was not quick to buy into his principles, but the more I listen and read, the more I like it. This week for once I felt like I was on the same level as Gar when it came to the dicussion about presenting. I agreed with his ideas of being a natural, understaning your time and place, and so on. I have always been a natural presenter, so at least this week I didnt feel blown away by his ideas.
I was also interested in Prezi. I have stated before that I don't feel like I get a chance to master any of the tools we use and that I wish we would experience less tools and go more in depth. Prezi took me a really long time to get through all of the instructions and for quite some time I was sure that I didnt get them all. Once I got the hang of it (and it took a long time) I kind of enjoyed it. I dont know that I will ever use Prezi to present an idea, but I could make an assignment for the kids and I am sure that they would enjoy it! I think it is a cool way to storyboard or share pictures to tell a story and I will keep it in mind in the future!

530 wk 3

This is a very interesting week. As I get further into presentation Zen I become frustrated. This is a great tool that I think we need to focus more on. I have stated earlier that I feel like a jack of all trades and a master of none in this program, and presentation Zen is no different. I really have enjoyed reading the book and especially watching the videos with Garr, but I don't feel like I will master any of these techniques without more practice. I need to focus more on these topics to really get good.

On a more positive note, I have really enjoyed voicethread and I see a lot of potential there. After working with animoto, I am really excited to use this in the future. I could easily make short videos for introduction of topics in class and I can see my students using animoto for a digital storytelling assignment. This is a great tool that is easy to use and really fast. I also like that they have free music for you to use, because sometimes that can be a hassle.