Thing #7 Exploring Flickr

Well after five and a half hours it is done. There were many pictures that I went through before I found this one. There was a great one of a bunny, and banjo on a bench. But I could not download the picture. It was a good thing because I like this picture much better. I love bluegrass and part of learning how to play is from those who have been doing it a while. This picture was taken at the Newport Folk Festival in 1963.

                                      http://www.flickr.com/photos/amarcord108/4303967111/      By amarcord108

I learned that flickr is a great tool if it is your pictures. By uploading pictures from different events at school, I would be able to get to the pictures at any time. I do not feel that this would be something that I would use for school. There are so many rules about taking pictures of children. I do not think that I would want the hassle. If I load the pictures on my computer I will still be able to download the pictures and not have everyone in the world looking at pictures of my students. Every year my wife and I are asked if we will give permission for pictures of our boys to be used. We waited until they turned eight to sign the form. If the parents have not signed giving permission there is no telling what might happen.

Thing # 6 The 200L's of Web 2.0

There are way to many to choose just one, but it does open a new world for me. The cite that I found was called Picnik. I chose it because I thought it was about food. Just kidding. I like taking picture of different things. I take pictures of flower and birds and sports events. At this cite I can download my picture and then edit them. There are different tabs that I can open up that allow me to many different things. And I can add different images  over the top of the picture, (e.g., hearts, frames, etc). This can help with your blog. If you are like me when you set up your blog at your school you will want to take pictures of your students. You will be able to download the picture and make any changes to it before you move it to your blog. This cite is free but if you choose to you can get the premium level it will cost to use that. This cite gives you the chance to try it out on some sample pictures. Every year as a teacher you have different event. like New Year, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Breast Cancer Awareness, etc. You can put fangs on pictures of your student. There is one problem that you could have with editing all these picture. You could spend a Lot of money.


Here is the link go  and give it a try  you will have fun. http://www.picnik.com/app#/home

Thing # 5 Taking a look at Web 2.0

The other day I went to visit a teacher from my sons' school. She asked me what I was learning this semester. I told her about my technology class. I started bring up the use of smart boards and Web 2.0. She said that she did not feel as though all that stuff needed to be done in the class room. This is when I decided this could be a teaching moment. I spent the next twenty minutes telling her all about he benefits available using Web 2.0. I told her that the computer in her class is not a computer but a window to many educational places. All of which can be tied into the lesson plan. I told her that children are learning about this new technology and it make learning fun. We as teacher need to be on the front end of this train guiding them in a educational way. I do not know if she felt any different but I showed her some cites and gave her some ideas. I will find out if it took when I see her again.

One last thing we need to remember is that when it comes to teaching it is about the student. We have an obligation to them. We need to make sure that we am preparing the students for the real world. Today's real world uses technology. If we do not learn how to use this new information and how to relay it to our students we will be the ones who have suffered, and our students will be the ultimate victim.