8.+Reflection+Journal+2011



**Lessons Learned and Ideas for Implementation in MyClassroom** Wordle is a tool that makes an artistic collage outof words from any source. Keep recycling the wordsuntil the important words to you are in a prominent place. Save the Wordle created topictures. When saving a Wordle, copy the URL of theWordle. Make sure you get to the gallery right away or it will be lost. Then copy the URL and paste it to your Wiki. 1. Spelling word After the pretest, the students will type all theirspelling words three times on a Word document. Any word they missed they should type five times. When finished, do spellcheck. Copy the pageand make a Wordle. After writing a response paragraph in Social Studiesthe students can copy it and make a Wordle. When studying the U.S.Constitution or the Declaration of Independence, Wordles make an interestingaddition to the discussion. I would alsouse this with famous speeches like the Gettysburg address or Dr. King's "IHave a Dream" speech. I will be able to use Wordle for spelling the firstweeks we are back. But once the studentshave the ability to use this tool, it will be easy to apply to Social Studiesas the responses II. Tagxedo A. Brief Description: What is Tagxedo? Tagxedo is similar to Wordle in that it also is atool that makes an artistic shape out of words. It has some extras though. Wordsfrom a website can be directly loaded into the tool. The person creating the Tagxedo can pick ashape or import a shape to use. And thepart I like the best is the way words pop out and enlarge as one scrolls overthe shape with the cursor.
 * I. Wordle**
 * A. Brief Description:What is Wordle?**
 * B. Tricks or LessonsLearned in your use of tool. (e.g. remember to save time to copy and paste to aword document)**
 * C. How will you useWordle in your classroom? List ideas below.**
 * 2.Summary Paragraphs**
 * 3****.** **Any creative idea you have**
 * D. Time table forimplementation (When will you use it in your classroom)**

One can save the Tagxedo in pictures but it losesthe "pop out" feature as one scrolls. So when you create a Tagxedo, play with it right away. Once the words are submitted, it is important to keeprecycling them until the words that are the most important are in a prominentspot. Pick colors that fit the mood ofthe piece. For example I would not use pink for the Gettysburg Address.
 * B. Tricks or Lessons Learned in your useof tool.**

I would use Tagxedo in the same ways as I wouldWordle. (see the descriptions above) Thereis one difference, though. Students could test each other on the spelling wordsby scrolling over the Tagxedo and when a word popped out, they would ask theother student to spell it without looking at the screen. Another idea is to use itas a way to preview a unit in Social Studies, I will have students use all thevocabulary words to create a Wordle. Using this Wordle and the pictures in the unit, students will predictwhat we will be studying. Then they will read the lessons and take notes. Or I could create my ownTagxedo as I introduce a new topic. Iwould create it that day so I could scroll over it and discuss key words withthe class.
 * C. How will you use Tagxedo in yourclassroom? List ideas below.**
 * 1. Spelling Words**
 * 2. Social Studies**

It would be fun to make aTagxedo of synonyms. Students wouldcreate a Word document of a word and all its synonyms. This would also give them practice with usingthe Thesaurus. After using spellcheck,they would create a Tagxedo of these synonyms. The same procedure could beapplied to creating a list of vibrant adjectives or strong verbs. I will introduce Tagxedo in November after the studentshave had a lot of experience with Wordle.
 * 3. Language Arts**
 * D. Time table for implementation (Whenwill you use it in your classroom)**

Wikis are websites set up by an individual for thepurpose of collaboration. EducationalWikis have the added bonus of being ad-free and students can be signed up forthem without using an e-mail account. There are so many lessons I learned about using thistool. In fact, I have a Wiki full ofdetails on the subject. To see this you can go to http://macylearnsweb2-0.wikispaces.com/ The brief version is; I learned to upload files,create links, format a home page, use the Manage Wiki icon and insert Worddocuments. --Create web-based class assignments. --Share information and resources for History Day projects. --Share quality YouTube videos safely. --Collaborate with faculty when writing for Middle States and other projects like that. --Communicate with students. I will start using Wikis the first month back as I have already put a lesson plan or two in there.
 * III.Wikis**
 * A. Brief Description: What are Wikis?**
 * B. Tricks or Lessons Learned in your useof tool.**
 * C. How will you use Wikis in yourclassroom? List ideas below.**
 * I will use Wikis to:**
 * D. Time table for implementation**

Diigo is a tool that allows me to bookmark a site onone computer and access it on a different computer. It also has many forums to share "goodfinds" of websites to use in class. It actually can become a professional networking site. It is preferable to tag your additions to Diigo so it will be easier to organize as the collection of websites grows. I applied formy educator account on Wednesday and I am still waiting to be accepted so I caninstall my Teacher's Console. This willmake it so I can sign up my class for Diigo without using their e-mails. Once I receive my educator's account, I will sign up my students. By saving their work on Diigo they can begin something at school and continue working on it at home. No more "I forgot my memorystick" excuses. YouTube is an immense collectionof videos. Some are excellent teachingtools and others are not a teaching tool at all. By using http://www.safeshare.tv/ orhttp://download.cnet.com/YouTube-Downloader/3000-2071_4-10647340.html I canpick a video from YouTube to share with my class and at the same time preventthe students from accessing other videos that are "off-topic." I can use either of these two sites to put the videoon my class Wiki and then students can see what I want them to see. Some ways I will use YouTube in my classroom: --to introduce a topic --to reinforce a concept --as a tutorial to learn a technology skill likeTagxedo or Wordle. I will use this technology the first week of school and continue throughout the year. This is something more for teachers' use to add media to a presentation.
 * IV. Diigo**
 * A. Brief Description: What is Diigo?**
 * B. Tricks or Lessons Learned in your useof tool.**
 * C. How will you use Diigo in your classroom? List ideas below.**
 * V.You Tube**
 * A. Brief Description: What is YouTube?**
 * B. Tricks or Lessons Learned in your use of tool.**
 * C. How will you use YouTube in yourclassroom? List ideas below.**
 * D. Time table for implementation**
 * **Summary or Refection Journal**
 * When I signed up for this class I had no idea how much I would learn about the mysterious and frustrating world of technology. This class helped solve two problems we have been discussing at our school for the last several years. One is how to make the computer work the students do at school accessible at home and the other is how to use the good,educational videos on YouTube. The solutions to these two questions doesn't even cost any money. Using a Diigo educators account, students can use its bookmarking tool to work at home and at school on the same project (no losing memory sticks.) And using either Safeshare or the YouTube downloader in conjunction with a class Wiki makes YouTube videos safe to share at school. Actually, it will make it //possible// to watchYouTube videos in school because YouTube itself is blocked. This information alone would have made the course worthwhile, but there is more.**
 * Before this class I did not know what was meant by Web2.0. Now I know some useful aspects of it like Wordle, Tagxedo and Wikis. I also know there is such a large supply of new and wonderful learning sites that I will have a never-ending job of sifting through them to find the best ones for my students. However, by using the community of teachers through Diigo or Wikis, I can have some help.**
 * I will use this information to design more engaging assignments to teach the standards. I will use my Wiki to help students write reports or projects. With the Wiki I can guide their research and answer questions that arise as they work. Plus they will never lose the hand-out with the instructions for the report!**
 * I will keep my Wiki http://macylearnsweb2-0.wikispaces.com/so that my colleagues in this group can keep in touch. Of course, I am going to keep CaroleRedline's webpage handy as a resource. Actual sharing with my colleagues will happen in the Diigo group "CurrentTopics."**
 * To be honest, I was surprised by the amount of work this course involved but also was happily surprised by how much practical information I learned. Not only will my students benefit but so will the St.Catherine Laboure school as I share this newfound knowledge with the other teachers there.**