Joel+Bezaire

**[|NetVibes]:**
I spent some time experimenting with [|NetVibes] earlier. This will prove to be a HUGE time-saver for me. In the past, I have spent upwards of 1 to 2 hours online every morning, trying to read all my email, all the news sites that I enjoy, hockey and baseball news, as well as try to find innovative math ideas. The way that [|NetVibes] works is that you can gather all of your email, headlines from news sites, new posts from your favorite blogs, local weather, etc. and have all of the information appear on ONE page. It has the potential of saving hours of time, since instead of visiting dozens of web sites, I only have to visit one website. [|NetVibes] also gives the use the option of different tabs, in order to keep your different topics separated.

HOW IT WORKS: Many websites have a link that says RSS/feed (or something like that). [|RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication]". Let's say you want to add The Tennessean headlines to your NetVibes page. Go to [|The Tennessean website]. On the right hand sidebar, a little way down the page, is a link for RSS Feeds. Click on that link. It will take you to [|this page]. Find the headlines for the topic you are interested in. Right click on the XML logo, and select "Copy Link Location". Go back to your [|NetVibes] page, and click on the link "Add Content", then go to "Add A Feed". Paste the address in the window, then click "Add". A new module should appear on your [|NetVibes] page with Tennessean headlines! **(EDIT:** I just found out that in Mozilla Firefox's browser, a little "RSS" logo appears in the address bar when RSS is available for a certain page. Saves you hunting down the RSS link on each page, or wondering if RSS is available for a certain page! This wasn't available on the version of Internet Explorer I was using. Another reason to use Firefox!)

Now, imagine doing this for ALL of the webpages that you might normally visit...a real time saver!

=__WIKIS:__= I have begun setting up a Wiki for my Pre Algebra classes. I took a class from MTSU this summer about "Classroom Community", and I think this Wiki has the potential to become a really neat online community.

Here is my Wiki: media type="custom" key="128965"

One cool thing is that this year there will be a second Pre Algebra teacher. Aubrey McKelvey will teach a section, and this Wiki might be a cool way of her and I both interacting with students (whether they are in our individual classes or not) and each other.

EDIT: I just found out that Wikispaces will make all K-12 educational Wikis FREE of advertisement without charging the $5 per month. [|Go here for more details.]

=__SKRBL:__= I embedded a link to SKRBL (Scribble) in my Wiki also. It's basically a doodle-pad, but if students are going to use the Wiki as I envision for their math work, it could be a handy resource to do scratch work or to brainstorm.

You can see a sample SKRBL pad here: media type="custom" key="125054"

=__SECOND LIFE:__= I have a little dude the kind of looks like me now, and I've explored a few areas. My favorite parts of Second Life are:
 * Fly as high as I can and let my little dude crash to the ground.
 * That's the only fun thing so far.

I think concentrating my Web 2.0 classroom application on the Wiki (plus related applications) will be enough. I don't see much use for me on Second Life.

=[|GLIFFY:]= I copied off of Sarah (sorry, Sarah, and thanks) and started using [|Gliffy]. It's sort of a brainstorming application that enables you to do flowcharts, floorplans, etc.

I made a floorplan of my classroom, which I can use for seating charts, etc. This will be useful because the plan is stored on [|Gliffy], and when I rearrange my desks, I can just adjust it on there and print off a new one!

Here is a [|picture of my floorplan] that I created.

On Thursday, Sarah and I figured out how to both write on the same Gliffy whiteboard. Though we just spent the time messing up each other's drawings, it could be a very useful tool when kids want to collaborate on scratch math work, etc.

=__SKYPE:__= I have set up a Skype account, but have not tried it yet. I am looking forward to it. It's sort of like phone-via-internet type thing.

I'm not sure I would use this in the classroom per se, but it's cool to know that it's out there.

=__Flip Video Camera:__= Scott and Wiz also showed us the [|Flip camera]. I could use this camera to embed video on the [|Wiki] as well, so kids can see a snippet of each lesson again that evening if they need extra help. The possibilities seem pretty endless.

I have pretty much talked myself into getting one of these, and just paying for it myself. I could spend the next week or so before school starts perfecting it and practicing with it. That way I could start posting videos immediately as soon as school begins.

= = =[|Teacher Tube:]= Related to the Flip Video (above): I can post the videos I shoot with my Flip to Teacher Tube, then imbed them in my Wiki for everyone to see.

= = =Windows Movie Maker:= I will use this program to edit videos before I put them on [|Teacher Tube] and imbed them in my [|Wiki]. It is a free program already installed on most Windows computers. [|Here is the silly little video I made to prove that I can do it].

=[|Classroom 2.0]= I joined the Social Networking site [|Classroom 2.0] today. It is sort of like a MySpace or Facebook for educators interested in using Web 2.0 in the classroom.

I was able to join a Middle School Math teachers group, where there are many discussions about teaching Middle School math. I also, of course, added the blog's RSS feed to my Netvibes.

We also were able to "Skype" with the founder of Classroom 2.0, [|Steve Hargadon]. It was a really neat discussion and highlighted some of the goals and benefits of using the website. I learned quite a bit.

This looks like a really neat resource to use. Looking forward to exploring it more.

=[|VoiceThread:]= This website absolutely rules!! It is a place to post photos and also leave comments...not text comments but voice comments!!

The first thing I did was upload some of my father's artwork (he is an artist). I am going to have him comment on his artwork, and then make the [|VoiceThread] public so everyone can see it.

The potential applications for this are awesome!!