Cool Stuff

I feel like I am at an all-I-can-eat buffet and can't leave. I keep on eating all of this information and am quickly running out of space to put it. So, before I go back for some more "food for thought," I thought I should regurgitate some of it up now:

• I need to use RSS feeds more. Why do I surf the web so much looking for something I already have bookmarked? This will be my technological goal when I get home.

• Twitter...Okay, I admit it. I am now a Twit. I think it is awesome. At first, I was very leary about it, but now...I'm not holding back. Twitter is awesome. It is so big I don't know how I want to use it just yet. I don't know if I want to use it as my Cowley job (not blocked) or my Winfield job (blocked) or to network around to other technology specialists. Decisions Descisions Decisions!



• Kathy Shrock is a Shrock Star! I recently finished attending her session about managaing your time better with technology. Oh, the places I can go! I love to be organized and this session was right up my alley. She had tons of websites (Some of which are even free!) that will save me oodles of time.



• Google Alerts: I am going to look more into this program. Anything with the name "Google" has to be good.



• Classroom 2.0 website: What a great way to network with other like-minded educators!



• Google Reader: Here is my RSS goal. I think I am going to use Google Reader; even though, there are some pretty good other RSS aggragators out there.



• Etherpad: I can't wait to try this on Kaylynn & Stacy. We are just finishing working on our AUP and this would have been cool to do. Instead, we used Google Docs (which is cool, too). This is helpful when we can't be in the same room, but could work on it at the same time. www.etherpad.com



• Ning: Looks like a pretty cool idea...some goal setting would be a nice workshop or two to attend before deploying this out. The possibilities are endless with this thing. I even signed up for the NECC Ning. It has been helpful, since this was my first year.



• Shrock mentioned the importance of teaching students (7th & up) the importance of distinguishing between personal and professional e-mail and social networking. I think this statement is true. I hope to go back home and see what programs we can start allowing with teacher/administrator support, guidance, and boundaries.




• Foxmarks: I am going to try this too. Stacy has me convinced that Simple Delicious is a great bookmarking site. Ms. Shrock attested to this too; however, she had the same concern I did. It doesn't look cool or oganized. It's functionality is great. I am going to see what Foxmarks has to offer. I will keep my Delicious account unless Foxmarks out foxes the SD.


• Twitter: Can be used (and is used) as a personal learning network. Great description. I am going to find even more ways Twitter is used in the classroom.
  

What fun! More to come! I haven't put Leslie Fisher's stuff on here yet.

Brent