Some of my favorite discoveries and exercises in the 23 things program were the activities centered on Web 2.0 applications and other online applications like Zoho.com, etc. Now that computers are everywhere we go, the internet can provide us with a mobile workstation that contains our work, our favorite places, our pictures, our whole lives. Without the 23 Thing program I'm not sure I would have discovered everything that the internet has to offer to make life easier. I love my Google Calendar and I can't wait to start making to-do lists with "Remember the Milk."
The Web 2.0 applications opened my mind to instructional possibilities that I know couldn't be achieved with traditional materials. I know my students will benefit from the fact that my eye is now trained on emerging technology. To be honest, one of my favorite parts of this project was the blogging process itself. It has inspired me to create a personal blog to communicate with friends and family. I would love to set up class blog when I'm teaching to create a sense of community in my classroom as well as communicate with my students and parents.
Before completing this program I hadn't given much thought to how I would incorporate technology into my instruction but now I don't see how the two could ever be separated. I'm so excited to get out there and use the tools that I have learned about. Better yet, the 23 Things actually made me feel competent with each tool I tried so I know I'll be much more likely to use them and to experiment with other things I discover. Now that I know how to access everything the internet has to offer I find myself looking back into issues and topics that I miss reading about and talking about in my undergrad studies. Instead of just looking up recipes, I look for video tutorials on cooking skills. This program has changed the way I view the internet as a learning tool for myself and my future students.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thing #23
Taken from the bottom right of the 23 Things Blog:
Credits
Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers is based on Learning 2.0 - 23 Things, a staff development program for the Mesquite Independent School District. That program was based on the Learning 2.0 program that was designed by Helene Blowers and adapted by the California School Library Association and others. Content and style for Learning 2.0 - 23 Things for Teachers has been borrowed and duplicated with permission, under a Creative Commons License.
I've included a screen capture of the Copyright/Fair Use/Creative Commons tutorial I created for my future students.
As a teacher I will use Creative Commons not only as a resource for finding instructional materials that I can use ethically, but I will also use it to show students how to use technology ethically in their school and personal projects. Kids today are often extremely capable when it comes to online applications but they might not be aware of copyright law. I think most kids who use copyrighted works without permission don't know that they're breaking any rules. Students might not know that just because something appears in a Google search doesn't mean that it's fair game. By teaching students about Creative Commons we can show them how easy it is to find all of the text and images they need and still use them in a way that respects the wishes of the work's creator.
Thing #22
http://freeculinaryschool.com/podcast/FCS-Episode-13.mp3
I found this podcast in podcastdirectory.com. I looked through all of the directories and I was surprised to find that the one that I figured would be the most rudimentary (based on the name only, which is a terrible way to decide which websites are best) was actually the easiest for me to navigate which allowed me to find more podcasts on topics I care about. The categories were logical and the layout of each page I visited was easy to understand. I love to cook and I've been using the time while my husband is away to hone my skills in the kitchen. The podcast I chose is from a series that covers different culinary basics. This particular episode is one that answers listener questions. I will definitely continue to listen to this podcast feed. I already have some archived episodes queued up--knife skills, and salads & vinaigrettes.
When I created the podcast earlier in the semester for my WebQuest I really enjoyed it and I would definitely incorporate podcasts into instruction as well as in student-created projects.
I found this podcast in podcastdirectory.com. I looked through all of the directories and I was surprised to find that the one that I figured would be the most rudimentary (based on the name only, which is a terrible way to decide which websites are best) was actually the easiest for me to navigate which allowed me to find more podcasts on topics I care about. The categories were logical and the layout of each page I visited was easy to understand. I love to cook and I've been using the time while my husband is away to hone my skills in the kitchen. The podcast I chose is from a series that covers different culinary basics. This particular episode is one that answers listener questions. I will definitely continue to listen to this podcast feed. I already have some archived episodes queued up--knife skills, and salads & vinaigrettes.
When I created the podcast earlier in the semester for my WebQuest I really enjoyed it and I would definitely incorporate podcasts into instruction as well as in student-created projects.
Thing #21
I had no idea that Animoto existed and I can't believe I just discovered it. It's a good thing that I actually have things to do today/this weekend or else I'd be busy making a billion video montages of my wedding, honeymoon, dog, and every other possible category within the 1000 pictures on my computer. This is so cool and so easy to use. I love that you can add your own soundtrack, text, and highlight specific pictures. I am going to find so many uses for this and my husband is going to be so excited to see our wedding pictures set to our favorite songs (I would have used "God Only Knows" for this video but I don't have it on this computer yet). I can share these with friends and family as well.
I can see lots of applications for this program in my future classroom. Back at midterm the final project for the students completing my webquest was to create a campaign commerical. This tool would be really effective for creating a montage of images for that type of assignment. I could assign students a topic and have them find a specific numer of pictures to create a video to present to the class. They could then explain in written form what each image represented to them about the topic they covered or they could narrate the video as it played. Very neat!
I can see lots of applications for this program in my future classroom. Back at midterm the final project for the students completing my webquest was to create a campaign commerical. This tool would be really effective for creating a montage of images for that type of assignment. I could assign students a topic and have them find a specific numer of pictures to create a video to present to the class. They could then explain in written form what each image represented to them about the topic they covered or they could narrate the video as it played. Very neat!
Thing #20
I am a big fan of YouTube and I generally find it easy to locate the videos I'm looking for. Sometimes I can't find what I'm looking for (the copyright and fair use police really spoil things on YouTube) and I'll do a GoogleVideo search instead. I really like the "related videos" feature on YouTube because it strikes a good balance between accuracy and exposing you to videos on closely related topics that you might not have discovered on your own because you wouldn't have known what to search for. I also like the "channels" feature because it oragnizes everything from one user in an easily navigated page. I thin the "related videos" feature would be excellent on a library site to encourage students to explore but also stay within the confines of what they're researching.
The video I chose is by a teenage boy describing (hilariously) a typical school day including the weird behaviors of his teachers. I liked it becaues it reminds us that our students really are paying attention to our moods, our mannerisms, our inconsistencies, and our quirks. It's true that kids are wrapped up in their own world but they're also very observant so it's important to remember that they're always watching (and perfecting their impressions of us to do at the dinner table). I also thought it highlighted what we often forget--that being a kid is tough, and school can start to feel like a chore if we don't make it fun!
The video I chose is by a teenage boy describing (hilariously) a typical school day including the weird behaviors of his teachers. I liked it becaues it reminds us that our students really are paying attention to our moods, our mannerisms, our inconsistencies, and our quirks. It's true that kids are wrapped up in their own world but they're also very observant so it's important to remember that they're always watching (and perfecting their impressions of us to do at the dinner table). I also thought it highlighted what we often forget--that being a kid is tough, and school can start to feel like a chore if we don't make it fun!
Thing #19
I am a member of Myspace (which I rarely, if ever, use) and Facebook (which I use every day) and in my last post I explain what I like about Facebook. Although the concept of Gather is appealing to me, I am resistant to join for a few reasosn. First, I already sometimes feel that Facebook is encroaching on real friendship. Sometimes I will not realize that I haven't actually seen a friend in weeks because we've been Facebooking all along. Social networking sites are not a substitute for human interaction and while I love the idea of Gather being focused on debating or discussing specific topics, I almost don't want to start transferring those conversations to the internet for fear that I'll stop seeking them out in real life.
I do, however, really dig the TeacherPop community and I know I'll use it for reasons other than padding my resume ;) Even though TeacherPop has an educational focus, it's a place to share ideas, ask questions, or post experiences in a more informal way. In education, we're always being evaluated or evaluating others so it's nice to have a place to write a little more casually (that's part of why I love this blog) and share personal insights along with factual information.
I do, however, really dig the TeacherPop community and I know I'll use it for reasons other than padding my resume ;) Even though TeacherPop has an educational focus, it's a place to share ideas, ask questions, or post experiences in a more informal way. In education, we're always being evaluated or evaluating others so it's nice to have a place to write a little more casually (that's part of why I love this blog) and share personal insights along with factual information.
Thing #18
I have been a Myspace user for about 5 years and a Facebook user for 4 years so I was already well-versed in both social networking sites and the features of each. I feel that Facebook far surpasses Myspace at this point with regard to ease of use and in terms of actually creating the social network that users are looking for. Myspace has tried to adopt some of the features of Facebook like status updates and groups, but with much less success in my opinion. Facebook makes it simple to look at friends pictures and posts and to communicate with friends publicly (on their wall) or privately through messages. I often record video messages through Facebook to send to my husband in Afghanistan. There are groups for every conceivable interest and it is easy to invite friends to events or keep track of friends' birthdays. Myspace has similar features but I find them much more tedious to use and the design is cluttered. The one real advantage Myspace has over Facebook is that their music and video features are excellent. Artists can post their work and users can listen or watch at the click of the mouse.
I think teachers need to understand how much the social landscape has changed for their students and how much social interaction occurs through networking sites. Teachers cannot be under the impression that the only important social events in their students lives are happening in the hallways and classrooms anymore. Students relationships (friendships as well as romances) are legitimized by these sites and sometimes only exist through Myspace or Facebook. Bullying and harrassment have become a major problem with children using these sites and teachers need to know the right questions to ask if they get wind of a problem developing between students. Teachers also have a responsibility (in addition to the parents, who clearly bear most of the responsibility) to let their students know how important it is to be safe on the internet by making their social networking sites private, not entering specific personal data like addresses and phonenumbers, and why posting inappropriate pictures can negatively impact their lives at school, work, and personally.
Although I think that the group features of Facebook could be used in a school setting I would be extremely wary of introducing children to these sites without being able to fully monitor their conduct outside of the group created for the class. I think that other web applications like blogs or wikis could serve the same purpose without some of the drawbacks of social networking sites for kids.
I think teachers need to understand how much the social landscape has changed for their students and how much social interaction occurs through networking sites. Teachers cannot be under the impression that the only important social events in their students lives are happening in the hallways and classrooms anymore. Students relationships (friendships as well as romances) are legitimized by these sites and sometimes only exist through Myspace or Facebook. Bullying and harrassment have become a major problem with children using these sites and teachers need to know the right questions to ask if they get wind of a problem developing between students. Teachers also have a responsibility (in addition to the parents, who clearly bear most of the responsibility) to let their students know how important it is to be safe on the internet by making their social networking sites private, not entering specific personal data like addresses and phonenumbers, and why posting inappropriate pictures can negatively impact their lives at school, work, and personally.
Although I think that the group features of Facebook could be used in a school setting I would be extremely wary of introducing children to these sites without being able to fully monitor their conduct outside of the group created for the class. I think that other web applications like blogs or wikis could serve the same purpose without some of the drawbacks of social networking sites for kids.
Thing #17
I have been a fan of social bookmarking sites for a while now, including del.icio.us and Digg. These sites make it so easy to get lost in the web of sites and pictures and videos created by just one topic. It's pretty incredible when you view one bookmarked site and it makes you think of something else and then you find that the very something else you're thinking of has been bookmarked too! I had never used a bookmarking site to look for teaching resources, but after browsing through the apsu23things tabs I wish I had done it earlier. These sites could be a fabulous resource for finding lesson plans, video clips, articles, etc. pertaining to a class topic. I have spent HOURS of my life this semester Googling, searching databases, and following dead links. Using a site like this when planning units and lessons could save me a lot of time and effort and allow me to discover resources that are not just related to my topic but are recommended by another teacher.
Thing #16
I chose the iGoogle intropage because I tend to love everything that is Google. It literally took 15 seconds to set up and it's just as easy to change my preferences to delete or add new things I want included on my intropage. My yahoo! is similar but I found iGoogle to be more user-friendly and easier on the eyes when looking around the page for information. I like having everything already there instead of just links to the weather or to a calendar.
I already have an online calendar through Google and it is an absolute lifesaver. I set it up a couple of months ago to keep track of class dates, assignments, bill payments, when I need to mail my husband care packages in order for him to get them by a certain date, and all of my training information for my 1/2 marathon (which I'll be running in less than 24 hrs. scary!). I LOVE it. I get email reminders for the items I select and then I delete the emails when the task is complete--like a to-do list (but more about those in a minute). I will absolutely keep using my Google calendar for my personal, school, and professional life. It is so nice to get all of those dates and to-dos out of your brain and into the computer.
Before I started looking at the to-do list applications I was thinking 1.) man, I love lists and 2.) isn't this a little redundant when I already have email reminders from my calendar. With regard to number 1: I really do love lists. I have always been a list-maker, even if just to feel like I've accomplished something by making the list. My husband is a list maker too and we write each other little lists, share our own lists with each other for moral support, etc. With regard to number 2: as it turns out, these applications are super cool and NOT redundant. I chose to sign up for "Remember the Milk" because I loved the name (although I might have changed it to "tartar sauce. tartar sauce" for all of those "The Weather Man" lovers like my family) and because it had some features that I thought were fantastic. First, being able to have my lists texted to my phone is far superior to my methods which usually include hastily written lists on the backs of envelopes or lists that I text to myself and then always delete before I should. I also really loved the "share" function where I can share the to-do list with someone else to divvy up work. My husband and I could really utilize this feature to coordinate errands and other regular-life stuff.
As far as using any of these tools in the classroom, I would definitely use the Google Calendar application. I could make a calendar for each class period and then add the student and/or parent email addresses to the share list. Students and parents would get reminder emails about upcoming tests or assignments, and could check the homework for the following week so they'll know what to do when they have a dentist appointment and miss class. If I make a change or add something everyone will be notified. By reminding students about projects or tests in advance I can help boost their time management and discourage procrastination and forgetfulness.
Speaking of procrastination and forgetfulness, I'm going to tell my mom and sister about "Remember the Milk" immediately. Well, maybe not immediately, but I'll set a text reminder for it :)
Thing #15
I am pretty late to the wiki game as compared to most people. I remember back in 04-05 when I was a senior in college hearing professors joke about Wikipedia not being a scholarly source and I had no idea what they were talking about. I was never a big Googler until about 2 years ago, where of course I became intimately familiar with all things Wikipedia because Wiki is usually the first search result on the page. My husband is HUGE into Googling and it has really rubbed off on me. I'll find myself Googling or Wiki-ing odd phrases or references I hear on tv or read in a magazine, or that 1/2 a song lyric that I heard in the grocery store and now I must know the rest of the song. Anyway, until I did this exercise I wasn't really clued into how huge wiki applications have gotten. I had never gone much beyong Wikipedia so this was pretty eye-opening for me. I love how easy it is to edit an entry, and I know students would love it too. As a teacher, I appreciate the fact that I can monitor all changes to a class wiki and see the different versions of the entries at they evolve. It's a great way to keep students accountable without them having to turn in paper after paper. I really liked the AP US History wiki project that I looked at. It encouraged the students to make concise entries using bullet points whenever possible. This exercise does a great job of mimicking what the students are required to do on the AP Test. I hadn't thought of setting up a wiki for a class assignment but this seems really simple and is an excellent way to combine the benefits of group work with benefits of independent work.
Thing #14
I chose to register and try out gliffy.com (more about how hilarious that is in a moment) and mindmeister.com. I'm really not that "into" visual aids but I know I'll have students who are visual learners and who would really love having flowcharts and/or mindmaps incorporated into the curriculum and into test review. I also think that my content area--secondary social studies--is really conducive to using these kinds of aids to show how many elements and ideas are interrelated.
I found gliffy.com pretty easy to use but I didn't think that the flowchart options made for a very pretty flowchart. call me an aesthetic elitist, but that kind of stuff is important to me. I recently contemplated joining an online group lobbying for the elimination of Comic Sans (seriously). Now for why the word "gliffy" is extra funny to me: my family has been using the word gliffy for 35 years now to describe all manner of things that are ooky (I guess that's a made up word too), too sweet, too goey, too...well...gliffy. A good example might be an ice cream sundae topped with marshmallow peeps. My dad originally coined the term in 1967 to describe gross, goopy feeling of the bottom of a lake under his feet. I'm going to have to call him later to let him know that he should have copyrighted it.
...moving right along...
I actually enjoyed mindmeister.com a lot. The site was pretty (see above), the tools were easy to use, and I loved that they had created a mindmap for me upon registration to teach me about how to use the site and the other tools associated with it. I could definitely see myself using this in the classroom or using it to create handouts for the students to create their own mindmaps...or some combination of both where we create one together as a class. Now I need to get started on a mindmap about the connection between mustaches and evil so that I can get my husband to see the error of his ways in deciding that growing a mustache while he's deployed is a great idea.
I found gliffy.com pretty easy to use but I didn't think that the flowchart options made for a very pretty flowchart. call me an aesthetic elitist, but that kind of stuff is important to me. I recently contemplated joining an online group lobbying for the elimination of Comic Sans (seriously). Now for why the word "gliffy" is extra funny to me: my family has been using the word gliffy for 35 years now to describe all manner of things that are ooky (I guess that's a made up word too), too sweet, too goey, too...well...gliffy. A good example might be an ice cream sundae topped with marshmallow peeps. My dad originally coined the term in 1967 to describe gross, goopy feeling of the bottom of a lake under his feet. I'm going to have to call him later to let him know that he should have copyrighted it.
...moving right along...
I actually enjoyed mindmeister.com a lot. The site was pretty (see above), the tools were easy to use, and I loved that they had created a mindmap for me upon registration to teach me about how to use the site and the other tools associated with it. I could definitely see myself using this in the classroom or using it to create handouts for the students to create their own mindmaps...or some combination of both where we create one together as a class. Now I need to get started on a mindmap about the connection between mustaches and evil so that I can get my husband to see the error of his ways in deciding that growing a mustache while he's deployed is a great idea.
Thing #13--triumphant return to blogging
I have to admit that I interpret how excited I got over Zoho.com (extremely excited) as a sign of my rapid transformation into an old, uncool person. That being said...SO cool! During these past few weeks as I've been up to my ears in PowerPoints, papers, final exam review notes, and group projects (ohhhh so many group projects) I have been silently cataloging a list of complaints in my mind about the ridiculous logistical maneuverings involved in keeping all of the technology I use for school organized and under control. I do almost 100% of my work on my laptop but it's not always feasible to lug my laptop around and haul it out whenever I might need to edit something or jot someting down or add to an ongoing project. Some of my classes (like this one) already have computers so it seems pretty redundant to bring in my computer. As a result I do a combination of saving things to a jump drive and emailing documents to myelf so that I can check them easily wherever I am, or print something out, or whatever. This method has worked for me for years but it's pretty clunky. The past few weeks I have been longing for something....easier....but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Zoho.com is it. I've looked at other web-based writing applicatons but Zoho had the coolest features so far. I loved the sheer array of things you can do on Zoho and then tuck away with multiple tags so that one paper or presentation can be grouped with other things it relates to, and in education that could be lots of things. As I wrap up my first semester of grad school I'm trying to get my document and resource organization skills together because I know that in subsequent classes I'm going to need a lot of the things I've already worked on. When it comes time to put together my portfolio for Milestones 2, 3, and 4 I'm going to be really happy that all of my work is in a logical place. Zoho.com, with its tagging system, allows you to easily organize files without having to manually drag docments from their application to a folder. So neat. I really liked the features on the Zohowriter that allow you to make in-text comments, post your work to a blog, or share the work with selected users. Finding ways to get group work done can be difficult when students are busy with work and family. This application could simplify the collaborative process and result in less stress when working on group projects. I also really liked the Zoho notebook, an online notetaker, that I am going to start using in class ASAP. Clearly it's not that different from creating a word document to take notes in , but I like the format and the ease with which you can insert images, video and links. The biggest factor, again, is the organizational aspect of the entire Zoho site. I'm excited to start exploring the rest of the site more thoroughly.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Thing#12
I've actually been a big fan of Google tools for a while now. Since my husband deployed to Afghanistan I tried to nip the new-searching compulsion in the bud by setting up Google News Alerts for his base and the province in Afghanistan where he is located so I don't drive myself crazy by searching for news stories every day. It has been a fantastic experience so far and has really been one of the most helpful internet tools I've ever used. If there's news, I get an email; if there's no news, no email. Simple as that. I don't obsess over cnn.com or Drudgereport because I know that trusty old Google will let me know if anything is going on. I think that I will definitely continue to use this tool as I begin teaching. As a social studies teacher I can set alerts for items containing keywords that relate to what my students and I are covering. This would be a great tool for my students to use as well since I fully intend to give pop current events quizzes :)
I have had a post-it note next to my laptop (or rather, where my laptop sits on my coffee table) for weeks now to set up my Google calendar and this was the perfect excuse to finally do it! I have a dry erase calendar in my kitchen that I religiously update but it doesn't really lend itself to quick editing, updating, or including any real detail. I have a lot to keep track of and I have been needing this Google calendar tremendously. I set it up and added my class meeting dates, important due dates, puppy vet appointments, days when I need to pay bills, days when I need to mail my husband's care packages, and weekends when I'm expecting visitors. I also added the weekends when my Bunco group meets, impotant milestones for my 1/2 marathon training, and all sorts of other random things like each married monthaversary for my husband and I and how many months into our deployment we are. So cool! I already feel calmer and more in control just by having set up my calendar. I think that's really the mark of a great web tool. When something has a discernable effect on your life it's really worthwhile. I absolutely will keep up with my calendar througout grad school and certainly into my teaching career. I remember when I was in high school they gave us notebook planners that we were supposed to write all of our homework assignments and such in but I usually used mine for doodling and counting down the days until winter/spring/summer break. I think my future high school students would be all about keeping track of the important school and non-school events in their life with an online calendar that is easily accessible no matter where they are.
I have had a post-it note next to my laptop (or rather, where my laptop sits on my coffee table) for weeks now to set up my Google calendar and this was the perfect excuse to finally do it! I have a dry erase calendar in my kitchen that I religiously update but it doesn't really lend itself to quick editing, updating, or including any real detail. I have a lot to keep track of and I have been needing this Google calendar tremendously. I set it up and added my class meeting dates, important due dates, puppy vet appointments, days when I need to pay bills, days when I need to mail my husband's care packages, and weekends when I'm expecting visitors. I also added the weekends when my Bunco group meets, impotant milestones for my 1/2 marathon training, and all sorts of other random things like each married monthaversary for my husband and I and how many months into our deployment we are. So cool! I already feel calmer and more in control just by having set up my calendar. I think that's really the mark of a great web tool. When something has a discernable effect on your life it's really worthwhile. I absolutely will keep up with my calendar througout grad school and certainly into my teaching career. I remember when I was in high school they gave us notebook planners that we were supposed to write all of our homework assignments and such in but I usually used mine for doodling and counting down the days until winter/spring/summer break. I think my future high school students would be all about keeping track of the important school and non-school events in their life with an online calendar that is easily accessible no matter where they are.
Thing #11
Well it appears that I may have jumped the gun a bit on Thing #10 because I went ahead and subscribed to some feeds. I didn't really use the search features though because I knew what I was looking for already. I can be kind of change resistant so this "Thing" is great for me because I discovered some new blogs! I subscribed to politicalinaction.com, and finally subscribed to The Huffington Post. I found both of those though the Google blog search which I liked a lot. I love everything Google does and I thought that their search process was very straightfoward and got me the results I was looking for.
I also really enjoyed the Topix site, especially the hometown news feature. It was great to be able to glace at one page for headlines pertaining to a specific locality. I thought the site was really easy to use and I liked the bar at the top with basic categories like "Top Stories" and "Off Beat." I tend to be drawn to sites like this that start broad and let the user winnow down to a very specific topic to read about.
I did not like Synic8 at all, partially because I'm kind of appearance-driven when it comes to websites and I thought the layout was pretty ugly and boring. I didn't like all of the random headlines and random feeds displayed. If I'm coming to a site to find a blog I have something in mind. I don't like to be distracted with randomness.
Technorati on the other hand was really simple and pretty to look at too :) I found the categories along the top were exactly the categories I was looking for and I even found an awesome blog that I've never heard of (although apparently I'm the last to know about it) called BoingBoing. It has lots of really cool entries on pop culture and tech goodies and I can't wait to look through back entries until I wear out the clicker on my mouse.
Another way I've always used to find blogs that are related to my interests is to check out the Blogroll on blogs I already read. This is a list of links to other blogs witin the same subject area that a blogger is a fan of or gets material from. I've found a lot of great cooking, fashion, celebrity news, and teaching blogs this way. I feel like I've said the word 'blog' far too many times in this post.
I also really enjoyed the Topix site, especially the hometown news feature. It was great to be able to glace at one page for headlines pertaining to a specific locality. I thought the site was really easy to use and I liked the bar at the top with basic categories like "Top Stories" and "Off Beat." I tend to be drawn to sites like this that start broad and let the user winnow down to a very specific topic to read about.
I did not like Synic8 at all, partially because I'm kind of appearance-driven when it comes to websites and I thought the layout was pretty ugly and boring. I didn't like all of the random headlines and random feeds displayed. If I'm coming to a site to find a blog I have something in mind. I don't like to be distracted with randomness.
Technorati on the other hand was really simple and pretty to look at too :) I found the categories along the top were exactly the categories I was looking for and I even found an awesome blog that I've never heard of (although apparently I'm the last to know about it) called BoingBoing. It has lots of really cool entries on pop culture and tech goodies and I can't wait to look through back entries until I wear out the clicker on my mouse.
Another way I've always used to find blogs that are related to my interests is to check out the Blogroll on blogs I already read. This is a list of links to other blogs witin the same subject area that a blogger is a fan of or gets material from. I've found a lot of great cooking, fashion, celebrity news, and teaching blogs this way. I feel like I've said the word 'blog' far too many times in this post.
Thing #10
First of all....I cannot BELIEVE that I hadn't set one of these up yet! I read about a billion blogs a day and probably waste half of my life clicking on them to see if they're updated. I've heard the term "RSS Feed" many time but just never really investigated it. I decided to set mine up through MyYahoo because I check my Yahoo mail constantly and so it was the most convenient choice for me. I couldn't believe how easy it was to set up. I subscribed to a good smattering of my favorite blogs, educational and otherwise. I added coolcatteacher which is simply awesome, dangerously irrelevant, dlisted.com (my favorite guilty pleasure), bestweekever.tv, pioneer woman (thanks for getting me hooked Dr. Wall. Not. Now I'm obsessed with cooking all kinds of delicious cowboy food), and an awesome baking blog called cookiemadness.net. I am not exaggerating when I say that this whole RSS feed thing is going to change my life. Now when I log in to check my email I can just click on MyYahoo and see what's updated and what's not! I can't even get over how happy I am that there are smarter people out there in the internetz thinking of these things. I'm sure I'm probably the last one to the party where RSS feeds are concerned but I'm excited anyway!
As far as teaching applications, I think that it is imperative for teachers to find as many ways to save time as possible. By being able to scan blog headlines and only clicking on the entries I want to read, I'll be able to save countless minutes. When it comes to education blogs, current events/news blogs, etc. I think it will be amazing to just be able to log in in the morning before heading to work and just scan what's going on in the world so that the information and discussion questions I bring to my students will be totally up-to-date without having to spend precious morning minutes scouring the internet. Since I really want to create a blog for my class once I begin teaching this will be a perfect way for students to make sure they're aware if I update the blog with new instructions or information. They can subscribe to the blog and always know what's going on. My mind is totally blown by something so simple and awesome. This is probably how people felt when they discovered someone had started slicing the bread before putting it in the bag at the store.
As far as teaching applications, I think that it is imperative for teachers to find as many ways to save time as possible. By being able to scan blog headlines and only clicking on the entries I want to read, I'll be able to save countless minutes. When it comes to education blogs, current events/news blogs, etc. I think it will be amazing to just be able to log in in the morning before heading to work and just scan what's going on in the world so that the information and discussion questions I bring to my students will be totally up-to-date without having to spend precious morning minutes scouring the internet. Since I really want to create a blog for my class once I begin teaching this will be a perfect way for students to make sure they're aware if I update the blog with new instructions or information. They can subscribe to the blog and always know what's going on. My mind is totally blown by something so simple and awesome. This is probably how people felt when they discovered someone had started slicing the bread before putting it in the bag at the store.
Thing #9
I LOVED these tools! There were so many to choose from that I had to stop myself so I could actually get some work done! I could see tons of applications for these generators personally (I will undoubtedly be making some hilarious items to email my husband in Afghanistan) as well as professionally. For a high school Government class I could have students use these generators to create campaign materials like buttons, shirts, book covers, etc. I'm actually thinking about going back and adding some of these sites to my WebQuest assignment because their assignment is all about crafting a political campaign. I made a post-it note and a "For Dummies" book cover because I thought they looked hilarious and authentic. My husband and I are notorious for leaving each other post-its about everything and so I decided to make a little reminder to myself about my puppy since she was jumping up on my shoulder like a parrot as I was trying to explore the generator sites :)
Thing #8
I had a lot of fun playing with these apps and it is definitely absorbing! I liked the Color Pickr and I also loved the Retrievr app where you make a sketch (it can look like a completely shapeless amoeba) and then images from Flickr that resemble that shape pop up. It was really neat to see how many completely unrelated images could be linked by shape. With one sketch I got back pictures of babies, snail shells, and castle doors. Pretty cool! Being the linguistic learner that I am, the Spell with Flickr mashup was my favorite. I had a blast plugging in song lyrics, names, and then finally settling on "We the People" to post in this entry. I loved how the mismatching letters seemed to embody the meaning of the phrase. I will definitely be using this tool to create personal projects like headings for scrapbook pages, but I could also see how this application or the Mappr mashup could be used for class assignments. Students could create maps with images and then write a response to how the mosaic of pictures reflects the social and geographical makeup of the area. Very cool!
Thing#7
I LOVE photography and often browse through the photos on Flickr looking for anything interesting or beautiful. I just discovered picnik.com which is a really cool photo editing site that I used to add text and some effects to my wedding photos. It is absolutely addictive and it has made me love taking new pictures even more because there are so many fun things I can do with them once they're updated. I have hundreds of pictures on my Facebook and enjoy posting new photos and commenting on friends pictures as well. Oddly enough I didn't sign up for my own Flickr account until now. I was really excited to see how easy it was since I already have a Yahoo ID. I really hate the long registration forms that some websites make you fill out these days. Once I became a member I uploaded some pictures of my 11 week old Boston Terrier puppy, Maude, that I've taken over the past week. Too adorable! Once I uploaded them I tagged some "apsu23things" and then found the apsu23things group, added myself, and added my photos to the group. I loved looking through the other student's pictures and seeing lots of gorgeous doggies, babies, landscapes, and just things around the house. It's so wonderful that photography is accessible to everyone now. This activity is making me want a new camera...bad! My birthday is coming up so maybe I should buy myself a new camera as a present. I'll just tell my deployed husband that that's what he's getting me. haha.
...Anyhoo...
Back to the questions at hand... I think I will absolutely continue to use Flickr for personal photos. It is very user friendly and actually links to picnik.com (the editing site I was talking about above). I have very little trepidation about posting pictures in a public place, although of course I always use a very strong dose of common sense when deciding which pictures to share. I wouldn't post anything that identified anyone who didn't want to be identified in a public photo forum; I wouldn't post a picture that clearly identified where I lived or what car I drive or any personal details that a wackadoo could use to track me down. I would definitely use Flickr for the classroom much in the way Dr. Wall is using it for this course. I would create a group on Flickr for students to upload their photos to. I might create an assignment where students went on a history scavenger hunt and had to take pictures of the items or landmarks they found. I could have my students search the internet for photos to describe a concept or a famous quotation and then post their findings. I was surprised at how many ideas like that I was able to generate in a short time with Flickr because it's not a site that has overt education applications. This was the most fun of the 23 things for me so far. I think that my high school students would be really excited to use Flickr for a class project
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Thing #6
I chose http://www.writeboard.com/ as my Web 2.0 tool to explore. I think that good writing is SO incredibly important. I can't stress enough the advantage that excellent writing can give to a student in their academic and career pursuits. I also believe that the ability to write well can enhance your ability to read good writing with greater comprehension. Because I'll be teaching high school students, they need to be preparing to write in collegiate and business settings. They also need to be able to read articles, business publications, and scholarly books and journals. In the age of word processor assisted editing--i.e. spell check and grammar check--many people think that if their writing doesn't have red or green squiggles underlining their passages then everything is a-okay. Good writing is something much more elusive and subtle than these spelling and grammar checking tools could ever assess. Peer editing can be hugely helpful in identifying how to make writing more readable, more interesting, and more unique. It also encourages student collaboration and discourages students from bombarding teachers with draft upon draft for inspection. I think that it is entirely appropriate for students to submit drafts to their teacher for some preliminary comments but I also think that students should take more responsibility for their writing process and use their fellow students to help them refine their ideas.
...On to writeboard.com...
This web tool is a place for students to engage in the process of writing. They can work on a paper, save it as they go along, and continue to refer back to each prior version. This can be so helpful when you get halfway through a paper and realize that the point you're trying to make is one you erased 4 versions ago. Word processing software does not generally allow you to go back to previous versions. Even if you do save each draft and then copy and paste the document into a new document to begin writing again, this method can be incredibly confusing. This tool also eliminates the need for students to save work to jump drives and remember to take it to each computer they'll be working on. It can also eliminate a lot of student excuses about computer crashes, disks eaten by dogs, etc. Another feature that I really liked was the way writeboard avails itself to group projects. Each document you work on in writeboard is assigned a password that members of a group can use to log in and view/edit/comment on the project. This feature could really enable students to create a group report or presentation without being required to physcially meet up. Since so many students have extracurricular activities, sports, jobs, and family obligations, the ability to log in and discuss or edit work could really increase the quality of group projects because students can work on their part of the project when they have the time to focus on it. It also makes it more difficult for one student to take charge of the project while the rest of the group plays guitar hero and eats pizza bagels.
...On to writeboard.com...
This web tool is a place for students to engage in the process of writing. They can work on a paper, save it as they go along, and continue to refer back to each prior version. This can be so helpful when you get halfway through a paper and realize that the point you're trying to make is one you erased 4 versions ago. Word processing software does not generally allow you to go back to previous versions. Even if you do save each draft and then copy and paste the document into a new document to begin writing again, this method can be incredibly confusing. This tool also eliminates the need for students to save work to jump drives and remember to take it to each computer they'll be working on. It can also eliminate a lot of student excuses about computer crashes, disks eaten by dogs, etc. Another feature that I really liked was the way writeboard avails itself to group projects. Each document you work on in writeboard is assigned a password that members of a group can use to log in and view/edit/comment on the project. This feature could really enable students to create a group report or presentation without being required to physcially meet up. Since so many students have extracurricular activities, sports, jobs, and family obligations, the ability to log in and discuss or edit work could really increase the quality of group projects because students can work on their part of the project when they have the time to focus on it. It also makes it more difficult for one student to take charge of the project while the rest of the group plays guitar hero and eats pizza bagels.
Thing #5
I watched/read almost all of the suggested articles and videos describing and defining Web 2.0 and School 2.0 because I found myself having a hard time coming up with a concrete enough idea to encapsulate all of the facets and implications of the two phenomena. I really enjoyed the Wikipedia entry about Web 2.0 partly because Wikipedia is in itself a manifestation of Web 2.0 It was kind of a hot pocket hot pocket (for all of you Jim Gaffigan fans out there) because as I was reading the article I was simultaneously getting the concept. I also found the Horizons Report particularly illuminating because it gave real examples of various Web 2.0 application types and explained why they were a huge leap forward for interactive internet use as well as how each Web 2.0 tool impacted the education community. I appreciated how the report explained implications for students as well as faculty and discussed why it's so key for educators to keep abreast of Web 2.0 developments to not only stay in touch with their students but also to determine which developments can be used to facilitate learning.
To me, School 2.0 is the marrying of Web 2.0 tools with education. It is up to educators to view web tools like Flickr, YouTube, and the technology behind social networking sites like Facebook through a learning lense. Our students are already using these interfaces in their personal lives and are already applying them to school work as they research and create assignments. Teachers can take it one step further by actually incorporating the skillset that our students are acquiring into our instruction. If we allow students to use online learning applications that work in the same way as their favorite social sites and community intelligence databases, they'll be more likely to explore the topics we're covering in class. Creating class blogs, setting up online video tutorials, and encouraging students to publish their projects and papers online to receive peer feedback will help students become part of their class community and the world community. In localities where students do not have as much access to a diverse environment, travel, or global influence, this is even more important.
Schools of the future are going to have to embrace School 2.0 to keep teachers and students on the cutting edge. Schools should place technology at the top of their priority list in terms of budgetary allotments as well as in the training of their faculty. Students are often not only more knowledgable about emerging technologies but also more skilled in their use than their teachers. Because students today have largely grown up in a tech world they have an almost intuitive ability to flesh out a new tool. As teachers we have to make sure we are empowering ourselves to help our students by keeping up to date.
I also believe that even though Web 2.0 tools seemingly make the traditional constructs of classroom learning--one article even asserted that the internet has made books, libraries, and even paper obsolete--schools of the future must continue to remember the importance of a good teacher and in-person human interaction as part of the learning process. Technology will never replace teachers, but great teachers can become even better if they embrace the School 2.0 concepts.
To me, School 2.0 is the marrying of Web 2.0 tools with education. It is up to educators to view web tools like Flickr, YouTube, and the technology behind social networking sites like Facebook through a learning lense. Our students are already using these interfaces in their personal lives and are already applying them to school work as they research and create assignments. Teachers can take it one step further by actually incorporating the skillset that our students are acquiring into our instruction. If we allow students to use online learning applications that work in the same way as their favorite social sites and community intelligence databases, they'll be more likely to explore the topics we're covering in class. Creating class blogs, setting up online video tutorials, and encouraging students to publish their projects and papers online to receive peer feedback will help students become part of their class community and the world community. In localities where students do not have as much access to a diverse environment, travel, or global influence, this is even more important.
Schools of the future are going to have to embrace School 2.0 to keep teachers and students on the cutting edge. Schools should place technology at the top of their priority list in terms of budgetary allotments as well as in the training of their faculty. Students are often not only more knowledgable about emerging technologies but also more skilled in their use than their teachers. Because students today have largely grown up in a tech world they have an almost intuitive ability to flesh out a new tool. As teachers we have to make sure we are empowering ourselves to help our students by keeping up to date.
I also believe that even though Web 2.0 tools seemingly make the traditional constructs of classroom learning--one article even asserted that the internet has made books, libraries, and even paper obsolete--schools of the future must continue to remember the importance of a good teacher and in-person human interaction as part of the learning process. Technology will never replace teachers, but great teachers can become even better if they embrace the School 2.0 concepts.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thing #4
I commented on:
wilson1999--Thing 18
Roger's Science Spot--Thing 21
Amelia Bedelia Crotzer Becomes a Teacher--Thing 24
Miranda's Blog--Thing 14
Joradan's Space--Thing 19
I also commented on a couple of other blogs earlier in the project but I couldn't remember which ones!
As far as outside blogs I have commented on:
www.cookiemadness.net
www.cuteoverload.com
To me, the essence of why commenting is important in blogging is that it is the only thing that separates a blog from an online diary. Blog posts are about the viewpoint of the blogger but they're also about the interaction of that viewpoint with the rest of the world. Commenting can help steer the direction of future posts and comments that link to other blogs help create a network around a particular topic. Comments are what can make blogs feel like a community bulletin board or a notebook passed between friends in high school. I agreed with what CoolCatTeacher explained in her post about commenting when she said that comments like
"'Yeah' or 'Right on' may make the author feel good, but of more interest to conversation participants is 'Why do you think it is right on?' If you don't care, don't comment, but if something truly resonates with you and you have something to share, do it!"
I can't tell you how annoyed I get when I go to read the comments section of a blog post and see a 3 foot tall column of "yeah" or even worse, "first." It really defeats the purpose of blogs to gunk everything up with useless comments. I only ever comment on a blog if I genuinely have a reaction to the post, and I would hope visitors to my blog would do the same.
I also enjoyed the discussion of blogging etiquette from Drape's Takes: Edublogger Etiquette. The comments section of the post had some interesting observations from subscribers that I agree with. In the post, the question was raised about how much a blogger should comment back to comments on his own blog. The author felt that it was important for bloggers to comment on comments. A few subscribers felt that when they read comments and see that the blogger has responded to many of them, they feel that the blogger is stalking their comments and being defensive. I agree with the subscribers. I am less likely to comment on a post if I feel that the blogger is going to read it and respond to it right away. It makes me feel self conscious and it is a little like pulling the curtain back in the Wizard of Oz. Part of what makes the internet appealing is the ability to be anonymous and when a blogger responds immediately to comments it's a bit like having an awkward IM conversation with a stranger.
wilson1999--Thing 18
Roger's Science Spot--Thing 21
Amelia Bedelia Crotzer Becomes a Teacher--Thing 24
Miranda's Blog--Thing 14
Joradan's Space--Thing 19
I also commented on a couple of other blogs earlier in the project but I couldn't remember which ones!
As far as outside blogs I have commented on:
www.cookiemadness.net
www.cuteoverload.com
To me, the essence of why commenting is important in blogging is that it is the only thing that separates a blog from an online diary. Blog posts are about the viewpoint of the blogger but they're also about the interaction of that viewpoint with the rest of the world. Commenting can help steer the direction of future posts and comments that link to other blogs help create a network around a particular topic. Comments are what can make blogs feel like a community bulletin board or a notebook passed between friends in high school. I agreed with what CoolCatTeacher explained in her post about commenting when she said that comments like
"'Yeah' or 'Right on' may make the author feel good, but of more interest to conversation participants is 'Why do you think it is right on?' If you don't care, don't comment, but if something truly resonates with you and you have something to share, do it!"
I can't tell you how annoyed I get when I go to read the comments section of a blog post and see a 3 foot tall column of "yeah" or even worse, "first." It really defeats the purpose of blogs to gunk everything up with useless comments. I only ever comment on a blog if I genuinely have a reaction to the post, and I would hope visitors to my blog would do the same.
I also enjoyed the discussion of blogging etiquette from Drape's Takes: Edublogger Etiquette. The comments section of the post had some interesting observations from subscribers that I agree with. In the post, the question was raised about how much a blogger should comment back to comments on his own blog. The author felt that it was important for bloggers to comment on comments. A few subscribers felt that when they read comments and see that the blogger has responded to many of them, they feel that the blogger is stalking their comments and being defensive. I agree with the subscribers. I am less likely to comment on a post if I feel that the blogger is going to read it and respond to it right away. It makes me feel self conscious and it is a little like pulling the curtain back in the Wizard of Oz. Part of what makes the internet appealing is the ability to be anonymous and when a blogger responds immediately to comments it's a bit like having an awkward IM conversation with a stranger.
Thing #3
I can definitely see some applications for blogging in my classroom--especially considering that I intend to teach high school U.S. Government which is typically a 12th grade course. Most teenagers are certainly aware of blogging and probably have a few that they read daily, albeit more in the vein of dlisted or bestweekever. I could use a blog to introduce topics before we begin covering them in class to encourage discussion among students through commenting. I could also use the blog for online assignments by having students post links, pictures, etc. relating to the blog post I put up. I could also use the blog to keep parents informed and involved in what we're learning in the classroom. I could post homework assigments along with links to other resources students could use to help them complete their work. It would also serve as a place to keep standing links for things my students might need frequently like the MLA citations website, grammar/dictionary/thesaurus help, and applicable government sites. I would also love to have students keep a semester or year-long blog in addition to or instead of a journal. At the end of the unit/semester/school year they could revisit old posts and evaluate how they have changed as studetns and how their political opinions might have changed over time.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Thing #2
My posting name is surfergirl13. My husband and I are obsessed with all things Beach Boys and Brian Wilson. My husband and I kept what we had engraved inside each others' wedding bands secret until after we walked back down the aisle (to "God Only Knows" I might add) and took off our brand new rings and read them. He had "Forever you'll be my surfer girl" engraved in my wedding band and it refers to a couple of our favorite songs. The number "13" refers to the age that we first started dating each other. We took an 11 year "break" before getting back together at age 24, but we did honor our 8th grade romance by getting married on our original anniversary date.
The name of my blog is "juice box" which is a reference to the pronunciation of my last name--which sounds exactly like a delicious childhood juice box drink that I'm sure we all remember. (psst..it's Hi-C. Fruit Punch was my favorite)
...moving on...
Creating the blog, as I said in my first post, was pretty easy. I'm looking forward to exploring the site further and adding pictures, videos, links, etc. as I go along. I really like to "get into" these kinds of tools. I'll click on every button to see what it does. I have a very particular aesthetic sensibility so I can't wait to try everything out until I get it right. I read blogs all the time online and I have stopped reading many of them because they were so user un-friendly. I can't stand a blog with a billion components and sections and buttons and blinky things and blah blah blah. When I come across a blog that's too hard to navigate or messily put together I dont' even want to bother reading the first post because I know I won't want to bother with exploring the site. I'm hoping that I can create a blog that is easy to use and at least somewhat interesting.
...oh avatars...
I have to say I'm not a huge fan of the avatar. I had fun creating it and thought the process was super simple but I just really have a preference for photos. I'm sure some people aren't comfortable posting their photo on the front of their blog but I think it's much more pleasing to the eye. My husband and I have an inside joke about avatars that goes something like this: "Honey, did you leave your cereal bowl in the sink again?!" "No baby! That must have been my avatar!"
I sort of tried to make my avatar look like me, and pick at least a semi-cool outfit for her to wear. I'm a big leopard-print person (Although the way I just phrased that makes it sound like I'm a big person who is, in fact, leopard printed. That is definitely not the case but I think it's kind of funny so I'll leave it that way.) I'm not sure that I would advocate a leopard scarf and leopard shoes, but it was the most "me" outfit I could find. Since I come to class in sweats every week I'm sure that doesn't seem like it makes any sense but in my real life I do actually wear real clothes.
The name of my blog is "juice box" which is a reference to the pronunciation of my last name--which sounds exactly like a delicious childhood juice box drink that I'm sure we all remember. (psst..it's Hi-C. Fruit Punch was my favorite)
...moving on...
Creating the blog, as I said in my first post, was pretty easy. I'm looking forward to exploring the site further and adding pictures, videos, links, etc. as I go along. I really like to "get into" these kinds of tools. I'll click on every button to see what it does. I have a very particular aesthetic sensibility so I can't wait to try everything out until I get it right. I read blogs all the time online and I have stopped reading many of them because they were so user un-friendly. I can't stand a blog with a billion components and sections and buttons and blinky things and blah blah blah. When I come across a blog that's too hard to navigate or messily put together I dont' even want to bother reading the first post because I know I won't want to bother with exploring the site. I'm hoping that I can create a blog that is easy to use and at least somewhat interesting.
...oh avatars...
I have to say I'm not a huge fan of the avatar. I had fun creating it and thought the process was super simple but I just really have a preference for photos. I'm sure some people aren't comfortable posting their photo on the front of their blog but I think it's much more pleasing to the eye. My husband and I have an inside joke about avatars that goes something like this: "Honey, did you leave your cereal bowl in the sink again?!" "No baby! That must have been my avatar!"
I sort of tried to make my avatar look like me, and pick at least a semi-cool outfit for her to wear. I'm a big leopard-print person (Although the way I just phrased that makes it sound like I'm a big person who is, in fact, leopard printed. That is definitely not the case but I think it's kind of funny so I'll leave it that way.) I'm not sure that I would advocate a leopard scarf and leopard shoes, but it was the most "me" outfit I could find. Since I come to class in sweats every week I'm sure that doesn't seem like it makes any sense but in my real life I do actually wear real clothes.
Thing #1
As I was watching the "7 1/2 Habits" tutorial I immediately identified with the "setting goals" habit. I am good at setting goals and pursuing them even if they seem ridiculous. I'm the queen of making insanely detailed to-do lists of every single component of a goal. As an undergrad I actually made an hour-by-hour schedule for myself for the final two weeks before my senior thesis was due. I can be incredibly motivated and organized when I have a clear goal and a day marked on the calendar. Right now I'm training for the Country Music Half Marathon and every thing I do and every meal I eat is geared toward accomplishing that goal. I'm also attending grad school full time during this semester, over the summer, and in the fall so that I can attain my goal of finishing my coursework by the time my husband returns from Afghanistan in December 2009.
That being said...
I'm absolutely the weakest at having confidence in my ability to learn. Even though I set lofty goals for myself, I tend to set goals within my spheres of expertise. I feel amazingly comfortable, even cocky, about learning more about subjects I feel confident in already. There's no book on political theory I can't understand. There's no fitness goal I don't think I can reach. I would never question my ability to cook a new meal from scratch. BUT...once an impromptu trip to the driving range with my dad paralyzed me with fear. I acted like a 3 year old. If someone asks me to try something I've never done before, or do something that *God forbid* I'm not sure I'll be good at I cannot deal. As a kid I was super dedicated to certain things and I excelled in them. I got so much praise for being good at things that it never occurred to me that there might be merit in trying anything new--what if I couldn't do it? Thankfully I have an amazingly adventurous and supportive husband who has encouraged me to start trying new things. Since we've been together I've become a sushi fanatic and zip-lined through the Costa Rican rainforest. And...here I am in grad school learning new things every day.
I actually found the process to set this blog up pretty straightforward. I'm looking forward to figuring out how to use the blogger tools and personalizing my blog. I'm pretty excited about learning how to do all of this. I've secretly always wanted to set up a blog but didn't want it to be amateurish--see above description of my fear of trying things I don't know how to do. I think this can be a great personal and professional tool and I am looking forward to the next 22 things!
That being said...
I'm absolutely the weakest at having confidence in my ability to learn. Even though I set lofty goals for myself, I tend to set goals within my spheres of expertise. I feel amazingly comfortable, even cocky, about learning more about subjects I feel confident in already. There's no book on political theory I can't understand. There's no fitness goal I don't think I can reach. I would never question my ability to cook a new meal from scratch. BUT...once an impromptu trip to the driving range with my dad paralyzed me with fear. I acted like a 3 year old. If someone asks me to try something I've never done before, or do something that *God forbid* I'm not sure I'll be good at I cannot deal. As a kid I was super dedicated to certain things and I excelled in them. I got so much praise for being good at things that it never occurred to me that there might be merit in trying anything new--what if I couldn't do it? Thankfully I have an amazingly adventurous and supportive husband who has encouraged me to start trying new things. Since we've been together I've become a sushi fanatic and zip-lined through the Costa Rican rainforest. And...here I am in grad school learning new things every day.
I actually found the process to set this blog up pretty straightforward. I'm looking forward to figuring out how to use the blogger tools and personalizing my blog. I'm pretty excited about learning how to do all of this. I've secretly always wanted to set up a blog but didn't want it to be amateurish--see above description of my fear of trying things I don't know how to do. I think this can be a great personal and professional tool and I am looking forward to the next 22 things!
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