It has been a really busy week as I have been busy taking a few classes, getting my classroom ready, analyzing my students' state test results, and most importantly if I'm looking at a time crunch, finishing my handbook for my new seminar with the Bureau of Education and Research. I will be presenting this seminar in Phoenix and Seattle in January and then Cherry Hills and Newark, NJ in February. Now that the handbook is completed, I get to breathe a bit and then begin organizing the actual presentation of the seminar. The seminar is all about how to use Web 2.0 tools in the classroom.
My latest find is called, "Elluminate." I realize it has been out there a while; however, they now have a Three Room Suite you can use for free. I can easily see how I could use this to hook up with two other classrooms across town, the state, the country, or the world. It is pretty intuitive to use and has a lot of great features for taking polls, surveys, and even identifying whether someone agrees or disagrees with your comment. I like the "Raising Your Hand" feature the best.
I have run into a bit of glitch that may put a kabosh on all the Web 2.0 ideas I have for my classroom this fall. I'll need to have a meeting with my principal and with someone from our District's OIT Department to get permission to put some of the web-based softwares on my school computer. This is always a bit difficult and usually involves a number of steps and pleas. Wish me luck.
I definitely want to put the following on my classroom computer: Jing, CamStudio, Audacity, and Videora. They all will allow me to do some podcasting, vodcasting, and screencasting.
Right now, I have been experimenting with a blog with my future students. I sent them a snail mail card with information about my blog: Studentsinroom 118.pbwiki.com. They call me to get the key for access. They can view information about their summer homework, tomorrow's barbecue details, and participate in a "comments" forum that allows them to share what they have been up to this summer. So far, just a few have tried it, but they seem to be quite successful.
It is now getting late, so it is off to bed. Tomorrow I get to get back to my geneology family study as I have had to put it on hold to finish my handbook. Thank goodness for Ancestry.com!
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