Change

The Road Less Traveled.

There are many roads to travel and being on the emerging instructional technologies highway has been fast paced to say the least. Immersion into the Web 2.0 tools (Jing, Garage Band, Podcasts, Wikis, Face Book and BLOGS! just to name a few) has been the most rewarding experience that I have had in the PPT program. If we are in the process of "Disrupting Class" using these kinds of tools will be a key factor in making the changes discussed in the text. Working with such a diverse group of learners exposed me to what is taking place in the educational setting and seeing the excitment of teachers who are making a difference in the lives of our children given me hope. The final projects presented by the groups shows the creativity and forward thinking that is needed to shift the classrooms to meet the needs of a new generation of learners. I feel humbled by the experience. I thank the the 2010 IT Cohort and Dr. Zeigh for allowing me to be a part of this great learning experience.

photo by adehughes

Cool Cat Teacher

I read the article courtesy of Vicki Davis. I now have an appreciation for the idea of developing a personal learning network (PLN). Ms. Davis is not just teaching about technology she inspiring and motivating myself and my fellow classmates for life long learning . Seeing her and hearing the enthusiam that she has for PLN, her teaching, students, and people is exciting. She has truly bridged the gaps in bringing people together. The information that she shared will be used to enhance my current interests and personal life! On her Cool Cat Teacher Blog she keeps us informed of what is happening it is very exciting to read http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/



photo courtesy of: guzer.com/pictures/cat_mnt.php

Baby Boomers

As a member of the Baby Boomer Generation the concept of Virtual Interactive Families appeal to me. The idea of having a service that will allow me to stay in touch with my family is important. I realize that at some point in my life I may have to take up residence in a structured living environment. Jo Douhout is proving a means by which I will not be isolated but will have an opportunity to have an active and productive way to interact and maintain a lifestyle filled with activities and people. I applaud her vision and the service she provides.

Solving a Generation Issue

As a member of the Baby Boom generation, I enjoyed Jo Dorhout presentation today. Knowing that there is a service available that will allow me to keep in touch with family and friends is reassuring. I realize that I will probably live in some type of structured community as an older person with my family being in other areas of the country, this business will provide a very important service. I applaude Mrs. Dorhout for her vision and purpose of Virtual Interactive Families.

Back in the Classroom Again!

It felt strange, yet I was very excited about interacting with my fellow classmates in this face-to-face setting. Meeting some of them Sunday night was strange after only being able to interact with them online. Yet it felt as if I knew them after sharing information online.

Having to spend an entire day in class was a bit overwhelming. The day was frustrating as I was unable to get a wireless connection established on my laptop and getting comfortable using an Apple computer took a bit of time. There was a great deal of information that we had to take in and understand in a short period of time. Having no prior knowledge of some of the tools and their uses caused me to realize that there is so much that I don't know and now I have an opportunity to learn technology that will be beneficial to me as a I continue my education and work.

It was exciting learning and being provided information on Twitter/TweetDeck, Diigo, Jing, and, iGoogle, and Google Docs. We were required to download these sites and work within groups using some of them. With the group assignment we had to complete today, having to carry on a conversation within a group using only the key board proved to be a challenge. You automatically want to take about what you are thinking and doing with the other members of the group--was truly about online collaboration.

The lecture by Vicki Davis, author of the CoolCatTeacher blog, provided great insight into the uses of PLNs and caused an AhHa moment for me. All the tools we discussed today (Monday, June 14) will allow me to build PLNs in my personal life and/or in the higher education/corporate setting.

I am looking forward to the remainder of the week.

Speech Recognition

What a remarkable week I have had. I had the opportunity to use Speech Recognition which comes with Windows 7. The practice sessions were exciting! Trying to remember the prompts to edit and correct my mistakes was challenging. I found a useful article "Speech Recognition with Windows XP." Not only does this site useful information about speech technologies you also have links to other resources and tools. http://www.microsoft.com/speech This is my first posting using this tool. I willl use the speech recognition tool to complete portions of my readings paper due at the end of the summer session.

One Arm Bandit!

In this case I am not talking about a slot machine! I am the one arm bandit struggling to take care of myself. I had never given much thought regarding the challenges faced by physically challenged individuals. I have a new appreciation for their ability to meet each day challenge and succeed (brushing teeth, dressing, trying to prepare a meal) all the things I had taken for granted. I also find it difficult and time consuming trying to type. Confronting this dilemma I sought information on resources available to assist me in assignment postings. I found a site that provided information and devices that could be used in different disabilities and situations. Very interesting to read and view. http://library.thinkquest.org/11309/data/disable1.htm

photo by DCTaylor