Digital Storytelling; ToonDoo

I really like the idea of placing audio over video and pictures to tell a story.  I didn't see where the resources listed allowed that option.  The ToonDoo resource was kinda neat but a bit tedious in having to search for each item you are looking for.  You really need to know what you're going to make going into this. 

I agree with another ECAP student who said that it would be a bit time consuming for students to work on because of all the options.  This could be an good extra credit or alternative assignment for students to work on at home.

Here's my ToonDoo.  Please ignore the corniness.  :)

By SullivanBiology | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

Wikis

I've been to wikis before (wikipedia...though never used as a scholarly resource) but I've never been a part of or managed one.  This could be a great tool for a class-wide project or even for teacher collaboration on a project or event.  Here's my wiki:  https://sullivanbiologyeisd.wikispaces.com/

RSS Feeds

I've been using RSS feeds for about 5 years off and on to follow some of my favorites sites.  I haven't used them through Google Reader (though I set a few up just a moment ago) but through my Outlook account.  Google Reader would be helpful when I'm away from my computer.  I wish there were a better way to merge Outlook and Google.  I have my calendar and email linked but I'm not sure about things like RSS feeds through Google Reader in Outlook.  That's something I could look into.

When I had a Yahoo account, I had a personal homepage set up that did this for me in a limited way.

The whole PLN concept was a bit foggy to me.  Maybe someone can clear it up for me.

Google Docs

I have been using Google Docs for a little while.  During my master's level studies, I used an old laptop in class to take notes on OneNote.  I would often store them on Google Docs to have access to them later on any computer.  It's pretty handy.  I haven't used it for sharing/collaborative work yet.  When I was a grad student, we used Blackboard which allowed us to do a similar thing so it wasn't needed.  It could be helpful with group projects at the school, though Eduphoria might be able to do the same sort of functions.  Not quite sure on that one.

It could open up new doors for presentations by students.  I had never considered that.  Sometimes sitting through student presentations can be a bit painful.  This sounds more time effective and interactive.

Delicious Website

Before beginning this assignment, I had a delicious website:
http://www.delicious.com/RachelSullivan.

I use it to bookmark pages I want to return to later on, even if I'm not at my computer with "My Favorites."  It also allows me to share websites with others I find interesting.  This could be very useful in sharing helpful resources with students, almost like an online annotated bibliography of websites.

Blog Safety Glog

Click full size from the glogster banner to go to the sight. Click on the video for it to play. Click on the purple bird for the link to the article.



http://mrssullie.edu.glogster.com/blog-safety-or-blafety/

An Idea for Blog Use: Differentiated Instruction

Blogs could be helpful for differentiated instruction. For those students who are struggling in class, additional information could be posted online for them to review or practice: pictures, videos, practice problems, links to online games on the subject. The possibilities are endless.

The difficulty lies in this resource being available to students in my district. Many students would have access to the web in a fairly consistent manner but many would not. Those that would not are most likely the ones who need the extra class help the most. It is still worth a try.