Wikis...and Websites...and Blogs

As I am finding, it is incredibly easy to be overwhelmed by technology - I know I have stated it several times in real life and on this blog. It's so exciting and so intimidating to know the extent of what you can create, share, and discover online. There are many different online resources that are being created and changed daily, but there are some that have been around for a long time. So what is the difference between blogs, wikis, and websites? Obviously, a website is the easiest to understand and most recognizable of these three mediums. It is a location on the internet that provides any type of information. Originally, they were difficult to make and code but they are becoming a lot more user friendly. You don't need to know how to use html or any type of coding to create a personal website thanks to sites like Weebly. So next, wikis. Wikis are very similar to websites but the main difference is that anyone can be invited to share and contribute information to them. They are slightly less professional and polished and there is little to no flexibility in the design of them. The purpose of a wiki is mainly to serve as an online resource and workspace for a specific group. Lastly, we have blogging. Since the days of LifeJournal, blogs have been a type of online journal that individuals can use for everything from everyday rants to organizing social movements. Blogs allow ideas to transmit very quickly in an informal setting. One thing that I see as both a positive and negative is that you are allowed to say virtually anything on a blog. This allows for complete freedom as an author, but also leads to a lot of claims or thoughts with no basis.

This week I spent some time creating a Wiki. I chose to use a site called PBworks. I found it fairly easy to use and easy to edit while I was making the page, but my only complaint would be that the design and creativity level is fairly inflexible. You can put any amount of content on it, but visually it is not as interesting as some sites. I have also continued my work on my website, which I am becoming more and more proud of. I think it will be such a great tool to have at my disposal and something to show off in interviews. It is a smart and professional way to display my skills and interests and I am looking forward to developing it even more. I definitely plan on keeping up with it beyond this class to change with me and my studies. I would also really like to continue using my blog as a way to network with others and organize my thoughts. Hopefully I have enough to say to keep people interested!

Skeptical about the iPad

To be entirely honest, I still don't understand the purpose of an iPad. Is it a laptop or just an over sized iPhone? It seems awkward and bulky, which is very unlike most Apple products, and all around kind of unnecessary. I would like to play around with one to see what the hype is about - if anyone can explain it to me, be my guest. It is really too bad because Apple is very much a company with its finger on the pulse of the next big thing. I guess every single product can't be a huge success. Here is a really interesting article I found by an Education student suggesting ways the iPad could be used in classes. The biggest problem I have with most suggestions for technology integration in classrooms is the complete disregard for issues of funding. Of course I want every one of my students to have a laptop to do in-class research, but realistically I am planning on working in districts that currently have textbooks that are years out of date, so no matter how much I would like to incorporate technology, it just isn't feasible. Such a frustrating dilemma! iPad Stand - Flickr Photo

Hmm..

I thought this video was really interesting! I'm not 100% sure if we should trust all of the statistics because I'm not entirely sure where it came from but it is thought provoking and definitely something to think about - enjoy!

Fools!

Happy April Everyone - you know what that means...watch out for pranks all day! Leave it to Google, who have a monopoly over most things on the internet, to pull a trick on all of its customers. Not that it was super convincing, but fun nonetheless. Google claimed ot have changed their official name to Topeka to honor the city in Kansas that wants to change their name to Google.

Just for fun and in case you didn't know, the history of playing jokes on April 1st is thought to have come from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Check this out for a list of classic pranks that TV stations, radio stations, and newspapers have played on their viewers.

Go Green!

Here is another really interesting aspect of using technology in classrooms. It isn't discussed too much but it really tied to the overwhelming Green (big G as in environmental, not political party) movement that is happening right now. I came across this blog the other day...I think it's a really great idea and it can definitely be aided by using things like online documents and resources. Many university classes are now paperless for the most part due to budget costs, but it doesn't seem to be embraced as much by grade school classes.

Getting Settled

I am simultaneously overwhelmed and in awe of the amount of new things I've learned in the last two weeks in this course. I never would have thought that I would ever start a sentence, "So I was on Twitter and..." And now I have a website, blog, and am a member of several social media sites. Who knew?

I think the things I am learning to do and discover online are absolutely fascinating. The amount of information that is available to me within seconds is equally liberating and paralyzing. I am excited to learn how to work through the noise and discover really useful resources. I found an awesome site called This Week in Education that I think will be really interesting to explore. It is written daily by an ex-Senate staffer with updates about politics, education, and the overlap thereof. Unfortunately, there is no RSS option but I think it will be great to follow and explore.

Hello Blog World

Hi everyone! This is my first time using and being active in the blogging community. I am wary but excited about the possibilities for communication and networking. I am starting this blog as an assignment for a course I'm taking but I will hopefully learn to use it for much more.