Thing #17

Both of these articles discuss the evolution of how we, as readers, or concentrators have changed over time and whether or not it is a good thing.  The authors comment the idea that we have lost the ability to deep read as opposed to scanning and multitasking.  

I believe that we have lost a bit of our concentration skills that come with being immersed in a book, however we can access more information quickly and we are able to gather information from many different views.  I agree with the first article, the trade off for multi-tasking skills is more valuable than a deep focus now-a-days.  Having said that, I think most people have the ability to accomplish both if there is true value for them in what they are reading, whether it be for fun or for information.  The issue for me and my deep reading is if I am going to spend the time reading something, it has to be good, otherwise I can read it (or skim it) quickly and be done with it.

Thing #16

• I choose iGoogle, just because it was first on the list.  It was really neat and easy to use.  Just a few clicks and I was done.  I got to choose the things that interested me and that was all that appeared on the screen.  

• I looked at the Scrybe calendar.  It was really neat.  It is set up to where you can click into the calendar and it makes the events for that day bigger so that you can see the details of what you are doing.  You can schedule things and then drag and drop to place them in other places...easy!  You can check off things that you have completed as time goes along, and you can also export your calendar into other softwares.  Another great thing about Scrybe is that you can tie in your to do list to it and drag and drop reminders onto your calendar.  I liked this one better than the Google calendar - it seems much more detailed.
  
  
• I used ta-da-list to make a to do list.  It was a neat tool, but I could just jot a to do list down before logging into a computer to make one.  If this was up at work though, it could be useful: if I thought of something and then just clicked over to the list and added it in, maybe it would be helpful.  It could be used for the classroom possibly.  Teachers could create a to do list and mail it, or post it for the students and they could use it to work through a lengthy project or assignment.
  
  
• I like the calendar and to do lists for the classroom.  Students need to know what events are coming up for them and also what is expected of them and how to get their work completed over time.  These tools, if used properly, could be very helpful in the classroom!

Thing #15

The gliffy website was really neat and very easy to use.  I created a Venn diagram out of some of the items on our grocery list (not very imaginative, I know).  It turned out really well.

I chose bubbl.us to make a mind map.  This was also a really cool tool and easy to use.  This time, I did a mind map of my time.  Lame, I know.  But, this would be a really cool tool for students as they organize and research different topics for their studies.  

Thing #14

Some of the Google tools were not working.  I did like the calendar tool, though for personal use, I prefer my phone and desk calendar still.  This would be a great tool for the school though.  Or clubs at the school that need to meet regularly or have activities to coordinate.  It could also be utilized for classroom assignments.  The teacher or coach could put the events or upcoming assignments on the calendar and students and parents could have access to that information via the web.  Very cool.  I also set up an alert to send me information on baby sleep habits (the baby has been asleep most of the day).  This will send me emails with any new information (up to 20 articles) on this topic daily.  Maybe she will be more alert tomorrow!  Both of these tools were very user friendly and would be very easy to incorporate into classroom tools.

Thing #13

This is a really neat site and resource for individuals, but this is an invaluable tool for teachers.  As more and more teachers use this, it will become an extremely helpful tool to teachers that utilize it.  I like the way that you can just search by a keyword (tag) and find exactly what you need.  Really cool!!  This tool can be more effective that any search engine because it is organized by people that are potentially doing the exact same thing as you in your classroom.  Therefore, it would be organized in a way that will be more effective than searching for information online.  As your site and the people that access your site grows, there could potentially be an unlimited amount of information available on each tag.  Also, it's like your looking, with all of your friends~great time saver!  Loved this concept! 

Thing #12

I thought that Rollyo was a very useful tool for students and teachers alike. This would be a great tool for teachers that assign research projects for their students as a tool to help find information and also to help them check for plagiarism. It would also give them an avenue to help students find good websites. 

Bobo's~Rollyo

Thing #11

I think that commenting on blogs creates a sense of community and interaction because basically it makes the blog interactive.  If someone is posting thoughts, and no one is there to respond, then they are essentially talking to themselves, or posting to themselves.  The interaction between the blog owner and people who post onto the blog is essential to the successfulness (and continuation) of the blog and the thoughts inside that blog.  I found other things in the articles important as well.  First, it is important to comment, but it is just as important to say something.  Not to just be a "troll".  Make sure when you comment, it's a real comment.  Also, when someone comments on your posts, try to thank them for their input.  The article points out that this is not a "rule" but it is good.  

Blogs I posted on:

Mr. T's Avatar post - 1stly because I liked his screen name, and then enjoyed what his blog said.

Bennett's post about validity of information found on the Internet because it had a stream of posts and I wanted to "add" to a discussion.

Chandler's post about Flicker.  He had a Disney pic that caught my eye~and his post was interesting.

I commented on Jane's post about her struggles with the Avatar!  She is great and I wanted to send a little encouragement her way. :)