Thing 16: Productivity?

I am one of the biggest procrastinators you will ever meet.  Sometimes I wish I could lock the internet to stop myself from spending endless hours on Facebook or Sporcle when I have a paper to write, a unit plan to create, a test to study for, or a technology project to finish (ha!).  So when I saw that this activity was about online productivity, I was intrigued.

I already have an iGoogle homepage that I created in Thing 12, so I will just use it for this one too.  I really like it because it's colorful, easy to navigate, and very very time-saving.  All of my websites are in one spot.  I probably won't make it my permanent homepage, but I will visit it occasionally.  It has weather, Facebook, tv guide listings (for when I actually have time to watch tv), movie times, and recent news articles.  This site is very useful!

I also already set up my Google Calendar, and have been receiving notifications to my email for about a week.  I like this calendar because it is very easy to set up.  I am a very organized person, so I like to know what's going on in my very busy life.

I LOVE to-do lists!  I have to create multiple ones a week to keep my sanity.  I make lists for everything, homework assignments, events I have to attend, groceries I need, everything!  I usually just write them on post-it notes or whatever scrap paper I have available at the time.  I really liked the Remember the Milk to-do list program.  I tried to sign up for Ta-Da Lists, but for some reason it wouldn't work on my computer.  But I really like the Remember the Milk one anyways.  It lets you prioritize your tasks, put them in different categories, and set due dates.  I will DEFINITELY be using these to organize my life!

KBearden:]

Thing 15: It's a Wiki World

I have ALWAYS loved Wikipedia.  Even though we were never supposed to use it in school, I always went there first to get basic information and used the links to get reputable sites.  I know that some of the information might be wrong, but I figure that not many people are going to take the time to type false information.  Especially on a page about Patrick Henry or photosynthesis.  Now, I'm sure on celebrity pages and popular articles, there probably are falsities.  However, for most of the subjects I am researching, I would think that most of the information would be reliable.

My mom is a librarian, and she always talks about her wiki and sharing information with her librarian friends.  I never really knew what she was talking about, so I was interested in seeing what it was all about. 

I really liked the The Book Lovers wiki, because I loooove to read and I am always looking for new books to read:]  I also liked the San Antonio event wiki, because it showed me how a wiki can be created for a specific event.  When I get married, I could create a wiki listing places to stay, things to do, and share it with all my guests!

It took me a while to figure out how to edit the wiki, or post a new page, or whatever we were supposed to do.  I eventually just posted a new page describing my Flickr experience, because that has been my favorite Thing so far.  A wiki could be a good tool for the classroom.  Teachers can divide students into groups and have them each create a wiki about a research topic.  Students could then share information even when they weren't at school.  It would be an excellent resource!


KBearden:]

Thing 14: Flowcharts and Mindmaps!

Okay, so I know the assignment was to make a flowchart, but I saw that you could make a floorplan, so I thought, hey! why not?  As you can see, it didn't turn out quite as well as I expected.  It was very very simple to make however.  One thing I didn't like about Gliffy was that it made me sign up for a "free" premium trial.  However, I really hope it doesn't start charging me or I am going to be mad!  Also, it had an upgrade icon that took up the whole lower right corner of the screen.  That's why my walls don't exactly match up down there because I couldn't tell what I was doing.

I don't like how this looks now, because the program will not let me post the image right.  But here is a link if you want to know What to Do When Someone Steals Your Lunch! Obviously, I did not create this, it was a template on the website.  But I thought it was funny, so I wanted to share it.  A flowchart, like this one, shows the logical order of events.

On the other hand, a mindmap just lets you jot down ideas as they come to you and show links between ideas.  It is a good way to get brainstorming!

I liked the tutorial video at MindMeister.  I didn't feel like I was swimming in open water trying to create a mind map.

I really like MindMeister. It is really easy to use and there are many interesting features.  I didn't really have time to explore them all, but if I ever have to create a mind map for any of my classes, I will definitely remember this website.

These flowcharts and mind maps would be a great resource for the classroom!  Students can use them for any number of projects, brainstorming for a research paper, anything!  I will definitely be revisiting these sites in the future!

KBearden:]

Thing 13: Online Word Processing?!

THIS IS AWESOME!!! I seriously never knew you could create documents online!

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Name: Kayla

Age: 19

Birthday: March


21

Sorority: X


Ω


!

As you can see above, Zoho Writer is not as wonderful as I originally thought.  While the resource itself is amazing, the process of exporting to my blog was not-so-amazing.  I tried about 10 times to send the document directly to my blog: with no luck.  First, I was logged in wrong, then I couldn't remember my blogger username and password.  I then tried to copy the HTML code, which worked, but when I pasted it into the blog, the spacing was all messed up.  So who knows?!  

However, as a word processor in general, Zoho Writer is an awesome tool!  I hate having to email myself a paper so I can access it in the library or to print it out in a lab.  It is a hassle, and if you attach the wrong thing, you can be in big trouble.  This resource lets you access your documents from any computer with internet access.  This would save me a LOT of trouble!  I wish I knew this tool existed before today!

I tried using Google Docs, another cool resource, but I could not for the life of me find how to post it to my blog without just copying and pasting it, which would really just be pointless.  So here is the link to my document.  Google Docs is really amazing too.  The page layout looks almost identical to Microsoft Word, so anyone familiar with Office should be able to create a document, no problem.  Another cool thing about both of these sites is that you can share your work with other people and they can review it.  This would be a great tool to use in the classroom.  Students working in groups could do a presentation or write a paper.  Each member of the group could review the paper and save it as a version.  It would be a great way to teach editing skills without wasting paper!

I liked both of the online applications.  I had no idea they even existed before today, and I really wish I would have known sooner.  I liked Zoho Writer better, just because it was easier to navigate.  It will be hard to switch entirely from Microsoft Word to an online application, however, I feel that this is the way of the future, and I can't wait to jump onboard!

KBearden:]

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Thing 12: Google!

Who knew that Google was more than a search engine?! I didn't!  I had heard of some of the things Google could do, like Google Alerts, but I never bothered to try them.  I love Google and use it almost every day to find anything on the web.  Now that I know about all the tools Google offers - email, calendar, translator, maps, rss feeds, and so much more! - I will use it even more!  

I set up a Google calendar because I am a serious planner.  I am the girl who has a to-do list a mile long and already has the whole next month planned out.  I like to know what is going on throughout my day, and this is a great tool for me, a busy college student.  I have to juggle school, work, and my sorority, so all those assignments, meetings, and events are very hard to keep track of.  This is a great resource because I can link it directly to my phone so I can check it at any time!  I will definitely be using this calendar to plan my life:]

It's official, I am in love with my iGoogle homepage!! It has a link to every website I might ever dream of visiting, the weather, the time, youtube videos, flixter movies, tv guide listings, top news stories, a link to my Facebook news feed!, games, and comic strips.  Umm, why would I ever need to even go to another website? It's all right there!  I am very excited about this discovery.  If I wasn't a believer in the greatness of Google before, I definitely am now!

There are many ways that these Google tools could be used in the classroom.  Google Alerts could be used in a research project.  Students could pick a politician or issue that is currently in the news and set up an Alert.  Then, at the end of a month or so, they could compile the information and give an oral report to the class.  Google calendar could be used as the classroom virtual calendar.  The teacher creates it, and the students and parents have access to it.  Due dates, extracurricular activities, holidays, etc., could all be listed on the calendar.  It would be a great way to keep everything organized and easy to access.  Google Translate could also be used in research.  If a student is researching a foreign country or political figure, some articles might not be in English.  But using the Translator, they could easily have access to hundreds of articles that were previously unusable.

Google is a wonderful resource and I can't wait to continue exploring!

KBearden:] 

Thing 11: More Blogs!

I am already subscribed to two or three blogs, and I am not really looking to subscribe to anymore.  I have a very busy schedule, so during my free time, I like to just relax with my boyfriend or catch up on my tv shows, not participate in an activity that feels like schoolwork.  I admit that some of the blogs I do read for enjoyment, but at this point in my life, I cannot commit to reading hundreds of posts or news articles a week.  However, for this post, I will pretend that I am searching for blogs and feeds about education:

I used the Google Blog Search, which was okay, but I felt like it was just like a regular Google search.  For instance, I typed in the word education, and about 2 million blogs popped up.  Even if they said the word education one time seven years ago, their blog came up.  So there was no way for me to tell which blogs were actually about education and which ones merely mentioned it.

I then tried the Topix searcher.  It led me straight to the Clarksville page, which I thought was neat, but I clicked on something and somehow ended up on the personal ads of Clarksville.  It was random and had nothing to do with anything I was trying to find.

Syndic8 was a very confusing site to navigate.  I couldn't figure out where to type in search items and the layout of the site was very offputting.  I just really didn't like it.  I did somehow come across a website about hair trends in the USA.  It was pretty interesting, but definitely not something I would want to subscribe to.

I really liked Technorati.  The website was well organized, and it was very easy to find feeds dealing with whatever topic you were interested in.  This was definitely my favorite one out of all of the searchers.

As I said before, I am not really looking for more feeds to follow.  However, if I happened to come across something that really interested me, or someone recommended a feed, I would not be against subscribing.  I think that will be my preferred method of finding new feeds.  Not actively seeking them out, but accepting them when I come across them.

KBearden:]

Thing 10: RSS Feeds

I have often wondered what this little orange (or blue as it is on my computer) symbol means.  I always thought it looked like the internet signal, or something along those lines.  I had no idea that clicking on it would mean that I could have access to all my favorite websites at one place!  

This new-found knowledge is very exciting to me!  I am addicted to the website, Sporcle, (you should definitely check it out!) and I was checking it three or four times a day.  It has quizzes on every subject, and new quizzes are added everyday.  So now that I am subscribed to the RSS feed, I will know when there are new quizzes, and I won't have to waste time going to the website when there aren't. 

I also really like the blog, Gently Hew Stone.  I have talked about it a lot, because it is really entertaining to read.  I have been checking back on it every three days or so, but now that I am subscribed, I will instantly know whether Huston has posted a new blog or not!  AWESOME!

I also subscribed to Entertainment Weekly to get my gossip fill, The Pioneer Woman's blog, and Do I Dare Disturb the Universe? 's blog.  Also, I am following three of my classmate's blog, and they also show up on my GoogleReader.

This amazing technology will be very useful to me in my personal life and once I become a teacher.  I can subscribe to different educational websites and stay up-to-date on current educational trends and hot topics.  I can also subscribe to a news website like CNN and give my students a headline of the day.  The possibilities are endless!

KBearden:]