Final Comments

My favorite information was how to effectively create and use blogs and also the sheer amount of information from blogs that is out there if you just know where to look. I have talked to my wife about this and she plans on incorporating the blog idea in here class at Eastfield Community College. The students will have to summarize the weeks worth of information into blog postings and other students will be "required ( at first to get the ball rolling)" to comment on each others notes. This will reinforce the concepts, make sure students are getting the main idea out of each week, and make sure that the students are thinking through correct interpretations. I really enjoyed finding like minded (and opposing) viewpoints out there and joining a civil discussion.

The web 2.0 tools were great I especially enjoyed diigo and my igoogle looks great now. These should help me keep more productive (I can keep track on my to do list)

Several of the tools I have used before but learned to use more effectively. I had used youtube before and I have seen embedded video but I had never done it. This will make things much easier in future. I have also used podcasts before but had not found a lot of information on podcasting which I was interested in .

This program is helping me to shift into the classroom style that I have always wanted but never quite managed to get to. I am trying to develop a class well enough with enough resources and responsibilities that it is individualized similar to reading levels in the first grade. At the secondary level we often teach to the middle out of time necessities and curriculum necessities but these technologies combined with my idea of switching homework and lecture will allow me to get where I want be.

I was surprised at how much of the program I plan on incorporating into my classroom. I came into the program thinking that blogging was for people with an excessive ego and something to prove but my opinion changed the more I learned about it. This challenged all of my preconceptions about the web 2.0 technology and I was more likely to give it a chance.

I personally would change out the flickr information. It did not seem relevant to me for educational purposes. I also did not get nings, especially now that they are going to be a pay site. I would remove nings first and add the following.

I would also combine so that a subject specific week could be added for teachers to design a lesson of their own using the web 2.0 tools as the final "thing"

I would definitely take a program similar to this in the future. I can honestly tell you that this has piqued my interest and given me more ideas than any professional development that I have done. Usually P.D. is something to "get through" as it conflicts with your schedule, isn't relevant to you, etc but this was fantastic. I would recommend that you offer it again because I will tell my colleagues to take this course.

I will continue to monitor this blog for a while but I plan on starting a new blog for my coursework. I was too specific in the title of the blog and I can't change it now.

Thanks for everything Nancy.