Article Review: Jolicloud Me: Making Your Own Personal Cloud From All the Other Clouds

http://web.appstorm.net/reviews/media-reviews/jolicloud-me-making-your-own-personal-cloud-from-all-the-other-clouds/

I was inspired from another class to work on my organizational skills.  I found this article about something called Jolicloud that allows a user to create their own personal cloud.  I have been intrigued about the idea behind a cloud and I am happy to find this app.  Jolicloud is currently in beta according to Web.appstorm, but it allows a user to collect links to information that they have shared on social networks.  Twitter, Facebook, Picasa, Flickr, and Instagram are all supported.  The idea behind a personal cloud is a good one, but I am more interested in a cloud designed primarily for educators.  I plan on looking for information about such a cloud.  Has anyone come across one?

EDU 6000 Post #9

This week I started to set up a TCAP prep section on my 6th grade team's website.  I plan for this section to include the different content areas and information that parents can use to help their students prepare for the TCAP assessment.  I discussed this with my team and we had a few ideas, mainly links to websites and wikispaces that parents and students can access at home.  I will continue to work on this portion of the website over Spring Break.

Tech Review: Student Centered Collaboration

http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/9-pbl-on-line-resources-that-put-students-at-the-center-voice-input-contribution/

This article identifies several different web applications that allow students to collaborate.  I chose this primarily because I have planned on using a few of the apps in my classroom.  Surveymonkey, Google Forms, and Kidblog are all resources that I have heard and thought of using.  The only one that I have had any real experience with is Google Forms.  The blog post goes into little detail on their use in the classroom and mainly just identifies the resource.  I would have liked to see a more in depth study on how they could be used (i.e. examples, lesson plans, etc).

Edu 6000 Post #8

In-service!  I was finally able to teach my in-service about creating a website.  It turned out very well and everyone enjoyed the class.  I went over the basics of creating a website through shutterfly and showed how to edit, add, and remove various pages.  The class took about one hour and I will be working with several people throughout the semester on their websites.

EDU 6000 post 7

Google docs...this is an app that I have only really begun using in the past few years. I spoke with Mrs Taylor about using Google docs to allow teachers to make substitute teacher assignments available to other teachers. I have had several days when I was sick and unable to make it to the school. I had to call one of my co-workers and beg them to print copies of an assignment that I sent in an email. Google docs would allow moe and others to store and use assignments easily. The next week I will be working with my fellow six grade teachers in using Google docs to this end. I will also be receiving a student teacher within the next few weeks. I can also work with her and teach her many of the Web tools that I have used!

EDU 6000 Blog Post #6

Not much done this week.  I received an email from central office stating that I didn't have a good enough description for my in-service class.  I had to go back and look over the information for my class and be more specific in the goals and tasks of the in-service.  Hopefully the coming week will be a little more exciting.

Review: Using BrainPop with Promethean ActivExpression Quizzes

This was a very interesting article.  I enjoy using BrainPop in my classroom.  For those of you who do not know, BrainPop is a website that offers cartoon videos over a variety of educational topics.  Students love watching the videos and they fit many state and national standards.  The only problem I have had is the quiz function.  The website's quiz function allows students to email results that can then be graded.  This is an excellent way to save paper, but bad for clogged inboxes.  Apparently BrainPop allows functionality with Promethean ActivExpression.  This a student response system that allows students to electronically respond to questions with a handheld device.  I had no idea that BrainPop offered this!  The only drawback is that my school uses CPS a different student response system and I have no idea if BrainPop supports this.  I am definitely going to research if BrainPop has functionality with other systems.  If so than I have found yet another tool to teach my students.