Tiki-Toki

Tiki-Toki- This was another tool I was unfamiliar with.  The video was easy to follow and although the necessity of having to upload pictures to a server before adding to the timeline seemed a bit troublesome, I was willing to give it a shot.  The website was easy to navigate, but the lack of options without paying for the service was a deal breaker.  This was basically a stripped down version and I did not enjoy creating my timeline.  I will not use this again.  I would generally never try, download, or even consider using a tool as limited as this.  I might see myself considering this site if I could create more than one timeline and if the site played well with flickr.

Capzles

Capzles-I had never used capzles before, but the video made it look simple enough to use and the idea of creating a time line was interesting.  The website, however, was not very stable.  It crashed on me several times and it made for a frustrating experience.  As I've stated before, time is too important to waste it waiting for a program to respond.  Sometimes just clicking on an option forced me to log in to the website again.  I don't see myself using this tool professionally or privately.  I don't know of any other timeline tools, but if I'm forced to create one, I will look for an alternative.

Spicynodes

Spicynodes- I had no prior experience with spicy nodes, but after watching the tutorial it reminded me alot of prezi.  Since I did not really enjoy using prezi, I had mixed feelings about using this tool.  I hoped I would enjoy using it more than I did prezi, but I was skeptical about the user experience.  Spicynodes had very little in common with prezi as far as user experience.  Spicynodes worked well for me simply because the structure was very linear.  The listing of nodes made the site easier to navigate though the options within each node had a definite learning curve.  The one feature I think spicynodes needs to add is the ability to review a single node.  It is a minor inconvenience, but, when time is of the utmost importance, these inconveniences can determine whether or not a teacher will take advantage of the tool.  There are so many presentation tools at my disposal now.  PowerPoint is still the default tool due to the familiarity with the program.  I hope to expand my horizons and not stay with the status quo.  The difficulty comes with the subject I teach.  Math is not just delivering materials for memorization on a test.  Math is a process that must be understood before it can be applied.  With that said, I'm not sure if the visual enhancements provided by prezi, spicynodes, or any of the other presentation tools will strengthen the amount of comprehension or lead to sensory overload.

Google Docs

Google Docs- I was introduced to Google Docs during this summer session in another class.  I don't know how long this has been along or what planet I've been living on, but Google docs is great.  This is a very easy tool to use and the similarity to Word makes it very user friendly.  Google docs also serves as a great collaboration tool since group members can chat with each other while on the site and watch each other make changes to the document as they are occurring.  It can be a little intimidating to have someone watch you make changes/mistakes in grammar, but the benefits outweigh the negatives.  As much as I love Google docs and wish it was available 20 years ago, I'm not sure how much this will play a role in my freshman Alg I classroom.  I work in an economically diverse school and I found out last year, when I introduced Edmodo, not all students have access to the internet.  This will continue to be the biggest flaw with any web based learning tool.

Google Spreadsheets

Google Spreadsheets- Google spreadsheets is the online version of Excel.  Interestingly enough, my summer job requires me to use Excel daily and my skills in the program have increased substantially.  Having Google spreadsheets makes Excel almost expendable.  I am by no means a power Excel user, and the basic tools available on Google spreadsheets will make it my default tool.  Like most people, I keep a log of expenses/bills on a spreadsheet, but I hate having it on only one computer.  Actually, I have it on a shared network at the house, but I would really appreciate being able to access it from any location.  Professionally, the learning curve for any spreadsheet tool is not ridiculous, but it would add to the already challenging task of teaching Alg I to freshman.  I don't anticipate using this in my classroom.

Google Presentations

Google Presentations- I was introduced to Google presentations in another class last month.  For users familiar with PowerPoint, this is an extremely easy tool to use.  As with all other Google tools, the availability of the tool online is twofold.  The collaboration aspect is very appealing, but there are limitations to a tool only available online.  In the event I am able to include more problem based learning, I would definitely like to include this as a part of that.  The access anywhere capabilities and ease of use makes this the tool I would probably use over tools like prezi or spicynodes.  I wonder if the tools that work with PowerPoint, such as slideshare, will also work with google presentations.

Diigo

Diigo: This was, without a doubt my favorite web2.0 tool of the week.  I had no prior experience with this tool and I assumed it was nothing more than a secondary bookmarking page.  After using the tool, as described in the class, I did not anticipate using the tool very often personally or professionally.  Then, as luck would have it, I was asked to give feedback on a project created on WordPress.  There were numerous grammatical errors and I was struggling to find a way to list them all.  That's when I recalled the highlight and post-it tools on diigolet.  I figured out I was able to highlight any errors I found and add sticky notes to the webpage, save the webpage without changing his original work, and email it to whomever needed to see the corrections I made.  As student projects shifts more towards online presentations, the diigolet tool will be incredibly useful.

Sliderocket

Sliderocket- I had no prior experience with this tool.  The presume video was visually stunning.  I was very excited to try this out, but the user experience was not what I would call friendly.  The website would constantly freeze as I made changes to my presentation.  Oftentimes I had to close the browser and start it up again.  I was disappointed that there was not an option to mute the background music when a video was playing.  Also, the only way to adjust what portion of the music played required a paid subscription.  Most web2.0 tools are constantly evolving and I anticipate this will as well.  Unless those little quirks are fixed I don't think I will use sliderocket either professionally or personally.  There are too many other slideshow tools including voicethread and slideshare with a more user friendly experience.

Yodio

Yodio-I had no prior experience with Yodio.  Adding voice to a presentation seemed awfully similar to voicethread and I was curious to see the differences.  The tool is very user friendly and very responsive.  I did not like having to use my phone to record messages.  It is a great feature if I'm on the road or dependent on 3g/4g service, but, if I'm at home/work, I should be able to use a microphone.  The more I think about it, the phone requirement is probably a deal breaker and I won't use this tool personally or professionally.  Voicethread would be a preferred tool.

Screenr

Screenr-This was a close second to Diigo in the list of favorite web2.0 tools of the week.  I had no previous experience with this tool, but after using it I could immediately see the benefits of utilizing such a tool.  This is a tool I can see myself using professionally, especially in my math classes.  The simplicity of the tool makes it useful for all teachers and this is a tool I will recommend to other teachers.  The amount of times I wish I could just record my screen and add some audio is too numerous to recall.  I don't know of any comparable tools, but this one seems hard to beat.

YouTube

YouTube-I don't know anyone that hasn't used YouTube at least once.  YouTube, for me, was just a way to look up silly videos of people.  It is very easy to use and I have used it before to upload a camtasia video for a class in the Fall of 2011.  Despite using it for education, I believe there are too many distractions associated with YouTube to be an effective educational tool.  If there were a way to set limitations within YouTube itself, then maybe I would consider using it more often.  There are other video hosting websites, but none really if you consider the amount of traffic YouTube experiences regularly.

Incompetech

Incompetech-I don't know why this is considered a web2.0 tool.  It is nice to have some free music available for use, but I don't use this site enough to understand how this is a two way site.  I have never used this tool before, but it was very easy.  Again, sliderocket caused difficulties with my web browser on my laptop and pc using firefox, but I imagine I could just use this tool with another application.  Now that I know how difficult it is to legally use more popular music, I could see myself using this tool on a personal level.  I've always assumed that if I bought a song I could use it in a slideshow, but I need to do some research on that.

Twitter

Twitter-I did not have any prior experience with twitter and before using the tool, the only reason I saw for utilizing the tool was to self-promote.  I only knew of professional athletes, movie stars, and teens using it to tell the world what they were doing, thinking, or feeling.  As we have continued to use twitter, I see how easy it can be to use it for collaboration and information sharing.  The ability to ask/answer a question and have a group of people benefit from that is extremely convenient and time saving.  Personally, I don't see myself using this tool.  My personal time is extremely valuable.  Currently I teach, coach, and attend school.  Any free time I have involves sleep or food.  Professionally, since I have already experimented with Edmodo in the classroom, I think I could add twitter to enhance this application.  I am not too thrilled with Edmodo's app on my phone.  More specifically, I do not like the notification service provided by the Edmodo app.  I could use Twitter to communicate with students and Edmodo to deliver the content.  Of course, the amount of tweets I could receive would be the most frustrating feature of Twitter.  I have a difficult time making sense of all the tweets when they don't necessarily have to do with one another.  However, I don't know of any tool that is comparable to twitter, so unless Dr. Newell is going to introduce me to something better/different, Twitter will be my app of choice in the fall.

Flickr

Flickr-I did not know I had an experience with Flickr.  I was creating an account, as requested, and during registration I received notice the account already existed.  Once I figured out my username/password combo, I saw the pictures I had uploaded back in 2008.  My impression before using the technology was that it was just a tool for sharing pictures.  After using the tool, I still feel it is for sharing pictures.  Personally, I will use it to share pictures with friends in family, like I did once before even though I didn't remember.  Professionally, I wouldn't dream of sharing pictures of students and although I could use it as a way to introduce myself to my students, I don't think I would use it.  The most engaging feature is being able to set a license for your photos.  I am paranoid about pics posted on the internet and I think it is great to be able to set limits as to what people can do with it.  The best aspect of Flickr is the ease of use, and I'm sure there are other photo sharing sites, but I don't use any...I think.

Prezi

Prezi- I had never used Prezi and I was excited about using the tool after watching the videos.  Using the tool, however, left me exhausted.  I did not feel the interface was user friendly.  Depending on where I clicked on the screen it would sometimes give me a text box, move an object or move the entire screen.  The short presentation I created took way too long and my frustration levels were off the chart.  This ended up being a good example of a tool that is not user friendly.  Granted, I was up against the clock when I began using the tool, but during the school year, with my busy schedule, I don't think I would consider using this either personally or professionally.  I really did like the concept and the visualization of a process Prezi can provide, but hopefully there I can find a comparable tool I might enjoy using.

Blogger

Blogger- Prior to this class I did not participate in blogging.  I read lots of articles on the internet, and I'm sure some of them were blogs, but I did not seek out specific blogs.  My impression of blogs, before reading any articles on the matter, was people used it to express opinions on a variety of subjects.  After reading the articles, especially the article on mommy blogs, I became more aware of the possible impact of blogs.  Creating blogs is extremely easy and I can see the benefit if you can find an audience.  I don't think blogging is for me either personally or professionally.  If I were to use it in the classroom, I think I would add a blog to my district webpage as a way for parents to keep up to date with the weekly requirements in my classroom.  I imagine most blog tools are similar and I don't know of anything better.

Glogster

Glogster - Glogster was a new tool for me.  My impression of the tool before using it was it seemed like a giant poster board.  After using the tool, my first impression seemed to be right on.  I think this tool could definitely take the place of requiring students to create poster board sized presentations and since I provide opportunities for students to create mini-posters in my math class of vocabulary words, I can definitely see myself using this professionally.  This is a very easy to use tool and I don't know of a tool that is comparable much less better.

Stixy

Stixy- Stixy reminded me of Glogster.  That was initial impression and, after using the tool, that is the impression I still have.  I think this tool could definitely take the place of requiring students to create poster board sized presentations and since I provide opportunities for students to create mini-posters in my math class of vocabulary words, I can definitely see myself using this professionally.  As I stated earlier, this is similar to Glogster and I would need to use both more to determine which would be my default tool.

Wordl

Wordl- Wordl was a new tool for me and I really liked it.  Wordl was very easy to use and could serve many purposes in the classroom, especially with the large amount math vocabulary students are required to learn.  I didn't think too much of Wordl at first, but after using the tool I could see the usefulness.  I do not envision using Wordl personally and I don't know of any comparable tool.

Wallwisher

Wallwisher- Like most of these 2.0 tools, I had never heard of Wallwisher.  It reminded me of the wall you would find in college where people posted jobs, apartments for rent, tutoring sessions, etc...  After using the tool, I realized the tool could be a method for receiving feedback.  Professionally, I think students would be more apt to provide positive and negative feedback if they could do so in this manner.  I can't think of any ways to use this personally, but the ease of use makes this ideal for feedback purposes.  The ability to add links is probably the best feature.  In a way this is pretty comparable to twitter.  I think twitter can do all these things and it is a form students are already familiar with.

VoiceThread

VoiceThread- I had no experience with VoiceThread prior to the assignment in week 3.  I have used Camtasia and the two are similar with VoiceThread being much more user friendly.  VoiceThread appealed to me instantly for one reason, using Camtasia was a chore.  VoiceThread was as simple as it seemed and the tool worked flawlessly.  The ability to add voice or text comments is a brilliant idea and I can definitely see myself using this in the classroom.  The only downside is that the PowerPoint slides are converted to images and the transitions within each slide are absent.  Personally, I could see myself using this to send narrated photos to family.  Professionally, using VoiceThread with PowerPoint presentations could really help reinforce previously introduced topics.  As I stated, this is similar to Camtasia, but much easier to use and free!  If there was a way to keep the individual slide transitions this would definitely be my tool of choice.

Slideshare

Slideshare-This was a new tool for me and I really like it.  Slideshare would allow me to share PowerPoint presentations with students and parents.  This means parents would have access to the information I am providing to students from the comfort of their own home.  I really didn't see any value before using this tool, but it didn't take long for that too change.  I have utilized Edmodo sparingly and I am by no means an expert, but if Edmodo cannot deal with PowerPoint files, then this will be my default PowerPoint sharing tool.  The question is why would I use Slideshare over VoiceThread.  They seem to do the same things without the voice/text options.  This is something definitely worth investigating...if I ever have the time.

Vimeo

Vimeo- This was my first experience with Vimeo.  I instantly see the similarities with YouTube and before I used it I assumed it would be comparable.  My thoughts after using Vimeo are a bit on the negative side.  First, the video takes too long to download if you are not a paid user.  As I mentioned before, my time is too valuable and I do not see myself waiting to use this tool.  Second, since it is not as well utilized as YouTube, I don't see any real advantage to using this site.  The best feature is the option to add a creative commons license.  I love creative commons and I anticipate I will use it frequently.  Fortunately, YouTube is not a blocked website in our school district and, should the need arrive, I will probably just use YouTube.

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little bit about me

sports play a huge role in my life.  i am a coach.  i play golf.   my daughter plays soccer, golf, tennis and basketball.  i believe the lessons learned from sports (how to compete, discipline, sportsmanship, and teamwork just to name a few) and the self-confidence gained are helpful tools people, young and old, need.  sports are obviously not the only avenue to learn these skills, but this is the avenue best suited for me and my family.

the perfect day for me would depend on my mood.  it could be a day on the golf course followed by a couple of cold ones while cooking on the grill.  it could also be a day at the beach with the family followed by dinner at a diner with old fashioned hamburgers and a milk shake.  relaxing is the name of the game on my perfect day.

one message i would like to get across to parents is don't try to be your children's best friend.  they need the guidance of a adult, the discipline of a parent and the unconditional love only a parent can provide.

synopsis of the video-change with the times or you will get left behind.