Web 2.0 Tools for My Classroom

In my Educational Technology class, my teacher Dr. Benton has given us an assignment to find 10 2.0 Web Tools that would be useful in our future classroom. Below I have listed my top 10 picks with a short synopsis and a link to the tool.

Smories is a tool for kids that offers a free online channel with videos of other kids reading a story. Along with watching stories being read, kids can also submit stories they have videoed and read themselves. To encourage kids to read and submit their own video, Smories offers prizes monthly for the top 5 videos submitted to their website. Smories could be used in my lower elementary class during center time or reading-time. Smories could teach kids both how to read and read aloud, and technological skills. 

Little Bird Tales is a tool that allows kids to create their own story with pictures and audio. Kids are able to use drawing pads, upload pictures and insert text to create their personal story. You can has as may pages as you would like and your story can be as long or short as you pleased, along with that, you can also include recorded audio of you telling your story aloud. Little Bird Tales would be a useful learning tool in my lower elementary class room to teach my students how to be a creative writer and use the correct grammar. This tool could be used as a presentation with the class to introduce students to presenting assignments. 

Jeopardy Labs is a tool that allows you to make jeopardy tables without a power point program. This tool can be open anywhere and so can your personal jeopardy game. Not only can you always play your jeopardy game, you can also play anyone else's that might fit your needs. Jeopardy Labs would be useful in my future classroom to help prepare my students for an upcoming quiz or test. Using this tool would be a fun way to help my students learn and make them excited to play.

Class Tools  is a tool that allows you to make a game out of information. You are allowed to enter your questions and answers for which ever game you have chosen and the students have answer the questions by playing the game. This tool creates a new way of teaching that will be sure to have student's attention. Class Tools would be useful in my future class room to help me teach my students in a fun yet informative way. Using this tool in my classroom I would play learning games before every upcoming test.

ToonDoo is a tool that allows you to create comic books or strips. This tool gives you options to create your people, backgrounds, and text in the comic strip. Along with creating your own comic book or strip, you can also read other's. ToonDoo would be useful in my future classroom by letting students express their creative side, write a story, and write correctly. I would use this tool as a project for my class to write about a select topic and present it to the class. 

Quizlet is a tool that makes flashcards and quizzes for students and also has thousands of quizzes already made that are available to anyone. Quizlet allows you to create your flashcards or quizzes customized to your own needs and wants. You can include much more than just text, Quizlet allows you to include anywhere from videos to set timing. I would use Quizlet in my future classroom to help prepare my students for upcoming tests or quizzes. Using this tool would make study-time in my classroom more efficient. 

Pics4Learning is a tool that allows you to view pictures with provided information of the picture. This tool gives students an actual visual of what their really learning. Pics4Learning contains a vast amount of informational pictures under almost any topic. This tool would be useful in my future room to teach my students science and social studies. I would use Pics4Learning as an extra way to increase the information I provide and help them have a better memory of it.

If It Were My Home is a tool that has information about everywhere in the world and compares it you your location. This tool compares your way of living with the lifestyles of  the location you selected. If It Were My Home allows students to learn cultural differences throughout the world. I would use this tool in my future classroom as a project for my students. I would have my students select a location, read the information and present it to the class. 

Create a Graph is a tool that allows you to document information in a graph. This tool is simple and easy to use providing you set graph templates, all you have to do is put in the information. Create a Graph is a tool that would be easy to teach and use. This tool would be useful in the classroom by letting students document information, physically visualize the information and show others their information documented. I would use this tool after having a class survey to compare results. 

Story Jumper is a tool that teaches kids how to write a story. This tool gives a step by step tutorial on how to use the tool and how to create your story. After you publish your story, it is available for the world to view and along with that you are able to view every story ever published. Story Jumper would be useful in my classroom by teaching my students how to write and publish their own story. I would use this tool for an assignment to create and write a story on a certain topic.

Effects of Social Networking

Is Social Networking part of your everyday life? If your'e like most, the answer is yes. Although you may not realize it, Social Networking might could have some hidden effects on you that may have never crossed your mind according to blogger Singyin Lee. Lee did some scientific research on this topic and found some pretty interesting information. 5 Effects Social Networks Have On You

1. Photo-Taking = Eating Disorder

Lee believes that food photography could be a hidden sign of eating disorders. Many times you will be scrolling through your news feed and find the delicious meal someone is about to indulge in. Although for some people this may be a one time thing, for others it could be an every day occurrence. In my opinion I do believe it is okay to post pictures of food, but just every now and then. Getting likes or comments on a photo of food could make one feel they get attention for it, which could possibly lead to believing it is a necessity. 

2. Online-Offline Connections

Lee's research states that teenagers that have an online connection with their parents such as Facebook or twitter seem to have a better offline connection with them. I personally agree with this. Teenagers today usually find Social Networking to be an important part in their life, having a connection with parents on any social network betters the parent-child connection by having more than one way to connect. Along with this, Lee's research also finds that having an online connection with you marital spouse doesn't give the same effect. With so much access, partners have more opportunity to find unwanted information of their spouse. Although it may be harmless information, it can sometimes lead to separation or divorce. I personally agree with this as well. Social Networking gives spouses or partners access to a world of temptation which for some, may be hard to resist. With that, many spouses or partners may feel that they have to be on watch of their significant other all the time and soon something little or harmless could be created into a much bigger problem in their relationship. 

3. Love Yourself, Love Your Social Network

Lee's research has found that Social Networking requires a lot of narcissism to be an active user. "Facebook is a mirror, and Twitter is a megaphone" meaning that for people who what their opinion to be heard, typically young adults in college, Twitter is better for them, and for people who want to create a "portfolio of their life choices", typically middle-aged adults, Facebook is better for them. Personally I fully agree with the scientific research. Why? Here's an example: If you were to put a picture on Facebook/Twitter and got about 5 likes or comments, you would begin to automatically feel negative about your post or yourself. But, if you were to post a picture on Facebook or Twitter and quickly got 30+ likes, you would automatically have a positive feeling about yourself. Although you may not realize you feel positive or negative, it still usually happens.

4. The Harmful Side of Facebook

Researcher Larry Rossen, has found that teenagers who are on facebook tend to have more "narcissist tendencies" and are also more prone to depression, lower grades, psychological disorders, and future health problems. With that, on a positive note, teenagers learn how to show "virtual empathy" to online friends and how to socialize behind the scenes. I completely agree with Rossen's research, Social Networking has such a huge toll on teenager's life, along with adult's life, that anything that may go wrong on Social Networking could affect them majorly. 

Rossen has also found that parents are losing direct communication skills with their children. Many parents today have lost idea of asking their child where he or she might be and instead using technology such as apps or Social Networks to conclude their location. Personally I agree with Rossen's research as I have watched the transition with my own eyes. Parents can now put apps on cars or cellphones that determine their child's exact location. While these apps or online networks may come in handy in a tragic time of need, the parent-child communication skills are lessened by these technological tools.

5. Of Self-Esteem, Facebook and Photos

Researcher Madison of University of Wisconsin, has found that a quick 5 minute check of Facebook profiles can significantly boost the self-esteem of users and that photos are the biggest drive for one's self-esteem. I personally agree with Madison's research, as I said earlier, having a number of likes or comments on a photo you have posted automatically leads you to having a positive feeling about yourself. 

The Beginning

My name is Aubree! I am from a very small town in Southern Arkansas, and I attend college as a sophomore at Henderson State University!

I guess you could say I am your average all-around girl. I enjoy a combination of everything from hunting and fishing, to running or shopping. I love a person with a good taste in music and a easygoing personality, kind of like me I suppose. 

I was blessed with a wonderful mom and dad, and my best friend, my brother. My parents are divorced but it kind of has worked out well. My dad owns a farm and my mom lives in the city, which makes me love doing a little bit of everything! 

My life has it's ups and downs but I always strive to find the positives in life as opposed to the negatives. Being open- minded is also one of my greatest qualities, the quote "Look for, and see the beauty in everyone and everything", is something I have always lived by. I believe that everyone is beautiful in their own way, cliche, I know.. but I really do believe it! There are many times that I don't understand what God's putting me through, or others, and I am guilty of questioning it sometimes, but I know that everything happens for a reason and something beautiful is to come of it. 

My favorites of life include:

• Food, healthy food, Cajun food, Chinese food, breakfast food, Mexican food, your food, my food, everyone's food... I'm picky, I know. 
• Good music.. such as Keith Whitley. 
• Family, family, family.
• Running.. slowly. 
• Wine..definitely my top 2, but only boxed wine.. cause I'm classy, 
• New Orleans.. where I should be from.
• Talking to people.
• People watching.
• Free vacations.
• Guitar players..the good ones.
• Nice people.
• Pictures.
• Old people.. the nice ones of course. 
• Hiking.
• Windows down.
• Kayaking.
• Having a dry sense of humor.
• Laughing.. a lot!
• Uh..I can't think of anything else.... 

Okay enough info about me! 

So what are my thoughts for today? 

1. Deer season starts this weekend. Ahh! I'm a little over excited!!

2. I can't wait for my niece to be born! But that's everyday.. only 137 days left. But who's counting?

3. Is it Christmas break yet? 

4. Okay really... I need some coffee. But not Starbucks, way to poor for that luxury. 

5. Home girl where is your umbrella? You just used your LAPTOP to keep your hair from getting wet... your LAPTOP. 

6. Okay my umbrella sucks too. 

That's all my thoughts for today. I didn't really think much today.
 Anyways,  I am here to blog about my everyday average life, thoughts, and moments. Hopefully my weird humor can make your day a little better! 

My best friends and I!

8-point I killed last year!

Hunting with my Brother!

My Dad, Brother and Mom!