One Last Thing

Wow. I did it. I actually completed all 23 things - on time!!! Even with my personal computer crashing and having to borrow my sons.
•What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
I can't think of any of the things I didn't really enjoy. It was all a new exciting journey for me. Each day was a new adventure into 2.0 world I had not ventured into before. I enjoyed the VOKI gadget, loved all the Google Apps, enjoyed the Library Thing and the Google Book Search, enjoyed the You Tube and Teacher Tube, and the most recently learned Classroom 2.0 social networking is cool. I already have some comments from one of the Groups I joined. I'm thrilled with the fact I can now embed, add links, post pictures etc.

•How has this program affected your lifelong learning goals?
It shows me that I probably need to keep taking classes such as these every so often so I don't get so far behind technologically speaking. There is so much to stay up to date with. The students will be up to date before me if I don't. Having access to some of these tools will also keep me in the tech loop (like some of the news feeds and google alerts I get now).

•Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
YES - I was very surprised to see all the social network sites that I had no clue about. I also was so shocked to see all the different applications of Google when I thought it was just a search engine.

•What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?
Hmmmmmm - Well, I didn't have access to a printer, but it would have been nice to have a hard copy of the Things instead of writing it all down. But, I know it's better to save a tree and have it on the computer. The only other thing might have been a little more communication or comments on blogs from the teachers letting me know I'm on the right track.

•If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you choose to participate?
Probably so. I REALLY like the fact that I could do the work on my own time vs. having to show up for a class, spend time driving to and from, using gas, etc. Although it might have been hard for me to do this during a regular school year (which is why I took it in the summer).

•How will what you have learned influence your practice as a teacher or school librarian?
I will use so much of it in my communication with parents and other teachers and administrators. I will also feel more in-the-know with my students and be able to offer suggestions to them on using the computer for learning, sharing, communicating, READING!!!

•How do you plan to keep up with new developments in web 2.0? Recommend a way that you have found to be useful.
It would seem to me that the Classroom 2.0 I joined would keep me informed and up to date on any new developments. Several of the RSS feeds we joined during the first Thing we learned about RSS were on technology, and I kept those, so hopefully reading those articles will help keep me updated as well. Then, there's always the other teachers (especially C-techs) who inform me as well.
Maybe by continuing to blog the comments and things shared will help too.
And, I have subscribed to the Learning 2.1 feed - so I can see what's new.

I have really enjoyed this class and am excited about all the new things I have learned.
Thanks so much for sharing this class with us and for the continued educational journey we will share as we continue in lifelong learning.
Vickie Montoya