Thing 10: Wikis

I edited the 23 Things on a Stick wiki. I've used wikis in the past and find them very easy to use. I think that they are a great communication tool. We use them at our school to communicate with parents and students. We let them know about upcoming tests, projects, and school events. We also use them as a staff to reflect on school events. This allows for both positive and negative feedback so that we can make improvements to the events. I've also used Wikis in college classes to reflect on questions related to reading. I think that I could easily incorporate this type of wiki into my classroom. It gives those students who don't feel comfortable speaking in front of the class a chance to share their ideas.

Thing 9: Online Collaboration Tools

I thought that Zoho Writer was an easier tool to use for editing the practice document (perhaps that is because I already have a Zoho account). I think that using online collaboration tools, such as Zoho Writer or Google Docs, is very beneficial. This is something that I could easily incorporate into my classroom. I could provide students with feedback to assignments using this tool. I like that I am able to highlight text and make my comments in a different color. This makes it easier for students to see my suggestions. I think that it is important to be careful with this tool. If too many people have access to edit a document, it becomes very cluttered and difficult to understand. I had a hard time following all the changes in the Google Docs practice document, because it was so cluttered.

Thing 7: Web 2.0 Communication Tools

Email is the communication tool I use most often. Email can be a time saver, but it can also be a time consumer. It is a time saver because I can send the same email to multiple recipients. I can type one message and press send, which takes between three and five minutes, instead of calling each person with the same message. I often use Edline to send email updates to parents. Email can also be a time consumer. I used to check and respond to emails every time I had a break during the day, but I found that I was wasting valuable time. I now limit myself to checking and responding to emails at certain times during the day. I find I am more productive that way.

I used IM during college, but don't really see the use for it in the classroom. I am not able to sit at my computer to respond to IMs because I am teaching for the majority of the day. I also don't text message very often. It takes me forever to type a message on my phone. I prefer to call someone instead of texting.

I think that web conferencing could be a valuable tool in the classroom. It allows classes to connect with classrooms in other cities, states, or countries. This could help students to see other perspectives on topics and also to learn about what is going on in other parts of the world firsthand.