Week 3, Thing 7

These are a few of my favorite things:

• Skype: I love that I can have a "face to face" conversation with people all over the world for free! 
  
• Facebook: This has allowed me to stay in touch with so many people who I probably would have never otherwise talked to again. I enjoy seeing pictures of weddings and other special events that I may not have otherwise known about. 
• Blogs: My nephew lives in NJ, which is not terribly far away, but far enough that I don't see him nearly as much as I would like. My sister-in-law's blog allows me to keep up with his growth. In addition to reading her very thoughtful posts on life in general, I also read little anecdotes about Alex and indulge myself in some recent pictures. I think it is appropriate to add a recent picture posted on her blog so that readers can understand why I appreciate this technology so much.
  

• Instant Information: I love that with the internet, the answer to so many of my questions is only a few keystrokes away!
  
• Online Registration/Banking/Shopping: Just today I saved time and the cost of a stamp by registering for the PSLA conference online. The Internet also makes it so much easier to do other things, like pay bills and shop for specific items.
• iPods, Podcasts, iTunes: I like that I can download my favorite radio shows and listen at a convenient time. It is great to not have to buy an entire CD just for that one song! Its nice to have all of my music stored on one pocket-sized device. 

Week 3, Thing 6

This is my librarian trading card. I think that there is a lot of potential for using trading cards with students. They could make one for a favorite book character or use them to present research findings--biographies, endangered animals, states--so many possibilities! 

More Thing 5: Using flickr

These are some pictures of our library. I wanted all of these to be included in one post, but when selecting the Blog This option in flickr, each picture was added as a separate post. I ended up clicking on New Post in Blogger, then selecting the Add Image button. From there, I copied and pasted the web address for each picture.

Week 3, Thing 5: Using flickr

Neuschwanstein Castle
Originally uploaded by Bēn

I finished my college language requirement by taking a three week cross-cultural course in Germany. Visiting this castle was definitely a breathtaking highlight of the trip! I found this image in flicker and used the Blog This option.

Weeks 1 & 2

Alright! My blog is up and I have my avatar. So far, so good. I thought I was having trouble uploading my avatar but found when clicking "View Blog" that I had actually loaded it successfully, not once, but three times! Oops! 

Regarding 7 and 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners, the one that is most difficult for me is viewing problems as challenges that present valuable learning opportunities. Yes, once the storm has passed and I am looking at the problem through my rear view mirror, I can be thankful for the learning that occurred and maybe even the situation that allowed the learning to take place. In the moment, though, it is hard for me to think about an obstacle as anything more than a problem. 

The habit that comes most naturally to me is using technology to my advantage. Downloading podcasts and audiobooks onto my ipod to make good use of travel time, using mapquest for directions, tracking running distances with google pedometer, finding recipes online, using iCal to organize my schedule...these are just a few of the ways that technology has made my life easier. I look forward to learning new ways to utilize technology to my advantage and to the advantage of my students through this course!