Thing 15

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedepartment/137413905/

I like LibraryThing. I'm not sure what it's original purpose is, but I can think of a lot of uses. You can have a class account and hold discussions between your classes about books you are reading in class. You could do the same thing with student accounts. What I really love is the thing that suggests books to read. I have 3 authors who I love to read their books, after that...I'm lost.

How do you use Google Apps?

Google is looking for teachers to share how they utilize Google apps in the classroom. Follow this link to the posting I found (using my reader) about Google wanting this information. Just fill out the cute little form created using Google Docs and you might just get a prize.

Check out how other teachers use Google here.

Thing 16

• Before this course, I knew what networking was (in the business world), but I didn't know there was a things such as social networking. I knew about Facebook and Myspace, but I'm one of those who sees those such sites as the route of all evil. It has actually been highly suggested (aka we've been told) not to have accounts on those sites. Normally, such a "suggestion" would force my inner-teenage to come out and create an account just to be difficult. I once made a facebook account to look up an old flame, but I had a flash-back when I found his page and emediately deleted the account.
• I absolutely love the idea of using social networking for professional purposes. I got my Master's degree all totally on-line and loved being able to do "school work" at any time of the day or night and I loved working in teams via the internet. Though I'd never made the connection with using it for professional purposes. Duhhhh, Tipton!
  
• I absolutely love the idea of PLNs (Personal/Professional Learning Networks), because I like the flexability of being able to "meeting" at any time of the day. Plus, you canpost stuff on the internet and you won't loose it. I am horrible with keeping up with papers, especially when they give them to me in a meeting. I like stuff better on the computer and online. Just easier upkeep and organization.
• Creating a PLN will be very useful for me. I like connecting with other teachers. I like to take resources that are already made and alter them to work for my classroom situation. There is no reason to recreate the wheel.