Is it Really Lesson 10 - Didn't We just Start??

The magazine cover here was created using Big Huge Labs (fd's Flickr Toys).

I must admit that I poured my heart and soul into trying to love Google Docs but I had a nightmare experience using this tool in a course I did last year that I tremble at the sound of the tool! I’m not a quitter though and will try again, but just not right now. That being said though, a few years ago I did work on a fairly extensive bi-campus project with 3 colleagues using Google Docs. Although the project got sideswiped, using the Google Docs did save a lot of time and a few trips to Fredericton.

I looked at the other applications from this 10^th session but I couldn’t really get swept up by any of them (and I definitely don’t want to start my own radio station (as in LastFM). But as you now know, I love playing around with images, so Big Huge Labs is a tool that I’ll use personally and can see definite classroom and web page possibilities for it as well. As a matter of fact I’m working with a team of interprofessional educators on a presentation for the upcoming Canadian Network of Innovation in Education conference and having found this tool I’m going to make a mosaic or a puzzle to put on our first slide. Down with wordles – the Big Huge lab offers way more possibilities.

Tweet Tweet Twitter

Well I found getting into the twitter mindset agonizing and I must admit that I may never be a twitter aficianado BUT I did get to learn a lot about tweeters and tweets. I can also see how twitter could be a great application in a classroom setting, for example as a replacement of the ‘minute paper’. Like all things related to technology though, not everyone will have a cell phone (or a derivative of) or a computer in the classroom so that does stick a pin in the balloon so to speak. By the way I did find an interesting talk by Evan Williams, co founder of twitter. Check it out and you might also be interested in a new look at organizing your twitter life at (mind you the guy is advertising his book, but oh well……)

Anyhow to cut to the chase I wasted an hour trying to find “the perfect” background for my twitter space (is it called a space?) and reluctantly settled on a grunge tree. If you want to check out my meager beginnings I’m at http://twitter.com/SJJudy

But before I leave the ashes of week 9 behind, here is a bit of melodious twitter amusement for you - enjoy!

Now on to the wrap up week - #10 here I come with a pack of enthusiasm accompanying me!

Oh my, that is DELICIOUS

Well after much ado about nothing (on my part) I did master the social bookmarking system. Click here to see the pages I marked so far. I like this better than my old 'favorites' bookmarks because of the sharing capability, not to mention the links that I can find within the delicious community. I'm eager to hear how others think about this bookmarking network, and also of course to have a peek at the bookmarks shared within our little group

Here I come week 7 part 2 - Embed away (note my optimism)

Remember that video about intercultural communication that I mentioned? Well with any luck - voila

Mercy - Is it March Already?

Well I have indeed been delinquent in my lessons and am now just finishing week 7 part 1 even though it is into week 8! By the way as I write this I am snowbound in Moncton. I am part of a team that was booked to do a full-day workshop at NBCC. Well as they say, the best laid plans …. I came up yesterday to avoid any stormy driving this morning. As it turned out our workshop was to start at 9 and they announced a college closure at about 8:15. Oh well – I’ve had the opportunity to have a wonderful education romp through You Tube videos for the last 4 hours.

In my search I did find a great video for a class I am facilitating next week on intercultural communication. I tried to post this comment to the video: I believe that this video helps to capture many of the 'must knows' about intercultural communication. I will use this video in an upcoming class focussing on cultural sensitivity and responsiveness (with students in health professional programs), as in less than 9 minutes there are many significant lessons to ponder and absorb. Despite 3 tries the comment wouldn’t post. I went for help re commenting on videos, but I’m still not certain as to why the comment wouldn’t post –likely the 3 are getting reviewed by CSIS! Who knows, next time I look perhaps all 3 comments will be there – causing readers to wonder if the writer (i.e. me) has a memory problem; otherwise why would she keep posting pretty much the same message?

By the way, if you found the video ‘A Vision of Students Today’ that was included in the tutorial for part 1, you may also find this one called The Lost Generation compelling as well.

PS I found two great educational blog repositories: Kathy’s Ed Tech Blogs and one on blogs in higher education - have a click and see what you think.

Okay without further ado away I go into week 7 part 2.

Is podcasting really my thing?

Well I spent literally hours trying to figure out which podcasts to subscribe to last week and then I got a dastardly cold (totally unrelated to podcasts I’m sure). But of course, my brain takes me on lateral trips, so I went looking on flickr for an image of a podcast! And once I’m looking at images and pictures – I wave farewell to my original task. I did find an informative site (for me) ‘A Podcasting Blog from Podcasting Tools’, which I have tucked into my RSS feeds.

Then of course the dawn of realization sparkled, and I remembered that I don’t have an iPod or anything remotely resembling one (well I do have an iPod shuffle but that really doesn’t count) so what would I do with these podcasts except listen to them on my computer. But I have better things to do with my computer, such as trying to find blogs of interest, listening to Ted Talks (thanks for telling us about these Tim) or pouring over great photos on flickr. Did I mention that I love flickr!!

Lonely No More

Thanks Melissa and Tim for 'speaking' with me, and Tim for your blogging insights. I'm going to check into sitemeter - who knows I might be getting as big in the blogosphere as Julie Powell!

And yes Melissa, Code Blue II was great; Code Blue III is already in the works.