Technology Update

I used United Streaming again yesterday in my Modern Fiction class. I am teaching Going After Cacciato and I wanted to show them a little background info on the Vietnam War. I found a five minute video, which was perfect. I also was able to use the laptop and projector in this lesson. I updated the Modern Fiction blog and then I linked a photo of Dali's "Persistence of Memory" to the term surreal that I wanted to discuss with the students. I also was able to go to a definition of it after we discussed the term and how it relates to the book--very fun!

I have been trying to keep up on all the blogs that I have created. I have been updating the 9 Quest blog with what we do every day for students who are absent. It is a short summary of the class and it makes it really easy when students come back to tell them to look at the blog.

As for the wikis I have created, the one for my small group work for graduate school seems very helpful. One person had never used a wiki before so I was glad to have helped her get more familiar with the wiki process. The English department wiki seems at a stand still. The ninth grade academy wiki seems helpful because I post the minutes from the meetings on it. I think the teachers like knowing where to find the information when they miss a meeting. It makes life easier for those of us who run the committee as well so we don't have to chase after absent staff. One teacher asked me about how to add pages to the wiki at the meeting so I know he is at least interested in learning more about it.

I also, finally, picked up some library card applications from the Rondo library. The librarian was really helpful and said that I could bring in class lists if I wanted and she would get everyone signed up. Since some students already have a library card, I didn't do this, but what a great option!

I am looking forward to the Urban Planet workshop at school tomorrow. I am anxious to get my web page up. I am excited that the workshop will be hands on and I will have the web page up tomorrow...or at least have a good handle on it.