I decided to create an account through Ning for my family. I was really impressed at the ease setting up the account, and using the features. My mind is already spinning with ways to use Ning in the classroom setting. I see how easy Ning would be to use to create an educational network for my students. What a great place to “hang” information, share, and edit. Also, a network can be created for collegues. As a physical education teacher, I usually do not have the luxury of seeing other teachers “in action.” I see how great this can be! My burning question is of course, will the site be blocked by our filter…I’ll find out soon.
Angela 
After looking over my Google Reader Feeds, I really enjoyed an article from MedicineNet.com. The article discussed a new food pyramid created targeting kids 2 to 5. The food pyramid not only gives the guidelines for nutrition for children in that age group, but it also gives tips and advise on how to make healthy eating fun for the whole family. The food pyramid is especially helpful for parents of finicky eaters. Parents can go to MyPyramid.gov to get individualized suggestions and help for their child. MyPyramid.gov is also great for school age children to visit. They can create menus for the day, and when they have included all the necessary food groups, with the correct serving, they “blast off” the food pyramid. Quite cool.
Angela
Page Flake is a great tool to help compile all of my new learning tools. I signed up for Page Flake a while back, but I did not stay with it. I really see the advantage of keeping everything “in on place.” What a way for students to keep their projects, and portfolios up to date. Furthermore, teachers could collaborate with student portfolios. Here is my page flake.
Angela
Google Docs is a great application to have at our finger tips. Sometimes, students need to finish work at home, and the inconsistency of applications makes this dicey. Using Google Docs students could collaborate on a project with students from another class. Additionally, students could create a project, and then collaborate and tweak with students across the globe. Last, teachers could share and create with Google Docs. Getting lesson and unit plans done with the help of each other!
Angela
I love using YouTube & Teacher Tube. Here is a video I like to show when teaching professional development, and trying to explain Web 2.0:
Here is a video I uploaded of my rat terrier watching a rat terrier on You Tube. I aptly call it “Doggie Tube.”
Angela
I have been trying to find time to start a podcast for physical education teachers. The podcast will be called Your PE Tech. The purpose of the podcast will be to share ideas and ways to integrate technology into physical education. Here is the introductory podcast (by the way, if it sounds like I am whispering, I am…Again, finding the time, and place to record is a challenge). My plan is to create a blog and podcast dedicated to www.yourpetech.com.
Angela
I feel podcasting is useful in the educational setting. I cruised through quite a few of the educational podcast. I really enjoyed the “one minute podcast.” The wide array of subject matter was mind boggling. Yet, the one minute length enticed me to check them out. The Science Podcast, “Why? The Science Show for Kids” was interesting. Kids “called in” with questions, which were answered in the podcast. I really want to use podcast more in my classroom. The issue that I am having right now, is the fact that I do not have any computers. I am supposed to get six, which would be great! I also would like for my students to begin creating podcast for different sport skills, and history. I have created podcast in the past, but I have not been consistent with my podcasting. Finding the space, and time where I have a spot that is quiet for even five or ten minutes is challenging. This course has given me the insipiration to begin podcasting again!
Angela
Library Thing is a great resource! What a way for “readers” to stay connected with each other. I love to read, and typically I do not have many friends that share my genre choices. I see how setting up my profile, and actively interacting with others would broaden my horizons. Students could share insight and opinions across the globe! I keep going back to the idea that we are smarter than me.
Angela
I am a huge social bookmarking fan! I learned about delicious at the NECC 2007. I love being able to bookmark sites with tags, and share with others. Being able to add others to my network is such a benefit. Adding the users to my network negates me from having to bookmark all the sites I find beneficial from that user. The only down side is that delicious is blocked in APS. So I can not use this tool with my students, and it is hard to share with co-workers. Here is my delicious account: www.delicious.com/acarmon.
I enjoyed reading Infinite Thinking Every wonder what happened to the eccentric star of the original Infinite Thinking Videos - Chris Walsh? Well he hasn’t strayed too far from the world of “effective use of video” in education. The video and blog discussed Brightstorm, an online learning network. Brightstorm infuses the video learning style of our students with current teaching strategies to grab the attention. The ultimate goal to create an online learning enviroment which empowers our students with the knowledge and skills needed.
Angela
