Until this class, I'd not heard of a wiki. I'm still not entirely sure that I understand the wiki page I've created or all of the uses, but there is a plethora of information available about wikis that I'm only just beginning to discover.
Take this NY Times article, for instance: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/03/in-taipei-wikipedians-talk-of-fundraising-and-wikiwars/. Talks about gatherings of individuals who utilize wikis, most notably wikipedia, across the globe. Here's the information on the Wikimania gathering for 2009: http://wikimania2009.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page.
I even found the originial wiki: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki and learned that wiki comes from the Hawaiian verbiage for "quick!"
Along the lines of digital storytelling and our discussions from this and past weeks, I found this youtube video instructing how to utilize a wiki to schedule a camping trip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY.
I can see the possibilities of utilizing a wiki for various applications, but am still unsure how to integrate this technology into the other platforms I already use and am familiar with!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Personal Learning Plan
• Add to my portfolio of educational ideas and resources to reflect on and access in the future when I have a classroom of my own. I have organized both a written folder that I maintain in my home office and also keep a database of useful tips and resources in an electronic form on my office computer for easy access. While my organizational style and methodology might not be most efficient or “cutting edge,” I find that it works for me when I need it!
• Update and maintain my database of useful webpages and resources for both future class work and for when I have a classroom of my own. Resources come from not only the assignments and personal research, but also the postings from classmates to the discussions and the blogs reflection pieces. I’ve set up my blog to follow the blogs of several classmates and have been enriched as a result by my classmates’ efforts.
• Become more comfortable with utilizing social networking sites such as Facebook and blogging in both my personal and professional lives. Putting information “out there” on the web has been a learning experience and continues to be a great tool not only for staying in touch with family, friends, and colleagues, but has also resulted in some unexpected events like Wendy Drexler commenting on my Module 3 discussion posting. Learning to not only post relevant ideas and issues, but to keep up with the dialogue seems to be an art that I’m still acquiring—it seems to me that the more comments posted by others is a good way of gauging the relevance and interest of the topic;
• Begin utilizing a wiki both for this class and perhaps in the future in a professional setting—there are so many ways in which it could be used, the challenge becomes how best to utilize it and when. Since returning to school, I’ve often used projects in the office for class assignments and vice versa. It has helped me to get in the mindset of passing on knowledge acquired and watching for knowledge to acquire!;
• Become more skilled in the use of rubrics. Throughout my experiences in undergrad and then in law school, I often found myself wondering what the professor was seeking in an assignment or project. After taking education classes, I have come to very much appreciate the use of rubrics and have incorporated rudimentary rubrics in my professional life with my staff. It has become very clear to me that a rubric is an excellent tool and I seek to learn more about how to incorporate it further.
• Update and maintain my database of useful webpages and resources for both future class work and for when I have a classroom of my own. Resources come from not only the assignments and personal research, but also the postings from classmates to the discussions and the blogs reflection pieces. I’ve set up my blog to follow the blogs of several classmates and have been enriched as a result by my classmates’ efforts.
• Become more comfortable with utilizing social networking sites such as Facebook and blogging in both my personal and professional lives. Putting information “out there” on the web has been a learning experience and continues to be a great tool not only for staying in touch with family, friends, and colleagues, but has also resulted in some unexpected events like Wendy Drexler commenting on my Module 3 discussion posting. Learning to not only post relevant ideas and issues, but to keep up with the dialogue seems to be an art that I’m still acquiring—it seems to me that the more comments posted by others is a good way of gauging the relevance and interest of the topic;
• Begin utilizing a wiki both for this class and perhaps in the future in a professional setting—there are so many ways in which it could be used, the challenge becomes how best to utilize it and when. Since returning to school, I’ve often used projects in the office for class assignments and vice versa. It has helped me to get in the mindset of passing on knowledge acquired and watching for knowledge to acquire!;
• Become more skilled in the use of rubrics. Throughout my experiences in undergrad and then in law school, I often found myself wondering what the professor was seeking in an assignment or project. After taking education classes, I have come to very much appreciate the use of rubrics and have incorporated rudimentary rubrics in my professional life with my staff. It has become very clear to me that a rubric is an excellent tool and I seek to learn more about how to incorporate it further.
Updated Profile!
I've updated my profile on this blog and added to my Google Profile, whch you can access here!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Module 6 Reflections on Online Identities
Establishing an online identity was not something that professors talked about in undergrad or in law school, but one of the first questions I received upon my entering my first job as an attorney was what I wanted in my website profile along with when my picture was to be taken. I was entirely unprepared for establishing or maintaining an online presence as a professional and the last seven years have been quite a learning experience as a result. In that time, I have quickly realized that being consistent and having something of substance to say are good, but having a great picture and knowing what sites to include in one's repertoire is also significant. I've recently incorporated Facebook (both personally and through our firm’s page) and other social networking platforms to stay in touch with colleagues and family alike. In short, the journey has been a learning experience overall and one that is continuing and ever evolving.
In 2006, I decided to go back to school and experienced online learning again. It hasn't been that long since I was in school, but all of my classes in undergrad and all but one in law school were in person. It is interesting to note that I took the first online class that my law school attempted. I am also pleased to report that my law school now has entire courses of study online, but that is a story for another day. At present, I am taking a class on integrating technology into the classroom (EME5050), which is the one of the required classes for my Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction. Since I'm not teaching in a classroom at the moment, I've had to utilize my imagination during the majority of the class, which has been an adventure. I have been particularly intrigued with how much technology has changed since I was in high school, not so long ago. A notable example appears on page 189 of our textbook, referenced below, which talks about the use of blogs within the classroom.
However, Module 6, which deals with establishing a professional online identity, is something I've actually had some experience with! The Florida Bar both requires and allows attorneys to provide information to the general public via their website—by that I mean there are elements of one’s profile that are required and those that are voluntary.
You can see my profile here: http://www.floridabar.org/names.nsf/0/277C344355A3B3F185256CBF005B8A45?OpenDocument.
Ironically enough, since so much information is already readily available to the public as a whole because of my profession, this has helped me be more comfortable with allowing personal information to be available online in general. My more recent experiences with Facebook and blogging have led me to be more cautious and I make a habit of Googling myself regularly to see what is available in the "cloud" under my name. As Daniel Solove, in his book The Future of Reputation, Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet, clearly illustrates, the Internet is a quickly changing environment. This double edged sword can result in reputations made and also destroyed with rapid and devastating consequences. With this in mind, my firm, The Marks Law Firm, P.A., (http://www.markslawfla.com/) has made a point of publishing the goods news about what we’re all up to through electronic newsletters, regular Facebook postings, and our website.
It seems to me, at this point in my journey, the best defense is a good offense. I plan to keep up with the blogging, newsletters, updates to the website, and whatever else we dream up next.
Citations:
Shelly, Cashman, Gunter, and Gunter. Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom, 5th Ed., Course Technology - Thompson Publishing (2008). ISBN: 1423911806.
Solove, D. (2007). The Future of Reputation, Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
In 2006, I decided to go back to school and experienced online learning again. It hasn't been that long since I was in school, but all of my classes in undergrad and all but one in law school were in person. It is interesting to note that I took the first online class that my law school attempted. I am also pleased to report that my law school now has entire courses of study online, but that is a story for another day. At present, I am taking a class on integrating technology into the classroom (EME5050), which is the one of the required classes for my Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction. Since I'm not teaching in a classroom at the moment, I've had to utilize my imagination during the majority of the class, which has been an adventure. I have been particularly intrigued with how much technology has changed since I was in high school, not so long ago. A notable example appears on page 189 of our textbook, referenced below, which talks about the use of blogs within the classroom.
However, Module 6, which deals with establishing a professional online identity, is something I've actually had some experience with! The Florida Bar both requires and allows attorneys to provide information to the general public via their website—by that I mean there are elements of one’s profile that are required and those that are voluntary.
You can see my profile here: http://www.floridabar.org/names.nsf/0/277C344355A3B3F185256CBF005B8A45?OpenDocument.
Ironically enough, since so much information is already readily available to the public as a whole because of my profession, this has helped me be more comfortable with allowing personal information to be available online in general. My more recent experiences with Facebook and blogging have led me to be more cautious and I make a habit of Googling myself regularly to see what is available in the "cloud" under my name. As Daniel Solove, in his book The Future of Reputation, Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet, clearly illustrates, the Internet is a quickly changing environment. This double edged sword can result in reputations made and also destroyed with rapid and devastating consequences. With this in mind, my firm, The Marks Law Firm, P.A., (http://www.markslawfla.com/) has made a point of publishing the goods news about what we’re all up to through electronic newsletters, regular Facebook postings, and our website.
It seems to me, at this point in my journey, the best defense is a good offense. I plan to keep up with the blogging, newsletters, updates to the website, and whatever else we dream up next.
Citations:
Shelly, Cashman, Gunter, and Gunter. Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom, 5th Ed., Course Technology - Thompson Publishing (2008). ISBN: 1423911806.
Solove, D. (2007). The Future of Reputation, Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
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