#12 - Flicker - first -leewynw's photostream

leewynw's photostream on Flickr.

Some family photos from the 60s

#11 Library Thing

Cataloguing my own books has never been very high on the agenda. However, it could be useful for my husband to keep track of the books he has loaned to friends!.
I plan to explore Library Thing's potential for reviews on the Library website. Stay tuned!

#10 Image Generators

Many of these image generators couldn't be used at school - the advertising & links to singles sites would ensure our web filter would refuse access!  I like the wide range of options available on Cool Text.com -  when students are building their personal home pages, they could spend hours and hours just playing.





Image by Cool Text: Free Logos and Buttons - Create An Image Just Like This

http://img821.imageshack.us/i/setupnh.jpg/ - Would be worth trying to create signs for promotions.  www.fansigngenerator.com - another one with potential (although I'd have to check at school to see if it's accessible)

And there aren't enough hours in a day to play with the options on http://www.imagegenerator.org/.
 

#9 Virtual Worlds

Problem solving, role playing, collaborative learning opportunities are some possible benefits gained through interaction/ participation in virtual worlds.   I will have to do some more thinking and exploring to find the role for virtual worlds in our curriculum.  The mention of "high speed internet access" raises the issue of equity of access.

#8 iGoogle

Still MORE!  With so many options for a home page, it could quickly become the only place one goes, rather than the page which is the launching pad.

#7 Google Books

SOOOO many books, so little time to read them.  Google Books could be a useful tool for finding particular titles.  It gives access to e-versions of classics, and provides the opportunity to locate overseas publications.  My default is to look for children's literature, so the results were limited - however, I did spend quite a time catching up with Calvin and Hobbes!

#6 Google Maps

I'm determined not to be seduced by the new toys, but to try to focus on the value adding to teaching and learning that the "toys" enable.  The Stage 2 Local Area unit could be enhanced by a personalized Google Map - identifying the details of points of interest, providing a virtual tour guide (if the children had hand-held devices to take on the walk with them).   Alternatively, following the traditional walk around the historic sites of the local area, labeling a Google Map would be an interesting way of demonstrating new knowledge & understandings.  The range of digital literacies required is a challenge, if you are deconstructing the task and identifying specific skills the children will need to undertake the activity.