Wednesday, Feb. 29 - Happy Leap Year!!!

We are going to revisit Diigo - to make sure you truly see the benefits of this web application. I LOVE DIIGO!!!!!

• Groups
• Bookmarking
• Highlighting
• Commenting
• Sticky Notes
• Searching for topics - groups

Please make sure that you are logged on to your Diigo account.

Join a group.

Create a new group - and add the Diigo group gadget onto your blog.

Immediately when you arrive back from lunch - you will need to create a post about Diigo - what is Diigo - Social Bookmarking, etc.  What are the benefits of using this tool - how will you utilize this tool, etc.  GOOD QUALITY POST.

We will look at one more Bookmarking website called LiveBinders - post is below.

Live Binders

Organize your online resources by
using LiveBinders!  You can share them privately or publicly.  With each tab, the internet website opens directly within the page, you do not have to leave livebinder to see the page.  You will have to install the firefox extension - LiveBinder It! to add tabs, or you can key in the web address!  I love this site!

Diigo

Diigo

Diigo is a social bookmarking site.  


Today you will create a Diigo account.  You will compare and contrast Symbaloo and Diigo - identify the differences.  You will join our AHS Social Media Diigo group and add a bookmark, then comment on someones bookmark - this is just for practice - I will delete the bookmarks after I verified that you added a bookmark.  We will then start utilizing Diigo to share our tools with the world and each other!!!!  You will add the diigolet toolbar to get the full benefits of diigo.  I hope that you will create your own group and share one of your hobbies or interests with the world!

Diigo is a not just a social bookmarking tool, but a research tool as well. 

Diigo is a powerful information capturing, storing, recalling and sharing tool. Here are just a few of the possibilities with Diigo:  or Visit DIIGO 101

• Save important websites and access them on any computer.
• Categorize websites by titles, notes, keyword tags, lists and groups.
• Search through bookmarks to quickly find desired information.
• Save a screenshot of a website and see how it has changed over time.
• Annotate websites with highlighting or virtual "sticky notes."
• View any annotations made by others on any website visited.
• Share websites with groups or the entire Diigo social network.
• Comment on the bookmarks of others or solicit comments to your shared bookmarks.
• You can save relevant websites to lists in your Diigo student accounts. Each saved bookmark captures the URL and a screenshot, and can be searched later.
• Highlight important information right on the website, using Diigo. Later, when you return to the website, you will find the reason you saved the bookmark in the first place.
• Use virtual sticky notes to summarize the important points of information from the website. This activity will mimic the time-tested procedure of using note cards to summarize and organize research projects.
• Classmates working on similar topics you can create and join groups in order to collaborate.
• Later, when you need to document your sources, Diigo can be used to recall website URLs for citing sources.
• Teachers and students can use the group and list features of Diigo to organize bookmarks on themes or topics. Classes can also collaborate and discuss information within Diigo.
  
  

Diigo can import all of your Delicious bookmarks (including tags) and that, in addition, Diigo can also automatically update your Delicious account whenever you bookmark a site using Diigo.  Diigo can improve your online research productivity.

Diigo lets you do more than just bookmark web pages online. For instance, if you install the Diigo toolbar, or toolbar button, you have the ability to highlight text and pictures in a variety of colors, or add sticky notes to a bookmarked page. With this feature you can annotate web pages with thoughts, ideas or additional information. All these notes are saved for the next time you access the saved bookmark, and anyone else you share the bookmark with, (peers or teachers), will also see your annotations. It is a great way to focus attention on a large article.

Monday, February 27

Login in to your Symbaloo account. Reflect. Create a post about Symbaloo. Remember to explain in detail what Symbaloo is, include link, explain the benefits of using social bookmarking - what is social bookmarking. Why should your readers utilize social bookmarking.

Thursday, Feb. 23

Please read about Symbaloo below while you are waiting for class to begin.

Today you will: 

• Define social bookmarking 
• Identify the importance and usefulness of social bookmarking 
• Create an account on Symbaloo, and begin utilizing social bookmarking by adding websites to webmixes 

Please do not go to Symbaloo's  - website - wait for me.

Symbaloo - Social Bookmarking

Symbaloo's - Motto - START SIMPLE!

Abilene has its own Symbaloo page!!!
or you can just use Symbaloo.com

A simple way for students to share and organize what they have found on the Internet is for them to use the social bookmarking website, Symbaloo. Symbaloo - is an icon bookmarking page - which is most commonly used as a personal start page. By setting it as your homepage on your browser, you can start with your online favorites everyday.

You can create your own "web mixes" of your favorite websites - or create them by category. You can conduct a search on Symbaloo to find web mixes that you can add them to your account. When you create a Symbaloo account, there are webmixes already created, such as, major news stories and news highlights from the NYTimes, Washingtonpost, CNN and Wallstreet Journal.

• Discover pages with the best links about a subject
• Create your own pages with favorites
• Share your page with the rest of the world
• You can share it with just one person, or publish it in the Symbaloo Gallery!

You can create a separate web mix for your different interest areas - games, travel, web tools, etc. To create a webmix, just click the Add a webmix link. Each webmix will have its own tab.

To share your webmix - just click share!

You can share it by email, Facebook or Twitter!

Other information:

• You can edit a webmix or tile. 
• Rename it
• Change wall paper to one of Symbaloo's pictures, or upload your own!
• When you update your webmix, be sure to click Update Webmix - otherwise your webmix will not be found or updated.
• Post the link of your webmix on your blog, facebook, website for others to utilize. If they have an account they can add your web mix to their Symbaloo account if they want
• Very user friendly social book marking site
• You can always stop sharing your web mix. By clicking stop sharing
• In the search box on Symbaloo, you can choose your search engine - you can search by the Internet, Images, or Maps.

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Here is an example of a Keyboarding Web mix I created for my classes.

As you can see I changed my background by uploading a picture of an iMac. You can also see the tab of web mixes that I have created.  To visit my keyboarding web mix click here. 

 Create an account to get started!

Kukuklok - Online Alarm Clock

Kukuklok - Online Alarm Clock

You can choose your sound! A roster, a trumpet, an alarm clock - sounds are VERY LOUD!  Try it out!

Tuesday, Feb. 21

Last time we explored DoodleToo and DoInk.  Today we are going to continue exploring more drawing websites!  But first we are going to add the RSS feed gadget onto our blogs.

After we finish adding the RSS button - click here and wait for directions.

Internet Safety Organizations

Internet Safety Organizations

I Look Both Ways
My Secure Cyberspace
Enough is Enough
WiredSafety.org
GetNetWise.org
Web Wise Kids
Net Family News
Common Sense Media
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
NetSmartz
SafeKids.com
Internet Industry Association

Think Before You Share - Poster

Upcoming assignment to be thinking about:

Create an original social media poster.

If your poster is chosen, it will be printed poster size from Chapman high school and displayed throughout the school district.

Topic ideas:  Safety, Digital Citizenship, Tips/tricks, Searching Tips, Copyright, Message, Informative, etc.

Be on the look out for ideas and inspiration!

Before You Fb Txt Tw or Blog

Feb 16 - Learning Goals

Today you will:

identify online tools that you can create drawings by yourself, or collaborate with others within our class.  You will then reflect upon these drawing tools and share with your readers these drawing tools.

add the RSS feed gadget to your blog so that your readers can subscribe to your blog.

view your blog traffic and identify the Histats  and FeedJit information.

IT'S FUN FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today we will look at our visitor counters and traffic!  Have you had many new visitors?

Nice job on your goAnimates!!!

Please visit 5 members blogs - you must visit 2 classmate blogs from across the room.

Watch their goAnimate!  Make a comment.  If you have turned this feature off on your blog, please add it back so comments may be made.

I have several fun websites for you to explore today.  Please scroll down and take a look, however do not visit any of the sites yet.

IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Google Background

Google Background

Customize your Google startup page by downloading your own picture.  Look at the bottom left hand side of Google and you will see Add Background Image.  Click and download picture.  You can also remove the picture.

Drawing - dOOdletOO

http://doodletoo.com/#/lobby

AHS ROOM

WHAT IS DOODLETOO ABOUT?

Doodletoo.com is an online drawing tool and chat room in one. Enter one of their roomsand draw your messages, ideas, moods, express yourself or post pictures to share with others! Everyone sees your pen and can join you, help you, challenge you or maybe become your friend. The whole world can now see your paintings as they are being created. It's a lot of fun – check for yourself! Register your nickname, choose your default color, start drawing and enjoy yourself! Welcome Doodler!


DoodleToo is a simple chat website :-). Every time you’re drawing you can press ENTER or click "Say it" and enter any message you want to share with the others. Continue drawing with your message appearing at the top of your pen. Click "Snap it" and you’ll get a screenshot! Save it, send it or post it to Facebook for all your friends to see.

DOODLETOO ON MY WEBSITE

Room Embed API

DoodleToo on your website? It’s easy! Use their DoodleToo Room Embed API and get fully customizable rooms for your website, brand, chat or your private social platform. 

PLEASE CREATE AND SHARE YOUR ROOM WITH SOMEONE IN THE CLASSROOM - AVOID ROOMS WITH STRANGERS.  TAKE A SCREEN SHOT AND CREATE A POST CALLED DOODLETOO TO VERIFY THAT YOU TRIED THIS SITE.

FatCow

While at the Business and Computer teacher conference at ESU - I learned about another website that offers customized domains - FatCow - check it out! Try it out!  How does their price compare to Bloggers and GoDaddy?

What is Google AdWords? How do businesses utilize this tool?

Drawing/Creativity Tools

There are several drawing tools available online! Today you are going to explore several Drawing websites.  You will create your own drawings, greetings and animations using these free webtools.  We will look at several tools, however there are more available then what we will cover in class.  Remember to explore beyond the tools I share!  Have FUN!!!


Today you will:

• Explore drawing and animation websites
• Create drawing and animations
• Embed code and share links on your blog

Assignment 1

Collaborate on doodletoo with a classmate.  Your collaboration partner will be chosen at random by Mrs. James using an online tool called:  ClassTools - Random Name Picker!  Take a snap shot and add it into the post.  Include a description and the link to the website.

Assignment 2

Create an account on DoInk - embed an animated drawing into the post - call it DoInk - describe this tool in the post as well as provide the link to this website.

Assignment 3

Skethfu - create a drawing and paste the link into this post.  Describe Skethful and provide the website link.

Assignment 4

Send a greeting - on the website DrawGreetings

Assignment 5
Create a paper toy
Email it to Mrs. James along with one or more other student(s) in the class.  Someone who is not sitting in your row if you are emailing it one person, otherwise it can be sent to someone in your row as well.--Save your papercritter - share it in the colony.  Go to the colony and click on your critter.  Copy the code and create a post to embed the html code to.

Assignment 6

Explore Go2Web20 - choose atleast two drawing tools and share it in this post.  You may not have time for this.  If you spare time in the future - EXPLORE

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DoInk

Create and share custom animations. Collaborate with others by using and sharing props.

Mrs. James practice by bizteacherjames, made at DoInk.com

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Magic Pen - Bubble Box  Create and share custom animations. Collaborate with others by using and sharing props.

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Paper Critters   Online application for the creation and storing of digital paper toys.

SketchFu is a fun way to draw.  Create a drawing, save and play back as a movie of the drawing being created. If you have a webpage, you can Embed your animated drawing.  You can also share the link with others as I have done below.

View an example of how this tool works Click here!

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Draw Greetings

Draw Greetings allows you to draw anything, write a personal note and finalize your greeting at zazzle, then send it to someone.  You can send just an email - or utilize zazzle and create a product.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Go2Web20 - Draw
Visit the link above to explore more drawing tools!

Search Cube

Search Cube is a visual search engine that shows search results in the form of a 3D cube. Each side of the cube shows displays 16 different websites each as a small square. Scrolling over each square displays more details about the website on the side of the screen.

You can rotate the square using the direction arrows on your keyboard to display more search results. Clicking on any square then takes you to the website. This unique search engine looks impressive on an interactive whiteboard or projector and it’s guaranteed to generate questions from a curios audience.

I keyed in Social Media.  If you run your cursor over a square - it will give you the website to the right. As you can see! FUN!!!

Internet Safety Tips

The Internet should be a place where you can talk, learn, shop and share without worrying about your own safety or the security of your personal information. You should also be a good and responsible citizen of the Internet. As in the real world, you need to be smart about what you share, who you share it with, and how you behave online. A few Internet Survival Tips for Kids and Teens include:

• Never give any personal information to anyone you meet online.
• Never meet up with anyone you don't already know.
• Don't fill out any "fun" questionnaires that are forwarded to you.
• Be careful about posting pictures of yourself.
• While online, you should avoid doing things that might hurt people or get yourself into trouble. Do not annoy, harass, offend, abuse, or threaten others while online.

There are many survival tips that could be shared to help students use the Internet safely.

Activity: We are going to be working with Go! Animate again. This time you will be creating an animation that shares at least 5 Internet safety tips. Use adequate scenes to cover your content. Add props, change backgrounds, and use different characters as needed. When you are finished, copy the embed code and put it in a post on your blog.

Utilize the websites in the post about Safer Internet Day to finish this assignment.  Delete your knock knock go animate if it is on your side bar.

Assignment:

Students will educate their peers on "what not to do" or "what you should do" to be safe on the internet by creating an animation that illustrates awareness of several safety issues - utlizing GoAnimate!  If you want to try an account that has all the features - you may use my account - User names is DawnJames and Mrs. Haugh will have the password.  Try my account - as I said it is the pro version.

First try on Ping.fm

This post is from utilizing Ping.fm.

Tumblr

Tumblr lets you effortlessly share anything. Post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos, from your browser, phone, desktop, email, or wherever you happen to be. You can customize everything, from colors, to your theme's HTML.

Evernote

What is Evernote?

Evernote allows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes everything accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere. Use Evernote to capture your ideas, snapshots, voice memos, things you see online, and just about anything else that you want to remember.

The best part: Evernote is always within arm's reach. There are versions of Evernote for Windows, Mac, the Web, iPhone, Windows Mobile, and other mobile devices. Each of these versions of Evernote is always synchronized, so any information added in one place is instantly available everywhere else.

Things to put into Evernote
Notes and research
Web pages clips
Tasks and to dos
Photos of whiteboards and blackboards
Business card snapshots

Evernote also has the ability to recognize printed and handwritten text within snapshots and images. Try it. Take a photo of a street sign, wine label, or business card. Add it to your Evernote account, give it a few minutes to process, then search for the text.

Evernote

Khan Academy

Watch.  Practice.  

Learn almost anything for free.

With a library of over 2,800 videos covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and 300 practice exercises, we're on a mission to help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace.  Not only are their videos, but talks and interviews as well.

Khan Academy

Topics include:  Math, Science, Finance, Humanities, Economics, etc.

Technorati

Technorati is an Internet search engine for searching blogs.  You can key in a topic and search blogs or individual posts.

Wordle

Printer Friendly Button

If you want your visitors to print one of your posts, add a printer icon.

Printer Friendly Button

Tutorial for blogger

1.  Click website above

2.  Click the radio button next to Blogger.

3.  Choose the way you want your button to look.

4.  Blogger will automatically take you to your layout page and adds the gadget

EASY!!!!

Add This

AddThis helps you integrate sharing tools into your site, spread your content, and drive social traffic. In-depth analytics provide insight into your audience and their activity. 

There are sharing and following tools that you can add to your blog!

Clipix: Organize your life!

Utilize Clipix to clip anything from any website as you browse the web, using the "Clip" button. You can clip items such as, products, articles, photos, clothes, websites - anything. You clip items and store them onto clipboards.  You can create as many clipboards as you want and fill them with as many as clips as you like; organize your life!  Clipix is a place to keep everything you see online!


Create an account using Facebook or Twitter!


To watch video about Clipix - click here!

Digg

Digg is a place for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the web.  Digg surfaces the best stuff as voted on by their community.  They provide tools for the online community to discover content, discuss the topics that they’re passionate about, connect with like-minded people, and make  new friends in the process. By looking at information through the lens of the collective community on Digg, you’ll always find something interesting and unique. They are committed to giving every piece of content on the web an equal shot at being the next big thing.

 Digg builds lists of popular stories being shared across the web. Every story has a digg button. Along with that button is a number that is the number of people from the Digg community who have said they like that like or digg that story.  The number of diggs a story collects over time can affect how that story spreads and gains more popularity as it spreads more.

News on Digg comes straight from the digg community! The best links found from around the web are shared on digg to gain traction and exposure as the link is shared virally.  If you find an interesting link on the internet? Digg is the best place to take that news further and spread it quickly amongst a vibrant community.


Info taken directly from Digg's Website! 


Start digging today!

Internet Slang

Have you ever wondered what YBTJ, LOL or BRB - I have a solution!  Visit InternetSlang to see a full list of netlingo!

On InternetSlang, you will find a list of slang terms, acronyms and abbreviations as used in websites, ICQ chat rooms, Blogs, SMS, and Internet forumns - a complete dictionary of slang.  Please remember as with any webpage, you may come across words that stand for phrases containing words that may be offensive to some people.  A good thing is that this website substituted asterisks, etc. for the words in question.

Ping.fm

Ping.fm is a free service that makes updating your social networks a snap!

Post From Anywhere To Anywhere

to all of your favorite services!

Click here to see Ping.fm's mega list of supported social networks

Personal Learning Network - PLN

Today is all about creating blog traffic!  You will start following blogs today - and subscribing via RSS feeds.  You will also learn today how to add a contact me icon onto your blog and allow your readers to follow your blog.

Throughout this course you have began building a PLN - PLN - Personal Learning Network.  Today you expanded your PLN by following blogs, allowing readers to follow your blog, by subscribing to blogs, allowing readers to contact you.  That is just the beginning.  You will continue to build your PLN this semester.  You can use your PLN to learn from others, ask for help on any topic, and contribute your ideas and thoughts.  You will start using various online tools to build your own personal learning network! 

What is a Personal Learning Network?
Building a PLN means - making connections and building relationships with teachers, administrators, experts, etc. from around the world.

If you didn't realize it, you have a PLN.  This network includes the people and information sources that help you accomplish your goals, either at school, on the job or in your personal pursuits. They are the teachers in our school, your coaches, sponsors of organizations and clubs, your library media specialist, the art teacher at the middle school, past grade school teachers, the magazines you subscribe to, books you use in classrooms, etc.

Today, however, new techniques for organizing digital networked information, have enabled us to fashion new kinds of networks that extend far beyond our immediate location and face-to-face connections, and to grow our networks based not on explicit decisions, but through the ideas of other nodes (people and resources), whose ideas intersect with ours.

Having a PLN is about sharing ideas and resources, collaboration and learning.  We may share our learning, ideas and expertise in different ways, using media and tools.


a PLN can be about anything... you can create a group based on a hobby, an interest, a passion, or your profession.

My PLN includes:  Recipes, Money Saving, Social Media Tools, Health and Fitness



How to build a PLN? from Elena Elliniadou on Vimeo.

Feedjit

Feedjit lets you see friends and visitors as they arrive on your blog or website. Know when your best friends read about your latest adventure. If you are a business owner, be alerted when your most important clients view your latest product offering. Feedjit lets you know, right now, who is visiting your site. Simply add the Live Traffic Feed and instantly start seeing who is visiting your site as they arrive.

See the actual identity of hundreds of thousands of Feedjit members when they visit your site including their photo and links to their website and social profiles. You can make new friends and leads by contacting the Feedjit members who visit your site. The Live Traffic Feed turns your unknown readers into real people.

Visit Feedjit and add a live traffic feed.

How exciting!! It actually shows the country, browser, operating system and how a visitor arrives on your site!

Kontactr

Kontactr is a one-click contact form service which lets you create contact forms on the fly. With our simple tools, its even easier to integrate the contact form into your website.


Add a contact us onto your blog so that your readers may contact you if they have a question.

Follow by Email

Follow a blog by email to stay up to date on the latest blog posts for example.  You can also add this gadget on to your blog.   Why follow by email?  If you follow several blogs for example, you do not have to visit each blog to see if it has been updated.  Each evening if the blog has been updated, you will receive an email with the information - and it will show up in your google reader.

Lets follow by email to see what it is like:  Blogger Tips and Tricks

Add the gadget to your blog.