Week 4 Updates

Four weeks down, two to go in this class. Needless to say, we've learned quite a bit about how to create pages and links to our Ning Network, Facebook, and PBWorks. Throughout the learning process and social site updates, I have learned that the newest site in my repertoire, Ning, seemed the easiest for me to edit and add to. I was already familiar with Facebook, and I thought I could navigate around the site fairly well, but after learning about the many applications it had to offer, I was pleasantly amazed with it's capabilities.

PBWorks offers a similar look/feel to a wiki, and doesn't have the "social networking" stigma attached to it. It can be edited easily and the author can control access to its pages.

Finally, after reading the Minds on Fire article, I learned some interesting things about Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, and Learning 2.0.

Week 3 Updates

Here we are, nearly halfway through our class, and it's time to provide some updates to what I've learned so far.

1. This weeks article and discussion regarding a teacher who had a private post on Facebook become public property. She thought she had limited her audience of viewers and members to a certain group only to realize that she had inadvertently left her profile open for all to view, and thus able to access her postings. She made a disparaging comment about her classroom demographics, and that comment spurned an inquisition of sorts. The school board suspended her for the comment, and additionally, she felt the embarrassment of her lack of knowledge about the privacy settings she should have understood more about. I thought the suspension was a bit over-the-top. The school board could have arranged for her to make a public apology for her comment, and allow her to make it right by teaching a class that would stress the problems with Internet content and ways for individuals to ensure their postings are private.

2. I also learned a bit more about Facebook and the many applications it offers that could be utilized as educational links/groups. I chose a few of the apps that I could explore for educational purposes, and described pros and cons of each.

3. I had heard about Ning from an earlier course, but I didn't really explore the site to see what it might offer as an educational site for my use. This week we created a Ning account and Ning Network that could be used to provide an educational source for anyone interested in the topic of my choosing. I close to continue exploring how to administrate a Microsoft operating system network. Our assignment for the week was to show the Ning Network page in its beginning stages.

Follow my wiki using the following link: http://mrcrowleysclassroom.pbworks.com/FrontPage

From there, you can read new information regarding Microsoft System Administration basics. Feel free to join the wiki, this blog, or follow me and exchange tweets on my twitter page: https://twitter.com/racy986

Week 2 is drawing to a close today, so don't hesitate to continue learning and sharing information technology ideas and stories with me.

Week 2 Assignment

For week 2, I would like to start off by stating that I never thought I would be Twittering, but yet, here I am. Tweets will be forthcoming.

I had already created a Blog, called Mr Crowley's Classroom back in August, so it was high time to start posting something pertinent. Status report for the week will suffice.

Wikipedia offers everyone the opportunity to view/read the info, and comment or modify the data if it has been found to be incorrect. What a forward thinking program. Jimmy Wales deserves a medal. I'm most hesitant with this part of the assignment. I'll actually have to create a learning activity that complements the wiki capabilities, so much work to be done. If I can think of anything else during the next few days I'll post another comment.