Weekly Reflection

This week, we have worked on our Inspiration assignment to hopfully see how students can use Inspiration as a cognitive tool in the classroom. I believe this is s simple tool that students would quickly be able to learn how to use. Just click, click, and drag and viola! You'll have a concept map. I like how the concept map visually displays how things are connected. Students can picture their thoughts and make connections between ideas they may have had days before to ideas they have now. It helps them to organize their thoughts and yet can look as chaotic as ever to someone first taking a peek. After a quick analysis, the new viewer can pick up on the creator's train of thought...and even add new ideas to the "mess."
I enjoy using the asyncronous discussion to reflect on the thoughts of my classmates. It is great to be able to take the time to read their points and to digest them before responding. In a classroom discussion, if you missed out on a opportunity to respond, the class has aready moved on and you've missed out!
In regards to the Blog, I know that no one in the class will ever get back to mine to check out the changes...we have other things going on. Besides, they are responding to our asyncronous discussions and do not have any reason to check things out again. I only hope this isn't a wasted reflection. I suppose as long as I continue to visit my blog and play with things I may used this in real life. If I was a teacher, I would try to integrate a blog into my classroom; however, it would probably be at either the beginning of the year or mid-way through in order to give me time to figure out how.

Sort of getting the hang of it...

Well, I am not truly confident with my blog. Nope...not even close. I am still wondering how to change the page format or pattern to something other than what blogspot provides. Fatina, Fatina, Fatina...why didn't I pay you any attention? I was busy trying to learn everything else, I suppose. And now today is the day...the day to put my best Blog Face forward. Do I need to be embarrassed?

My first blog...

This is the first blog I have ever set up...and posted to. I am excited to learn how to use this form of networking and communication. I hope to also learn of where to find interesting blogs that I can participate in.
Where can I look up blogs? Do I just do a Google search and then pick one? Do I need to know tha addresses of the blogs? Do I just let them find me? This is all so new!

I did not learn much the first week of class, although by doing the assignments on my own, I feel like I had to just figure it out as I went along. I am a bit confused as to how I turn this assignment in and hope I did it right. I guess I am supposed to post my blog into the discussions folder...well...here goes...