Things I "didnt" know

When I thought of the Internet, the first thing that came to mind was email, facebook, and browsing through sites that I thought were interesting. My daily or somewhat daily routine of visiting the web was checking my email, my facebook account, whatever messages I had through the schools website, and occasionally visiting sport pages or checking up on the weather. Well now its totally different. All of these still exist, but are more towards the end of my agenda.
I did not know that there were websites specifically for compacting all the websites you visit or that you have made into one page. Now that I have an eportfolio, I can put all the websites I belong to or that I have background information on all in once space so it is more accessible.
Also, I like the idea of having a netvibes page. It is similar to a eportfolio, but it has more than just information of yourself on there and it is a website for only you to see. I can put everything from facebook to my classmates blogs to the whether all on one website.
These websites are easy to work with, and I was never aware that these types of sites existed. Whenever I got online, I would always open up a new tab and have a dozen of tabs up at the top and loose my spot on where everything is. Now that I have specific webpages to go to where everything is in one spot, it makes it a lot easier to find things.
Now that I have learned how to use all these different pages, I will not only use them in this class, but use them for my own use and hopefully in a classroom in the future.

A new learning method, a new wave of technology

When you think of a classroom and all the materials there is needed to be inside that classroom in order to learn, you might think of text books, loose leaf paper, big hefty binders, folders and pencils and pens. All these materials take up space and even make your back hurt when carrying all of them in your backpack at the end of the day. But what if there was a new way that all of that material was compacted into one? If all the text books and hefty binders were all in one space? There is a new wave of learning going on with the new way of using technology in the classroom. Now a days, technology is used throughout our lives, so why not put it to use in the way we learn? Not only will technology be at our fingertips while in the classroom, it will also be a good resource when getting a class discussion together or reaching out to the parents and faculty of the students and school. Technology is a great way for being hands on. I think students learn more effectively when learning by doing rather than reading a chapter in a text book and answering questions in the back of that chapter. If a student can be hands on with a computer, by looking up creditable information and research and understanding it, then I think technology will be a good step in helping the students of the future learn by this new wave of technology.
Keeping up with today's society and the technology it presents is going to be a big part in the culture and lifestyle of many here to come. Everyday something new is changing, and if education in the classroom does not change with the rest of society, then the students could be more behind when it comes to learning the new ways of technology being present.

Wikipedia; What good is it?

Wikipedia is not only an encyclopedia, but a good starter block for students or people in general to research a topic. For example, by typing in the "Indiana" as a topic, Wikipedia will bring up numerious ideas a facts about the state. But also at the same time it will lead you to more accountable sources and links on the web that an individual can work upon. I think that wikipedia should only be used as a starter block and not as a solid creditable souce because many people can go onto this site and change information on any topic. It is though and good site to go to to find out where other sites are that are linked to the topic you are researching. Therefore, wikipedia is a good souce in order to find other better sources to better your research.

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is a higher level of information that individuals can use to communicate, develope, design, share,etc. new ideas that is going on in this lifestyle today. Everyday the world of technology is changing and Web 2.0 can help people change their lifestyles with the world.

Here is a website that may help you understand and see what different types of tools can be used with Web 2.0 here

Blogging: What is it?

My first time working or even seeing a blog was on a myspace account. I thought that the individuals posting blogs wanted everyone to read their life stories or what they did that day. I believe that blogs in that sense are personal and for individuals to write what they do every second of the day is a need of attention. But that is my opinion. Also I have read or seen blogs that individuals have written to ask for advice or even ask questions. Blogs should be more for this type of work or for discussion. I have even seen blogs that students put up to ask questions about which topics they should write about in a English class they have or even ask help to a math problem they are having trouble with. All in all, a blog to me is a personal journal that individuals can go and write anything they want to, and receive comments or advice from that can either help or not help them.