Bookmarks, tagging, and organization.

Image: http://flickr.com/photos/rintakumpu/576506854/
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Today I was introduce to some great tools. del.icio.us, and Flickr.

The ability to store and share my Bookmarks (in del.icio.us) and my photos (in Flickr) and access them anywhere on the web is very nice. The thing I am not entirely convinced about is the process of tagging.

I am old school when it comes to organization. I like files and folders and outlined lists. Tagging is going to take some getting used to. The idea of adding labels on the fly, then searching for them later is foreign to me. In just the short time I've worked with it, I can see the potential once I reach a critical mass of saved information. This will be another interesting journey for the summer!

What is this Instrument? 6

OK, here's a tough one.
















Image: http://flickr.com/photos/celesteh/350875811/in/photostream/
Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

Good luck on this one! (And try to answer before you click the picture link) :-)

What can you use wikis for?

The short answer is, everything! So now, let's get specific.

Teacher uses:
Collaboration with peers to improve ongoing learning. Visit The Musical Mind for a great example of collaboration. Dr. Zinck's site let's music educators contribute to expand each other's knowledge and understanding.

To organize classroom materials in a space that is accessible anywhere there is a web connection. This also allows your students to access the information anywhere and stay current with classwork.

Student uses:
Staying current with class work (see above!)

Organizing thoughts and classwork for later use, again with easy access from any web connection.

Paperless assignments that can be turned in anytime.

Collaboration with students across the globe. See Vicki Davis' Flat Classroom Project for a fantastic example.

Blogs in Instruction

How can we use blogs to help our students learn? I'll try to explore a few ideas here.

1. Classroom organization.
While I personally think that wikis are the way to go for organizing class materials, I found a great music ed blog that does the same thing. Have a look at Do-Re-Mi and see what you think. Mrs. Bradfuhrer has set up a very nice place for her students to go and expand on what is taught in her class.

2. Publishing.
Blogs can let your students publish, instantly, and be seen all over the world. This is great exposure, and it has the benefit of getting them to check their work! Take a look at Mighty Writers for some ideas on this.

3.Creative Outlet
Blogging can be a great way to get students to open up and contribute. This was a very moving story I found at Teacher Magazine (you may have to register to view it). Blogging can give students who are shy, introverted, or just 'different' a way to express themselves to their peers without the on-the-spot pressure of speaking in class.

Teachers and Lifelong Learning

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License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

I'm back. :-)

Lifelong learning? This is something I take for granted too often. I always look for something new, different, and unusual to keep my thoughts occupied. If I'm not learning, I'm stagnating, and then I get bored, and then I get grumpy, and no one wants a grumpy old music teacher! (Especially my wife.)

The technology available today is opening up a whole new area for collaboration and learning. In the past, I would consult and 'network' with friends and colleagues whenever we would get together at some function or performance. Some of them I have kept in contact with, but I find that more and more often, they have retired and are not keeping current with new developments. I suppose I'm becoming the "old man" I used to look for to ask about things. (Note to self: make a point of contacting the new music professionals in my area. I still have not met all of them.)

With the availability of a wide range of internet resources, staying current is easier than ever. It takes some time to sort through all the 'static', but there is plenty of good information to be found. While I miss the face to face interaction (and some of the interesting places) I used to have, the web provides an avenue to get good ideas, and to provide some of my own.

I used to think "give me a book, and I can learn anything". Now more often, I am thinking "give me a web connection, and I can learn anything." The only drawback is time to find it all.