Participating in this programme has helped me get back into the “techno” mindset. As I metnioned in a comment on the Swinlearn blog, I have  been working in Third World countries for the last 8 years and although I have had net access throughout that time, there certainly have been some developments and thousnads of websites/blogs/wikis/software/teaching tools that I was either not aware of or had dismissed as useless (eg YouTube).

I am completely OVER WebCT (from now on, I am only entering grades into Gradebook), so now I am using a blog for all my classes. I am not really using it as a blog, more a repository for any information that I need to give the students. I would prefer to use a wiki but as yet, I haven’t found one that I really like.  I think the next 23 Things should be wiki based rather than blog based. As a teacher, a wiki is a more suitable tool for my students.

I am a YouTube and Flickr convert – both sites have a lot of resources that are useful for my students. YouTube led me to utilise mindmapping in class (I found a site where you can create mindmaps online for free). Flickr led me to discover that there are lots of images that are useful for my students.

Always loved delicious – I encouraged my students to sign up to delicious and I often tell them to go to my delicious site to access my bookmarks. Some of my students have signed up and have added me to their network. It is very satisfying to see that a student has not only been paying attention but has taken my advice!!

What has surprised me is that a number of sites that I frequent (eg Sue Waters) are in fact blogs – I thought they were hosted web pages.

I created a new Facebook page for myself and a Facebook (private) group for my students. So far we haven’t done anything in the “group”. I have to admit, I am not sure if I like using Facebook with students but I figured that seeing I am teaching the NetGen, then I need to utilise tools that may engage them more than traditional methods. Short, fast, colourful and noisy are what they like!! As my dear friend Jackie W used to say “Gotta have colour and movement”.

I have also discovered some other great sites –

• Elegg.org seems to be a very good social networking site.
• EduSpaces.net is “the world’s first and largest social networking site dedicated to education and educational technology. Launched in 2004 and with over 19,000 members there is something in here for everyone interested in education”.

Since starting 23 Things, I have also become interested in Virtual Worlds for educational purposes. I have read a lot about the predictions for use of Second Life and I attended the Australian Virtual Worlds Workshop run by Suku (Lilydale campus). I attended “in world” (via Second Life [SL]) the first day; the second day I attend in Real Life (RL). It was VERY interesting and now I am keen to begin utilising SL in class.  Here is a link to Stories from Second Life: How Languagelab gave language learning a new lease on life.

I have a plan ………………….

So, thank you to all the people who have helped me/us complete the 23 Things 4 Swinnie. The programme has been great. Is it run for students?

That’s all from me folks!!

And the winners are …… ???????????????