Given the fact that I am no math major, I would be lying if I said that all of these tools are useful to me at this present moment. Nevertheless, I obviously realize the importance of statistical analysis, especially when it comes to sports. I use stats all the time when it comes to football and softball. I feel as though these links will be extremely useful in the near future. After going through several of the different links provided I realized how many different choices there were that I didn't previously know were available in regards to statistical analysis. I was able to bookmark a few options for the future and hope that when it comes time to implement them I will be able to utili
Over the past several weeks I have been able to explore a variety of different technology tools. The main differences I have noticed between a personal web site and a social media tool like LinkedIn is that with a personal web site I am given more freedom. What I mean by this, is that a personal web site is just that, "personal". As a creator of my own web site I have the creative license to make it very personal and unique to me.
LinkedIn on the other hand has a little bit more focus in my opinion. With LinkedIn I have noticed that it draws a very professional crowd. People would use LinkedIn to make professional connections, and network with people that have common professional goals. With all that said, ultimately the nice thing about a PWP is that it allows a person to have the best of both worlds in a very simple clear cut manner. For example, within my PWP I have a link to my LinkedIn page in addition to my other social media sites. This gives the reader options to find out more about the author of a PWP. With links available for the reader to view or network with you in the various social media sites, it encourages people to make a more specific connection. I would consider some pros to a PWP to be the freedom of expression. It allows me to customize it and really show off what some of my interest are. A PWP also has a lot of versatility, I can put video, audio, survey's, pictures, etc. to better reach people that stumble across my site. Being that I am a high school teacher, a con would be that I would have to be mindful that a student could see my site and access information that I might want to keep private. LinkedIn, however, allows me to have a professional presence on the web for anyone interested in networking with me in that setting. The only con that I can think of for LinkedIn would be the lack of personalization that is offered. It is a little more difficult to add my own style to it. Ultimately, both LinkedIn and a PWP are very useful and help to reach a In the professional setting it seems more about who you know these days than ever before. It has been said many times, "It's not what you know, but who you know". Now, with that being said, I would like to point out that "what we know" is of the up most importance. The point I'm making is this, we live in a world that is evolving very quickly which makes it that much more important to be competitively prepared. Prepared for what? Being prepared for making connections with other professionals, sharing ideas to stay on top of changing philosophies, looking for a promotion, ect. It is all about networking these days.
This class has introduced me to a variety of professional networking strategies. The usage of a website to stay connected with others and share ideas is a great way to collaborate with others, creating a fan page, having a twitter account, and the creation of a LinkedIn account. All of these are ways that can network ones self professionally. Making connections to other professionals in my field of study is a great strategy for staying current on the changing times. Creating a healthy network of colleagues and continually updating my information will be a goal of mine to stay professionally networked. The use of wikis in regards to education is something that can be extremely useful. Throughout my undergraduate studies I was always told by my professors not to use wikis, or more specifically Wikipedia. I can understand their concern, being that anyone can change the content. That said, I was also taught to use a multitude of sources to gain a more complete understanding of any given topic.
After reading through the articles I would have to agree that wikis are very quick and easy to use and more importantly access. Although I understand the need for security measures, it is nice not having to log into a wiki for quick information. The use of wikis in education is a great idea when considering that the information can potentially be updated regularly my a variety of experts. The example given about looking into a topic such as athletic training and then realizing that a technique is outdated or something could be added only makes the uses of a wiki that much better. Again, I agree that with the freedom of editing that wikis can offer, things can be taken advantage. If used properly by individuals looking to offer quality insight and facts, I feel as though I would have no problem contributing to such an idea. It is always important, however, to reinforce your findings with other sources when dealing with wikis. The biggest difference I have noticed between LinkedIn and Facebook is the professional manner in which LinkedIn is organized. Believe it or not, before this class I didn't have a lot of experience with Facebook. My wife and most of my friends have been bugging me for years to get set up on Facebook, however, this has been something that I have been avoiding for a long time. Prior to this class, I was always hesitant to use certain social media forums such as Facebook. Being that I am a high school teacher and have worried about having students infiltrate my personnel life. This class has brought a more educated approach to the professional uses of social media sites and has opened my eyes to the benefits when applied appropriately.
I am now starting to see the benefits of Facebook in the educational world. Nevertheless, Facebook still seems a little more casual for my taste. LinkedIn, however, seems a lot more professional. I like that LinkedIn is geared around a persons work and educational experiences. All in all, they are both pretty impressive social media outlets, but I might The usage of apps is something that I have been playing with over the past year. With that said, I have to admit that the majority of my app usage has been entertainment in nature. A year ago I purchased my first smartphone, it was then that I started downloading a variety of different apps. Up until this point my apps have been mostly entertainment or news related.
I honestly do not know why I have not taken the time to look into educational apps. The idea of using apps in my profession is a great idea. I use a variety of apps for news, sports, and music but will now start looking into apps that I can specifically use as an educator. One app that I have looked into that I think I will try that directly relates to my job as a teacher is an app that allows me to take attendance on my phone while I'm in the gym and away from my computer. This will allow me to submit my attendance in real time and not have to worry about remembering an hour later to get it in. |