Kurt & Kelly's Web 2.0 Challenge

Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

2009-09-30T16:08:00.002-05:00

When it comes to Web 2.0 tools, we all say it.

"I'd like to know more about that, but I don't have time."

"I'm not sure how I'd use it."

"I don't even know what the heck you're talking about."

This blog is a series of challenges to you, LHS Staff. It will help you learn more about available Web 2.0 tools in a hands-on fashion, provide you with direction and jumping off points, and become a place for sharing your experiences.

"Do I have to participate?"

Quite frankly, no. But if you want a chance at our super-duper completion prizes, then you better step up.

"What's in it for me?"

A shared learning experience with your fellow colleagues.

The opportunity to better connect with and understand your students (or your own kids, for that matter).

Exposure to time-saving and life-enhancing technology tools.

Hopefully, fun.

"Give me the low-down. How does this work?"

Each challenge (all in the Blog Archive to the right) will introduce you to a different Web 2.0 tool through text, video, images, and/or other media. There may be some samples for you to look at, some links to check out, or some suggestions for you to follow (or not). Most important, there will be a CHALLENGE for you to complete. Upon completion of the challenge, you will BLOG ABOUT IT in the blog you have created (which is Challenge #1, by the way).

**Once you've sent us your blog link, we will put it in the blogroll to the right over there. That way you'll be able to read what others are up to.

"Enough talk. Bring on the Challenges!"

Hold your horses -- one more thing. We would be remiss if we didn't mention that this idea came from a similar challenge called 23 Things on a Stick, developed by MN's multitype library system, which they lifted from someone else as well.

After all, Web 2.0 is all about sharing, right?

Your time starts now.

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Challenge #1 - Bring on the Blog

2009-09-29T17:58:00.001-05:00

What's a blog, you ask?

Well, Lee over at Common Craft can explain it much better than we can. (Incidentally, you'll notice we'll be using a lot of Common Craft's videos...they are simple and to the point.)

Well, there you have it. Blogs in Plain English.

There are a number of free blog-hosting services out there, but we recommend either Blogger or Wordpress. The blog you're reading now was built in Blogger, a Google product. Both offer easy to use interfaces and comparable options. Because we will be using lots of Google products in future challenges, Blogger may be the better choice for our purposes.

Our Challenge to You:

Choose either Blogger or Wordpress and follow the steps to set up your own personal blog. Remember to write down your username and password!
To keep you honest and to share your experiences with others, send your new blog URL to Kurt or Kelly's school email address, and we'll add you to the Blogroll on the right. Your blog URL is the unique Web address of your blog. This URL is how you will find your blog or tell others how to find it. Remember that your blog title and URL are available for the world to see. (Take that however you'd like.)
Whenever you complete a challenge, blog about it. To help us follow your progress, title your posts "Challenge #1" and so on. But feel free to blog about anything that floats your boat in between challenges. That's what blogs are for!
Read and comment on your colleagues' posts. (Remember, they're all available over there in the Blogroll.) Interacting with materials and others is what makes blogs a Web 2.0 tool.

Points of Discussion:

How easy or difficult was this challenge for you? Describe and successes or roadblocks you may have encountered.
Is this a tool you can see yourself continuing to use? Why or why not?
How can this tool be useful in the classroom or for education?
How can this tool be useful in your personal life?

Take It a Step Further: (Optional)

Explore the features available in your blog. Consider adding a blogroll of you favorite blogs, or perhaps a list of links you find useful. Play around with adding images, videos, or gadgets.
Create an avatar and export it to your blog.
If you are interested in using blogs with your classes, there are free blog-hosting services that allow you to administer blog posts/comments by your students, such as Weebly Education, KidBlog and 21 Classes.
Check out Technorati -- a blog search engine.

Want to Know More?

Links to School Blogs - by Support Blogging
Educational Blogging - by Stephen Downes
Top 100 Education Blogs - by Online Education Database

Challenge #2 - Personalized Home Pages

2009-09-28T15:08:00.000-05:00

Think back to last year.

Remember when you were introduced to iGoogle? It is just one of many free, customizable home pages outs there. Others include PageFlakes and My Yahoo, both pictured below.

Personalized home pages allow you to gather all of the online things of importance to you, and put them in one place. Wanna know the weather? Go no further! Wanna see the latest stock quotes? Already there! Wondering if you're free next Saturday? Glance at your online calendar! Now make this page the homepage on each of your browsers on all of your computers, and you'll be so organized you won't know what to do with all of your extra time! Well, I guess you could fill it by playing one of the multitude of game gadgets available, or reading one of the plethora of "of-the-day" messages -- but we'll try to be optimistic and pass this off as an online productivity tool.

Our Challenge to You:

Create an iGoogle page. If you've already done so, you're one step ahead of the game. The reason we chose iGoogle over the others is because you'll be needing it in the next challenge. Make sure you SAVE it by creating a Google account and signing in.
Choose a fun theme and add some great gadgets...focus on productivity. (Add the fun stuff on a new tab for home!)
Make it your new homepage in Safari and/or Firefox.
Take a snapshot (Command + Shift+ 4) of your iGoogle page and post it in your blog with "Add Image."
If you need a demo video, click on the screencast below.

Points of Discussion for Your Blog:

What are the pros and cons of personalized home pages such as iGoogle?
Is this a tool you will continue to make use of? Why or why not?

Take it a Step Further: (Optional)

Add another tab to your iGoogle page. One can be used for school, and an entirely different tab can be used for home.
Explore the "chat" feature in iGoogle.
Want pictures of your kids instead of a stock theme? Create your own iGoogle theme! (See the article "Making Your Personalized..." below for assistance.)

Want to Know More?

14 Personalized Homepages Compared, Feature by Feature - by Mashable
Making Your Personalized Homepage Even More Personal - by Google Blog

Challenge #3 - RSS

2009-09-27T21:39:00.000-05:00

Really Simple Syndication.

Seriously. That what it stands for.

And we know you've seen the symbol too.

Looks familiar, doesn't it?

RSS is actually a file format for delivering regularly updated information over the Web. Further translation: the news and information you want will COME TO YOU instead of you going to it.

Again, we'll check in on Lee at Common Craft for a really simple summary of RSS:

So here's the deal. All those web pages you find yourself checking multiple time per day?? No need to do that anymore. All you need is a reader and subscriptions to your favorite sites.

There are lots of available readers out there, including Bloglines, Newsgator, and Google Reader. Since you've already set up an iGoogle page, Google Reader is a logical choice, as it can be added as a gadget on your home page.

Our Challenge to You:

Set up an account with Google Reader. Use the same username/password you did for your iGoogle page.
Important: Look around on this blog for the RSS icon and click on it, the select "Add to Google." You'll have a choice between adding it to your iGoogle page or to your Google Reader. Add it to the GOOGLE READER. (Adding it to the iGoogle page makes each subscription separate, while adding it to your reader keeps all subscriptions together). Adding Kurt & Kelly's Web 2.0 Challenge to your reader will ensure that you get each upcoming challenge that we post.
Go to the "Add Stuff" link on your iGoogle page, search for the Google Reader gadget, and add it to your page.
Never miss a news story or blog post again. They'll come right to your Reader in your iGoogle home page!
Click on the screencast below for a step-by-step tutorial.

Points of Discussion for Your Blog:

Have you made use of RSS feeds and readers before this?
Do you think this is a Web 2.0 tool that you'll continue to use? Why or why not?

Take It a Step Further: (Optional)

Set up Google Reader on your phone. (See the article below for assistance.)
Check out the "Top Recommendations" on your Google Reader page. These suggestions are made to you based on your current feeds.

Want to Know More?

The Official Google Reader Blog - by Google
Google Reader on your Phone - by Google Mobile

Challenge #4 - Social Networking

2009-09-26T20:48:00.000-05:00

Time to be social.

Back to CommonCraft for a quick overview of Social Networking in Plain English.

Some of the most wildly popular Web 2.0 tools include social networks...AKA Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and a plethora of others, each appealing to different crowds with a bit of overlap as well. And since a 2007 study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project showed that 55% of all teens use social networking sites, it's time for us to do the same if we want to reach them "where they're at."

Take the plunge.

We realize this is scary business for some of you...and for others, just plain despicable. We're not going to torture you and make you create a MySpace account, but we are going to take a look into Facebook and Twitter. MySpace pages are more open to the public by nature, while Facebook allows you to remain almost entirely private if you wish. Twitter is still relatively new, but growing like gangbusters with older -- that is to say post-teen -- folks. Both Facebook and Twitter have huge potential for reaching target audiences. At this time, Facebook is much more widely used by our students, but you may find Twitter catching on soon. At any rate, Twitter is huge "out there" in the world.

Our Challenge to You:

Set up an account in both Facebook and Twitter.
Friend (FB lingo) and follow (Twitter lingo) at least three other people simply to see how things are done. If you don't know where to start, there are a number of staff members already on FB, so start there. We won't bite.
Find a group or page to become a fan of on FB, and follow a business, group, or celebrity on Twitter. Go ahead and put a hobby or interest into the search fields, and you'll find tons of options.
Consider creating a page for classroom use. In FB, you will NOT want students to become your friends, as all of their pictures and information becomes available to you. Trust us, as mandated reporters, you don't want that. Instead, log out of your personal FB profile and "Create a Page" (see picture at right). Students can "become a fan" of your page and receive all of your reminders, video or picture posts, and all kinds of other information without giving up their privacy. Become a fan and follow the LHS Media Center.

Points of Discussion:

Are you a newbie to social networks or an avid user?
How can sites like Facebook and Twitter be beneficial in the world of education?
Do you think you'll continue to use these tools? Why or why not?

Take It a Step Further: (Optional)

Search iGoogle for the Twitter and Facebook gadgets and add them to your iGoogle page.
When you find an interesting article, column, video, link, etc., share it to your FB or Twitter profiles via the share tools (often at the bottom of an article).

Want to Know More?

12 Ways to Use Facebook Professionally - by WebWorkerDaily

7 Things You Should Know About Facebook (pdf) - by EDUCAUSE

Nine Reasons to Twitter in School - by Tech & Learning
Make Facebook Your Company Newsroom - by Mashable

Challenge #5 - Online TV & Video

2009-09-25T21:50:00.000-05:00

Busy schedule got you missing all your favorite TV shows?

Never fear! Online TV is here! You have been freed from the constraints of network and cable schedules with Web TV. To make it even better, a whole pile of movies are also available on demand and free of charge.

Isn't this overkill?

Maybe. TiVo and DVRs already made it possible to alter your viewing schedule. But consider the value of having TV clips and episodes as well as full-length movies at your fingertips for school use. If you saw something on The Daily Show last night that would tie-in perfectly to what you're teaching in class, you can play the clip. Or if you're reading classic Steinbeck and want to see the characters in action, you can watch Of Mice and Men in its entirety -- FREE.

Enter Hulu and Joost.

Hulu and Joost are two of the most popular sites that provide free video on demand. Another streaming site gaining ranks is Fancast. Of course, there are also full-length TV shows in YouTube. Included in their vast array of offerings are current and classic TV series (full episodes and clips), special programs such as National Geographic specials, and full-length movies. Another great thing: little to no advertisement. (It's amazing how short these shows are without commericals!) These sites also allow you to embed video in other places, such as your blog or your web page. And since it's a Web 2.0 tool, you can share recommendations with other viewers -- but you have

to create an account if you wish to do so. Creating an account also lets allows you to put items in a queue for future viewing, see what others are currently watching, get updates as to what is new, and join special interest groups. Perhaps the only downside is that some of the clips and episodes have expiration dates and will not be available indefinitely. And, no, there is no way to download them at this point.

In addition, most network and cable TV stations offer some full episodes and TV clips on their own websites. If you're addicted to HGTV, you're in luck -- full episodes. Or if you've heard from several others that a new show is great, but you've missed the first couple episodes, go to the network's site and see if past episodes are available.

Other streaming sites of interest: FreeDocumentaries.org and SnagFilms, both sources for documentaries and other nonfiction films/trailers. And don't forget about Discovery Streaming, a service to which we currently subscribe.

Our Challenge to You:

Explore both Hulu and Joost. Focus on finding TV Shows, movies, or clips that would be useful in the classroom. (Or, if you prefer, for your personal life.)
When you find something of interest, look for the share icon in Hulu or the Facebook icon on Joost to post the item to your Facebook profile.
Find the embed code, and embed the video into your blog post. See the screencast below if you need help doing this. (This is also how you would embed videos from, say, YouTube into your blog or web page.)

Points of Discussion for Your Blog:

Take a moment to recommend some of the TV shows or movies you found on these sites. (If you feel so inclined, you could include the link to these shows as well. Simply highlight the words, click on the little greenish link icon while your writing your blog post, and paste in the URL. This will make a hyperlink.)
Do you think having access to on-demand TV and video will change your viewing habits? Why or why not?
How do you think this is affecting the television industry?

Take It a Step Further: (Optional)

Create a login and add items to your queue for possible later viewing.
Through your account, recommend a video to a friend, join a group, or explore the add-ons to the website.

Want to Know More?

Online TV Sites Battle for Viewers - by BusinessWeek Online
The Best TV on the Web - by PC World

Challenge #6 - Social Publishing

2009-09-24T19:59:00.000-05:00

Time to share documents.

Sites like Scribd (or Docstoc, ThinkFree, insightory, Zoho Share, and Issuu) are used to publish documents on the web. Scribd currently has more than 50 million monthly users and more than 50,000 documents are uploaded daily.

What’s the big deal about that, you ask?

Well, it is a big deal. Imagine if you could find any document you’d like online
. . . for free.

Imagine reading your favorite work . . . or at least having access to it . . . all online.

Imagine that you not only could access and read your favorite work, but that you could also embed it on your blog or include a link to it.

Imagine that you can even upload your own documents and publish them . . . for free.
Perspective

Or if you are a bit more adventurous, Scribd allows you to publish for profit (Scribd keeps a certain percentage, of course).

BusinessWeek refers to Scribd as the YouTube of web publishing. Anyone can upload any documents they want.

Think about the possibilities.

Sure you could just copy and paste documents into your blog or website, but using a social publishing site (such as Scribd) offers several advantages.

First, you can embed them right into your blog. If you use Scribd.com, your document will appear as an iPaper. All major document types can be formatted into iPaper including Word docs, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, OpenOffice documents, and PostScript files.

This offers you several advantages. You can move through the document page by page, you can search for articles or documents related to your iPaper, you can do a keyword search for the document, you can email the document to a friend, embed it into another site, or save the document to your computer. You can even read the iPaper as a fullscreen document.

Second, your documents will be stored on the social publishing site. For example, by creating a Scribd account, you can upload your documents to their site. This serves as a back up for any of your documents or files. Also, this allows for other Scribd members to search and locate your document.

Third, by belonging to a social publishing site, you also have access to all the other documents uploaded to their site. Imagine the wealth of documentation at your fingertips.

If you have a Scribd account, you can also search their database for relevant documents. Say, you are starting a new AP Geography course (ha!). By perusing Scribd’s database, you can find various syllabi from other teachers, professors, and institutions. You can also find various assignments or texts related to your course.

Finally, it is an easy and free way to publish your work. Put your work out there for others around the world to read.

What can you upload and publish?

Syllabi
Assignments
Readings
That childhood memoir you’ve been meaning to write for so long now.
That thesis you’ve been meaning to get written (yes, you know who you are!)
Student work
Lesson plans

Our Challenge to You:

Search Scribd (or a site like it) to locate a document that you find interesting or relevant.
Share that article using one of the social networking features explored in previous challenges (Facebook, Twitter, Digg . . .) with others who might find it interesting.
Next, embed that article in a blog entry.

Points of Discussion for your Blog:

Did you find this challenge easy or difficult to complete?
Is this a Web 2.0 tool that you will continue to use? Why or why not?
How might this impact the classroom?

Take it a Step Farther: (Optional)

Upload a document of your own to Scribd (see suggestions above).
Post it to your blog through Scribd.

Want to Know More?

Anyone Care to Post Some Textbooks on Scribd? - by ZDNet Education

Scribd - Presentation Software - by Web 2.0 and Education blog

Scribd Opens New Market for Online Texts - by eSchool News

Challenge #7 - Social Bookmarking

2009-09-23T09:56:00.000-05:00

Has this happened to you?

You sit down at your HOME computer to look for that website you bookmarked yesterday... only to realize you bookmarked it on your SCHOOL computer. Or you back up all of your files at the end of the school year... only to find when you come back in the fall that you forgot to export and save your bookmarks.

It's happened to me -- more than once, I might add. But not anymore, thanks to social bookmarking.

Social Bookmarking in Plain English.

Three Reasons to Use Social Bookmarking Sites

1. Since your bookmarks are hosted on the web, you can access them from ANY computer with Internet access regardless of platform or browser.

2. You get to use whatever "tags" make sense to you to organize your bookmarks. This has been dubbed "folksonomy" -- tagging by the people. This replaces "taxonomy" -- rigidly adopted subject headings provided by someone else, namely snooty librarian-types.

3. The social aspect allows you search other people's bookmarks as well. You can check out the most popular tags, see which websites are most commonly bookmarked, and search other sites that share your tags. Share the love, so to speak.

Getting Started

Delicious is the most popular social bookmarking site, but Google also offers an equally easy to manage bookmarking option that just doesn't offer the "social" part -- meaning you can't view other people's bookmarks, and they can't view yours, but they're hosted on the web for ease of use. Both Delicious and Google Bookmarks offer gadgets for your iGoogle page so you can access them straight from your homepage. Both also offer tools to make bookmarking easy. Simply drag the bookmarking tools up into your web browser's links bar to bookmark and tag sites on the go.

Our Challenge to You:

Create an account in Delicious (or if you prefer to be anti-social, Google Bookmarks).
Drag the Delicious bookmarking tools into your browser's links bar. (Google's is at the bottom of your list of bookmarks and looks like this the box to the right.)
Start bookmarking and tagging -- and NEVER lose your bookmarks again! (Unless, of course, you want to; editing or deleting bookmarks is a simple task.)
Click on the screencast below for step-by-step instructions to do tasks 2 and 3 above.

Points of Discussion for Your Blog:

Is this your first experience with social bookmarking? What are your thoughts?
Can you see the potential for this in researching, or will you simply use it as a way of accessing your bookmarks from anywhere?
How can you use Delicious with your students?

Take It a Step Further: (Optional)

Add a Delicious or Google Bookmarks gadget to your iGoogle page.
Explore the sharing and blogging options (both under "settings").
Explore Pagekeeper, a similar site aimed at teachers that allows you to create lists of websites for students.

Want to Know More?

Seven Things You Should Know about Social Bookmarking - by EduCause
Setting Up Accounts/Features in Delicious - By Kitsap Regional Library

Challenge #8 - Posting and Sharing Slideshows

2009-09-22T08:52:00.000-05:00

In challenge #6, we offered a way to share documents on-line. Now we will show you how to share slideshows too.

Time to Share Slideshows

Well, sharing slideshows has several advantages.

First, you can post your slideshows for others. This could be useful for students who missed class or simply want to re-watch the slideshow. It can also be useful to other teachers who would like to use your slideshow in their classes.

Second, you can peruse other slideshows. Sites like slideshare have users who offer hundreds of slideshows. There is bound to be one or two that you find interesting and relevant to your class. Or one or two that your students mind find useful in supplementing their learning.

Third, slideshare allows others to actually download your presentation. This could be useful because a student could quite easily locate your slideshow, download it to their computer at home and then upload it to their iPods so they have the slideshow with them.

Fourth, slideshare works easily with blogger. Once you have uploaded a presentation, you can quickly embed it in your blog. This way, a student could go to your blog and watch the presentation . . . or download to their computers.

Finally, many of you have your students create slideshows for your classes. Instead of hogging up computer memory or juggling them all on a memory stick or external hard drive, simply have them create slideshare accounts and watch and evaluate them on line.

Other possibilities -

I prefer slideshare.

But there are other sites that work well.

You can upload presentations (and create them as well) using google docs. However, I use keynote exclusively, and google docs accepts Powerpoint. Now, you can convert keynote presentations to powerpoint files. When I tried this, though, I not only had trouble converting my keynote slideshows to Powerpoint, but I also was unable to upload them to google docs.

Another interesting site is voicethread. This allows you to share and create slideshows. While you can do the same on google docs, this site allows you to use audio in your presentation. There are also numerous slideshows on here for you or your students to watch and download.

Our challenge to you:

Upload one of your presentations to slideshare (or google docs if you are a Powerpoint user). Then embed it in your blog to share with others.

On Monday Kenny, Jeff, and I presented a Keynote slideshow to the school board regarding our involvement over the past five years or so in the MNHS grant we have been involved in. I uploaded it to my blog for others to see or download.

History Presentation

View more presentations from Kurt Reynolds.

Or

Find a presentation from another teacher or expert and embed it to your blog to share with others.

Points of Discussion for your Blog

Did you find this challenge easy or difficult?
Is this tool something that you might continue to use? Why or why not?
How might this impact your classroom?

Want to know more?

Challenge #9 - Skype

2009-09-21T14:12:00.000-05:00

Free. Calls. Anywhere. (Internet calls, that is.)

Skype can make staying in touch with friends, family members, or colleagues more enjoyable and more affordable. Skype allows you to talk, IM, or video conference...for free. Families with members serving in the armed forces overseas have probably already heard of Skype and are using it on a regular basis. Not only does Skype allow you to place a call to another Skype member (for free), but if you have a web camera, you can also see the person you're talking to! And did I mention it's FREE?!

Skype Explained Visually

To use Skype, you'll need to download the application from their website. You'll also need to tell your family and friends to do the same. Simply search for friends who are registered with Skype, and add them to your contact list. You don't have to buy a fancy microphone, as most computers come with a built-in mic. If you're computer has a built in web cam, great! If not, there are some fairly inexpensive ones out there, and adding one will allow you to add video to your conversation.

Example: While my husband and I were on vacation, we left the kids with the grandparents. We hooked the grandparents up with a Skype account, and were able to visit with our kids face-to-face on our laptop while sipping pina coladas by the pool (us -- not the kids.) We not only heard each other's voices, but saw each other's faces, showed off the shells we found, and identified Kool-Aid mustaches via Skype. Pretty handy. And pretty priceless. (Well, FREE.)

Our Challenge to You:

Download Skype here. Click on the green download box to do so. Install per instructions.
Access Skype in your Applications folder. Accept the user terms.
Create an account.
Search people by entering their names in the prompt box at the top, and clicking "Search for Skype Name." Or from the menu bar across the top, choose Contacts > Search for People on Skype.
If you find the correct person, add him/her as a contact.
Click on a person in your contacts list to IM them or call them.
"Call" someone! If you don't know where to start, call others doing the challenges. NOTE: The person you're calling has to be logged in to Skype, so set it up ahead of time. (You can set Skype to open at login so that you're always logged in for calls.)
If you both have web cams, click on the little blue video icon to see yourself and the person you're talking to.

Points of Discussion for Your Blog:

Frau D uses Skype in her classes (projected on the big screen) to speak with native German-speaking people across the globe. How could YOU use Skype in the classroom?
Will Skype change your personal communication methods at all?
Was this challenge difficult for you? If so, what were the road blocks?

Take It a Step Farther: (Optional)

Skype allows you to group chat or place conference calls, so you can communicate with multiple Sype friends at one time.
Try sending a file. Click on and upload the file to send.
You can also share your screen by clicking on the share button .
For a fee you can also place calls from your computer to a land line or mobile phone.

Challenge #10 - Online Photo Sharing

2009-09-20T10:10:00.006-05:00

Preserve and Share Your Photos

Online photo sharing sites such as Flickr (a Yahoo! product) and Picasa (a Google product), are excellent Web 2.0 tools for reasons: 1) they allow you to back up your photos onto the Internet, and 2) they allow you to share your photos with whomever you wish.

Let's go back to our friends at CommonCraft for a simple explanation:

Aside from viewing your own photos or photos of people you know, you can also use these sites to search for popular, interesting, or tagged photos from people around the world. If you're looking for a photo of a particular place or object, chances are there are several of them in Flickr or Picasa. You may even find a particular photographer that you enjoy and will continue to follow. I would recommend clicking on Flickr's Explore > Interestingness links to view some really cool pictures.

Aside from hosting your images, you can also edit them (remove red-eye, crop, etc.) in both Flickr and Picasa. You can also order prints from both sites.

Both Flickr and Picasa gadgets can be added to your iGoogle page. Play around to see which ones you like the best. Some gadgets place the focus on YOUR photo stream, while others highlight random photos from the masses.

Our Challenge to You:

Set up an account with either Flickr or Picasa.

Some things to consider: If you're an iPhoto user, photos can be shared with Flickr with the click of a button. Or, by downloading the Flickr Uploadr, you can upload multiple pictures at a time -- it's much faster than the uploader that's embedded in the website. You can set up your Flickr account to access/send to your Blogger account by clicking "Blog This" above any photo and setting up the connection. Flickr's partnership with Picnik allows for some fun add-ons to your pictures, like frames, stickers, or text.
Because Picasa is a Google download, they've made it easy to send photos to your Blogger account and to upload to YouTube. Upon opening, Picasa will search your entire computer for images to add to your Picasa Web Albums upon your command -- this may or may not be desirable to you.

Upload some photos to your chosen account.
Share a photo to your blog using the share tools in Picasa or Flickr.

Points of Discussion for Your Blog:

Do you think Flickr would be of any use to you in the classroom? Why or why not?
Will your photo storing habits change as a result of this challenge? Why or why not?
Was this a difficult challenge for you? Explain.

Take It a Step Farther: (optional)

Add a Flickr or Picasa gadget to your iGoogle page.
GeoTag your photos in Google Maps or Google Earth to search by location.
If you find a photo stream you'd like to subscribe to, add it to your RSS so that you know when pictures have been added.

Want to Know More?

There are a huge number of tutorial videos available in Google Video: Flickr or Picasa.
Newbie's Guide to Flickr - by WebWare
Flickr Tutorial Series - by MediaMazine
Picasa Help - by Google
Getting Started with Picasa - by Learning Electric
Flickr in the K-12 Classroom - by LearnHub

Challenge #11 - Screencasting

2009-09-19T08:54:00.004-05:00

Oh, the possibilities!

I remember back when I first learned how to screen capture, or take pictures of items on my computer screen. I started doing it all the time! For example, if someone asked me how to set a certain preference, I'd take a picture of it and send them. A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Well, screencasting is even more valuable. Screencasting allows you to record the actions taking place on your computer as well as narrate for further explanation. You may have checked out some of the screencasts I posted in earlier challenges -- like Challenge #2 -- that helped to demonstrate how to do something.

I've been using Screenjelly, but there are several other free screencasting software available as well, including Jing (a download), Screenr, and Screentoaster. Each site offers a tutorial or demo video for ease of use.

**This just in (2/15/2010): My new favorite screencasting site is Screencast-O-Matic. The free account allows you to record for up to 15 minutes! And it can be hosted indefinitely on their site or on YouTube, or it can be downloaded as a movie file to your computer.

Once you create your screencast, it can easily be embedded in your blog or web page, shared to FB or Twitter, or uploaded to YouTube or other video sharing sites.

What to do...what to do.

Here are a few examples of how screencasting can be used for school or personal use:

Show students how to create a slideshow in iPhoto.
Help your dad how to create a playlist & burn a CD in iTunes.
Verbally comment on a student's displayed work.
Discuss the dos and don'ts of slide design in a Powerpoint.
Demonstrate an application of your choice.
Narrate your vacation photos.

Really, the possibilities are endless. How will YOU use screencasting?

Our Challenge to You:

Create a screencast of your choosing with one of the following: Screencast-O-Matic, Screenjelly, ScreenToaster, Jing, or Screenr. See the examples above for ideas.
Embed the screencast into your blog by using the share tools.

Points of Discussion for your Blog:

Do you see yourself using screencasting with your students? Why or why not?
How difficult was this challenge for you? Explain any successes or roadblocks you encountered.

Take It a Step Further: (optional)

Explore the collection of public screencasts available on each of the sites. See if you can learn something new, or find something to share with your students or anyone else.

Want to Know More?

Wikipedia's Definition of Screencasting
What is Screencasting? - O'Reilly Media
An Introduction to Screencasting - TechSoup

Challenge #12 - Browser Add-ons/Extensions

2009-09-17T09:10:00.002-05:00

Pimp Your Browser

Ever wish there was a faster way to get to some of your favorite sites from anywhere on the Web? Wish you could download that YouTube video with little hassle? Wish you could customize the way your browsers looks? Wish you could block those pesky ads? Wish you could grab images, zoom in, screen capture, highlight text, or translate text with a simple click in your browser? Stop wishing! You can!

Browser add-ons or extensions allow you to customize your Internet browser. But be warned...just like adding stuff to your iGoogle page, finding and adding extensions is addicting!

Different Strokes for Different Folks

You may already have a preferred Web browser, but be aware that some offer more choices than others as far as number and variety of extensions or add-ons available. Firefox currently offers the greatest selection with over 1,000. Safari has a handful at about 39 available here. And Google Chrome (which is quite awesome even in the beta form, by the way) is currently working on their Mac add-ons, so we'll have to be patient. Given those numbers, it would probably be wise to use Firefox when exploring add-ons for this challenge; but browser choice is really a personal preference, so do what you will.

This just in: (2/12/10) Google Chrome now has extensions/add-ons available for Mac. Download Google Chrome here and find the extensions here.

Here's a peek at my Firefox browser today: (pretty tiny here, so just click on it to see a larger view)

It may change tomorrow...you never know.

Our Challenge to You:

Open the browser of your choice and explore the add-ons available. Click here for Firefox, here if you're using Safari, or here if you're using Chrome. Look through the recommended add-ons or top-downloaded for suggestions.
When you find one that looks useful, download it. Restart your browser for the new add-on to be functional.
Depending on the add-on you've chosen, you may be prompted to fill in some preferences/settings upon opening the browser again.
In your blog, list the add-ons that you've installed and post a screenshot of your browser toolbar. (use command+shift+4 to take a picture...or if you installed the capture screen add-on, use that!)

Points of Discussion for your Blog:

Do you think add-ons will add to or detract from your browsing experience? Explain.
Did you have difficulty using any of the add-ons you installed? Explain.
Do you think you'll make use of add-ons? Why or why not?

Take it a Step Further: (optional)

Share an add-on you found interesting, promising, or useful to your blog or FB using the share tools.

Want to Know More?

10 Useful Firefox Add-ons for Almost Everybody by Web Worker Daily
Top Ten Safari Plugins by Mashable

Challenge #13 - Podcasts

2009-09-15T14:05:00.003-05:00

Challenge #13 - Podcasting

A refresher,

To the nube, a podcast is simply an audio or video file available on the internet. You can either download them to your computer or listen/watch them on the internet.

iTunes is an excellent source for podcasts, with literally thousands to choose from. However, it is not the only place to find them. Podcastalley.com is another great website that allows you to subscribe or download podcasts as well. Many of your favorite websites also offer podcasts. ESPN.com has various links to podcast versions of their shows and reporters. Likewise, many blogs have links that allow you to download podcasts as well.

Oh, the possibilities,

Imagine having access to lectures, presentations, interviews, discussions, and programs from such sources as Duke, MIT, NPR, ESPN, CNN, TED, Wallstreet Journal, and 60 Minutes.

These podcasts can be used to supplement a lesson, to review a concept or process, or simply for professional development.

For example, I have had students watch podcasts created by a literature professor from Missouri State University. These are pretty basic: he simply has his lectures videotaped and then uploads to iTunes U, where they are made available for free.

Podcasts are also great for students because they can easily download them to their mp3 players in a matter of seconds and have access to them wherever they go.

What to do . . . what to do?

Using podcasts is simple: select a podcast and hit ‘download.’ It will automatically download to your computer. If you choose a podcast from iTunes, it will immediately be downloaded to your iTunes library where it will be found in your podcast folder.

Here is one of my favorites from iTunes

You can either hit subscribe and have all the podcasts downloaded to your computer or you can scroll down and select specific podcasts that you find interesting.

Here is a podcast from TED that looks good.

Simply click on it and the podcast will play automatically or click on "get" and it will be downloaded to your computer. It will be stored in your iTunes library under the "podcast" category.

When it is downloaded, it is ready to play.

If you wish, plug in your iPod, sync it, and you have the podcast on your iPod.

Our challenge to you.

Possibility #1 - Search podcastalley.com or iTunes for a podcast that is relevant to one of your classes. Then use it in class.

Possibility #2 - Turn your students loose to scour the internet to find podcasts relevant to what they are studying in your class. Have them come in with the results and share them with the class.

Possibility #3 - Even if this is something that is just not for your classes, search for a podcast that is interesting or entertaining and share it in your blog.

Where to Start?

Here are some of my personal favorites --

Dan Carlin's hardcore history. Great resource for you history buffs out there.

Here is a series of short (60 seconds or so) video podcast that offers tips and tricks for Macs and Mac applications. Very helpful.

Remember the good old days of lecture classes in college? Here you go. Dr. Clark Closser has filmed all class sessions from his intro level American Lit course at Missouri State University.

John Merrow offers some of the best interviews and documentaries in education. These podcasts are no longer updated on iTunes, but you can download them from his website Learning Matters. Want to know more about Race to the Top? Or what Michelle Rhee has been up to in Washington DC? Or watch documentaries on NCLB and A Nation at Risk? It's all there for you.

Points of discussion for your blog:

Did you find anything relevant or interesting?
Are podcasts something you could incorporate into your classes?
How might podcasts enhance your students learning?
Is this the future of education? Duke, MIT, Stanford and others post many classes and discussion on line via iTunes U.

Taking it a step further:

It is not difficult to create your own podcast. If you had the opportunity, would you create your own podcast(s) for use in your classes?
How might this impact your classes and students?

Challenge #14 - Document Collaboration Tools

2009-09-14T14:51:00.008-05:00

Collaboration made easy.

You've heard me mention it before, and here I am to say it again: Google Docs and tools like it are Godsends. Regular gifts, I tell ya! There are plenty of reasons you should be using document collaboration tools with your students or for yourself; if you aren't already doing so, what's stopping you?

Let's see what the good folks at Commoncraft have to say about Google Docs:

I shared this before in a Media Moment, but I think it warrants repeating:
Ten Reason to Use Google Docs with Your Students:

Alleviates compatibility issues. If students have different versions of software or entirely different applications on their home computers, it doesn't matter. Use Google Docs instead. The bottom line: when a word processing document or presentation from Google Docs is downloaded here at school, it works!
Eliminates the need for a flash drive. Do you know how many flash drives we find in the library each week?! Those little things are easy to misplace, and for that reason, solely depending on them is risky. Uploading to Google Docs is safer. "The cloud" doesn't get misplaced.
Close the digitial divide (almost). As long as students can access an Internet-connected computler, they can work on their Google Docs items. They don't need Powerpoint, Excel, or Word to work on documents they may have started but not had time to finish here at school.
No need to email papers to themselves. Almost every week I try to help a kids open a papers (that are inevitably due that day) that they've tried to email to themselves and won't open. Often it's the aforementioned compatibility issue, or sometimes the files have attached themselves with some crazy extension that doesn't even match the file type. Creating papers in Google Docs and downloading them at school would eliminate these issues.
Group word is really GROUP work. Group members can all collaborate on the same presentation AT THE SAME TIME (and even from different locations, for that matter). No more need for one student to do all of the work while the others sit and watch. And all of the students have access to it, instead of the project residing on one person's school account.
Ready-made templates. Google Docs offers literally thousands of templates ready for your students to use. Resumes, invoices, budget planners, business letters, scrapbooks, calendars, outlines -- you name it, you'll probably find it there.
Online storage space. Google has just announced a huge addition to Google Docs: more free storage for all your files. Google Docs now allows you to upload almost all file types, including, video, image, and document, to your account. Each file can be up to 250 MB and your total amount of free storage is 1 GB. If you need more space, you can buy it for $0.25 per GB per year. Compared to even the cheapest of 1 GB flash drives, $0.25/GB is very, very cheap.
Weet will provide tutorials. Survey your class to see how many are already registered and familiar with Google Docs. If there's a need, schedule a little time with me to show your class how to get started. If a lot of kids are already on board, send individuals to see me as needed.
Reinforce good habits. When students see the benefits of using Google Docs, they'll start doing it whether prompted or not. Recently I've seen a lot of kids using Google Docs either on their own or in groups -- even when it's not assigned. It's because more and more teachers are getting on board, and students are realizing it just makes sense!
It's free! What have you got to lose?! (Other than all those excuses kids dole out when they haven't finished an assignment. Rest assured -- I'm sure they'll come up with new ones.)

Google Docs is not the only game in town.

Zoho Writer (which is compatible with Google Docs) and Writeboard also offer online productivity suites that include collaborative word processing. Both look very promising, but I admit I'm a Google girl, as I already use so many of their products which work together so nicely. There are tours of each available in the "Want to Know More?" section at the bottom of this page.

Our Challenge to You:

Set up an account with Google Docs, Zoho Writer, or Writeboard.
Upload an already created document or create a new one from within the web application

Take It a Step Further: (optional)

Invite someone else to collaborate on the document with you so you can see how it works.
Explore the templates available.

Want to Know More?
Google Docs Tour - by Google
Zoho Tour - by Zoho
Writeboard Tour - by Writeboard

Tips and Tricks: Making the Most of Google Docs - by WebWorkerDaily

Challenge #15 - Online Calendars

2009-09-13T12:28:00.004-05:00

Overbooked? Enter: Online Calendaring.

Today's online calendars allow you to do more than just schedule an event for yourself. Like what, you ask? Well, here are a few of the things you can do:

Share your schedule with as many or as few people as you want. Here's an example of how I share my calendars: My school calendar is public, but only I can edit it. It's embedded on my school webpage so that people can see when the media center is available. Anytime I make a change to my Google school calendar, it's automatically updated on my website. My home calendar is not shared with anyone -- although if my family were more technologically-savvy, I would share it with them so they'd know where we are and what we're up to. My 5K calendar is shared with my college friends. We've resolved to run one 5K per month during the "nice" months, and we are all able to edit the calendar and add 5Ks from around the state that we might want to consider running. Each calendar is color coded for ease of use.

Take your calendar on the go. Most online calendars will allow you to sync with your mobile devices.
Send yourself a reminder. If the calendar is open, you could remind yourself with a pop-up note or an audio alert. If it's not, you can have emails or text messages sent to yourself so you'll never (accidentally, anyway) miss an event again.
Invites guests and receive RSVPs to events you've scheduled. Guests can respond via your calendar or with an email.
Sync with your existing desktop applications. Want to add the LHS iCal calendar that Nancy created? No problem. (Note, though, that unless you continue to sync it, additions/changes will not be updated.)
Stay informed even if you don't have an Internet connection. You can still access a read-only version of your calendar.

Getting started.

There are several online calendaring options out there -- my favorite, of course, is Google Calendar because it syncs my tasks within all my Google apps, and because I've added it as a gadget in my iGoogle page so it's always close at hand. Also available are Bravenet, 30 Boxes, and Yahoo! Calendar, among others.

If you've got time and you're not the type to just dive right in and try things for yourself, you may want to watch the 7 minute video below on how to use Google Calendar. Keep in mind that most of the other calendars mentioned above have the same features...it's just a matter of tweaking to fit your chosen application.

Our Challenge to You:

Create an account with one of the calendaring options listed above.
Add some events and explore the features.
Take a screen capture of your calendar and post it to your blog. (Or if it's one you want to share, embed it into your blog instead.)
Add a gadget for your calendar to your iGoogle page. (Not yet available with the Bravenet calendar.)

Take It a Step Further: (optional)

Invite people to view your calendar or make them editors so they can add to it.
Search through the public calendars for something of interest. Subscribe to it if you like.

Want to Know More?
40+ Tools for Google Calendar - by Mashable
50 Tips, Tweaks and Hacks to Make the Most of Google Calendar - by Virtual Hosting Blog
Rock Your Google Calendar in 18 Ways - by WebWorkerDaily

Challenge #16 - Converting Video from the Web

2009-09-12T12:17:00.002-05:00

Hey, that’s cool. I could really use that in class?

Have you ever seen a video on youtube and thought it would fit perfectly somewhere in your curriculum?

If so, Zamzar and KickYouTube are exactly what you’ve been looking for.

Oh, the possibilities!

Zamzar and KickYouTube allow you to convert any video on Youtube into a file that you can then download to your computer and use in your class.

What to do . . . what to do?

First up: Zamzar!

Once you have the video you want, copy the url address.

Second, log on to zamzar.com.

Third, do the following to attain your video.

Step #1 - click on the download videos tab and paste in the URL you just copied.
Step #2 - choose the format you wish Zamzar to convert the file to (selecting "mov" allows your computer to play the file using Quicktime, while selecting "ipod"or "m4v" allows you to view the video in iTunes or on an iPod).
Step #3 - enter in your email address and when Zamzar has the file converted, they will email you a link.
Step #4 - hit "convert," and within minutes your file will be converted and emailed to you.

Fourth, once zamzar emails you the link to your file, simply click on the url they provide and you will see a screen like this -

Simply click on the "Download Now" button, and your video within seconds the video will be downloaded to your computer.

Finally, save the video to your desktop and use it simply as a quicktime movie file or embed it in a keynote slideshow. The important thing is to use it to enhance your lessons.

Next up: KickYouTube!

Once you find the video you want to download, simply add the word "kick" into the URL right in front of the words youtube in the URL and hit return.

Here's an example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

becomes:

http://www.kickyoutube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

You will then be transferred to the KickYouTube site and will have to choose a file format from across the top of the page. Choose the format you want and click on the green "Go" button. The go button will change to a blue "Down" button -- click on it, and your video will download to your desktop. It may take a little while, depending on the video length. Until the download is complete, you may see an icon on your desktop that looks strange. Just leave it alone until the download is complete.

Our Challenge to You:

Find a video that would be useful in class, and, using Zamzar or KickYouTube, convert it and share it with your students. Then blog about how it went.

Challenge #17 - Wiki, Wiki, Wiki

2009-09-11T12:54:00.002-05:00

Wikis are collaborative Web sites that allows you to add, remove, and edit content with little to no knowledge of HTML. Wikis allow users (both registered and unregistered -- depending on the set-up) to collaborate of a project or discussion. You can set up a wiki that is open, or you can restrict it to members only. Members can be invited by you or can request an invitation. The most widely used and well-known wiki is Wikipedia, an open-community encyclopedia created entirely by its users.

What a great tool for the classroom.

Oh, the possibilities,

Set up your free wiki cite here. I set up a wiki for my College Comp II class.

After entering in my contact information, choosing a title for my wiki and a wiki url address, it took all of a grand total of 60 seconds for my wiki to be up and running.

Wetpaint, the host of my wiki, allows me to invite students to join. My wiki is closed to just those I invite; however, you can set it up much like a blog where anyone can have access to it and comment, though this was not for me.

Once my students join, I can begin to post discussion topics, assignments, or offer them a chance to leave feedback regarding a lesson or assignment.

Just think of the possibilities.

What to do . . . what to do.

I've only had my wiki up and running for about 10 minutes now, and I've already added my first discussion thread (a prompt that those who wish to join my wiki will have access to and can respond to) and a video.

It seems that every day I struggle to get discussions going in class. There are a dozen or so students who share and debate. But what about the other 22 kids? A handful of those will speak up once in awhile, but several will never speak a word. When I call on them, they have that "deer in the headlights" look. And it's not because they don't know what to say or haven't read the assignment. They have. They just don't want to share.

Yet, in their writings, they have strong voices and important ideas - from which we all could benefit.

If these students have access to a wiki via my class, they can have another forum to share their voices and ideas without the fear that keeps them quite in class.

Our Challenge to You:

Possibility #1 - Find a wiki that you would like to join. There are thousands of wikis out there. There has to be one that sparks your interest. Maybe it centers around one of your hobbies or interests. Maybe it centers around your subject area or discipline. Maybe it centers around an activity you advice or sport you coach. Join and get involved in the discussion.

Possibility #2 - Take the plunge and set up your own wiki to use with one of your classes. It's easy and secure. You need not use it every day. Simply use it for one assignment. Then see if you like it or not. Free wiki hosting sites include Wikispaces (which offers free educational wikis that allow you to create student accounts without email addresses), Wetpaint, and Wikidot.

Want to Know More?

5 Strategies for Using Wikis in the Classroom - by Suite 101

Articles and Resources - Educational Wikis

Challenge #18 - 21st Century Assignments

2009-09-10T12:34:00.002-05:00

Tired of assigning presentations, posters, or papers?

Then today is your lucky day. I've got some tricks you can add to your teaching bag; pull something fun out when you need to change things up a bit. Hang on to your hats, because we're going to cover a lot of territory.

**If these things scare you because you may be a bit afraid of the unknown, remember that many of your students feel WAY more comfortable in this environment than you do. Give them some time to feel these tools out, and you'd be surprised what they can come up with.

Glogster EDU

Bring tired old posters to life with video, animation, sticky notes, audio clips, and other fun graphic tools. Glogster EDU is the educational offshoot of the popular Glogster site -- I would definitely advise you to use the Glogster EDU site with your students over the regular Glogster site, as there is a lot of inappropriate content on the latter. Click here and here to see examples of how it can be used in the classroom. If you're interested, you can download the Educator Resources Guide.

Word Clouds
Word clouds are visual representations of chosen text. Popular services include Wordle, Word Mosaic, and Tagul (which adds the option of Google searches when you click on a word) You can either write text or pasted text into a box, and based on the number of times a particular word appears in the text, word cloud generators will create a random display of the words, with more frequent words appearing larger than others. You can use it simply to create a piece of art, or to analyze word choice in a particular text. Here is Obabma's Inauguration Speech in Wordle (click for a better view):

Animoto

Straight from Animoto's website: "Animoto automatically produces beautifully orchestrated, completely unique video pieces from you photos, video clips, and music. Fast, free and shockingly easy." The basic, free accounts lets you create up to 30 seconds worth of free video. However, you can apply for an educator's account that allows you to manage free accounts for your students that are not bound by a time limit. On the educator's page, click on "view sample video" for a great peek into what Animoto can do for an assignment. Completed videos can be shared to social networking sites, embedded into web pages or blogs, or downloaded as mp4s (viewable in iTunes or Quicktime).

To try it out, I took today's announcements, save the slides as jpgs, uploaded them to Animoto, choose some legal music from Animoto's collection, and sent it off within 2 minutes. Several minutes later, my video was completed by Animoto. Here it is:

EtherPad

EtherPad allows real-time (really) editing by numerous collaborators on one "pad." All they need to participate is a common URL link. No accounts, no sign-ins, no glitches. Once the writing is done, it can be downloaded as several file types, included Word and PDF. You as a teacher could start a discussion topic on a new "pad" and write the URL for the pad on the board. Students go to the URL, enter their name just for clarification's sake, and immediately start adding to the conversation. Each pad can have up to 16 collaborators, so for larger classes you may need more than one. They are not answering the questions individually, but working together on a single answer. Each student's comments are color-coded, so you can see what his or her contributions are while online.

Blabberize

Blabberize allows you to take any picture, create mouths on the people or animals, and record narration for them to talk. A little elementary, perhaps, but fun nevertheless. A USB microphone will be handy, and remember to tell your student to speak slowly and clearly. Be patient -- in my experience, the site is very slow at times. And be aware that anyone can post to the site, not just students and teacher, so not all content in the browse section will be appropriate. I have read in places that an education version is in the works, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

This class created "Who Am I?" blabs:

VoiceThread

From their website: With VoiceThread, group conversations are collected and shared in one place form anywhere in the world. A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos an allows people to navigate pages and leave comments in 5 ways: computer mic, telephone, text, audio file, and webcam. Users can also doodle on the images while commenting. VoiceThreads can be embedded to show and receive comments on other sites, or exported to mp3 players of DVDs to play as archival movies.

In the browse section of VT, the blue backgrounded clips are VT tutorials. Here is one that explains what a VoiceThread is:

Google Sites

Google Sites makes creating and sharing a group website easy. With plenty of new ready-made templates available, you and your class could have a website up and running in no time at all. Create the website, invite your students to collaborate, and decide whether to keep the site public or private. The real plus is that little to no knowledge of HTML is necessary to create a good-looking, engaging site so it's perfect for classroom use.

Timelines

There are several sites out there that allow students to create timelines, either individually or as a class/group collaborative effort.

Dipity allows you to embed images, youtube videos, and news articles into your timeline. Here is one on the Apollo missions from Dipity users. HEre is an embedded example of the Haiti earthquake:

Haiti Earthquake on Dipity.

XTimeline is another option. It allows you to upload pictures and create text to provide full event details in your timeline. Here is an example of the History of the Titanic. Click and drag on the timeline to move it, and click on the events to read more.

Timelines is the name of a third option. Unlike the others, this timeline is not linear in its view, but is still arranged by date. Images and text allow round out the events of the timeline. Here is one on the Cold War. Timelines also allows you to search for topics via "What happened on..." a particular date.

Timetoast timelines are simple to use as well. By clicking on events, more information becomes available. The site is (right now) sometimes slow and unpredictable.

Others

There are more Web 2.0 tools popping up every day that will have implications for and uses in the classroom. Keep your eyes open for new opportunities that will enhance your curriculum and engage your students.

Our Challenge to You:

Explore one of the options above. Look for content that's already created that may be useful in your classroom.
If you feel so inclined, go ahead and create a project of your own -- one that you can use in the classroom or just a fun little personal project that will help you get accustomed to the tools.
Blog about your experience.