Digital portfolio

I am still learning my way around google sites. I want to spend more time in the future and customize my site better. I have yet to add a lesson plan, as I have them all stored on my work computer and, I will add them after Monday. I cannot figure out how to customize my side link bar yet (can't delete pages I deleted!), or get my name on the top of each page. I will need to spend more time playing around and trying things, but I got the basics down and format with general information. I will also work on adding some pictures and a video in the future. Thanks for reading!

Oh, and here's the link to my portfolio....

http://sites.google.com/site/digitalportfolioclub/

Plaxo, Linkedin, google sites

Google sites is a pretty useful and interesting. It allows you to really create a site how you want it to be. It offers you vast opportunities to be as creative as you want to be. You can really be the creator and decide what's included and how. However, networking is not a simple as it is with the following sites (below). You have to send it out where you want it to go.

Plaxo, in my opinion, is sort of the bridge between facebook and Linkedin. It is more professional than facebook, but less than linkedin. It offers more opportunities for networking. It seems very user friendly as well. I think it will be a site that I will use more in the future.

Linkedin has not really appealed to me... yet. it seems somewhat difficult to use, maybe I just haven't spent enough time on it yet though. It seemed very restricting with it's options and choices, but it is a very professional site (the most professional, IMHO). I don't see myself using linkedin at this point, but this may change and the site could change too, to make it more user-friendly.

Out of the 3, I like google sites and plaxo the best. They all have their ups and downs, but I do like the user-friendliness of those two best. Again, I am still learning all of this, and this could all change with time and experience.....

Library Thing findings....

I never knew this site existed (there is a pattern w/ my tech findings!!). It allows you to search for books by using keywords. You can make your own "library" and then you can be connected with people who have similar interests in their reading. Its also pretty neat how it makes new recommendations for you based on your books. I'm not really into reading for pleasure, but on the occasions that I do, this will come in handy. The only time I have to reading right now is being devoted to textbooks! Link to my library here.....

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/fx4pitrone

My creation... image generator

My creation
Originally uploaded by fx4pitrone

Here is my creation. It seems like that all I do!! LOL....

I've seen so many people e-mail and post these type of creations, and I always wondered how they were able to do it! Now I know! These sites are pretty cool and allow you to do so much. It's a great way to edit pictures of students performing skills properly, then you can add the critical elements that you're looking for the student to retain right on the picture. Great way to reinforce what your looking for at a particular station....

My image is a little blurry, I think I need to mess w/ the size a little... something else to figure out!

Podcast findings...

Another valuable resource. I cannot believe how many podcasts are out there! There are podcasts about everything. I have been listening to a number of podcasts, particularly ones about strength training and weight loss. I am a part time personal trainer, and I find it useful to listen to some of these. Not all of them (again, just as w/ anything on the www) are reputable sources, but if you search hard enough you can find them. It's nice to hear a lot of different practices by health experts from all over the country. It's also efficient to open up a new tab to listen to them in while doing other work on line (like I am right now!) It's a way to maximize my time by multi-tasking.... doing work on-line and listening to podcasts while I work. I could actually see this becoming a habit of mine. It's tough to read an article, a book, or journal and do anything else. Podcasts allow you to multi-task! These podcast search engines are another great resource......

YouTube...

I posted videos about 2 blogs down... check em out if you'd like!

I just posted a couple of things that I found very funny.... They really don't have much to do with anything (maybe basketball, baseball, dancing and insurance...:-)

I love you tube, but I must say I use it more for entertainment purpose than for professional uses. I have used it a couple times to learn some dances to teach to 2nd graders... it was great for that. You hear the music and see the steps right there. It sometimes shows you (if its a good source) the best ways to teach it and break it down too. Other than that, I really just use it to get a good laugh and to make others laugh! Or to see something I heard about in the news or sports but didn't see it.
I love youtube, but more in a personal make me laugh way, than a professional way! My .02 :-)

Technorati Discoveries...

Another interesting site I never knew about. It looks like the first site I will go to when I am researching blogposts. I like the fact that you can search an area, and search videos, photos, and blogs all separately. It will also make for a great reference. However, some of the results don't look like they are always from the most reliable sources, so judgment will have to be used. Some look like people decided to post a video about kinesiology while they were eating at the dinner table! Absolutely a great tool. When searching kinesiology, results were different when searched in videos, photos, and blogs. Good to have these resources if you are ever putting together a presentation of some sort. Very useful...
After exploring popular blogs, searches, tags, etc., I was surprised at a few things. I wasn't surprised to see "news", up there on the list. people are always wanting it, and faster ways to get it as everyone seems so busy. Faster than newspaper...
"Taskbar" makes sense as people really making their taskbar customized to themselves. Everything is there quicker w/ the click of a mouse, and it makes using the web more convienant.
I wasn't all that surprised to see cheat codes and different female celebrities either. Kids always want cheat codes for their video games (instead of going outside and being active!! :-( ) and people always want the latest photos/gossip on celebs.
"BoigBoing" was a blog that I am unfamiliar with. I looked over it briefly to comment here, and I think I will revisit when I have more time later on. Seems like an interesting website w/ a lot of different "stuff" (for lack of a better word!) Videos, news, and cool gadgets you may have never seen before can be found on here. It is the most popular blog out there, so there's got to be a reason! I will attempt to see what its all about....

Some of the more popular tags include: blogging, video, music, news, romance, friends

Nothing all that surprising as news searches seem to be popular along w/ blogs, new music, and videos are always fun to search. Seeking love and relationships and social networking are also very popular on the web.

Well, I will bring my rambling to a close and say this: I learned about this cool site, that will serve as a great starting point for many research and resource discoveries on-line. I will, however, need to take some more time to play with it and discover all it has to offer. Looks to be a great site!!