IMG_0067

IMG_0067, originally uploaded by bdurkan.

Sean Andrew Durkan

1/2 way done with semester #1

I really have had a nice experience with the 1st 8 weeks of my 1st semester in the Master's program. The technology class was really cool. I learned a lot about new technologies that I may never of had the chance to know about if it weren't for the class. The Content Standards class is also good, as it makes you think about your teaching style and how it can be better. My portfolios have had good marks and I'm happy. I hope all the classes are as good as these two have been.

Digital Portfolio

I have created my digital portfolio and I must say it was a very interesting exercise. I used some of the suggestions we came up with with the google wave assignment. It was a good experience to sit down and build a site that is a reflection of myself. I hope to build on my site in the future.
http://sites.google.com/site/briandurkan

More Social Networking/Professional Portfolio

There are a few pro's and con's when considering Plaxaco, Linkedin, or personal web site as a professional network. Plaxaco and Linkedin have formats that are already established. A web page can be created and changed however the user sees fit.

Plaxaco seems to me to be a more businesslike Facebook. You can add RSS feeds and keep a calender. There is an option for an e-card. It was easy to navigate in Plaxaco. You can add and import contacts and join groups that share similar interests. Plaxaco seems casual compared to Linkedin.

Linkedin is very business-like in their presentation. It really focuses on networking and finding jobs. Linkedin is also easy to navigate, but a person is limited by what they can add to their profile. Although both Plaxaco and Linkedin have a wide scope of what can be added to a profile, there is a limit to what can be put in.

A personal web page is limitless in what a person would like to share. To be sure, the person would have to be very creative. That doesn't describe me. A personal web page is much more creative, but more likely to be less organized and user friendly. It is also harder to get people to view your site.

bdurkan's books | LibraryThing

bdurkan's books | LibraryThing
Above is my link to my books in LibraryThing. This was a good site. I don't read as much as I should, but I listed some books that I really have enjoyed over the years. From now on, I'm going to list those books on LibraryThing to keep a catalog. It is interesting to see what other people have read. I wonder how they have the time. I think it will be useful to list the books on football that I have read, and to resarch what others have read in that field.

Image generators

This was a fun assignment. I used the Generator Blog and Letter James to create these images. I wish the Warhol one came out better. I see these sites as being fun, but you could use them to create posters for your class. A poster for a class would show a more personal side of you, and you could have a lot of fun doing it.

Podcasts

I enjoyed searching the podcasts for exercise and fitness. I found a dieting science podcast that informed the user on foods and how they work in the body. It was called Diet Science. The particular episode that I listened to was on foods that will help keep the liver healthy and function properly. I also found a podcast with video on exercise. The Ford Model's workout was interesting. It took a male and a female through a workout that could be done together with creative modifications.

I can see where podcasts can help a person keep up to date on topics that interest them. I think you could also have students follow a podcast to keep up to date on current events and trends. I think that podcasts would be very useful outside the classroom. Almost like a new form of homework.