NORMAN

I had been wondering about the options…”Write Post” or “Write Page”. Eureka… Rolly explained the difference.

“Write Post” is a dynamic storage of blogs. Everytime I blog using this option, I have the display of all the blogs that I make in a month duration. The current blogs are shown – the most current is listed on the top entry. As the month updates, the blogs that were posted are being archive. These are displayed conveniently within the blog site.

“WritePage” is a static display of a blog entry. This is an excellent way to post a blog that I need to be a gateway to other links that I need any reader of my blog to navigate into. This is a good educational tool. I can turn this into a webquest page!

To Post or To Page? This is a question that can be answered depending on the purpose why you do the blog. As with anything else, an efficient blog is that will serve your purpose. Blogging should not just be a day-to-day diary of personal thoughts. It can be used for educational purposes.

How could you get pass through stress and worry minutes before you sing your UN-reviewed TENOR part in a SATB song arrangement? Easy… Bug Band to the rescue!

Bug Band 1.1 is a note reading practice PALM OS application. It was created by Chad Mealey and was introduced through www.miniMusic.com.

This program assists those beginner and intermediate music students (of all ages) in honing their note reading skills whether they are instrumentalists for piano, guitar (for left and right hand players), trumpet (Bb) and tuba (Bb).

The user will read the note which bugs, worm, or spider represents in the staff (Treble or Bass Clef).

It offers practice mode and progressive levels according to difficulty (1 to 10, the latter being the most challenging). It has a single octave staff on which the answers will be validated through tapping the piano key or doing a graffiti letter.

Bug Band is a great tool for those who want to improve their note reading skills.

Added to these great features is the sound mode. The user can listen to the note as the key is tapped. The sound register is higher in the treble staff and an octave lower in the bass staff. The sounded combined with the accurate reading of the notes makes a perfect ear and note reading training.

Moreover, from my personal experience, Bug Band saved me in that few minutes before singing. I was able to review that tenor part without using the piano. I, having no gift in PERFECT PITCH, was spared from embarrassment. Bug Band and Palm Handheld are “music-savers”!

Who could ever imagine that handhelds can help you play ukulele?

I am teaching, or better, sharing my humble skill in playing ukulele to the most talented students in St. John – the Ukulele Knights: Grade 5 Edition – Year 2005-2006.

Initially, I had to photocopy the chord chart and distribute to each one of them. As the days gone by, my students forgot and even lost them. Ahhhhhhayyyyy! It is frustrating if a chord guide is so needed and there’s nothing that can save a really confused student and a forgetful teacher.

But, lo and behold. Uke Chords – an OS FREEWARE application saved the day! I downloaded it from the generous www.freewarepalm.com. It has a complete chord diagram on 4 different ukulele tuning types! It is so amazing that my students need no paper guide. I worry not of lost papers or of forgetfulness. As long as the handhelds are safe and functional, ukulele playing will never be the same again.

But best of all, I don’t have to buy a chord guide book from Shimbros… and I have it in abundant copies LEGALLY free!

Palm is great for Ukulele… I hope, Jake Shimabukuro discovers this…not that he needs it.

This blog maybe late…but I think this is still relevant.

My handheld class last Feb 7, 06 taught me how to manage my photos and stash them into a terrific website, called: www.splashblog.com.  Whoever had created this should be commended. It can store pictures in a form of a virtual album complete with comments. I can have a resource of pics that I can upload anytime. I can link a picture in this blog towards this website. I can let my friends see my virtual album. I share to the world my intimate feelings through my pictures.

It is amazing how the human mind can create useful tools to accomodate the ever increasing demand for convenience and access.

There is seemingly no end to my appreciation and amazement over the “googlelisque” posibilities of computer technology. The future is bright! The future is incredible!

Hence, there is no reason to stay lethargic. With the exponential growth of technology, I have to keep up. I have to have an open and flexible mind to learn more things that are appropriate and necessary.

Knowledge is power!

Thanks Rolly!

I thought that our class will be cancelled, but it turned out to be otherwise. But no regrets! I learned about eBooks on Valentine’s Day. I was introduced to the eReader application. After given sample document(s), I familiarized myself on how to navigate them in my handheld. Wholah! I was reading a book through my Tungsten E2. I enjoyed how it can automatically scroll with varied speeds. However, I like to just let the screen be still. Moreover, I was impressed about how Handhelds can carry volume of books through its thin SD cards – talk about a “paperless society”.

No longer would I carry thick books. I loathe carrying them in a backpack.

No longer would I worry about losing them.  I can make several copies.

No longer would I buy highlighters. I have virtual ones.

No longer would I place post its to earmark pages. I can link words to any page of the book.

There are so many educational uses for this technology that I think can revolutionize teaching. I’m so impressed. I have no regrets to spend a time learning eBooks even on a special day like – the “Love” Day.

Thanks Rolly!

The class started with me losing my password to my 1st Blog Site (silly me, must be my age). I tried to access it back but word press didn’t send it back. Anyway, Rolly patiently instructed me to apply for another blog site…and guess, here I am.

Again, I learn an important lesson – “NEVER TRUST YOUR MEMORY, if ever you have one. Hehe…”

Rolly taught us the various ways to enrich our blogging skills. First, I learned to copy and paste an article from Tony Vincent’s website – no offense to the handheld guru. I learned to upload photos from google managing these from the wordpress powered edublog. I also learned to add web links in my blog post to be able to add credibility to whatever I may write – not that I am less credible. The chainlink toolbar was helpful. I should not forget the blog etiquettes – write the complete URLs in both blog post and link definition. Moreover, I learned to link from my word post to a WEB pic, so cool ha! This will create a suspense as to which picture I will lead my reader to- perhaps, my awesome body shots – ngikks! I could also use the Tree Tool bar to paste the photo from a website with ease.

I also learned to create categories… a helpful way to organize my disorganize thoughts.

Lastly, our class ended with Rolly’s litany of our class requirements which are challenging and exciting. I really thought that even if they are additional workloads, they also are additional UPGRADES to my professional career. Innovate to educate!

Again, thanks Rolly for your generosity and patience!