Ten+Great+Ideas+What+Is+Unique

Assignment #1
Expected time to complete this assignment: 10 minutes

In your studies during this course, have you discovered ways that catechists and ministers are already using technology in teaching or learning about their faith? Please use the five categories below and add examples that show Web 2.0 technology applied to __any__ ministerial setting. You may refer to something that is already in place in your own parish or school, or you may list something you have discovered somewhere else.


 * Socialization **
 * EXAMPLE: In my youth group, I am using FB as a means to encourage our youth to stay connected with one another (Your Name)

**Collaboration**
 * EXAMPLE: I am using a wiki to work on a parish-wide project to help ministry leaders feel more connected. We are sharing ideas about how to reach the youth population in our parish. (Your Name)


 * Creativity **
 * EXAMPLE: Our parish is posting links to videos on our parish Facebook page that highlight different ministries. Because there is a place to showcase them, the ministries feel encouraged to take on this creative endeavor. (Your Name)


 * Authenticity **
 * EXAMPLE: I want to create a VoiceThread to encourage senior high youth to voice their experience of World Youth Day (Your Name)


 * Sharing **
 * EXAMPLE: I would like to share my opinions with Catholics in other countries about a book we are reading at the same time. (Your Name)


 * Socialization **
 * Web 2.0 makes it easy to include groups of people for one common cause. It may mean that someone that is traveling can Skype and be a part of the meeting or event. Web 2.0 can also be used to keep ministries informed of what is going on with their ministry as well as sharing with others what is happening within the ministry. Angela Jackson


 * In reaching out to parents of the students that I teach, it is very convenient to text message my parents from my computer. I text messages regarding parent meetings, information that was covered in the session, etc. Tanya LeSane


 * We have a FB page dedicated to faith formation for parents, students and catechist to interact. Rose Mary Saraiva

**Collaboration**
 * Collaboration with Web 2.0 makes it really easy to plan events. Gone are the days of a million emails and updated files. Angela Jackson


 * I have not attempt this but I think it would be a good idea to allow kids to select a saint and post on wiki a little information about that saint. The others students would read and comment on the information written by their classmate. This would allow them to grow in their knowledge of the saints as well as acknowledge the work of a classmate. Tanya LeSane


 * We have recently provided the link to parents to our religious book publisher and together with their child they can refer to the lesson of the day and do additional work at home and report back to their catechist. Also work in conjunction with the Catholic school in our parish, so we are one community. there is also a newly created website to allows the catechist to interact with parents via a forum. Rose Mary Saraiva


 * Creativity **
 * This is an ever evolving area to stay on top of in today's world. This class has exposed me to many different areas of creativity. People are so visual that you can really catch and keep their attention with quick 30 second videos. You can make a bold statement with a word wall. You can teach a subject, have a "how to do" workshop, or conduct an online seminar with Podcasting. The sky is the limit. Angela Jackson


 * Our parish has posted on our website links to documents, books and videos to allow our parishioners who might not be able to come to church during the week to grow in their faith at home. Tanya LeSane


 * We have used Picasa to create inspirational videos with our confirmation prep classes. Addressing issues facing our world today, such a social justice, peer pressure, etc. I have recently created a website dedicated to our faith formation program as well. Rose Mary Saraiva


 * Authenticity **
 * EXAMPLE: I want to create a VoiceThread to encourage senior high youth to voice their experience of World Youth Day (Your Name)


 * I would love for our youth to create a t-shirt regarding a current event topic. Tanya LeSane
 * I want to use some form of media to partner with people around to the company to raise funds for the various ministries at the church. With Web 2.0 technology you can certainly invite people into your parish community and make them feel apart of a ministry. Angela Jackson


 * Hope to use one of the survey tools, such as Polltogo or similar, to gain insight into what our youth are thinking or what they wish to know. Also incorporate a similar app for parents. We also use SchoolReach to broadcast information to students and parents. Rose Mary Saraiva


 * Sharing **
 * I plan on sharing with other parishes what we are doing in our ministry and hopefully obtain a couple of new and fresh ideas from them. Angela Jackson


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The saint project mentioned in collaboration would be a way for kids to also share. Tanya LeSane


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Would love to have youth interacting with older parishioners, finding out what grounds them in their faith. I would also love to share what we have found to work well with neighboring parishes. We also bring both the school and faith formation to celebrate a special Mass as community. Rose Mary Saraiva

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5;">Claire McManus
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Socialization **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The Diocesan Office of Faith Formation has a Facebookk page that we use to promote the events that we offer.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5;">Collaboration **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Claire McManus
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I use Google Forms to collect the annual Religious Education statistics. I use Google Docs to share work with the New England Conference of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Creativity **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Claire McManus
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Office of Faith Formation created a Digital Story using photos from a staff members trip to Israel to create a prayer service concluding a Scripture Sharing program.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">**Authenticity** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Claire McManus
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">I designed a Church History Survey course using Moodle for Catholic School Religion teachers and Catechetical Leaders in our Certification Program.

Claire McManus
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Sharing **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I used Weebly to create a webpage and blog for our Catechetical leaders. It is meant to be a place where I share best practices; Diocesan policy, and various resources that support the CLs. Here is the link: http://fallriverfaithformationleaders.weebly.com


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Socialization **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">At our parish we use Facebook as a means to connect with our parish family (Melissa Findley)

**Collaboration**

Lois Locey: My answers are very similar to Melissa Findley's as we are in the same ministry & parish (Lois Locey) Collaboration: We use sign-up genius to coordinate disciple volunteers' service. Since this course, we began using Wikispaces with our Message Team to collaborate on the design and development of our Message series. (Lois Locey)
 * We use sign-up genius to help us with coordinating disciple volunteers for a specific event (Melissa Findley)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Creativity **
 * We plan to use Animoto at the Mass in order to enhance the homilies. To be played before & after the Mass (Melissa Findley)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Authenticity **
 * We use SurveyMonkey to collect input on a specific topic (Melissa Findley)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Sharing **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">We have uploaded Podcasts of our homilies to our parish website (Melissa Findley)
 * Socialization**: We use Facebook and Twitter to connect with our parish family. (Lois Locey)
 * Creativity:** We are recommending using Aminoto to create videos for Homilies and promos before Mass. (Lois Locey)
 * Authenticity:** We use surveymonkey to evaluate events/projects (and even as part of the Parish Census. (Lois Locey)
 * Sharing:** We upload our podcasts of our homilies to our parish website. We also upload information such as when funerals are taking place. (Lois Locey)