Say Hello To My Little Friend ( Simon the Dog )

     I am on a roll this day of Thursday March 26th, 2015.  I am on to my second project of the evening for my potentially uber successful start up blog, investing while I have the time.  I am Supergirling it up with 5 classes this semester, 20 hours per week of work normally, and helping to raise a 7 year old. Quite a lot on my plate. I will survive.  The reason for this entry in particular is that my Technology professor has introduced us to such an incredibly cute website that is very user friendly, and, as part of our grade has insisted that we each take a turn at making one of our own, so it is time for me to introduce, Simon, my strangely large, strangely Brittish, Alaskan Malamute puppy, who, even stranger still, has an incredible vocabulary and is wise beyond his years (even in dog years). 

http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=11216967&height=267&width=200

     I created him in the company of my little cutie pie Zhane.  He is the 7 year old I help to raise.  This program is kid tested and approved.  He had so much fun helping me to create Simon and he says the only thing he wishes they would change about the site was that he wants the dogs to be able to have costumes.  He enjoyed playing with the voice controls and making the lips smaller and bigger.  He changed the color of the hair several times.  The excitement was definitely there.  Zhane is very creative and spends hours working on Mine Craft and Mii Maker on his Nintendo DS so he is familiar with avatar making. When he heard that this was part of my homework, he couldn't wait to help.  

     In my own reflections on the activity, I would say, it is a fun little novelty.  It does have practical application in the classroom as sort of a digital stamp of sorts.  It comes equipped with a permalink and the children can use it on any website or activity that they are working with as their personal image.  Since it is so easily accessible, I feel I would send it home with them as an easy homework or extra credit assignment.  I don't feel it's something I would invest classroom time in, but I feel it would sweeten the pot for the students if I told them that after they finish an assignment, instead of signing their name, they could stamp it with their own avatar just to change it up.  I could be a CoolCatTeacher too. =-D.

By the way, if you would like to create your own little avatar, or heck, your own little brood of avatars, FREE is the buzzword.  Just browse Voki.com   and set up a complimentary account.  Have at it.  Do it now.