Nitsche Notes

PETE&C Back Channel

2010-02-24T10:34:00.001-05:00

Dianne created a CoverItLive session for ALL of the PETE&C sessions she attended. You will see the comments and thoughts from numerous people who also attended the session either live or virtually. Check it out!

Tech Tips with Dianne Live from PETE & C

10 Ways to Lead from the Outside

2010-02-23T16:46:00.003-05:00

Resources found at: http://tommcgee.wikispaces.com

Video clip on Leadership from Scrubs
Ralph Nader- I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to create more leaders not followers.

Leadership is about capacity: the capacity of leaders to listen and observe
Thomas Sergiovanni- what makes sense and what is worth doing
Successful community building depends in large measure, on each individual school defining for itself its own life and creating itself...

Inside-Out Strategy
Administrators model is - teachers will see that is important
Have a meeting and set up a back channel for the teachers to get involved in a dialogue

Transformation Leadership
Be the change you want to see in the world- Ghandi

#1 Water Cooler Conversations

faculty rooms
lunchrooms
mailboxes
hallways
email

#2 email

#3 Listservs & Network

#4 Wikis

#5 Blogging

#6 Microblogging
Video: Twitter in 60 seconds

#7 Nings
Smartboard Revolution Ning
Moodlers Online Ning

#8 Social Bookmarking

#9 Podcasting

#10 Skype

Act 48 Code: IL072353

Telling Stories Visually

2010-02-23T15:34:00.002-05:00

Presentation and handouts available at: http://gordonworley.com

Movie Trailer: Temple Grandin: Innovator, author, activist, autistic

Think like a photographer
Gladwell- Outliers

10,000 rule- you need to spend 10,000 hours on doing something to get really good at it.

Use a process
Pre-write= Planning
First Draft = Preproduction
Revision= Production
Proofreading= Post production
Final Copy= Publishing

Have a plan, but always be open to new ideas.

Stories about Places

Name six things about the place
Find out 6 more facts about the place
Now decide what photos you will take.

Shoot what Drives You

Your interest
Your passion
Your heart
You need to be in your Element
Where is the pay check coming from?

Think about the image you want to shoot- before you click the shutter button

composition
capturing emotion
field of view
one photo or multiple photos
camera placement
compose multiple images together to get one using overlays and transparencies

Photo Essay
Shots

Establishing shot- where are you
portrait shot - tells you something about a person (even if it not a shot of a person)
closeup- attracts people's attention
light objects attract attention more than dark objects
warm colors before cool colors
in focus - out of focus
isolated items before cluttered items
strong contrast before weak contrast
oblique lines before horizontal or vertical lines
live before inanimate objects
objects we recognize before objects we don't recognize

Story Starters or Themes

love
revenge
truth
justice
lack of love
loneliness
betrayal
self-destruction
death
resurrection

Capturing Time

freeze it
slow vs. fast shutter speed
night image
objects that look old and weathered

Lines
Shapes
Texture

Principles of Design
Emphasis
Balance
Harmony- repeating patters
Variety
Repetition
Rhythm
Proportion
Unity

Act 48 code: HL302400

Staff Development: Winning Trust and Ambition

2010-02-23T14:23:00.002-05:00

Engagement is crucial for all learners.

Staff development is continuous.
Includes how teachers and administrators communicate on a daily, continual basis.

Send a thank you note.

Rejuvenation = Motivation

www.PETEClugar.wikispaces.com - survey

Act 48 code: GL312330

iPods in the Classroom

2010-02-22T11:31:00.003-05:00

Click here to find the session resources.

Set up all of he iPods all at one time. Using iTunes, load and name each ipod. Then select all of the apps and then load them on all of the ipods.
et up Apps for Education, evernote, etc on computers at school to familarize students with them before using iPods.

What Apps?

They use Evernote as an app for notetaking.
They use Evernote and Google Docs for collaborative docs. You can download a google Doc to see it, but changes need to be synced online on a computer.
Equiz- Can take practice quizzes- science, social studies, - applicable to many of the subjects.
Periodic Table
Graphing Calculator
Microphone App- purchased microphones from Amazon- MiniMic
Conversion
Edmodo Group CXT747
Use the mic to run Skype
Animoto for education
My eTextbooks
imindmap
SAT math prep

How do you purchase apps ?

District will cut checks to buy iTune gift cards.
Use district credit cards
Cut a purchase order

What about student work on the ipods?

Is it cleared?
Students upload all of their content.
Not a problem to have voice notes, evernote notes on ipods.
Attach files to Edmodo.

3 A's: Access, Analyze, Apply

Act 48 Code: VL062199

Comic Creation and 21st Century Peofessional Development

2010-02-22T10:19:00.003-05:00

How can comics provide an avenue for providing professional development?

Quite often we are teaching teachers, but not teaching them the way we want them to teach.
The goal was to use a different model to have teachers learn about technology, think deeply about content and become engaged.
This was based on a graduate level technology course. Many of the comics were created by teachers who didn't want to be there.

Why comics creation?

Builds visual literacy
Sustains interaction with content
Enhance motivation
Has potential for dual controversy
Values multiple perspectives
Appeals to males

It allows:

a forum to voice concerns
honest observations
safer- non-threating environment that allows for expression, questioning

When you are trying to get teachers to break out of the model of teaching they way they do, you need a way in through the strong barrier that already exists. Decker, 2007, identifies a "Comic Pedagogy" which identifies these elements about comics:

Sustains the question until the learning has a place of understanding
Attends to complexity and discourages the search for the simple
Embraces a 'punch line'- the counter-intuitive option

PD Structure with Comics

Choose a comic making tool
Partner on content
Start with a single panel prompt
Introduce an "in-service question"
Then try a multi-panel comic

Comic Builders
Comiqs- Online pc version of Comic Life
Bitstrips - school account available
Pixton
Make Beliefs Comics
Blabberize
Zwinky
Voki

Act 48 code: AL052162

Sir Ken Robinson: Finding Your Passion Changes Everything

2010-02-22T08:12:00.004-05:00

Finding Your Passion Changes Everything

Is Curiosity Valued in Your Classroom?

2009-10-19T22:23:00.004-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

I was just reading and viewing a video on Angela Maier's blog about curiosity. I've been thinking alot lately about the qualities that need to be fostered to nurture curiosity in our schools. The toddler who incessantly asks his parents questions. The small child who asks why. Where have these voices gone in our classrooms? There are days when I think we are so focused on programs, structures, and schedules that we have stamped out all opportunities for creativity to blossom.
Yet, we are challenged to help our students be 21st century learners who can think critically, think creatively, solve problems and collaborate. If we are do this, we must rethink the culture of our classrooms. How do you nurture curiosity in your classroom? What do you think needs to change?

Administrative Support for PLP

2009-09-25T13:49:00.001-04:00

Administrative Support of PLP

Social Networking Tools

2009-09-25T12:43:00.000-04:00

PLP Social Networking Tools

Powerful Learning Practice

2009-09-25T09:07:00.001-04:00

PLP Philadelphia

Freedom Writers- Erin Gruwell

2009-07-01T15:08:00.004-04:00

Thoughts and Ideas to Engage your Imagination and Hope for Change

Everyone has a journey and what is inportant is to first discover where it started and then figure out where it is going.
Teach to me not to the test.
Don't take away your students' hope.
Writing makes you immortal.
Look for the promise, potential and hope in your students.
Envision you students in their lives.
It's about teaching to a kid, not teaching to a test.
Education was the only way to equal an unfair playing field.
If you teach one, they will teach another.

STEM is Not a Four Letter Word

2009-07-01T08:31:00.005-04:00

WHY STEM?
STEM Ed coalition stated that the demand for scientists is going to increase in four fold in the coming years.

STEM literacy refers to an individuals ability to apply his understand of the world around him as appliem to STEM subjects. STEM learning is fundamental to the 21st century workforce.
think holistically process analytically proficient in estimation analysis and systems thinking and dynamics demonstrate expertise in computer based systems and be life long learners.

STEM Pathway Initiative- Portsmouth, Virginia

Identified 3 high demand industries that are clearly articulated through the VA science SOL- biotechnology geospatial techology and modling simulation-robotics. Created an elementary through high school pull-out program in these areas of need in the local area. Embedded in each program is teamwork, desision making, teamwrk, communication, problem solving, reasoning,applied math.

Elementary- All classes attend these four day pull-out programs.

Grade 4 Space Base Atlas- student created Atlas
Using Tom Snyder's Neighborhood Map Machine Software, esri/arcVoyger, Garmin GPS units, Laptop, Promethean

Grade 5 Enviro Camp
Using GLOBE data collection to study atmosphere, water sheds, oyster study
Using globe.gov, WMM, digital still camera, QX-3 digital microscopes

Grade 6 AeroBase
Building and launching of model rockets using Microsoft Flight Simulator- the rocketry program was based on the program from the Department of Defense (NASA materials) and adapted it for VA standards.

Middle School - Beginning in middle school, students must apply to attend.

Grades 7 Biobase
Students can apply for Biobase- biotech foundation
Expose students to biotechnology particularly forensics by focusing on a mystery that needs to be solved using Gel Electrophoresis, PCR, spectrophotometer, GPS, esri arcGIS, cameraz, Plotter Pointer, Digital Microscope

Grade 8 Robo Base
Focus Modeling and Simulation Students are set up with the problem of opering remotely on a sick astronaut and are challenged to build a model and then use Scratch to simulate its action whiledeveloping team building and decision making Using Lego mindstorm NXT robots, robolab programming software, scratch programming software.

Currently are writing a high school program that will give them a four year pathway of courses to follow.

Sylvia Martinez: Professional Development 30 Years Later

2009-06-30T12:33:00.006-04:00

Thirty years ago ISTE convened NECC with the same questions. What can we do to get people to use We need professinal development to help them get there.
What is the wall where teachers learn and where teacher teach? In workshops, in books, webinars, and yet what actually transfer ovet the wall into the classroom?
Community of Practice Research
The classrom is not a community of practice - how can we change that?
Tech Support
It is not just fixing hardware (all of it email, caeras, computers, and more) Fixing takes away from the time needed to learn. If you are fixing a problem, it is too late. Tech departments are now trying to mix tech support and tech integrators. Tech support is based on controlling and managing the hardware. Tech integrators are asking people to be resk takers, innovators, users of new programs and hardware. If they are working then there should probably be an upswing in the need for tech support.
Models of Professional Development
Using students as practitioners of technology. Teach students how to provide technology support for teachers. Why? Situated in their own classroom, models collaborative learning, allows students to play an important role provides support for technology use outside of formal professional development. Look at GenYES as the example.
The assumption that there is not enough is incorrect.
National Center for educational statistics 2000: Teachers said ther they were going
Stanford research Institiute 2002: 80% failure rate- teachers leaving professional development were leaving unable to implement the learning in their classrooms.
It is not lack of professional development but that the professional development is not working.

Internationally
Professional Development time internationally happens in the classrooms hours per day. They have a PLN ready to access within their schol.
Online professional development Schlager and Fusco reported that participants were more focused in discussing with their global friends, yet it was not going back to practice in the classroom.
Seymour Pappert - Teachers teach the way they were taught until they SEE something different. Tachers need the kind of activity where they are learning at the same time as the kids and with the kids. The culture of going away to learn something until you are perfect at it and then you can use it in the classrom
Classroom-embedded Professional Development
We need professional developmen in our own classroom, modeled in other classrooms, peer-mentoring/coaching, reverse-mentoring, with experts all around.
It requres a Paradigm Shift- We have to talk about professional development to make it open, celebrate mistakes, collaborative, just-in-time, practice, process, constuctivist, inside the classroom.
Looking at the podcast video of CJ- He shows you all of the skills and the know how of how-to do a podcast. If you have a CJ (and everyone does) then why aren't we using them to teach and help teachers learn to use technology in their teaching.

GenYES
A club of students headed by a lead teacher. The students are paired with teachers to create specific classroom lessons. The student and teachers plan, design and create. Students also learn collaborative skills to help them interact with their teachers. The research showed that 80-90% of the teachers who worked with the GenYES students said they would change the way they teach in the future. Who can say no to kids wanting to help out?
TechYES
Teachers helping teachers get things done in their classroom. We don't all need to know everything. We can get help from each other. Develop experts in specific areas who will help others.
Constructivist Professional Development
Walking the walk in your professional development is key. It takes time. You can't magic wand this into your classroom or district. Change desn't come with a checklist, it comes with hard work.
Elements
Authentic involvement
Trust/responsibiity
Real benefits for students
Adult guidance
Challenge and growth
Cycle of learner empowerment Begins with Empowerment- doing something authentic, and then follows with engagement, independence, responsibility, and trust.

Bob Kolvoord on Google Spatial Technologies

2009-06-30T10:56:00.004-04:00

Ever notice how people sit in rooms? We have the west coast (with outlets) and the east coast- a little more populated with quite a space/ocean in between.

The Case for Spatial Thinking
Recent national academy report learning to think spatially identified the need to help our students with this skill.
Spatial thinking is an ability to visualize and interpret location, distance, direction relationships, movement and change over space. (Sinton, 2009) We think in space all the time in our daily activities- where we are going, want to put things, find our way. We also think about space (science and geography) plate tectonics, cultural regions. We think with space (representations) periodic table of the elements
Issues and Areas
Key issues our students are facing- environmental issues- global climate change, global competition and the economy, transportation, sustainability , terrorism, nuclear war, water use and almost all of them rely on spatial geography. The two areas we rely on to teach those skills are earth and space science and geography that have minimal emphasis.
An Important Distinction
The ability to Visualize - show you stuff and Analyze- critically thinking about the data

Google Earth
You can go to a particular place and choose your view- bird's eye view or street view. Somewhere the ages of 10 and 12 students will develop the ability to conceptualize the bird's eye view. You can also stream real time data such as earthquake activity. Great way to visualize the patterns of earthquakes. But is doesn't allow you the ability to analyze them- count the number, compare the intensity. Offers the opportunity to go into the past, taking historical documents and laying them in their place. Allows you to make your own maps and trips. More and more things in the future are going to be location based with the ability to use GPS and the ability to find you and beam you information.
GIS- Geographic Information Systems
AEJEE - entry point into the GIS world- available and free for the Mac and PC with a growing catalog of activities.
ArcGIS is the professional tool which facilitates in-depth work available on the PC only. VA has a state-wide license.

Example - Elementary level activity
It is about making maps to ask and answer questions.
GIS is where the world of maps meets the world of databases. You can select a field to use to display on the map- such as the median age of each state population. Then ask a question- which states are younger? A hypothesis is formulated and then the map is displayed. According to the data- Utah is the one state comparatively with the lowest median age. Then we can ask further- why is that happening? You can put this software in front of fourth graders and they can make it hum. The challenge is getting them to think about what it means.
Example - Creating Maps with Lines of Longitude and Latitude
They can construct a map themselves putting the lines on the map themselves. The students can query the map- which cities have longitides greater than 0? Using spatial displays to think about space.
Example: Explore data about watersheds
GIS is about making layered maps. You can change the order of layers- turn them on and off starting with simpler maps. It is like rock, paper and scissors. What layers can do is cover other layers. Layer of water sheds covers the entire US while the layer of drainage systems can go on top allowing the watershed layer to still be visible.
Example with Election Results
Example Use of energy and production
Students are asked to analyze energy production and consumption- in 1984 the US was the largest oil producer in the world but we were also the largest consumers using 50% of what we producers. . Using the map layers, we can see that in the last 20years, our production has dropped when our use is 300% more than our production.

It's all about-
Building maps, understanding ther place in the world and asking questions about it.

GIS takes the map from Google Earth and allows you to sort, count, do statistics, makemeaning about the data, look for patterns.

Bricks and Mortar Classrooms?

2009-06-30T09:36:00.001-04:00

Bricks & Mortar Classroom

Are You Feeding Yourself?

2009-02-22T21:48:00.003-05:00

Image by cobannon via Flickr

I was asked to write an article for a coach workshop about personal learning networks and their ability to support those who may be the pioneers and trailblazers in their schools. Hopefully, this will also help you in supporting others just beginning their journey.

Are you feeling hungry for support?
As a coach you are continually giving of yourself. You provide support to other teachers, teach them new tools, and help them integrate them into teaching and student learning. While your job can be exhilarating, it also can be exhausting. When you constantly give so much to others, that full cup of enthusiasm, energy, and new ideas can quickly become empty.
While many are turning to you to support them in their new learning, to whom do you turn to support yourself in your new learning? Take charge of feeding yourself by building your own personal learning network using online tools.

Which of items from this smorgasbord of choices are on your personal learning network plate?
• Twitter or Plurk
• Reading Blogs
• Educator Networks like Classroom2.0
• Educational Broadcasts
• Podcasts
• Educational Videos
• Streaming Video
• Discussion Groups

Joining is step one in developing a personal learning network. Step two is participation. Put yourself out there for others to see and hear. Write your own blog. Create your own podcasts and videos. Step three is connecting with others. Recheck that list again. How much do you really connect with others using those tools? If you read an interesting blog post, leave a comment. If you listen to a thought-provoking broadcast, enter into the conversation. If someone tweets a question, answer it. Over time, these interactions will help you build relationships with fellow educators across the globe. Then when you make a request for help or information, you will have a community of like-minded people who will respond in favor.
Remember, whatever tool you choose, building a personal learning network requires joining, participating, and making connections. Do this and you will find you have a pantry full of help and support ready for any occasion.

Not On the Test

2009-02-21T18:00:00.005-05:00

Image by hyperscholar via Flickr

For teachers out there who are feeling the crunch of test crazed days ahead, this lullaby written for students by om Chapin posted on NPR may just be what is needed to bring a smile to your face.

For students out there who may be stressed out, here's a lullaby for our times. "Not on the Test" was written by John Forster and Tom Chapin. It is performed by Tom Chapin.

World Math Day 2009

2009-02-15T17:03:00.005-05:00

I just learned about Wold Math Day. World Math Day falls on March 4th this year. Students aged 5 to 18 can take part and whole classes can also register for the online math questions and fun! Students play against each other in mental arithmetic games. They play in real time with students from all over the world. Each game lasts for 60 seconds and they can play as many games as they wish. The questions are appropriately leveled for different ages and abilities. Be sure to register early to be a part of World Math Day this year.
An additional challenge for World Math Day is the TeacherTube Video Contest. Just record a two to three minute video highlighting how your students are preparing for World Math Day and you will have a chance to win great prizes. But hurry, the deadline for submitting your video is February 20. Watch the video below to learn more!

What Kinds of Writing Do You Do Everyday?

2009-02-14T15:39:00.006-05:00

Image by © dabawenya © (who's ready for a hunt?) via Flickr

Take Part in NCTE's National Day on Writing
October 20, 2009

Writing is a daily practice for millions of Americans. But few notice how integral writing has become to daily life in the 21st century.

To draw attention to the remarkable variety of writing we engage in and help make writers from all walks of life aware of their craft, NCTE is working to establish October 20, 2009, as the National Day on Writing.

To celebrate composition in all its forms, we are inviting diverse participants --students, teachers, parents, grandparents, service and industrial workers, managers, business owners, legislators, retirees and many more -- to submit a piece of writing to the National Gallery of Writing.

The National Gallery will be a digital archive of samples that exhibit how and why Americans are writing every day, accessible to all through a free, searchable website. Writers’ pieces will be accompanied by

* brief descriptive entries (meta-data) describing who the writer is,
* the genre of writing represented, and
* why s/he selected this particular piece to submit to the Gallery.

They will build the archive of writing submissions in the Gallery throughout 2009, before sharing it with the nation on the National Day on Writing. So now is the time to get thinking about how you will involve your students, teachers, and community in this project.

Check out these Writing Resources

Technology Staff Development that Works

2009-02-09T13:23:00.002-05:00

Technology Staff Development that works

Who Do You Follow?

2009-01-28T12:08:00.006-05:00

Well, this is a fun Twitter app tweeted by njtechteacher today.
Just enter your Twitter name and get a mosaic of followers from first to last with images. Just hover over their picture and you see their Twitter name and a link to their Twitter page.

Who do you recognize here?

STARS at East Vincent

2008-12-04T21:05:00.004-05:00

We having been have a wonderful learning experience together during our STARS time. The students have engaged in a variety of experiences to develop their reading, writing, research, and oral expressions skills. One project, The Best Book Poll, asked students to select their favorite book and to create a short oral commercial which included important story elements along with their reason why their book was the best. Each student created a podcast of their commercial using an iPod and TuneTalk microphone. Our next step is to ask other students to listen to the podcasts and vote for their favorite book.

Maybe you heard about our “All for One, One for All” project which was the November task for Voices of the World, a collaborative global project. Together we explored the theme of working together through read-alouds, independent reading, and through the creation of a short video which included our visual interpretation of the theme.

Have you heard about Morpheus Fortuna? He has been the focus of our current project. He is visiting our class, learning all about East Vincent, and experiencing all sorts of fun activities. Each student is writing about his experiences all over the school from the point of view of Morpheus Fortuna. In addition, we are taking photos of him to document all of the fun he is having.

An important part of learning is also sharing what you have learned with others. Our podcasts are ready to share with other students. Our writings about Morpheus Fortuna are ready to be shared through his blog. Helping to prepare our students for their futures in a globally flattening world is an important goal. With your permission, I would like to post their work and creations from our classroom projects online linked through my class website, LearningHub.wikispaces.com.

Online Safety

Learning to interact safely online is vital to your child’s work both at school and at home. Throughout our projects, we will address and emphasize the issue and continue to infuse online safety with every online opportunity. Please note that no personal information about your child or photos of your child will be shared online. Students will create their online pseudonym (alias) as their online identify. In addition, each student will create an avatar (a personal icon that is not their picture) for their online presence.

Afternoon Tech Rotation Part 1: Google Maps, Earth and SketchUp

2008-11-18T14:09:00.008-05:00

Google Maps, Earth and SketchUp presented by Thomas Cooper

Tools that Talk to Each Other
How could you use these tools?
Google Apps- preschoolers learning their address and then find it on Google Earth
Lower School - Research explorers and then posted text into Google Maps
Middle School - Bought 30 GPS units from Garmin. Plotted out a scavenger hunt at the zoo (3 different paths) and students
used the tool to calculate mathematical questions- shortest route/ route that does not make you repeat any site visited

Google Maps
Go to My Maps and then click on Measuring Tool

Google Earth Pro
Email geec@google .com If you are interested in a Google Pro grant.
Back and forth questions and answers to verify that you actually need
Handles GPS data and also contains MovieMaker which enables you to animate tours
Measuring Tools provide the polygon and circle additionally to measure the distance and area. Using the polygon, you can draw any path that you want and determine distance which will enable you to compare alternate paths.

Collaboration and Google Earth
How can we use Google Earth to post collaborative tools online?
To write code on Google Earth look for the KLM Handbook on Amazon.

SketchUp
Major undate has just been launched- SketchUp version 7
When in Rome...Teach!
Competition just launched for teachers to build curriculum about this layer- Deadline February 2009
Check it out at Google.com/educators
Turn on 3D layers
Go to layers and then Gallery in layers
Look for Ancient Rome 3D
You can view 3D images of what Ancient Rome looked like

Visit Geo Education Home
Training teachers in astronomy using Google Sky
Also working on the National Geographic Bee

Tech Tool Rotation #1 Google Docs

2008-11-18T10:54:00.011-05:00

Google Docs - The End of Flash Drives - Presented by Erica Hartman

What can you do with Google Docs?

Promote group collaboration
Keep track of grades, attendance, or
any other data
Facilitate writing as a process
Teach revision. proofreading and editing skills
Create quizzes and tests using spreadsheets forms,
Encourage collaborative presentation skill
Collaborate on a document with fellow teachers
Maintain, update and share lesson plans
Track and organize cumulative project data

Connection make the difference!
Students love that they can see that their partner is or is not doing their part on the project by checking the document history.
Students also twinkle when they see that their partner is online at the same time that they are and are editing their document.

Inserting footnotes enables them to make comments, suggestions. It is added as a popup on the side of the document.
The variety of templates available simplifies the creation process. Just make sure to retitle the template when it goes into your docs.
Students can also Insert Comments by selecting the item from the menu.

Google Spreadsheets
Tip- make sure you always set the time settings so it updates correctly
Simple use- se to have student record the number of minutes they are reading independently
Highlight data to create chart

Google Gadgets
Able to highlight and select data and then create a gadget
Screencast on inserting charts and gadgets in spreadsheets

Google Forms
Use forms for students to evaluate their blogs or anything
Use forms for voting and then use the Google Analytics to analyze the data

Google Apps for Education and Docs
Hosts it on her own domain created on GoDaddy for under $5.00 as opposed to using one though Google
Students share all docs with the teacher and their partner
Students cannot access email and Google chat
On the Link Library there is an example of permission form for students use of gmail for students under the age of 13

Writing curriculum with other teachers

IDEA - Boot Camp for Parents

Tech Tool Rotation #1 - Google Sites

2008-11-18T10:24:00.008-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Google Sites- Presentation by Lisa Thurman

What is Google Sites? It was recently acquired by Google and launched last February.

Some elements of Google Sites to explore:

To embed YouTube videos- you only need to paste the url
Embed Google Docs and Spreadsheets- Unit on biotechnology
Purpose and Audience- Decide first and then select the tool
Google Site gives you 100mb of storage
Google Apps- 10 gig of storage
Here are 5 different types of page types which can be changed for each page
Filing Cabinet
Calendar
23 themes to choose from

Cheryl Davis: Example of how to use Google Sites with professionals- Use it ot create and collaborate on living curriculum documents

Example of use with students

How to embed VoiceThread on a Google Sites. Follow this Screencast! Screencast on embedding Voicethread to Google Sites

What a Day...Google Teacher Academy, New York

2008-11-18T09:30:00.008-05:00

Image by via CrunchBaseWOW! What a day is planned for us at the Google Teacher Academy in New York today! Sixty educators including administrators are gathered here to learn about all of the Google apps, to explore innovative ways to use them in education, and to meet and connect with all of the wonderful and talented people gathered here today.

INSPIRING IDEA #1

Expanding Learning Networks Beyond School Walls -

Write a Letter to the President Project
Use Google Spreadsheets to create groups of students- sorted by High, medium, low, reading levels to create homogenous groups
Created a Google form to poll students asking them what their goals were, what they were excited about, what questions they had
Using Google Docs students worked collaboratively to write a letter to the President. Using the Footnote feature, students were able to provide constructive criticism offering suggestions and ideas for revision.
Revision history was useful in knowing what work was done
Created a template for students to use as the basis for their letters.

RESULTS: Rigor+Engagement+Differentiation=Student Achievement

piZap.com

2008-11-09T15:51:00.001-05:00

What Do Your Plurks Say About You?

2008-09-21T15:49:00.003-04:00

Are you a user of Plurk? It has come to grow on me, now a daily part of my onneting with my PLN. I do know that I am creating a rather large digital footprint through all of my microblogging, blogging, websites, and collaborations. Just try searching your name on Google- you might be surprised to see what you discover. Well, Google isn't the only site tracking your digital thoughts. This Plurk Analytic analyzes your Plurks to give others some insight into you. From an analysis of my Plurks I discovered the following can be said about me:

likes to share stuff
feels the world
is seeking answers by asking questions
wonders how, wonders why

Plurk Analytics analyzes the comment qualifiers users most frequently use and then creates a Plurk Cloud of frequently used words and phrases. So who are you and what do your online thoughts say about you?

Wikispaces Does it Again- Only BIGGER This Time

2008-09-10T08:53:00.003-04:00

In my last post I talked about Wikispaces surpassing their 100,000 free wikispaces for K - 12 educators give away. I was hopeful that with the 100,00 mark surpassed that they might continue to offer wikispaces to educators that are advertising free. My hopes have been realized! If you didn't hear the news, here are some highlights from the press release:

Two and a half years ago we decided that all K-12 teachers should have advertising-free, private, unlimited use wikis for free. No fine print, no usage limits, no catches. So far, it’s been a great success. We’ve given away over 100,000 free K-12 wikis used by over 535,000 educators and students!
We have worked with hundreds of you every day and heard your stories of engaged students and excited teachers. We have loved supporting such a vibrant community and learning how to build a better service for you. It’s what gets us excited about coming to work every morning. Thank you for making this such a rewarding experience.
250,000 More K-12 Wikis - Like the first 100,000, all of our K-12 wikis feature all the benefits of our Plus service:full privacy, only the people you allow in can see your wiki no advertising, your online classroom will remain ad-free unlimited use, as many users, pages, edits, and files, as you like, no limits a customizable look and feel, so you can make it feel like home The offer is worldwide and is available for any wiki that is used exclusively for K-12 (primary and secondary) education.

Click here to create your own K-12 educational wiki. Or, click here to access training resources for using Wikispaces in education. Already using Wikispaces? Share your experiences; click here to learn more.

It is so good to know there are companies out there championing and supporting our work with students. THANK YOU Wikispaces...you are the BEST!

Mission Accomplished: 100,000 Wikispaces for Educators

2008-09-07T19:28:00.012-04:00

Back in January 2006, Wikispaces decided to offer give away
100,000 free K-12 Plus wikis. That included all the features and benefits that normally cost $50/year - for free. No fine print, no usage limits, no advertising, no catches. They hoped that educators would try a wiki at their school and help spread the word. Last evening, my visit to Wikispaces showed their counter to look like this:

Well, it seems that word has spread. This evening, a quick visit to check on the counter found that it looked like this:

100,000 wikis later, they have surpassed their goal and seem to still be going strong.

I know that I have certainly created and used numerous wikispaces to support my students' collaborative and global projects. My students have been excited and inspired as they worked and edited their wikis, peer editing their stories, reviewing favorite books, sharing their math connections, learning about lives in other countries, and connecting with others around the world. Their experiences and learning came alive on Wikispaces. Thank you Wikispaces for being an advocate for the education of students.

Do you think Wikispaces noticed that they reached their 100,000 mark?
Will they continue to offer free wikispaces for K-12 educators?

I for one, certainly hope so!

A New Beginning- Do You Believe Me?

2008-09-06T21:13:00.003-04:00

After all of the planning, organizing, rearranging, this week another school year began. The feeling of anticipation filled the air as students flowed into the school with hope in their hearts. The hope of students worldwide are echoed in the words of Dalton Sherman, a fifth grader as he spoke to over 20,000 district personnel in Dallas ISD.

“Do you believe in me?”

Decision 2008 - Developing Tomorrow's Citizens

2008-09-06T21:05:00.002-04:00

The presidential election of 2008 provides a wonderful opportunity to help your students understand the electoral process and their responsibility as citizens of the United States. Numerous sites are available to help guide your students in studying and understanding the election. Here as just a handful that appeared this week.

Voting For A Book : NPRAn elementary teacher holds an election for a book president.
Math Problem: Democratic Convention's Logistics : NPR

Wordle - Obama's Acceptance Speech

Sarah Palin VP Acceptance Speech in Wordle | Thoughts from a tech specialist...

Cable in the Classroom - eLECTIONS

Help your students learn about politics with the eLections interactive game.
The Exchange

Website for developing the student adgenda for 2008 from the issues of the 2008 presidential campaign.
Home (K12 Elections)

Collaborative project site for posting projects about the 2008 presidential election.

Links for the Week of 8/17/08

2008-08-22T15:17:00.002-04:00

This week read about living and learning in the 21st century. Think how you will capitalize on the information and energy of the 2008 presidential election and find some fun Web2.0 Tools.

The Code and The Challenge of Learning to Read It - Video Tour INDEX

Access to 13 video segments about the reading crisis of learning to read.
Open Thinking & Digital Pedagogy » How to Stream Skype to Ustream (Mac)
PBS Teachers | Access, Analyze, Act: A Blueprint for 21st Century Civic Engagement

Curriculum guide and web resources for 21st century civic engagement.
Twitly

Enables you to crate groups for Twitter.
Workbench - Database

Interactive activities and simulation with atoms and molecules. or rule-gased genetics.
Utterz - Mobile Multimedia Discussions

Start a discussion from your computer or phone.
DISQUS | Turn Blog Comments into a Webwide Discussion with a Powerful Comment System

A comment system that enhances the discussion on websites. Track and bridge conversations.
Nomads at last | Economist.com

Articles from the Economist.com that highlight the way wireless access is changing the way we live.
QuickStart Guide for Internet Research with Google Notebook » Moving at the Speed of Creativity

A pdf guide for using Google Notebook for research.
UnBoxed: online [ Current Issue ]

A journal of Adult Learning in Schools. Design Principles include personalization, adult world connection, common intellectual mission, & teacher as designer.
GoAnimate - Homepage

Translate and Calculate

2008-08-11T22:07:00.005-04:00

One of the most challenging aspects of this trip has been my need to adapt to the use of the Metric system of measurement instead of the English system.

What will the weather be today?
21 degree Celcius…
What does that mean?

Gasoline- $1.45 a liter
Is that cheap, expensive?

The speed limit maximum is 80 kilometers per hour.
So how fast is that?

It is 45 kilometers to Jasper.
So how far is that?

I understand the Metric system, have taught my students about the metric system, yet I am struggling to be able to use it effectively and efficiently within my daily life experiences while I am here in Canada.

I find that I am at a loss to identify any benchmark experience that I can use as my guide. It is my need to translate between the two systems that has me in a quandary. All of my teaching and learning has not been enough to help me use the metric system. I have not had enough experiences to solidify my understanding of what 21 degrees Celcius means in terms of helping to guide me in deciding what I should wear for the day’s weather.

How long will it take us to get to Jasper, if it is 45 kilometers away? My understanding of how long it will take to arrive at a destination is extricably linked to my lifetime experiences of how long it takes to travel somewhere whether I am traveling 60 miles an hour or 35mph.
These experiences drive home the problem with mathematics instruction. Math textbooks introduce a new concept every two pages. How can a student possibly understand the concept if they practice it only briefly? How can we help students develop a deeper understanding of the concepts?

What would it take for me to develop the same working conceptual knowledge of the Metric system as I have of the English system of measurement? How could we build these experiences into our students’ lives? Could we report the weather each day in both Fahrenheit and Celcius? Could we post distances on signs in both miles and kilometers?

But, the question also begs to be asked- should we?

The United States is bound to the English system of measurement, while most other countries uses the Metric system.

Do our students need to have more than the knowledge that there are two different systems of measurement?

To be able to navigate the world as global citizens, I say Yes!

We must help our students develop deeper understandings.
To continue to live in an UScentric mindset will not benefit them.

But, isn’t this also a similar problem with learning other languages?

Continuing On...

2008-08-11T21:10:00.004-04:00

The trip continues…
We leave Lake Louise and head north.
The first stop is Peyto Lake, another turquoise blue glacier fed lake. The walk to see it is a short, but steep hike, which provides ample opportunities to admire the beautiful wildflowers growing along the trail. At the top, you are rewarded with a breathtaking view of the lake.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.

Then onto the Athabasca Glacier, which is part of the Columbia Ice Field in Jasper National Park…
The Athabasca Glacier flowing downhill from the Columbia Ice Field is moving so slowly that you cannot see it move. Your eye does not perceive its massive size until you are on it.
BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.

The water we are drinking which has melted from snow that fell 150 years ago. It is the purest water you can drink. But how long will we continue to have these sources of water? How long will it be before the glaciers are completely gone? The Park Service talks about the natural cycle of growth and receding of glaciers. But, that is relative to thousands of billions of years- not our lifetime. In exploring the beauty and majesty of these natural scenes, I can’t help but consider what impact humans have had in changing the landscape and whether there is any change of reversing the damage we have done.

But, there is no cell phone service and the only internet service can only be accessed through a computer with an antiquated hard drive at the cost of $2.00 for 15 minutes. Even the movie we are watching via the dish satellite network paused and flashed the message “Poor signal quality”. We have entered into a world that I do not experience except when there are power outages. The digital divide definitely exists here!
The feeling of being disconnected is disconcerting. For my son, it is painful. His need to be connected with his friends is an essential part of his life. I remember when we had taken a trip years back when my daughter was a teenager. We were not as connected then, but IM was a part of her daily life. The need to find a hotel with an internet connection was a priority in her mind. While an internet connection is a bonus for my son, it is cell phone access that is a priority. He text messages as if it were IM, smiling and laughing as each new message arrives. He sends photos of his recent sightings of interesting cars and sights sharing his experiences as he goes inviting his friends to become a part of his experience. The world is much smaller and flatter for him and millions of others. Being connected is part of his being in the world.

Finding a Master Teacher on the Rapids

2008-08-10T16:25:00.009-04:00

The Thai Stem massage worked its magic…
Today will test whether the knots of tension will return. We are off to go zip-lining and white water rafting over the Kicking Horse River.

Zip-lining is really quite simple, after you attach all types of safety harnesses and the zip-line roller. Sit down in the harness, the ripcord is pulled and off you go- flying through the air. Arms out to slow down. Torpedo style to speed up. Raise your legs up at the end as a brake slows you down to a stop. The ride is both fun and exhilarating.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Powered by BubbleShare

Zip-lining side-by-side, it is fun to see who will be first. But, it is clear that weight is the deciding factor. The one who most needs to go on a diet always wins!
The last zip-line ride takes requires a climb to the top of a tower. From there we sail through the air, across the Kicking Horse River where we spot rafts out on the river- our next stop!

There are several raft companies on the river. We selected the Kootenay Raft Company for our afternoon ride. With the glacier water in the river running at about two degrees above a slushie, we prepare ourselves by dressing in a wet suit, polar fleece jacket, followed by a water repellant jacket which velcros tightly at the neck in hopes of keeping the frigid water from trickling down our backs. Add in wet suit boots, a helmet, and a paddle and we are ready to brave the rapids. Standing by the water’s edge, all rafters on the trip are instructed with demonstrations in safety guidelines and in what to do if you happen to fall overboard- clearly something I DO NOT WANT TO HAPPEN TO ME!

We group ourselves into three boats and the raft trip begins slowly, as our guide, Pierre, works to teach six independent rafters how to paddle, follow commands, and work together. He begins by clearly explaining what is expected. Having rafted before, much of this is not new to our family, but it is new to the family that is rafting with us. First, let me make it clear, that it is the experienced guide that will make our trip a success. He will be the one that helps us navigate the river with his knowledge of the river and the water. Without him, all of us would be in the river or would simply not make it down the river. We are to follow every command he gives to ensure our safety and enjoyment of the trip. Within the first few commands, it is clear that the young boy sitting in front of me, Andy, is not following the commands of the guide. When the guide calls ‘that is enough’ or ‘take a rest’, he continues to paddle. He sticks his paddle into the water and paddles when he is not asked to paddle. A small rapid sends him jumping to the middle of the boat. How the guide handles this is fascinating to observe. Initially, Pierre provides directions to all of the rafters in the boat, explaining what needs to be done. In a second attempt, he comes to the front of the boat and demonstrates to the young man, Andy, and my son how they should sit, wedge their foot for safety and paddle. As the raft trip continues, Pierre then becomes more directive, specifically stating that the two in the front need to watch each other to ensure that they are paddling at the same time. Each rower behind them should do the same. At one point, Pierre, directs his comments directly to Andy. Using a slight joking tone, he questions, “What are you doing quitting on me up there? Are you getting tired?” As we maneuver the raft down the river, Pierre laments that he feels that he is usually very precise, but is missing about fifty percent of what he is steering for and aiming for us to experience. How like a teacher to feel the lack of success as a personal failing. At one point, Pierre suggests that we give someone else a chance in the front, nodding to Andy’s brother Ned. But, Ned will have nothing of it. Nothing seems to be working.
The entire time, the teacher voice in me is screaming to come out. How is it that Andre is not seeing the situation in the same way? He does not appear to even recognize that he is not meeting the expectations of the guide. He has not absorbed the idea that this must be a coordinated effort. After Pierre calls for us to stop paddling once again and repeats the command again with no response from Andy, I find that I am unable to hold it in any longer. I speak my only sentence about the situation to Andy, “He doesn’t want you to paddle now.” He finally stops.
Now shall I add in that his mother breaks into humming and singing everytime the action on the rapids gets exciting?

Truly, the rapids were wonderful. We rafted through class 2, class 3, and class 4 rapids. The exhilaration and adrenaline of paddling your way through challenging rapids with icy water splashing and soaking you was thrilling. It is because of our talented and experienced guide Pierre that we were able to have such an amazing experience. His calm, yet determined and differentiated, approach to guiding his rafters was masterful. His understanding and ability to adjust his guiding and steering to compensate for the uneven paddling of his rafters was truly the mark of a master teacher.

Taking a Break

2008-08-08T21:18:00.003-04:00

Summer provides a chance to take a break from everyday routines, to rejeuvenate your self, and to experience new people and places. This summer we headed from Philadelphia to Toronto and then to Calgary where we headed out to explore the Canadian Rockies. As we began our drive out of Calgary, the mountains slowly began to rise up out of the earth. The scene gives promise that this break would be spectacular.

We’ve arrived in Lake Louise for a two-night stay at the Post H otel. Nestled beside the Pipestone River. I can hear the rapids running as I stand on our balcony. The ‘town centre’ is a small strip mall of gift shops, a grocery store, bakery, deli, sports store, art gallery, candy/ice cream shop, and liquor store, accented with two gas stations, a restaurant and an information center. The size of the town centre belies the number of people that visit here. Just beyond the town center is the gigantic Lake Louise Fairmount Hotel, a destination in itself, nestled on the edge of Lake Louise.

But, it is the Spa at the Post Hotel and a Thai Stem Massage that I am looking forward to the most…a relaxing ninety minutes of massage, stretching and a soothing hot lemongrass rub. It will magically release the tension and muscle knots that seem to be impervious to all other remedies.

Who's Who and What's What in Library 2.5?

2008-08-05T12:53:00.009-04:00

Feed, Tag, Research: Remixing for School Library 2.5
Presented by a Who’s Who Panel in Library 2.5:
Joyce Valenza. Cathy Nelson, Carolyn Foote, Anita Beaman, Diane Cordell, and Kim Cofino
So you think your world has changed? Drop in and see how this international line-up of school librarians have embraced the tools and rethought what it means to be a librarian and have a library.

Librarians are the school CIO

We need to lead from the center.
We need to partner in the information landscape.
We need to communicate with our learners in remote ways.
We need to lend digital flash drives, digital cameras.
The library should be a place to go for anything you need in terms of knowledge.

Rethinking databases.

We need widgets and gadgets and an amazon-like business model that allows us to subscribe when we need it.
Students don't know what the databases they need.
We need to make them available to them as they need them and be able to set up RSS feeds to receive the data.
Think about information in a bigger way
News is not just in English and Western.

Rethinking Collections

Collection includes the knowledge that our students give us.
How do we gather that together and make it available for others?
How do we organize the students' work and insure equity?
How do we ensure equitable information access and delivery? See Intellectual Freedom for Youth by Annette Lamb
Engage Ethics- making sure that everyone in your school is aware and that they also contribute not just use it.

Changing Your Perspective

Using the tools for professional development
Using the tools for Parent workshops
Think about working with an administrator differently.
Principals may not be aware what the library is there for.
Maybe the library needs to look at how they market themselves.
What do you want from our school librarian?
Are we sure what the mission is for the campus mission?
How can we help them?
How can you be transformative and be a change agent?
The key is advocating for students first not advocating for the library or the program

How to be Popular with Your Principal

Share, share, share
Figure out how your principal learns best? Just like you would with the students.
Podcast, summarize and highlight
Email a link, read a book, send a youtube video
Be there- be at meetings, be a resource
Be a partner, not a judge. If you are judging you are not working as a parter
Share your campus success stories.

Think of Yourself as a Corporate Librarian

Read principal blogs, journals, etc.
Think of your librarian as innovation central- be the person for innovative creative thinking.
Focus on the big picture - on the whole campus, not just the library.
All the new web2.0 tools are just a new way of interacting with others
Create a shared vision.
Do ongoing workshops.
Embrace technology yourself.
Think about ways you can start leaderless organizations to empower others to do the same.
Change the way you see yourself!

How to Reach Out and Get Others Involved

There are too many choices- need to help others change in small ways
Need to expand the SPACE that people are operating in and the mindset they are bringing to the situation
Engage other teachers as co-learners
eliminate the stress others feel- make them comfortable learners
Step 1- interview them- What are you doing now? What do you think might need revamping or change?
The tools need to support the content
Reassure people that everyone is an expert
Don't come at them with a lot of vocabulary that they do not understand
Use word that the learne can identify with
Narrow the choices and help them select
One size does not fit all
If the old tools work better than you don't need to do something
You are a help point- be there physically to help them out
Age doesn't matter- encourage lifelong learning
Have fun- play with things, don't be afraid to fail
Celebrate success

Also visit these sites for additional information:

http://technotuesday.edublogs.org
necclibrarians08.wikispaces.com
www.futura.edublogs.org

Should You Allow Cell Phones in School?

2008-08-04T21:05:00.015-04:00

It's in Your Pocket: Teaching Spectacularly with Cell Phones
presented by Hall Davidson at NECC 2008, San Antonio

With common controversies about student use of cell phones in school, Hall Davidson asks us to step back and consider what they could be used for if they were allowed in schools.

Current Best Practices with Cell Phones

telephone
text messenger
video player
still camera
GPS device
Internet
Podcast
Music player

Can we really ignore such a readily available device?
The parents are not going to let you take their cell phones away because they can ‘track, monitor, stalk, tether, document’ their kids actions with them.

A few statistics...
Globally, there are twice as many active users of SMS text messages as there are users of email.
3.6 billion cell phones already in use
30 countries exceed 100% penetration in 2006

So how could we use a cell phone?

qik – Get a live feed from your cell phone. From a cellphone the principal can watch the security cameras in the building from IP security cameras.
Create and upload videos from cell phone- Fill out mobile profile on youtube, go onto camera and send video file.

Video sub plans
Administrator sending video updates
Push video messages out to the public – engadget mobile
Pre and post survey of what student learned today

Jott

Twitter a message
Send an email reminder
Send to blogs
Instant transcription service - Document an intervention in RTI
Translation

GCast

Record podcasts
Record interviews, podcasts while on a field trip

Text

Text me a story in six words
PollEverywhere- real time 41411
Can also poll by sending text message
2D bar code- Take a picture of the bar code and will get info about item.

With all of these uses is it any wonder why our students love their cell phones?

So, when are we going to realize that a powerful tool is readily available in the hands of our students without a district having to go out and buy more expensive hardware?

iphone photo by neodelphi on flickr
photo by tow_adam on flickr

Children Connecting

2008-07-29T15:17:00.007-04:00

JIM CARLETON AND MALI BICKLEY
Presentation at
NECC 2008, San Antonio

We are entering "The World is Flat" era of education.
How can we inform, enlighten, and connect our children across time and space?

Jim and Mali shared the numerous collaborative projects in which they have involved their students.

photo on flickr by carf
GLOBAL MURAL PAINTING PROJECT

MY HERO – A project promoting positive role models- myhero.com
ONE DREAM – A project to develop the relationship between two classes
• School wide collaboration website project
• Idea to help another school across the world- war affected students of Sierra Leone
• Raised funds to purchase technology to ship to them
• Then ask them to document the growth of the community

ART MILES PROJECT
• Creation of 1/ 2 mural by each culture send the 1/2 mural
• The other country paints the second half (based on Paper Bag Princess and the second 1/2 on a different story)
• Mural travels to art museums around the world

ZERO FOOTPRINT KIDS CALCULATOR - New project through iEARN about global warming

Lets the kids be the leaders and to take ownership of their learning.

We are crossing the line in the way students learn and need to adopt the way they learn out of school. We need to help them use these tools safely, confidently.

Engage students in real projects that make a difference in the world.

Having live interactive communication is vital!

By connecting the students with others across the world, they find a way in to understand current events and then want to learn and understand more.

Goals drive the tools.

It is about the connections and making the relationships.

The traits within Commit to Character were being developed through the collaborative projects. The traits became action words for them, changing who the students are. The words are who the children are becoming.

Collaborating across the world also increased collaboration within the school.
• Through collaboration the curriculum was developed in a meaningful connected way.
• Over a five-year period the test scores rose over 20% across the board.

Yes, there can be difficulties along the way.
Partners in other countries fell apart. Time zone differences can be difficult to negotiate around. And at times there were tech problems. Communication between IT and ICT is key.

Words of Advice and a Call to Action
• Take steps to take to begin
• Be willing to take a risk
• Follow your passion
• Collaborate, collaborate
• Please ask for help
• Work together
• Don't wait until you think you know what you want to do and know how to do it
• Your students and others will help you along the way
• Dream BIG
• Impact your student and the rest of the world

What kind of world do you want to live in?

Convene, Connect, Transform

2008-07-29T14:34:00.013-04:00

Ideas presented by CEO of ISTE Don Knecek
at NECC2008, San Antonio

We need to transform schools into global learning portals

ISTE could stand for the

International
Society for
Transforming
Education

• Schools can't continue as if the world hasn’t
changed and that there is a globalization of
economy
• Imperative for all to think and innovate
• Whole new meaning to competitiveness
• Sprinkling of tech literacy is no longer enough
• Command digital environment
• Collaborate and communicate
• Innovate projects and solutions
• Be co-learners with students and colleagues
• Learning with and from students is imperative
• Teachers come from all over the world- virtually and literally
• Teaching and learning as isolated endeavors is no longer

We are entering "The World is Flat" era of education.

We must build capacity for transformation
and
build Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships in education,
across stakeholder groups
and up and down levels.

Links for the Week of 7/7/08

2008-07-12T20:55:00.004-04:00

It's Been a Very Busy Week Online! Don't miss the additional links from NECC2008.

Jakesonline Wiki
One Hour PowerPoint presentation by David Jakes and Dean Shareski at NECC 2008. Using design principles to improve powerpoint presentations.
Google Spreadsheet example

Generating a map from a Google Spreadsheet.
Notes from McTeach: THE Web 2.0 Directory

Web 2.0 Directory posted through Scribd. A comprehensive direcgtory to a ton of social networking site.
Building 21st Century Skills

A preview of the student outcomes from the 21st Century Partnership framework
necclibrarians08 » home

Wiki for Library2.0 NECC2008 panel presentation.
NECC 2008 Webcasts

List of vidcasts and podcasts from NEC2008 sessions.
Ping.fm / Update all of your social networks at once!
Around the Corner - MGuhlin.net : Assess Your 8th Graders for Free

Assess your 8th graders tech literacy for free compliments of Texas
Around the Corner - MGuhlin.net : Help Deeply Moved by NECC2008

A kindergarten teacher's view of using technology in her professional practice.
21st Century classrooms and learning | Not So Distant Future

Blog post about Chris Lehmann's NECC2008 presentation.
The Best Collaboration Tools

An extensive list of current collaboration tools.
Copyright issues in the classroom and beyond

Copyright issues in the classroom and beyond.
Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech » Blog Archive » The Real Magic of K12 Online

Stream of K12Online presentation at NECC2008.
Flip Video - Educational Discount

Get an educational discount for the Flip Video Camera - $15 rebate coupon.
UbD21C » home

Wiki which supports Chris Lehmann's NECC 2008 presentation.
aquaculturepda » Ning

Tutorial with screenshots for using Ning.
PBS Teachers | learning.now . PBS Teachers Embraces Social Networking and Bookmarking Tools | PBS

PBS Teacher Connect Social bookmarking from PBS- blogs, bookmarking.

A Spark that Ignites the Power of Learning Collaboratively

2008-07-02T11:31:00.011-04:00

The Magic of Digital: Collaborative Interaction in Teacher Professional Development
Presented by Wes Fryer, Darren Kuropatwa, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, and Dean Shareski NECC 2008

Conferences are typically finite, but through blended professional development, the opportunity to learn continues. A tiny fraction of teachers are participating, so how can we increase the number of teachers participating?

Through Blended Professional Development- K12Online
It will be there when you are ready to go to it.

Provide professional development credit for teachers for accessing the content
show them the content- select an element and then share three things about it
other people have dealt with the same issues that we are dealing with- having teachers from other countries helps teachers to understand it
What are academic needs for your school? Develop and create your PD around it.

K12Online Shanghai- Jeff Utecht exlained his model for using K12Online as professional development with teachers in his school.
What did you learn through K12 Online learning- what were the learning points?

Connection - 4 Saturdays in a row with his teachers- watch the keynote together
Then 1 1/2 hours you could select any sessions within the strand you selected.
Then created podcasts as a group about the experience that day.
In addition was able to provide graduate credit for the teachers.
International schools partner with US graduate school- blog posts,replies, etc. became the reflection necessary for the graduate course.

Unbounded Learning- not "Bell" Bounded

Live events-Fireside Chats and When Night Falls
Wes - Sustained conversations over time change us
Live events provided some of the social glue that bind us together.

It is about student learning.
Part of publishing is showcasing work.

Learning how to learn yourself so you can analyze it and then teach your students how to do it.

It is all about people.

How do you plan to engage people in learning together?

How can the K12Online Conference be a stimulus to ignite learning with your staff?

k12online photo by Wesley Fryer on flickr
Skypetation by todbaker on flickr

expressive learning

2008-06-30T09:46:00.017-04:00

Blogging Communities in the Classroom: Creating Engaging Learning Experiences
presented by Konrad Gonglowski at NECC2008

Engaging students in blogging can look very different across classrooms and grade levels, with a variety of purposes being served. But, what happens when a writing workshop approach is used when students blog? How will the habits of teaching and learning change and be developed?

How can we make our classroom a Third Place- a place where people go to hang out?

Create a sense of constant interactions and fun and kids can enter any group and interact with each other
Moving away from prompts and pre-identified ways to write toward students writing about that which is important to them

How will the uses and activities change?

useful sustainable active
opportunities for expressive student voice
have freedom to do that
freedom to speak
Freedom to customize, build, design
Freedom to interact and network
To form networks with others and share common interests and goals
They will find something that they are interested in following

How can we provide Access and Linkage

We need a public space that needs to be accessible
We need to propose what are students are doing in the community
We need to define community
We need to create a place where the interactions can be seen- one web page that hyperlinks to their blogs

How will our teacher stance change to develop expressive writing? What is the difference between expressive writing and school writing?

Expressive writing will extend classroom discourse and can't be clearly defined.
School writing has clearly defined formats and specific guidelines.
Expressive writing is developed through writing and responding to ideas that mak a difference to the writer.
School writing is a skill to be acquired - not something that comes from yourself.
Expressive writing is what you do when you are passionate about something or want to sort or think through something.
Expressive writing is full of voice.
School writing can be voiceless.
Expressive writing is written for an audience of many.
School writing is written for one person to see

How does grading and rubrics affect student writing?

The potential for conversation ends
Language as a tool for shaping meaning is compromised
Contributions to an ongoing discourse do not exist
There are not active participants to further inform meaning

You need to redefine your presence- trade your teacherly voice.

It will take time to change your voice
Read differently- like you are reading a novel- not like a teacher who will assess
Have instructional conversations
Be a reader not an evaluator
Show that you are human- share your feelings, connections to your experiences
Make everyone feel heard- link to specific student entries

We need to help guide our students see the journey they will embark upon and the steps along the path that will enable them to grow a writers and thinkers.

How to Grow a Blog-Student goal setting

What do I want my blog to look like in June?
Roots- How do I sustain it? What resources will I tap in to feed and support my ideas?
What habits will I develop?

Ustream of presentation at http://tinyurl.com/2adfyo

techsaavy picture on flickr by Mike Sansone
How to Grow a Blog on flickr by teachandlearn

Web2.0 Smackdown

2008-06-28T15:17:00.005-04:00

What happens when you put about 150 educators who love technology in one room and ask them to share their coolest Web2.0 tool?

Check out the whirlwind tour!

Poll Everywhere
Create multiple choice polls and have students use their cell phones to answer- works with classroom sizes up to 30.

Chacha
1- 800 tochacha Use your cell phone to call and ask a question. You will receive a text message with the answer.

Animoto
Create music videos for your images and pictures.

CoverItLive
Blog live sessions. As moderator you accept others to join in with you in blogging about the event.

Qik
Via your cell phone you can do live streams, post an announcement of the stream on Twitter, and embed it on the web. Also includes chat capability.

Mogulus
A tv studio which enables you to have multiple cameras and switch between them.

HandiPoints
A game kids play to teach responsible habits. Kids earn points for doing chores, homework, and staying healthy.

MakeBelifComics
Make your own comics and then take screen shots to embed them on your site.

ajaxim
A free that tool will enable you to create your own IM network.

Doodle
Helps scheduling meetings and other appointments. Simply set up a poll, send a link to plan and schedule it.

TimeBridge
More easy scheduling for coordinating meetings. Also snycs with Outlook.

Tag Galaxy

Browse through Flickr photos in 3D with this flash application.

Exalead
Gives you a screen shot of any page.

Plurk
Alternative to Twitter.

PHEW! Now go have some fun!

Social Networking with Students

2008-06-28T11:56:00.007-04:00

Do you do Social Networking with students?
Are you considering social networking with students?

The second session of EduBlogger Con 2008 I attended explored these topics.

We need to educate our students about social networking.
Students may be using social networking in their personal lives and we need to help them understand how to use social networking in their professional networking. Students need to learn to use appropriate behavior which is expected to be used in a professional educational space.

In using social networking in the classroom situations arise across different cultures which enable us to have discussions about what is considered appropriate with our students and which also furthers our ability to teach digital and global citizenry.
Educators are finding that through social networking, students who are reticent to share in the classroom will share through online chats or back channels. Once they realize that their ideas are valuable and respected, they become more active as learners in the classroom.

We need to educate our technology departments and administrators.
When deciding to use social networking with students we need to know:
What kind of sandbox will it be?
How will you keep kids safe in there?

We need to educate our parents.
We need to educate our parents about social networking and what we are doing with their children just as we do with other experiences we provide for our students.

So, not unlike anything else that is new, we need to engage all of the stakeholders in understanding it. We shouldn't expect it to be easy because we are forging the road. We are exploring the pitfalls and successes so that even more students will be able to benefit. What is important is to continue to find a way to gather all of our collective ideas together so this can happen. Are you game?

The Learning Extravaganza has Begun

2008-06-28T10:52:00.006-04:00

Edublogger Con has begun!

A room full of talented, passionate, knowledgeable, and open to sharing and questioning their practices to learn from each other. I am sitting in my first EduCon session, Social Networking for Professionals - a roundtable discussion about the use of socialnetworking for professional development with a room full of talented, passionate, knowledgeable, and open to sharing and questioning their practices to learn from each other.

This is a group of people who are honestly asking questions about their practice and collectively trying to learn from each other.

So what are some of the questions?

What is it about social networking that makes it compelling and valuable for professional development?
How do we assess the impact of professional development?
How do you develop continuity?
A basic purpose and synchronous communication capability?

Social network faders - what keeps you coming back and how can we further develop your ideas and learning experiences?
How do we create a sense that professionals NEED to be part of just in time learning?

Tippping Points

Through discussion there were some common threads that seem to foster professional development through social networking.

It is really important to have some immediate purpose and will generate some feedback which will help foster people coming back.
You need a reason for people to keep coming back. There are always new ideas
Feeling like you are a member of the community
Needs to solve something
Needs to have something specific it is solving if it is for a local group
It has to work and be reliable
It has to be easy to learn
Beginning with a group that is organized and has a purpose yet have the ability to morph and open the doors for personal exploration.

There are also clearly obstables that interfere with the use of social networks for professional development:

fear of failure
parent questions
administrative concernsprescribed professional development done to you not for or with you
NCLB

This is only a brief review of the discussion since I often caught myself listening and thinking rather than taking notes. Please comment and add to the ideas so that we can continue to learn from each other and learn how to foster the learning of other teachers.

The Daffodil Principle

2008-04-30T15:54:00.004-04:00

How many emails do you receive in a day that you just glance at the subject and quickly hit the delete button? You know the tell-tale mark of "FWD:" emails that once again are recirculating into your inbox. You can even tell the likely content of an email by the name of the sender. For some reason, this one caught my eye. And I am glad it did. It is an affirmation that what we do each and every day makes a difference. One simple action at a time. One drop in a pond that continues to ripple. Continue reading to see what is possible with just one person. Then multiply that by our collective intelligence and actions- it's a mightly awesome scene!

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over."

I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children.. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."

"Carolyn," I said sternly, "Please turn around."

"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, " Daffodil Garden " We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn. "Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.

That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world .

"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.

She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"

Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting...

Until your car or home is paid off

Until you get a new car or home

Until your kids leave the house

Until you go back to school

Until you finish school

Until you clean the house

Until you organize the garage

Until you clean off your desk

Until you lose 10 lbs.

Until you gain 10 lbs.

Until you get married

Until you get a divorce

Until you have kids

Until the kids go to school

Until you retire

Until summer

Until spring

Until winter

Until fall

Until you die...

There is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!

If you want to brighten someone's day, pass this on to someone special. I just did!

Addicted to Learning

2008-03-08T21:27:00.019-05:00

Recently my RSS reader has been feeling rather lonely. Two recent conferences, EduCon and PETE&C were rich opportunities for connecting and professional development plus my weekly listening to WOW2.0 and EdTechTalk in addition to DEN, ISTE, and PDE webinars. Then there is Skype and Twitter, my daily dose of connecting, learning and professional development. Collectively these experiences have left my RSS reader unread and overtaken any sense of balance in my life.

So how out of control is it? Well, my web browser was functioning with 65 tabs open- when Will Richardson tweeted- he has 42 open. I hovered over my keyboard, should I admit my shame, acknowledge that I was well beyond any reasonable or rational approach and use of Twitter. I thought twice. It was a definite, NO! But a reckoning of my addiction was launched.

When my browser slows to molasses pace, I am forced to review, tag, note in scribefire, or post and annotate on my wiki and finally shut down my Mac for a needed rest. (I'm pretty sure there is a relationship to my Mac hard drive dying in four months! ) And then the madness begins again.

I love what I learn on Twitter. The help I receive. The opportunities for collaboration I discover. The personal connection I make with my Twitterpals. Links that are posted are quickly reviewed and then lined up in a queue waiting for a moment to delve further. In a day that is filled with teaching classes, collaborating with teachers, managing projects, and then home with family, sports practice, dinner to make, the list goes on... there is just enough time to catch up and connect on Twitter.

I must admit, I am addicted to connecting and learning.

So if my web browser had 65 tabs open, I will only let you wager how may posts sat waiting for me in my RSS reader. Somehow I need to find a balance. As I clicked on the first posts in my reader, I was struck by the thinking that was triggered. A deeper, calmer, more connected thinking. Twitter offers fast-paced, almost frenzied thinking. I appreciate both, but recognize that my brain needs time to synthesize, to make connections. I am a global thinker, needing to see the bigger picture and from there organize the pieces into place and put them into perspective. What I am realizing is that Twitter actually works the opposite of my thinking, offering many unconnected parts which need to find a place within the fabric of my understanding and learning. I need to recognize this and somehow find a way to balance the many components of my personal learning network. To do any less makes me less effective. Not sure how I am going to accomplish that just yet. Any suggestions?

And how about you? Are you addicted to learning?

Photo from flickr dev nul photo stream

Are We on the Right Track?

2008-02-17T21:43:00.004-05:00

I was out to dinner with my husband tonight and sought out his opinion about the need for 21st century skills in his business world. Not exactly a valid survey, but certainly a personal response from one who works in the business world. Mind you, he works in upper management for a Fortune 400 (they like to note that they are higher then just Fortune 500) company that employs over 12,ooo people and brings in over 3 billion dollars of revenue a year. Those numbers alone are difficult for this public education employee to fathom. While I am personally passionate about developing the ability of students to think for themselves, to problem solve, to think creatively, to collaborate, to communicate clearly in a global world, and to develop the passion to be life long learners, it never hurts to question your position, to seek out additional insight and viewpoints, to refine your thinking, and to adjust your direction. What I wondered was, are we right? Do you see the same needs in your position as the research and business world suggest we need? His instant and unequivocal response was YES! So I pursued it further. Are they necessary for everyone in your over 12,ooo employee company? Still a YES! Creative thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration are highly valued skills for every single employee in the company. Those qualities are the ones that enable each employee, each department, each division in the company to suggest an idea that improves a process and makes a difference in how the company performs.

In education circles, we often talk about the small ripple each of us makes and hope that the ripple spreads and causes further ripples. What strikes me is the difference in attitude between our two different, albeit unscientifically studied, viewpoints. In education, we hope, while in business, it is an expectation. What keeps us in education from expecting those qualities from each of us? How can we instill those qualities in our students if we do not first expect it of ourselves?

What's Your Take Away...Purpose, Meaning, and Learning

2008-01-27T21:20:00.001-05:00

So, I have been listening to and interacting with fascinating and talented educators for the past three days at EduCon2.0 in Philadelphia. I have had the excitement of meeting face to face with much of my blogroll. To hear their ideas, to feel their passion, to be energized by our connections was my hope for the weekend. I was certainly not disappointed. I had hoped that I would have and maximize opportunities to blog my thoughts. That didn't happen. The face to face discussions were too engaging and mesmerizing. So I am going to attempt to kernalize my biggest take-aways as if I had blogged all weekend.

I think my ideas would have focused on three critical concepts- purpose, learning, and meaning. Every single thing we choose to do in education should be prefaced with a strong foundation and understanding of the ultimate purpose. A principal talking about a teacher who is considering beginning to blog wondered what to tell the teacher. Perhaps, it is not a question of what to tell the teacher, but what to ask the teacher. Why is it that you think you want to blog? What purpose will it have for you? With our enthusiasm to have another educator join us in the conversation within the blogosphere, we can lose sight of the fact that it is not about us, but them and their learning.

As I write this post, Scott Meech twitted:Can a teacher in today's classroom be effective without technology?

With a response from lizbdavis@smeech I guess it depends on how we define the goals/purpose of effective teaching/school.

Followed by chrislehmann@smeech Effective, absolutely yes.

It is not about the technology, it is about defining purpose as the guide for the instructional decisions we make. Which brings me to the second point - learning. If we think we have all
of the answers, then where is the learning? We shouldn't be worried about the right answers, but about asking the right questions. What are the questions we should be asking? Answering the question of what do we want our students to learn and how best can we provide an environment to foster that learning is essential.

Which brings me to the third point - meaning. What factors work to enhance our understanding, to make an experience meaningful for each of us? We must construct meaning
for ourselves, but with the help of a community of learners, meaning is broader, deeper, richer and "wrinkled". A community of learners is supportive, yet challenges each member to reconsider their ideas in light of new wrinkle. The metaphor of playing in a sandbox conjures up images of planning, considering, building, designing, creating, playing, and negotiating. Wouldn't our students learn and understand more in that environment? I know I do. What about you?

Does Math Make Sense?

2007-12-09T19:44:00.000-05:00

Do you have students who wonder...

When will I ever use this in my life?
Will I really use math outside of school?
Do I really use it my everyday life?
Who really uses math in their jobs?
What kind of math is needed for different kinds of jobs?
Does math really make a difference?

Then MathConnections is for you and your students.

Math Connections is a collaborative project for elementary students across the world to...

Experiment, Discuss, and Discover new adventures in learning math together.

Project Purpose
Math is found and used everywhere in our world. This collaborative project is designed to provide a place for students and teachers to share their experiences with math and discover the connection of mathematics study to their own real world experiences. We invite classrooms from around the world to join us in a project that focuses on what making connections with math in the real world.

Join Us...and make math make sense for your students.

Thowing Out the Box

2007-11-30T22:34:00.001-05:00

Scott Meech blogged about his disappointment that he would not be presenting at ICE this February and questioned whether he needed to sell himself a little better. I was having the same feeling tonight upon learning that I will not be presenting at PETE&C this February after having been a presenter the past two years. I've been trying to think about the bigger picture- what it means for me, what it means to me. What I really hope for in the long run is the opportunity to connect with other educators and to pass on what I have learned which is why is feels so disappointing. David Warlick in a recent post also explained why he wants to do follow-up sessions to conference presentations. He said...

It’s through interactions with educators and education leaders that I learn, that I get my ideas tested, stretched, and refined.

At first impression, it feels ironic that the past six months have brought amazing people and possibilities into my world and brought about monumental change in the way I learn and find support. I, too, relish the opportunity to float ideas, to discuss possibilities, to sharpen my thinking. I know the difference in my perspective and understanding. I have experienced the powerful learning my network can collectively bring to a presentation. Perhaps the box is what I have been living in and have outgrown. Perhaps it is time to consider new avenues rather than what I expected or hoped for. Perhaps it is time to think outside of the box or better yet, throw out the box. The possibilities truly are endless.

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Testing a Hook

2007-11-24T21:39:00.001-05:00

I too wonder what is the hook to help educators, administrators, and parents understand our changing world and the impact it is having on schools, students, and learning. Jeff Utecht, in a recent post, refers us to George Siemens’connectivism blog which also always makes me really think. I find George's posts have an amazing ability to identify and explore ideas which have been nagging at me and which I have not yet resolved with any satisfaction. His critical analysis and questioning of the status quo pushes my thinking in new directions to consider new perspectives.

Jeff's post titled, "Shift happened, what's the hook?", was a response to one of George Siemens' posts on Digital natives and immigrants. Is there a difference in our students of today? Or is it our society that is different? How do we respond to it? How do we engage others in understanding it? Jeff wondered

So I’m left thinking; what’s the hook? What is it we tell educators, administrators, parents, school boards, and community members for the reason we need to shift the way we teach? They have been part of this social shift yet they don’t understand it, or refuse to see it. Out-sourcing is part of this shift, so is in-sourcing, so is innovation, and business. We all live in this shifted society but do we understand it? Do we understand what it means not only for us but for our children?

To me, understanding seems to be a key factor. How do we help people understand? During the past month, I have been exploring ways to help parents understand. My last blog post described a Parent Math Night my school held to help parents UNDERSTAND the district's commitment to developing stronger conceptual understandings of mathematical concepts. The evening was a success based on the parents' evaluation of the evening with all parents responding that they increased their understanding conceptual mathematics as a result of the evening activities.

Another attempt on my part was the creation of a wiki, the Learning Hub, for parents and students to use and explore topics related to our classroom studies. Essentially, my decision hinged on my idea that one way to help parents understand the changing face of our world and its impact was to engage them in tools that I was using with their children in my classroom.

I introduced students to the Learning Hub in class explaining it's purpose and encouraging them to share it with their parents. An email, informed parents of the new opportunity to be involved in their child's learning. Created as a protected wiki, parents also received invitations to join the wiki and to participate in a fun project at home with their child. The project was a simple science experiment which was designed by students following their participation in the Technospud O.R.E.O. project developed by J ennifer Wagne r. Interestingly, even though a page on the wiki was connected to a classroom project and invited parents to participate in learning with their child, less than a handful of parents accepted the invitation to join and add the results of their experiment onto the wiki. Ok, so basically they weren't interested, were too busy to do the experiment with their child at home, or perhaps they were uncomfortable with the wiki format.

I was certainly hoping for a stronger response.

What to do next? Posting student work was my next strategy. I toyed with the idea of changing the wiki to a private status, which would require parents to join as members in order to have permission to see the contents of the wiki. But, that would not make them any more likely to participate in the wiki. And what I really envisioned was an opportunity for children to learn with their parents, and for parents to be in a position to learn from their children.

I crafted my next attempt following my students' work in creating digital stories for Chris Craft's Life'Round Here global collaborative project. The students had successfully created amazing videos sharing their focused personal passions and views of life where they live. (Another post lies in waiting to share more about their videos and learning gained from the project.) But, just posting the student videos was clearly not going to be enough to engage the parents. This time I decided to ask the parents to use the Discussion tab to reflect upon the students' video. In class, students were posting their own learning reflections to their blogs in Moodle. I promoted the LearningHub discussion tab as a parent homework assignment that provided an opportunity for parents to also reflect on the students' work. In an email I sent to the parents asking them to respond to the videos. I highlighted the power of receiving comments from a real audience which significantly increases student commitment to producing quality work. Our first responses from parents are beginning to appear with parents uniformly impressed with their children's ability to produce such quality videos and fascinated that the students have learned how to create them - and marveling over the change in what students can do today compared to their own experiences.

Slowly, but surely, parents have joined our LearningHub and begun to participate in the changing educational landscape.

What should be the next strategy to further hook our parents? Any suggestions?

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Making Math Connections

2007-11-12T20:54:00.001-05:00

It's been a short and frenzied two weeks since parent conferences and the following early morning's decision to host a parent math night in response to parent's genuine questions about the new focus on conceptual understanding of mathematics. The questions emanated from a true desire to help their children and to feel that the education of their children is a partnership between parents and the school. The questions were many and varied.

What does my child do in math class?

Why isn't the homework the same?

Why is there so much writing in math class?
How can I help my child at home?

The answers and explanations can, at best, merely begin to address the larger philosophy of mathematics pedagogy and their child's progress within it during a short twenty minute conference. And so, three teachers and a principal quickly harnessed their energy and brainstormed the idea of holding a Parent Math Night- sooner rather than later. Checking school calendars, Tuesday, November 13 was selected. At an impromptu faculty meeting called at the end of that day, the rest of the teaching staff learned of the idea and were encouraged to become involved.

And did they ever become involved!

Twenty-two teachers,

volunteering to give their time,

share their knowledge,

and join in embracing parents as partners in the education of children.

The K-12 Math Supervisor and two math coaches were consulted. And a plan for the evening meeting was hatched. The focus would be to help parents to better understand the the NCTM Standards which were the basis for our newly revised mathematics curriculum. We would teach the parents math lessons, just as their children experienced them. Throughout the lessons, teachers would engage the parents in discussions of their problem solving strategies, alternate ways to represent the mathematical concept, and meaningful ways in which the concept interconnected with other mathematical concepts and with the real world. They would encourage them to communicate their ideas both orally and in writing, using mathematical language. We fully expect the parents to have an understanding of the concepts we teach to them, but want them to explore why the algorithm works the way it does. Teachers stepped up to the place, volunteering to lead and facilitate two lessons- teaching regrouping in addition (or subtraction) and the multiplication of fractions.

An article, "Tying It All Together" in the most recent NCTM publication, Teaching Children Mathematics offered the idea of using a simple four-part chart to record multiple representations of a concept. We revised the chart for our purpose and audience and planned to use it as a tool for parents to record their mathematical experiences from the evening. At an inservice a week ago, teachers were shown the video "Mathematics: What Are You Teaching My Child" with Marilyn Burns. Upon viewing it themselves, committee members were sure it was the perfect visual introduction for immersing parents in the world of their childen's math classes.

What else was needed?

A flyer inviting parents to the evening.
An offer of babysitting services.
Refreshments.
Handouts to guide and record parents' thinking.
An evaluation form for the eveing.
Resources to show and share.
A parent's toolbox with ideas of how to help with math at home.

The agenda for the evening began to take shape.

Parent Math Night

Schedule for the Evening

7:00 Introductions –Principal Vincent School

7:05 Overview of Math - Supervisor of K-12 Mathematics

7:15 Video – Mathematics: What Are You Teaching My Child?

7:40 Move to Tables for Mathematics Lesson

Blue Dot Group - Regrouping Exploration

Red Dot Group - Multiplication of Fractions Exploration

7:55 Move to second Lesson Session

Blue Dot Group - Multiplication of Fractions Exploration

Red Dot Group - Regrouping Exploration

8:10 Reconvene as whole group for Review of experiences

8:20 How can you help?

8:25 Closing – Thank you for coming.
Please complete and turn in your evaluation form at the door.

I think we have a pretty awesome evening planned. What has been nagging at me is the fact that we will only reach an interested, yet small portion of our parent audience. What I really would like to see is a way to involve all the other parents at home.

Maybe I should UStream the whole evening.

What do you think?

Tapestry of Understanding

2007-11-03T14:33:00.001-04:00

The K20 Online Conference has just barely closed but not ended. Many, I for one, have not yet had time to listen, view, and digest all of the presentations. But, David Warlick's keynote and Clarence Fisher's presentation still resonate for me.

Flickr Photo by andydr

"We are Inventing New Boundaries." David Warlick

"It is not about where you live anymore." Clarence Fisher

Our increasingly global world along with the proliferation of Web2.0 tools presents us with an opportunity we have never had before, perhaps never even dreamed about. The opportunity is vast, but how does this translate into educational practice?

We are now able to cross the boundaries of time and space.

We are now able, quite easily, to discover
learning whenever, wherever, and with whomever best suits our needs. What impacts will it have on teaching and learning? What impact will it have when we can see, chat, and learn from people across the world? How will it impact our thinking when we learn about the world through the eyes and beliefs of others across the world? What new layers of thinking and understanding will we need to develop?

One layer will challenge our understanding of context. The fact that so many people responded to the amazing context of
Clarence Fisher in Canada and David Warlick's
changing scenes says something. They invited us into their worlds and shared a part of themselves. Seeing the images of them in a context
opened a window into their worlds and ideas that words alone could not
have accomplished. We all know how helpful it is to finally put a face to a name. But, by adding the context of a place, a new level of understanding grew.

Connecting with others with a view of their location in the backdrop offers a new visual layer of understanding and connection to navigate. What can our students learn about
about perspective, viewpoint, and the relationships between the strands
of geography though the contexts of global collaborations? We are far beyond passively viewing a video offering highlights of the geography, culture, and people of a place. What more do they learn by exploring the sights and sounds of another place at a personal level rendered through the eyes and beliefs of another?

Connecting personally will demand more from learners. By crossing the boundaries of time and space, learners will be
challenged to explore the the relationships between context and beliefs. It will challenge their stereotypes and shake the status quo. It will push them to listen, really listen, to ask questions, and to seek new levels of understanding. Within the context of the challenge, their lies a genuine opportunity for developing new relationships and for weaving new tapestries of global understanding.

What colors are in your tapestry of understanding?

Engaging Parents in Change

2007-10-29T21:03:00.000-04:00

What does it take to bring about change?

Education, understanding, involvement? Any conversation about technology use in education seems to eventually turn to talk about ways to bring about change. Change needs to occur on many fronts at a many levels. So often we discuss ways to involve fellow teachers and administrators. But, change needs to engage all the stakeholders- community members, board members, students, and parents. This past week I unveiled The Learning Hub, in an effort to engage parents in the conversation and experience of learning in the 21st century.

The Learning Hub is a place where parents and students can explore, experiment, discuss, and discuss new adventures in learning together. In an email to parents, I explained that is a place where you can go to learn about the things we are doing in school, not just by reading about them, but by actually participating in them. It is just in its infancy, but will continue to grow as the year continues. Set up as a private wiki, each parent received an invitation to join.

The home page introduces parents to the concept of a wiki, addresses basic online safety guidelines, and invites parents to join in on their first adventure of learning together - the Sinking O.R.E.O. project. The inspiration for the project arose from the students' work with the O.R.E.O. Technospud Project created by Jennifer Wagner. On the link to the O.R.E.O. project, parents can view the graphs created by their children after selecting and analyzing data generated by 613 participating classes. Challenged to think further about the scientific method, students designed the Sinking O.R.E.O. project for parents and students to try at home. The extra wrinkle to the project is the Sinking O.R.E.O. Results page where parents and students are asked to edit the wiki and add their results to the page.

Will this effort effect any change? Time will tell.

Today's News- We Are Behind

2007-09-29T15:33:00.001-04:00

Ok, so I read Doug Johnson's latest blog entry which eloquently sums up our challenge in bringing educators into the fold. He offers simple yet wise guidelines for helping to make change happen in our schools. I agree with the WIFM approach but take it back one step further. I have often suggested that a simple approach to helping teachers understand the power of today's technology lies in finding their passion, whether it be scrapbooking, football, or popular culture and introducing them to blogs and wikis that will feed their passion. Being engaged personally is a first step to guiding them to consider its implications for the students in their class- WIFS- what's in for students.

YES, all of us need to feel empowered, to know that our voice is heard. To realize that our ideas are valued. The more we find ways to bring the many stakeholders into the conversation, the better chance we will have to accomplish the awesome task in front of us.

If I hear one complaint more often than another it would be the expectation that teachers are expected to differentiate instruction for all of the students in their classroom, yet in-service programs typically do not take into account that teachers have differing levels of expertise, learning styles, and needs just as their students do. Offering a range of training options is what they want.

But, it was the comment from Malcolm Lambe that drove the point home that we had better get serious about "raising the bar" for change in schools. He points us to a post about 2D Barcodes. The barcodes that appear on all of our grocery store products and are scanned for the purchase price and much more including inventory and personal preferences are 1D barcodes. Well, it seems according to this post that the United States is rather FAR BEHIND is our use of now 2D barcodes, which when scanned hyperlink to internet sites.

According to David Harper these bar codes are being used extensively in Japan and have become part of their everyday life. They can be found just about anywhere- in magazines, outside of restaurants, on coffee cups, on advertisements, food, you name it. Using a phonecam, a picture is taken of the code and then programing within the phone connects you to a web page giving you access to information about the product or service in an instant.

While for many schools, the use of phones in United States schools is a controversial topic and simply often forbidden, other major parts of the world have moved passed the issue and have embraced the questions of how they can be used to improve information retrieval, connections, and communication. It is not a matter of whether we should, it is HOW.

We have the ability to access information at a click through a mobile device, but it has become routine in Japan with 90% of people accessing the web this way according to Scanbuy a New York based maker of 2D barcode software. And Japan is not alone in the use of mobile devices to access the web. But it is not so, here in the United States. Why not? Well, one reason, according to Malcolm Lambe is the fact that 70% of phones with cameras in the US do not even have the software necessary to interpret a 2D bar while 65% of the phones in Japan do. McDonald's will be testing the use of 2D barcode technology in Portugal and Germany. What about the US? What are we waiting for?

For educators, 2D Barcodes aside, it is the explosion of ready access to information at a click from a handheld mobile device that is significant. The teacher's job of passing on information is extinct.

We've been replaced.

Every lesson we teach should be more than the facts. We don't need students who can memorize information. We need critical thinkers, who can analyze and evaluate the flood of information at their fingertips.

So back to professional development. We base our choices on what we are knowledgeable about. If we don't know other possibilities, we will never ask for them. We need to immerse our educators in this type of technology which others across the world are using daily. We need to show them the power it has to transform their daily lives. And we need to engage them in the dialogue of how it might also transform their instruction. And we need to do it NOW because the world has shifted, even if they don't know it.

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Future Shock? Daily Shock!

2007-09-26T20:08:00.001-04:00

So, how do you keep up with the constantly, relentless onslaught of new ideas, new tools, and morphing information? I am, on a daily basis, reminded of the very real fact that I am a digital immigrant whose ability to multitask is somewhat high, but not at the level to absorb the barrage of information which appears through my email, RSS feeds, twitter, and numerous learning communities to which I belong. I, admittedly, am not a young 'un, which may be at the root of the problem. But, at the same time, the pure thrill of connecting and learning invigorates me and pushes me to continue on my adventure. What I struggle with is the cacophony of ideas which seem disparate yet I know are related, if only I had the time to make sense of them. What I sense is my need for more time than others within my edublogger world to absorb and synthesize the continuous flow of information.

I thrive on new ideas, new adventures, new possibilities, new ways of thinking. Yet, without sufficient time to digest and synthesize ideas, I resort to saving, tagging, and storing all of which, if I acted upon them hold the potential to change my perspective. What I also suspect is are several factors at work. When my bloglines rss feeder is exploding at the seems,I approach the new posts with a singular sense of purpose. I tend to approach new blog posts from a narrow
perspective, in a perhaps misguided attempt to keep up. Another factor is my own personal barrier between my personal and public comment. The differing expectations and criteria I place upon my verbal and written commentary are a factor in my reluctance to recording my thoughts for others to read and critique. When I carry on a discussion with others, I can find it easy to chat, respond to others, and to ask questions. I expect that others will also readily join in that conversation. Certainly, there are times when studied and researched thought is important and a significant addition to a public discussion. But, equally important, is the potential for my own growth from sharing with others.

So, perhaps a new strategy is necessary. It is not about keeping up. It is really about learning. Less is more. By reading and connecting deeply to fewer ideas I can make more sense of this rapidly expanding world. The fact that I missed it last week or last month should not be a problem. When I do need to learn something, I can always turn to my network to discover the answer. They are my buffer and support in making sense of the this technologically exploding world.

First Day Hopes and Promises

2007-09-06T21:37:00.000-04:00

DAY 1...
Scanning the sea of freshly trimmed hair, new sneakers, and backbacks nestled on small shoulders, a feeling of anticipation, of new beginnings and fresh possibilities enveloped the room.
There was a palpable sensation that this September would be different. That nothing that had happened before would matter. Today was a fresh start. With forward looking eyes, students gathered with their classmates to join their new teacher and headed down the hallway to begin the year's adventure.

HOPES and PROMISES...
Those first few moments of nervousness, of anticipation hold such hope. How I wish that we could capture and bottle that energy. How I wish that nothing would infect and diminish the hope of the first day of school. For we all arrive the first day feeling it - students, teachers, administrators. Its ability to empower us into positive action is undeniable.

RESOLVED...
Let us resolve that we will capture the first day snapshot in our minds and also our spirit. That as the inevitable downtrodden days arrive when we are tired and short on passion, with too much to do, we will relive the first day moment and be recharged with the hopes and power of a new day.

Let us resolve to start each day as if it were the first day.
To leave the troubles of a day behind us.
To greet each child and colleague each day with a fresh view.
To find new possibilities in every day.
To dream of what is possible, not impossible.
To look forward and find the way to make a difference.

Photo from cmiked's photos on Flickr.

Planning for the Next 180

2007-09-01T17:15:00.001-04:00

My spirit lifts its wings to catch the gentle breeze as the last day of summer's freedom come to an end.

September...A new beginning.
Fresh with energy and hope.

What new adventures lie ahead?
Who will we meet?
What will we discover about others...about ourselves?

Each year is so unique. Whatever this year holds for it, it most definitely will not be the same as last year. I have the luxury of continuing with students from year to year, sometimes for as long as their elementary career. This enables me to build upon their previous years' experiences. In addition, it offers me the challenge (which I love) of continually having to develop new questions and to find new avenues for them to explore.

So what are the possibilities?

Perhaps remembering where we have been and what we experienced last year is a good starting point.

I definitely want to have my students engage in a collaborative project with other classrooms again this year. Last year, we jumped in with both feet, finding collaborative projects to join across a range of topics and curricular areas. They were involved in several projects including:

Megaconference Jr. - an amazing twelve-hour worldwide videoconferencing event
The Global Warming Student Speak Out - a collaborative problem solving project giving students an opportunity to collectively brainstorm strategies to fight global warming using Google Docs & Spreadsheets
Global Warming - Race for the Tipping Point - a Magpi sponsored project about Global Warming
Read Around the Planet - a pairing of classrooms to celebrate "NEA's Read Across America"
Holiday Card Exchange - One of several collaborative projects developed by Jennifer Wagner as part of her TechnospudProjects.
Global Sun Temperature Project -a scientific exploration of how geographic location affects the average daily temperature and hours of sunlight.

i also want to continue to reach beyond our classroom wall through the use of videoconferencing and virtual field trips. Last year we participated in Operation Montserrat- an eMission simulation from the Challenger Learning Center. We also participated in several Ball State eField Trips including a visit to Hawaii for the Eruption trip, a visit to Philadelphia to explore Freedom in America, and a trip to the Indianapolis Speedway to study the Science of Speed. We followed the migration of shore birds through Migration Science and Mystery and joined another class posted through CILC for a literature discussion of the book Bridge to Teribithia.

Wow! Seeing everything we did listed all at once is powerful.

The possibilities for this year...are limitless. I had better get cracking on this year's list.

Any suggestions?

Returning from Break

2007-08-27T13:07:00.000-04:00

Did you have a good summer?
Did you get away?
What did you do?

I had so many good intentions to accomplish so much.

Where did the summer go??

Posting to my blog was certainly near the top of the list.

But, that didn't exactly happen.

In fact, it has been quite some time since I last posted...May to be exact. Back in May, the demands of work, professional life, and family life exploded. Summer arrived with responsibilities for making presentations including my first stint at making a full-day presentation. More about that later. By the time life seemed to calm down, my head was so full new ideas and my RSS feeds were bursting at the seams. I made a commitment to myself to catch up on my feeds (over 1000) before I moved forward. Well, that commitment simply exacerbated my brain overload. I would read new feeds, discover new insights, draft new blog entries, and then move forward to the next feed. The cycle continued. At the same time I additionally discovered Twitter. The questions, postings, connections and network that make Twitter so powerful in the edublogger world had me hooked.
So, here I am on the first day of the new school year, just posting my first blog entry since May. While I have no blog posts to document my summer experiences, I did gain some interesting insights which should provide good fodder for additional posts.

More Virtual Me's

2007-05-18T22:00:00.000-04:00

The continuing blossoming of virtual worlds and self created avatars begs my attention and exploration for educational experiences. It was just last Friday, when made my first foray into Second Life. I created my first avatar, Lucinda Nishi. I was easily drawn into the creative nuances of playing with the amazing range of possibilities from facial expressions to hair color to dress and to the new possibilities of new people and new worlds. Thanks to Seve Dembo's post on the DEN Digital Passports blog, I have also now discovered Voki. You create your own avatar and then record your message using a microphone, cell phone, using text to speech, or by uploading an audio file. Certainly, not comparable to the world of Second Life, but it looks like great fun! It also looks like a wonderfully fun way to had some variety and interest to a blog post and other web sites. The text to speech format allowed only a short post, but is worth a try. Wouldn't students find this a novel mehod for sharing what they learned in class? What about having students use i to post questions and respond to others for literature discussions? I think I'll have to have my students brainstorm a list of possible uses next week.

Get a Voki now!

Ripples and Hatching Salmon

2007-05-09T21:26:00.000-04:00

In a recent post, Jen Wagner, wondered whether she was swimming in the right direction. She most definitely IS. There will always be days when we think our efforts are but a drop in the sea. But Jen's drop and the drops of others like her are inspiration for all of the other salmon (me included) who are trying to swim up stream and make a difference for our students. That's why we are a part of this incredibly supportive edublogger network. Forgive the analogy, but we are cheerleaders for each other. Progress can be hard to see and seem incredibly slow to blossom, but it does. Just this week a first grade teacher asked me how she might connect with her first grade penpal class in Texas. A great question, an opportune (and teachable) moment to get her class connected through videoconferencing. A small drop made a ripple that will continue to ripple beyond our wildest imaginations. Sometimes WE just aren't aware of all of the undulating ripples and hatching baby salmon.

Reforming Mathematics Instruction

2007-05-03T20:53:00.000-04:00

Each night that I connect with the edublogger world, I am overwhelmed at the amazing things that are happening in classrooms around the world. Thanks to Steve Dembo at teach42, I read about Dan Meyer, a high school math teacher in Santa Cruz, who shared his unbelievable media rich introductory lesson on graphing for his high school students in a recent post. He says of the lesson, "The total effect only intensified and grew more exciting with each new event. With scaffolding that precise and a visual connection that strong, even my weakest students were drawing eerily accurate graphs."
Throughout this year and continuing into next year, my district is striving to reform our mathematics curriculum and instruction to help students build deeper conceptual understandings. It was just this morning at our faculty meeting, where we were working in small grops discussing critical ways in which our thinking and methods of mathematics instruction would change to better develop students' mathematical understandings. Dan's lesson is definitely an outstanding example to show how it can be done. You can be sure that I will be passing it onto our math teachers.

My Learning Community

2007-04-24T20:51:00.000-04:00

I am currently listening to Women of Web 2.0 who are hosting Steve Dembo tonight. In a recent post on Digital Passports, Steve was asking for responses why teachers commit to an education community such as the Discovery Educator Network and what they gain from it? It is certainly NOT for the 'coupons and clothing'. There is amazing power in a community of passionate and dedicated educators collaborating and sharing their ideas as they strive to be the best educators they can be. I have made connections through the Keystones Integrator Program and the DEN that have opened new worlds and new possibilities for both myself and for my students. The connections I have made are invaluable. Belonging to these virtual and quite real communities means I have my own personal research team, my own learning team, my own class, my own mentors with whom I can learn asyncronously. I can turn to them any day, anytime to receive the latest recommendations and ideas for solving a problem or answers to my questions. They are my inspiration and my support. Together, they show the power of a networks of educators to not only touch the future, but to create the future today.

2007-04-17T21:54:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Chris for this tip for another cartoon-creation site

MAKE BELIEFS COMIX! Online Educational Comic Generator for Kids of All Ages
I like this better than ToonDoo, no potentially offensive Google Ads as well as no cartoons my students should not see.

A Good Friday for Cyber-Compliments and Cartoons

2007-04-06T14:52:00.000-04:00

My Cyber-Compliment for Cyber-Compliment Day goes to CoolCatTeacher, Vicki Davis, for the tip about toondoo.com. While I always read Vicki's blog and truly value her part in my edublogger community, this tip came at especialy the right time for my fourth graders. They have been using a great variety of technology tools to create their own synthesizing, curriculum-connected cartoons which they plan to post on their own "Kids Cartoons Wiki", Ning Network, and web site. They are going to love creating new cartoons using this new site. It truly is a Good Friday! Now, I can hardly wait for Tuesday!

Losing Connectivity

2007-03-12T21:58:00.000-04:00

The immaginable happened. Driving home from visiting law schools with my daughter in Washington D.C. I pulled out my laptop to get a little work done. Clicking it on, I was faced with the unexpected - the hard drive breathing a message equivalent to the black screen of death. No config systems program working. I responded with a determined, yet calm sense of determination. Turn it off. Turn it on again. No luck. Calm determination prevailed. Perhaps it was a glitch in the daylight savings patch. Arriving at home, with electrical connectivity, brought no further light on my predicament. Help would have to wait until Monday when I could connect with the technology team and resolve the proble. The evening was earrily quiet, calm, yet lacking in a certain energy. Monday arrived. Logged into the network at school, which I had somehow inflated as a possible solution to the problem. No luck. The black screen of death lived on. The technology support request followed, by the email detailing my concens, by the phone call reaffirming my concerns, resulting in the relinquishing of th my laptop to the technology team for hopeful repair. Over thirty hours have passed. Loss of connection, withdraw, isolation. I am lost without acess to the resources I have gathered, tagged, and saved. I yearn for the connection I have with the community of educators who inspire and encourage me to look to each tomorrow with renewed vigor and hope. Their voices echo in my head. Determination, inspiration, insight, collaboration, shared vision...the power of a network of passionate educators...connected to one another, pushing each other's ideas to new heights and depths. The power of connection is a vital reality. How do we make the connection vital for our students?

Reaching Non-Tech Using Educators

2007-02-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

As I was casually flipping through my recent copy of NEA Today, I happend upon a reference to a link about podcasting. I've really been thinking that in order to expand the use of technology in schools, we need to continually search for ways to connect with educators who have not fallen under the technology spell. We need to reach them through the venues they use most often. And here was a great example.Then, moments later, I turned to find an article titled Podcasting in the 1600's" There before my eyes was Camilla talking tabout her work with fourth graders and the "Jamestown 400th Anniversary Celebration" podcasts they have created. The kids podcasts are getting up to 400 hits a day! What an awesome project! Way to go Camilla!

Click here for the direct link to the article where you will find PODCASTING 101 – A Nuts & Bolts Guide to Podcasting

Enjoy and pass it on!

Use Blogs in School?

2006-05-01T20:39:00.000-04:00

Do you think that blogs should be used as part of a classroom online learning environment? Some say that the use of blogs should not be used because the possible dangers of student misuse. Others say that blogs offer a natural way to engage technology-connected students with content and with other learners. What benefits or drawbacks do you see in using blogs? Would you consider using a blog as part of your classroom learning environment? How would you use it?

Will you participate in The National Day on Writing?
	yes
	no
	maybe
View Results

Nitsche Notes

PETE&C Back Channel

10 Ways to Lead from the Outside

Telling Stories Visually

Staff Development: Winning Trust and Ambition

iPods in the Classroom

Comic Creation and 21st Century Peofessional Development

Sir Ken Robinson: Finding Your Passion Changes Everything

Is Curiosity Valued in Your Classroom?

Administrative Support for PLP

Social Networking Tools

Powerful Learning Practice

Freedom Writers- Erin Gruwell

STEM is Not a Four Letter Word

Sylvia Martinez: Professional Development 30 Years Later

Bob Kolvoord on Google Spatial Technologies

Bricks and Mortar Classrooms?

Are You Feeding Yourself?

Not On the Test

World Math Day 2009

What Kinds of Writing Do You Do Everyday?

Take Part in NCTE's National Day on WritingOctober 20, 2009

Check out these Writing Resources

Technology Staff Development that Works

Who Do You Follow?

STARS at East Vincent

Afternoon Tech Rotation Part 1: Google Maps, Earth and SketchUp

Tech Tool Rotation #1 Google Docs

Tech Tool Rotation #1 - Google Sites

What a Day...Google Teacher Academy, New York

piZap.com

What Do Your Plurks Say About You?

Wikispaces Does it Again- Only BIGGER This Time

Mission Accomplished: 100,000 Wikispaces for Educators

A New Beginning- Do You Believe Me?

Decision 2008 - Developing Tomorrow's Citizens

Links for the Week of 8/17/08

Translate and Calculate

Continuing On...

Finding a Master Teacher on the Rapids

Taking a Break

Who's Who and What's What in Library 2.5?

Should You Allow Cell Phones in School?

Children Connecting

Convene, Connect, Transform

Links for the Week of 7/7/08

A Spark that Ignites the Power of Learning Collaboratively

expressive learning

Web2.0 Smackdown

Social Networking with Students

The Learning Extravaganza has Begun

The Daffodil Principle

Addicted to Learning

Are We on the Right Track?

What's Your Take Away...Purpose, Meaning, and Learning

Does Math Make Sense?

Thowing Out the Box

Testing a Hook

Making Math Connections

Tapestry of Understanding

Engaging Parents in Change

Today's News- We Are Behind

Future Shock? Daily Shock!

First Day Hopes and Promises

Planning for the Next 180

Returning from Break

More Virtual Me's

Ripples and Hatching Salmon

Reforming Mathematics Instruction

My Learning Community

A Good Friday for Cyber-Compliments and Cartoons

Losing Connectivity

Reaching Non-Tech Using Educators

Use Blogs in School?

Take Part in NCTE's National Day on Writing
October 20, 2009