Ed Tech: The Blog

NECC 2007

I just wanted to reflect back on NECC Atlanta. For the first time, I volunteered, and had a great time doing it meeting people from all over the place. Also for the first time, I presented. That was even more fun! I really appreciate all the feedback and suggestions from folks in our presentation.

I felt like the conference was well organized and ran smoothly, but what's new about that! The content of the sessions was generally up to par, with one exception, and the information in that one was simply out of date- by 2 years! I don't think the folks picking presenters can easily filter for that.

I had hoped to see even more Web 2.0 sessions, especially hands on. Thanks to Adam Frey and Vicki Davis, I think I have at least a clue about wiki's. The sessions on Web 2.0 need to range from hands on how to's, to sessions showing successful implementation in classroom and school settings. There were some of each, but just not enough. Sessions in those areas were typically overflowing.

Finally, considering the large number of Macs showing up, I think it's time for more presentations showcasing what's special about Macs.

Now, if I can only get a podcast out on the conference....

Tim Tyson

Tim Tyson rocks!

School 1.0 has rules, rituals, & routines & right answers. In 2.0, it's engaged, self-directed, project-driven, independent problem solvers, empowered, and a learning community.

Let's start with Conrad, who wants to come in during the summer to make his project perfect so Dr. Tyson will post it on the web site and in the iTunes store. It doesn't matter that the project is graded and he got an A, he wants to share it with the world. It mattered tremendously that he, and his friends could share it with the world.

He has had contact with people from around the world, and they have come, in person, to visit Mabry, to see what the students had to say. It's authentic when the audience is the world. He asks, when do our lives become meaningful. It's today- this minute. Our activities need to matter to students now.

The movies at Mabry went beyond let's make a movie about whatever to a movie to try to bring action to an issue that the students felt strongly about! The issues are not about things you would think students are interested in. The issues were all issues we are struggling with as a society.

You can find the movies in the iTunes store, or at Mabryonline.org.

Two students have joined Dr. Tyson on stage to talk about the movies they made. These two young students are completely composed, and carry themselves better than most adults do on a stage with a microphone in front of them. Guess that would be the case when your movie moves people to come visit from all over the world just to talk to you!

This address is likely the last thing that Tim will do as a Cobb County School District employee. Our tremendous loss is the world's gain.

http://www.drtimtyson.com/

Using Wikis in the Classroom

A wiki is a web page with an edit button. They've been around since 1992, but not necessarily easy to use. They must be easy, must have history, and a group. A wiki is about content over time. Adam just showed creation, editing, and history.

Vicki is showing off some very creative ways of using a wiki in class. Just mentioned a much simpler method of what I did 7 years ago when students created web pages on units to help them review for the final exam. Now, they would create a wiki.

She uses wiki's for facts and blogs for opinion.

It's not necessary for students to have an email account to have a wiki.

Providers: numerous, host your own, talk to your IT staff. Adam did provide a card with free wiki for teachers.

Instructions are available at: http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=38

I want to take a run at setting up our next resource with this!

Information Fluency Meets Web 2.0

Here's the presentation: http://informationfluency.wikispaces.com/

Several important reports cited:
Horizon Report ( 2007)
Pew Internet & American Life Reports
Kaiser Foundation: Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-Olds
MacArthur Series on Digital Media and Learning
Educating the Net Generation
Ensuring the Net Generation Is Net Savvy

All linked from wiki above.

Great thought: If we shouldn't be citing wikipedia, then neither should we be citing Brittanica. Point being, we should be looking deeper, at more primary sources.

The presentation slides will be updated and re-posted soon. I hope the videos of students talking about using web 2.0 tools will be included.

There is way too much for me to share here, so go to their wiki! Great stuff!

Multiple Purposes of Digital Stories and Podcasts in ePortfolios

Here's her web site: http://electronicportfolios.org/digistory/purposes.html

Some great examples are being shown here. One of the effects of e-Portfolio's is a student awareness, and pride, in their own progress, even at very early ages. A first grader shared the purpose of portfolio's: To show how much I've grown. Out of the mouths of babes.

Some very cool uses are in language development: students learning a language, and then listening to their own efforts.

Her website calls for much more exploration! I see richness for every part of our curriculum with applications for Mac, as well as PC.

iPod and Handheld Computer Integration into the Curriculum

Website with handouts: http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/handhelds/

Interesting talking head telling us about NETS Standards... Sorry, I'm struggling with this method of sharing information. Thank you for moving away from the computer talking.

Some studies cited on how groups did with & without handheld from pre & post tests in different curricular areas. Now for an overview of handheld devices- some might take issue with some of her characterizations of the differing devices. It appears her information is out of date, especially as she's comparing different devices. An example: she mentioned the connectivity of the Zune to a tv and said that was just coming to the iPod. I had it with my iPod photo, 2 generations ago.

The value here is her studies on effectiveness of handhelds in education.

Del.icio.us Research: Redesign Assignments with Social Bookmarking

This is my first bring your own laptop session. Let's see if I can participate and participate at the same time ; )

Everything is on a wiki: http://necc2007.pbwiki.com/
We're starting on bookmarking, then how it got social. A comment on furl- it exports in apa style, though del.icio.us does not. Another site allows you to post at the same time: http://www.onlywire.com/ & on to del.icio.us...

The reason to do social bookmarking is that it redefines the assignment. Rather than the standard cut & pasted pablum, you get thoughtful, creative products.

OK, so searching in here is like asking someone for a personal recommendation. I like that. I also like that I can look at the person and what else they are bookmarking. She is suggesting the install of a button in your browser. Not available for Safari, but you can use a bookmarklet, which in my very limited testing, has the same function. Info available on del.icio.us

We're all logged into the same account and it's functioning ok. In that circumstance, she is advocating tagging with a name.

Sharing via tag rolls- I've got to get a handle on that!

How about some uses: a way for our group to share our stuff, a way for the Curriculum Supervisors to share, just have to work on explaining how this works better than IKeepBookmarks.

We'll use this in our course in a few weeks!

Classrooms and Libraries for the Net Generation

http://www.doug-johnson.com/

"Students today want to learn, just not what we're teaching them and how we're doing it."

Guess that would about sum it up for the net gen.

Doug really told us loads about this generation and shared sources for the info. Interesting stat- they're watching less tv than the previous generation. Is that from their father's having the remote control and not them?

iPods are more popular than beer on college campuses now. What's the world coming to?

Here's some suggestions:
Use technology as a hook.
Make education ubiquitous & 24/7.
Use students own technologies to teach them.

We must be guides, help evaluate, and organize and create.

Blogging myself?

OK, I guess it isn't too weird to blog my own presentation...

Thanks to all those who came, especially those sharing about their experiences with student blogging. Most of the content for the presentation can be found at my podcast:

http://edtech.typepad.com/

Tina and I sincerely appreciate all your kind words.

Personal Computing: New Solutions for Classroom @ Web 2.0

Jim Hirsch, with the Plano Independent School District shared ideas on Web 2.0 this morning.

Some interesting slides talking about Heroes from my generation and heroes today... from gaming? Students want to collaborate- more than sharing, they want to add to the body of knowledge themselves. Student expect more resources, easily available and free. They expect to be able to create, remix, and share.

He shared a video which summarizes a lot about Web 2.0: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

One of his biggest points is about installing blogging software on your own server and keeping it inside the firewall.

Lots of services, similar to what Microsoft provides, are provided on the web, through browser. Imagine working on a document on a PSP. On to mashups: A wiki & Google Maps; Wikimapia, Ask Vox, speech synthesis through the web, wikimedia, wiktionary, wikinews, wikquote, wikibooks. If we dismiss these things, then we are dismissing our students, because they are contributing. One of the most important points was the necessity of understanding and using Creative Commons. Great example, New York Public Library Digital Archive.

All of his resources are at: http://k-12.pisd.edu/open/
&
http://k-12.pisd.edu/c@es/

Lots to explore!