Ed Tech- using technology to educate

iPod for Kindergarten?

I'm sure many of you are familiar with Duke University's program to provide an iPod to all incoming freshmen a year or so ago, but I saw a recent item in the Dallas Morning News (requires registration) about Kindergarten students having iPods available for check out for homework!  The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District uses the iPods to help Kindergarten students master vocabulary.  At Country Place Elementary School, the students can take the iPods home.  The use mentioned in the article is for teaching phonemic awareness.  ESL students at all grade levels use them as well.  The program is still a pilot at this point, but from the comments of the teachers and the students it is helping.  The students are certainly excited to do their homework on an iPod.  I'm sure there will soon be some "concerned taxpayer" group that will remind us that they didn't need an iPod to learn phonics in school and how the money can be better spent on pencil sharpeners!  On a positive note, please listen to my podcast where I'll comment more on this story and share some news on a program one of the schools I support is trying with podcasting.

Download Podding_in_Ed.mp3 (5130.2K)

media

It seems the death of certain types of media is being discussed all over the blogosphere and in mainstream "technology news" sources.  Most prominent have been the movie theater and newspaper.  It really is a great question- why would someone go to a theater to watch a movie when their image and sound on their home system is better?  It's not like a sporting event where the spectators actually participate and affect the outcome of the event.  I don't enjoy overpaying for food and drink, and it really is convenient to be able to hit "pause" at any time at home.  As for newspapers, every bit of news that hits print is available online in some form, and more easily navigable, as well as customizable using services like Yahoo's and Google's home page.  I believe the death pronouncements are a bit premature.  It'll happen, just not for a few more years.  Why?  Access.  Just yesterday, my wife was in a meeting with other room mom's about communicating with parents and discussing ways to do it.  A sample letter was passed around.  The excitement and discussion about using various forms of whiteout to customize it amazed her.  I can only hope, for the children's sake, that the parents have access at home, but simply have a disconnect between a printed document and its easily customizable electronic counterpart.  But take a look at some other people's thoughts in this Flash movie called EPIC 2014.

Please have a listen to my podcast: Download podcast_media.mp3 (5130.2K)

Where do blogs fit?

As more of our district moves into the blogosphere, many people have asked where it fits. The starting point for many is a class or teacher web page. In talking with teachers everywhere, it seems so few have easy access to web space and a tool to create a web page provided by their district. A blog can fill that need quite nicely. Once the initial set up is done, posting is simple and management doesn't take any more time than what they're doing now. But once the class web site is up & posted, what's next? Where do they take it? One thought is to look at web quests. But with Quest Garden up and running, that doesn't make sense, especially in light of Bernie Dodge's thoughts at NECC (I don't think he felt a web quest built with a blog was a very good fit.) I think the best answer is to put it into student's hands- but that's tough if you don't have ubiquitous access. Fortunately, some very thoughtful people have considered this before me. Go to: http://www.weblogg-ed.com/why_weblogs

The list is rather extensive. Now if I can only identify one for podcasting.....

Please have a listen to my podcast.
Download Blog_Podcast.mp3 (5130.2K)

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

With apologies to wrinkled rockers, it seems the changes just keep coming. We've all seen the list of things kids today have never seen- 8 tracks, albums, turntables. It's time to add another! A neighbor asked me to videotape something for her and my 6 1/2 year old daughter overheard. She asked what a videotape is. We have TiVo. How does this matter in the education of my daughter?

Listen to my podcast to find out.
Download changes.mp3 (5130.2K)

Welcome!

Welcome to the Ed Tech blog! I work for a school system helping to integrate technolgy into students' learning. This can involve everything from crawling around on the floor of a kindergarten classroom helping children log in to a network, creating content to assist students and teachers to use new (to them) technology, trying new technologies on my own, and giving input into, (certainly not setting!) district policy. I will use this space to share some of my efforts, comment on the use of technology in education, and discuss issues relating to all of the above. The views and opinions presented here are my own and in no way represent my employer. The work of students that may be shared here is done with their (and their parents) permission.

Please have a listen to my first podcast. I comment on the rollout of podcast support by iTunes by Apple this past summer.

Download Podcast1.mp3 (5130.2K)

Hope you enjoy the ride!