Reflections on the Golden Google Ticket

Yes, that's exactly what was going through my head as I walked through the Googleplex. I had received the 'Golden Ticket' and was wandering around the Chocolate Factory.

Google had this aura of creativity, fun and magic running through it. Exactly the feeling I want in my classroom. And it wasn't due to the hi-tech toys or heaps of food, it was the attitude that everyone is valued by their thoughts and contributions. Employees were respected for what they add to the mix. As were we. And for that, I thank the Google Teacher Academy and can't wait to start working with all those amazing GCTer's. (gotta come up with a better name:)

Just a note: There were some of us looking for more detailed answers about Google than were provided by our tour guides, (like how many worldwide employees - 19,156 as of March, etc.) so for those looking for more details, check out The Google Story. I read it before I went out and it put an interesting angle on the day.

Google Teacher Academy

To kick off my summer personal/professional development I'm headed to the Google Teacher Academy. I have high hopes for the conference and look forward to what I'll learn from the experience!

iPods in Education

This is part of the presentation on the educational use of iPods for staff at one of our year-end workshops. The district is providing iPods for teachers to sign out over the summer and to become familiar with them. (and do some professional / personal development in the process.)

The Osprey of Sebasticook

Early last month the students and I set up a live web camera on an osprey nest near the Sebasticook Valley Middle School. To check out the webcam click HERE.



We also created a photo book of the experience. Click HERE to see it in full screen or to purchase the book.

The Osprey of ...

By SVMS Tech Club

Book Preview

Student Technology Showcase

Our Fourth Student Technology Showcase was a great success. We had well over 100 students, parents and teachers. Students showed their parents some of the technology that they use in school everyday. For more information click: Student Technology Showcase

Channel 5 Story on our 2008 Student Technology Showcase

"What's in a Name?"

This weekend the Nokomis Regional High 2008 graduating class received their own name as a web address (or domain) that they would control. It's reserved for one year at which time they can purchase it, transfer the address or let it lapse, it's up to them. It is the equivalent of their 21st century business card and now they need to be active managers of their digital identity.

You can see the information that the students were given, here:

http://msad48.googlepages.com/welcome

This is the video students were shown giving them ideas on the benefits of the gift.

Variations of Design

Thinking about the flood video in my last post, I though it would be useful show variations of the production that my students went through. The text is the same throughout, the only difference is design. Going from a written essay, to a slide show, to an audio 'photo story' and finally to full video. This isn't to say that the video option is always the best one, but from a presentation standpoint, which one do you prefer?

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Click to see the text.

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The Flood of '87

An example of one of our video projects. One student wrote the script, another narrated and another edited the video. It's an interesting way for the kids to learn to work together and how their part of the creative effort goes toward a larger goal.

The Google Suite

View a full screen version of this overview of the Google Suite of online applications.

Spreading the Word

A big thank you goes out to Will Richardson for the mention of The Tech Curve in his latest article in District Administration magazine.

The article entitled, "Now Playing: The Live Web" discusses how live interaction on the internet is changing the game.

"...more and more tools are allowing realtime
publication and interaction among global audiences."

Also a great big thank you goes to Cheryl Oakes who mentioned my students on the Tech Learning Blog referring to the interview they did on the latest WOW20 podcast.

"What does technology integration look like?"

A question had been circulating throughout the ACTEM list serv that I subscribe to. (ACTEM is the Maine technology educators group) and one member asked

"What does technology integration look like?"

Being a Technology Integrator myself I find this question really important and like David Jakes I realize that we should be well beyond the need for the term integration and the tech should be part of the daily life of a teacher. Because that is not yet the case, here are three rules of thumb I use for tech integration in the classroom:

#1) Replace, don't add on.
Nothing seems so trendy as education, and this is especially true when talking tech. I think the approach should be to replace an existing task teachers have rather than piling one more thing on. And if a task isn't going to be improved by using technology, don't force it!

#2) Honesty about the tech curve.
The 'Tech Curve' is that period of time it takes to learn anything new (not just tech) and how during that time your productivity actually will go down. Integrators must build enough trust that the teachers will take that initial effort to see their productivity go farther than they ever could have without the technology.

#3) Use the technology yourself, WITH STUDENTS!
I often read or hear suggestions about using this gadget or that website. But, unless the integrator has used the tech in a classroom setting with students I hold off passing it on. It's difficult to answer all the inevitable questions that will come up, usually it's the things you don't plan for, but could thwart a great idea. If you don't take the time, teachers will pay the price and you'll lose some of that trust you've built. (See #2)

This list doesn't cover everything, of course, but it seems to work for me as a rule of thumb when I'm looking a new projects to work on with teachers.

Women of Web 2.0

Too cool for school!! Alice Barr and I were asked to bring some students with us to be interviewed on this weeks Women of Web 2.0 podcast.

You can find the audio here: http://www.edtechtalk.com/node/3078

The kids did an amazing job, and I hope it starts something more - maybe a student led tech help show of some kind, much like The Tech Curve Show, we'll have to see . . .

Student Technology Showcase

The third Student Technology Showcase at Sebasticook Valley Middle School was a great success. Sebasticook students showed off many of the technology projects they've been working on this year. It was a real hands on day where students, parents, and friends were encouraged to participate in activities throughout the school.
These included, programming robots, racing boats or building a skateboard. Attendees commented on student weblogs, created songs with GarageBand, found satellite images of their homes with Google Earth, created programs using the language Scratch, watched animated stories from Mrs. Bickford's fifth grade class and much, much more.



There were a few contests going on as well. The People's Choice Award for skateboard design won a Zoo York board. The winner from those who completed the scavenger hunt drawing with over 100 entries also won an iPod. Be looking for another Technology Showcase at the end of the year at Somerset Valley Middle School. Please go to www.itsvms.com for more information.

The Twitter Two-Step

Bob Sprankle recently posted about Twitter and it's something I've been thinking about with my own experience. (For a better explanation of what Twitter is than I could easily make, check out Common Craft's video below.)



So what happens is what I call the Twitter Two-Step. Someone follows me, then I receive an email asking to follow them. A quick scan of their page and I make the snap decision of whether to follow them or not. Talk about superficial. 99% of my how I lean is based on who they're following. Though I only have about 100 followers, (chump change compared to many) it still seems an odd way to develop a network.

Presentation Zen

I just finished the book Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds which carries the subtitle: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery. If I had to sum it up in three words, 'Less is more.'
Not that it's surprising, but still a worthwhile reminder. Especially for anyone who has been stuck in front of The Powerpoint Presentation from H---

I think a great video that showcases how much design influences content, in done in an easily accessible way is this Youtube video which was actually created by some members of Microsoft.

"Microsoft Re-Designs the Ipod Packaging

District Tech News - March

Click here for full page version.

Webzine

Here's a sample of the www.issuu.com website where you can take PDF files, upload them to your account and offer them as a 'webzine' or web based magazine. If you do not have a PDF creator, try Primo PDF Creator, a free application that creates PDF's from Microsoft Word.

Bonjourno!

A group of student from Nokomis Regional High were lucky enough to tour Italy during the February break.

They have been sharing some of the stories and pictures from their trip here.

http://nokomisitaly2008.blogspot.com

Seedlings

Last Wednesday we had a snow day throughout much of the State, and I was lucky enough to join Alice Barr, Cheryl Oakes and Bob Sprankle in a Seedlings podcast.

Find the show notes that Bob has on his site here.

We cover some education netiquette, crowdsourcing, and the PBS Frontline piece "Growing Up Online." And yes, that is my son yelling for me in the background :)

Puzzled

My son has really been into puzzles lately.

When I say 'in' I mean that almost every evening we pull out a box, spill it on the floor and start putting it back together again. As we're playing, the teacher in me wants to keep nudging, guiding or (what I consider) helping him find the place for each piece. I have to make myself stop 'helping' and let him try forcing a piece somewhere it won't go or try, fail and get frustrated with the same piece until . . . ahhhh, it fits.

This nightly practice has made me think about teaching and how in our genuine effort to help our students, we find it realllly hard to watch them stub their toe when we know it's coming and we can stop it. With a word sometimes we know we can guide them, but we have to let them fail successfully, and learn in the process. There's a great quote by Garr Reynolds,"The destructive process is part of the creative process." If the work students are doing, doesn't provide the rigor where mistakes are expected, understood as part of the process and built on, how do they learn.

Of course they must be expected to move beyond the setback, but when it's existence is understood to be part of the route students must take to complete the task, well lets just say it's a lot more meaningful to them when they're done.


Thanks to Sharon Peters linking me to Miguel Guhlin's presentation which got me thinking about all of this.