Podcast - Last Class

Here is the link to the podcast of my very last class at Plymouth State University. My teacher was Jeff Utecht and I learned more than I can even write about here! I have made contacts, friends, worked on collaborative projects, learned how to use wiki's, blogs, web 2.0 tools, etc.. You name it, I did it.. all in the short 11 weeks or so we were together. What a great experience. Thank you to Jeff for opening my eyes to a whole new world.

Well..Here's a Twist to 21st Century Learning.. Does it Really Matter?

Interesting points in this revived blog about education today compared to years ago. Just wanted to put it out here. Any thoughts? How will we change this public education system we work for? Who will be the one to "take action"? Does it really matter?

I can answer that it matters to me. I think it matters to a lot of the people who I have come across through my twitter network as well as people I have met through technology conferences. I think it matters to a subgroup of people. Are we strong enough? Can we make change happen? Is it more important than the "test"? Where is the balance?

And then I read my RSS feeds.... Here is a flip side to the story.. we are gaining, we are becoming mainstream, so to speak!

Video - 1:1 initative AWESOME!

Article link with video from 60 minutes

(Thanks Sherry for the video from your blog !)

Charge it with a crank, salad spinner if you run out of battery charge!
Waterproof, heat resistant... Wow!

The video makes great opposing points.. about security, (stolen from a child.. stops working after 24 hours) etc.. What about internet signal? Hidden costs?

There is also some new competition to this program (Intel - classmate, and a computer made in India as well as other companies looking at low cost alternatives).

"Over all goal for the program is for every child in the "world" to have a laptop!" - Nicholas Negroponte

Give 1 to Get 1

Hot off the presses: According to an eSchool News article, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) has revived their program as of May 20th, and has disclosed plans for a second generation of "XO" computers. If you pay $400.00 , you will purchase one laptop for yourself and then you will provide another laptop to a child in a developing country. The original program was trying to offer the computers to each child for $100.00 each. The price right now is estimated\ at $188.00. So far, over 600,000 of them have been sold and 162,000 were purchased through the "give one get one" program. The second round of the "give one to get one" program will begin sometime this summer and anyone can participate.

I think this is a great opportunity to teach children about global issues our world faces today. What would be better than having some type of fundraiser to raise $400.00 for this program. Why not donate both computers? Just something to think about!

Check out this post from the Open Thinking & Digital Pedagogy blog about the 1:1 initiative and how they might be switching the platform over to microsoft windows!

Some people think that laptops for children may not be a good idea. Read this article. What do you think?

Thin Client - Why Not??

Thin Client Video



When watching this video about the thin client produced by HP, I just thought to myself, over and over, why not? Why not have one room to store the "blades" while the "thin client"portion sits on the desks in my room. Just think of all of the free space that would provide for the students. The thin client portion of the computer could be mounted under the desk so the students would not even touch them! All that would need to be housed, would be the screen and a keyboard.

According to a press release from Wyse Technology, announcing Harvard University has gone to the thin client in their Physics department, here are some of the benefits to doing so:

In addition to streamlining their support efforts, the department has also noted the following benefits of deploying thin computing solutions:

* Security – Unlike PCs, thin-clients have no local storage devices so thin clients are not vulnerable to viruses and other malware as long as the servers are protected. Additionally, the data is always safe on the server and compliant with privacy regulations since there is no way to store and remove proprietary information from thin clients.
* Manageability – Thin clients are much easier to deploy, configure, and back up for the simple reason that the software is delivered from – and resides on – the server. So there is very little hands-on legwork required.
* Total Cost of Ownership – The average annual maintenance costs for a PC are four to seven times the acquisition costs, whereas thin clients can save organizations more than $1,000 per seat per year in maintenance costs. This can be as much as a 40 percent savings for most IT departments, according to the IDC whitepaper, Thin Computing ROI: The Untold Story.

I remember seeing a setup of a technology classroom, where the table top opened up to show the display and keyboard. They would pop up out of the table top for the students. They would then lock down when the teacher did not want the students using the computer. What a wonderful set up. Who wouldn't love to lock the computer down some days? "OK Billy, that is enough, you are shut off!", just by flipping down the table top!

I wonder what would make administrators use 50lb. mac's that take up a ton of desk space when they could be running on a linux system, with minimal virus concerns as well as low technical support costs. This system would be great for schools who already have a lot of older computers as well. They can use those old computers and run the new thin client on them, so they do not need to purchase any more hardware. Things never make sense to me when it comes to the "education" world!

Second Life or First Life?

Article in Time Magazine online. This article discusses the second life world and how, as an avatar we are even viewed differently in another realm if we are "ugly" or "pretty". I related to the very beginning of the article when it said that it was hard to make a prettier version of themselves.

Who would think that the avatar would be an extension of the person behind the screen? There was a study mentioned in the article done at Stanford University regarding self perception. "Jeremy Bailenson, head of the lab and an assistant professor of communication at Stanford, studies the way self-perception affects behavior. No surprise that what we think about ourselves affects the confidence with which we approach the world. What is a surprise is that this applies in the virtual world too."

I think that this is true, for the small amount of time I have ventured onto Second Life. I noticed how "pretty" some of the people are. I met some who had beautiful butterfly wings and their makeup was just so. Which started me thinking about my own avatar, and how she was nothing like me. She was goth! She has funny pony tails and weird makeup! I was given some new clothes from the nice people on ISTE island, so at least I looked a little bit "normal."

Hmm.. who would have thought. What I do think about this Second Life is that I do feel a bit strange. I feel like I am "cheating" on my REAL life. It feels sort of "naughty"!! Especially when I met someone who took me to an adult island to "dance" so that I could earn free money!!!

I did not realize that people actually use real money on the game. I read a smaller article to the left of the initial Time article that I posted above, and it says that people make money, real money here. That is very strange.

I am not sure that I would want kids using SecondLife. I guess I do not know enough about it yet, so I am a little conservative.

So, my final thought is .. what is the purpose?? I think I am more a Twitter person. At least I am the real me and I am not hiding behind a cartoon goth avatar.

1:1 - Is it worth it?

I am often curious about how my school would work if all students had their own laptop computer. If we were wireless throughout our building. What would that look like? What would the kids be like with an extension of themselves? Would they treasure the piece of equipment they were lugging around? Would they respect it? Would they work harder because of it? These are all of the things I wonder.

I also wonder how we would handle the purchase of the laptop. I know one thing... The laptops that our school has, the rolling carts, are beat up. They are not taken care of at all. They are missing buttons, keys, and the cords are snapped off, so they are unable to be plugged in for charging.

Perhaps, if the students had to have their parents purchase their own laptop, possibly they would take care of it better? Maybe the school could provide a case to carry it around, but the family would have to pay for it? It makes sense that it would be the student's laptop. So they would understand ownership. Also, for the kids who can not afford the payment, maybe there could be a grant written or a payment plan.

A great blog I found that has been implementing a 1:1 program is Technology In the Middle, which is written by Patrick Woessner . He presents many different ideas as well as the challenges of implementing a 1:1 computer environment at his school for 7, 9 and 10. I wonder why they chose those grades? Hmm?

I really like the four themes the school is implementing. They are:

• Information Management and Research
• Digital Citizenship
• Communication and Collaboration in a Global World
• Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Design

Each one of the items are outlined and explained in the blog. What I really liked about the plan is that they actually have a plan! They are working together with the staff, library as well as the computer teachers to unite!

I believe with anything, if there is not strong leadership and a plan, things will not work out the way they were originally envisioned.

Another good point written about in Patrick's blog and it was all over the news last week, was the story about Universities banning laptops and internet service in the classrooms. Patrick says it is an educational injustice. I think I agree. Why not engage the student and as the teacher, possibly change the way they are teaching? Embrace the technology. If the lessons were engaging and fresh, the students would not need to turn to myspace and solitaire during the lecture.

Awesome iThought Stream - Will Richardson

What do you think? It is great... I love his ideas!

Am I Unoriginal ???

Just a thought for today. I was thinking... and thinking .... and thinking .. of how to put together my capstone project for the final requirement of my M.Ed. at Plymouth State University. I can't stop thinking actually. Everything I think about, I feel like I have seen before, read about on a blog, or experienced it somewhere on the internet already. Am I unoriginal? Am I incapable of producing something original? I am getting nervous.. T-Minus 2 months and counting until it is due, and I have a million things tagged in my diigo folder, duly noted, capstone... but I am not anywhere! Maybe this will help me .. if I put it down on paper.. or computer ... it will help me to realize that I must begin somewhere! Is it bad to use a bunch of other people's things, pull them together (of course with proper credit), and create a compilation of information to share with my fellow educators? The project is - How to incorporate Web2.0 into the Derry School District. Maybe I might think of something on my own during the process! I know there must be something in here (brain don't fail me now)!!

Today... Why blogging is important.. I can see!

Today was exciting with my 8th graders. They are writing scripts so we can video them on Thursday. We are kicked out of our labs for 9 days while we do the 3rd round of NEWA testing. So, "think outside the box" and teach computers without computers. This was the next best thing I had going for me. 4 video cameras, 4 digital cameras and off we will go. Oh yeah, a few tripods. The kids will be making a short introduction of themselves as well as an overall reflection to add to their completed website. Sort of a video podcast of sorts, but to only keep inside of the classroom. We do not publish our work to the outside world. Yet.. I know, I said yet. I am working on that. 6th and 7th graders will begin their MediaSmarts lessons. We have a new curriculum to integrate media and how it affects children through advertising, violence, and digital enhancements to sell products. All outside of the classroom.

So, of course, I got home and sat right down at the computer to read my emails, and catch up.

I can see......

Here is how it went:
1. Opened up my email and I found out I was added as a friend by Julie Lindsay on ning. I have volunteered to judge one of the groups in the Horizon2008 project.
2. This then prompted me to look for Julie's blog. I found her blog and read today's post : A Day in the Life which then took me to the next place I went.
3. I found Jabiz and his Intrepid Teacher Blog. Which I read his article, Bloggers Must First Be Writers.
4. I got one paragraph into the post and clicked on Leila... Letter to a Young Writer, was the title.
5. I also opened up my google reader, went to the Learning Is Messy Blog, by Brian Crosby, because I watched the video from the K12 Online Conference 2007 that Sherry had put in her blog post. I wanted to see what he had to say today on his blog. I loved what he had to say through his video. That is where I came upon the blog - Ed Tech.. Is it Just Too Cool ... Or Not? I opened a link about the other 12 teachers involved in a project and there I was, at a classroom wiki talking about the Mysteries of Harris Burdick. At the bottom of the wiki, was how to use Ed.Voicethread. So now I know, and I added it to my blog on the front page!

Phew.. reading this again has made me mentally exhausted. No wonder how I can get lost in the computer for hours, although this all took place within about 30 minutes!!

Back to the post that Jabiz wrote. This is why I can see! I would never have read this beautiful post had it not been for blogs, twitter, ning, wiki's, and incredible people willing to share! Can you feel the power??

Reading this post brought me to tears. How beautiful and well said. How true is it for today's youth to want to be heard. Who doesn't want to be heard? I am 39 years old and I constantly ask myself if ANYONE is listening to me? Can't they hear me? Don't they think what I have to say is important? Is anyone there?

This is the reason why the internet and blogs are so important. This is why when writing a good blog, there are lots of links to other places. It is endless. Imagine if we followed links through other people's blogs. Would we ever stop? Where would it end? Infinity?? Or in a newbie blog possibly. One who has not learned the in's and out's of blogging etiquette? (According to Drape's Takes) Hee -Hee! (I am sure I am still considered a newbie here!)

Jabiz's response post to his student is hopeful. It is wonderful. It shows the true power of the web2.0 world. It goes to show that without writing first, there would not even be blogs to read. I did continue on to read the entire post, and I can see how he struggled with blogs in the classroom. The student's I teach, are not passionate about writing. Yet... Some may be, but for the most part, through reading their journals each day, most are not! (Read this tonight, so I thought I would add it.. seems important to place here! From Beyond School Blog about classroom blogging)

The next challenge.. awaken the writing within ..... Oh my.. my work is never done! Yes, I know.. I am a computer teacher..... but I feel compelled to enrich, engage and motivate anyway I can. Everyone must be able to read and write!

Getting kids to "want" to do their work

I was searching the internet tonight to try to locate something to help me with my 8th grade students write their final reflections. I came across the AOL@SCHOOL SITE, which is directly linked into the NEA website. I came across this article: Getting Students to Complete their work.

The article is written by Charlotte Wellen, who teaches at a Glasser Quality High School. The Glasser method is based upon the choice theory. I didn't recognize this was the method used by the educator who I recently took a full day workshop on classroom management, but this is it. The kids have a choice. They have the choice to do the work or not to. They have the choice to pay attention in class or not. They must know that with choices come consequences though. Usually the student's are then left to determine their own consequence or to work with the class at the beginning of a school year to identify classroom consequences for different unwanted classroom behavior.

What is missing so much today in my classroom, is the internal "wanting" to do well for sheer personal satisfaction. The kids want to please us, they want to please their parents, they want to show off and be naughty to please others in the classroom and to look "cool". It is a lot "cooler" to show off and get into trouble rather than behave and do their work. Why is this? Is it sheer rebellion?

I really like the way the teacher talks to her students. She puts the "owness" back on them. I think it will take some practice, but I am working on it, one student at a time.

It is all because we care and want them to succeed! Relationships are very important in the middle years, and hopefully we can foster them.

Any other ideas for classroom management? Especially in the technology classroom. How about for 80 minute blocks of time in a computer lab? Long time for 6&7th graders!

Teaching in a networked world

I can honestly say, I would not want to teach my students any other way than with technology and the Web 2.0 tools I have discovered. (If you can tell by many previous posts) I enjoy using Moodle with my students and would love to venture "outside" of the "walled garden" as some of the online teachers I have met, call it! I want to use wiki's and blogs. I want to use ning and epals to show the kids different cultures that exist beyond their small community. I want to podcast and share the kids voices with others to show them we are really making a lot of progress with 21st century tools. We are collaborating and working well with online learning projects. (PBL - Project Based Learning) All the while we are learning, we are meeting literacy goals, we are working together to accomplish tasks! Wow! Isn't that what we want to teach the youth of today?

What I question at times, is my delivery, my expectations as well as the time I have in my short 12 weeks with my students to create such an atmosphere in the classroom. Where project based learning and teaching is based on such high expectations and organization, which must then be communicated to the students, how is it teachers accomplish these tasks? I guess a lot of this technology is targeted to be used within the core classes. This is what our eportfolio model is based upon here in NH. It is meant to incorporate technology into the core disciplines.

Who is going to teach the teachers and prepare them to bring all of this networked world into the classroom? The teachers (most of them, I have encountered) are not concerned with this 21st century tool kit they are being given. They have a lot of other things on their minds right now.

The networked world as I see it, is vast and filled with endless opportunity for teachers (professional development opportunities) as well as for the students. It all depends on how your administration will allow you to utilize all of those tools within the classroom. Hopefully they are open-minded, but that is not always the case. So, little by little we will introduce the tools and hopefully by showing that the students are meeting educational standards, as well as meeting the technology standards. It is sometimes an uphill battle, and others are fortunate. Why must it be difficult? We are in this for the same reason, putting kids first!

Personal Learning Networks

Personal learning networks are easy to create, so I say! But, I am sure they seem scary to the everyday "old fashioned" teacher who is concerned with making sure their students are learning, having authentic experiences and getting ready to "pass the test". Who has the time to invest in such a non-important tool? I say you have to learn .. just start slow! You will thank me.. and everyone else you meet through your PLN.

One of the biggest challenges we face with technology today and teachers, is that they work in their comfort zone. They are comfortable with what they know, and feel REALLY uncomfortable when it comes to the world of the "unknown" .. the dirty word.. "technology"! Even speaking on a live blog regarding "internet safety" last night, live from Princeton University, there was mention of "old vs. new" teachers. See some of the information from the blog:

8:51	NJTechTeacher - Speaker thinks that perhaps new teachers have a better handle, but they really don't since college is teaching the "old way" still

8:51	Dave Powers - I am a brand new teacher

8:51	Kim T - @NJTechTeacher .. what is the old way?

8:51	coolcatteacher - Teachers don't know the difference between "social" networking and using social networks in schools.

8:52	John Peters - @KimT - Yes, I am very fortunate our IT Director is very forward thinking and gives some of us, not everyone the ability to explore emerging technologies. I am just lucky to be one of the few

8:52	coolcatteacher - They said that schools are producing teachers who understand these new tools.

8:52	NJTechTeacher - @dean Yes you can

8:52	Dean Shareski - @Kim T. Teacher is gatekeeper of information....social learning is an add on

8:52	Dave Powers - New teachers pick up technology quickly, but the problem is that everyone doesn't see how web application technology has changed the landscape of the world.

8:52	Kim T - @Dean.. I see.. I am a mom of 3 teens.. maybe that I why I feel it is so important to know about it and teach it to my students!

8:52	coolcatteacher - Dean Shareski is creating fluent teachers -- but many profs aren't and hate blogs and wikis, etc.

8:52	NJTechTeacher - Parent says "yes they're reading and writing online" but not like a novel.

8:53	coolcatteacher - @Dave but they're not taught responsible use of the tools --they aren't being used online. This has been a phenomenally balanced presentation. This has honestly been the best internet safety presentaiton I've ever seen. Period.

8:53	John Peters - Let's don't talk about "Old" teachers. We have some that barely are able to check their email and enter their grades online. Trying to teach them something new is a HUGE challenge.

8:53	NJTechTeacher - @Kim T - The old way - lecture, straight from book, not utilizing social tools, podcasting, etc.

So, there is a discussion on how we are going to get our "OLD" teachers to embrace technology. I think what would help them is to establish a Personal Learning Network. I know it is "Just one more thing to do". I am sure that is what I would hear. If they just tried maybe a quick RSS feed, or a twitter account, they would realize how invaluable the experience could be to their gathering of information for their classes and curriculum.

Isn't it part of the job to always be learning new things and being a self learner?? What better way than to create a PLN??

I have to say without twitter, I would not find half of the information that I have been shown! It is an amazing tool where wonderful people are not afraid to share the latest and greatest information about technology with me.. yes me.. a stranger! I feel like I want to share back and hopefully I can help them in ways too!

Thinking about the RSS feeds, they are a great resource and would be a wonderful tool to set up for your classroom. I also think delicious (here are my accounts) and diigo are great too. While using these bookmarking tools, I have been able to join groups and other people's networks of bookmarking. What a great time saving resource! I can then go into their account and see if they have tagged anything that I am looking for. Hopefully we are working in the same profession so they would have my interests in their account.

I think blogs are wonderful and powerful tools with some great information contained in them, but it is really difficult to read all of them. Check out this great blog I found today explaining the "glue of blogging" by Ewan McIntosh. What amazes me, is this PLN spans our entire world. Real people, sharing real information that we do every day! That is why twitter is so helpful and priceless. In 140 spaces or less, you must get your point out. I do read a lot of blogs through my RSS reader, but I also feel as though, even when I bookmark them, they are lost in cyber world! I never feel completely organized with all of these tools.. and that is what they are for! :) Organization!!!

Another great resource for a personal learning network would be wikis. Such as our learning module for this class! The ultimate personal learning network, where people can collaborate and share with each other on many topics. What a better way to learn than by sharing information. Watch this video about how wiki's work! Very cool! Did we already see something like this? I am on information overload!

If you can surround yourself with great people and add them to your personal learning network, your learning will come to you !!! Thanks for introducing us to this new world Jeff!

Internet Safety - Curriculum for all students?

It has been a few days since I have been on twitter. I am on vacation this week, so I am trying to take a vacation from the online world! Sort of what Jeff did, but on the lighter side! Just cutting back a bit. I did venture on though for a few minutes this evening and came upon CoolCatTeacher - AKA Vicki Davis telling us she was going to be starting a live online blog using CoverItLive. The topic this evening, live from Princeton University, was about internet safety. Click here to revisit the live chat.

Talk about Web2.0 tools!! It was fun to communicate with other technology teachers in a live environment, all the while, during a live presentation presented by Nancy Williard - director of Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use. When reading Nancy's blog, I was surprised to read her post about iSafe.org. I did not realize they were using some outdated material and "scare" tactics. I admit, I use the curriculum from iSafe, and I think some of it is great.

Reading an article from the NY Times on dangers of the internet, it says that the internet is not as "scary" as the media portrays it. According to the author of the article, David Pogue, he states, :“Sure, there are dangers. But they’re hugely overhyped by the media. The tales of pedophiles luring children out of their homes are like plane crashes: they happen extremely rarely, but when they do, they make headlines everywhere. The Internet is just another facet of socialization for the new generation; as always, common sense and a level head are the best safeguards.”

I do know that I use a combination of many resources when it comes to teaching internet safety. Also, in combination with internet safety, I know I must begin teaching "digital citizenship" to all of my students. It is of great importance that the students know how to collaborate with each other using the most respectful techniques possible to them out in "cyber-space".

I also joined Vicki's new grass roots movement for responsible internet safety education. Advocates for Digital Citizenship, Safety and Success.
On this wiki, Vicki is gathering a lot of different information to educate our youth on how to be good "digital citizens". It is a discussion we must have with children using the internet. I agree!

Any suggestions or information welcomed! :)