Perhaps this is the answer to being able to have kids produce and upload videos to a public site that does not also contain the stuff we don’t want kids to see…TeacherTube. Launched in March, TeacherTube has the look & feel of YouTube, w/o the worry of the bad stuff.
I just created an account, and am looking forward to seeing if this will play out as a safe place to share content.
A comment I posted at the site for the SMART Board Lessons Podcast was discussed on the
episode that followed. Ben Hazzard and Joan Badger are the hosts of this excellent weekly show that focuses on using SMART Boards in the classroom.
The discussion (during episode 74) that caused my comment was about the differences between brands of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) and the issues that arise. On the following show (episode 75), Ben and Joan discussed my comments and brought up some good points. I received an email from Ben inviting me on the show – perhaps something will work out.
Last November I posted about where to start with teaching Web 2.0 tools (RSS, Anyone?). Today I finished the first attempt at introducing these tools to our teachers – the title of the workshop was Web 2.0 Tools for Learning: RSS. There was a small but enthusiastic group that was ready to jump in with RSS – we set up Bloglines accounts, subscribed to various feeds, and had great conversation about RSS and Web 2.0 in the classroom.
In that original post in November, I felt the need to start teaching about Web 2.0 using RSS, since it is the glue that binds all of the other tools together. It is simple to set up an aggregator and begin reaping the benefits of RSS – and from there anything else is possible. This workshop confirmed my feelings about how to introduce these tools.
Image:
“Worldwide Web Network Cables.” Online image. PowerMediaPlus.com. 21 May 2007.
Last week I attended the second Buffalo State College Educational Technology Conference, held at Erie 1 BOCES. The conference is organized and run by students in the master’s degree program in educational computing at Buff State. It was a fabulous day, offering a wide range of sessions covering many current trends in educational technology. Here is a summary of what I attended:
* Tim Magner Keynote: This is the second time I’ve heard him speak, the first being last November at NYSCATE. His focus both times is on the new global workforce and economy, and what educational technology can/should do to help change the direction and focus of education. He spent much less time on the School2.0 project here at ETC, compared to NYSCATE. I found his presentation much more captivating at NYSCATE as well.
* Digital Video for School News Shows & Class Projects: This presentation was by Amherst Middle School technology teacher Rob Zdrojewski. He presented his excellent AmherstTechTV new show, and also the student projects they do. The core of their program is a product called Visual Communicator. I learned of Rob’s program a couple of years ago when I started looking into news programs for our school. We made a visit to Amherst Middle back then, and have modeled our program after theirs. It was exciting to see the new studio they built – WOW!. I was also extemely excited to learn that the program is being updated and released soon under its new owner, Adobe (beta available now).
* Technology ‘Cast’ing Call: Continuing in my belief that video is one of the keys to great learning, this presentation by Nicole Giambra from Alden covered an array of topics, revolving around getting kids involved in video.
* Online Literature Circles: English teacher Angela Gnann from Niagara Wheatfield did an outstanding presentation on an outstanding project – online literature circles. She, along with the Technology Director and a professor from Canisius, took an “analog” literature circle concept and brought it online. Students in the 9th and 10th grade participated in online lit. circles, and had college educaiton students in the circle as well. The interactions were much greater and meaningful due to the wider circle. Students used images to convey their ideas, and also created digital video quilts to synthesize their learning. POWERFUL, and a true representation of how learning can happen in ways not possible without the technology.
* An Introduction to Second Life: Second Life is getting huge in certain circles, including higher education. I have read a bit about this 3D virtual world, but this was my first time seeing a demo, and talking about the possible educational implications. Some of the big names in educational technology, Will Richardson, David Warlick and Kathy Schrock, are currently investigating second life. As a matter of fact, I just saw at Kathy’s blog that she is presenting in-world at Second Life about K-12 uses. ISTE just published an article on it as well. The presenter, Heather Glogowski from Buffalo State, talked about Buff State’s current initiative to setup a virtual library in Second Life for students to use. From the conversation in the room, Second Life is definitely a bleeding-edge concept for schools – it will take a bit of time for things to develop before successful integration in schools can happen. For me, this was the tipping point to go get an account and try it out.
Overall, I found this to be a rewarding, brain-filling day. Kudos to the students at Buff State who were in charge of the conference, and their advisor, John Thompson.
The title of this article published by eWeek should really be, “The Top 100 Most Influential Men, with a couple of
women tossed in, in IT. By my count there were a total of seven women in this list.
Seven??? I guess its no suprise that men dominate the IT industry, given the stereotypical image of men being computer savvy. I was just suprised at how glaring the lack of influential women in IT is, in this age of equality, or attempt at such.
Is this just one more uphill battle girls in school will have to face – another profession which they will have to go out of their way to prove themselves to get anywhere? I think about my daughter, only 2 now – does she face the same glass ceilings that have existed for years, and will the glass be thicker?
I sure hope not. Technology IS the necessity of the future, and there is 50% of the population that has just as much brain power and skill to lead companies, and the world, in the direction we want them to go.
Attention all girls: You are bright, you are talented, and you have every right to lead the way in what happens in techhnology. Don’t let ANYONE, including yourself, let you think any differently!!!
Image citation:
"Top 100 graphic." eWeek. 12 May 2007. Click image above for source URL.