Ed Tech Kit

A glimmer of PD hope. I hope.

2012-02-10T03:21:00.000-08:00

It's easy to get bogged down by the "we can'ts", the "I can'ts", and the "ya buts" especially when you are trying to plan Professional Development. Helping others to feel empowered and inspired by education technology often reminds me of the Louis CK routine "Everything is amazing right now and nobody is happy."

Yesterday, in our PD planning session we started discussing the absence of students from our process. It was like a light bulb went off and our conversation went from "ya but's" to "oh ya's!" Here's a glimpse of what we proposed.

Goals for the day are to:

Reconvene the TTDN group and representative students to identify strengths and challenges with implementation and to continue support of blended and 21^st century learning
Change the conversation by adding the student voice to our learning about what works
Plan for future support and expansion

We are still working out the details, but I found myself excited and inspired by the prospects of including students in our PD. Having students and teachers work alongside each other to learn new ways of integrating technology in the classroom makes sense to me. It's actually the way we integrated technology in my school most of the time.

Do you have experience bringing students into the conversation? Please share your comments below.

Love Internet Explorer 7? There's hope. Stuff it full of Chrome.

2012-01-22T14:35:00.000-08:00

Chrome Frame brings the best of the modern web to older browsers.

Image Source: http://www.watblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/ie-vs-chrome-vs-ff1.png

Even though I moved on from Internet Explorer in the early 2000's, first to Firefox and now to Chrome, many of my colleagues and schools that I work with continue to use Internet Explore 7 (released in 2006) or Internet Explorer 8 (released in 2009). Seeing that it is now 2012 I would love to encourage that they all upgrade to a browser developed in this decade, but alas Internet Explorer 9 is only available on computers running Windows 7. In my building and in most of the schools that I support Windows XP still rules the day making this upgrade an impossibility. And while I could campaign for wider adoption of a modern browser that works on Windows XP, one that automatically installs updates and plays well with the modern internet (...ahem - CHROME!), it has been my experience that folks like what they like or in some case are not allowed to install or use "alternative" browsers. There are also instances where legacy software that schools run on dictates the use of older versions of Internet Explorer.

I could live with this browser based digital divide except for the fact that nearly everyone I work with and many of the schools I support have started using Google Docs. If you have ever opened Google Docs in an older version of IE then you have likely seen, and ignored, the little yellow warning stating that your browser does not fully support Google Docs. Ignoring this message generally results in parts of the web page not opening properly and features not working. In my experience, in spite of the warning, people don't realize that the problems they are experiencing is due to their browser, so they continue to hack at their computers until they cry out in frustration "I give up, Google Docs doesn't work". Believe me, I have seen this scenario more than I care to tell.

This problem led me recently to an open-source plug-in for Internet Explorer called Chrome Frame that essentially takes over whenever you browse to a website that was created using newer web technologies such as HTML5. The free download takes only seconds to load and does not require administrative rights to be installed. Voilà! The modern web all wrapped up in a browser that is still in love with Brangelina and Donald Rumsfeld.

Now for the caveat. I'm working with my IT department to test Chrome Frame a bit further before I extoll its virtues to the people who write my pay check. We want to check it against some of the legacy software we run and to run it in some test cases with users who don't freak out the moment a problem shows up. I'd suggest the you do the same before installing Chrome Frame. And if you need to uninstall here is how.

If you have any experience using Chrome Frame in your schools or at home I'd love to hear what issues you found or success stories if you have them.

Quick thoughts on Qwiki for iPad #iear #edapp #edtech #ttdn

2011-07-19T03:12:00.000-07:00

Just before the end of the school year I was able to check out an iPad from our RESA Assistive Technology lending library and test a few different apps with students. One of the apps I felt had great potential in the classroom was Qwiki. Qwiki compiles reference information from sites like wikipedia, images, videos, and maps to create an immersive information experience. But the most unique feature is the text-to-speech narration that accompanies every Qwiki. Captioning at the bottom of the screen is read by the text-to-speech engine giving the user the option to listen or read along. In essence, Qwiki turns your searches into movies.

In the short video clip above, students used Qwiki to research elements from the periodic table for a science project. I was impressed by the engagement level I saw, but also noted that the students using the Qwiki app were jotting down notes for their projects and reviewed their Qwiki search multiple times before moving on to the related searches presented at the end of the presentation. Because we were testing in an open environment without headphones other students paused to watch as well and even started discussing some of the qualities of the element being shown. This was vastly different from the disinterested search process that I had witnessed before I introduced the app.

It is worth noting that Qwiki is not just an iPad app. Their website http://www.qwiki.com offers an identical experience minus the intuitive touch screen interface. I'd love to see Qwiki develop some editing features that would allow students to curate their own resources and create dynamic presentations that could be shared.

Have you used Qwiki in your classroom? Please share your thoughts on how you think this website and app might support struggling learners or help increase engagement.

Reinspired

2011-02-17T07:28:00.001-08:00

It has been a while since I have written a blog post. I've recently acquired an android smart phone which has inspired me to write this post today. Actually I'm speaking this post using the blogger app and the android voice recognition. It works surprisingly well.

I'm looking forward to writing or speaking more blog posts about the use of cell phones in education. I'm also looking forward to my Macul conference presentation entitled "cell phones are 4 learning." See you there!

Classroom tools: Using phones to generate voice-to-text transcriptions, reminders and audio recordings

2010-11-22T10:44:00.001-08:00

In my recent post on using audio and podcasting in the classroom I discussed phone recording options such as Google Voice and ipadio.com. In this post I am looking more specifically at phone services which record audio and transcribe voice-to-text, but are designed primarily as reminder and to do applications.

What are the benefits in education?

First, phones are one of the most ubiquitous technologies in schools. Land line phones as well as cell phones are available to almost everyone both in school and at home.

Secondly, reminders and to do lists are an important organizational strategy. Services such as Dial2do.com and Reqall.com add features which traditional to do lists lack such as access on multiple internet connected devices and integration with other online services such as calendars, social media, and blogging. And unlike traditional lists and reminders the audio recordings provide another means of accessing and remembering important information.

Teachers could use these services to broadcast classroom notes and alerts or for personal organization and reminders. Students can use these services to become more organized but may also benefit from their voice-to-text transcriptions. This may particularly beneficial for students requiring assistive technology such as struggling writers or students who have difficulty using a writing device or keyboard.

Dial2Do

"Today I've been looking at a couple of different phone services which I might promote for students who are having difficulty writing things down. Dial2do is a phone service that converts voice to text and transcribes those messages-"
Powered by

Dial2do appears to be moving toward a two tiered pay model and no longer offers a free account. Dial2do integrates nicely with services like Twitter and Blogger. The recordings are limited to aproximately 20 seconds, but the transcriptions are very good. The recordings are in Mp3 format and can be downloaded or listened to directly using the web based audio player.

Reqall

Here's another test I made today using reqall.com -

"Imagine using your cellphone to write your next persuasive essay. There's a student sitting at a table. He's looking at the assignment. He needs to write an essay. He pulls out his cellphone. In the future essays may be written by students who call in their paragraphs and have them dictated by a phone." Link to audio

Unlike Dial2do, reqall.com does offer a free and paid account model. It also has an iOS app which integrates nicely with the service and allows voice messages to be recorded and transcribed using an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. The time limit appears to be slightly longer, about 30 seconds, however the transcription did not pick up punctuation at the end of sentences and a few words required correction. One feature which I feel is missing is an embeddable Mp3 player for listening to audio online. Reqall Pro offers integration with services such as calendars, social networking, and Evernote.

Edtechkit: Student solutions for Audio books and text-to-speech ebook readers for the iPod Touch

2010-11-17T10:56:00.000-08:00

I've been fielding some questions today about the best solution for students who would like to listen to books read aloud using an iPod touch. I'm reposting my response below with a few additions and links. Please comment if you have suggestions or ideas to share.

The Vbookz app would be a greatoption for students who want to read and listen to books like Huck Finn,Dracula, Pride and Predjudice etc. The app is a full ebook reader plus text-to-speech engine. It even magnifies the words as they are being read to help the reader track words as they are read aloud. The app gives you access to over30,000 books for free download once installed ($1.99 for the app). Here’sa Youtube video explaining the app.

Another suggestion is to browse this list of free audio/ebooks for the iPod touch on Appolicious. I've downloaded the Wind in the Willows app and found that it works quite well. My only wish is that it included word tracking.

I also recommend checking out Lit2go which has hundredsof books read by actors in Mp3 format. Like Vbookz these are publicdomain books which are no longer covered by copyright law. These Mp3files and the text can be viewed on a computer or downloaded and added to anipod touch.

But if your students wanted toread the book Hatchet, which is still under copyright, you would need topurchase an audiobook copy through iTunes or from a service like Audible orAmazon.

Finally, I highly recommend checking with your local library online services to see if they are using a service like Overdrive.com which allows you to check out ebooks and audio books using your library card. You can check for libraries using Overdrive.com by entering your area code I used my local library card to check out the audio book version of The Giver by Lois Lowry which students in 10th Grade ELA have been reading at my school.

A teacher’s guide to using audio and podcasting in the classroom

2010-11-15T10:39:00.000-08:00

Click here if you are unable to see the audio player. http://ipad.io/RCH

Audio recordings and podcasts serve a variety purposes inthe classroom. They can support instruction by allowing teachers to deliverprecise verbal instructions and capture lessons for archival purposes or futurelistening. They give students theopportunity to listen to instruction independently, without distraction (whenwearing headphones), and at their own pace using play and pause features for asmany times as is needed. Conversely,students can use audio to demonstrate their understanding of learned concepts, createinstructional materials and tutorials for peers, broadcast classroom and schoolnews, conduct interviews, and practice fluency reading strategies. Determiningwhich audio and podcasting tools to use in the classroom depends upon yourinstructional purpose and on your audio recording needs.

First let’s look at using audio to support instructionaldelivery. One use of audio is to recordthe directions for an assignment or test which students will listen to. For this purpose you might use Microsoft Word’s “insertaudio” feature to build the audio directly into the document. You might also choose to embed audio in an online Moodlequiz or assignment using Audacity. Onthe other hand you may be recording a series of lecture note, study casts, orlesson tutorials which are not directly tied to a single document or assessmentbut which you would like students to listen to for review and reinforcement. For these you may wish to use a podcastingsite such as Podomatic or ipadio. Podcastrecordings can be accessed by going directly to your podcast website, via RSSsubscriptions and iTunes, or by embedding recordings on a class website orblog.

Student generated audio and podcasts can be facilitatedusing some of the techniques mentioned above but may also require additionalconsiderations such as managing student podcast accounts, submitting audiorecordings for review, and the degree of technical expertise needed to producethe recording. Using phones to createstudent recordings can be an effective method capturing student audio and requiresvery little technical training. Google Voice and ipadioboth allow audio to be recorded using a phone. Students can also use simple online recorders such as Voki and Vocaroo.Other options include using the recording options on a mobile device such asiPod touch to make a recording and then e-mailing the recording to the teacher,student e-mail, or class blog.

Once you have determined your instructional purpose forusing audio or podcasting you must also determine what audio elements areessential to making the recording such as the duration, ability to edit, aswell as adding multimedia such as background music, images, text, or even geolocation. Most often you will want to create recordingswhich are brief and simple. This isespecially true when assessing student audio because of the time required tolisten to student submissions. Anexample might be when you ask students to record lesson reflections or exitinterviews. In these circumstances, it is best to use phone or online recorderswhich limit the time of the recording, do not require editing, and makepublishing your audio easy. The insert voice option in Microsoft Word isanother example of simple audio recording. Students can use this feature torecord smaller written samples to self check for errors and build fluency. If however, you know that you will be making alengthy recording where editing mistakes, combining recordings, or addingsounds effects or music tracks is necessary then audio editors such as Audacity,Garage Band (Mac only), and Aviary’sonline audio editor Myna may be good solutions. These tools are particularly useful forpolished recordings intended to be published to wider audience or forculminating student projects.

Before learning about and using a particular audio recordingand publishing tool you may wish to use the following matrix to evaluate whichtool(s) best fit your instructional purpose and audio recording needs. I also recommend becoming comfortable withseveral audio applications. Relying on one application may limit yourinstructional outcomes or cause frustration if that application isn’t working,is discontinued or is no longer free.

Instructional Matrix for audio recording and podcasting

The basics

In most cases you will need to either install software onyour computer or create an account to begin using a podcast recordingservice.

Next you will need to use a microphone to make yourrecording. Many computers have built in microphones, but external headphoneswhich you plug in via USB or 3.5mm jacks produce much higher qualityaudio. If neither of these options isavailable consider using a phone recording service such Google Voice or iPadio.

In most cases you will want to make an Mp3 audio recording.This is true for anyone who plans to share the recording over the internet orfor use on Mp3 players. Manyapplications such as Audioboo, iPadio, Podomatic, and Vocaroo do thisautomatically. Audacity requires a smallprogram called a Lame file to be installed. Microsoft Word’s insert audio can be used with the default .wav filesetting or be changed to Mp3.

Finally, you will need some means of allowing others tolisten to the audio file. Microsoft Word’sinsert audio, the voice recorder option on the iPod touch, and files made usingAudacity can be saved locally onto the computer or iPod touch they were createdon and listened to directly on those devices. In most cases, however, the audio file will need to be hosted orembedded on a website, blog, or podcasting site which can be accessed from theinternet. This has the distinctadvantage of allowing students to listen to the recording from a variety ofdevices and locations. These servicesalso make the creation of audio more flexible as they do not require the userto be on a particular computer or device to make the recording.

Overview of audio andpodcasting applications

With these steps in mind the overviews presented below areintended to get a beginning user recording and sharing their audio. Advanced uses of each particular program orapplication can be explored through the support documents and video tutorialsassociated with each application.

Audacity

Microsoft Word "Insert Audio"

Podomatic

Audioboo

ipadio

Google Voice

Voki

Screencast: Testing Camtasia and Audioboo at the same time

2010-11-14T06:36:00.000-08:00

This was a test of running Camtasia and Audioboo at the same time for the purpose of making a training tutorial. Although Camtasia was able to capture the screen and audio process fine, the Audioboo recording was distorted. It is possible that this was due to the fact my laptop does not have enough processing power to handle multiple recording applications simultaneously. Feel free to offer suggestions in the comment section below. To hear the audioboo sample which was created in the screencast click on the following link.

http://audioboo.fm/boos/217412-making-a-camtasia-screencast-and-audioboo-recording-at-the-same-time

Listen!

SCCRESA Dateline Schools radio interview #TTDN

2010-11-12T07:13:00.000-08:00

This is a recording of my interview with Dateline Schools host Terry Harrington discussing 21st Century Learning and technology in education. We also discuss RESA's Tools for Teaching Digital Natives teacher cohort.

You can also listen to my Dateline Schools interview from last year by clicking here

Dateline: Schools Radio
Dateline: Schools Radio, a daily radio segment aired on WPHM-1380 AM, focuses on a different school program or issue every week.

This program airs three times daily on WPHM 1380 AM with host Terry Harrington.

You can listen to Dateline: Schools at 5:50 a.m., 12:55 p.m., and 6:55 p.m., Monday through Friday.

If you are unable to view the audio player, click here.

ipadio: New edtechkit podcast - Cross posting to blogger and twitter automatically

2010-11-01T07:04:00.000-07:00

Click here if you are unable to view the ipadio player. http://ipad.io/QZ6

Fall family fun: Geocaching and podcasting together

2010-10-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

My family and I enjoy the "Geek" sport of Geocaching. Ok, it's not that geeky when you consider that it is great excuse to go outside and explore. Plus there are a number of great classroom applications. Of course there are a lot of math applications (calculating distances and geometry) or using the answers to math problems to complete missing coordinates. And geocaching is well suited to teaching geography concepts and local history. But you can also use caches for team building, campus orientations, or tie into the geocaching online community to build communication skill. Regardless, it is a lot of fun.

My two children Bella and Tennyson helped me to make a quick podcast while we were out geocaching today at the Pine River Nature Center. I had a little difficulty with our recordings and ended up using a couple different iPod touch apps (Voice and ipadio) to get the job done, but it was fun to record on the go. Take a listen to get a better sense of what geocaching is all about.

Can't see the podcast player? Click here

A month's worth of Twitter Favorites

2010-10-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

Here a are a few of my favorite tweets from the past month. Too often, I favorite a tweet, bookmark a website, or star a blog post in my Google Reader but never go back to reflect and review these saved items. I'm including an audio podcast of my reflection for those who would like to hear a little bit more about why I chose to save these tweets and my impression of the links they include. Enjoy.

Can't see the audio player? Click Here

p.s. People occasionally ask how I get my favorites list into the blog posts, so here's my big secret. Go to http://twitter.com, open your favorites, highlight, copy and paste into your blog.

My Favorites

coolcatteacher Vicki Davis

LiveWeb - insert and update web pages real-time in PowerPointdiigo.com/0d6s8 via @Diigo

14 Oct

courosa Alec Couros

This is #awesome! "The World Is Full of Interesting Things" - a fantastic example of a Google Prez. http://is.gd/g1daF

14 Oct

dgende Dolores Gende

@willrich45 new blogger at Huffington Post writes "My Kids are Illiterate. Most Likely, Yours Are Too" http://huff.to/bEtme8

13 Oct

jackiegerstein JackieGerstein Ed.D.

Comic and Animation Technologies in the Classroomhttp://wp.me/pKlio-6V

5 Oct

ddmeyer Dan Meyer

"I never set out to become anything in particular, only to live creatively." Best video you'll see today. http://bit.ly/a8fjOy

2 Oct

tonyvincent Tony Vincent

Allowing texting in the hallway between class, study hall, and at lunch has decreased sneak texting in class:http://tonyv.me/letthemtext

23 Sep

ChrisLAtkinson Chris Atkinson

Domain Gadget Directory Manager (DGDM) - Keeping your Google Sites Clean http://ff.im/-qP324

19 Sep

mikekaechele Michael Kaechele

I truly believe if we are giving students a quality education in a caring environment that parents will ignore Stan. Test scores good or bad

18 Sep

dannymaas Danny Maas

This looks great!-->Join.Me - Instant Web-Based Screen Sharinghttps://join.me/ #edtech #edchat #creativity

18 Sep

Intro to the iPod touch in the classroom - Video recorded 8/17/2010

2010-10-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

This is a recording of a presentation I gave in August as a part of our Tools for Teaching Digital Natives series. In it I discuss some of my favorite apps, suggestions for finding new apps, and a few recommendations for setting up a classroom set of iPod touches.

Another great resource for iPod Touches in the classroom which I recommend is http://iear.org. You can also take a look at my Appolicious Apps list here http://www.appolicious.com/users/kithard.

Can't see the video? Click here.

ToonDoo and PicLit: Two tools for supporting UDL "Multiple Means of Expression"

2010-10-02T06:08:00.000-07:00

Although I've known about ToonDoo for a while now, it was a blog post this morning at What Ed Said and a Tweet from @web20classroom about the site PicLits yesterday that got me thinking more about the great resources on the web for letting students explore and play with language and images in non-threatening and creative ways.

When we ask students to share what they understand about a particular concept or idea we usually expect verbal answers via a class discussion or formally written responses. We rarely ask or allow students to combine their verbal and written responses with images or video to help clarify their understanding, or when we do we usually build too many expectations into the project (you know - design a poster that explains every aspect of James Joyce's Ulysses) that many students feel overwhelmed at the analogue of image and ideas.

ToonDoo and PicLits are very inviting explorations of the way that images and text can communicate more effectively than either media alone. They work well as stand alone activities but can also be combined with larger multimedia activities like classroom blogs and sites like Glogster to help students express and reflect on their learning in fun and creative ways.

See the full PicLit at PicLits.com

I imagine students exploring language and learning new vocabulary through PicLits' magnetic poetry styled site. Or using the freestyle text editor to address more specific written responses to questions posed by a lesson.

ToodDoo would be a great resource for asking students to represent or summarize an important scene from a text or to describe a math or science concept to a fellow student.

And both sites contain thousands of examples of student created work which could be curated and then presented to generate discussion about effective uses of language and images related to a specific classroom theme.

I know that providing more examples of how students would use these sites to share what they know would benefit anyone who reads this post. Are you using either of these sites in your classroom? How would you use these sites to support all learners in your classroom?

Getting Started with Google Docs: Presentation and Ustream recording

2010-10-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

I've been looking back at some of the professional development resources I developed over the summer. I managed to capture my Google Docs presentation in August using Ustream and even found a way to edit out a few miscellaneous minutes that were unrelated so that this post should serve as decent starting point for anyone wondering what all the fuss is about with Google Docs and cloud based office suites. The rest of my Google resources can be found here at my website.

One aspect of this presentation that I'm particularly keen on is the focus at the beginning on how I use Google Docs Presentations (think PowerPoint) to model Universal Design for Learning strategies. I'm the first person to tell you that slide shows of any sort are generally a drag to watch, but hyperlinks and embedded media plus the ability to share the presentation out to personal computing devices and smartphones makes Google Docs a new kind of beast in the world of information delivery. Several accessibility issues are addressed when you allow individuals to view along with you on the screen of their choice at their own pace with the ability to go backward or forwards 24 hours a day 7 days a week with or without the presenter. Add some audio or even a video like the one below and you've got a "multiple means of representation" dream come true. Throw in the fact that interactive links turn the viewer into a participant and you start see how traditional delivery via a PowerPoint projected on a wall just doesn't cut the mustard.

My blog has been a bit quieter than I would like of late. September is a busy time for all of us in education, but hopefully the start of the school year has been as exciting for you as it has been for me. Enjoy the journey.

Can't see the presentation? Click Here

flashvars="loc=%2F&autoplay=false&vid=8999190&locale=en_US" width="480" height="386" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" id="utv336395" name="utv_n_111015" src="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/video/8999190?v3=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" />

Can't see the Ustream recording? Click here

AT alert. Did Google just create a Word Predict tool for the masses? #edtech

2010-09-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

Today Google Labs released a new product called Scribe which incorporates their autocomplete technology into a stand alone word prediction text editor. My first thought was how does this compare to similar word prediction software found in products such as Kurzweil 3000 and Premier AT?

Screenshot from Premier AT talking word processor

In many ways the word prediction features are very different. The example above from Premier AT is primarily assisting with spelling with some emphasis on word selection. Google scribe on the other hand is more whole language (not sure what the proper term would be here) in that it predicts phrases in addition to spelling.

Obviously Google Scribe is pulling from the endless well of search queries that underpin Google's search technology, and that makes it incredibly efficient at guessing what you might want to say next. I think the implications for classroom use with students who struggle with writing are significant. At the same time I have not had a chance to try this with any students yet to see what limitations exist.

Sentences composed using Google Scribe.

Many Google Labs projects never see the light of day but I could easily imagine this feature becoming integrated into the Google Docs suite. If this were the case I think that Google might possibly have enabled a fantastic Word Prediction tool for the masses.

Google has created a bookmarklet that opens the Google Scribe feature in any text editing field including those found in Google Docs. I actually enabled it to finish out this post. For more information on how to use bookmarklets check out this post by Steve Dembo.

I have a feeling this won't be the last time I'll be blogging about the uses of Google Scribe.

Update: I just tried to enable the Scribe bookmarklet in Google Docs and it causes several problems. Hopefully this will be integrated sooner rather than later.

Classroom Broadcasting, 21st Century Learning Symposium, New Learning #TTDN #edtech #sccresa10

2010-09-01T03:07:00.000-07:00

In this podcast episode I compare and discuss ways to broadcast and record from the classroom using mobile apps like audioboo.com, ipadio.com, and evernote.com. I also share my reflections on this year's 3rd annual 21st Century Learning Symposium hosted by the St. Clair County RESA. I conclude with a look at my recent attempts to set up my own Moodle and WordPress sites using the webhosting service bluehost.com. Running time:

University You: Building a learning network with #Twitter (part 1) #edchat #edtech

2010-08-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share the following presentation which I created to help St. Clair County educators begin using Twitter.com to build their learning networks. It's a good starting point for anyone who has never used Twitter, needs to set up an account, and wants to learn some of the strategies for making Twitter work as a professional networking tool.

Making a good first impression with Animoto

2010-08-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

Last week I wrote about Google Search Stories as a way to quickly create quick 30 second videos about any topic (including your online identity) using Google's web, image, and map queries. This week I want to focus on how to make amazing videos using your own images and video. Animoto for Education gives educators and students free access to unlimited full length "music" videos using amazing visual effects.

When my principal, Pete Spencer, came to today to request a last minute "Welcome" video for our new student orientation I didn't blink. With Animoto, it's easy. I uploaded some photos, grabbed a couple video clips, typed in 4 quick title slides, picked out a funky tune from the music library and hit submit. What do you think?

Why not introduce a new topic, spice up some quotes, or have students demonstrate their understanding of a concept by using images, text and music? PowerPoint is dead, long live Power Point.

Dive into the Ustream.tv - my #iste10 presentation

2010-08-27T07:05:00.000-07:00

I had the unexpected and fantastic opportunity to attend the ISTE 2010 conference in Denver this year. I wanted to make the most of my experience so I signed up to be a presenter in the Social Butterfly lounge. The topic of my presentation was live broadcasting using Ustream.tv to reach learners remotely or for archiving classroom content.

I also used Ustream.tv during my presentation and recorded the broadcast simultaneously. Due to issues with the conference wifi (it was very good BTW but not ideal for streaming video) my recording ends 9 minutes in. Still, I feel that it is worth sharing here. Enjoy. And as always, comments and questions are encouraged.

Go Search Yourself - Link of the week

2010-08-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun little weekend project using Google's Search Stories courtesy of Jeff Utecht and his excellent blog The Thinking Stick.

On Wednesday I had the opportunity to present several sessions on Google Apps to the folks Mattawan, Michigan. I usually include an image of myself stilt walking entitled "Who I Am" to make sure I don't forget to introduce myself. I was feeling the pull to try a new introduction and Jeff's post about Google's Search Stories inspired me to create the following.

I don't "Google" particularly well since both my first name and last name are commonly used words, but I still found a way to convey who I am through search. This is a nice activity for highlighting the importance of managing our digital identities, and I really like Jeff's suggestions of using Search Stories to do a comparative activity.

I have had a wonderful summer "twibattical" taking a brief hiatus from all things digital, but I'm back and looking forward to an exciting year of sharing and learning with you all.

Planecasting from 35,000 ft. On my way to #iste10 #edtech

2010-06-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

Listen!

Update: Here's my ISTE 2010 reflections planecast which I made on the trip home.

Listen!

Using Audioboo to make podcasts on the iPod Touch without wifi #ttdn #edtech

2010-06-26T16:46:00.000-07:00

Listen!

MrMegawhat - The tale of a 6 year old's Youtube channel

2010-06-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

Listen!

We talk a lot about digital natives. You know, the kids who are running circles around us adults when it comes to technology. So the other night a friend is over for dinner, and her 6 year old son and my 3 year old son are on the computer showing each other their favorite websites and games using the Kidzui web browser. The 3 year old navigates the Kidzui browser like he invented it. He doesn't need to spell. The 6 year old has never used Kidzui but has no problem find everything he's looking for. It's almost mundane.

Meanwhile, I am in ubber geek mode (i.e. ignoring everyone) because I'm facilitating a three day workshop on Teaching 21st Century Learning (whatever that means) and getting ready to go to the ISTE 2010 conference in Denver. But I overhear our friend in the kitchen say that her son has created his own Youtube channel to create videos of himself reading books. My ears perk up like a rabbit and I'm off the couch, into the kitchen, grinning and listening like a mad man. She goes on, though a bit perplexed by my over-enthusiastic looks. She explains how she wanted to support his request to make the videos for Youtube and how she always made sure she was in the room or nearby to keep an eye on things. She also helped him to format the channel and add some captions. "He loves Captain Underpants books," she says. "And one day, I'm at work telling a friend about his Youtube channel, and she asks to see it." But when they go online to view it there's a problem.

The 6 year old boy has taken an opportunity when no one is looking (he is super tech savvy) to make a video pretending to be Captian Underpants, and in this video he is dressed in only, you guessed it, his underpants. The mother is horrified. The video is promptly deleted, and the boy is banned from making videos.

I remember when I was 6. I had a tape recorder and a microphone, and I spent countless hours making news casts, radio shows, and reading books. Every tape I made is gone I'm guessing (unless my mom is holding out for my 40th birthday in an attempt to embarrass me). But this boy's videos may potentially live on forever, and yes, that might also mean his mistake. Our desire to express ourselves, to create and to share seems so ingrained. The difference is that MrMegawhat has over 6,000 views on some of his recordings and no one ever heard mine.

I don't want his videos to go viral. I question what will happen if I share this post. I do believe MrMegawhat has created a wonderful artifact of his passion minus the one video, so with his mother's permission I have decided to share. I have few answers to the obvious questions this tale tells, but I hope that telling will bring me closer to the truth.

Houston we have a problem - Help crowd source our Professional Development

2010-05-31T18:16:00.000-07:00

I'm preparing to help facilitate a Summer professional development institute focussed on helping high school teachers integrate technology to foster 21st century learning. And I think we have a problem. The problem isn't the brand new laptop, iPod touch, flip cam, microphone headsets and software we are giving teachers who participate. The problem I think is reflected this anecdote from Will Richardson's blog:

At a collection of school leaders and IT people, one of the participants told the group that his school had bought a number of iPads for teachers and that they had scheduled a chunk of training on how to use them. Unfortunately for him, I had just read an exchange on Twitter where Gary Stager had made the point that I quickly made to the group: “You know, something like 1.3 million people have bought an iPad and I doubt any of them have gotten any “training” on how to use it.” The people in the room half chuckled, but one woman said “Our teachers won’t do anything with technology unless we give them training.”

After reading this my first thought was, hey, we're giving out the same consumer level devices which are sold without training by such high minded institutions as Walmart, yet we've slotted significant chunks of our training time to how you connect the device to the computer and how to download an app. Are they really that hard to use?

It does get a little more complicated when we look at the applications and software. Our plans call for training on Moodle, Google Apps, social media, and screen casting (multi day trainings in and of themselves in a traditional model). But aren't we really just saying make your teaching and learning environment accessible, authentic, interconnected, and multi-sensory.

So I'm throwing out a few smaller brainstrorms in the hopes of pulling in some big guns from the interwebs. *yes, that means you all, in the hope that our little problem will demonstrate a bigger picture solution. Or just tell me that I'm wrong. It's how I learn.

I call this Challenges not Training:

1. "Use your iPod touch to share with a friend the fact that you just got an iPod touch" Skills needed - Turn it on, connect to internet, set up e-mail or go to web based e-mail, compose a message, send. Variations: Set up facebook app, set up twitter app, record a voice memo and e-mail it, etc.

2. "Use your flip camera to share a video or a picture with a friend the fact that you just got a flip cam" Skills needed- Turn it on, record video or take still shot, export to computer, share via e-mail, facebook, twitter, upload to youtube, etc.

Make it a race, make it a cooperative activity (first group to get all to accomplish task), give prizes.

3. As for the applications: "You have several students who are failing your course. They are disengaged during lectures, they consistently misplace their work, they seem more interested in texting notes to their friends than taking notes, and your worst fear is that they are recording your classroom using the camera on their cell phone. What strategies and resources could you integrate into your lessons to engage your learners, make the material multi sensory, personally accessible, authentic and interconnected?"

I hope that at least few folks will take a moment to reply. I and my group thank you in advance.

Tweeks! for the week of May 22-28 #ff

2010-05-28T05:43:00.000-07:00

All is quiet on the Twitter front it seems. Nevertheless, I did favorite a few tweets that are worth mentioning.

Google gravity isn't exactly what you would call "useful", but I could imagine using this to wake up an audience in the middle of a presentation. A nice conversation starter perhaps.

I've also been researching alternative and progressive assessment methods and enjoyed the Edutopia article shared by @valerieturpin.

I'm super excited to be heading to ISTE2010 at the end of June. If you are going, check out the tweet-up link below.

Finally, I'm always interested in the abundance of free learning resources offered by University's and individuals. Check out the open courseware links for Yale and UC Berkeley.

courosa

Google Gravity http://bit.ly/MKxTaabout 18 hours ago via TweetDeck
kithard

RT @valerieturpin: Guest Blog: Reinventing Assessment for the 21st-Century | Edutopia: http://bit.ly/ciKzF2 Good Stuff!9:10 PM May 26th via Chromed Bird
seanjcl

just found better (well, more aesthetically pleasing form) tweetup for #iste10 i'll attend instead: http://tinyurl.com/29t7rjb8:35 PM May 20th via Twitter for iPhone
willrich45

Watching: "Sal Khan at Gel 2010 on Vimeo"http://j.mp/a9WfLP All about Khan Academy. Good stuff.7:05 AM May 20th via Social.com
NMHS_Principal

UC Berkeley open courseware http://bit.ly/NemB9:07 PM May 16th via TweetDeck
NMHS_Principal

Open Yale Courses http://bit.ly/6EN2S9:00 PM May 16th via TweetDeck