Techronicity

A Change of Audience to Engage Teachers

2011-10-03T23:26:00.000-06:00

I've read many times over that the benefits of student blogging come from the change of audience. When the audience shifts from teachers and classmates (and sometimes parents) to a more global audience (even if it is just a perception) students are intrinsically motivated to perform better. Many feel that this is simply because they do not want to be embarrassed of poor skills publicly. While this may be true in a small minority of students, I think they are motivated because they are contributing to the knowledge of a global society. They are hitting the highest level of Bloom's Taxonomy (creation) and want to be perceived as professionals.

While reflecting upon this during some planning for the student blogs I want to get up and running, I had an "a-ha" moment. If students are motivated by creating information on the Internet, logically teachers should be too. To put this theory to the test, I've decided to utilize a wiki with my teachers as a part of our PLC.

This year we've chosen to focus on engaging students as a part of our district's two-pronged plan (assessment and engagement) to increase high school completion over the next 5 years. We have done some work with John Antonetti, where he introduced us to his Learning Cube. The Learning Cube combines elements of Marzano's instructional strategies, Bloom's taxonomy and Schleckty's Working on the Work strategies for engaging students. Antonetti believes that if you incorporate one element from each side of the cube, students will be engaged. It is this theory we will put to the test.

Through cycles of learning, experimenting and reflection, we plan on implementing lessons and activities designed with the cube to measure expected increases in the levels of student engagement in our classrooms. Because this is new to our district, I can think of no better way to help out other teachers who are experimenting with the cube and focusing on engagement than to collaboratively create a resource outlining our journey. Hence the wiki.

Follow our journey here.

Edupunk: Implications for the Classroom?

2011-09-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

"What if I'm right and you were wrong? What if you knew it all along?" - Face To Face

After reading about Anya Kamenetz's free ebook entitled The Edupunk's Guide, I began pondering possible implications for the classroom. According to Kamenetz, Edupunk refers to the "many paths learners are taking in this new world." Essentially, people are using free resources such as social media to assist them in their learning. The very meaning of the word "education" is changing, which is challenging the institution that we have been through (and are still a part of). How many of us have looked up a "how-to" video on Youtube to learn how to renovate their house? Or how about searched for the best chocolate chip recipe (rated 4.5/5 stars by over 5000 people)? Or watched a video about how to play a particular song on guitar? Or searched a forum to find out why their iphone is acting up? This is Edupunk. Learning what you want, when you need to.

The post inspired me to finally tile above the shower in my bathroom. With nothing more than the handy folks at Home Depot and some Youtube videos, I successfully completed my task and learned a lot about what to do (and what not to do) when taking on a tiling job. No, I will not come tile anything at your house for any sum of money! Check out the pictures below.

What does this mean for education? Some institutions, like MIT, have changed they way they do things, offering course material free online for anyone who would like to look at it and learn. However, to get credit for those courses, you must pay your fees and write exams. In the K-12 system, Edupunk does have its place, albeit in an altered form. Clearly, the Internet is at the centre of this new type of learning. Ubiquitous access is imperative! But Edupunk has farther reaching implications than simply integrating technology.

It speaks to students learning at their developmental level - what is right for them at that particular time (differentiated instruction, maybe even restructuring the grade system). Even as an adult, learning benefits when you have someone there to guide you through the process. My tile job is far from perfect. It would have been much better had there been someone to model the processes and give me feedback towards my performance. For other types of learners, videos would suffice (something which Salmon Khan banks on).

Edupunk also speaks to student-directed learning, or any form where students have the ability to choose much of the task. Due to a mandated curriculum, student choice is generally limited to the medium used to complete the task, rather than the task itself. Choice, in whatever form it takes, is a powerful tool for teachers to utilize to give students a sense of ownership over their learning.

As you're planning this year, see if you can incorporate something in the spirit of Edupunk. Oi!

Google Search Part 3: Image Search

2011-06-20T16:48:00.000-06:00

I'm guessing that all of you have used Google Images to find pictures thousands of times over already, but I'm wondering how many of you have tried the many options available to narrow down your results. Last week, I blogged about the Advanced Search options and that is where I'd like to start today. Just like when searching for websites, you can refine your terms by related words, exact phrases or by eliminating words that are irrelevant.

On the left-hand side of the results page, there are some quick options that will save you from going into Advanced Search. You can select the size of the image you'd like (I'd always recommend choosing the largest image size you can find), the type of image you're looking for (face, photo, clip art, line drawing), or even the (predominant) color of the picture. For a fun assignment, ask your students to utilize one specific colour theme to create a photo story (Like a 5 Card Flickr story prompt -What is that? Check it out here.).

Getting back to the Advanced Search options, if you are looking for a specific size (possibly part of the assignment) you can specify by aspect ration, common sizes or exact size. Certain programs and web applications will only accept specific file types. In Advanced Search, you are able to refine your search to a number of common file types, such as jpeg, png or bmp. If you only want to search a specific website or you are brave enough to venture out into the Internets without any content filtering, those options are there as well.

Finally, we get to usage rights. As we all know, people automatically have copyright over their own photographs and pictures. As such, we should (but often don't) get permission when we are using copyrighted images from the creator to display said images. The ability to change usage rights is similar to Creative Commons, where people have specified that their pictures and photographs are available to use (albeit at different levels). These levels are fairly self-explanatory, but if you want more information, Google has provided it here. You'll notice that as you refine images to a level where you have full permission to use and edit someone else's work, your results decrease drastically, often leaving you with very little.

For the visually inclined, here is a video explaining Creative Commons.

Google Search Part 2: Advanced Search!

2011-06-11T12:42:00.001-06:00

Having covered Operators in the last blog post (see "Google Search Part 1: Operators"), I'll shift my attention to the Advanced Search as it has far greater implications for education. Many of you have probably had a quick look at Advanced Search, but have neglected using it out of fear or simply lack of time. I'd like to show you some options that will help your students become more proficient at searching for various topics. Please follow the example below in a new tab:

1. Let's say your student has chosen to write an essay on the tradition of Maple Syrup in Canada. When you type in "Maple Syrup" (without quotations) there are about 10 million results. While many of these will be relevant, you'll notice websites where people are trying to sell Maple Syrup creep near the top of the list.

2. Click on Advanced Search. You'll notice that maple syrup is already in the field that says "Find web pages that have all of these words." Here is where we can begin to narrow down results. Try adding in the words "Canada" and "history" since we are researching maple syrup in Canada. Now your results are down to 2.9 million. Still we'll find some results from companies selling their syrup.

3. Now we want to remove sites that contain irrelevant content using the field entitled, "but don't show pages that have any of these unwanted words." We can add words like "store," "buy," and "purchase." Now our results are at 1.9 million. You'll notice on the results page there is a minus in front of all of these new words (a shortcut). Let's keep going. Add more words into this field, like "images" and "video" or "United States" and "tourism." Now we're down to 1.5 million results.

4. Let's try some more features of Advanced Search. Change the Language to English. Under "Search within a Site or Domain" add in ".ca" so it searches only Canadian websites. Now we're down to 124 thousand results.

Now, there is a little bit of give and take with this process. Sometimes you'll find that words you've used to narrow down the search have gone too far and have eliminated websites that are relevant. Simply go backwards and take out (or change) a word you've added. This isn't a linear process. For instance, you may want to add in a certain province while removing another. If you are looking for current sites or news articles, try playing with the "date" option at the bottom of advanced search.

Another interesting feature is the "Filetype" field. Clear all of your fields and try searching for "Maple Syrup Canada History" after you change the filetype to Powerpoint and see what comes up. It may change the way you assign presentations in the future...

Next time: Google Search Part 3: Image Search!

Google Search Part 1: Operators!

2011-06-06T16:37:00.001-06:00

After a recent Google Workshop for Educators (GWE), I was aghast at how much time I've wasted through inefficient searching. It could have added minutes to my life! All sarcasm aside, you really can save some serious time, and heartache, by making your searches more efficient. We spent the greater part of the morning experimenting efficient searching with a Google certified teacher (@k_shelton).

Here are some of the goodies we had fun trying (try them out for yourself in a new tab right now):

Weather - Type in "Weather Brooks, Alberta"
     - up-to-date weather forecast for any location in the world

Movies - Type in "Movies Calgary, Alberta"
     - current movie showtimes at various theatres

Time - Type in "Time Beijing, China"
     - current time for any location in the world (who needs math?)

Chinese (or any other) Food - Type in "Chinese Food St. John's, Newfoundland"
     - listing of restaurants, ratings and a Google map with locations

Currency Conversion - Type in "100 Canadian Dollars to American Dollars"
     - current monetary conversion

Flights - Type in "AC 243"
     - track the status of your flight

Calculator - Type in "6 to the power of 2 times 5"
     - an online calculator (try some advanced equations)

Definitions - Type in "define: bailiwick"
     - online instant dictionary (saves paper) with links to your favourite dictionary sites underneath

Here is a current list of all Google Operators (that's what they're called), although there will be new ones constantly added over time. Many of these operators will save you time and a headache, especially if you are on the road or in a hurry.

In terms of educational value, you really want to learn about Advanced Search (to be covered in Part 2) and Image Search (part 3). Stay tuned...

Evernote: Who Needs Post-Its?

2011-05-25T23:18:00.000-06:00

If you're anything like me you have a lot of "To Do" lists. Those lists are created on any spare scrap of paper, Post-It, phone bill, or Safeway receipt you can find at the time. The problem with these lists is that they get left at the office, in your car, purse, or pants (and subsequently in the washing machine). Then you start a second list, which invariably ends up either shorter or longer than the first list. Now you have 2 lists - essentially different copies of the same document.

Multiple copies of the same document can be problematic because it will leave you trying to figure out which one is the most current. If you're sharing that document with others this can add to the level of confusion. For example, I have a friend who is the part owner of an electrical company and responsible for estimating different jobs. He used to use the regular Notes function on his ipad to write down everything he needed to know about the job. His ipad then automatically sent the Note to his phone, via email, which in turn automatically forwarded that email to his work computer. 3 copies later, he was left trying to figure out which copy was his most current working copy. He needed a simpler solution.

Evernote could be that solution. It is an online Note-taking program that you can sync between different computers or mobile devices (Yes, there's an app for it!). Here's how it works. Sign up for an account on the Evernote website and then proceed to download Evernote to any other computer or install the app on your mobile or tablet device. As you create notes, they will be automatically accessible from any of those devices.
You are also able to create and edit notes on any of these devices as well. As you create new notes, Evernote will organize them based upon the keywords (or tags) you add to them.

In the classroom, Evernote can be used in a variety of ways. Students can type notes, add photographs, take clips from websites, and even store hand-written notes via email in their Evernote accounts. Read this blog post for one district's implementation of Evernote or this blog post for more ideas.

For the visual learners out there, watch this video:

The Most Awesomely Awesome Website

2011-05-18T21:58:00.000-06:00

Isn't it awesome when you get into a line right before it gets really long?

After receiving The Book of Awesome from a trusted colleague, I thought it was perfect timing for a blog post about the book's accompanying website, 1000 Awesome Things. The author, Neil Pasricha, is in the midst of publishing his top 1000 awesome things. What are those things? Simply put, these things are everyday occurrences that put a smile on your face. Here are some of my favourites:

#917 The moment at a concert after the lights go out and before the band comes on stage
#881 When someone lands on the hotel you just built in Monopoly
#786 Getting recognized for doing something you love
#659 When you suddenly remember it’s a long weekend
#440 Correctly guessing an old password you haven’t used in a while
#271 When the music player’s shuffle reads your mind

Similar to the Chicken Soup books, I think 1000 Awesome Things can act as a great pick-me-up after one of those difficult days in the classroom or right before a much deserved long weekend.

Even my wife got into the spirit of awesomeness with her own nugget of awesomeness:

Isn't it awesome when you put on an old jacket and you find money in a pocket?

Which is the better browser?

2011-05-05T23:41:00.000-06:00

If you are still using Internet Explorer (or Safari for you Mac folks), you really need to give some other browsers a try. The top two (free!) alternatives to Internet Explorer (and Safari) are Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. Below are some of the features and benefits I've found with each browser. While I can't say that either Firefox or Chrome are my favourite, I can say that I would take both over Internet Explorer. For a detailed comparison of these and other browsers, read this review.

Appearance

Both Firefox and Chrome have a very simple, refined look to them. Gone are the multiple menus and most of the peripherals that have begun to clutter up your Internet Explorer windows. Chrome is the simplest looking, even getting rid of the search bar. In Chrome, you can simply type a search query into the address bar.

Both Firefox and Chrome use Google as a default search engine (no more Bing!). Both browsers utilize a tab system, similar to Internet Explorer. However, the tabs in Firefox and Chrome are located at the top of the window, yet another method of maximizing browsing space. You also have the ability to customize the look by browsing through their respective theme galleries.

Browsing Speeds and Stability

Both Firefox and Chrome have been tested by many Internet review sites for their browsing speeds. In these reviews, both Firefox and Chrome test faster than Internet explorer with Firefox being the fastest. Through my experiences, I would concur with these results. Both are noticeably faster than Internet Explorer, but I can't tell between the two which is fastest.

In terms of their stability, I find that there are occasional malfunctions with Google Chrome. Once in a while pages won't load or I'll need to restart the browser for some reason. For this reason, I'd rank Firefox as the more stable of the two. Very rarely do I need to restart Firefox, and when I do, it restores my pages so that I can carry on from where I left off.

Extensions/Add-ons

Both Firefox and Chrome have developed mini applications that you can download and add to your browser to customize its use. For instance, I've downloaded an extension for Chrome that checks my Hotmail and Gmail accounts every few minutes and alerts me when I have received an email. Others I have installed are a URL shortener, website translator, Youtube search engine, and a screen capture application. There are hundreds of searchable applications for each browser. You can really utilize these extensions or add-ons to increase the efficiency of your browsing experience. For instance, I have one application that allows me to instantly share or save websites that I view. I can save a site to my Delicious account, add it to a blog, as well as share it on Facebook or Twitter, all with the touch of one button.

Sync

Last, but not least, is my favourite feature. Firefox and Chrome have a sync feature which allows you to carry over your bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, preferences and filled forms from computer to computer. This means that no matter which computer you use, whether its at home or work, you won't lose your favourites. Set up one browser the way you like it and sync it with all of your other computers. Chrome's sync is the easiest to set up as it runs through your Google Account (If you don't have one, what are you waiting for?). Firefox's sync takes a few extra steps, but works just as well. This has huge implications for teachers who move between classrooms frequently.

Download Firefox here.

Download Chrome here.

Blogging: Why Aren't You Doing It?

2011-04-13T15:17:00.000-06:00

Last week on Twitter, someone had asked what Web 2.0 tools were the most beneficial to classrooms. For me, there was only one answer: Blogging. What is so great about blogging, you ask? There are numerous educational benefits to blogging, both for students and teachers. In fact, the very first blog post that I wrote was about classroom blogging.

Blogging is about literacy, something as teachers we strive to impart on our students. As teachers we should also be modelling literacy so students have an example of where they should be heading.

Taking this idea further, blogging can be a way for students to demonstrate their learning by creating a product. For example, if students are learning about Japanese culture, they could create a series of blog posts demonstrating what they've learned. Within these posts could be not only text, but weblinks, images, videos, and slideshows that the students have created or found. Once the posts are published, other students, teachers and parents could then leave comments or feedback for them. The online conversation, post-publication, is where learning occurs on a larger scale. Readers have the opportunity to analyze and synthesize the information from the post and consider the viewpoints of others.

As a teacher, blogging can be used as not only an instructional tool, but also as a reflective tool. Teachers could create blog posts with their thoughts and feelings towards an idea, for example the Libya situation, and ask students to respond with their feelings. They could use a blog as a way to reflect on their teaching practice with other colleagues, by seeking their input and feedback.

Here are a number of links with ideas for utilizing blogs in your classroom:
33 Ways to Use Blogs in an Educational Setting
10 Great Ways to Use Blogs in the Classroom
Blogs in Education
Ways to use Weblogs in Education
Blogging Rules
10 Ways to Motivate Students to Blog

As for which blogging service to use, there are a number of different providers that I would recommend. First, with students I would recommend starting with edublogs.org. You can sign up as a teacher and create student accounts underneath you. It has very easy settings to change who can view and comment on your blog, depending on your comfort levels. For teachers, I would recommend using either Blogger (which this blog is created on) or Wordpress. Both of these services are fairly easy to set up and maintain, however, I believe that Wordpress is more geared towards advanced users (don't quote me on that one though).

Here is a video created by students who are sharing the reasons that they like to use blogs as an educational tool.

Forget Long Distance: Use your Google Voice!

2011-04-05T23:44:00.001-06:00

I feel like I'm writing a commercial here, but you really do need to try Google Voice. I was excited to see that Google Voice has finally been activated in Canada, after having working in various forms over the past couple of years in the US.

What is Google Voice? For us in Canada, it means that you can log into Gmail and make phone calls to any phone in North America for FREE. You can make international calls as well, and the rates are fairly good ($0.02 per minute to the UK). Being the cheap person that I am, my parents will be happy to hear that I'll be calling them more often now, rather than making them phone me. Now, for the moment, we cannot receive calls in Google Voice, only send them. Over time, we will most likely be able to get a Google number, just like they have in the US, but we'll just have to be patient and wait for those advanced features.

To set it up, you first need to have a Gmail account. If you haven't jumped on the Google bandwagon yet, I suggest you do by going here. Then head over to Google Voice here, sign in, and install Google Voice. Afterwards, you can head into Gmail and click on Call Phone, located down on the left-hand sidebar.

This will create a telephone-like popup, allowing you to place a phone call to any phone.

To utilize the service you will need some kind of microphone, whether it is built-in or through an external device (you can get microphones at the dollar store). Make sure you click on Settings in the top-right corner, select the Chat tab, and choose which device you want to use for your microphone.

Now what does this have to do with education? At first sight, very little. However, Google Voice has a few educational applications that I can think of, especially if you are utilizing the video call feature (didn't mention that part, did I?).

You could use the service to connect experts with students that they normally wouldn't have access to. If students are learning about aquatic animals or habitats, connect with a marine biologist and broadcast the call through your computer speakers and Smartboard. Students will have the opportunity to ask the experts questions and make real-life connections. Connect with people local to your area to learn about your community's history, or with a new Canadian to hear about the differences between Canada and their homeland.

Do you have ideas? Add them in the comments section below:

Kiva: Loans that Change Lives

2011-03-30T23:40:00.001-06:00

As educators, we strive to enable our students to become responsible citizens. With ever-increasing global connections through the Internet, our definition of citizenship has taken on more of that global flavour. Kiva is a perfect opportunity for your students to reach out and make a difference in someone's life.

According to their website, Kiva is a non-profit organization that connects people through lending to help alleviate poverty. Here is how it works in greater detail. Basically, as a lender, you can search through thousands of profiles from people who are looking for funding to complete an entrepreneurial endeavor. Many of the entrepreneurs are trying to create business opportunities in developing nations or are living in impoverished situations. You can lend as little as $25 with the agreement that they'll pay you back when they can.

Watch this video about how Kiva works:

A Fistful Of Dollars: The Story of a Kiva.org Loan from Kieran Ball on Vimeo.

Is there a risk involved? Absolutely. There is always potential for your loan to never come back to you. However, Kiva has over a 98% return rate on their loans and you can increase the odds of return payment by carefully scrutinizing the entrepreneurs' profiles for feedback ratings (similar to a seller on ebay). Click here for more information on the risks of lending.

Kiva doesn't take any commission from the lenders or entrepreneurs. They are 100% funded by donations, grants, corporate sponsors, and foundations.

For me, this is the perfect way to get students involved in global citizenship. Not only can students be involved in the initial raising of funds (bottle drive, bake sale), but they can scrutinize and choose who they feel is most worthy of the money they've earned. Afterwards, students can keep track of their loan through regular updates on the Kiva site, and re-invest once that loan has been paid back.

Podcasting: What's the Big Deal?

2011-03-23T01:41:00.002-06:00

So you may have heard of podcasting before, and maybe even listened to a podcast, but what is the big deal about them and why are they so popular?

Well, podcasts really have iTunes to thank for their popularity. If you find a podcast series that you would like to listen to on iTunes, you simply click on "Subscribe" and new episodes will be downloaded automatically every time you open iTunes on your computer. To add to this, you can set up iTunes to upload your podcasts directly to your ipod/iphone/ipad when it is connected. Incredibly easy and free.

If you haven't heard about podcasting, think about it as a combination between radio and blogging. Podcasts come in 3 different forms - audio, audio with pictures, and video. Most podcasts are not just single files, rather they usually are a part of a longer series of episodes, like a television series.

In the classroom, podcasts can be used in a number of ways. Teachers can use podcasts to record lectures or assignments, as well as listen to podcasts for professional development. Students can utilize podcasts to demonstrate their learning, as a presentation tool, documenting a class discussion, conducting interviews, or broadcasting classroom news.

Here are 3 links to different school podcasts:

Elementary - French for kids by kids

Junior High - YDMS

High School - Podcast Bangladesh

Creating podcasts can be quite simple. All you need is a computer and a microphone (headset preferred). There are a variety of programs that will allow you to create a podcast - Garageband (MAC), Audacity (PC), or web-based recording software (Aviary). Here is a list of over 70 different podcasting tools.

Once you have recorded your podcast, you need to get it published. Our Dreamstalk websites provide the perfect place to do this. Check out this example of Eastbrook's weekly radio podcast.

For some handy tips and instructions on how to plan, record and publish podcasts, take a look at my podcasting presentation below:

Writing Prompts for Inspiration

2011-03-15T14:39:00.004-06:00

"It is by sitting down to write every morning that one becomes a writer."
Gerald Brenan

Writing prompts are a great way to get students writing on a variety of topics on a daily basis. This website was created by a teacher to share writing prompts and inspirations that he has come across over the past few years. There are about 200 hundred writing prompts if you go all the way back to the beginning. These prompts would work for a variety of grades and could easily be adapted to a variety of situations.

Click here to preview the author's top 35 writing prompts.

Here are a few that I enjoy:

Maybe consider using a video instead. Here is one that could inspire some writing:

The Times They are A-changin'

2011-03-07T12:10:00.001-07:00

"the present now will later be past"

- Bob Dylan "The Times They are A-changin'"

In light of recent government cutbacks to programs supporting innovation and change in education, the present may sooner be past. In the ATA News (Feb. edition) Minister Hancock has a block quote stating that, "Engagement is key to collaboration, and collaboration is key to real and lasting change."

Have we forgotten about innovation? For change to happen, innovation is key. Innovation is the spark - the hook. Innovation is the thinking that invites us out of the box. Innovation creates engagement. Collaboration is the vehicle through which that engaging task is realized.

This is true everywhere. Take Wikipedia for example. Innovation occurred when someone came up with the radical idea of using a wiki to create an online encyclopedia where the people would become the creators and curators of knowledge. People were, and are, engaged in the collaborative creation of this current and accurate body of knowledge because of the collaborative aspect of it. Just a few short years ago, academics criticized Wikipedia for its apparent lack of accuracy. It has been suggested that university professors now access Wikipedia more than any other database for their information. Indeed, Wikipedia is now the primary body of knowledge on the planet. In 2005, Wikipedia was just as accurate as Encyclopedia Brittanica (and has been added to, reviewed, and edited by millions around the world since then!).

In challenging times, we need to look at innovative ideas in an effort to continue our journey of improving our teaching practices. We cannot give up the quest to provide our students with the best possible learning environments just because funding has disappeared or budgets have tightened. Focus on your needs. Get creative and find ways to collaborate. Together we are strong!.

Sharing Made Easy: Transferbigfiles, DropSend, and Minus

2011-02-28T22:57:00.006-07:00

Ever need to share files with other people? Well, here are 3 easy to use websites that can make it happen for you.
1. Transferbigfiles - This website allows you to send large files via email for free! Simply head over to the website and sign up for a free account. You upload your file, maximum 100Mb with the free account, and type in the email address(es) of the people you wish to send the file to. Recipients get an email containing a link to download your file that is active for 5 days. The free account also comes with 1GB of online storage.

2. DropSend - Similar to Transferbigfiles, DropSend allows you to send even LARGER files, up to 2Gb for free! However, with DropSend you are limited to 5 file sends per month, each with a 10 download limit and only 1 email recipient. A bonus with this site is that your file is stored as long as you like and you have 250Mb of online storage.

3. Minus - Minus is much simpler than both Transferbigfiles and Dropsend, but is meant for smaller files (10 Mb per file). With Minus, you simply drag and drop your files onto the screen and they are uploaded into a gallery. When pictures are uploaded, they are displayed as a gallery that you can navigate through. In the near future, Minus is working on adding a document reader and music player. Instead of sending an email to others, Minus gives you a URL that people can use to access your gallery. Each gallery can have a maximum of 50 items, but there is no limit on the amount of galleries a person could make. Click here to view my first Minus gallery.

Public is the New Default

2011-02-15T22:14:00.008-07:00

Has social media like Twitter and Facebook affected us in a good way or in a bad way? While this is up for debate, one thing is certain. Social media has changed society. It has clearly re-shaped the way we interact with others and has also helped our social circles transcend both time and distance. Do I really want to know what my grade 2 classmate is up to now?

The biggest effect that social media has had is just beginning to emerge and define itself - the changes to personal privacy boundaries. As we have begun to grasp the idea that anything posted on the Internet instantly becomes permanent (and in many cases the property of the hosting site), questions about our personal privacy (and property) have arisen. Do I really want all of my personal pictures to become a part of public record? Is it safe to "check in" to locations (via Foursquare and Facebook Places) to let people know my whereabouts at all times?

In the past, we led our lives in private, choosing what details of our lives we wanted to make public. With the evolution of social media, our lives are now public and we must choose what details we want to be private. Take, for instance, Facebook's current privacy settings. By default your personal information and images can be shared with others without your consent. You must actually modify those settings to protect and control your own information. Twitter is another example of how public our lives are. The US Library of Congress is digitally cataloging every public tweet since Twitter began.

I'm a huge fan of transparency, probably because I work in education, so the idea of having a public persona is not a big deal to me. I have nothing to hide (at least nothing I'll admit to). As an educator, we're held to a higher standard anyway (debate the validity of this amongst yourselves), so to me there is no difference between being "out in public" and being "online in public." Educators have a great understanding of the fine line between public and private because it is a regular topic of thought. This makes us perfect candidates for educating students on the subject, but I'll save that for another day.

Am I advocating shutting down your Twitter and Facebook accounts, banishing social media from your life? Absolutely not! I want to see the pictures you took on your trip to Romania last summer because I probably will never get to go there myself. I want to read those philosophical Tweets you come up with in the wee hours of the morning.

I say embrace social media and extend your social network, while remaining cognizant of which aspects of your life you're comfortable becoming permanently public. Worried about the negative? Be proactive with your digital footprint so people only find the positive.

Posterous: Blogging by Email

2011-02-09T22:04:00.003-07:00

It's a blog, website, and an efficient vehicle for publishing material to multiple sites in one quick step.

Besides using Posterous as your own blog or website, there are some great applications for the classroom. A Posterous site could be used as a class blog or website to highlight or archive classroom activities.

It would also be a great way for students to share their creations. By adding student email addresses to the Posterous site (creating a collaborative blog), students can quickly share their learning with the public.

The sign up process is extremely quick, you can customize the look of your page, and posting is incredibly easy. You simply send an email! If you want to include a youtube video, simply add the video URL into the email, and Posterous will recognize it. For any other file types (pictures or mp3s) just attach them to the email and it will be added to your post.

Here is a link to my Posterous site where I created and published this post.

Networking: A Valuable Form of PD

2011-01-30T23:36:00.007-07:00

I attended and presented at 2 mini conferences this week, both of which showcased the value of peer-led professional development.

The first conference, put on by SAPDC, was directed towards CTS teachers. Knowing little about the CTS curriculums and programs offered, especially outside of our district, the conference brought some interesting points to light. First, and foremost, these teachers want more professional development opportunities specific to their programs. It also became clear that coordinating opportunities for CTS teachers was very difficult given the sheer number of areas that fit under the category of CTS, the need for specific facilities and the geographic distances between teachers. Through conversation, many of the teachers in attendance appreciated the opportunity to meet and network with other teachers throughout the South. It is perhaps these networking opportunities that could potentially yield the greatest benefit for our teachers.

Speaking of networking, I was delighted by the number of teachers who took up the call to join and use Twitter during our PD Day. Over 10% of our teachers joined in the conversation that happened throughout the day. As the day went on, the conversations began to deepen and push our thoughts as educators. I hope that these teachers will begin to build their PLNs and continue to explore using Twitter as an educational tool. I know that my PLN has helped me in a number of ways. Efficiency is the most obvious benefit. I don't need to search for resources or information because the people that I follow are doing that for me. They act as a filter, sorting through research, current trends, and resources so that I don't have to. And that happens without any participation on my part (other than reading). By participating in the conversation, I allow my beliefs and assumptions to become public, and be challenged by the beliefs and assumptions of others. This process allows you to further your understanding and knowledge of education.

Consider how influential master teachers have been on you. Through conversation they influence your beliefs and teaching practice. They offer timely advice and all the resources you could ask for. How many of these teachers have you known during your career? Five? Twenty? Fifty? Twitter will allow you to connect with this type of teacher worldwide, pushing that number in the thousands. You may even get to meet them in person sometime. Build your PLN.

CES: A Glimpse into the Future

2011-01-14T11:45:00.010-07:00

Tablets, TVs and 3D glasses were everywhere. With over 140,000 people and 4,000 vendors at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show, it was sensory overload!

While I did see some potentially cool educational devices, like Samsung’s version of an IWB (see pic below) or Vitiny’s Digital Portable Microscope, what I really took away from the conference was the overall sense of direction that technology is going in the near future. The conference revealed future trends in technology that the Education field needs to be aware of and plan for.

The most obvious trend related to our push in education to supply one standardized format of computing to students. This is the completely opposite direction that the market is heading. Take, for example, the tablet. 80 different tablets (ipad competitors) were revealed at CES by a plethora of different companies. As expected, all of the big names in electronics (Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Toshiba [liked this one] to name a few) released their version of the tablet with both Microsoft Windows and Google Android operating systems (Android seemed far less clunky and cumbersome). What was a big surprise were the dozens of unknown (at least to me) Asian companies that also released their versions of the tablet. These companies generally offered tablets in a variety of sizes and some had additional features that their big-name cousins couldn't offer (such as multiple SD, HDMI or USB inputs). While they couldn't give us an exact price, one can imagine that these tablets would be available for significantly less than the name brand versions, while the build quality seemed to be the same if not better.

Is the tablet the answer for schools? I would say no. Although their portability, price, and functionality are extremely enticing, one major contender in the electronics game doesn’t even seem interested in making them. Sony does not, as of yet, have a tablet. Considering that Sony is quick to make any type of device they believe can put their name into people’s homes, their lack of a tablet at CES seemed like a curious omission. To me this means that either Sony is cooking up something to potentially give them a monopoly on the portable computing market (think Blu-Ray, not Betamax), or they’ve given up hope of ever competing with the iPad.

What does this have to do standardized formats in schools? The vast number of tablets signifies a trend in technology where people are no longer using just 2 types of computers (PC and Mac). Now, computing devices transcend everyday life. Computers, laptops, netbooks, tablets, gaming devices and Smartphones (along with multiple operating systems) will become more common, especially as size and price drop, while functionality increases. To hold students to one type of computer system that is rapidly becoming non-native to them may actually be limiting their ability to find information and create new knowledge. We are fighting a losing battle. What we need to focus on is the “seamless integration” of multiple computing devices and operating systems.

Students should be able to bring whatever devices they wish from home, or use school provided devices if they choose not to, and connect seamlessly to school systems and wireless internet. Cloud based storage services (such as Google Docs, Dropbox or Skydrive) can be utilized to allow student access to their files anyplace at anytime from any device. Web 2.0 applications (soon Microsoft Office will be all web-based) will allow students to create knowledge and evidence of their learning whenever and wherever they choose. We need to drop-out of the standardization race that we could never possibly win and prepare for multi-platform devices. It’s all about developing flexible and adaptable systems for the constantly changing world of technology.

Darkness on the Face of the Earth

2011-01-04T12:58:00.005-07:00

"When you left me darlin', my world came to an end,
And there was darkness on the face of the earth."
- Willie Nelson

I thought I'd lost it all. My precious iPhone and all of its contents. In the process of transferring my iPhone over to my new iMac, I thought I had accidentally deleted everything. Luckily enough, they try to make these things idiot proof, so I have recovered my information with minimal pain (Big sigh of relief!).

One of the scariest moments was when I thought that I'd lost all of my music. While I have copies of the vast majority of my music on my PC and external hard drives, I had some specific music that, if lost, could not be replaced. I'd liken it to having family pictures destroyed in a fire (Thankfully, with internet sharing sites like Facebook, Flickr, and Photobucket, losing pictures in a fire is not the end of the world anymore!).

So, I have found two programs that will allow you to get any music off of your iPhone or iPod by downloading it directly to your computer. This is handy if you are switching computers or if you simply want to share your music with others. Both are easy to use and allow you to choose a save location and specific files that you want to save if you don't want to copy everything.

For the PC, download the program Sharepod here.
For Mac users, download the program Senuti here.

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 12: Voicethread

2010-12-21T12:00:00.001-07:00

On the 12th day of Techmas, my Ed Tech brought to me...

I've quite possibly saved the best for last here, but I'll let you be the judge of that. If you've missed the past 11 days, here they are in a quick list. Be sure to check them out:

Voicethread might best be described as interactive media albums. They are online slideshows of images, documents or videos where viewers are able to comment on each slide. Comments can be made by typing, recording an audio or video comment, or drawing on the image itself. What happens is a conversation around the image, video or document where students can engage and reflect upon the material. Students could reflect upon something the teacher has posted, or a teacher (and peers) could leave feedback for a student's work. Voicethread has become so popular in the education community that they have created a secure Education version ($$). Here you have the option of keeping the Voicethread private or publishing them publicly on the Voicethread site. You always have the option of embedding your Voicethread on your blog (see below).

To get started on Voicethread, they offer a number of easy tutorials and you can also check out Youtube. You begin by uploading images, videos or documents that you have. Add a title, description and some tags to your Voicethread.

Each picture or video needs to have a title added. You can comment on each picture by selecting the picture and clicking comment. Before you share your Voicethread, be sure to select which Playback and Publishing options you would like. You can then export or embed your Voicethread. Here is a quick one that I've created (feel free to leave comments):

Here are some ideas for how to use Voicethread in the Classroom - Voicethread 4 Education Wiki. Alternately, look at the Voicethread below on 100 ways to include Voicethread in the Classroom:

Merry Techmas Everyone!

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 11: Primarypad

2010-12-20T13:00:00.001-07:00

Primary pad (aka. Etherpad - RIP, Titanpad, babelwith.me, typewith.me) is a collaborative tool that can be used for many purposes. It is a web-based word processor that allows real-time collaboration. Many people can simultaneously type and create a document together. Each incarnation of Primarypad has slightly different settings. For instance, Primarypad allows up to 5 simultaneous users at one time.

Security isn't generally an issue because you can create custom URLs which the general public would have a very difficult finding. To do this, simply type in your custom URL at the end of the URL (see below where I've typed in gsd 2011).

As long as no one has used this custom URL in the past, you will be prompted to create a new pad. To share your pad with others, simply copy the URL and email it to them by selecting "Share this pad" and then "send an email invitation."

In the pad, there is a main window where the document is created. Each user gets a different color of type making it easy to distinguish who is doing the writing. In the bottom right corner there is a chat window where participants can chat about things not directly related to the document.

When you are finished you can export the pad in a variety of formats, such as a Word file, for later viewing. You don't need to export the pad, however, as it is stored in that URL forever (unless the site disappears).

Go ahead and give it a try here: http://www.primarypad.com/gsd2011

TOMORROW: VOICETHREAD! Don't miss the final day!

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 10: Answer Garden & Urtak

2010-12-19T13:00:00.005-07:00

Today's 2 for 1 special features two distinctly different polling websites, Answer Garden and Urtak.

Answer Garden is an easy to use tool to generate feedback on any topic. You could also use it for brainstorming. Once your create an Answer Garden, students can navigate to the URL and type in an answer to the question you have posed. Alternately, students can click on one of the answers that has already been inputted by another to vote for that response. The more one response is selected, the larger that word becomes (similar to a wordcloud). You also have the option to set a password for the Answer Garden to keep unwanted people from answering. Try out this AnswerGarden below:

How could you use Answer Garden in the classroom?... at AnswerGarden.ch.

Urtak is another polling website with one crucial difference. It only asks Yes or No questions (you do have a "don't care" option as well). This site allows you to get quick feedback from students or parents in a simply way. When creating an Urtak, you can ask up to 10 Yes or No questions at a time.

Blog Post Questions

TOMORROW: Primarypad (or one of its many pseudonyms)

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 9: Animoto

2010-12-18T13:00:00.002-07:00

Animoto claims to be the "end of slideshows" and it might just be. Well, probably not but it is a nice alternative. Using Animoto you can create up to a 30 second movie for free. It is incredibly simple to use because it does most of the work for you. As a bonus you can sign up as an educator to get an all-access pass for you and your students for 6 months! With the all-access pass, you can create full-length videos, have the ability to download them and create greeting cards. There is also an option to create a classroom and sign your students up under your name so that you can view their work. Click below to get registered.

Animoto for Educators

When you create a video, you begin by starting picking from a variety of themes. These are similar to the design templates in Powerpoint.

After you have a theme, upload all of your pictures (see the video in this blog if you need to resize your pictures) and begin arranging them in the order you want them to be seen in the video. You can add in text slides, such as a title, as well as rotate pictures that are sideways. If there are particular pictures you want to emphasize or create a greater focus on, you can click on the picture and then select spotlight.

The next step is to choose your music. You can upload a song from your computer (like something you've created after reading this blog) or choose from a vast selection in the Animoto database.

Before you finish your video, you can choose the speed at which the images are shown during the video. After this, simply give the video a title and brief description and select create video. It will take a few minutes for the video to be processed, after which you are able to view, edit, share or remix the video. If you're not happy with it, make changes and remix until you are. There are many options for sharing your video, such as downloading, email, embedding, facebook, youtube or twitter.

Here is my Christmas Animoto video:

TOMORROW: Answer Garden & Urtak - 2 for the price of 1!

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 8: Soundation Studio

2010-12-17T13:00:00.001-07:00

On the 8th day of Techmas, I bring you Soundation Studio. For those of you that are Mac users, you have Garageband and probably don't need to read any further. For those of use that are suffering through the imperfection that is a PC, Soundation Studio is a free program where you can create original music. Students can use this music during their own videos or presentations without any need to worry about copyright infringement (a special concern if they are posting their work to Youtube).

While this site is free to sign up and use basic features, there are plenty of pay-for-use options. These pay areas can make it a bit of a chore to navigate around the site sometimes, but just keep looking for the "studio" and you'll be fine.

In the studio you have access to free sound clips on the right-hand side that vary according to instrument and music type. Select one that you like and drag it out into a channel. There are 4 channels you can work with that will allow you to easily overlap sounds and adjust volume levels in each channel.

There are a variety of effects you can add to any channel, such as reverb, delay, compressor, and equalizer to further modify your sound. If you're like me, then those words mean absolutely nothing to you, but for true audiophiles it makes sense. Clips can also be easily clipped, cut and copied or moved around by clicking and dragging to modify the order they are in and the length they play for. If you find a good beat, you can repeat it by clicking the top-right corner of the clip and dragging it out (thus making the clip longer). To delete any clip, simply click on it and press delete on your keyboard. You also have the option of recording a sound clip directly into the software, allowing you to customize it even further.

Save your clip in the File menu and if you wish to download your song, select Mixdown. You can download it as a .wav file (the same file type as CD music). If you have a blog or wiki page, there is also an embed code available after you get the URL for the song. Here is my original song:

TOMORROW: Animoto - The end of slideshows

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 7: Cooltext

2010-12-16T13:00:00.012-07:00

Cooltext is bar far my favourite website for creating unique, exciting text logos. This is where I created the banner for Techronicity (try Alien Glow). It is similar to Wordart found in the Microsoft Office Suite. There are a number of preset logo types to choose from. You simply click on the type that you like and change the text in the box. Logos created here can be used in a variety of places, from classroom websites to student presentations.

If you need more variety than the preset logos, you can modify the presets in a variety of ways. Fonts can be changed to your liking and there are a variety of funky fonts to try.
In some of the text options colours can be manipulated, while in others the texture of the writing can be changed. You can also modify the thickness of borders as well as the location and thickness of shadows.

For some logos you can also add in a background image from a variety of default patterns. This can help your logo stand out.

The final step is to render the image. This is where your selection is created by the website in whatever file format you choose. If you choose a logo that has a transparent element to it (either a background or within the logo itself), you should render your image in a .png format (GIMP friendly). However, many websites and programs cannot handle .png files, in which case you should download your image as a .jpeg. Once your image is rendered, right-click on it and select Save Image As...

You may also want to check out Cooltext's Buttons. They would be a great addition to your website, blog or wiki page.

TOMORROW: Soundation Studio - Create your own music

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 6: Picnik

2010-12-15T13:00:00.002-07:00

Picnik is a fantastic, easy to use photo editing site. With this site, you can really spice up your photos and get creative. The great bonus with this website is that you are not required to sign up. You can just start editing right away! While there are some advanced features and items that are available if you pay, there are more than enough free options on Picnik to satisfy the photo enthusiast.

Some of the basic editing features are crop, resize, sharpen,red-eye removal, and modifying the colours.

When you switch over to Create, that is where the fun begins. You can choose from Featured designs (ie:Christmas), effects, text, stickers, touch-ups, frames, advanced options or Seasonal effects. Here are some pictures I took while enhancing my photo:

Finally, here is the cover of a famous Christmas CD I created using Picnik:

TOMORROW: Cooltext - one of my favourites.

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 5: Blabberize

2010-12-14T13:00:00.005-07:00

On the 5th day of Techmas, my Ed Tech brought to me... Blabberize! Blabberize is a very funny website where you can add sound and animate any picture you'd like. Take some time to browse through the thousands of pictures that have been Blabberized.

Blabberizing a picture is not simply just for fun. It can actually be used as an educational tool. For instance, if students were researching someone famous, they could blabberize a picture of that person and present their research from the famous person's point of view. Here's a great example of an educational use:

Once you've signed up to Blabberize, click on Make to begin animating your picture. You can upload any picture that you have (again, why not choose a funny one?). You select the mouth area and the degree to which you want the mouth to move.

When adding sound, you have the option of recording through a microphone or uploading a file that you already have (like a song). Blabberize will automatically move the mouth to the sound file. When you're done, click on Save, add a title, tags and a description. You then have the option to make your blabberized picture private (not searchable publicly) or mature (yes, there are some blabberized pictures with mature content - always preview first!). When finally saved, you can share your blabberized picture via email, URL or by embedding it into your page (see below). As an added bonus, you can actually convert your blabberize picture into a video for downloading!

TOMORROW: Picnik - Photo editing made easy

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 4: Card Funk

2010-12-13T13:00:00.002-07:00

On the 4th day of Techmas, there was Card Funk. On this website, you can create animated cards and video greetings (just in time for Christmas!). You don't need to sign up, simply click on the Start Now button to get going.

You can choose from a number of different free greeting cards or video greetings, but make sure you take a close look at your options because there are a couple of slightly racy options.

Once you have chosen your template, you have the option of choosing the number of characters. Then you will be directed to a page where you can upload a face shot of yourself (and others, depending on your number of characters). At this point, I would recommend uploading the funniest picture you can find of yourself (or others).

Then choose a background for your greeting card/video as well as some music and you're done! After entering in your information, you have the option to share your card/video in a couple of ways. First, you are sent a link to your card/video via email. Simply copy the URL into another email and send it off to everyone. Alternately, you can embed your masterpiece into your blog or wiki page (see below):

This funky card is created by Andy Cunningham.
Create your own funky card at CardFunk.

TOMORROW: BLABBERIZE!

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 3: Wallwisher

2010-12-11T11:47:00.001-07:00

On the 3rd day of Techmas, I bring you Wallwisher. This fun site allows you to create a message board where people can post sticky notes in response to a question that you leave them. The sign up and page setup is extremely easy. The best part of all is that it's free!

To leave a comment on a wall, simply double-click to begin typing. You also have the option of linking to a website, video or picture from the internet. Want to try it? Leave a comment on this wall:
http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/gsdtechnology

When setting up your wall you have the option to customize the URL of the wall as well as the background and icon of your page. All that is left is to type in a question along with a subsection for instructions. Before activating your wall, you can specify who can see your wall, as well as who can post to your wall. An added bonus for teachers is that you have the option to approve any comment before it becomes public. This works well in situations where you aren't looking for immediate feedback.

Here are some of my favourite ways to use Wallwisher in the classroom:

Book Reviews - students can create quick book reviews along with images
Feedback - students can leave you feedback on how your lesson went
Students Questions - allow students to ask questions anonymously
Image Search - students search for and post images
Polling Students - get more objective responses from students
Thank You Wall - allow students to leave a short thank you message to someone
Previous Learning - students write about what they already know about a topic before they learn

For some more suggestions check out "31 Interesting ways to use Wallwisher in the classroom:"
https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_436f8kscmdc

TOMORROW: Card Funk - just in time for Christmas

The 12 Days of Techmas - Day 2: Livebinders

2010-12-11T09:12:00.015-07:00

Livebinders is a website where you can create, store and share valuable information for the classroom. After creating your virtual binder, you can upload pictures and files as well as create links to important websites. The websites will be displayed within the binder, meaning that students or collaborators do not have to navigate away from the other resources.

Within each binder, you can create different tabs (like pages), as well as sub-tabs to house specific links or documents to accompany what is on the page (See this Christmas binder). Speaking of examples, there is a large selection of featured binders that you are welcome to use. After signing up for your free account you can actually copy and modify public binders that others have created.

To learn how to use Livebinders, they have a tutorial section with videos and print help. You can also utilize Youtube for helpful videos.

Sharing is the greatest benefit of using Livebinders. When creating a binder, you can specify whether it is public (open for everyone to use and manipulate) or private (for your or you invitee's eyes only). When sharing your private binder, you can allow others to collaborate and build the resource with you (student project, possibly?). Students do not need to become users of the site to be able to access and use the binders. You also have the option of embedding your binder into a blog or wiki site.

Copy of 4th Grade Math Word Problems

For the visual learners out there, watch this:

TOMORROW: Wallwisher

The 12 days of Techmas - Day 1: Symbaloo

2010-12-10T12:20:00.008-07:00

Over the course of the next 12 days I will be sharing 12 different websites/services that are handy for the classroom. I know there are still 15 days until Christmas, but I'm sure no one will be reading this blog in the 3 days leading up to the big day.

Today's website is called Symbaloo. Symbaloo is a site where you can store your bookmarks visually. After creating an account, you can customize your webmixes (fancy word for bookmark) with little icons that represent your pages. When adding new bookmarks, you have the option of searching through their database for bookmarks created by other users, potentially saving you some time. If you cannot find what you're looking for or want a more specific page, you can create your own. You simply need to plug in the URL and upload an icon for your bookmark (you can choose from some clipart alternately).

You can also customize the number of webmixes on display and move them around. One tip is to group webmixes into content or subject areas (see picture below), a handy way to organize your work.

Not only would this be a great place for you to organize your bookmarks, students could create their own accounts as well. They could even use Symbaloo as a method for keeping track of their sources when finding information. One quick click and they're back to the page they used before.

If you're really keen, for a small fee you can get a custom URL. This would mean that students in your classes could simply go to your Symbaloo page for all of the weblinks they need. Doing this may be of benefit for young students and students that are just acquiring English, as it would eliminate the need for reading and typing.

TOMORROW: Livebinder - Who needs USB sticks anymore?

Educational Technology: One Man's Journey

2010-12-04T14:11:00.006-07:00

Over the past year, I've had the privilege of getting to know over 75% of the teachers in my district during my travels as an ET. My skills as a teacher have soared during this time, because I've been able to have in-depth pedagogical discussions with a great number of experienced and master teachers.

Also during this time, I've been working on completing my Master's Degree in Educational Leadeship through the University of Lethbridge. The research and knowledge that I have accumulated throughout that program has helped inform my practice as an ET, leading me to even greater heights.

Below is my capstone presentation, the final activitiy of the program:

Don't Re-invent the Wheel! Check out Smart Exchange.

2010-12-01T19:43:00.014-07:00

If you would have asked my opinion about the Smart Exchange website two years ago, I wouldn't have spoken very positively about it. What a difference two years can make!

The Smart Exchange is now the best resource for finding lessons to use on your Smartboard. If you are lucky enough to have access to a Smart Response system (formerly Senteo), you can also find pre-made question sets. There are also other types of Notebook files that can be found there such as attendance files (search term: attendance) or kooshball activitites (search term: kooshball).

To begin with, I always like to start by searching through the "Standards-Correlated Resources" which allows you to search through specific Programs of Study. Make sure you change to the Canadian version of the website, as the US version is usually the default (top right corner, click on the flag).

Standards-correlated searches do not always reveal every resource that relates to the outcomes you are trying to teach, so it is always a good idea to do a search from the main page as well. To take a quick look at your search results without downloading or opening any files, click on the preview window. This will allow you to cycle through the slides in the file, however, any flash interactive pages will not show up properly. For these pages, you'll need to download or open up the entire file.

When you find a file you'd like to use, or a selection of pages, there is a simple way to copy them into your own Notebook file. I quite often take a few pages from each resource and compile them into my own lesson. Watch the video below to see how:

Bring out the Gimp!

2010-11-22T20:36:00.007-07:00

I've always been interested in photo editing but never had the opportunity (or funds) to learn how to use Photoshop. Paint has allowed me to resize, crop, delete and edit photos for years, even though it is quite rudimentary and simple. Microsoft Office Picture Manager has shown me that there are more options to do the same painstaking things in less time.

Then one day, I discovered an icon which I hadn't seen before on my desktop. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program). In essence, GIMP is a Photoshop-like program with one major benefit - IT'S FREE!

The program itself seemed quite intimidating at first, however, after searching Youtube, I've found a number of handy videos that have helped me learn.

Here are some pictures that I've manipulated using GIMP:

Selective Colorization (Youtube Video):

Cutting out a picture - "Photoshopping" (Youtube Video):

There are a number of other techniques that can be done with GIMP including face replacement, teeth whitening, blemish removal, skin airbrushing, and pop art creation.

Comics in the Classroom

2010-11-09T13:00:00.015-07:00

When you work with people whom you respect and whom you like and you admire because they're so good at what they do, it doesn't feel like work... It's like you're playing.

Stan "The Man" Lee

As the Dalai Lama of the comic book world, Stan Lee knows a thing or two about story writing. His words of wisdom serve two purposes here. First, this quote illustrates (pun intended) how I often feel about my job working with teachers across our district. Secondly, I would be amiss if I didn't mention Stan Lee in some capacity on a blog post dealing with comics in the classroom. 'Nuff Said.

Comics are an excellent option for students to express themselves when writing. They can be an effective tool for motivating students who do not take interest in "normal" types of writing. Even for ESL students, comics can offer a method of storytelling that requires less text and is more manageable. They can communicate their ideas through both text and drawing. Read this article or this blog for more information about using comics in the classroom or find more helpful links here.

While there are a number of pay for use comic sites for education, here are a sampling of my favourite free options:

Official Super Hero Squad Show - options to create a comic strip or a comic book with Marvel characters. Very customizable and colourful. When you are finished, you can either print or download as a pdf file.

ReadWriteThink - online comic creator with lesson plans for classroom inclusion. Simple to use and has an option to print when you're finished.

Witty Comics - comic strip creator where students can customize backgrounds, characters, and add narration. You have the option to save online and print afterwards.

Comics Master - graphic novel creator. Customizable page layouts, backgrounds and a number of characters to choose from. You can save and print your graphic novel.

StripGenerator - comic strip creator that allows you to make customized frames as well as select from a number of characters and items. You can print your comic strip when finished.

ToonDoo - Easy to use comic strip creator with tons of clip art. You also have the option of uploading pictures from your computer. Use Smart Notebook Screen Capture to save your pictures.

To save your comics as picture files, watch this video.

Word Clouds

2010-11-01T14:10:00.012-06:00

Word Clouds are a fantastic visual for any situation where writing is involved. WordItOut defines them as "an attractive arrangement of randomly positioned words, where the most important words are bigger than the others." You simply access a web cloud website (see examples below) and paste in your text. The words with the highest frequency in a selection of text become the most prominent in the picture. You could use this to analyze key themes in writing. For instance, here is a word cloud generated from Winston Churchill's famous speech "Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat" on the website Wordle:

Another way to use word clouds is to analyze students' writing, checking for themes or even words that are being overused. Here is a word cloud generated from my master's capstone paper using the website Tagxedo (my personal favourite):

Other uses for word clouds include comparing and contrasting writing (analyzing the difference between 2 different speeches), creating word walls, analyzing historical documents (ie: Canadian Charter of Human Rights), polling your class, or creating a gift (What words would you use to describe Mr. Cunningham?).

There are a number of different websites that allow you to create word clouds. Each one has slightly different features than the others, usually in terms of how you can customize the look of your word cloud. My best advice is to try them out for yourself. Here are a few of my favourites:

Wordle - the most famous and easy to use
Tagxedo - customize the shape of your word cloud
ABCya - easy to use
WordItOut - lots of options to customize
Tagul - click on any of the words to initiate a google search. Great for vocabulary.
TagCrowd - basic word cloud website
TagCloudGenerator - creates word clouds from web site URLs

If you are having trouble downloading or saving your word cloud, the video in this blog post will help you out.

Here is a word cloud of Hamlet's soliloquy from the website ABCya:

Death by Powerpoint

2010-10-21T20:09:00.007-06:00

Powerpoint is dead.

At least many people wish it were so. Years of powerpoint presentations have rendered the program stale to say the least. By the time they graduate, students have been using it over and over again for the greater part of a decade.

For most, it is the only presentation tool that is used, apart from the occasional poster or the increasingly extinct diorama.

The answer is in the cloud. Below are 5 of my favourite presentation alternates. All of these services are free and, better yet, web-based. Everything is stored online, freeing up your network space at school and allowing you to work on it anywhere.

Better yet, you have the ability to share these presentations. Not just with your class or colleagues, but with a global audience. Students can also use these to share their learning with parents, classmates and teachers to receive feedback.

In no particular order, here they are:
Prezi - the zooming editor
Prezentit - easy slideshow creator
Sliderocket - slideshow creator with some unique features
Glogster - interactive poster creator
Xtranormal - text to movie creator

These are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of online presentation tools. More to follow in future posts. Go through the Prezi below to learn more. Click here if the presentation does not load.

Online Presentation Tools on Prezi

Time Management

2010-10-11T18:41:00.010-06:00

"Time is what we want most, but what we use worst."
- William Penn

Time management can be an asset to both teachers and students. Teachers need to keep track of the time during lessons, while students will benefit from building their time management skills. To help with this, try out this handy website: Online-stopwatch.

Online-stopwatch is exactly what it sounds like - an online stopwatch. You have the option of counting up or down, as well as using the timer in a full-screen mode. It is very simple to use and beeps when the time has elapsed. Click here to try it out!

I always found it helpful to have a timer running in my classroom, especially when students were given a certain amount of time to work on their own or with partners. Having a visual for transitioning between subjects has proven to be very beneficial for students and it doesn't hurt the teacher either!

Smart Notebook also has a variety of timers in the Gallery which function identically to this one. They work just fine as long as you don't need to use your computer for anything. Once you switch slides or open another program, the Notebook timers stop. Online-stopwatch will work in the background, freeing you up to use your computer or Smartboard for other purposes.

Zip it Up!

2010-10-04T01:44:00.007-06:00

Ever gotten tired of adding one picture at a time to an email or uploading individual files to a website? Then this post is for you.

Zipping files is a simple trick that has been around forever. Originally designed to compress files and make them smaller (which you still can do), zipping is more frequently used to combine multiple files into a single file.

This trick can save you plenty of time when you have to have to send or upload many files at once and it is very easy to do. Keep in mind that by combining a number of files, your overall file size can get very large. Here is a video on how to resize your pictures, making them small enough to email as well as add into a zip file with other files that are similar in size.

Below is a video showing you how to zip your files and then upload them into Moodle:

Digital Citizenship: Whose Responsibility is it?

2010-09-26T19:12:00.027-06:00

Don't complain if you're not prepared to do anything about it.
- Andy Cunningham

However uncommon it is to quote oneself when writing, it certainly fits into the topic of today's blog post. These are the words I uttered to my dad after listening to him whine and complain about his telephone issues (who still has a land-line anyway?) for a couple of days while refusing to try and figure out what the problem was. Einstein's definition of insanity may have been another applicable quote.

At the end of last week I attended a Digital Citizenship Symposium that was put on by the CRCPD in Calgary. This symposium brought together educators from around the province to discuss issues of digital citizenship and the role the education system has in teaching our students how to become digital citizens. In fact, many conversations revolved around removing the word "digital" from the conversation, arguing that simply being a citizen in today's world involves understanding issues of internet privacy, safety, cyberbullying, copyright, and cyber commerce. A teacher librarian created 2 word clouds from wikipedia definitions to compare digital citizenship to citizenship. Below are the 2 word clouds:

You can see there are many similarities, most notably the words citizen, community and participation. There are many other words in the areas of education, information, and democracy.

As fans of technology, everyone at the symposium would argue for increased technology use in the classroom. However, there is also the understanding that many teachers are reluctant to utilize technology and the Internet for fear of jeopardizing the safety of their students. While many of these fears are certainly real, they have been largely over-blown and sensationalized by national and international media.

While there are no definite answers, there seemed to be a growing consensus that the opportunity for educating students to be safe falls within the realm of education. As such, the first steps need to be educating all stakeholders - students, parents and teachers - about the actual risks, what to watch out for, as well as safe online habits.

What do you think? Whose responsibility is it?

In the coming weeks, I will be delving deeper into the topic of digital citizenship in greater detail. Until then, here are some more resources to build your understanding of digital citizenship:

CBE's Digital Citizenship Page
Mr. Young's Bouncy A - Internet Safety Videos
Managing your "Digital Tattoo"

Welcome Back!

2010-08-30T20:54:00.001-06:00

"Up your nose with a rubber hose!"

- Vinnie Barbarino

Sorry. I couldn't find any inspirational words from Mr. Kotter. I hope everyone had a chance to relax and unplug over the summer. You never really realize how dependent on the Internet you've become until you are in the middle of nowhere with no service for an extended period of time. It was hard to shake the IAD (Internet Anxiety Disorder) although it was nice to re-connect with the sunshine once again.

Hopefully some of you had a chance to try out some of the many sites mentioned previously in Techronicity and begin building your PLN (Personal Learning Network) over the summer. If not, now is an especially great time to do so since it could save you hours of time in the future. Grasslands Public Schools is now on Twitter, under the username @GPS6. Grasslands is hoping to use Twitter as an effective messaging system to communicate important messages (such as school closures) with students and parents. Encourage parents to follow Grasslands!

Here is a sneek-peek at what is down the pipeline for Techronicity this year:

The 9 Elements of Digital Citizenship

Web 2.0 Tools for Teachers

Moodle

Smartboard Tips

I'll leave you with some motivational pictures:

Summertime, And theLivin' is Easy

2010-06-21T00:50:00.002-06:00

If you're like me, you have a mile-long list of things to do over the summer because you think you'll have time to do it. At least that is what you tell yourself and everyone you talk to. Realistically you know you won't get much of this list done, if anything at all (I know I won't).

Well, I'll try not to add too much to your list, although I know that I have already for some of you. If you don't have anything to do, browse through the blog posts on the right of this page and you'll be sure to find something that piques your interest. There are many things worth investing your time in.

Now, I'd actually like to show you something that could save you time this summer. Many teachers are in the midst of transferring their lessons into SMART Notebook to make them easier to use with their SMARTboards. Is this a necessary step for everyone? No, its not. Is it more convenient to have your lessons in Notebook rather than Word or PDF? I would argue yes.

So, how can you get your lessons into Notebook from another program? There are 3 different methods that I'd recommend, depending on the situation.

#1. Copy and Paste. As simple as it gets. Highlight your work. Select copy. Paste into Notebook. This method is the best method due to the fact that you can still edit text in Notebook by double-clicking on it. It allows for more customization than the next two methods because of this. However, it isn't the fastest method.

#2. Screen Capture. Certainly the slowest method, screen capture will allow you to copy your lessons into Notebook by selecting an area using the screen capture tool. This method is one to consider if you cannot copy and paste your material. However, with screen capture, you will not be able to edit text because you are capturing images. If you can't remember how to use screen capture, watch the video in this blog post.

#3. Notebook Print Capture. This method is the fastest out of the three and is like a one-click screen capture method. It will take a picture of each page and insert them into a Notebook file. Like screen capture, each page is an image so you are unable to edit them. Occasionally, the quality of the images are suspect. If this happens, you should use option #2 - screen capture. Watch the quick video below to see how Print Capture works.

Learn through Blogging.

2010-06-15T00:26:00.002-06:00

We know that blogging can be a very effective tool when used in the classroom. But, it can also be a great tool for developing your PLN. In fact, it's probably the easiest way to get started. You can easily find thousands of blogs relevant to your area of interest or expertise on the internet through a quick search using Googleblogs, Ask.com or Technorati.

Once you've found a blog, begin by reading some of the posts. The most current post will be on the first page you see. There is generally an area where you can navigate to previous blog postings (For instance, on the right hand side of this page you can access all blog postings from the past). Take a quick browse through to see if there are any titles or blog posts that interest you. You will quickly be able to judge whether or not that blog is a site that will be valuable for you.

Your next step should be to start contributing to the conversation. Topics and ideas presented on blogs will get you thinking. Ask questions, answer questions or tell others what you think. The whole idea is to have a conversation to deepen your understanding of a topic.

The final step is to create your own blog and express your beliefs and knowledge with others.

In the meantime, here are some of my favourites that deal with technology:

Free Technology for Teachers
My 2 Cents
ICT in Education
The Whiteboard Blog
Weblogg-ed

What's in a Ning?

2010-06-07T01:11:00.003-06:00

Ning is great website where you can create your own social network, similar to sites like MySpace or Facebook. You may be asking why you would want to do that. Well, besides the fact that MySpace and Facebook is probably blocked at your school, both of those sites have questionable security and privacy issues that simply would not plague you if you chose to use a Ning. Your Ning could be a site used by your class as a social network to safely debate or discuss different topics relevant to your class. Nings can be made public or private, so you can limit exactly who can see and connect with your network. Also, educators can use Ning free of charge! For more educational uses, read this.

To use Ning as a part of your PLN, it would be incredibly easy to set one up and invite collaborators to join. You could share web resources, attach files or discuss issues of pedagogy. The best way to get to know the features and benefits of Ning is to experience it yourself. Chances are, whatever your bailiwick, you'll be able to find an educational Ning that is already set up and running. Most of these are public so you can join the network. Here are some that I'd recommend:

The Educator's PLN
Ning in Education
Classroom 2.0
Smartboard Revolution
English Companion Review (Award Winning)
EFL Classroom 2.0 (Award Winning)
Country Day School

Here is a video explaining Ning in Education:

Twitter? Surely, you can't be serious.

2010-06-01T00:14:00.002-06:00

I am serious... and stop calling me Shirley!

Twitter is not what you may think it is. While you could get constant updates about what your favourite celebrity is having for lunch or what new music they're listening to, Twitter has evolved into an important educational tool that has many potential benefits for teachers and students. Not sure what Twitter is? Watch this video.

Today, I'll focus on the benefits of using Twitter as a part of your PLN. As a networking tool, Twitter helps you connect with educational experts across the globe. By "following" these experts, you can get real-time updates featuring things like new websites, blog posts or thought provoking comments. For me, Twitter has given the greatest return in terms of learning and professional development over any conference, workshop, website or program. I can directly pose a question to a number of educational experts in technology and receive a response within hours, sometimes minutes.

If you were to follow and be followed by colleagues in your district, Twitter could be an effective option for you to get resources to one another or have professional conversations. These resources and conversations could be taken further by connecting with educators from around the world, as you extend your PLN beyond your geographic location.

Give it a try and see what you think. Sign up for a Twitter account here. Search for my username: cunningandy. Follow me and receive my tweets. Take a look at the people I follow and choose to follow one or two of them. When you're ready to learn more, check out this website on twitter etiquette and twitter terminology (pay special attention to hashtags).

Check out the presentation below for more information on how to use Twitter as a professional development tool:

Twitter for Teachers- a Professional Development Tool

Delicious? Yes it is.

2010-05-24T21:27:00.005-06:00

Simply put, social bookmarking is a way for people to share their internet links with others. Not so simply put, social bookmarking is a method for people to share, search, organize and manage not only their bookmarks, but the bookmarks of colleagues or members of their PLN.

Delicious is probably the most famous social bookmarking site and it is the one I will profile today. If you haven't heard of delicious, sign up for an account NOW!

On a basic level, Delicious is great for saving your own personal bookmarks. You can import bookmarks you've already saved on your computer to your delicious account easily.You can also add a handy delicious tool to your browser that will enable you to save websites to your delicious account with one click (I would highly recommend this). You have the option to keep your bookmarks private or public so that everyone can find the sites you feel are valuable.

One important thing to understand when bookmarking sites on delicious are tags. Tags are the most essential aspect of delicious as they will help you organize and search through your bookmarks. When adding a website to your delicious account, delicious will actually provide you with some suggested tags for that page based on words others have used to categorize that website. For an example, here is a link to my delicious account with all of the websites I have tagged as Web 2.0: http://delicious/andy.cunningham/web2.0. You can further refine your search by combining two or more tags: http://delicious.com/andy.cunningham/web2.0+presentation.

As I said, social bookmarking can be a very effective tool for a PLN. Not only can you direct people to your public delicious page you can also follow other people to see which sites they have identified as being important. Simply search for a user and add them to your network. You can browse through your Network's delicious bookmarks and keep up to date with new sites they've added. This could be very effective for a PLC group as people could simply add sites to their delicious account for others in the group to search through.

For those of you who would prefer this transcript in video, watch this:

Never Search for Websites Again!

2010-05-16T18:42:00.008-06:00

Many teachers ask me if I spend hour upon hour searching through websites to find ones that are great for the classroom. The answer is NO! In fact, even though I create links to more and more websites all the time, I actually haven't searched for specific websites in months. They come to me. How, you ask? Through my PLNs.

PLNs (or personal learning networks) are defined in this blog as:

"the entire collection of people with whom you engage and exchange information, usually online."

Originally used by people who were actually colleagues in person (ie: our Moodle) the Internet and rise in social media have forced the evolution of what PLNs are. Now you can discuss and share with colleagues from around the world.

There are many ways in which you can build or develop a PLN, but the easiest way to get involved or become a part of one is to try out established PLNs such as The Educator's PLN, Classroom 2.0 or Smartboard Revolution. You'll notice all of these sites were created using a web-tool called Ning. Ning is a place where you can create your own specialized PLN and features free accounts for educators.

Ning is one of many different ways you can be a part of or create your own PLN. Other places you can establish PLNs are Facebook, Blogs, Delicious, Diigo, Wikis and Twitter. If you have not signed up for these services yet, take some time to do so. They can make your life as an educator much more efficient and finding resources less time consuming.

Over the next few weeks I will profile each of these networking services and include tips to help you make use of them not only as a learning tool for you, but also as a learning tool for students in your classrooms.

Time for a Change

2010-05-09T23:04:00.002-06:00

Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine. ~Robert C. Gallagher

There are certain times in your life when you realize it's time for a change. Things aren't what they used to be, you get complacent and you need a new challenge.

Or, you get angry that something doesn't work the way it should and start over from scratch. Well, we're not quite there yet, but changes have to happen. Something must be done.

We have to change the way we share our materials - on Moodle, that is. There have been issues with our File Manager module on Moodle, so I have made the decision to switch to a simpler, more open system that will allow open access to all teachers to the materials posted by all Learning Teams.

Below is a video showing you the (new) steps you need to take to share your materials.

May the 4th be with You.

2010-05-04T00:09:00.002-06:00

In my last blog post, It's all about Efficiency, I commented on Notebook being, in my opinion, the most efficient program for delivering content to students and sharing with colleagues. One thing I left out, maybe subconsciously on purpose, was that there is great effort needed on the part of teachers to embrace this program and what it can offer.

One comment I've heard many times over my short teaching career is "This is great, but where am I going to find the time to do it?" Time is always an issue and there is no simple answer as to where you can find time to try new things. As educators we are busy enough, so busy that we can easily neglect the rest of our lives and prioritize our careers. It is tough with what limited time you have left to take a risk and try something new, if there is the possibility you may have been wasting your time. We need to choose carefully, I know that all too well.

Notebook can make your lessons and collaboration more effective. It does take time and effort to get comfortable and proficient with this program. That is when you will reap the rewards that Notebook can provide. Many of the skills I have showcased in my blog videos will help you see how something is done. To really get proficient at these skills, however, you'll need to use those skills when developing content. This is why Alberta Ed promotes cross-curricular ICT projects over specific skill teaching. The skills will come through during the process of creation and will be more meaningful.

Below is another quick video on using the Group feature in Notebook.

Efficiency is What it's All About

2010-04-25T23:58:00.003-06:00

"Efficiency is doing better what is already being done."

- Peter F. Drucker

Efficiency is what technology is all about. It is a tool that can make our teaching and, more importantly, student learning more effective. If it's not going to do that, why should we use it?

Notebook is an extremely efficient tool to use for lessons in your classroom. I would argue that it is currently the most effective tool for organizing and presenting resources. It is so much more than just another presentation tool, an alternative to Powerpoint.

To begin with, the Link feature, see "Technology, Turkeys and Touchscreens," can help you make quick transitions to websites, other pages in your presentation or attached files. You no longer need to waste time navigating through the numerous folders and files that consume your My Documents folder. Just one click takes you there.

Speaking of attachments, you can include a digital copy of any file you need for quick access. I always recommend attaching anything you could possibly use, not just what you are planning to use. For instance, if a lesson goes faster than you expected or changes in focus depending on student interests, you can have materials attached that you don't have to search for.

Finally, the "My Content" section of Notebook can also have an effect on your efficiency. This area, located in your Gallery is a place where you can store internet and gallery pictures, interactives and videos. The idea is to store items that you use regularly in your room, so that you can have quick access to them. For instance, timers and base 10 blocks were mainstays in my own My Content. One thing to consider here is that you want to make it easy to find the things you use all the time, so you must be very critical about which items you place there. The more items in, the longer it takes you to find what you're looking for.

Watch the video below to see how to add, organize and save your My Content section in Notebook.

Technology, Turkeys and Touchscreens

2010-04-21T01:36:00.003-06:00

Turkeys ... the only smarter animals than man.

- Homer Simpson

The Leading our Way Forward conference in Edmonton has left me with some great ideas to help plan for technology usage in the future in our district. The main point of the conference was to have time as a district team to evaluate and plan for possible revisions to our 3 year technology plan.

Topics included developing a shared vision of technology for the 21st century, understanding visual literacy, instructional uses of technology as well as how we can support technology implementation.

It was interesting to note just how important images are for students these days. It basically boils down to this: Increasing our students' visual literacy skills helps benefit them academically. One interesting point our speaker made was to "Show. Then tell." According to her research, images are most effective when accompanied by a voice over by the teacher instead of text on screen. This has implications for the classroom as we commonly include text with pictures or text before pictures. Try beginning with the pictures and see what kind of results you get with your students. Here is a great picture website and visual search engine.

The second day's session had a heavy focus on implementing technology and what effective technology use in the classroom looked like. Rather than simply using technology as an alternate tool, we need to take its use further, making our students knowledge producers instead of consumers. Students should be working collaboratively and developing their own direction and self-monitoring of their learning. Scenarios should mimic real-life problems and technologies should be learned as needed during the process of this scenario to accelerate learning, thinking and communication. More to follow on this topic. For now, please enjoy this meaningful use of interactive whiteboards.

To help with practical use of whiteboards, here is a quick video on utilizing the Link feature in Notebook:

Web 2.0: Sharing your Pictures

2010-04-11T23:46:00.006-06:00

You may have heard about Web 2.0 and wondered what is it all about. A quick search on Youtube will yield a number of videos showing people of all ages using blogs, wikis, and social networking sites. So, what is it all about?

Web 2.0 is a change in philosophy of the Internet. Gone are the days of the dotcom bubble when people used their ingenuity to make money. Web 2.0 has changed the internet to be more open, collaborative and social. For me, it is all about instant access to information, creation, and sharing.

There are many ways to share your pictures on the internet. We've all used email for this purpose and it works just fine if you want to limit your pictures to your contacts. Many people also use Facebook for this as well. But in the spirit of Web 2.0, people are now sharing their pictures with the rest of the world. One of the main picture sharing sites is Flickr.

After you upload your pictures to Flickr, you are able to edit them, add effects, organize them and share them with whomever you choose to. Add tags (key words) to your photos so that people can search for them (click here to give it a try). Find your family and friends on Flickr to see their photos and share yours with them. You can also specify on a globe where you took your picture or search by location.

So why use a public site like Flickr? First, it is a very effective method to have access to your pictures from anywhere since they are on the Internet. Flickr is also a very effective image search tool when doing research. Pictures are supplied by others so it makes sense to be a part of that community and add to the collection.

Check out my Flickr collection (which I'll be adding more to in the future):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cunningandy/

Below is a quick video showing you how to reduce the file size of your digital pictures. This will make it easier and faster to upload your pictures.

Art and Star Wars

2010-03-29T01:58:00.007-06:00

An artist never really finishes his work; he merely abandons it. ~Paul Valéry

After watching the latest in a long line of tragic mistakes George Lucas has made in a bizarre effort to simultaneously profit on the gullibility of and alienate his fans (Return of the Jedi on Blu-Ray), I started thinking about art class. I can recall many occasions where students have created wonderful drawings or paintings and, not being satisfied with them, continued to work and work and work on them until they ended up completely ruining what they had done and usually ending up quite frustrated. Not fun.

This past week I sent out a number art websites that are fun. I have personally taken some time to explore these sites and I know a number of other people have as well, including some students. If you haven't yet, I would personally recommend thisissand and flame.

The big question, if you use these with your students is how can we save these works of art?

Watch below for one option.

Reflections from Bow Island

2010-03-22T02:16:00.003-06:00

Once again the Teacher 2 Teacher Conference in Bow Island was fantastic. The greatest benefit is getting to see so many classroom teachers showing you how they integrate technology into their lessons. Not only that, but in a lot of cases you are getting new ideas for teaching the same material in your classroom.

I really enjoyed getting to hear and meet so many of the educational technologists whose blogs I've been reading and websites I've been visiting over the course of this school year. It was interesting to note that one of the speakers, Richard Byrne, still manages to teach a classroom full-time while traveling frequently to present at conferences.

Between Richard Byrne's session and a session with James Hollis I reached a simple conclusion. I need to blog more. And, I need to blog regularly. But what will I blog about? That remains to be seen.

Below is the first of what I hope will be many quick tip videos. I created this one with a handy free website called Screenr and a microphone. This one is about creating your own custom attendance page for your class using Smart Notebook. Sound clips can be found copyright-free from either Soundboard or Free Sound.

Animated Attendance (be patient, it needs to load)

Let me know what you think!

Why should I blog in my classroom?

2009-10-22T00:06:00.003-06:00

What is the big deal about blogs? You've probably heard about blogging and possibly even read hundreds of blogs over the past few years without realizing it. Blogs are becoming more and more popular over time, especially in classrooms.

The question is how can a blog have a positive impact in my classroom? Firstly, blogs are not something that will revolutionize classrooms. They are, however, a new avenue for communication and feedback - one which students are more accustomed to seeing and using on a regular basis. Like a classroom discussion, blogs allow students to react to and comment on a topic through the internet. The end of a 55 minute period does not have to signal the end of a great discussion. Blogs allow the continuation of conversation where students can not only comment on the topic, but comment on the comments left by other students. Students who wouldn't normally voice their opinions during class time now have another avenue for expressing themselves.

Blogs can also be a fantastic reflection and feedback tool for teachers. If a teacher were to blog about a particular lesson or activity, including comments about how they felt it went, students would then be able to let the teacher know how the lesson went from their point of view. Other teachers could also weigh in on certain subjects, whether they were present during the lesson or not.

Watch this video for more:

Update: Oct. 29/09

Having just witnessed bloggin in a classroom, I am now sold more than ever on the positive benefits blogging can have on student engagement. In a 35+ minute class where students were given the choice of three different articles to comment on, I witnessed something fantastic. Students reading, writing and discussing a real life issue! Without being prompted or told to do so. Only one single student in that entire class was asked to get back on task - ONCE! The teacher had also enabled the option to approve each and every comment, to try and minimize childish or inappropriate comments. Only one comment was declined during that entire class, interestingly enough from the one student who was off task. This is engagement.