Thought I would give a few this week to tide you over winter break:

1. Web Tools 4u2 Use is a collection of online tools, information and other resources from two librarians.

http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com/Webtools4U2Use

2. Wolfram|Alpha Step by Step Math shows the power of both the web site and the iPhone/iPod Touch application (App is on the iPod Cart’s Touches) Wolfram|Alpha’s long-term goal is to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone.

http://blog.wolframalpha.com/2009/12/01/step-by-step-math/

3. YouTube Video by a student at Gustavus Adolphus College on how to use Moodle Assignments called Steps toward a Paperless School. While we are not there yet, some of the things she talks about with students being metered is starting to happen at the US and will come to the MS at some point to cut down on waste.

http://teachertech.blog.gustavus.edu/2009/12/11/steps-toward-a-paperless-classroom/

Enjoy the break and I hope that these links give you great ideas for how to integrate new learning tools into your classes in 2010.

Technorati Tags: education, learning, LotW

Our school is again looking to scope out what students learn related to technology skills from PreK – 12. Over six years ago I wrote a comprehensive scope and sequence that was based on ISTE NETS and Mountain Brook School . I do not want to repeat the same script of when and where a student learns what as I believe that technology changes too quickly and that the pigeon hole you put yourself into limits your thinking and teaching. Technology skills are needed when they are needed. While we can map a course so we are on chartered waters, the wind will blow us in directions we can not predict. We must pack accordingly.

For instance, today I once again introduced the iTouch to a class. The goal was to have them use the Dictionary App to look up some spelling words and write down a definition, parts of speech in a Moodle Online Text Assignment. The goal was to have students use a small device to interact with our school’s Interactive Learning Environment. As we started, students got their worksheet and many started to record the definitions on the worksheet as that is how they usually do it. No big issue as that is how the wind blew them today. I adjusted the lesson to have them listen to the word in the Dictionary app as that is something that no paper dictionary can do. The other parts of the online assignment were to use other Touch Apps as it relates to English. (SAT Vocab, Blanks, Word Warp, and others).

How do I write a scope and sequence to include a device that did not exist before September 5, 2007? What will be released in 2010? The technology took 2 years to get into the school and would a scope and sequence keep the next tool out for two years while we study the educational use? Good questions and I will keep chewing on them.

Now, to the whole lost and found title. Another question that comes up is when students should be able to do skill X where X is any skill that the teacher wants to have the student know before they go to the lab or that I think they should know based on the afore mentioned ISTE NETS. I mentioned this to Dr. Sid DuPont our interim director and he pulled out his desk drawers to reveal items found that students have lost over the school year. Why get hung up in when they should know something as they need to know it when they need to know it just like teachers and administrators.

Not Official Lost site as these items were left in the Computer Labs the last two weeks.
One of our holding areas – note we have a plan B

We loose stuff all the time and middle school students loose things at a faster rate since they are, well, in middle school. We have a system for collecting the lost and found items although truth be told most things are lost permanently as the students just do without or I suspect the parents buy new ones.

Will a scope and sequence be the lost or the found part of a similar equation? Or will it only be my time that is lost when I could really be working on finding the time to work with teachers to infuse their teaching with new tools. Is my answer obvious?

Technorati Tags: education

I have begun to share a link of the week with the Middle School faculty. Last week I shared http://images.google.com/hosted/life which showcases a lot of wonderful images from Life Magazine. I had planned to share Wolfram|Alpha this week but changed my mind after reading Meredith Stewart’s tweet. I read the news last week about EtherPad/AppJet being purchased. I had never used the product but had heard of it and new that folks loved it. Once again it is the back story that interests me and others it seems.

This is what I shared instead:

I had a different one selected for this week, but after following the link(s) and remembering all of the meetings I attended in the Lower School to discuss similar “children/learners” I thought this one would be a better choice. I teared up a bit as I wonder about my role in helping or hindering learners like Aaron. I do not believe making a bucket of money determines anything other then the size of a person’s bank account, however our society does reward innovation this way.

The technology that Aaron is behind may not make sense to you at this time, but it will to our students.

http://aaroniba.net/

For background information, go to this site: http://bengrey.com/blog/2009/12/the-best-about-me-page-youll-ever-see/

I do wonder why a person would post the psych evaluation. One answer that seems to make sense to me is because of the pain it caused and the energy it took to survive. I have read the book by Sir Ken Robinson and others that talk about teacher perceptions and power.

Technorati Tags: class2.0, learning

This link came to me just now from Meredith Stewart’s Twitter feed. I had a different one selected for this week, but after following the link(s) and remembering all of the meetings I attended in the Lower School to discuss similar “children/learners” I thought this one would be a better choice. I teared up a bit as I wonder about my role in helping or hindering learners like Aaron. I do not believe making a bucket of money determines anything other then the size of a person’s bank account, however our society does reward innovation this way.

The technology that Aaron is behind may not make sense to you at this time, but it will in time.

http://aaroniba.net/

For background information, go to this site: http://bengrey.com/blog/2009/12/the-best-about-me-page-youll-ever-see/

Technorati Tags: education, learning, LotW

In sort of a take off on Gib’s Digest, I thought I would share a LotW or Link of the Week each week to share some interesting links that come to me via my Diigo feed or Google Alerts.

This link will take you to millions of Life Magazine images that are hosted by Google.
http://images.google.com/hosted/life

From the website:
Search millions of photographs from the LIFE photo archive, stretching from the 1750s to today. Most were never published and are now available for the first time through the joint work of LIFE and Google.

Technorati Tags: education, learning, LotW

Lately I have been discussing how some of our students are struggling with managing all of the digital content in their school day. We have Moodle and FirstClass for all students and teachers. These systems are very powerful and for the most part work quite well for our learning community. As I went to my “mailbox”, it hit me that we use a dual communication system. This has to have a huge impact on efficiency and effectiveness.

I have FirstClass for all sorts of digital communication. Even my voice mail is delivered to my Inbox. I could work with this system quite nicely as I know where to look for new items and can in fact find items from last year in my mailbox if needed.

But once a day I must travel back in time to my other Inbox where I am given a carbon based product that somehow I must merge into my digital system or try to maintain two systems. I now have a Fujitsu Scan Snap on my desk to bridge this divide. How much time is lost by me doing this conversion and maintainence of a dual system of communication?

Below are two images of what students must master along with Moodle and FirstClass.

Assignment Notebook: Write down all homework (also posted on Moodle with an automatic message in FirstClass if configured to)

7 Rotational Schedule for our need to make more time out of the day/week

How do our students also maintain dual communication systems? When will we drop the one and settle on only one system? What does it take for real change to happen?

Technorati Tags: class2.0, devices, learning