Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech

This is my presentation from the TLT/IT Summit 2007 in Saskatoon. It was a great treat to meet Kelly and John whom I’ve conversed with online but was glad to meet in person.

Here are the slides. (Embedding was not working)

Technorati Tags: rss, tltsummit2007, shareski

 

 Demystifying RSS: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (621)

I’m sitting in a conference session as I write this realizing, I can’t take it anymore. Presentations that don’t engage are no longer tolerable. I believe technology is an amplifier. The fact that I have a laptop in my hands certainly easily distracts me. When I look at others in the room, I see some focused but others looking at program information, newspapers or just appear to be tuned out. Some are actively engaged. Teachers have long been accused of being lousy listeners. Part of the issue is the topic. Using Technology in the Cree Classroom. Mostly stuff about using PowerPoint or FileMaker Pro. Yes, for some this is interesting stuff. But will the learning stick? Is this just informational?

I’m not usually interested in informational sessions at conference since I can find it online just as well. I”m looking for stories, developed or new ideas, tough questions, challenges. Maybe others aren’t. Maybe some are just at a different place.

I remember a while back, Steve D. talking about having presenters post their material ahead of time and spend the sessions dealing with the challenging stuff.

I’ve been accused of being a multi-tasker and one who has trouble sitting for a long time….I disagree. I can switch back and forth between tasks quickly. I can sit for hours when engaged. I’ve just chosen to choose what I will engage my mind with rather than endure time in unengaging activity. (low battery warning…must hurry)

So my dilemma is this:

• Am I just lazy?
• Do I need to be more disciplined and focus better?
• I make judgments quickly about the value of the learning activity. Is that bad?
• What makes us think kids would be any different?
• Am I the only one with this problem?
• Do we really believe that engagement is more important than content? (Prensky)

Technorati Tags: conferense, AWASIS, engagement

As I prepare for my RSS session on Tuesday at the IT Summit 2007, I’d love to have some live testimonials. If you’re available for a minute or two between 1:30-2:30 MST on Tuesday, May 1st, would be  interested in telling my audience why RSS is important to you? Or maybe your favourite RSS hack or tip?

Leave a comment and let me know if I can skype you. (leave me your skype name if I don’t have it)

Also, feel free to add to the RSS wiki or the Google Reader wiki.

Technorati Tags: rss, shareski, presentation, saskatoon, itsummit2007

Most of our conversations take place between fairly like minded educators who live and breathe web 2.0. Mentions of those who do not get it, are only done with 3rd party references. “So and so said”….”I heard a conversation in the staff room”…that sort of thing.

Wes Fryer did a workshop the other day on podcasting with a number of teachers new to the read/write web. He had them post some questions and comments on a blog he created for the session. I read quickly through some of the comments and they most definitely are representative of a great number of our teachers. I’m sure Wes responded to many of their concerns but I thought I’d also chime in with some responses. Here goes:

How does blogging relate to the skills students need to know for TAKS?

There hasn’t been much research on the topic but certainly blogging isn’t designed to specifically improve test scores. It’s designed to connect learners and provide an audience and purpose for writing and communicating ideas.

How easy is it to moderate profanity that continuously happens?

How easy is it to moderate profanity that continuously happens in the playground?

Is there documented evidence that “laptops in the hands of students” increase student achievement? Do TAKS scores increase wherever all students have laptops?

See previous response. But again, is there any evidence proving pencils will increase student achievement?

I really think the idea ($100 laptop) is innovative…and will give many students access to things they never would have without the technology. It is a way to make the world so much smaller! I do worry about moving too quickly into things and educators not being adequately prepared.

You should be but we have no choice. Waiting for educators to get comfortable is not something we can wait for.

This will allow kids without the resources of developed countries to be engaged in the learning with the electronic community.

And the kids of developed countries will still be waiting for their weekly period in the computer lab.

Initially, I would say that all my students need one of these, then I start to freak out and wonder how I can control what they are doing with this tool?

Ding, ding, ding….hold your calls, we have a winner! This is the critical barrier for our teachers. Control. I agree, we will freak out, it is going to be hard but again, we have little choice.

You’ll see some of my responses are a bit cheeky and I suppose a bit harsh so I apologize if some were offended but I certainly would have answered them in a much more diplomatic way as I’m sure Wes did but I did feel these are very indicative of our current teaching population. I always try and sort out which questions represent a lack of understanding and which are the ones resisting change. I have less patience with the latter.

Here’s a condensed version of a presentation that I’ve done on using PowerPoint effectively. I recorded it using Camtasia studio. I’ve been exploring it lately both as a pure screencasting tool with only audio but here as a presentation tool with Picture in Picture. Not sure what is most effective but you can decide for yourself. So if you have a free 20 minutes….(again, reading this in your reader won’t likley display the video)

Note: I have a director’s account in youtube which allows me to upload videos longer than 10 minutes.

Technorati Tags: powerpoint, makeover, digitalstories, digitalstorytelling, camtasia, screencast, youtube

Yesterday I did a presentation on the Read/Write Web. It was an introductory presentation to encourage folks to commit to some followup sessions on the specifics.

I prefaced my talk by stating I didn’t want to begin with the tools since without context they can be meaningless. The analogy I used was that as someone with no understanding of carpentry, someone could show me all the latest tools at Home Depot and it wouldn’t mean much to me. But show me that you can create cupboards and I might be interested. (In reality, even that for me wouldn’t do it…I’d just hire someone) So I told them I was going to be showing them cupboards.
There were supposed to be few more than what turned out so it’s a very intimate setting. For the benefit of those unable to attend and for others interested, here’s it is. I just ran the video camera and basically captured the screen. I could have used a screen capturing program but am a bit leary when it’s a long and uses multiple applications. Because of the length, I had to use alot of compression on the video. So if you want a clearer picture of the slides, here they are. It’s really more of an enhanced podcast. So if you’ve got a spare 42 minutes….here you go.

 

 Flash Video: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (627)

I’ve had the opportunity to share the “news” about social software/web 2.0/Read Write Web (choose your favourite term)  to some groups other than classroom teachers. In the past month I’ve done two workshops for our provincial teachers’ association. One to the local teacher association groups and the other to the special subject councils.

The message is virtually the same but it’s nice to discuss the use of these tools outside the classroom application.
This week I also begin a series of 3 workshops on digital photography as part of our community courses.

The fact that these topics and tools have great use for adults in everyday life, once again brings validation to the importance of them to be explored and used with our students.

Weblogg-ed » K12 Online 2006 Conference…

We’ve  been asked to pass this along.  Perhaps I’ll consider a proposal…I know how about “Using Microsoft Word in the Classroom” Yah right. But I’ll think of something.

technorati tags:k12online06, conferences

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