We are now in our 8th year of podcasting. I could be totally wrong but I'm going to declare us as the longest running educational group podcast on the planet. If I'm wrong leave a comment and I'll retract.

We had a relatively quick conversation with Rob as Alec and I were in the same room planning for our workshop the following day. 

Here's some of the show notes:

• The NBCHS Grade 9 photo gallery
• The Point-Counterpoint article about Bring Your Own Technology, featuring Jen LaMaster and Gary Stager (from Learning and Leading with Technology)

Also, you'll want to listen and earn a coveted Posse Mug. Hey, I've now done three consecutive posts as podcasts which is a new record. I'm kinda diggin' the audio again and am actually planning to develop a workshop on audio design. Anyway enjoy the show.

Really has it been almost 6 months since we last recorded? That's bad. 

But it's great to chat again with the posse. As an added bonus we took over #ds106radio and recorded it live. Alec, Heather, Rob and I are joined by my daughter Meredith as she talks about her new book. Alec shares a bit about his recent trip to Australia and Heather and I talk chat a bit about my new gigs. 

If you like silliness and seriousness all mixed together, you might enjoy this. 

Oh, by the way, if you're wondering about image I used, you'll have to listen, at least to the first 5 minutes. 

With some heavy, late night editing, Rob was able to get our last night's podcast posted. Nice job Rob.

Show notes:

School reform: The “Waiting for Superman” media circus

• The Death and Life of the Great American Schools by Diane Ravitch
• A Parent 2.0′s Back to School Dilemma by Will Richardson
• Saskatchewan Reform, Superman and the Media by Dean Shareski

Technology issues for post-secondary faculty (informal research for Alec’s discussion with University of Regina faculty)

• Aboriginal children to get laptops (CBC news story)
• Cloud computing caveats – Lakehead University Faculty Association issues with Google Apps
• Michael Geist’s commentary to above: Arbitrator Rules Lakehead University Can Switch Email System to Gmail

We can haz prizes?

Thanks to edublogs (especially Sue Waters) for sponsoring the prize for the show. Listen to the show for details on how you can win.

Creative commons music

Opening theme:  nervoso con las guitarras by norelpref is licensed under a Attribution Noncommercial

Closing theme: (©urve) Music LatinSaint Style by LatinSaint is licensed under a Attribution Noncommercial (3.0)

Enjoy the show: 

After 7 years, we have to put our dog Rudy down today. It was a difficult decision, one we’ve been delaying for quite a while but we realize it is the one we need to make. Having never really had a pet before, I was unaware of the attachment and affection you feel for these creatures. Rudy, a Jack Russell, was the runt of the litter.  We named him Rudy after the movie by the same name and discovered the meaning of his name is tenacious.  So appropriate. Like most terriers, so I’m told, he was very territorial, very full of energy. For the most part he was quite content to snuggle with one of us on the couch and until recently in a bed at night.  Rudy always brought smiles from people when we took him for a walk and like most dogs was thrilled to have his owners come home.

My greatest memory of Rudy comes in having him be my personal golf ball retriever.

No doubt my short game will suffer as a result of his absence.

I post this here for a few reasons. First I remember a few years ago Miguel Guhlin sharing the loss of his father on his blog (sorry Miguel, I couldn’t track down the post, if you’d like to share, please put it in the comments and I’ll update this). This is in no way compares to that but I did remember how grateful I was that Miguel shared a piece of his soul as I had been reading his stuff for a while.  That’s part of what makes blogging different for me. I read people, not just their ideas.

I’ve had the privilege of having Alan Levine present to my students and teachers on a number of occasions on his wonderful work of 50 Ways to Tell a Story. I have heard many times the story of  Dominoe and in the back of my mind wondered what it would be like to tell the story of a dog that used to be. Now I know.

Finally, I write this because many know that I often speak about my dogs in a love-hate way. I’ve shared photos of them, told stories about them and they’ll even had a place in both my classes and in the Edtech Posse podcasts. We live in this strange world where we share not only the great ideas we have, but our lives. I guess that’s part of community. Thank you for all the kinds words. I feel very blessed to be associated with people who I know are offering their heartfelt thoughts.

Rudy, you’ll be missed.

Podcasting from the bathroom

A conversation with all 5 members, we haven’t done that for a while.  Rob, Heather, Rick, Alec and I talked about PLP, 1 to 1 computing, and PD.

Some other links:

• Isabel Allende’s TED talk
• Powerful Learning Practice
• IT summit
• TLt 2010
• Educon: Field Guide for Change Agents (blog post from Rodd Lucier)

We’re back with our first podcast of 2010
EdTech Posse Podcast 6.1 – No tech after 5 p.m.

Mike Wesch presented at the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina earlier this week. We discussed his presentations and reflected on some of the changes that might result from educators becoming aware of his work/message.

Some notes:

• Rick’s conversation/video podcast with Mike Wesch
• Mike Wesch’s presentation at the University of Regina: The (Digital) Writing on the Walls (and why the walls don’t matter anymore (Ustream recording)
• Digital Ethnography research group site
• Mike Wesch on twitter
• 2010 Haiti Earthquake (If you are in Canada and interested in donating, the CBC has compiled a list of organizations that are providing relief. The federal government will match donations made by individuals between now and Feb. 12, 2010)
• The Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock iPhone app – as endorsed by Dean

Prognostications for 2010:

• Rick – reinvestment of classroom video capture (we’re not in favour of this due to it’s reinforcement of traditional classroom models)
• Dean – advocacy/adoption of interactive whiteboards in classrooms (we have some of the same concerns about this as above)
• Rob – mobile technology (netbooks, the mythological Apple Tablet)

Promote/plug (things we think you might be interested in):

• Coyote Chalk blog written by Cori Saas, a former student of Dean’s
• The College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan. Rick says that great things are happening there.
• “Shop Class as Soul Craft” by Matthew Crawford is next on Rob’s reading list for books to read on his iPod touch using the Kobobooks app (terrific ebook seller). Matthew was recently heard on episode 97 of the CBC Radio program Spark.

Finally, Rob wants to thank Paul Wood for saying hi to his kids via Skype, and Alan Levine for being The Boy™’s first twitter buddy.

Thanks to Rob for recording, editing and supplying the show notes:

Anywho, as usual we had a great time talking, laughing, being silly and of course, as sure as I'll spill food on my clothes, Rob brings out the microphone and begins recording.

No theme, no purpose, just friends yacking. After Sir Ken, Rob and I hit a local coffee shop for the debrief.

Just because I felt like it, I've added some show notes. I haven't done that for a while. Enjoy.

• Alec's crying photo
• Alec's student's post
• The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment
• Out of Our Minds
• A radical alternative: Real teaching
• Howlett Academy
• Summerhill
• Reading is Not a Skill
• Ken DeRosa and Facts
• Kristin Cummings

Rick, Alec and Rob and I spent an hour last night learning from and with Howard. The ambient sounds you here of dogs barking and a parade are from my end. That’s just a bonus. Enjoy.

It was a great conversation with Alec, Rick and Rob. One of my favourites. To think it’s year five. Wow. I’m particularly satisfied with the dicussion around Alec’s flickr issue. I think Alec in particular provides a nice response to the issue.

Shownotes

The Posse felt he would make a great guest so Alec and Rick and I spent the better part of an hour with Michael. Thanks to Rob Wall who edited the audio, but unfortunately could not join us in the conversation. Heather Ross, our other Posse member, was also unable to attend.

Image: Michael Geist – Why Copyright? – 4 by D’Arcy Norman
http://flickr.com/photos/dnorman/2383910972/

Have a listen:

Rick, Rob and Heather (we missed Alec) and I chatted for just under an hour, Rob hit the record button and here it is.

[display_podcast]
Flickr Image: nicholas in the hammock
http://flickr.com/photos/nicholaslaughlin/463979068/

Show notes