Leading Learning Conference :: Forum

Slate and chalk have been around for over 150 years.... Isn't it time we used new tools to connect with 21st century learners? I am currently acting as the London Region e-Learning Contact, and with tongue firmly in cheek, I believe that the fastest way to promote positive change in Ontario classrooms may well be to ban chalk!  

I actively blog and podcast on the use of a range of read/write tools, and will be highlighting many of these as outstanding alternatives to chalk.  Prior to the workshop slated for the Monday, I'd be interested to discover how you harness the power of evolving technologies to engage learners in rich, meaningful work. 

Does anyone use wikis, blogs, ustream, skype, twitter, jing, social bookmarking, voicethread, podcasting, Google tools, or others (http://www.go2web20.net/)  In what contexts do you use the tools you use?  

We have integrated podcasts, wikis and PhotoStory into assignments at my public secondary school. The assignments have been very successful at all grade and academic levels. The assignments engage students and support  differentiated learning.

Here are video comments from Mrs.  Anderson who created an assignment that combine wikis, podcasts and photostory for here grade 10 English class.

http://www.schoolinfo.ca/connectingeducation/socialJusticeVideo.htm

For more information and a copy of the assignments go to:

http://connectingeducation.com

Rodd,

Google Apps is perfect for high school. If fact the students who use it at my school have had no problems. I gave them about 10 minutes of instruction. The skills they learn from hotmail, msn, facebook etc. are the same for Google Apps. I am amazed that it is free with no ads. I know of other commercial systems that charge at least $50 per student.

As far as setting it up - it took me about 2 hours. You need some web knowledge. Once it is set up it basically runs itself. Google does not offer direct technical help - other than documentation and videos.

I am going to do a video of students next week on their attitude towards Google Apps. I will post it on connectingeducation.com

I am working on creating a presentation on Google Apps - the nuts and bolts of how to use it and set it up.

Here is a link to a video of what students at my school think of Google Apps Education Edition:

http://www.fliqz.com/public/aspx/playerdefault.aspx?vid=6542

Thanks for sharing Roger and Rodd for starting this conversation.  Roger - did you get any kick back from Parents, Administrators or Board staff as you have implemented these tools in your classroom?

Thanks,

Quentin 

Roger, thanks for sharing your experiences regarding Google Apps.

I'd love to see the presentation when it's finished!

I am a Google Apps user (and big fan).  My question focuses around district / school wide implementation.  Are there privacy and freedom of information concerns?  Google now not only hosts my click stream, but my data too.  

Some light reading from Google's terms of service:

Section 11

By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive licence to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. 

Here's some more "light" reading:

 http://www.cnet.com/8301-13739_1-9902548-46.html

I've created a brief survey that I'd like to share with conference participants.  if you have the time to share your experience in harnessing your own Personal Learning Network, your responsed to the brief survey linked below would be very much appreciated.  Results of the survey will be available to all, and appear just below the survey questions.

If you see value in this resource, please share the link with your PLN... 

http://tinyurl.com/4qrn5r