Norma Bingham :: Blog

As per the subject line above, I've posted the materials from Bob Regan's presentation in the File Storage Area.  There was one file that was part of the archive (big archive that wouldn't upload on its own), i.e. the Visual Literacy White Paper, that I couldn't extract from the original Archive.  I'll work on posting it as well but for the meantime the rest of the material is now available.

Enjoy

d.

Tim Hawes, the designer, developer and all around reason Commun-IT is running is going to be delivering an online workshop to folks attending ECOO 2008 on Wed., November 5th from 3:30-4:30 using web conferencing technology.

To register for this session, please login to this link:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pzKJdhWce3kSdRpj3sYQIQw

Thanks to Tim for doing this and hope to see you there!

Well, I have started using my new GPS and I have had some unsettling feeling about it.  I have long prided myself on my ability to recognize landmarks, remember them and use them when traveling to ensure that I don't get lost and take the best routes possible.  This navigtion ability came about from growing up in the country, where not all roads were found on the maps.  I still used maps, especially for finding back roads that would make my drive shorter or more pleasant.  So when I started using the GPS, I assumed it would be like using a road map, but I have found out I am wrong.

I started out by plotting where I was going and using the GPS to, what I felt, was blindly guide me there.  I ended up getting to my destination, but when I looked at the route the GPS took me on, it was a round-about way that I would not have taken if I used my handy map.  I went on another trip a few weeks ago to the ECOO board meetings and took a route that I used to take to my cottage.  I programmed in "via points" and off we went.  Well, wouldn't you know it we ended up in a subdivision about 2 miles from our intended destination.  On the way home we followed the route the GPS calculated and ended up taking another round-about way that I would have never have taken...GPS navigation saver...not yet!

 So I started thinking about this problem and started thinking that this technology might cause our students to lose the sense of navigation that has helped us navigate through the years.  But then I started seeing similarities with other tools when they were first introduced.  I wonder if people felt the same way when calculators were introduced?  Did they think people would lose their reasoning and mathmatical skills...I know they felt that way.  How about the computer.  Did people feel that they would "run our lives' and we would not want to do anything for ourselve?  I bet that was the case.  In both of these examples, when the initial dust settled, it is obvious both of those tools did not cause us to lose our skills, but instead enhanced them and allowe us to reach further into the future by allowing us to build on our already established skills and enhancing them with technology.

 I suspect the same will be the case with the GPS...but for now, I still check that map to see if the route is the best one to take!

/shawn

Adobe ConnectNow is part of the new Adobe Acrobat.com public beta that was just released.  I have just tried the public beta and can tell you that the application is right on target.  I was able to conference with three other uses (which I believe is the max) and we were able to share our web cams, voice, chat screen sharing and notes just like the full version of Acrobat Connect.  The great part is, it is free and hosted by Adobe.  A bonus aspect is the interface, which needs flash player 9 to run, is even crisper and cleaner than Acrobat Connect 6 (looks similar to Connect 7's interface, but might even be cleaner than the commerical version). 

Since it is a free web-based app, you don't get all the functionality of the main Connect app.  Such differences include no multiple layouts, no polling and no recording, but for proof of concept, piloting, bringing in expert mentors in boards without Connect installed or for online teachers wanting to connect with students in boards without Connect, this application is bang on the mark.  Also, you may have an issue getting an account, just keep trying and you eventually, up until now, are granted an account.

Kudos to Adobe for their new, but maybe a little late, online strategy for their web-enabled apps.  As the saying goes, better late than never!

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0402

https://www.acrobat.com

/shawn

During our last meeting, I took some footage of members of our group while they were sharing their experiences and lesson ideas.

This file illustrates how Jamie's grade 3's sign themselves in upon arrival, and simple agenda org.

This one shows a varity of content from the Smart Notebook Gallery.

Looking good Jamie!

Barb

My Name is Andrew Swartz. I attended Leading Learning 2008. I am hoping to get some responses from many of you thar are in this group.

Are there any of you out there that have Wireless Internet in your school that students and staff have access too?

There are several of us at my school that are pushing to have Wireless Internet brought into the school. We are told that there are too many issues surrounding the use if wireless so we will not be receiving it.

I think there are many benefits to having wireless!

So, does your school have it? Are there issues? How is it used? How is it set up? Who has access? Is it password protected? Are there security issues? Please let me know.

Please feel free to use this Adobe Connect User Experience screencast to show participants that will be attending your meetings what the experience will be like.

/shawn

The WorldWide Telescope

Microsoft research has just release an application that is social networking for the sky.  It looks an amazing application that allows users to take a tour of the universe in an uncluttered, easy flowing environment.  The best part is, there are ways to create "tours" and share those tours with other users, in a social-networking type of way.  In fact, the WWT developers are encouraging the use of these tours to "tell the story" of the universe.  They really believe that, through social networking and sharing of these "tours" that students, educators and all people can benefit from the "story telling" of the universe.  This is another example of how the world really is at not only our fingertips, but our students' fingertips.  We are very shortly going to facilitate learning, instead of being the conduit for learning, as educators.

 It really looks like an amazing tool, and once I get it downloaded and set up, I will report back.  I can't wait to use it and let my little guys try it! 

http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/

/shawn

ps The system requirements for the use of the application are very intensive, so make sure your system requirements can handle this.

Here is a TED video describing the WWT

I've been mulling over ideas for a while, and the conference brought them to a head for me, so I thought I'd toss out a few questions to the people most likely to be thinking of them:

1) Are we advocating technology for technology's sake?  I feel as if the value and use of a lot of tools is glossed over by the fact that they are shiny and new, and that, more dangerously, the negative repercussions of other tools and methods are dismissed using the ad hominem technique of dismissing valid concerns by accusing the critiquer of being a Luddite and anti-progress. 

I love how some tools make my life easier.  But I also find that the number of resources required to advocate for, purchase, install, learn, update, prepare resources to accompany, administer, evaluate, and utilize effectively a tool is often grossly underestimated, and that while "money" is usually considered a resource, "time" and "joy" are not considered. 

2) Can we examine the issues of privilege in terms of access to technology?  I noticed, speaking with colleagues, that my "normal" and their "normal" are very different.  Access for teachers runs from 1:1 ratio of laptops to students to  classes where half the students own no computer (or have a computer, but dialup, or no internet).  Also, a large number of the resources and tools mentioned are either banned in schools (e.g. ipods) or blocked from schools (youtube, facebook). 

Are we inadventently creating an underclass?  Do we have the right to dismiss these students when they're clearly already at a disadvantage?  I was and am surprised at how easily this issue is skipped over with a blithe "They'll catch up" or "well, really, that's hardly a majority of students", especially in an atmosphere that is supposed to be supportive of differentiating for needs and understandings and cultural/socioeconomic factors.

3) I'm finding a repetition of two underlying assumptions needs questioning as well.  First, that "in our day this technology wasn't available, and so the kids know more than we do and of course we're resistant."  In my day, the Internet was available, and I used it, often.  I'm a teacher, but I'm also a digital native.  Furthermore, my students know markedly less than I do about it.  Explaining icanhascheezburger to a room full of animal loving but completely unknowing faces is interesting.

The second attaches to the first - that kids know more than we do.  In my case, my students not only know less, but fall into two distinct groups - the academic level kids who are online, wired, modible, IM'ing, and Facebooking, and the applied/college level students who say things like "I don't understand that whole facebook thing." and "MSN sucks.  I just use the phone."  (further questioning of the second reveals that "texting is stupid, but at least I don't have to spell on it - but usually I talk).  Again, literacy is a focus - media and text literacy.  The same kids who don't like reading WILL read emails - but it's still not the preferred mode.  Can we help these kids catch the e-bug?  Ought we?

 Thank you for not simply saying tl;dr. (too long;didn't read)

Diana

The ECOO Secondary Multimedia contest deadline has been extended until May 16th, 2008!  Your students can win $ and the teacher involved will be invited to showcase their project @ the ECOO 2008 Conference!

For more details go to:  www.ecoo.org

Please pass this on to any teacher in Ontario who might be interested!

 Thanks,

/shawn