Glynis+ISTE

Sunday June 27th 2010

istelearning.org - a plethora of useful tools including web2.0, project based learning and games and simulations

http://learningsoftwares.com - look on left side for tools and games, some interesting stuff for teachers

quizlet.com - quick and easy flashcard maker - thanks Peggy

Monday June 28th 2010

__An Introduction to open Source Software and Open Technologies__ - by Steve Hargadon Open source is NOT web 2.0. Open source is software that is freely available to all and allows one access to the code so that one can create spinoffs from the original or totally recreate a new piece of software - this is legal.

License is called creative commons - this license is specifically for purpose of sharing information.

MIT is using open software for FREE courses at http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm - this allows students to follow along with real courses at MIT and see if this is for them or just to get the knowledge.

Richard Stallman (not a pretty face) pioneered the concept of [|copyleft] and he is the main author of several copyleft licenses including the [|GNU General Public License], the most widely used [|free software license] - from wikipedia

Edubuntu.org - educational website for schools to access the open source software to use with linux operating system.

Examples of opensource software sourceforge.net - HUGE library of opensource software keytoschool.com - moodle creations and hosting openoffice.org - a microsoft office like suite gimp.org - photoshop like software shatters.net/celestia - free space simulation - looks cool tuxpaint.org - drawing software for kids freemind.sourceforge.net - mindmapping software blender.org - awesome 3D design program

futureofeducation.com - incredible ning by Steve Hargadon - sigh - so much to read so little time

Note that all opensource software has to be approved by DO before downloading and using at school.

Session 2 - __What is Engagement Really and Where can I get some. - Bernie Dodge__ website for more information is webquest.org/workshops/engagement

Bernie said that if work too easy then students will not engage, need challenge and to interact with others.

I was disappointed to find that this website is not current daily but I do believe that it is still have wonderful resource http://slatest.slate.com/features/news_dots/default.htm - creates a map of current events and how they relate to each other.

http://www.360cities.net/ - I need to spend more time with this site but the way it was described was that there are panoramic views of cities and can "walk" through parts of the city - great tool for social studies - compare and contrast different cultures.

Session 3 - __Where the Girls Aren't: Strategies for Engaging and Keeping Girls in Technology__ Disappointing and more about promoting girls and technology than tools. Only suggestion was after school program - see Megan's page - she talks more about this session.

Session 4 - __Teaching with Wiki's and Blogs:Changing Classroom Culture__ - Daniel Street Learned my lesson with research - the speaker is NOT the researcher. It was like listening to a Miss World contestant - knows the words to say but no clue how to say them in any context!

EG - he talked about glogster and that it seemed to be a fun little poster making site that girls seem to like!!

He also mentioned but did not talk about - probably because he did not know! quia kto8 bibme - citation tool mixbook prezi teacherline edmodo - facebook for educators

Suggested using blog to see what kids know before starting a topic - find out what kids know - thought that was a great homework project - they clearly did not spend time in Public Schools!!

Session 5 - __Sketchup__ Disappointing as did not learn anything that did not already know - they ran out of time before they could start the interesting stuff.

Spent time working on Tool bar - MOVE, SCALE and ROTATE

Can change colors of materials - Windows, Materials, Edit, then click on what looks like a battery with +sign, change materials size and colors.

and by this time my brain was full so I left.

Tuesday July 29th 2010

Breakfast on safety has already been covered so will only say one thing - EMPATHY - this will be my buzzword for the year. cyberbullyhelp.com - great resource

To change behavior of either a bully or a victim, talk is not enough - they need skills to cope. Need lessons and activities to learn empathy and perspective. Four steps - Refuse, Explain, Avoid and Leave

__Opensource Playground__

artrage.com - not free but an incredible art tool for $80 - could not believe how realistic it was.

connect.tech4learning.com - resource of what teachers and students have created using a variety of tools

Session 1 - _ __Developing Empathy - Alan November__ He started with pollseverywhere - very popular today giving me an idea to try it with kids - cell phones in the classroom - what a concept.

He talked about the need for globalization in the classroom, how kids need to work with kids around the world everyday. Teachers communicating with other teachers from around the workd.

He was fascinated with China and India where students work harder and have better work ethics that in the western world. and explained that empathy is the ability to understand more than one point of view at the same time.

Discussed how Westpoint's mission has changed from Win the War to Win the Peace and that cadets are being taught to understand the "enemy" with empathy and understanding.

Suggested that when give students a project, students need to look at issue from all sides. Used example of Lexington war - what happened from British perspective - very funny.

To find authentic information use root zone database - www.iana.org/domains/root/db/

Suggested find school and teacher email address, communicate with teacher in another country and send student projects to that teacher to see if they have the facts correct - get their viewpoint.

Mission - Think Globally.

Session 2 - __LOL - ISTE: Bring popcorn and an open Mind__. Honestly not sure what this session was about - ask Jo.

Something about how educators have missed the boat focusing on scores instead of education.

Session 3 - __Goomoodleikiog__ Google, moodle, wikis and blogs. http://sites.google.com/site/goomoodleikiog/ - for presentation website - http://goomoodleikiblog.edublogs.org/ - I have submitted and waiting response Basically talked about how goal is to teach not merely use tool. Explained what was google, moodle, wiki and blog kidblog.org - very cool website for teachers to use to teach and use for blogging

Disappointed as hoped for more due to crowd response - probably 400 people tried to get into session - 200 made it.

Session 4 - __Gaming across the curriculum__ by Marjee and Trevor This was incredible - sooo much information and relevant games

jason.org - challenging materials, multiple entry point, goal setting, parallel challenges

Suggested that link games to teacher website - use as transition activity for kids who finish early

http://www.playinghistory.org/ http://www.abcya.com/ http://icivics.org/ http://www.trevorowens.org/ http://marjee.org/ http://pbskids.org/games/ http://www.supersmartgames.com/ http://gamesforchange.org/play http://playingscience.org/ http://www.kongregate.com/games/FunkyPear/gravitee-2

Session 5 - __Classroom 2.0 - Web 2.0 in Education__ with Peggy George Peggy assisted the birds of a feather session so any questions - ask her!!

This was a round table session where people came up and showed what they had done or found and used including:

scientistspace.ning.com - created by teacher and students in middle school setting - nice example nationallabday.org - created with science teachers in mind Typewith.me - free collaborative tool for group to communicate together dropbox.com - online storage space wallwisher.com historyplace.com xtranormal.com tagxedo.com - uses silverlight - awesome, awesome, awesome jenuinetech.com - project ideas for elementary school abode.com connect now share screens - free so can see someone elses screen to learn or help wiffitti.com - another yellow sticky type of site civilwarsallie.wikispaces.com - very nice social studies example learncentral.org - no idea but looks like an educators forum edmodo.com - website for teachers and students - iphone apps

end of day two and again brain dead tired!

Wednesday July 30th 2010

Session 1 __Wonderful World of Wikis: Practical classroom wikis for all ages - Adam Frey and Vicki Davis__ Finally a session not for beginners!!

Loved this, my second motto for the year - "If say it, cite it"

Adam talked about what they have done at wikispaces to improve

Vicki - coolcatteacher.blogspot.com and flatclassroomproject.org Now Vicki is the teacher with experience - she was awesome, see her real class wiki - http://westwood.wikispaces.com/

Netiquette Rules 1. Joining - say who you are and why you want to join 2. Discussions - do not start wiki wars 3. Editing a) Content creation, enter the research and information 250 - 300 words, teacher must supply clear expectations b) Now edit, put in hyperlink sources, make attractive and condense content

VVicki create assignment templates about assignment - instructions stating what is wanted on the page - like that idea alot

classroomtools.net to create games

Use of wikis Lesson summaries Note collaboration Concept introduction and exploration projects Learn shares Individual assessment Rewards Class organization - tags when graded!!!!!!

Remember citing

netvibes.com to monitor wiki - need to learn RSS

Session 2 - __Crap Detection - Rheingold from Stanford - wild dresser (love purple?)__

He is a forward thinker and realized when his now 25 year old daughter started to look for info online instead of books that we would have a problem recognizing what was accurate, factual information.

Use whoisit.com to find out who site really belongs to. See who claims responsibility for information on the website.

http://critical-thinking.iste.wikispaces.net/ - his website of examples - well worth a visit.

Said that we need to build into students an internal observer as to what they are doing while in class and /or interacting with others as to appropriateness

NB - social personal network - we and students need to learn new tools to help recognize "crap" socialmediaclassroom.com - may help

Session 3 - __Extreme Web2.0 Makeover:Education Edition - Steve Dembo__ Even if I learned nothing it was sooo funny. Here is his prezi http://prezi.com/g8audqwjinqe/extreme-makeover/

He showed how to create basic wallwisher.com letmegooglethatforyou.com - that was hilarious - do not try this at school!! blabberize.com - use discovery education images large size edublogs.com - basic blogging ipadio - podcasting using a telephone when not at a computer - very easy media type="custom" key="6503423"

Session 4 __Using and teaching Blender - a 3D modeling software__

blender.org

Loved it, not an easy program to learn but will be perfect for my, difficult to please, over achieving, know it all 8th grade boys!!

responsibilityproject.com/films/lighthouse - advanced example

You Tube have blender tutorials by super3boy

Now to convince Jay..................................

Closing keynote bluemars.com - looks like an interesting social networking type of second life

Reminder: Xavier STEM project - cannot remember the date but sometime early 2011 - 1 - 3pm Catherine Wyman - program director of technology. cwyman@xcp.org - for girls