Thursday, December 23, 2010

Happy Holidays!

As we close out another year, enjoy the inspirational video about teaching and self reflection for the new year.

Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xuFnP5N2uA&feature=player_embedded


From http://teachinghighschoolpsychology.blogspot.com/
The Value of Self-Reflection - Any Time Of Year, It's Important To Self-Reflect
Examining What Worked And What Failed In The Past Can Lead To Future Triumphs
By Beth Lewis, About.com Guide

In a profession as challenging as teaching, honest self-reflection is key. That means that we must regularly examine what has worked and what hasn't in the classroom, despite how painful it can sometimes be to look in the mirror. Then take your answers and turn them into positive, resolute statements that give you concrete goals on which to focus immediately. Be honest, work hard, and watch your teaching transform for the better!

Ask Yourself These Tough Questions - And Be Honest!
Where did I fail as a teacher in the past? Where did I succeed?
What is my top teaching goal for the coming year?
What can I do to make my teaching more fun while adding to my students' learning and enjoyment?
What can I do to be more proactive in my professional development?
What resentments do I need to resolve in order to move forward more optimistically and with a fresh mind?
What types of students do I tend to ignore or do I need to spend more time serving?
Which lessons or units am I only continuing to perform out of habit or laziness?
Am I being a cooperative member of my grade level team?
Are there any aspects of the profession that I am ignoring out of fear of change or lack of knowledge? (i.e. technology)
How can I increase valuable parental involvement?
Have I done enough to foster a productive relationship with my administrator?
Do I still enjoy teaching? If not, what can I do to increase my enjoyment in my chosen profession?
Do I bring additional stress upon myself? If so, how can I decrease or eliminate it.
How have my beliefs about learning and pedagogy changed over the years?
What minor and/or major changes can I make to my academic program in order to directly increase my students' learning?

What Happens If You Refuse To Self-Reflect
Put earnest effort and pure intention into your self-reflection. You don't want to be one of those stagnant teachers that drably presents the same ineffective and outdated lessons year after year. The unexamined teaching career can lead to becoming just a glorified babysitter, stuck in a rut and no longer enjoying your job! Times change, perspectives change, and you must change in order to adapt and remain relevant in the ever-changing world of education.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Super Book of Web Tools for Educators

A preview of “Super Book of Web Tools for Educators”
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/12/super-book-of-web-tools-for-educators.html
 Technology in Schools: An Administrators View 

More Read full post (290 words, 1 image, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Podcast - Best Practices in the Classroom

Below is a podcast that I created with Microsoft PowerPoint and Community Clips for a graduate class, featuring Best Practices.


Find more videos like this on Nashoba

To see more of the Best Practices link to the Google Site/Wiki

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

SmartBoard Class this week!

Teaching a SMARTBoard Class this week using SMART NoteBook!
Posts on 8/13 and 8/16 for start of class
Class Blog http://smartinteractiveclassroom.blogspot.com/

Topics for class one
SMART Notebook software 10 Getting Started
A summary of what’s new in SMART Notebook 10.  SMART Notebook software 10 Getting Started
A summary of what’s new in SMART Notebook 10.
View each tutorial individually, or Watch the entire 30-minute overview. http://www.smarttech.com/us/Resources/Training/Training+Search
SMART Notebook software 10 - Getting Started
Tutorial 1: Activation
Tutorial 2: Finding What You Need
Tutorial 3: The Ink Layer
Tutorial 4: Managing Pages
Tutorial 5: The Properties Tab
Tutorial 6: The Lesson Activity Toolkit
Tutorial 7: New Tools in SMART Notebook 10

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Day Two the learning continues

Day Two
1. Skype with Maria Knee (blog)
   - Kathy Cassidy blog and website http://kathycassidy.yolasite.com/

2. Please take the following survey
3. Here is a link to the class googel site / wiki
4. Wallwisher - join our class conversation
     19 Ways to use Wallwisher in the classroom (Tom Barrett)
5. edu Glogster Mulimedia posters
6. Animoto for education (slideshows)
7. Wordle http://www.wordle.net/

Monday, August 2, 2010

Welcome Mashpee Teachers - Day One Web 2.0

Mashpee - Day 1 - Notes and links from class (backchannel http://todaysmeet.com/mashpee
Take the survey  "Getting to Know You"

A group of teachers are gathered today to learn about Web 2.0.  We are learning about blogging and twitter.
  1. Registration and logistics
    FSC registration form (Course Number: PDMT 6332 Schedule Number (CRN): 50871 Graduate Credits at $255 TItle Integrating Web 2.0 Tools into the Classroom
  2. The Machine is Us/ing Us (Final Version)
  3. A few Blogs to read -
    Will Richardon http://weblogg-ed.com/ (twitter)
    David Warlick http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/  (twitter)
    Eric Langhorst http://speakingofhistory.blogspot.com/ *social studies (twitter)
    Darren Kuropatwa http://adifference.blogspot.com/ *math (twitter)
    Maria Knee The KindersBlog Maria Knee
  4. Create or use your Google Account
  5. iGoogle (mini tour video)
  6. Micro blogs with Twitter (Twitter in Plain English)
  7. Create your Twitter Account (learn more)
    - Follow on Twitter (follow me http://twitter.com/mmarotta )
    - Above bloggers (twitter links) and a few more....
    - BHS Principal https://twitter.com/bhsprincipal
    - Free Technology for Teachers http://twitter.com/rmbyrne
  8. Getting Started with Blogger (Tutorial)
  9. Create a blog (add a post)
  10. Post a comment (moderate)
    Lunch
  11. Add items to Blogger (Video, Slideshare, etc)
  12. Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XMa91uf-so
Post a response/comment at the end of the day.  What do you think about blogging?

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Vacation

Vacation Week -What a beautiful week on the Cape. 

I was able to spend time in Harwich, Chatham and Mashpee last week.  

Shark sightings in Chatham caued quite a a buzz this week.  Five great white sharks were spotted near Chatham’s South Beach, some spotted as close as 100 yards from the shore. It prompted the harbormaster to close the beach to swimming and prompted the state to take action.


It was great to kick back and relax!
 

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Summer Course

Week of Monday - July 19th -23rd

Using Social Networking and Web 2.0 Technologies in the Classroom - ITC6513
NEU Class blog http://neuweb2.blogspot.com/
Looking forward to another Web 2.0/Social Networking class this week.

Vacation Week - July 25th - August 1st!!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Are you interested in taking future PD sessions?

I you are interested in future PD classes on a PART II of this class, please comment below.
Thanks!
Mary

Web 2.0 in the Classroom

Day 5
Topics
RSS and iGoogle / Google Reader
Google Lit Trips
Poll Anywhere

Voicethread for reflection
Link http://voicethread.com/share/1247869/  (to view larger size)

Examples of Voicethread (look under browse)
or  http://voicethread4education.wikispaces.com/


Poll Everywhere
1. Example text
http://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/MTMxMzAwMzgzMg
Text 33396 and your message to 22333

Are you having a good day?

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Web 2.0 Presentations tools and multimedia

Welcome back.  Today we will review the following:

Presentations using Google/Presentation and SlideShare

Here is an example of a Google Presentation for this class.


SlideShare on Web 2.0

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Blended Learning - Day 3

Wednesday's Activities

1. Join  the back channel http://todaysmeet.com/nmpd (give me a few
    updates during the morning)
2. Twitter - send out a few tweets and follow a few people #NMPD
     7 Things to know about twitter
3. Skype (download) if possible with a colleague
4. Use one or two tools (Word Cloud Wordle, Tagxedo, Ning, Blogger, Google Site,Glogster, VoiceThread, other)  or a new tool (Wallwisher, xtranormal, animoto , pixton comics, itunes/podcast or suggest one in the comment section below)
5. Add infomation images, etc to the Google Site "Your Page"   http://sites.google.com/site/nmpd2010/
6. Post a reflection at the end of the day in the comment section below http://techdi.blogspot.com/

Explore and have some fun!!

When you return on Thursday you can share your findings with the class.

Optional/Additional Assignment:
Assessment in a Web 2.0 World (listen) to this podcast and/or in iTunes
Eudcause podcast: Assessment in a Web 2.0 World (19 mins)
http://www-cdn.educause.edu/sites/default/files/eli09-assessment.mp3
More Educause links on web 2.0

The learning continues

Day 2 -
Skyp (with Pat and Nicole)
Twitter/Tweetdeck  #NMPD or BackChannel with Today's Meet
Vocabulary using Wordle http://www.wordle.net/ (top ten ways to use)
Google Form/Survey (assessment...)
Google Site http://sites.google.com/site/nmpd2010/ Add your page, image and video
















Filter in School? Download a YouTube Video using Zamzar http://zamzar.com/
Review expectations for online session.

Other options - Do you have itunes?  Download a podcast related to Web 2.0.

Enjoy the rest of your day, see you online tomorrow!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Learning about Web 2.0

Day 1 - Notes and links from class (backchannel http://todaysmeet.com/nmpd )
Take the SURVEY "Getting to Know You"

A group of teachers are gathered today to learn about Web 2.0.  We are learning about blogging and twitter.
  1. Registration and logistics
  2. The Machine is Us/ing Us (Final Version)
  3. A few Blogs to read -
    Will Richardon http://weblogg-ed.com/ (twitter)
    David Warlick http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/  (twitter)
    Eric Langhorst http://speakingofhistory.blogspot.com/ *social studies (twitter)
    Darren Kuropatwa http://adifference.blogspot.com/ *math (twitter)
  4. Create or use your Google Account
  5. iGoogle (mini tour video)
  6. Micro blogs with Twitter (Twitter in Plain English)
  7. Create your Twitter Account (learn more)
    - Follow on Twitter (follow me http://twitter.com/mmarotta )
    - Above bloggers (twitter links) and a few more....
    - BHS Principal https://twitter.com/bhsprincipal
    - Free Technology for Teachers http://twitter.com/rmbyrne
  8. Getting Started with Blogger (Tutorial)
  9. Create a blog (add a post)
  10. Post a comment (moderate)
    Lunch
  11. Add items to Blogger (Video, Slideshare, etc)
  12. Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XMa91uf-so

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

MTA Social Media (Nashoba featured)

Last month I was contacted by the MTA do discuss how I was using social media with teachers and students. Here is a link to this month's issue [pdf] Page 23

This year, Nings have taken root all over Nashoba Regional High School, where several educators are using the closed online networks. Last summer, Mary Marotta, integration technology specialist at Nashoba, joined a Ning set up forparticipants of a technology conference. She was impressed, and she started to learn about and share other educational networks she found with others on the Nashoba staff, starting with

the English Companion Ning. “I like to refer to it as Facebook for English

teachers,” she said. “It’s a place where teachers go to help other teachers.”

“Journalism in the 21st Century,” a senior elective taught by Nashoba English teacher Adrianne Locke, was a natural fit for Ning. “The current tech tools aligned with the journalism,” Marotta noted.“With Ning, we’ve been able to create a virtualnewsroom for the journalism courses,” Locke said. “It was a forum for students to continue class discussion outside of the physical classroom and a

legitimate place to publish student work.”

Collegiality among students is also a theme over at Laura Pagington’s AP Government Ning. “Students use the Ning to discuss current events outside of class,” Pagington said. The online forum saves class time needed for instruction, she explained, and good online conversations also find their way back into class discussion.

Marotta and her Nashoba colleagues point out that an important feature of Ning sites is a set of administrative controls that enable teachers to close a site to outsiders and create an approval process for posting that is appropriate for their classes. (It is worth noting here that Ning is discontinuing its free

educator accounts in July. As MTA Today went to press, its Web site said the company was hoping to

secure a sponsor for educational accounts.)

Andrew Garcia, who is featured on the cover article on social media in education, offers tips for fellow educators on the MTA YouTube Channel.


You can follow the MTA on twitter @massteacher

Monday, June 28, 2010

ISTE Denver today!

I am attending the ISTE conference in Denver this week. If you would like to follow the conference on Twitter use #ISTE10 or follow me @mmarotta on Twitter. I plan on presenting a session on Differentiated Instruction using Technology at 4:00 pm today. Here is a link to my presentation using a variety of tools!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

NING and Pearson

Do you want to keep your class ning? Then do the following!

http://blog.ning.com/2010/06/pearson-to-provide-ning-mini-for-free-to-educators.html

Ning Networks have become a valuable complement to many schools and other educational institutions by helping teachers, parents and students supplement class curriculums; allowing educators and administrators to share best practices; and by helping all these groups bring the vitality and vibrancy of their institutions online.

Today, we’re excited to let you know about the work we’ve been doing with Pearson, a global leader in online and offline education for pre-K through college, to develop a program that will help educators keep their Ning Networks running for free. We’re proud to announce that Pearson will sponsor Ning Mini plans for free for all K-12 and Higher Education networks in North America. We think Ning Mini is a great solution for education-based networks, with an ability to include up to 150 members and a whole set of online collaboration tools such as blogs, photos and forums.

The Pearson sponsorship is an “opt-in” program. Here’s how to join:
1. Visit the Pearson sign-up page and complete the registration form.
2. Ning and Pearson will review your Ning Network and confirm your participation in the program.
3. After Ning Mini launches on July 20, 2010, your network will automatically transition to a Pearson-sponsored Ning Mini plan.*

Educators can apply at their leisure, but there’s no reason to wait until Ning Mini launches on July 20th. If you’re already running a North American Ning Network for education purposes, or are in the process of creating a new Ning Network, submit your application now!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Summer starts now.. What are you doing this summer?

What are you doing this summer?


Later this week I will be attending the ISTE conference in Denver. I am starting my first day of summer by connecting with my network on twitter. I am also planning on teaching a few professional development classes this summer as well as continuing to take graduate classes. I guess this makes me a lifelong learner.


This morning I came across a new
book by Jeff Utech (Reach - Building Communities and Networks for Professional Development) on Lulu. I cover most of these topics in my class and teachers are always looking for a good book. I think this may compliment the class.


I also belong to a neighborhood book club and will be recommending a book for August. I am thinking about reading "Winter's Bone" and then watching the movie! 

I am experimenting with new blog draft templates and pages/ tabs this week.




Thursday, June 17, 2010

ISTE Conference 2010 - Denver June 27th - 30th

There are many great resources you can check out for the upcoming ITSE conference
Planning agenda for ISTE Conference 2010
Check out the ISTE ning and follow on Twitter!

The conference formerly known as NECC is now ISTE. You can still checkout last year's NECC09 links and videos.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Journalism, Assessment and Rubrics

Using Technology for Student Journalism Portfolio's using Google Sites.

Journalism Student Portfolio
http://sites.google.com/site/nrhsjournalismportfoliolocke/home
Journalism rubric (Note: test assessment option)
Journalism Class Ning

Class Evaluations using Google Docs/Forms
English Evaluation on twitter @MsALocke

Oral History Project using Google sites (coming soon)

History Course Evaluation using Google Docs/Forms
Twitter
@lpagington Used Google Forms 4 end of year course evaluations. Saved paper & time & student feedback of process was positive Thx @mmarotta for help.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Creating quizzes in Moodle

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Assessment

Assessment

Online Assessment Part One SlideShare

Feedback on students’ assessment performance is a vital element in their learning. Its purpose is to justify to students how their mark or grade was derived, as well as to identify and reward specific qualities in their work, to recommend aspects needing improvement, and to guide students on what steps to take ... more

Giving Assessment Feedback
Giving Feedback On Student Writing
Focus On Effectiveness - Providing Feedback
Teacher Vision - Motivating Student

Motivating Students
Guidelines On Giving Feedback To Students

Rubric multimedia

Assessing Web 2.0 Tools Proprofs Web 2.0

Assessment in a Web 2.0 World
Eudcause podcast: Assessment in a Web 2.0 World (19 mins)

http://www-cdn.educause.edu/sites/default/files/eli09-assessment.mp3

Google Forms for Assessment, Evaluation, and Reflection


Edutopia - 10 Tips to Help you Relax, Reflect and Recharge

10 Tips to Help You Relax, Reflect, and Recharge for the Coming School Year
From edutopia http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-summer-guide.pdf

TIP LIST
#1 Grow Your Network
#2 Party with the Stars
#3 Do-It-Yourself Professional Development
#4 Tell the Story of Your Life
#5 Try Something New
#6 Curate Classroom Artifacts
#7 Give a Little, Get a Lot
#8 Get Moving
#9 Crack the Books
#10Plan Ahead for Next Summer

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Social Media in the Classroom

Many teachers are using social media. It's easier to publish information and share online, build collaborative classrooms instead of saving to internal networks that are only visable in school. Here is new guide "The Ultimate Teacher’s Guide To Social Media" covering many of the tools covered in our class. Learn more

Check out the guide published with issuu!

Nings to checkout

· Classroom 2.0 (over 34,000 members!)

· K-12 Open Source Community – free, open source software for teachers

· Conversations.net – live interviews on the impact of social media on society & culture

· Worldbuilder - A Social Media Education Community

· New Media Literacies Community Site – discussing how to equip young people w/social skills & cultural competencies in the 21st century

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Record Screencast Videos with Microsoft Office Community Clips

I have been using a new product by Microsoft called Office Community Clips, the screencasting software for Windows (link) can capture all your desktop activity including the keystrokes and audio. You can quickly and easily create videos or screencasts so student can access and review the lesson at a later time,. This is a great way to differentiate your instruction.
When using with PowerPoint you can synchronize your slides and voice when preparing online lessons. If you are using a tablet PC you can record math lessons and post online, allowing students the opportunity to review a lessons. It's quick and easy to learn!
When you install Community Clips, it adds a small record button to the Quick Access Toolbars of Word, Excel and PowerPoint that allows one-click recording of the application.
Office Community Clips Download Link Office Screencast VideosUpdate: Since Community Clips can record audio, you may also use it for recording videos of your PowerPoint slides with the narrations.
Also see: Record PowerPoint Presentations as Video Files

Friday, May 7, 2010

Wrapping it up - IGD Course

Wrapping thing up -- Session Five Presentation and Assignment
Please upload your reflection, see below in presentation, in order to recieve your grades.
Group A - Post by 5/4 - Group B - Post by 5/11

1. Go to the Class PD Sandbox Reflection page
http://sites.google.com/a/lunenburgonline.com/pdsandbox/reflection-final
2. Create and Upload a document, outlining the following:
- What you have learned in the class
- What you have created
- What you have used with students
- What you plan to do with Google Docs/Site
Name the file your lastname_reflection and upload to Group A or B
3. Please take the Course Evaluation Survey
4. Review each other google sites!

I hope to see all of you in another course next year! I enjoyed working with you and implementing Google Docs in your district!

Mary

Internet Safety Video and Digital Students

I wanted to share with you an excellent video presentation by Ann Collier. The link to the video is below. It is long but worth it. It is an excellent resource helps to understand how our students are using Web 2.0 tools and why it is important for us to understand their perspective before we can begin to help them use these tools safely and ethically. (link)



Ann Collier Bio: Anne currently serves as co-chair (with Hemanshu Nigam of News Corp.) of the Obama administration's Online Safety & Technology Working Group and on the advisory boards of the London- and Washington-based Family Online Safety Institute, the National Crime Prevention Council's Circle of Respect Initiative, and GetNetWise.org, a project of the Washington-based Internet Education Foundation. In 2008, she served on the Internet Safety Technical Task Force, formed by 49 state attorneys general and Fox Interactive/MySpace and based at Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet & Society. She also works in close association with London-based Childnet International.

Harness Your Students Digital Smarts
Direct link: http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-teachers-vicki-davis-video

Google Apps Users Will Get All Google Services Later This Year

Google knows that those using their Google Apps suite on their own servers are hungry to catch up with all the services open to plain old Google accounts—use Google Reader, blog with Blogger, track company mentions in Google News, and the like. Good news, then—Google's said they will "dramatically accelerate customer access to innovation," moving all Apps customers over to a new framework that should lessen the number of account switches needed. Until that happens, peep at Gina's work-arounds and explanations for Google Apps' shortcomings. [Google Enterprise Blog via ReadWriteWeb] more

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Group B - Session Five

Group B will meet for our last session tomorrow evening.
Please see Session Five Presentation below for agenda and final assignments.
I hope you have a great professional development showcase this afternoon.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Session Five

Session Five Presentations
Please upload your reflection, see below in presentation, in order to recieve your grades.
Group A - Post by 5/4 - Group B - Post by 5/11 - thank you!
Please take the Course Evaluation Survey



Practice using Aviary (audio file share in google docs)


Beethoven.egg on Aviary.
link http://aviary.com/launch/Myna?fguid=4afe3564-a874-102d-a9f3-0030488e168c

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Best Practices .. A reflection

Hi Everyone -
I hope you are enjoying your week off. I wanted to share with you a presentation that I created for a graduate class that I am taking a Northeastern. Originally, I was asked to present the material in a meeting and it was later decided that we would meet online using BlackBoard and Wimba. I needed to provide a presentation, voice over and examples of best practices. See the presentation below.


Find more videos like this on Nashoba

I wanted to use Google Presentation but as discovered in class I was not able to incorporate audio. I used PowerPoint 2007 with Community Clips, and then linked to a google site. Feel free to view the presentation and visit the Google Site http://sites.google.com/site/bestpracticesforneu/.

I thought this might be a good example of a teacher portfolio as discussed in class last week.

Enjoy!
Mary

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Session Four - Sites and Portfolios

Summary of session four

Google Sites (e-portfolios and google sites)



Sample High School Portfolio link
High School Guidance Department Ashland link

Other - Use a Webcam to watch wildlife
MCAS video YouTube MCAS
Lunenburg - Pam Site

Hamlet video
Videos for math and science

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Google Apps Lesson from the Classroom - Post a comment

As you continue to explore all the features of Google Apps, below is a link to Webinar with various examples of a school using Google Apps in the Classroom. Now know many of the pieces of google I hope you find the webinar helpful.

Post a comment/update on the lessons you located or any new lessons you have tried with students.

Webinar - Google Apps Lessons from the Classroom
Posted: 25 Mar 2010 03:59 PM PDT Yesterday, Google Certified Teacher Henry Thiele conducted a webinar in which he shared examples of how his school district uses Google Apps for Education. The webinar includes examples of project based learning using online tools. You can watch the webinar in the video embedded below. The slides from the webinar are available here. The Q&A transcript can be found here.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

National Education Technology Plan 2010

“By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.”

A link to the draft of the National Education Technology Plan.
You are encouraged to post a discussion groups with various stakeholders and share your comments, ideas, and links to appropriate videos, stories and research.

Commenting is available at the bottom of each page, enabling you to provide comments within the context of the plan and we will make this feature available for the next sixty days. Thank you. Video of Secretary Duncan. Read more ...

Books that you may want to review

Here are a few books you may want to consider for teaching with technology.

Teaching for Understanding with Technology shows how teachers can maximize the potential of new technologies to advance student learning and achievement. It uses the popular Teaching for Understanding framework that guides learners to think, analyze, solve problems, and make meaning of what they've learned. The book offers advice on tapping into a rich array of new technologies such as web information, online curricular information, and professional networks to research teaching topics, set learning goals, create innovative lesson plans, assess student understanding, and develop communities of learners. Read Excerpt: Chapter (PDF) and presentation and videos.


The Socially Networked Classroom (book)
Synopsis - Web sites like Facebook and Twitter have transformed the way young people interact and communicate. With appropriate guidelines, students' social-networking skills can be harnessed to develop new literacies and deepen teaching and learning in the 21st century.
The Socially Networked Classroom demonstrates how pioneering teachers have successfully integrated screen-based literacies into their instruction. This book includes
Real-world activities and lesson examples with assignment sheets, assessments, and rubrics. Ideas on fostering collaborative learning using blogs, wikis, nings, and other interactive media Tips on Internet safety, blogging etiquette, protected blogging sites, and more Blog entries from classroom teachers. With this accessible guide for Grades 5-12, teachers of all levels of technological expertise can help students develop the new literacies necessary to succeed in a digital world. Link to online discussion

Teen 2.0 - Robert Epstein PhD (Author)
Synopsis 0 Arguing that adolescence is an unnecessary period of life that people are better off without, this groundbreaking study shows that teen confusion and hardships are caused by outmoded systems that were designed to destroy the continuum between childhood and adulthood. Documenting how teens are isolated from adults and are forced to look to their media-dominated peers for knowledge, this discussion contends that by infantilizing young people, society does irrevocable harm to their development and well-being. Instead, parents, teachers, employers, and others must rediscover the adults in young people by giving them authority and responsibility as soon as they exhibit readiness. Teens are highly capable—in some ways more than adults—and this landmark discussion offers paths for reaching and enhancing the competence in America’s youth.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Google Resources and Lesson Plans

Here are a few addtional resources to preview this month.
Google Sites tip sheet
Google Docs - Tips and Resources

Google Apps Tips, Tricks and Even Lesson Plans
Want to learn the best ways to use Google Apps in your classroom? Visit Education Community Site, where you can learn tips and tricks on using Gmail, Calendar, Docs and Sites, join our education forum and read news all about Google Apps. Or check out standardized lesson plans at the new Google Apps Resource Center - for classroom use of our tools across K-12.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Session Three - Agenda and Survey

Session Three
Click here to take the survey for fill in below.
Note after the last comment field you may have to press tab to see the submit button



Survey

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Session Two - Agenda and Assignment for Session Three

Agenda for Session Two (Group A *Make-up Thursday 2/25 and Group B 3/3)


Confirm you can post to the blog before leaving session two.

For session three
1. Review material covered in class (slides above - Survey and Sites)
2. Edit your Sandbox page with content requested
3. Create a survey/quiz
2. Prepare your Google Site with curriculum conentfor next class
3. Post a reflection here before the next session.
4. Session Three - Presentations

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Snow Day Survey for make-up date - Thursday 2/25th

Sample Survey demonstration for Class Two (done in class)
Please take the survey below


See the results here

School has been cancelled today, we will not have our Google Docs class (Group A session 2) this afternoon.

Make-up date tomorrow Thursday 2/25 3:15-7:00 PM
The votes were close but it looks like tomorrow, Thursday 2/25 will work the best. If the storm starts early, we will use Saturday as a back up. I will see everyone tomorrow!

Take the survey to pick a make-up date. Options: Thursday after school or Saturday morning. I can allow for a few to attend on 3/3 when I teach the other section of this course but do not recommend or encourage as you may not have access to a computer.


This survey was also emailed to participants. I will post the make-up date this evening.

If you have not completed the assignments posted below please complete before our next session.

Enjoy the day!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

PBS tonight! - Digital Nation - Feb 2, 2010

Digital Nation | A PBS Frontline Program About Life on the Virtual Frontier, will air on PBS, on February 2nd and explore life on the virtual frontier. Distracted by Everything
Twitter #PBS #FRONTLINE #DIGITALNATION

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Lunenburg Google Presentation - Session One & Assignment

Review from Session One and Assignment before session two
1. Sign into your Google Account, then take the survey click here.
2. Review Notes - (note 8 slides) Practice creating files as outlined in class.

3. Review 21 Interesting Ways To Use Google Docs in the Classroom
4. Post a reflection of your experience using Google Docs this month.
Note: if you do not have a external google/blogger account to post, we will review in our next class.
5. Next Class Session Group A -2/14 Group B 3/3 - (Draft Agenda/Presentation)

Monday, January 11, 2010

Recommended Book 21st Century Skills, Learning for Life in Our Times


MassCUE Leadership Symposium - March 11th 2010
A unique symposium experience. MassCUE's 5th Annual Technology Leadership Symposium, hosted by MassCUE and METAA, will be held at the Hogan Center at the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.. More...
The symposium will provide you the opportunity to experience a day of “Connecting, Communicating, and Collaborating” with colleagues. The conference sessions will be based on the Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel book, “21st Century Skills, Learning for Life in Our Times.” Together we will focus on how this framework translates into a 21st Century education that prepares all of our students for success.
Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel's new book, 21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in our Times, a book-length ad for the content-free learning championed by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Trilling is global director for the Oracle Education Foundation, a P21 board member. Fadel is global leader for education as Cisco Systems, also a P21 board member. They co-chair P21's Standards, Assessment, and Professional Development committee. Why are 21st century skills so important? Trilling and Fadel's answer is that a "21st century skills gap" causes businesses to spend "over $200 billion a year...finding and hiring scarce, highly skilled talent, and in bringing new employees up to required skill levels through costly training programs." (p. 7) (There isn't a citation for either the existence of a "21st century skills gap" or for the $200 billion figure.) So Trilling and Fadel argue that the skills identified as "21st century skills" by P21 (critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity and innovation, etc.) must become the basis for education because these skills "address new work skill demands" and will prepare students to "invent new and better services and products for the global marketplace." (pages 49, 56).

Link http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/p21_framework_definitions_052909.pdf
Audio interview http://www.21stcenturyskillsbook.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/KUCR-Education-Today-interviews-Trilling1.mp3
Blog http://www.21stcenturyskillsbook.com/blog/

Are kids different because of digital media?

Video link
Are kids different because of digital media?


Interesting video on critical thinking

3 Ways Educators Are Embracing Social Technology

3 Ways Educators Are Embracing Social Technology

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