More Than a Techie

Today’s discussions were, as usual, thought-provoking and enlightening.  It was nice to come up with a draft of what we can take back to the staff regarding expectations in the digital world.  Perhaps it can be used a motivator to get more of the staff more involved with getting students using the tools available.

It was also nice to have the discussions regarding legal obligations.  We need to be aware of these restrictions and communicate them to our students before they get themselves into trouble.  Yes, some will not care, but others may become more responsible once they know.

At times I have wondered about how to promote blogging with colleagues.  It would be easy to leave it at “Go blog.”  Or in dealing with the other end of the spectrum where a colleague tells me “I want to blog.”  It would be easy to show them an example, give them an address or two and let them go.  The question is how successful would their experiences be?

Donna’s recent e-maiil regarding “Google Search Tips” led me to the best solution.  I expored the blog to see if there was more to learn.  I came across a post – Don’t try to control it - which describes some of the learning we’ve doing on the In-School Instructional Technology Support committee.  The one phrase that stood out for me, and not just because it was in big, bold red letters, was “start with the idea and apply the tool”  Perhaps that is how we should approach, instead of trying to figure out reasons why or how to use tool in the classroom setting.

Sometimes you wonder if all the “cool toys” are as great as they appear.  Just when it looks like its clear sailing and you feel safe enough to give it a sincere try, the shine is taken off.

Take two recent examples I came across – one in a newspaper and the other in a note from a friend.  Blogging is a great way to communicate and share your ideas with a wider audience.  Unfortunately, we are starting to be reminded that if someone takes offence we may end up in litigation.  It may not be common now, but niether was blogging just a few years ago.  I found an online copy of the article here (if the link doesn’t work just search liability insurance blogger).

The other is a Yahoo tech article about Skype.  Apparently Skype text shats have the abilty to be monitored in the Chinese version of the software.  The article goes on to suggest that the same could be happening elsewhere in the world.

Is there a lesson to be learned?  Maybe.  Maybe we just have to keep finding new tools to work with while they are still the coolest!

Yesterday was an opportunity to be refreshed and reminded of the work we’ve been doing to become more knowledgeable in the world of Web 2.0.  The best part of the day was, as usual, the sharing of ideas of what can be, and is being, done in our classrooms.  Seeing the successes of others is both energizing and motivating!  I’ve got ideas that I’d like to try immediately and others that I can pass on to colleagues at home.

Why would I suddenly have a strong desire to try new things when time is so limited and there are so many deadlines? Well, if you saw someone having fun explaining how they are using a Web 2.0 tool wouldn’t you ask how can I do that, too?

Hearing the tales of student successes is a strong motivator.  Seeing the excitement in a teacher’s face at the same time just adds to the desire to try something new.  As I’ve said many times, going to the TLT Summit last spring was the best conference experience I’ve ever had.  Being able network with local colleagues and see the same sort of information provided on a smaller scale creates the same reaction.  These In-School Instructional Technology and Support Committee meetings are invaluable.

Here we go again!

Here’s another gem response to the same question as in my last post.  However, I’ve chosen to share this one because it’s just plain old good advice for those contemplating writing a blog.  If you’re not sure when or what to post this is as good a guideline as I’ve ever seen.  It could even be used to guide a group of students who are beginning the process of writing a blog.

“[P]eople go on [blogs] to see what other people think and maybe learn something and therefore they will want some meaningful stuff and not just a bunch of junk.”

Although we did not spend a lot of time looking at Web 2.0 tools in my Information Processing 20 class, we did spend some time learning about them and discussing their possible uses in school.  As a result, those who wrote the final exam encountered this question:

Pick any one of the Web 2.0 tools and explain how you could use in your daily life as a student.

One student’s answer was so great I had to share it (and take a little break from marking).

“Blogs are something I could use daily as a student. There are many blog sites on the internet that are opinionated, but many have valuable information as well. If I were to research any topic, I could definitely find something about it on a blog. Writing blogs would be another successful way to state ideas. Instead of writing reports, students may find it more entertaining and interesting to write a blog. They may even be interested in reading other student’s blogs too.”

It is so good it is better than what I would have written myself!  Do we need any more proof that students are ready and willing to embrace the use of Web 2.0 in their daily school lives?

I’m in the city for a Board meeting tomorrow.  With some time on my hands I’ve decided to catch up on reading the blogs I follow.  As usual the time is nearly up and I haven’t finished reading (or scanning) all the posts yet!  No matter how hard I try to stop I can’t help but to go off on tangents reading linked stories and going on to link after link.  It must be the drive to learn!

One particular post tonight struck a chord.  While reading David Warlick’s 2¢ Worth the lights went on (and no one was near a light switch!).   He comments on the generational differences when it comes to approaching new technology. 

The older generation tackles the new technology by writing down the steps to be used to accomplish the task and then learns the steps.  I can’t help but think of the many times fellow staff members have asked for help with this or that program and all have brought a paper and pen to write it all down so they don’t have to call for help again.  Most often I’m asked to do it again and then go over the revised notes to make sure it will work!! 

The younger tech-savvy generation attacks the technology by using it, in essence playing with it, until a comfort level is reached and the task can be completed. A perfect example of this happened today with my grade 9 class.  One student was playing with Sketch-It because he couldn’t draw what he wanted.  I was busy helping the rest with the assignment while he continued to “play”.  Within 20 minutes he had drawn a realistic-looking set of skateboarding half-pipes. 

The message of the post, for those of us who are tech leaders in our schools, is to occasionally take on “new “ software and play with it to learn.  But the key is let other staff see us learning by playing so that they will feel more comfortable doing the same.

Finally I have a lull and can catch up with some follow-up to my previous post about student ideas regarding how to use Web 2.0 tools in school (Let the Synapses Fire!).  Here are the best as harvested from the student responses in their unedited (and uncorrected) format.

Facebook:

• Teachers could post events like test dates, assignment information and due dates.
• Students could create networks based on their school or classes, and exchange information pertaining to school related activities, exams, or projects.  However, students should not post any of their own work available for people to directly copy from, anything pertaining to past tests, or any other information that could be considered cheating.
• Say you’re doing research on California; you could get a hold of a student that’s willing to tell you something

Blogs:

• Teachers could use blogs by having an all teachers and discuss certain topics about the classes they teach.
• The teachers could also post help for students to look at while studying or doing assignments.

Youtube:

• Videos on Youtube are much more current than old library videos. Not only does this keep students more interested in what information the video is giving, they will also remember it better because it was less painful to go through. In chemistry when we watch old videos they make you fall asleep. Watching videos on Youtube are much more interesting and you pay a lot more attention.
• The teachers could use some of the videos on You Tube to teach students with for certain topics.
• The teachers could also learn themselves from the videos to come up with new teaching methods or ideas.
• Students could use You Tube for looking back at the videos that the teachers shown in class so that they can study with them.
• Students could also find video resources to aid in presentations, reports, essays, etc., as long as the videos have relevance to the curriculum.

Ustream:

• Teachers could watch live political debates with their students.
• They [students] can help each other by tutoring each other. This would be easier than going over to the person’s house and the teacher could provide assistance for the student on the Ustream.

Flickr:

• The teachers could use Flickr by having pictures to explain things to the students or to learn themselves about what is going on in the world around them

• Students could use Flickr to transfer pictures from home to the school.  You can upload all your pictures at home onto the website and open up the website at school without having to download anything.

Google Docs:

• Notes could be posted online.
• Assignment answers could be posted.
• Class schedules could be posted.
• Study guides and missed notes could also be documented online.

Podcasting:

• Teachers could podcast their lessons as it is going on in class. This would save them from re-explaining things over and over.
• Students could go back and listen to lessons to study for tests.
• They [students] could also listen to the podcast if they were missing for a day. This way they would not miss any class.

Twitter:

• Teachers could message each other and the students about classes, homework and tests.
• Students could get messages and reminders about homework and assignments

Donna Desroches has given us a challenge to create a meme.  The instructions are listed below:

You follow three simple rules and using your favourite image editing program create a CD cover.

The rules are:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first article title on the page is the name of your band.

2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

Here is my result. 

I decided to use Fireworks to put the “cover” together as I use the program with my students.  It was an interesting experiment.  The only negative aspect was using my “student” brain to put it together.  Being a student I didn’t do exactly as I was told.  No, I had to click on the picture in Flickr and see the comments posted with it, including the term “motherf&%@*”  I offer this confession as a “fair warning” to others who may want to try this.  Now the challenge is to find a way to use it with my students!

Tonight I took some time to work on this blog.  However, I got sidetracked – I had to catch up on scanning and reading the blogs to which I subscribe.  It turned into more reading than scanning and so here I sit late at night composing!

 I came across an interesting post by Kim Cofino regarding posting comments on others’ blogs.  She is promoting the 31 Day Comment Challenge.  I may not be a participant in the challenge, but I can learn from it to improve my own commenting abilities.  One particularly useful site she links to is Gina Trepani’s Guide to Blog Comments.  One of its pieces of advice that brought blogging into my world of “ancient people” was that leaving a comment was like going into someone’s living room and starting a conversation.  Two things come to mind immediately.  One, that commenting involves a lot more than simple civility.  And two, that you can simply leave a comment and never come back – it can’t be a conversation that way!