EdTech Avenue

I arrived this evening in San Antonio with my family.  We didn’t get in and settled at our hotel until about 6:00, so I just went to check in at registration and that was it.  I look forward to reading about the keynote but decided to have a quiet evening instead of braving the lines at the reception.  After all, with this being the first time we’ve taken our four-month-old on a trip, I thought maybe having him get to bed at a decent hour would be a good start to the week.

I’m looking forward to a busy, possibly overwhelming conference day tomorrow.  I am going to try to make it to an 8:30 session.  Right now I’m debating between Wonderful World of Wikis, Quick and Easy Computer Activities for Kids, or Everyone Needs a Little T.L.C.  I think I’ll decide in the morning.  I’m too tired to look them up now.  I have two choices for the 11:00 session: Moovin to Moodle or Web Site Investigator.  Then I have to choose between three sessions for the 12:30, 2:00 and 3:30 sessions, if I last that long!  I’m leaning towards attending Using Blogs, Podcasts and Other Tools in the ESL/EFL Class at 2:00, and Energize Your Classroom with Google Tools at 3:30.

Network with other tech coordinators from small schools in the group I created on the NECC 2008 Ning network.  I’m trying something new - you should too!

This year’s NECC will be slightly different for me as I get back into the groove of work. I’ll also be bringing my family with me for the first time, including our new little one. It’s been a few days of getting packed up, but I feel like we’re just about ready! We will not be arriving until Sunday so we can attend a friend’s wedding tomorrow, so I’ll miss EduBloggerCon once again. Maybe next year…

I’ll be live-blogging my sessions as I did last year and will try to get my tentative schedule posted before the sessions start on Monday.

I also joined the online NECC 2008 community and created a group called “Small School Tech Coordinators” in hopes that I can network with others in our similar situation of low enrollment and tiny budgets.

View my page on NECC 2008I do feel a bit more connected this year after having a full year of blogging and reading blogs under my belt. I started my blog in February of 2007. I haven’t posted nearly as often as I want; I always say I’ll try to do better, and I will keep trying. I have found that I probably need to have a posting-day and or time to get used to posting on a regular basis. I frequently start with my RSS feeds in Google Reader and end up not posting myself because I either run out of time or figure someone else has already covered it. I have to just get over that.

Stay posted here for posts and photos from NECC 2008! I will likely also be using Twitter - I’ve had an account and followed others for a while but haven’t sent Tweets myself!

My laptop battery ran out during the session, so I waited to post until I had transcribed all my notes. 

There were no presenter resources for this session, but as I was waiting for the session to start, Jessica Pater approached me from the Georgia Tech Research Institute.  This program publishes grant and funding resources once a month (?) at http://http://www.f3program.org.  You can contact her at Jessica.Pater@gtri.gatech.edu for more information.

My notes on the session follow:

Keys to Great Grants

• Integrated program elements
• Aligned components (what’s going on in your district, city, state? how will the funding support this?)
• High quality and continuous improvement, professional development, evaluation
• Tied to high standards
• Innovation
• Coordination of resources
• Program ties to local needs
• Buy-in

Volunteer to be a grant reader to see what happens on the other side of the door.

People who have money are looking for strategic people to give it to.  How can I showcase my work in a different way than others?

We often think about buying “stuff” but funders need to see demonstration of that stuff being supported by professional development and continuous improvement after the funding is complete.

You only have to earn the last grant, not be the first and best.

Evaluation process is key - no one will give money if there is no proof of it making a difference.  Evaluate EVERY component, not just pieces.  For every piece that is left out, your place on the list will drop.

You’re not going to get a grant to do what you’re already supposed to be doing.  It must be an innovative program.  This might be slightly different in private schools where funding is not necessarily supported by the operating budget as it is in public schools.

Motivate funders with programs they will want to talk about and promote, something they will be proud to fund.  Remind them of the tax write-off.

Community data such as a survey of computers and internet in homes will give sample information for the digital divide in your community.  Library usage patterns are also helpful.  These will show how the proposal can contribute to the economic stability of the community.

Questions Reviewers Ask When Reviewing Proposals

1. Does the proposal tie into the school’s overall plan?
   –team effort, support within the school
2. How will technology be used?
   –team’s vision for how technology will be USED to improve student learning
3. Will the proposal impact student learning?
   –team’s plan to improve student learning BEYOND THE NORM
4. How will desired outcomes be developed?
   –describe SPECIFIC indicators, how curriculum development might change; must be measurable and tied to standards
5. Does this initiative have the potential to be replicated or ourtreached to a larger community?
   –be prepared with a way to do this!
   –how it might have a more far-reaching impact
6. Does the proposal tap creativity in tapping other resources already available in the community?
   –library, women’s shelter, tutoring program
   –must be INNOVATIVE
7. Is the budget clearly defined?
   –make a case why private funding should be used
   –funders will not support what should be already supported by the school, district, state or federal government
8. Who will benefit from this initiative?
   –be very clear about this
   –it’s ALWAYS about the kids!
9. How well does this proposal replicate what the grant funder is looking for?
   –how well do you know the funder, know the corporation/organization funding the grant?  learn about them and their goals and make it work to your benefit; make it personal
10. How committed are you?
    –they want to see your passion in this proposal
    –they want to be your PARTNER

A Grantwriter Should Be A:

• Gambler: taking chances that what you produce will hit a jackpot somewhere
• Masochist: resubmitting proposals after being rejected over and over again
• Diplomat: standing by quietly supportive, encouraging the grant team to “re-think” and “re-work” the proposal over and over again
• Squirrel: savign every article about grants and every scrap of paper on which notes are written just in case they might be useful someday
• Inventor: always seeking news ways to solve the age-old problem of fundraising
• Rhinoceros: be tough so rejections “bounce off your hide”
• Magician: crafting a proposal that appears to meet EVERY requirement of the RFP and just what the funder asks for
• Butcher: always cutting the proposal making it more and more concise and to the point; give a copy to someone unrelated to your work to get an objective viewpoint - can they understand what you want?
• Financial Wizard: stretching every dollar, doing more with less and garnering matching funds from every imaginable source
• Night Owl: requiring little sleep to work non-stop to meet numerous deadlines - NEVER miss one!  Pad your schedule by 2 weeks to avoid missing deadlines.
• Party Animal: always prepared to celebrate receiving a grant

**Do NOT change formatting to fit your needs - failure to comply with formatting and other requirements put forth by the grantee could disqualify your proposal.

**Don’t even START before being able to draw a line between what you’re doing and what students will be able to do.

Persistence pays off!

Share websites not already on www.cpsb.org/scripts/abshire/grants.asp

www.schoolgrants.org
–Bring Home the Bacon listserve ($30)
–Index of Sample Proposals

www.quinlan.com

www.eschoolnews.org/erc/funding

Session Resources: Mia Murphy presentation

Problem: How to assess

Sylvia Martinez - Generation YES
Looking for authentic assessment of kids being center of technology called “Tech YES.” Assessment is always the tail that wags the dog. Student guides the process (peer assessment), they use criteria that matches the ISTE NETS standards. Talks about sharing, writing, creativity and project-based collaboration skills. Students should be using real technology for a real purpose - personally meaningful. Authentic assessment is hard, takes time and teacher focus. Working in a number of states. There is only one way to perform assessment. Each school and grade may be different.

“The test means it’s over.” Technology literacy should open the doors, not indicate you are done.

Mia Murphy - NC Dept. of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention
Mia Murphy presentation

Kate Kemker - Florida Dept. of Education
Built their own Florida assessment - outsourse with separate company. Years ago created inventory for teachers with performance-based assessment. Skills performed are scored as the test progresses. Worked with researchers to get standards. Broke into six sections similar to NETS, came up with performance indicators to track proficiency in those areas. Survey to make sure others agreed on the important issues. Pilot allowed for feedback from various teachers with different researchers (design and focus groups). Also involved the teacher’s union. Implemented, aligned with their professional development plans. Teachers could do the assessment at their leisure, taking different sections at different times if they wanted. Then teachers can take their results into building their professional development.

Student Tool for Technology Literacy then developed that mirrored the same process using NETS. Framework has five sections: essential operational skills, missed, missed, independent learning, independent ethical issues.

Discussion is Open

How do we know we’ve reached the point where students are technologically literacy?

Why is it important that we do this?

The process needs to start with professional development.

If we don’t get students on board with what we are doing with technology, in appropriate and instructive ways, we won’t move forward. Some teachers may need to follow after students.

Florida Digital Educator Program teaches teachers how to perform tasks we want them to use in their classrooms - not just Word, PowerPoint, etc. Two-day program is more inclusive and means more to teachers when they return to their classrooms. Everyone needs to be using same vocabulary and have the same access.

NC has a state-wide assessment for 8th graders.

Silly to assess the proficiency instead of the literacy, and if we assess the tools we are also missing the point.

Why are we assessing something that is not being funded?

We have to first define what exactly we want the outcomes to be — media literacy? technology literacy? information literacy? What are these?

Kids have the technology proficiency, we need to take them further.

Drilling is not the only way to teach low-performance students.

We start with assessment and it drives classroom practice.

NCLB has very little about technology literacy. ETAN (EdTech Action Network) is here at the conference - get involved - we can change the direction with our voices.

Technology can not be the barrier to students achieving.

Are there technology literacies for lower than 8th grade? NC is moving it back from 8th grade progressively.

Could digital portfolios be used for assessment?

Some states mandate the same assessment and testing in every school, but others do not and leave it more open-ended.

Let the discussion continue…

Resources: The Landmark Project
Handouts http://handouts.davidwarlick.com
David’s SL Office http://landmark-project.com/sl

My notes from the session follow:

Introduction to David’s Avatar.

Password for David’s Wiki is “teacher” - feel free to add to and edit handouts.  In Second Life, go to David’s office for resources.

MySpace is “so 2006″ - we’re going to talk about Second Life.  SL has almost 7.5 million residents, over $1.6m in transactions a day.

First Radio Shack computer changed the way he looked at things.  Couldn’t believe the computer was talking to him - and he could talk back!  He taught himself how to write programs, started with a stock market simulation for students to make decisions on buying and selling stocks.

Digg is online newsletter collaborations between readers - we are the editors!  Articles are recommended - more recommendations moves articles higher in the list.

We drive the information landscape.

What is 21st Century Learning?  David puts four pictures on the screen, asks audience if anyone knows all of them.  Take 2 minutes then, and talk with your neighbors, share the information you have.  Marie Curie, Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, Margaret Reed. 

How many learned one by sharing with your neighbors?  LOTS!
How many learned the wrong one?  Some.

Wikipedia had to block IP addresses of computers from Capital Hill because candidates were manipulating their opponent’s listings!  How is Wikipedia different from print media - is print media ALWAYS right?  Wiki has warnings when information seems to be inaccurate in some way.  Who is more interested in us getting access to the most accurate information?

We were taught to assume authority.  We need to teach kids now to PROVE the authority.  Literacy skill to show appropriateness and accuracy of information.

Find it - in a digital networked landscape
Decode it - regardless of the format
Evaluate it - to determine its value
Organize it - into personal digital libraries

Demostration of RSS aggregator (NewsFire) - FIND IT

Reading is not just reading anymore - it is exposing the information.

Math in SL - source of weather data.  Everything there is based on numbers, to create weather patterns that describe and express what those number say.  It’s about employing information, not just reciting or memorizing mathmatical equations.  We use numbers in audio editing, photo editing, etc., to solve problems.

Writing - example is decisions in a grocery store, too much information.  How do I develop a message that will compete for the attention of my audience?  Expressing compellingly with: text, images, sounds, animation and video.  Example from Beacon School - teacher assigned students to create a movie trailer for the book Othello.  She didn’t say anything about a grade - she gave students a problem - create a product that will get next year’s students excited about reading Othello.  Students had a real purpose to create a real product to solve a real problem.

Anatomy of The Long Tail - Rhapsody, Amazon.com, Netflix.  Discovered by blogger Chris Anderson.  Although sales at these sites for hits was high, less-lucrative products don’t sell as many but are there.  This has allowed for more sales for media that may not have survived in offline stores.  Lulu.com - you can publish your own work and sell it!  Create cover art, web page that becomes storefront, and it’s for sale!

The nature of information is changing:
Reading > Exposing
Arithmetic > Employing
Writing > Expressing

Spam costs the world $50 billion in 2005 (U.S. $19b), expected to double by the end of 2007.  According to the Copenhagen Consensus, we could bring HIV/AIDS under control for less than $35 billion.  This is what we’re sacrificing.

Ethics
Seek truth and express it
To minimize harm
To be accountable
To respect and protect information infrastructure

Who is responsible?  Students need to be made responsible for their own work and actions.

Stop integrating technology!  Integrate Literacy!  What are the basic skills to prepare our students for THEIR information landscape?  Technology will come along when we teach these skills and tools.

What do we know about the Workplace of the Future?  We cannot clearly describe the future for which we are preparing our students.  Two things we know:

1. We are preparing our children for an unpredictable future.  Need to teach our kids how to teach themselves.
2. Nature of information has changed.  Contemporary Literacy - today’s literacy and information skills.

These ideas converge at Learning Literacy.  Kids will be learning for the rest of their lives.  We need to give them the right tools to do that.  Kids learn because they are connected - they know how to find the people who can help them learn to do what the want to do.  These kids are part of a community of people who can help each other accomplish their goals - the true digital divide is the chasm between these people and those who are alone.  Kids carry conversations with them beyond the walls - they don’t “say goodbye” when they leave for college, etc.  We disconnect them when they enter our classrooms.

A Master Facilitator: teacher Bill Edwards was David’s industrial arts teacher who taught by having students build things.  Students developed their skills while building something that would be valuable to them instead of practicing skills like driving nails, etc.  Today it makes just as much sense to use the same process - help students be participants in today’s information landscape.  Pay attention to your world, to your kids, and to the information landscape.  Kids have an incredible experience to share.

Blog created one day after London bombings - WereNotAfraid.com.  Photos posted by many people all over the world.

When has it been more important to be thinking and retooling our classrooms and environments?

Will Richardson (the Tools)
What are the types of literacy and skills students need as they are leaving schools today
Educators need to understand that in many cases we are using technology but the pedagogies have not yet changed.  We have taken only the first step.  Now we need to develop new pedagogies to prepare our students.

(Staff Development)
The kids are different, but we’re not.  It’s about respecting your audience, which brings Web 2.0 tools into play – respect for ourselves and others for the information we have and can share.  People are constantly inventing new ways to facilitate our learning.  Right now it’s blogs and wikis, but that will change.

Lynne Schrum (Research and Pre-Service Teachers)
Technology is great, but does it increase student learning?  We need to be able to document learning with technology.  If we as teachers believe something is good for our students, we will do it.  We need collaboration.

Gwen Solomon
We need models.  There are some wonderful teachers out there using technology effectively, but not a lot of them.  We need viral marketing.

Tim Magner (Starting the Conversation)
New initiative for starting the conversation about Web 2.0.  Opportunity and Challenge lie in what is unknown and not yet talked about.  There’s no big picture of what this could look like.  Learning Ecosystem/School 2.0 image.  Communication and connection between schools and their communities.  We need to articulate our needs to empower our education system.  It’s a community conversation - not just for the school.  This image is a catalyst for a conversation with hopes of leading to systemic planning and implementation, will need to edit and change and transform as the information changes.  Image is available at school2.0.org, and more tools will be available as well.

Send your stories and experiences to Gwen_and_lynne_book2@yahoo.com.

Conversation is open.

Teachers are looking for ways to expose students to these powerful tools in a safe environment.  One looking for a MySpace-type space for students under 13 to share and collaborate on a smaller and safer scale.

David Jakes comments that where it will begin is in professional networks and for professional development for teachers.  Informal learning takes place, and this will create authentic experiences for teachers, will in-turn give teachers ability to teach the tools.

My wireless keeps going in and out, so unfortunately I’ve missed getting a lot of the conversation typed out. 

Scriptovia.com by students at University of Washington to share study guides, notes, etc.

Parent wants to put more pressure on teachers to get information online about their courses instead of that pressure coming from administration.  Parent group has created a site called www.thegroupery.com.  Another parent concurs that she wants more teachers to communicate electronically - this needs to start with pre-service teachers.

Resource for professional development: Library 2.0 (Google it) has self-paced experience for librarians on Web 2.0 skills.

Community Walk - mapping tool being used for Geography and History, tour of Ellis Island, personal work for students.

Downer’s Grove using digital storytelling (David Jakes).  Digital Diplomacy Project - you have 2 minutes to tell us what it means to be an American.

Spanish tool called eboca (?) for assessment

I think Edutopia.org recorded this session?

Sorry for the sketchiness of this post - it was a little tougher to take notes while following this very quick-moving discussion!

Presenter website: http://web.mac.com/artu/iWeb/maestrotools/Home.html
Wiki: http://eduese.pbwiki.com/ 

I have a 1 MB connection this morning, so I hope blogging will update correctly.  I’ve been keeping backups, copying text before I save just in case…

There are many resources listed and referenced in this session according to the NECC program - I’ve copied this information to the bottom of this post for easier accessibility. 

My notes from the session follow, with some interspersed comments from me in italics:

Effective Pedagogy: (books) How People Learn and Literacy, Technology, and Diversity

Technology Tools for ELLs should:

• Develop deep UNDERSTANDING of concepts, ideas and learning
• Provide AUTHENTIC opportunities to communicate and problem-solve
• RELATE to pre-exisiting knowledge and experiences
• Provide CHALLENGING learning opportunities
• Enable students and teachers to COLLABORATE
• Reinforce a positive IDENTITY

Big Ideas

• ELLs shold be both media consumers and media producers
• ELLs should produce and publish
• You already have what you need

Improved Sense of Self > Academic Achievement > Digital Media Production > Electronic Publishing > Positive Feedback > Improved Sense of Self…

Produce

• Narrative and Informational Videos
• Books (can be inexpensive to print now)
• Comics (ComicLife)
• Journals, Blogs
• Radio Shows
• Interviews

Publish

• Podcasting
• Blogs
• RSS
• Wikis
• Skype
• Lulu.com (publisher, virtually free)

Gaggle.net has translate feature and one that will read selected text to you.

Internet Archive (archive.org) has public domain videos students can edit and use to create their own content.

Camstudio.org has free tool for recording audio with screencast
Jodx.com (?) is free tool for converting audio to iPod format

UnitedStreaming - use script of narration in Teacher’s Guide (in Related Materials) to allow students to follow along reading while listening

Give them a reason to practice their English - record their own audio

Video by teacher in Houston ISD: ESL = English with Sound and Light.  Had students create a list of adjectives to describe themselves and records them.  He encourages them to use their voices, gestures and facial expresions to clarify.  GREAT effects, and really seems to engage the students and give them a personal ownership in their work and increased self image.  Another video shows students doing activities with a narrator (student) asking what the student did.  You need to answer out loud, then the narrator tells the answer with text.  This is an instructional video to help students learn the activities and practice verbs.  These videos are not published, but Arturo says you can probably email the teacher (Michael Shea) for a copy of the DVDs.  Occasionally they are published on the Reagan H.S. website.  A higher-end video editor is used for this project, but lower-end tools would work to get started.

Digital images available on UnitedStreaming for use in projects (but not for publishing on the web).  Pics4Learning is another good source for free images.  iPhoto has a book-maker feature (StoryBook) to create a bound hardcover or paperback book with photos and text.  Linter.com (?) also has tools for creating books.  MyPublisher.com is a PC version where you can create books - upload and they print or you can print yourself.

ComicLife is a comic book builder that is motivating and fun for kids.  There is now a Windows version as well as the Mac version that’s been around a while.  Teachers use to teach dialog - everything in the bubble needs to be in quotation marks.  Can also create a QuickTime movies from this.  Newer Macs (last year or so, the Intel-based Macs) include ComicLife software.

Graphic Organizers are another great tool (Inspiration/Kidspiration) for ELL students to learn concepts and connections.

Digital audio can be created easily by students, and this is a good opportunity for ELL students to record their own voices practicing their English.  Radio WillowWeb is a “radio” internet audio site for and by kids.  PCs and Macs have recording capabilities built-in, but other free tools are available.  Audacity is a free tool for Mac and PC.  iPod microphones are also a great took for portable recording (Belkin ToonTalk is recommended), but it does drain battery fast.  Podcasts are also good for practicing and enhancing lessons - enhanced podcasts include pictures and text!  One quote from a teacher: In our middle schools, they’re given 20 vocabulary words to learn, and they were learning 40 percent.  With the use of iPods and podcasts, learning has increased to 95 percent.

Robert Chavez, Harris Elementary, Austin ISD: Identity Text video.  When student is speaking Spanish as narrator, subtitles show English.  Photos and video of personal descriptors.  Email Arturo for a copy of the video.

Referenced Web Links (copied from NECC online program)

Digital Video
iMovie: http://www.apple.com/education/imovie/
Movie Maker: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/getstarted/default.mspx
iPod in Education: http://www.apple.com/education/ipod/
Video - The Letter: http://homepage.mac.com/dbranam1/iMovieTheater19.html

Digital Images
iPhoto (Mac): http://www.apple.com/support/iphoto/
Photo Story (PC): http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx
Websites to publish your photo books:
http://www.sharedink.com/
http://www.mypublisher.com
http://www.blurb.com/
http://www.lulu.com/
Inspiration: http://www.inspiration.com/
Comic Life (only for Mac): www.plasq.com
Comic Book Creator (only for PC): http://www.mycomicbookcreator.com

Digital Audio
Audacity (free audio recorder for Mac and PC): http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
iTunes (Mac and PC): http://www.apple.com/itunes/
Garageband (Mac only music and podcast tool): http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/

Podcasts
Breaking News English: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/
English as a Second Language Podcast: http://www.eslpod.com/website/index.php
Digital Chalk: http://www.digitalchalkworksheets.com/
Rolling R’s (Middle School Spanish Lessons): http://rollingrs.com/

ELL Web Resources
Colorin Colorado (ESL resources from PBS) http://colorincolorado.org/
Space Place (Math and Science for kids in English and Spanish): http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/sp/kids/
HPRTEC (Rubistar and Casa Notes): http://hprtec.org/
Pics4Learning (free safe images) http://www.pics4learning.com/
Venatanas al Universo (Math and Science for kids in English and Spanish, leveled): http://www.windows.ucar.edu/spanish.html

Web 2.0
The Clem (Class weblog): http://visitmyclass.com/blogs/burnett05/default.aspx
Goochland High School (Teacher weblogs): http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/gateway/go/ghs/teachers
Skype (free computer to computer calls anywhere in the world): http://www.skype.com
Edublogs (free weblog site for teachers): http://www.edublogs.org
Wikispaces (free collaborative website builder): http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers

Session Resources:
http://www.writingthecity.org/

My notes from the session:

Session will address issues and challenges tha lead to the creation of the writing program for urban classrooms, how the web can balance literacy and process writing instruction, and how animation and open source software tools can bring literacy to the 21st century.

Teaching Matters developed a project called “Writing the City” which is a publishing format for middle school classes. Based on process writing, the program introduces students to real world writing, gives them a place to publish, prepares teachers to teach with technology, builds communities through web-based instruction, and emphasizes collaboration and student-centered learning. Promotes “balanced literacy.” This program is in process, not rolled out to the public yet.

Poetry unit highlighted - motives and objectives covered. Website is step-by-step writing process for poetry. More units are available such as Memoirs, Short Stories, and Fairy Tales.

Anyone can use this site, very user-friendly. They figure each step takes a week, with different units having varying numbers of steps. Multimedia animated video introduction to the units/steps is informative and entertaining. Character “JT” brings boys in to be interested in poetry, they can relate to him. Students from the video have “notebooks” students can look at - these include class notes with important topics and information about the assignment and work on poems so students can see the process. Options are also available for differentiated instruction for students with those needs. Professor P’s Office area gives resources for students about the assignments. Easy to follow lessons for teachers to use are available via login in the Writer’s Room, as well as resources for students such as more videos with the characters from the intro.

Students can then post their writing in three steps - idea, draft, and final. These are posted as discussion topics on which teachers and other students can add their input, but it is not the typical commenting we think of on blogs. Posts are not at all anonymous, so there has not been issue with inappropriate use. Right now they do not have the ability to allow students to comment on others’s work safely. Work is published online at Writing the City. Teachers have their own sections and can “promote” students’ work to this main e-zine. This vehicle makes it easier to publish - at the click of a button - although still within the teacher’s control, making it public or private. Writing the City is FREE, the only real costs are the professional development pieces. They would like to pilot the program with other schools in different parts of the country.

They are finding a lack in quality of student comments on others’ writing, so that is the next challenge for the process. They are also working on at least four more units and deepen the differentiation among grades and ability levels. Want to create a comprehensive program with various resources and tutorials for teachers and students. They are figuring another year and a half of development for the program.

My comments:

Overall this looks like a great program to use in schools, and I am looking forward to seeing what my middle school teachers think of such a guided writing process allowing for online publishing.

References from the NECC session listing:
Historical Blogs overview (PDF)
The Integrated Mac website (Cobb County)

The session is about to start, and it’s packed, all seats/tables are full and it’s standing room only around the back.  (photo later) 

Below are my notes from the session:

Starting with photos of the area where their school is in Marietta, GA.

Why a blog, not a website for these projects?
- Journal format fits the project, already have hosting, ease of creating, not as limited by network policies

Historical Blog is a website created by teachers and studens based on a historical figure or research on a period of history.  Posts, and sometimes comments, are written from the point of view of the time period or characters.

Harriet Tubman site created in a 3rd grade classroom.  Each post represents a chapter (each student assigned one chapter), written by a student as Harriet Tubman may have written.  Teacher read book out loud to give students information about which they could write.  Students created fictional story about Underground Railroad, practiced paragraph writing.  Web of Character Facts using Kidspiration maps important facts about Harriet Tubman.  Advanced students create a fictional character based on what they have learned about slavery and answer questions asked by a “reporter.”  Interviews are conducted using GarageBand on a Mac.

Podcasts/Multimedia videos used (Macs easier but they don’t have many of them).  Timeline created using KidPix to create illustrations.  Kidspiration used for character maps.  Images were gathered from sites like Library of Congress, Wikipedia, and other photo sites.

Good PPT instructions but went too fast — couldn’t get all info down here.  Breakdown of steps for the lessons very detailed on the PPT, and time used for the project also listed.  3rd grade student created banner for the site in PhotoShop.

Had some barriers from district policies not allowing students to post directly, and comments were not allowed to be open.  Posts were written in Word and posted by the teacher.  Recent policy changes make student publishing possible with moderation by a teacher.

Two more project examples: World War II (comments were open) and Civil War sites.

Recorded description from teacher on WWII blog.  This project was for 8th graders.  Students chose a particular person and their role, did research, then posted a blog entry in character.  Other students commented, also in character.  Teacher says many reluctant readers and writers were energetic about the project.  Motivation for students was great, and teacher is looking forward to using the project again.  Image site banner was again created by students in PhotoShop.  All research was done before technology was brought into the lesson - students were ready to write.  Posting and comments were done over about 2 days in what sounds like a lab setting.

Civil War site was done by 4th graders.  They didn’t have as much time for this project, started towards the end of the school year and limited access to computers.  No comments were used simply due to lack of time.  Looked into video blogging and photo blogging.  Same premise - students are in character after doing research about the time period.

Can do this on your own server with the right tools: need a server or host, PHP and mySQL must reside on server, and need blogging software on server (MoveableType, WordPress).

This school wants to create teams with other schools for reading buddies, book study, math, science, social studies, fine arts, digital video and podcasting.  Contact Herman Wood for information.

My comments:

This was a fantastic idea session.  I know I can bring this tangible lesson back to my teachers and implement it immediately!  I’m excited about this more engaging history activity and am looking forward to brainstorming with teachers in other subject areas to find more ways to create more lessons like this.

Below are my notes from the session by Thom Dunks & Kelly Wade:

Software used: uPortal for building site.  Open Source Java-based software.  They have 2 Java programmers helping with the coding.  Caution - might not be able to use uPortal without a Java programmer.

This session is not about vision or writing code, it’s about pragmatics.  Looking at a tool as a sample of what audience may want to implement.  They have a 4-person team working on their sites.  This session will be more classroom-based.

Thom is director of Technology Services (12 in department) for the district, has background on school sites.

Why an Educational Portal?
Research projects - most students will start with Google, but will it truly give us access to information the way they need it?  Students may have the ability to decipher information from web addresses (.com, .edu, .org).  Portal can also include subscription services such as UnitedStreaming for videos and many other options that would not be available on a general Google search.  Thom gave example of Google search for Martin Luther King Jr., finding sites that seemed to be appropriate but one you get into and find it’s a white supremecy site!  This is not the kind of information we want our students to have to sift through for information.  Instead of this, teachers can add a bookmark for their students when necessary for projects.

Portals centralize resources for both schools and community.

Tour of Santa Cruz portal
Good list of resources available and more information is posted on the NECC session listing.  Login is available for free viewing of the Santa Cruz portal until the end of September, 2007.

Entire site is single-access, meaning one login gets users in to all services, with only a couple of exceptions (NetTrekker, Gaggle, and RxNetWriter).

Curriculum Resources tab includes services such as UnitedStreaming, DigitalMath and NASA.  Some are free, some are paid subscriptions.

Research and Reference tab links to Grolier’s Encyclopedia, Dictionary, and links to free pictures, texts and AP multimedia resources.

Teacher Resources tab is mostly California-based information, but the idea is to give teachers a resource for using technology and other standards information, etc.

Administrator Resources tab for administrators also good for technology leaders with links to ISTE and information about CARET.  TICAL link also has many great tools and resources.

Parent Resources includes internet safety information, homework help links, and special needs information.

Funny “cat-herding” movie commercial for EDS. 

Stage 2 will be students will have their own tab with information about courses, homework, and other information.  They will use a regional server through the portal to Moodle.  They originally used Blackboard but it was cost-prohibitive, so they’ve chosen Moodle as an Open Source solution.

Stage 3 is devotion to build professional learning opportunities: RSS, blogging, etc.

Q & A

Are you monitoring use?  The tool is still in early stages, but they can see use by school right now.  They use informal discussion to assess teacher use.

39,000 students - databases acquired from schools, use password generator to create logins for all students, but each site has its own manager of the database for that school?

Librarians & Media Specialists have their own logins to maintain their own bookmarks.

Q: Talking about students “using teacher passwords” to access bookmarks.  How does this work?  A: Teacher logins are private, but they maintain bookmarks under a main “password’ that students can use, directly linked to the students’ logins.

NOT a heavily encrypted password site, so should not be linking SIS or webmail passwords to this portal.