Blogging with Students

Today I'll be presenting in Mountainside, NJ to a great group of teachers who are interested in learning how to blog with students. We'll be using kidblog.org - it is a quick and simple way to get students blogging!

Preparing Students to Be Good People

"We need to champion concerted efforts to define and teach our students to be digital citizens because we're not. As a society, we have failed to recognize the crucial educational implications of the incredible shifts that information and communication technologies have provoked in recent decades....As educators, we have grown less confident, more complacent, and just plain meed, when we should have been insightful and bold." - David Warlick

The Flipped Classroom

I started my kids, ages 7 and 9, using Khan Academy to help boost their math skills over the summer. In doing this, I've been thinking a lot about "The Flipped Classroom" model and how successful this really could be. If you don't know about the flipped classroom, check out the article at this link:

http://www.thedailyriff.com/articles/how-the-flipped-classroom-is-radically-transforming-learning-536.php

I think it could really give teachers and students the time that they need to work through difficult struggles. Parents are often faced with trying to help their children learn skills and concepts that they, themselves, can't grasp. In the Flipped Classroom, teachers are available to help students apply the concepts that they learned the night before for homework. I think it's brilliant...thoughts?

Students Publishing on the Internet

So many schools and administrators are so fearful to encourage students to publish work on the Internet. Of course, we as educators, need to take precautions and teach students how to use the Internet safely, but the Internet gives students a voice. It provides for an authentic audience for which they can share their talents, opinions, knowlege and views. Beyond that, they can receive feedback from others when doing so. Students are growing up in a generation where it will be second nature to use the Internet to communicate and express themselves. Let's teach them how to do this safely! It is our job!

Newspaper Publishing Sites for Students

I'm researching the best ways to publish newspapers online for students. I like http://issuu.com/home . What about others? What does your school use?

ISTE 2011 Conference in Philly

Finally completed my registration for the Big Ed Tech conference in Philly today. Wow! There are tons of sessions, it almost gave me a headache! Let me know if you'll be there and what you are excited about learning this year! I'm looking forward to meeting new people, discussing topics such as cyber security and copyright issues and social networking in schools. I'm hoping to discover some new web 2.0 tools that I don't already know about and have my first experiences using moodle.

http://www.isteconference.org/ISTE/2011/glance/

I'm an official thinkfinity trainer!

Completed my last day of training today so I'm an official trainer for Thinkfinity in NJ. I had a blast meeting educators from different areas of the state, discovering new Internet resources, and discussing ways to use those in varied subjects K-12. Let me know if you'd like me to do a FREE training in your district! It's paid for by a grant through the Verizon Foundation!

Test Your Typing Speed

See how fast you are...great to test students too!

BYOT - Bring Your Own Technology

Went to a technology meeting with representatives from many districts in NJ today and an impromptu discussion on implementing a BYOT program in public school districts started. We discussed many topics such as specific policies, providing for students that don't have the means to bring their own technology, and training for teachers to harness this technology. I think that in a short time, all schools will be encouraging students to bring their own technology to the classrooms...it will be the only way that many districts will be able to afford to implement a 1-to-1 technology program in schools. Thoughts?

Face to Face Discussions

Just had lunch with a teacher I used to work with and it was so refreshing to have a face to face educational technology discussion. I rely so much on the Internet, blogs, and online discussion groups for new ideas and conversations now which is great but it doesn't replace the in person energy that is transferred when meeting in person. We are both so passionate about education and creating new and improved opportunities for students - lunch was exciting. Thanks Allison!!

Check out this tool: Eyejot

My favorite tool of the week: eyejot lets you send a quick video email without having to download any software. all you need is a webcam. IDEA: instead of setting up just e-penpals in your classroom, you could attach video to the emails as well! VERY easy to use!