I'm officially convinced my phone is smart enough to make me change some of my work patterns. For starters, I'm writing this blog traveling back from Chicago. I recently upgraded my Blackberry and have had three breakthrough moments inside of a week's time.
First off the syncing software working seamlessly with my Macbook. This means my calendar is synced, my contacts are synced and my to do lists are available. Now I can go to meetings armed with just my blackberry, not necessarily my laptop. Someone out there could comment there was software out there for my older Curve, but I'll counter with I had lost faith after three failed installs and I gave up a year ago.
Secondly, I have been installing APs and going to websites on my browser and things are working flawlessly. When I got my other Curve almost two years ago I found it hit or miss for success in websites loading or APs doing what they promised. They mashup pretty well together right now and in a weeks time I've found many things for work and leisure.
Lastly, the documents, Google APs and general application software and websites are very functional. They are not watered down barely functioning versions of the computer versions. I was able to check my student's blogs while riding to Chicago Friday and register their grades Friday night (from my laptop at the hotel).
All of that doesn't include the photo posts from the Iowa game, getting state playoff results for people, my reading everyone's tweets while watching my kids in the hotel pool and getting caught up with my Goggle Reader reading.
The big thing is my confidence in my previous phone was low, due to problems I had early. This one has worked flawlessly and my confidence is soaring now that my smartphone is really smart!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
My newest wordle
Our Web 2.0 class is finally getting to Wordle. I was going to do it sooner, but we hadn't started blogging. Hopefully they've done enough writing to gain some insight. Mine is totally different from what it was 10 months ago.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Web 2.0/PLN class evolves, redefines "wait-time"
Two weeks into Web2.0/PLN class and the students and I have experienced some highs and some lulls. We haven't experienced a "low" but in the evolution of the class we've had moments were we've redefined the term "wait-time" and it is in that time where the "lulls" occur.
Traditionally the term "wait-time" has referred to those seconds separating a teacher's question and a student's response. I was molded traditional. Each second ticks like a minute when holding back the knowledge you want to bestow on students in a Q & A. If one of the smart kids didn't know, and I waited 30 seconds, I answered and performed a fantastic review of the concepts on the board. "There, they have it" I can think to myself and move on to the next question to engage the next concept.
Our new "wait-time" is the pause between defining the task and student-teacher interaction and/or student action. This "wait-time" cannot be defined and monitored, just tracked and it can be surprisingly minimal or lengthy. It's an open-ended proposition followed by a pause then action, discussion or both.
My first three classes were traditional, even though my intention was to have it be a blend of online resources, instruction with my guidance and facilitation. Day one was a flurry of group watched videos, Q & A, read and write, with registration into web 2.0 tools. Every step was coordinated and well placed, timed and tracked. I was a bevy of knowledge and had the 2-3 students who were engaged with me answering and feeding my passion.
At the end of the first day I had a moment of satisfaction, and old feeling from the days standing in front leading my Chemistry class through complex concepts. I sat down to write a reflection on my Google Doc and realized a couple things. First, I hadn't let go of the reigns at all during the day. I steamrolled through silence ignoring the majority by providing them the answers. Secondly, the performance high wore off and I crashed with a guilty dread pooling into my stomach. I had fallen into the same trap all traditional teachers - I grabbed control and were stimulated by the euphoria of executing a locked-in lesson. A lesson that was two weeks in the making and now I had to prepare for one in just a handful of days.
Over the last five days of class I've weaned myself of the majority of control. I dumped the first assignment and due date; I've introduced and re-introduced topics; I've given an open-ended assignment that will be ongoing and I've mixed in quick hitting videos with quick response activities. And we've talked, laughed and through all of it gained insight as to their skills and needs for the class. We've hit a scattered selection of objectives from the original course outline but I'm readying a cross-referenced curriculum guide to track what we'll hit cover and master. It's going to be like taking a connect the dots and erasing the numbers.
I've also been able to collaborate, watch and learn from Shannon Miller, who spent this past summer developing her course and helped get me started with mine. We brainstormed some ideas on a Google Doc and I have developed my own to help prepare and chronicle the development of my course at CAM High School. There are many differences that I can see right now, but the commonality is we are submerging students into web 2.0 tools and moving them towards the development of a personal learning network (PLN) of peers and adults. Her class is moving right along, and despite some changes in the original idea each class is experiencing the buffet of Web 2.0 tools and laying the ground work for PLNs. I have been able to follow Van Meter's progress through Shannon's Twitter and feel comfortable deviating from her course and letting our students progress in another direction.
Most likely our students, intentionally or unintentionally, will cross paths while establishing their PLNs. We could have forced the issue, staged the encounters and had a well coordinated meet and greet with traditional classroom control.
Instead we're going to take our time, and wait for it to occur naturally. And in that wait time my class and I will learn something and I will discover how to effectively start feeding my student's passion.
Traditionally the term "wait-time" has referred to those seconds separating a teacher's question and a student's response. I was molded traditional. Each second ticks like a minute when holding back the knowledge you want to bestow on students in a Q & A. If one of the smart kids didn't know, and I waited 30 seconds, I answered and performed a fantastic review of the concepts on the board. "There, they have it" I can think to myself and move on to the next question to engage the next concept.
Our new "wait-time" is the pause between defining the task and student-teacher interaction and/or student action. This "wait-time" cannot be defined and monitored, just tracked and it can be surprisingly minimal or lengthy. It's an open-ended proposition followed by a pause then action, discussion or both.
My first three classes were traditional, even though my intention was to have it be a blend of online resources, instruction with my guidance and facilitation. Day one was a flurry of group watched videos, Q & A, read and write, with registration into web 2.0 tools. Every step was coordinated and well placed, timed and tracked. I was a bevy of knowledge and had the 2-3 students who were engaged with me answering and feeding my passion.
At the end of the first day I had a moment of satisfaction, and old feeling from the days standing in front leading my Chemistry class through complex concepts. I sat down to write a reflection on my Google Doc and realized a couple things. First, I hadn't let go of the reigns at all during the day. I steamrolled through silence ignoring the majority by providing them the answers. Secondly, the performance high wore off and I crashed with a guilty dread pooling into my stomach. I had fallen into the same trap all traditional teachers - I grabbed control and were stimulated by the euphoria of executing a locked-in lesson. A lesson that was two weeks in the making and now I had to prepare for one in just a handful of days.
Over the last five days of class I've weaned myself of the majority of control. I dumped the first assignment and due date; I've introduced and re-introduced topics; I've given an open-ended assignment that will be ongoing and I've mixed in quick hitting videos with quick response activities. And we've talked, laughed and through all of it gained insight as to their skills and needs for the class. We've hit a scattered selection of objectives from the original course outline but I'm readying a cross-referenced curriculum guide to track what we'll hit cover and master. It's going to be like taking a connect the dots and erasing the numbers.
I've also been able to collaborate, watch and learn from Shannon Miller, who spent this past summer developing her course and helped get me started with mine. We brainstormed some ideas on a Google Doc and I have developed my own to help prepare and chronicle the development of my course at CAM High School. There are many differences that I can see right now, but the commonality is we are submerging students into web 2.0 tools and moving them towards the development of a personal learning network (PLN) of peers and adults. Her class is moving right along, and despite some changes in the original idea each class is experiencing the buffet of Web 2.0 tools and laying the ground work for PLNs. I have been able to follow Van Meter's progress through Shannon's Twitter and feel comfortable deviating from her course and letting our students progress in another direction.
Most likely our students, intentionally or unintentionally, will cross paths while establishing their PLNs. We could have forced the issue, staged the encounters and had a well coordinated meet and greet with traditional classroom control.
Instead we're going to take our time, and wait for it to occur naturally. And in that wait time my class and I will learn something and I will discover how to effectively start feeding my student's passion.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Coffee with a shot of PLN in the morning
I've often said this about myself - "It's only the completely obvious I miss."
For the past two nights, Shannon Miller, Shawn Holloway, Deron Durflinger Laura Horan and Bill Brannick have been collaborating on a class Shannon's piloting in Van Meter
It's been two nights of chatting and work that at the end of the day, it's better than a shot of 5 hour energy as the hours melt away. At the end of this time there is a product AND a fired up feeling about what you accomplished.
But why hadn't I thought to do this in the morning to get things started? To completely obvious.
This morning, instead sitting down with a cup of coffee watching to the same stories I saw on KCCI last night (horrible flooding in Ames, Colfax and Des Moines - prayers for everyone effected), I got back on my PLN.
I jumped on Facebook to see what my social network was doing and then opened tweetdeck to see what my PLN was up to. An article someone referenced sparked a reflection on last nights work, which prompted me back to the Google Doc about the class we were working on and added some thoughts.
Reading through what we have created so far, I saw it's evolving in a group and personal way feeling better and better about our direction. I updated my Diigo toolbar and located some reading and watching for later. This took minutes and I felt like the Army used to say - "done more before 6 a.m. than most do during the day!"
I'm now charged, focused, found a blog topic (actually two...will write the second one soon), wrote the blog, am ready for our Skype at 10 a.m., all the while finding time to get ready for the day.
Why didn't I think about it this way before? Instead of just getting all fired up at night I can help boost my day and send me out with the right focus.
PLN - a part of a balanced breakfast.
For the past two nights, Shannon Miller, Shawn Holloway, Deron Durflinger Laura Horan and Bill Brannick have been collaborating on a class Shannon's piloting in Van Meter
It's been two nights of chatting and work that at the end of the day, it's better than a shot of 5 hour energy as the hours melt away. At the end of this time there is a product AND a fired up feeling about what you accomplished.
But why hadn't I thought to do this in the morning to get things started? To completely obvious.
This morning, instead sitting down with a cup of coffee watching to the same stories I saw on KCCI last night (horrible flooding in Ames, Colfax and Des Moines - prayers for everyone effected), I got back on my PLN.
I jumped on Facebook to see what my social network was doing and then opened tweetdeck to see what my PLN was up to. An article someone referenced sparked a reflection on last nights work, which prompted me back to the Google Doc about the class we were working on and added some thoughts.
Reading through what we have created so far, I saw it's evolving in a group and personal way feeling better and better about our direction. I updated my Diigo toolbar and located some reading and watching for later. This took minutes and I felt like the Army used to say - "done more before 6 a.m. than most do during the day!"
I'm now charged, focused, found a blog topic (actually two...will write the second one soon), wrote the blog, am ready for our Skype at 10 a.m., all the while finding time to get ready for the day.
Why didn't I think about it this way before? Instead of just getting all fired up at night I can help boost my day and send me out with the right focus.
PLN - a part of a balanced breakfast.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Aretha said it best - "R E S P E C T"
Respecting teachers as professionals goes a long way in the journey to transform the classrooms that we are charged to bring into the “21st Century”.
CAM High School in Anita Iowa has the advantage and the disadvantage of being a small school, where $150,000 can outfit the whole building with Macbooks and I easily work with teachers individually.
However, in terms of early adopters in a faculty of 21, we have only a handful to lean on for internal capacity.
After two years with one-to-one computers we’ve seen an increasing energy from staff for the evolving technologies and Web 2.0 applications. What started with the iLife Suite has broadened into many different possibilities.
We all know change is not easy and change does not always come about quickly. What I have found and believe is that mandates, deadlines and requirements placed on teachers can yield results, but also require another round of them once an administrative imposed time frame expires. There are negative feelings and a feeling of top-down pressure that pushes teachers to find the reasons why NOT to change. They don’t own the process, the administration does.
To get teacher buy in they must champion the cause themselves and time must be given to them to collaborate and develop strategies that work for their classrooms. I have rarely been disappointed in the work our teachers do when brought together to share their learning. It immediately sparks conversation and exploration into new areas for each individual teacher.
Our teachers have asked for things, and for opportunities to develop their skills. When we deliver on their wishes you see a step forward in the use and infusion of that strategy or technology into their classrooms. When we don’t, we stagnate or take steps backwards.
Now in year three of our initiative we will give them more opportunities to get together in person AND online. I will show them how to develop a PLN or PLC that may or may not include teachers and staff from within the building.
I predict that this move will motivate teachers as it has motivated my learning by the flood of current, useful and timely materials by them everyday. The respect I get online, in my network is incredible and that same respect will fuel my teachers as it has fueled and inspired my growth.
Will it happen for each teacher and the same time? Absolutely not. So imposing a requirement about how, where and when they should develop their PLN is defeating the purpose of the individual network.
Working WITH them, giving them opportunities to build our internal capacity through external contacts will move small groups at first and identify the few that may be reluctant. Then implementing strategies for those few will not patronize or insult the larger group that have made the change and keep them energized.
Respect your staff as professionals and let the early doubtful comments bounce off. If you keep working with them most will join you in the journey of discovery that happens when diving into a PLN.
That is the support that will assist them the most in moving their classroom into the “21st Century”.
CAM High School in Anita Iowa has the advantage and the disadvantage of being a small school, where $150,000 can outfit the whole building with Macbooks and I easily work with teachers individually.
However, in terms of early adopters in a faculty of 21, we have only a handful to lean on for internal capacity.
After two years with one-to-one computers we’ve seen an increasing energy from staff for the evolving technologies and Web 2.0 applications. What started with the iLife Suite has broadened into many different possibilities.
We all know change is not easy and change does not always come about quickly. What I have found and believe is that mandates, deadlines and requirements placed on teachers can yield results, but also require another round of them once an administrative imposed time frame expires. There are negative feelings and a feeling of top-down pressure that pushes teachers to find the reasons why NOT to change. They don’t own the process, the administration does.
To get teacher buy in they must champion the cause themselves and time must be given to them to collaborate and develop strategies that work for their classrooms. I have rarely been disappointed in the work our teachers do when brought together to share their learning. It immediately sparks conversation and exploration into new areas for each individual teacher.
Our teachers have asked for things, and for opportunities to develop their skills. When we deliver on their wishes you see a step forward in the use and infusion of that strategy or technology into their classrooms. When we don’t, we stagnate or take steps backwards.
Now in year three of our initiative we will give them more opportunities to get together in person AND online. I will show them how to develop a PLN or PLC that may or may not include teachers and staff from within the building.
I predict that this move will motivate teachers as it has motivated my learning by the flood of current, useful and timely materials by them everyday. The respect I get online, in my network is incredible and that same respect will fuel my teachers as it has fueled and inspired my growth.
Will it happen for each teacher and the same time? Absolutely not. So imposing a requirement about how, where and when they should develop their PLN is defeating the purpose of the individual network.
Working WITH them, giving them opportunities to build our internal capacity through external contacts will move small groups at first and identify the few that may be reluctant. Then implementing strategies for those few will not patronize or insult the larger group that have made the change and keep them energized.
Respect your staff as professionals and let the early doubtful comments bounce off. If you keep working with them most will join you in the journey of discovery that happens when diving into a PLN.
That is the support that will assist them the most in moving their classroom into the “21st Century”.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Online learning - Week one in the books
Three teachers of mine and I are participating in OLLIE, a summer online learning opportunity through Heartland AEA 11 - facilitated by Evan Abbey, blogger extraordinaire (and blog baller), instructional technologist and area technology expert. I have just completed the first module and here are my initial reactions.
First off I have taken a couple grad courses online 6-7 years ago and have helped administer our Moodle site at CAM High School. I have experience, but my knowledge has many gaps that need filled.
The Facilitator is Key: Evan has been great getting daily announcements out, being flexible with some initial problems and communicating those as well as providing screencast instruction as needed. Each Evan "buzz" on my blackberry reminds me to touch base with the class at least once a week and has me done with the first week's activities on Thursday.
Don't underestimate the power of the forum Reading other's responses and my own, commenting and browsing has really helped me start constructing a vision of online learning from the fuzzy/cloudy one I had coming into the course. It gives you time to thing and construct your thoughts from information provided and created within the course and in the forum.
Learning takes place when you're ready: I sat down twice to work on OLLIE and just plain had to shut the laptop and do something else. While this morning I got on just to check the news update and ended up finishing the weeks assignments I still had to complete. Also sipping a beverage on your patio and reading an article as the sun sets is pretty cool too.
Personal connections online: Without talking, chatting, messaging or emailing I am feeling a personal connection to members of the group and the facilitator. Just listening to the screencast is amazingly calming and good to see and have available at your disposal. There are two people who follow me and I follow on Twitter taking the course and the connection started there has already started to grow.
Little things matter: Just knowing that the drop downs are for in Moodle and watching on the screencast has elevated my knowledge on "groups" ten-fold. I now have a new perspective on utilizing Moodle and it came from something I felt I didn't need to look at.
Modular learning is better: Being able to see things divided up, knowing that you need to complete a set amount of material to move forward basically is like defining objectives without listing them and droning on about "here are the objectives you need to meet...." It's nice to take a little time to jump around and look, have the organization right in front of you at all times, not just tucked away in a syllabus is huge. I see this as an important step in transforming education at the high school level as you can begin to individualize instruction for students better if the essential skills are taught in ways that are compartmentalized. If one module or skill is deficient, OR already mastered, you can move to another (not necessarily in order). This could be the missing link to breaking down Carnegie Units within the current systems between secondary and post-secondary institutions.
The experience looks to be the one I've been searching for and am excited to start Week two soon....or maybe Monday.
I get to choose.
First off I have taken a couple grad courses online 6-7 years ago and have helped administer our Moodle site at CAM High School. I have experience, but my knowledge has many gaps that need filled.
The Facilitator is Key: Evan has been great getting daily announcements out, being flexible with some initial problems and communicating those as well as providing screencast instruction as needed. Each Evan "buzz" on my blackberry reminds me to touch base with the class at least once a week and has me done with the first week's activities on Thursday.
Don't underestimate the power of the forum Reading other's responses and my own, commenting and browsing has really helped me start constructing a vision of online learning from the fuzzy/cloudy one I had coming into the course. It gives you time to thing and construct your thoughts from information provided and created within the course and in the forum.
Learning takes place when you're ready: I sat down twice to work on OLLIE and just plain had to shut the laptop and do something else. While this morning I got on just to check the news update and ended up finishing the weeks assignments I still had to complete. Also sipping a beverage on your patio and reading an article as the sun sets is pretty cool too.
Personal connections online: Without talking, chatting, messaging or emailing I am feeling a personal connection to members of the group and the facilitator. Just listening to the screencast is amazingly calming and good to see and have available at your disposal. There are two people who follow me and I follow on Twitter taking the course and the connection started there has already started to grow.
Little things matter: Just knowing that the drop downs are for in Moodle and watching on the screencast has elevated my knowledge on "groups" ten-fold. I now have a new perspective on utilizing Moodle and it came from something I felt I didn't need to look at.
Modular learning is better: Being able to see things divided up, knowing that you need to complete a set amount of material to move forward basically is like defining objectives without listing them and droning on about "here are the objectives you need to meet...." It's nice to take a little time to jump around and look, have the organization right in front of you at all times, not just tucked away in a syllabus is huge. I see this as an important step in transforming education at the high school level as you can begin to individualize instruction for students better if the essential skills are taught in ways that are compartmentalized. If one module or skill is deficient, OR already mastered, you can move to another (not necessarily in order). This could be the missing link to breaking down Carnegie Units within the current systems between secondary and post-secondary institutions.
The experience looks to be the one I've been searching for and am excited to start Week two soon....or maybe Monday.
I get to choose.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
End of the Year melancholy - Pulling in the laptops and damage
Never mind missing the Seniors or lamenting about where the year went...the hardest emotion for myself and our technology director is taking the computers from the students and lining them up for summer storage.
I say that only kidding somewhat. Truth be told we had an amazingly successful pull in for the computers. We structured it a day before school got out so kids would have time to find "missing" items, we did it between the last two classes so we could get them put away and double checked. The procedure for 2nd year was 10 times more efficient and we didn't have to chase down four or so computers like we did last year.
Statistics for the day - 137 computers accounted for; all cases accounted for; two missing chargers. Zero noted damage. That was it!
Statistics for the year - Four busted screens; eight dead batteries; three failed hard drives. Approximate total for uncovered damage and replacements - $3600. We had double that in year two.
I credit our technology director and our staff for communicating with students constantly about care for the computers. Our "Homeroom" set up allows us quarterly bag and charger checks with rewards for perfect accountability. Constant reminders were broadcast in announcements and classes that if you have something missing you will pay for it, this instead of fee based systems that promote a disposable atmosphere. We had only one case of late in the year swapping (we found several during the year) and the swapper fessed up when confronted and we found his case anyway.
Our staff's conclusion is the students do value the computers and will take care of them as they know they will lose them to the repair room and do not want a loaner.
So we congratulated the students and staff on their efforts, and shut the door on a perfectly accounted for set of Apple Mac Books.
Oh where has the year gone.
I say that only kidding somewhat. Truth be told we had an amazingly successful pull in for the computers. We structured it a day before school got out so kids would have time to find "missing" items, we did it between the last two classes so we could get them put away and double checked. The procedure for 2nd year was 10 times more efficient and we didn't have to chase down four or so computers like we did last year.
Statistics for the day - 137 computers accounted for; all cases accounted for; two missing chargers. Zero noted damage. That was it!
Statistics for the year - Four busted screens; eight dead batteries; three failed hard drives. Approximate total for uncovered damage and replacements - $3600. We had double that in year two.
I credit our technology director and our staff for communicating with students constantly about care for the computers. Our "Homeroom" set up allows us quarterly bag and charger checks with rewards for perfect accountability. Constant reminders were broadcast in announcements and classes that if you have something missing you will pay for it, this instead of fee based systems that promote a disposable atmosphere. We had only one case of late in the year swapping (we found several during the year) and the swapper fessed up when confronted and we found his case anyway.
Our staff's conclusion is the students do value the computers and will take care of them as they know they will lose them to the repair room and do not want a loaner.
So we congratulated the students and staff on their efforts, and shut the door on a perfectly accounted for set of Apple Mac Books.
Oh where has the year gone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)