tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10183427690204856532024-03-08T04:24:41.658-08:00The Courage to LearnUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-12055487312235658112015-10-19T11:26:00.001-07:002015-10-19T11:27:24.262-07:00Let's Make Conference Proposals & Interviews BetterFor the last month, I've been trying to wrap my mind around how people present themselves and why they make certain choices. This was prompted by three major efforts I've been making recently: 1st, trying to hire the best of the best to our awesome EdTech team; 2nd, working on reviewing National Conference Proposals; 3rd, working on reviewing ISTE Proposals.<br />
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I've always been fascinated with being on interview panels - admittedly, few people are at their best during an interview - it's stressful, and even moreso if you really want the job. And it's even more difficult when you're applying for a position that values collaboration above all else - how do you take credit for everything on your resume and balance that with a collaborative spirit....oh, and if you could let all of that shine through in 10 or fewer questions, that'd be super.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JGCv50_9mpE/ViU0bQX0aYI/AAAAAAABJOg/uWURYEhs_i8/s1600/ssk47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JGCv50_9mpE/ViU0bQX0aYI/AAAAAAABJOg/uWURYEhs_i8/s320/ssk47.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As I'm reading Conference Proposals, I'm coming across the same thing - how do you pitch yourself and your ideas without feeling like you're a fake, borrowing off others' ideas, pitching to an audience you don't know and allowing your authentic self come through all in one, small proposal.<br />
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So I guess this is my wish and wonder - can we PLEASE change these systems???<br />
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Here's my thought (albeit not original, but needed): <b>Make conference proposal submitters pitch their ideas via video</b>. Let's do this. Now. And, it should <b>include references from 1-2 colleagues</b> who've seen you present or seen your work.<br />
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And interviews? <b>Let's allow video conferencing in, en masse.</b> I was nearly turned down 4 years ago for a position because I was going to be in North Dakota for the final round of interviews...I was going to be teaching in North Dakota...the very reason I would bring value to the school to which I applied was going to turn me down because I couldn't be there face-to-face. I had to call and email everyone I knew to make a plea. But I was lucky cause I know who to ask - a luxury not most can afford. Let's just level the playing field already and accept video conferencing as a common means of communication.<br />
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<b>And all interviews should include a practicum</b> (something I'm proud that our team already does), but a very telling part of all interviews - don't tell me what you can do, show me.<br />
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And I'm happy to say that none of these ideas are uniquely my own, nor are they ones I've kept secret.<br />
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<b>What other changes do you think should happen with proposals or interviews? Please share in the comments...</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-70870241964503864492015-06-29T12:20:00.000-07:002015-06-29T12:20:10.372-07:00Getting All Global-yI attended the Global Education Day #globaled15 yesterday and continued to enjoy the connections and conversations that developed. While I have attended the Global Education Conference in the past, I've never had a chance to attend this great opportunity at ISTE...until this year.<br />
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First, BIG shout-out (again) to <a href="http://www.stevehargadon.com/" target="_blank">Steve Hargadon</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/stevehargadon" target="_blank">@stevehargadon</a>) and <a href="http://lucygrayconsulting.com/" target="_blank">Lucy Gray</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/elemenous" target="_blank">@elemenous</a>). There's nothing more energizing than meeting, working with and learning from Good People, and these two are just that: REALLY Good People.<br />
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THE MASTER DOC:<br />
Here's the awesome resources from the day with links to crowdsourced notes, people to follow on twitter and pretty amazing projects: <a href="http://bit.ly/GED2015">http://bit.ly/GED2015</a><br />
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SESSION 1 TAKEAWAYS:<br />
The first break-out I attended focused on Leadership, facilitated by <a href="https://twitter.com/bwileyone" target="_blank">Brandon Wiley</a>, who authored a chapter in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leading-Literacies-Contemporary-Perspectives-Literacy/dp/1936764601" target="_blank">Leading the New Literacies</a>. Here are some thoughts and reflections from our conversation:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Need for common academic language around global literacies, global competencies, etc.</li>
<li>Part of the role of a leader is to create a common vision of achievement / define the look-fors and clarity when implementing global education</li>
<li>Connecting through the heart / showing through example is the greatest motivator</li>
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<li>How do we tell the stories to compel the imperative of global education (yes, imperative...it is not just a luxury)</li>
<li>Global citizenship is being a global friend</li>
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<li>Critical to bring in parents and school community</li>
<li>Seek the community resources out first - leverage your community to help your mission</li>
<li>#GlobalEdChat on Thur on Twitter</li>
<li>Participants who have a lot to offer (that isn't to say others did not - therse are just the names I got) :)</li>
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<li>Homa Tavangar <a href="http://twitter.com/growingupglobal" target="_blank">@growingupglobal</a> - Here's <a href="http://www.growingupglobal.net/" target="_blank">her website</a></li>
<li>Suzie Boss <a href="http://twitter.com/suzieboss" target="_blank">@suzieboss</a> - Journalist and writer at <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/" target="_blank">Edutopia</a></li>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jqKGM_0M0L8/VZGUykuwUBI/AAAAAAABGgk/OUAwi7l1zqA/s1600/2137737248_e9f3e429d1_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jqKGM_0M0L8/VZGUykuwUBI/AAAAAAABGgk/OUAwi7l1zqA/s320/2137737248_e9f3e429d1_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2137737248">https://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2137737248</a></span></div>
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SESSION 2 TAKEAWAYS:<br />
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<li>Facilitated by Deboarh Havert of <a href="http://www.6seconds.org/">http://www.6seconds.org</a> and <a href="http://www.eq.org/">http://www.eq.org</a></li>
<li>Students who are coming to us without perseverance or grit - what can we do?</li>
<li>Ask students "do you think you added to the community through your actions?" </li>
<li>Help students addres and think about intent vs. impact</li>
<li>A TED Talk Recommended: Are you Multitasking Your Life Away? Dr. Clifford Nass</li>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PriSFBu5CLs/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PriSFBu5CLs?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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COOL TOOLS SHOWCASE:</div>
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While there were many tools highlighted that I'd love to explore more deeply, they are all listed in the link above (at <a href="http://bit.ly/GED2015">http://bit.ly/GED2015</a>)</div>
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<b>My favorite, though, was <a href="https://thewonderment.com/" target="_blank">The Wonderment</a>.</b> When you open their webpage, you're met with the statement "Come on an adventure to create a world of good." Filled with fantastic resources for parents and teachers, I don't want to give too much away because I really, Really, REALLY want you to experience their website for yourself. Teachers, you can head on over to <a href="http://www.thewonderguides.com/" target="_blank">The Wonder Guides</a> for more explicit ways to integrate this work in your classes.</div>
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And after all, aren't we all just trying to create a world of good?</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-53024987448759796542015-06-28T09:52:00.000-07:002015-06-28T09:52:18.004-07:00HackEd 2015 - PBL and Social MediaI attended the HackEd Unconference at ISTE yesterday and it reminded me why I'm in education. BIG shout-out to <a href="http://www.stevehargadon.com/" target="_blank">Steve Hargadon</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/stevehargadon" target="_blank">@stevehargadon</a>) for organizing this year after year.<br />
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The two sessions I was able to attend were one PBL, Technology and Assessment and on the use of Social Media with Students.<br />
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First observation - there was a very different, but equally passionate tenor to both groups.<br />
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<a href="http://bie.org/images/uploads/objects/essential_project_design_elements.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://bie.org/images/uploads/objects/essential_project_design_elements.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://bie.org/blog/why_we_changed_our_model_of_the_8_essential_elements_of_pbl">http://bie.org/blog/why_we_changed_our_model_of_the_8_essential_elements_of_pbl</a></span></div>
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<b><u>PBL, Tech & Assessment</u></b><br />
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Some questions that arose in our PBL group that I'd love to get wider responses to include:<br />
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<li>What strategies are being used successfully to integrate PBL with Advanced Placement classes?</li>
<li>What strategies do you use to help parents and the school community (including other teachers) to understand that, even though they/we have been successful in a sit-and-get structure of school, that's not good enough and we must do more and better now? (With an underlying understanding that PBL is one strategy to achieve this.)</li>
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Some tips and suggestions that I thought were particularly helpful included one high school English teacher who expressed that he began to integrate PBL into his class mid-year, and as such, he found that there were three things that worked for him:</div>
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<li>Start small</li>
<li>Look for a small win first</li>
<li>Look for and celebrate achievement in a big way from that small win</li>
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These three steps can then be built upon. Basically, scaffold the boots off it (my words, not his).</div>
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Also, Problem-Based Learning is embedded within Project-Based Learning.</div>
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Don't get bogged down in the terminology - if students are doing a kick-@ss job of 6 out of the 8 steps of Project-Based Learning, celebrate it! And then improve.</div>
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<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Social_networking_services.jpg/1280px-Social_networking_services.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Social_networking_services.jpg/1280px-Social_networking_services.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Social_networking_services.jpg">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Social_networking_services.jpg</a></span></div>
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<b><u>Social Media with Students</u></b></div>
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Takeaways:</div>
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<li>Social media essentially teaches global empathy - if you can do that in a way <i>other</i> than using social media, more power to ya!</li>
<li>We need to empathize with teachers who are reticent to use social media with students and not ostracize nor shame them - that runs counter-intuitive to the whole point of building connections via social media. Don't be a hypocrite.</li>
<li>There are different legal ramifications and ears on the parts of teachers <i>and</i> technical staff, and it is imperative that we have cross-departmental/branch teams to help everyone get to a common understanding and feel as though they have a voice.</li>
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After all, learning is social, and if we're making choices in isolation, we're not really learning anything at all, are we?</div>
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* When referring to Project-Based Learning, I'm referring to <a href="http://bie.org/" target="_blank">Buck Institute of Education's PBL Model</a> - the bible of PBL, so to speak.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-6842577984635248662015-06-28T09:25:00.001-07:002015-06-28T09:25:53.507-07:00Back in the SaddleWow...it's been nearly two years since I blogged last. Since I'm at ISTE and already have too many ideas swirling already (for those who are #notatiste15, it hasn't even officially begun, but the pre-networking opportunities are so rich), now's as good a time as any to get back on the proverbial wagon. So with that...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bL2LxJjkf5E/VZAfpDAIfHI/AAAAAAABGc0/M2b850nOCLE/s1600/11188238194_0db24c983b_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bL2LxJjkf5E/VZAfpDAIfHI/AAAAAAABGc0/M2b850nOCLE/s320/11188238194_0db24c983b_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pabo76/11188238194">https://www.flickr.com/photos/pabo76/11188238194</a></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-88690640455942430462013-08-11T19:50:00.000-07:002013-08-11T19:50:00.354-07:00Unpacking the TPACK<div style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Before you tell me that you don’t want me anywhere near your backpack or your TPACK, <a href="http://www.matt-koehler.com/tpack/tpack-explained/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">let me explain</a>. TPACK is simply a framework and yet another acronym that we can use in education. Except this acronym really matters (like all the others). According to <a href="http://www.tpack.org/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.tpack.org</a>, “The TPACK framework extends <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Shulman" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Shulman’s idea of Pedagogical Content Knowledge.</a>” Props to <a href="http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Dr. Matthew Koehler</a>, the editor of tpack.org and many other publications around and about TPACK.</div>
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But it’s best to show, not tell, so here’s a nice, clean image that shows you exactly what TPACK is.</div>
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<img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/tpack.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: 540px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 535px;" /></div>
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Reproduced by permission of the publisher, © 2013 by tpack.org</div>
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See that spot in the middle where it all intersects? That’s the sweet spot. I’ve seen lots of explanations about what good teaching is, and lots of the definitions talk about balancing various parts of teaching and learning. But I like to use this framework, and I add my own perspective that the dotted purple line, circling the entire graphic, is relationships.</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Practical Use</strong><br />
I find that introducing TPACK to teachers is really useful when beginning any technology integration training or online course. Helping all educators understand that it is not that any one of these elements superceded the others, but rather they are all interconnected in meaningful ways seems to help put words (and an image) to something that we all struggle with: how does tech, pedagogy and content play nicely together?<br />
Try asking teachers, or yourself, to look at one or more lessons of study and rate how heavily they (or you) rely on one section over another. The goal is balance. For instance, think about a lesson on the novel, The Great Gatsby, how much of the instruction and assessments rely on content knowledge? How much meaningful integration and intersection is there of each of these sections?</div>
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In another vein, consider using this framework to address our own comfort levels with integrating technology. What is your strongest area of context? Pedagogical-Content? Where might you do well to improve your own skills and integrate all the contexts in a balanced way?</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">More Resources</strong></div>
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Register for a free account on <a href="http://tpack.org/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">tpack.org</a> to access great resources on the TPACK Academy page</div>
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Follow updated information about <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23tpack&src=typd" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">TPACK on Twitter</a></div>
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Follow more updated information about <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23tpack" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">TPACK on Google+</a><br />
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<ul style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at </span><a href="http://www.educationambassador.com/" style="color: #993322; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.educationambassador.com</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.</span></li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-2057795613713995032013-07-30T13:56:00.000-07:002013-07-30T13:56:48.065-07:00Chromecast at Last! My (Sort Of) Unbiased ReviewI typically don't suffer from shiney-new-techy gadget syndrome: purchasing the newest, latest and greatest as soon as it hits the market, but as fate would have it, I happened to be watching the Google Press Meeting on July 24, 2013 when the Chromecast was announced...at $35. And while I may not suffer from SNTG Syndrome, I am a sucker for something that seems like a good deal.<br />
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<i>BORING DISCLOSURE ALERT: In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Google Certified Teacher, but these blog posts are my own and of my own opinion and I don't get paid for anything I write here.</i><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zcouxlo8od4/UfgmZCBaOGI/AAAAAAAAcR8/x3VGjObWpRE/s1600/20130726_170027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zcouxlo8od4/UfgmZCBaOGI/AAAAAAAAcR8/x3VGjObWpRE/s320/20130726_170027.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The Chromescast was packaged in a tidy little box with an IKEA-esque set of directions. Essentially, plug it in, turn your TV to the correct source and follow the on-screen instructions. You just have to make sure that your device and your Chromecast are on the same wi-fi network, which isn't difficult when using this from your home. And that's how it worked. Shocking.<br />
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Initially, casting anything, whether from YouTube, Google Videos or Netflix, the reception was choppy and not at all smooth. But that wasn't really the Chromecast's fault - I discovered that our router was kind of old and we had needed a new one for a while. Once we got a new router, it worked like a charm.<br />
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You may have to play with the display ratio when casting a Chrome browser tab so as to see the entire screen, but it was fast and smooth.<br />
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Some people have been comparing the Chromecast to the AppleTV, and I'd like to address a couple of those comparisons.<br />
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<li><b>CHROMECAST WIN.</b> You can't compare the price. $35 is a steal and I LOVE not having yet another piece of equipment to drag with me when traveling. I can fit the Chromecast in my pocket. So I guess that's a double-win - price and size.</li>
<li><b>APPLE TV WIN (WITH CHROMECAST EXPECTED TO GET THERE).</b> Yes, you can reflect your entire screen with an Apple TV, and that's definitely a bonus, but casting a Chrome browser tab is pretty useful, considering that most of what I do is web-based, anyway. And it's not like I can't plug in my Apple TV and my Chromecast - the TV doesn't implode or anything - they plug into slots next to each other and play just fine. (I also wouldn't be surprised in Google came out with full screencasting capabilities using the Chromecast in due time, as well.)</li>
<li><b>CHROMECAST WIN.</b> I love that you can use Android AND iOS devices to cast using the Chromecast. Anything that increases my ability to be platform agnostic and use whatever works for that time or activity is a BIG win for me.</li>
<li><b>APPLE TV WIN. </b>Apple TV simply has more capabilities right now, but again, that mostly has to do with its ability to screencast. One of the nice feature is the ability to reflect multiple iOS devices on the same screen. If Chromecast could do that, it would be a whole new picture-in-picture experience!</li>
<li><b>CHROMECAST WIN.</b> Perhaps I'm not just a savvy Apple TV user, but casting what's on my phone, tablet or Chrome browser tab is as easy as switching the TV channel, and the same can't be said for Apple TV. The Apple TV has its own remote (which is tiny and easily lost), and that's a danger in our home.</li>
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<b><br /></b><b>YOU KNOW WHAT'D BE AWESOME?</b> At some point, I'd love to see the ability to project a device and watch live TV at the same time. Think: watching your favorite TV program and having a split screen and on the other side of your screen, you can get more information about something you just saw on TV, thereby deepening your understanding. Not quite like Google TV, but better. If there's something out there like this already, let me know!<br />
<br /><b>AND ANOTHER THING.</b> Stop asking what the educational use is about new technologies that come out. We're trying to bridge the gap between life and education. More and more, questions asking about "educational use" have more to do with "how can I lock this down" and less to do with the powerful things you CAN do with technology. Let's explore those possibilities first, k? Then, we can talk about responsible behavior.<br />
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So far, so good. I like it. It does what I want it to do and for the size and price, it makes it a big winner for me.<br />
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<b>ON A PERSONAL NOTE,</b> one of biggest practical advantages is that I can finally show my mom how to search on YouTube for exactly the thing she wants to see. It's hard to train someone while sharing a laptop, and when you use the Apple TV, there's no ability to show the actual browser interface as she would use it - on the "real computer" (not those flat tablet thingys). So being able to show her exactly the kind of tab she would look at on her own is incredibly helpful. Now she can watch all the Laughing Baby videos she wants and I can show her how to search for them...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0San Jose, CA 95131, USA37.3902956 -121.8961047000000237.3398306 -121.97678570000002 37.440760600000004 -121.81542370000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-3993511746775601352013-04-12T15:00:00.000-07:002013-04-12T15:00:08.109-07:00Project Your Android Tablet in a Browser<br />
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Not all tablets and computers are created equal. And they don't always play nicely with each other. As an educator, this can be infuriating. I'm trying to teach our kids and their teachers, and I'm constantly running into blockades that prevent me from being able to seamlessly present cross-platform products. I just want to teach and for my students to learn.</div>
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Thankfully, I was able to find a way to integrate my multi-platform system to present both my Android-running <a href="http://educationambassador.com/about/xperia-tablet" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Sony Xperia</a> tablet AND my other (shall remain nameless) tablet...simultaneously. My laptop does not have an HDMI port, so using an HDMI cable was not doable. However, by downloading the app, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vmlite.vncserver&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDMsImNvbS52bWxpdGUudm5jc2VydmVyIl0." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">VMLite VNC Server</a>, I was able to easily reflect my <a href="http://educationambassador.com/about/xperia-tablet" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Sony Xperia</a> screen directly into a tab on my browser (note: the browser must be HTML5), with nothing more than a USB cable to connect to the computer itself.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Step One:</b> Download the app onto your Android tablet<br />
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Step Two:</b> Go to <a href="http://www.vmlite.com/vaac" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.vmlite.com/vaac</a> to download the free program onto your computer or laptop that you would like to project from and follow the instructions provided<br />
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Step Three: </b>Connect your tablet to your computer<br />
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Step Four:</b> Open the VMLite program on your computer<br />
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Step Five:</b> Follow the instructions on the pop-up window to set particular preferences and connect your tablet<br />
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Step Six: </b>Open the app on your tablet, click Start and follow the remainder of the instructions on your computer</div>
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A new tab will open in your browser that you can reference, keep open and project when you want. I also like to have my other tablet wirelessly projecting using another product at the same time. They really can all play together nicely.</div>
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Please see my screencast for step-by-step instructions on how to create this same experience for you and your students.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at </span><a href="http://www.educationambassador.com/" style="color: #993322; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.educationambassador.com</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.</span></li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-28644736979923449722013-04-07T10:00:00.000-07:002013-04-10T15:28:17.353-07:00Google Apps for Admins: GMail<br />
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We’ve all grown attached to our email programs, but there are some distinct advantages for using GMail as your email client when you’re an educator, and particularly as an administrator.</div>
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Here’s my top five reasons to use GMail in an educator’s life:</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/gmail_search_box.png" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 283px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px;" />1. Ability to search all emails</b> - using the search box at the top of the page, I can search all my messages using boolean language or search terms specific to a mailbox. Using the arrow drop-down on the right-side of the search box, I can tailor my search to find EXACTLY what I what immediately.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-03-28_at_10.51.55_AM.png" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 215px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px;" />2. Filters</b> - Once I’ve search for exactly what I need, I can create a filter that allows me to always know where I need to go to find the email I need. For instance, have you ever needed to find that ONE email from that ONE parent from MONTHS ago? If you create a filter, all of those emails that you want to keep, but you know aren’t emergencies, can direct themselves into your pre-designated label. Now, your inbox stays clean and you choose when you’re prepared to tackle which emails!<br />
To create a filter, perform a search and then click on “Create a filter with this search”, and you will then be directed to the box below to choose how you want to filter those messages.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-03-28_at_10.55.19_AM.png" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 423px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 164px;" />3. Labels</b> - Labels are similar to folders and live on the left-hand side of your GMail homescreen. If you have set up filters to automagically redirect messages to particular labels, you can access those emails by clicking on the label name. On the bottom of your list of labels, you can click “Manage Labels” or “Create New Label”, but you can also do this same thing my clicking on the setting icon and clicking on the “Labels” tab.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">4. Priority Mailbox (Important & Unread, Starred, and Everything Else)</b> - One FANTASTIC setting in GMail is the ability to differentiate between your Important email, your starred email and everything else. Since I’ve been using it, it usually identifies important email based on the person it is coming from. I have yet to receive an email in</div>
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<img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/gmail_inbox.jpg" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 127px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 400px;" />my “Important and Unread” section that is not, in fact, important. I star the emails that need some sort of follow-up, and those emails are strategically placed below my “Important and Unread” emails. And then, of course, there is “Everything Else”. Nothing is left out, but it is prioritized for me in a way that has proven to be meaningful for me and has increased my efficiency. </div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-03-28_at_11.08.42_AM.png" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 332px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 350px;" />5. Labs</b> - Last, but definitely not least, when I train teachers and administrators about GMail, Labs are some of the most fun. Labs allow you to personalize your GMail experience. HOWEVER, labs are experiments and they might not always work asplanned and a lab function that you pick could go away, so don’t grow too attached too soon. Here are some of the options you have in labs: placing the chat bar along the right side, rather than the left-side of your homescreen; adding Google Calendar or Google Docs gadgets on your GMail homescreen, so you can see all your productivity tools in one space at one time; Preview Pane allows a quick preview of any email by right-clicking on the email message, without having to open it; Canned Responses allows you to automatically set canned responses for particular emails or labels. You can find more labs in Settings.</div>
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There are some amazing features in GMail that dramatically increase efficiency and productivity and if you’re anything like EVERY educator I know, having a little help to get paperwork and email done more quickly so you can spend more time with your students is always a PLUS.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at </span><a href="http://www.educationambassador.com/" style="color: #993322; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.educationambassador.com</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.</span></li>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-6661112982747804892013-03-15T14:49:00.000-07:002013-03-28T11:59:07.046-07:00Android Photography Apps for Beginners<br />
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By no stretch of the imagination, am I a professional photographer. I like taking pictures of my work with schools, teachers and students and I love taking pictures of school signs.</div>
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I also believe in the need to document, in pictures, the fantastic things that are happening in our schools every day. Photos capture moments that will never, ever happen again. So in working with my <a href="http://educationambassador.com/about/xperia-tablet" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; text-decoration: initial;">Sony Xperia</a> tablet, I have found some great Photography apps that are perfect for beginners, like me.</div>
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First of all, the camera on the Xperia itself is pretty sweet (it includes stopmotion capabilities and of course it’s a great camera...this is Sony we’re talking about here). Check out my fellow Education Ambassador, <a href="http://educationambassador.com/resources/entry/how-to-guide-for-using-the-camera-features-on-the-sony-xperia-tablet" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; text-decoration: initial;">Andy Losik's Xperia camera how-to guide. </a></div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.instagram.android&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDNd" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/vFpQP39LB60dli3n-rJnVvTM07dsvIzxrCL5xMiy1V4GV4unC1ifXkUExQ4N-DBCKwI=w124" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 124px; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 10px 0px 0px; width: 124px;" />Instagram</a> - Very popular right now to quickly and easily share photos and add a simple filter. Then, share your photos with friends and family across social networks, or just share it within Instagram itself. A 5th grade teacher in Pleasanton, CA, Lisa Highfill uses Instagram with her students to share their learning. Follow her class on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/HighfillCrew" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; text-decoration: initial;">@highfillcrew</a> to see all of her students' photos.</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.evernote.skitch&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5ldmVybm90ZS5za2l0Y2giXQ.." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/vUCt308T-Hjuyfl90DFThthCTDsDpF_2HRbdoigSeOfWxvYgAFllowczqyzljhUw2SQ=w124" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 124px; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 10px 0px 0px; width: 124px;" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.evernote.skitch&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5ldmVybm90ZS5za2l0Y2giXQ.." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; text-decoration: initial;">Skitch</a> - I love Skitch! I use this application more than any other on my tablet, phone and laptop. Quickly take or choose a photo and annotate the photo. I used this to help assist our parents remember the appropriate way to drive through our parking lot, and where students were allowed to be dropped off.</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pixlr.express&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5waXhsci5leHByZXNzIl0." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/Qbl0Gj_hb2w3S8V2Lo3kGoGFkOF6bzx3xbWGpFufMoU_T0yrK4k2DeznW-JEuRmu54rj=w124" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 124px; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 10px 0px 0px; width: 124px;" /></a><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pixlr.express&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5waXhsci5leHByZXNzIl0." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; text-decoration: initial;">Pixlr Express</a> - Choose or take a photo and edit it for light adjustments, various pre-built effects or add a border for an extra-added touch.</div>
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<img alt="" src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/3QUzIiLnZ_h8s_zYdrK2GnRxvhElJnHctTwo-_Gs4fqE2s3KI-wluFRUPxXP6RZhMw=w124" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 124px; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 10px 0px 0px; width: 124px;" /></div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=slide.cameraZoom&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsInNsaWRlLmNhbWVyYVpvb20iXQ.." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; text-decoration: initial;">Camera ZOOM FX</a> - Camera ZOOM FX has more options that Pixlr, but is just as easyto use. You can even pick an effect randomizer to see what your picture could look like if you wanted to be creative. Be warned, though...its ease of use, combined with all the fun effects could keep you occupied for quite some time.</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.animoto.android.videoslideshow&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5hbmltb3RvLmFuZHJvaWQudmlkZW9zbGlkZXNob3ciXQ.." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/Rjk8kgKMh-upHy9jCKcELDzdPPuk_C3WS3MJfX3r7twF1lki4zuYi6kFdFG1Z0--jN7u=w124" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 124px; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 10px 0px 0px; width: 124px;" />Animoto</a> - Take a series of photos (and videos, if you want) and Animoto will do the rest to create a quick video. I’ve used this multiple times to highlight an Open House, Electives Fair or Back to School Night. Put this video on your school website, too!</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at </span><a href="http://www.educationambassador.com/" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;" target="_blank">http://www.educationambassador.com</a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"> - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-34082928519996288022013-03-10T16:00:00.000-07:002013-03-28T12:04:33.390-07:00Google Apps for Admins: Google Calendar<br />
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One of the most powerful tools for administrators is the almighty calendar. I have yet to find a calendar that is as robust and useful for school administrators as Google Calendar, and here’s why:</div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">Google Calendar allows you to embed multiple calendars into a web page and change the way they look and the colors that are used.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">You can easily attach documents, or invites to Google+ Hangouts (a Google+ Hangout is like Skype, but better) to calendar events.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">You can receive updates via e-mail, screen popup,or text message.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">You can add a location to the calendar event, which can have a Google Map attached to it.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">You can use the "Find a time" feature to coordinate meetings with other colleagues who are using Google Calendar.</li>
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One of the best parts about using the <a href="http://educationambassador.com/about/xperia-tablet" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Sony Xperia</a> tablet with Google Calendar is that you can easily add a widget to your homescreen and never have to open the application to see, at a glance, what is upcoming on your calendar. WIN!</div>
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For more information about how (and why) to use Google Calendar, check out these links:</div>
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<a href="https://www.mavenlink.com/community/blogs/643-7-ways-to-use-google-calendar-like-a-pro" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">7 ways to use Google Calendar</a></div>
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<a href="http://lifehacker.com/5918676/how-to-use-google-calendar-as-a-project-management-tool" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">How to use Google Calendar as a Project Management Tool</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.colourmylearning.com%2F2012%2F05%2Fgoogle-calendar-why-every-school-should-use-it%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGISN9C7bZNqdgcoVny2PIMxKOrVA" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Why every school should use Google Calendar</a></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at </span><a href="http://www.educationambassador.com/" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;" target="_blank">http://www.educationambassador.com</a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"> - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-78519337762916768062013-03-03T16:00:00.000-08:002013-03-28T12:05:18.970-07:00Google Apps for Admins: Drive & Docs<br />
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When rolling out the Google Apps for Education Suite to educators, Google Drive is easily in the first three application shared. And why not? It’s different yet familiar, it’s collaborative and you can do some neat tricks with it. Like a puppy. But with less mess.</div>
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Google Drive is great to show teachers and they will come up with some great plans to use with their students instantly. Check out Sony Education Ambassador, <a href="http://educationambassador.com/resources/entry/google-apps-for-education-an-introduction-for-teachers1" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Kyle Pace’s blog series for Google for Teachers</a> for more information. But Administrators have tasks that are specific to you, and here are some quick ways to use Google Docs and Drive in those Administrative tasks.</div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Google Presentations for Community Reports</strong> Use Google Presentations when creating presentations that need multiple stakeholders’ input. My suggestion is to create a presentation with a common template, title each slide ahead of time and when you share it with others, indicate to them which slides are theirs to edit. You don’t have to single-handedly create every parent or community presentation, and the finished product looks seamless and collaborative.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Google Spreadsheets for Conference Scheduling</strong> I’ve used Google Spreadsheets to assist in the scheduling of Conferences at the Middle School (grades 6-8) level. Import a Grade Report Excel file (or .csv) into Google Spreadsheets. Remove any extraneous information and leave only the student name and their grade(s) that need improving (don’t forget to include which classes may need remediation, as well!) Share the spreadsheet with the appropriate teachers or advisors. <img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-01-23_at_2.19.34_PM.png" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 274px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px;" /></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Researching with Google Docs</strong> In creating reports and research for BoardReports or other needs, using Google Docs and use the “Tools”, “Research” feature to instantly research directly from the same tab or window in which you are creating your content! No more do you have to switch between tabs or windows between your content and your research. The “Research” function also allows for instant MLA, APA or Chicago footnoting, and searching filtered by licensing rights.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Surveys, Surveys, Surveys!</strong> As both a high school and a middle school site administrator, I was seemingly creating surveys all the time. With Google Forms, your surveys are instantly timestamped and the form input goes immediately into a spreadsheet, which you can then sort, add formulas and use gadgets galore to tailor your results to make them most comprehensible to any audience.</li>
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If you're not quite ready to create your own, and want to be inspired by teampltes already in use, check out <a href="https://drive.google.com/templates?q=elizabeth+calhoon&sort=hottest&view=author" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">this list of templates</a> I've created for an administrator's life, or you can check out <a href="https://drive.google.com/templates?view=public&authorId=12820340213487254111" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Todd Roth's templates</a>, also a practicing administrator.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at </span><a href="http://www.educationambassador.com/" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;" target="_blank">http://www.educationambassador.com</a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"> - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-20539520958691828242013-02-24T16:00:00.000-08:002013-03-28T12:07:07.356-07:00Streamline Your Life! Productivity Apps by Android<br />
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Every educator has too many tasks, not enough time and is pulled in a million directions. Here is a quick run-down of my favorite apps to use with my <a href="http://educationambassador.com/about/xperia-tablet" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Sony Xperia</a>tablet (or other Android-enabled device) to streamline life, while still staying effective.</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.evernote&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5ldmVybm90ZSJd" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/evernote.jpeg" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 80px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 75px;" />Evernote</a> - Take notes on your tablet, add pictures, audio recordings or attachments quickly to your notes, along with sharing “notebooks” to collaboratively edit; also has a complimentary website</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dropbox.android&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5kcm9wYm94LmFuZHJvaWQiXQ.." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Dropbox</a> - Save files of any type to access anywhere and easily share folders. The advantage to using Dropbox is that all types of files can be saved in one simple place; also has a complimentary website</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.android.chrome&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hbmRyb2lkLmNocm9tZSJd" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Chrome Browser</a> - One of my favorites: <a href="http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2591582" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Sync tabs across devices</a> to access your tabs from anywhere, anytime on any device</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rememberthemilk.MobileRTM&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5yZW1lbWJlcnRoZW1pbGsuTW9iaWxlUlRNIl0." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/rtm_.jpeg" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 75px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 75px;" />Remember the Milk</a> - Task management and list-making that syncs across devices and has a complimentary website. You can share tasks with others, categorize easily, set quick due dates, priority levels and more</div>
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<img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/powernote.jpeg" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 75px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 75px;" /><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.diigo.android&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5kaWlnby5hbmRyb2lkIl0." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Power Note</a> - Allows you to take notes, audio recordings, photo, video or bookmarksand sync them all with your <a href="http://diigo.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Diigo</a> account. <a href="http://diigo.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Diigo</a> is an excellent social bookmarking tool, and one thing I really like about Power Note is that the default setting is that anything added is private. You can choose at any time to make is public, but it’s great for confidential notes from meetings.</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=flipboard.app&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImZsaXBib2FyZC5hcHAiXQ.." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Flipboard</a> - Combine YOUR favorite news and magazines to create your Flipboard and get all of the information pertinent to your life whenever you want it.</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.kindle&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5hbWF6b24ua2luZGxlIl0." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/kindle.jpeg" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 75px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 75px;" />Kindle</a> - This is a great e-reader for multiple reasons: it uses your <a href="http://amazon.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Amazon</a>log-in, so it’s one less password to remember, your notes and annotation sync online so you can access those annotations even when you don’t have your tablet, and using your <a href="http://amazon.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Amazon</a> account allows a lot of other functionalities, like syncing with your <a href="http://shelfari.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Shelfari</a> account, if you use that, as well.</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.docusign.ink&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5kb2N1c2lnbi5pbmsiXQ.." style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/docusign_ink.jpeg" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 52px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 75px;" />DocuSign Ink</a> - Create a free account and easily sign, initial, date, add checkboxes or more to any type of file and instantly email to back to your intended recipient. Great for times when you don’t have access to a printer or a fax (do faxes still exist?). DocuSign Ink also provides a one-page verification page for your recipient’s assurance that it is a legitimate signature.</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at </span><a href="http://www.educationambassador.com/" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;" target="_blank">http://www.educationambassador.com</a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"> - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-53412891763730893032013-02-20T16:00:00.000-08:002013-03-28T12:10:50.359-07:00Google Apps for Administrators: An Introduction<br />
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This post is the first in a monthly series of posts about <a href="http://www.google.com/enterprise/apps/education/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Google Apps for Education</a> and how it can make an Administrator’s life more efficient, so you spend less time with paperwork and more time in classes, at school activities, and with parents, students and teachers. If you’re not familiar with the power of <a href="http://www.google.com/enterprise/apps/education/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Google Apps for Education</a>, welcome! Here’s a quick overview:</div>
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Here’s a quick outline of what’s to come in this blog:</div>
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<a href="http://drive.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-01-20_at_2.50.21_PM.png" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 133px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px;" />Google Drive</a>: Learn how I facilitated a Middle School faculty change their paper-based methods of conference-scheduling using Google Spreadsheets. In addition, learn about how Forms are a Principal’s best friend and the Revision History function in Docs can make discipline much, much simpler.</div>
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<a href="http://calendar.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-01-20_at_2.57.38_PM.png" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 168px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px;" />Google Calendar</a>: One calendar. Yes, that’s all you need. One calendar. Learn from my wins and failures in rolling out Google Calendar to one staff and how you can always make sure that you are never (unintentionally) double-booked, or miss an appointment. Integrated with <a href="http://plus.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Google+</a> Hangouts allows you to have all of your resources for any meeting in one place. No more looking for one attachment in your email, the location of the meeting in your calendar and the link to the directions to find the meeting in another spot! Streamline streamline streamline!</div>
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<a href="http://gmail.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;"><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-01-20_at_2.58.34_PM.png" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 113px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px;" />Gmail</a>: Gmail is so much more than just mail! Instantly prioritize and filter your emails to your preferences, use <a href="http://gmail.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Gmail</a> offline and learn about some up-and-coming apps you can use in Gmail through “Labs”.</div>
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<a href="http://www.google.com/mobile/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Google Apps on Tablets</a>: Learn how to leverage the power of Google Apps on your Android-powered tablet and how students can easily use their school- or home-provided on theirs!</div>
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Further series entries will include topics, such as:<br />
<a href="http://voice.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Voice</a><img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/gafe_image.jpeg" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 267px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 350px;" /></div>
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<a href="http://sites.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Sites</a></div>
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<a href="http://plus.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Google+</a></div>
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<a href="http://youtube.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">YouTube</a></div>
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<a href="http://google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Search</a></div>
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<a href="http://scholar.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Scholar</a></div>
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<a href="http://blogger.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Blogger</a></div>
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<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Picasa Web Albums</a></div>
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<a href="http://translate.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Translate</a></div>
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<a href="http://books.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Books</a></div>
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<a href="http://reader.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Reader<img alt="" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRrtbc-zJXcL1imkn87SM9Ute1436QTT2TyCR9cGiWhcTfaaOtMFw" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 150px;" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://chrome.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Chrome</a></div>
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<a href="http://news.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">News</a>, <a href="http://trends.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Trends</a> & <a href="http://alerts.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Alerts</a></div>
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<a href="http://maps.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Maps</a> & <a href="http://earth.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Earth</a></div>
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<a href="http://images.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Images</a></div>
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<a href="http://drive.google.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Forms</a> & <a href="https://developers.google.com/apps-script/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Scripts</a></div>
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<li><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at </span><a href="http://www.educationambassador.com/" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;" target="_blank">http://www.educationambassador.com</a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"> - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.</span></li>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-81740526551321768032013-02-17T16:00:00.000-08:002013-02-17T16:00:03.779-08:00Social Networking for Educators - A Beginner's Guide<br />
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I was a <a href="http://facebook.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Facebook</a> late-comer. I was teaching, I had a family and a life, and if I wanted to “connect” with friends and family, I would pick up the phone or email them. I eventually gave in, joined and it’s moderately useful for me, but the ways I’ve seen it used by other teachers is amazing to me. So, if you’re hesitant about joining a social network, let me break it down for you.</div>
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<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />You don’t have to join a social network to leverage its power in the classroom. Try using<a href="http://www.classtools.net/fb/home/page" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Fakebook</a> and ask students to create fake <a href="http://facebook.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Facebook</a> accounts for historical people, authors or fictional characters, complete with “friends”, “life events” and photos, like the following:</div>
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<img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-01-20_at_1.45.10_PM.png" style="border: 0px; height: 605px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 550px;" /></div>
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But <a href="http://www.classtools.net/fb/home/page" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Fakebook</a> isn’t the only way to use <a href="http://facebook.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Facebook</a> in the classroom. Try creating a page specifically for your classes that provides all of those great extra resources that you just don’t have time to get to in class!</div>
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<img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-01-20_at_2.25.46_PM.png" style="border: 0px; height: 687px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 550px;" /></div>
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<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />There’s also a social networking tool that is, by far, the most robust in terms of connecting with educators worldwide in meaningful conversations. If it weren’t for this particular social network, I might not have ever known about the job posting that landed me the job of my dreams. Yes, <a href="http://twitter.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Twitter</a>. Here’s an easy three step way of finding the right people for you to follow and gain resources from:</div>
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Follow one trusted person that you know is active on <a href="http://twitter.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Twitter</a>. Then, ask for recommendations from your trusted source for others to follow.</div>
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Go to <a href="http://www.cybraryman.com/edhashtags.html" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">CybraryMan’s Educational Hashtags</a> website and search for hashtag(s) (hashtags are number signs, i.e. #, that is followed by a topic that allows anyone to search for common interests) that is of interest to you. If you’re interested in educational technology, search for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23edtech" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">#edtech</a> and see the great conversation happening.</div>
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When you find a great website, share it on <a href="http://twitter.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Twitter</a> with a hashtag to help other educators find it. When it gets retweeted or “favorited”, you’ve just helped another educator learn a little bit more!</div>
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Lastly, here is a quick list of awesome educators to follow on <a href="http://twitter.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Twitter</a>:<a href="http://twitter.com/web20classroom" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@web20classroom</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/coolcatteacher" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@coolcatteacher</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/willrich45" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@willrich45</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/nmhs_principal" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@nmhs_principal</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/elemenous" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@elemenous</a>and some great organizations: <a href="http://twitter.com/educationweek" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@educationweek</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/discoveryed" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@discoveryed</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/smithsonian" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@smithsonian</a><a href="http://twitter.com/weareteachers" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@weareteachers</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/hgse" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">@hgse</a></div>
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Of course, don't forget to follow the Sony Education Ambassadors, too! </div>
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If you are brand new to all the social networks and you just want to dip your toe gently into the shallow end, try <a href="http://linkedin.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">LinkedIn</a>. <a href="http://linkedin.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">LinkedIn</a> allows users to create online resumes with as much, or as little, information as the user chooses. Power users will have their entire work and educational history, recommendations written from those who have worked with them, an on-going Twitter feed along the side of their profile, belong to dozens of groups and be “endorsed” for dozens of skills.</div>
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Or, if you’re more interested in getting quick, visual snapshots of other resources, give<a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Pinterest</a> a try. Look at the <a href="http://pinterest.com/all/?category=education" style="color: #057cad; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial;">Category, “Education”</a>, or any topic of interest and you will find oodles upon oodles of websites to curate for yourself. Many educational organizations have Pinterest pages, as well. Be warned: it can be addicting.</div>
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<img alt="" src="http://educationambassador.com/images/uploads/main/EC/Screen_Shot_2013-01-20_at_2.34.07_PM.png" style="border: 0px; height: 543px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 450px;" /></div>
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But for the average user, all of these social networks are ways to create a digital footprint of YOUR choosing. Ultimately, social networking can best be used to control your digital footprint and what is posted about you online. If you are the one who is posting valuable resources on Twitter, or Facebook Group class information, then you begin to manage your own information.</div>
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<li>This post was cross-posted from the resource-building that I do with Sony, Inc., located at <a href="http://www.educationambassador.com/" target="_blank">http://www.educationambassador.com</a> - please visit there for more information and great suggestions from other ambassadors across the United States.</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-80426433253242545642012-11-02T08:43:00.002-07:002012-11-07T09:22:28.698-08:00Words Matter - and Zombies are Cool, Too<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a language-geek, and a staunch believer that WORDS MATTER, this is a selection of language-focused items I've encountered this week, and absolutely love in conjunction with one another.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Good Stuff:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Video from YouTube: "Beware of Nominalizations</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/dNlkHtMgcPQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The full lesson is on TEDEd: <a href="http://ed.ted.com/lessons/beware-of-nominalizations-aka-zombie-nouns-helen-sword" target="_blank">http://ed.ted.com/lessons/beware-of-nominalizations-aka-zombie-nouns-helen-sword</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then I found Buzzword-o-Matic: <a href="http://sparkreactor.com/buzz/" target="_blank">http://sparkreactor.com/buzz/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After showing Buzzword-o-Matic to my colleague, <a href="http://twitter.com/edtech2learn" target="_blank">@edtech2learn</a>, he sent me a one-line email response: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I'll see your Sparkreactor and raise you: <span class="s1"><a href="http://www.sciencegeek.net/lingo.html" target="_blank">http://www.sciencegeek.net/lingo.html</a> "</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Thoughts:</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I imagine this being an excellent lesson for pre-service teachers. In our increasingly over-complicated culture, this serves as a reminder that being concise and clear is always preferred.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we "jargonize" our lives, we simultaneously give unclear messages, thereby confusing our listeners or readers. What can also happen is we make our listeners or readers feel stupid. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Point:</b> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't make people feel stupid. They never learn that way.</span></span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-13505999274306161052012-07-25T15:38:00.001-07:002012-08-12T15:20:35.182-07:00Inspired Educator: Pixar's Story Rules<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I was reading through recent tweets, I came across a <a href="http://mashable.com/2012/07/25/pixar-story-rules-legofied/#view_as_one_page-gallery_box6691" target="_blank">Mashable article, "Pixar Story Rules Legofied"</a>. Legofy anything and I'm in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It occurs to me that connections with learning and teaching can be made, and I've included my humble thoughts below each image/Pixar Story Rule. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/pixar-rules-in-lego-form/pixar-story-rules-illustrated-legos.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/pixar-rules-in-lego-form/pixar-story-rules-illustrated-legos.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The coincidences that get us into the most trouble or difficulty in teaching often creates the grandest learning opportunities.</span></div>
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<a href="http://6.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/pixar-rules-in-lego-form/Pixarsrulesofstorytellingadmire.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://6.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/pixar-rules-in-lego-form/Pixarsrulesofstorytellingadmire.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">'Nuff said.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/pixar-rules-in-lego-form/Pixarsrulesofstorytellingcool.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/pixar-rules-in-lego-form/Pixarsrulesofstorytellingcool.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you can't make the learning meaningful, it's just words.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/pixar-rules-in-lego-form/Pixarsrulesofstorytellingdiscomfort.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/gallery/pixar-rules-in-lego-form/Pixarsrulesofstorytellingdiscomfort.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Challenge students (and yourself). It's the only way for anyone to get outside of their comfort zone and LEARN.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just like real-life (you know, what we're preparing students for).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just because a lesson is fun doesn't mean there is learning.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wj46MXg3oh8/UCgq_n1dlFI/AAAAAAAAQn4/Q3GEeDY094s/s1600/Pixars-rules-of-storytelling-obvious.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wj46MXg3oh8/UCgq_n1dlFI/AAAAAAAAQn4/Q3GEeDY094s/s320/Pixars-rules-of-storytelling-obvious.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't procrastinate...start thinking about best methods and approaches NOW...by the time you get to the day of the lesson, the project, the presentation, it will look nothing like your original idea, and that's a good thing.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCahlnKP244/UCgraKephbI/AAAAAAAAQoA/YZvn-F79ZLw/s1600/Pixars-rules-of-storytelling-opinions.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCahlnKP244/UCgraKephbI/AAAAAAAAQoA/YZvn-F79ZLw/s320/Pixars-rules-of-storytelling-opinions.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't allow anyone (including yourself) to become passive. Opinions can and should change with new or different information, but opinions are NECESSARY for learning what works and what doesn't work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Simplify your life. And find every way possible to streamline your workflow. Your psyche will thank you for it.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cf0e8ArEkH0/UCgr0SewGfI/AAAAAAAAQoQ/RFiHt2puXS0/s1600/Pixars-rules-of-storytelling-stakes.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cf0e8ArEkH0/UCgr0SewGfI/AAAAAAAAQoQ/RFiHt2puXS0/s320/Pixars-rules-of-storytelling-stakes.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Give students a reason to care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Focus on the meaning first and let the connections between units or projects evolve organically. Then, ask students to identify the themes and patterns.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't get bogged down in what's wrong with your students, classes, life - make a list of things that will not happen in the future as a result of your experiences so far. You just might be surprised at the result.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-80797144557136742162012-04-02T23:16:00.002-07:002012-04-20T23:33:27.630-07:00In Bed With YouTube and Sites - 365 Learn (2)Yes, I know that the word is "embed", not "in bed"...but it was punny and I couldn't resist.<br />
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One great find I had tonight was how to embed a YouTube video, set to begin at a particular second within the video, in a Google Site.<br />
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When you'd like to try this yourself, follow these steps:<br />
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1. Click Share below the video<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ci6z6aL4LoM/T3qS7Hm4gRI/AAAAAAAAM5s/M3XHuDBMDmA/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-04-02+at+11.04.14+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ci6z6aL4LoM/T3qS7Hm4gRI/AAAAAAAAM5s/M3XHuDBMDmA/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-04-02+at+11.04.14+PM.png" /></a></div>
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2. Click Embed<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vxjhcE1C8D4/T3qTbtX8GwI/AAAAAAAAM58/Az-2lkiFXQ8/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-04-02+at+11.06.29+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vxjhcE1C8D4/T3qTbtX8GwI/AAAAAAAAM58/Az-2lkiFXQ8/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-04-02+at+11.06.29+PM.png" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vxjhcE1C8D4/T3qTbtX8GwI/AAAAAAAAM58/Az-2lkiFXQ8/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-04-02+at+11.06.29+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vxjhcE1C8D4/T3qTbtX8GwI/AAAAAAAAM58/Az-2lkiFXQ8/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-04-02+at+11.06.29+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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3. Check Use Old Embed Code<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t1UGRw1IbEg/T3qTsGo0MtI/AAAAAAAAM6E/AucWbIgnpOg/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-04-02+at+11.07.29+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t1UGRw1IbEg/T3qTsGo0MtI/AAAAAAAAM6E/AucWbIgnpOg/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-04-02+at+11.07.29+PM.png" /></a></div>
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4. Edit the Embed Code - delete the respective (for your chosen video) part crossed out below<br />
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<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CAA63umjvU?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&<span style="background-color: yellow;"><strike>amp;rel=0</strike></span>"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CAA63umjvU?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&<span style="background-color: yellow;"><strike>amp;rel=0</strike></span>" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
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5. Then, replace it with the time you'd like your embedded video to begin. Note: the time to begin will be in seconds. So, if you want a video to begin at Minute 3 and 27 Seconds, use the following formula: 3*60+27.... = 207<br />
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Your embed code should now read like this (with the number highlighted representing whatever time you'd like your video to begin)<br />
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<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CAA63umjvU?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&<span style="background-color: yellow;">start=207</span>"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CAA63umjvU?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&<span style="background-color: yellow;">start=207</span>" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
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6. Copy your embed code<br />
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7. Go to your Google Sites page and click on the html editing button<br />
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8. Paste your embed code wherever you would like it placed, kind of like what I'm about to do here...Enjoy!<br />
<object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CAA63umjvU?version=3&hl=en_US&start=207">
</param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
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<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
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<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_CAA63umjvU?version=3&hl=en_US&start=207" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
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As always, thanks for reading!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-53945315756943410582012-03-28T15:23:00.001-07:002012-03-28T15:44:07.827-07:00Three Lessons Learned at CUE 2012 (This Year)<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I attended the CUE Annual Conference for the second year last week and was reminded of three important lessons: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Sitting in the front row of presentations...and your life...allows you to fully engage with the best presenters and some of the most engaged participants. You also get to make sure you can take pictures of important ideas, like this in Marco Torres' Keynote:</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g81_i7E3-pA/T2fBfPq6mtI/AAAAAAAALtc/xMkLKkRB_gc/s1600/IMG_1637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g81_i7E3-pA/T2fBfPq6mtI/AAAAAAAALtc/xMkLKkRB_gc/s320/IMG_1637.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Put yourself out and learn something new - you're in Palm Springs, after all! Think of your time at CUE, or any conference, as a chance to embrace your inner-geek and try attending a session that you might not attend otherwise. If you're an Art teacher, go to session about using Math; if you're a High School Administrator, attend a session about the cool project an Elementary Teacher is using in his or her class (like <a href="http://twitter.com/pronovost" target="_blank">Robert Pronovost</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/lhighfill" target="_blank">Lisa Highfill</a>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Last, and most importantly, collaborate. I think people used to call this networking, but I never felt very able at "networking" - it seemed fake, political and forced. But collaboration? I can do that. Mostly because I'm nosey and I want to know the cool things other people are doing. Fearlessly join in on activities, like PhotoWalks and PhotoSafaris.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p3uTQK-dKm8/T2fBro2MYFI/AAAAAAAALxQ/grmr--fmjtw/s1600/IMG_1663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p3uTQK-dKm8/T2fBro2MYFI/AAAAAAAALxQ/grmr--fmjtw/s320/IMG_1663.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So collaborate. Learn. Lead. And when you come back from CUE and you're missing the 80-something-degree weather, share share share. Share on your newly-created blog, share links to your notes and talk about how your experience just may change how you impact students' lives for the better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's <a href="http://goo.gl/6eKY4" target="_blank">a link to the shared Google Doc</a> that we crowdsourced to add session notes from all across the Conference. The doc also has a link to the LiveBinder and Diigo lists. One-stop-shopping! Yay!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As always, thanks for reading!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-21222440665198505802011-11-27T22:28:00.000-08:002011-11-27T22:28:36.020-08:00The Myth of Monotasking | HASTAC<a href="http://hastac.org/blogs/cathy-davidson/2011/11/26/myth-monotasking#.TtMqB4Dyn-K.blogger">The Myth of Monotasking | HASTAC</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-5080338474277327642011-11-03T08:15:00.001-07:002011-11-03T08:20:55.953-07:00Technology and PencilsI'm at a Common Sense Media presentation with a student panel.<br />
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Students are sharing the dangers of the internet and how to avoid them.<br />
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I asked if any of them had ever been had any direct conversations with educators or parents about how to productively use social media in their classes. None of the teenagers had been given an assignment using social media.<br />
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So I wonder...<br />
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When we gave pencils to students, we immediately began teaching them the positive uses, so why, when we give students mobile devices and laptops, does our education focus on avoidance of potential dangers. Did we teach our students first and foremost to avoid stabbing each other with pencils?<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhoneUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-19977859263186348432011-09-18T17:53:00.000-07:002012-03-28T15:48:00.286-07:00How My PLN Saved My Life<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whenever I’ve been asked how building an Online Personal/Professional Learning Network has impacted me - my first internal reaction is that they saved my life. In order to explain how, you need some context first:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Born and raised in a high-achieving </span><a href="http://www.srvusd.net/"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">school district</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with the strong, mental stick-to-it-ive-ness of my mother. She ran a tight ship and I needed it. I was a teenage pill - self-righteous and wise beyond my years, they said. In order to get through </span><a href="http://www.csueastbay.edu/"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">college</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I became a crossing guard, a 2nd and 4th grade teacher’s aide, then a writing tutor. All in the district from which I had graduated. I secured a teaching position at </span><a href="http://www.calhigh.net/"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my alma mater</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and as much as I felt I was better than my peers when I was in high school, I did get along with my teachers. I had found a comfortable personal and professional space for me to test my professional boundaries and fearlessly suggest new ideas without fear of (too much) criticism. It was home. As often happens, administrators saw my fearlessness and talents and fostered my skills as a teacher into more leadership positions.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next thing I knew, I was an English Department Curriculum Leader at </span><a href="http://www.dvhigh.net/"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a new high school</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the district and ultimately felt a need to gain some experience outside of my comfort zone. I applied in neighboring districts and suddenly, after only teaching for five years, I was a Vice Principal at a neighboring high school in another District. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I searched for resources and people with whom I could connect in the same ways I had done in my “home” District. I wanted it. I craved it. I came to need it. Isolated, alienated and confused by too many new systems, I became depressed. I felt impotent. I continued to try to find ways out of my hole, and applying for the </span><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/gtaresources/Home"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Google Teacher Academy</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> seemed like one way to distract myself and maybe feel competent once again. It only took one person to encourage me to apply - I was desperate for any affirmation that I wasn't crazy and I had a voice that someone might want to hear, and I was willing to give my (previously) fruitless attempts at connection one. more. shot.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The rest is history: </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="http://twitter.com/ecalhoon"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><a href="http://www.cue.org/"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CUE Conference(s)</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="http://www.cue.org/macworld/"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MacWorld</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><a href="http://www.cue.org/contact/"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CUE staff</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, meeting new people at </span><a href="http://gwe.cuetoyou.net/Home"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GWEs</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the superb, unequalled </span><a href="https://rockstarcamp.wikispaces.com/Staff"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rock Star Faculty</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It started with one person who believed in my talents. Then it grew to one small group of folk who knew WAY more than I did, and were willing to let me tag along. Then it became a world-wide family. That I love. They are my second family and they saved my life.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So here’s my thank you - whether you know it or not, at some point you said something at just the perfect time - you’ve given me more than I could ever repay:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
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<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: dotted; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: dotted; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px; padding-top: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://twitter.com/alicekeeler"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@alicekeeler</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/angelamaiers"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@angelamaiers</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@brumbaugh"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@brumbaugh</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@coolcatteacher"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@coolcatteacher</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@dbruick"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@dbruick</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@digitalteacher"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@digitalteacher</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@dowbiggin"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@dowbiggin</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@fisher_donna"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@fisher_donna</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@fitzwalsh"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@fitzwalsh</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@followmolly"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@followmolly</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@gdhuyvetter"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@gdhuyvetter</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@googlz"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@googlz</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@gpiercecummings"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@gpiercecummings</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@henrythiele"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@henrythiele</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@heydana"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@heydana</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@iteachag"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@iteachag</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@jburg"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@jburg</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@jcorippo"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@jcorippo</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: dotted; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: dotted; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; padding-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px; padding-top: 7px; vertical-align: top;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://twitter.com/@lhighfill"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@lhighfill</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@lthumann"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@lthumann</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@magrelacanela"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@magrelacanela</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@marisolvalles"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@marisolvalles</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@markwagner"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@markwagner</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@mhammons"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@mhammons</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@mistersill"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@mistersill</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@mmiller7571"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@mmiller7571</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@rockourworld"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@rockourworld</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@rushtonh"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@rushtonh</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@rwentechaney"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@rwentechaney</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@steerwasher"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@steerwasher</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@techmaverick"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@techmaverick</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@trubol"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@trubol</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@wendygorton"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@wendygorton</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@willkimbley"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@willkimbley</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@wstagnaro"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@wstagnaro</span></a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So...whose life will you save today? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are you saying to your colleagues that empowers them or brings them down? </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We all have a story - what is yours and when was the last time you took the time to discover someone else’s? </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Particularly the other people who care so deeply about our future and our children?</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-85467551049769242182011-07-28T14:02:00.000-07:002012-03-28T15:48:42.370-07:00Raul - The Google Translate Story<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I've been asked to repeat this story multiple times (thrice in rather public places and more times than I can count privately), so I decided to just make it into a post for...posterity's sake...and lest I forget...</span><br />
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.8490307400934398" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As an English teacher turned instructional leader who embraces global perspectives and doesn’t know any other languages (unless you count Pig Latin), my greatest professional insecurity is being unable to communicate and connect with other people. Words matter and that’s why I got into this gig and what I love so much about it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So when I became a Vice Princ</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">ipal at a public high school with a significant population of English Learners, I sought out every opportunity available to throw myself into the English Learner population. I volunteered to work with the English Learner Advisory Council and the English Language Development classes and teachers. I had been to the Google Teacher Academy and gathered the great people you have with you right now...around me...and used their support to keep my determination going.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the start of this school year, I met Raul - no more than 4 feet 10 inches and 90 pounds soaking wet. He was an English Learner, significantly disabled and flirting with gang activity and 14 years old. I met with him multiple times each week, mostly at my own prompting and to his chagrin. He would sit, stone-faced and we would have our battle of wills in which I would usually win. But as much as he pretended that I was just some crazy teacher in an office, I was his safe place to land when he’d get thrown out of class by a substitute or he just didn’t want to get into a fight this week with another student. Raul was failing his classes. All of them. He told me he didn’t want to come to school and saw no point in being there. His attendance solidified his sentiment. I tried time and time again to meet with his mother, but calls went unreturned, notes home went unanswered.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So when I received a note stating that Raul’s mother would be coming in to meet with me and Raul, I cleared my schedule immediately. I frantically searched for someone available to translate to no end so when Raul’s mother showed up, and there was no translator still yet available, I attempted my best attempt at Spanglish until I remembered....my Google Translate App.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I whipped that bad boy out and immediately began typing into it furiously (later on, realizing I could have expedited this process by just speaking into my iPad, but I was concerned with communicating in any way possible). I played my voice. But it wasn't in English. It was in her native language. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And tears began to trickle down his mother’s face. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CRAP! What have I done?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She said to me, in her broken English - “Thank you...this is the first time in Raul’s school that there is nothing between you and me talking. Thank you.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She wanted to see what I was typing into the iPad as I typed it and played it back - completely enthralled and fascinated by this tiny little app. The rest of the conference went well and she walked out ready to kill Raul for his grades and eternally grateful to me. I asked Raul to stay after the meeting to speak with him about how he felt about the meeting, but all he wanted to know was what that app was and what else it could do. We hopped on my MacBook and into Google Translate. His eyes lit up and he couldn’t ask enough questions about its capabilities. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When it became clear that we were done for now, he asked me two questions and the most determined statements I heard ever come from him. “Do you think I could do something like this, or maybe be a translator someday myself?” I said “Yes, absolutely, Raul”. Then, he asked, “Do I need to graduate high school to be a translator?” “Yes, Raul”, I said with a smirk and finally, “I’m going to help my mom learn English with this.” And as he left, he said “I think I’ll come to school tomorrow.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then it was time for me to cry.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raul finished his 9th grade year with improved attendance and he will not be transferred to the continuation school now because he was able to bring his grades up enough to be on track to graduate.</span><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-90121147991054018492011-01-13T15:11:00.000-08:002012-03-28T15:48:53.049-07:00Breaking the Barrier - For One Moment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">As hard as it is sometimes to break through cultural barriers, I had a bitter-sweet moment today. I have a student who moved from Mexico at the start of this school year, with no previous English instruction nor exposure. He was 17 years old.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">He quickly disappeared off of our radar - never coming to classes and not answering the door when home visits were attempted.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">One day, he came back to his classes. His Counselor immediately pulled him out of his class to discuss his attending Adult Education (he was days away from turning 18). The student never came back. Until today.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">While the conversation below may seem very one-sided, what is missing is the fact that this student began to cry as I typed my words in English and he read them in Spanish. He was able to clearly say one thing to me in broken English "Thank you, Ms. Calhoon. No one speak my language to me, but you."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The last statement was written by the student as he was "proving" to me that he was, in fact, going to continue with Adult Education.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MIeJpm_G8X0/TS9-Nt6yRoI/AAAAAAAAFmA/SpeHi8ktez0/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-13+at+2.32.34+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MIeJpm_G8X0/TS9-Nt6yRoI/AAAAAAAAFmA/SpeHi8ktez0/s400/Screen+shot+2011-01-13+at+2.32.34+PM.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-68283794911210104552010-10-20T12:29:00.001-07:002012-03-28T15:49:01.843-07:00A Lesson Worth Remembering<div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This post may not be technology-based, but it is timely and a lesson worth remembering...thanks to Annie for sharing...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This is the story ......</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">of our Mothers and Grandmothers who lived only 90 years ago.<br />
Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.<br />
The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.<br />
And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'<br />
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(Lucy Burns)They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.<br />
(Dora Lewis)<br />
They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cell mate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.<br />
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Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.<br />
(Alice Paul)<br />
When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.<br />
So, refresh MY memory. Some women won't vote this year because - Why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?<br />
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Mrs Pauline Adams in the prison garb she wore while serving a 60 day sentence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.<br />
Miss Edith Ainge, of Jamestown, New York </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.<br />
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(Berthe Arnold, CSU graduate)My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk<br />
about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said. 'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'<br />
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HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco/Bingo night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.<br />
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Conferring over ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution at National Woman's Party headquarters, Jackson Place , Washington , D.C.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> Left to right: Mrs. Lawrence Lewis, Mrs. Abby Scott Baker, Anita Pollitzer, Alice Paul, Florence Boeckel, Mabel Vernon (standing, right)</span></div>
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It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.<br />
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The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'<br />
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Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know. We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.<br />
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Helena Hill Weed, Norwalk , Conn. Serving 3 day sentence in D.C. prison for carrying banner, 'Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.' </span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018342769020485653.post-86114674237383255312010-04-20T13:24:00.000-07:002012-03-28T15:49:08.777-07:00Technology is Not Stuff and Innovation is Not Money<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I've recently spent some time working with a variety of educational groups and teams, discussing technology and its integration into classrooms, schools and K-12 districts. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Inevitably, I will ask folks how they use innovative technology in their respective spaces. (Technology: the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area - thanks m-w.com.) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">And inevitably, I get the same answer (or some variation thereof): Well...(awkward thinking pause)...we are using (pick one or more) interactive white boards, projectors, videos (really?!), VHS to DVD burners, websites...and on and on. Stuff. Lots of stuff. Training for the said stuff? Little or none...or training is going to happen...at some point.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Extension question: Ok, so how are you using these items in innovative ways? (Innovation: the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new - thanks wordnetweb.princeton.edu.) Well, we're starting to look at how we can allocate funds for training and we have a couple people who really know how to use it well - and it does come with software!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">OK, much of this is tongue-in-cheek, and I really think it's a good thing that people are at least acknowledging the value in using some of the "stuff" that has become prevalent in the educational technology world. I'm really trying not to be elitist here - honestly and truly. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">But at some point, we need to yell it out from the mountain tops: </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">TECHNOLOGY IS NOT STUFF AND INNOVATION IS NOT MONEY!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The practical application of knowledge, while simultaneously starting something for the first time or introducing something new is inspiring...stuff and money is not...it's nice, but it's not inspiring.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0