Trying Twitter in the Classroom

A University of Texas professor uses Twitter in her classroom. A video worth watching.

http://kesmit3.blogspot.com/2009/04/twitter-experiment-bringing-twitter-to.html

Technology as an afterthought

An excerpt from an article on Tech&Learning called Passionate Voices by Ryan Bretag.

Educator Ryan Bretag interviewed a group of students about how teaching and learning should look in the 21st century. I like these two paragraphs:

"The concept of technology was really an after thought, it seemed, for many of them. This wasn't because it lacked importance but a belief, when asked, that technology was basically a given. In other words, technology was a key part for making all of the above happen but it was something they wanted to be transparent within the classroom, a multi-dimensional learning space they wanted to be 24/7/7.

Through connective technologies and participatory media, students as pre-professionals, a current and diverse curriculum, and learning could occur to create a well-educated person capable of success in the 21st Century. However, it was made clear with plenty of agreement that technology alone will do very little and that it should never be the only thing, done for its own sake."

Leadership in a Connected Age

Register now!

As the State of Vermont approaches its goal of 100% digital connectivity, business and community leaders must constantly adapt and change the way they communicate, get work done, and participate in the public life of their communities.

Half day workshops
April 28, Lyndonville
May 12, Springfield
May 19, Montpelier
May 26, Middlebury

Full day conference
June 9, Burlington

Steve Shepard explains the series in 90 seconds here.
Steve Shepard talks about Google Voice here.

Great things from CCTV

I just have to write something to celebrate all the wonderful work being done by CCTV in Burlington. I won't attempt to cover everything here, but there are two things I want to share with the readers of this blog.

Under the Dome. Have you heard? CCTV is broadcasting coverage of everything from opening ceremonies to public hearings to interviews with members of our fabulous citizen legislature. And you thought you were going to miss the boat...

Communications Security Meeting #2. I know, you are wondering about meeting #1. If you weren't there, never fear - attend meeting number 2 on January 22! I was at the first meeting and am already registered for the second. It's about making sure that our telecommunications infrastructure is constructed, owned, and managed in a way that benefits all Vermonters. Additionally, CCTV has been asked to contribute feedback about internet policy to the new federal administration. So, join in, educate yourself and make your voice heard!

Email Scams

I am not an alarmist, and I don't think that there are criminals lurking at every turn, trying to steal my passwords and bank account information. I do my banking online, make purchases online, share information online and I'm comfortable with that. However, I have gotten some interesting scam emails lately that could have fooled the uneducated computer user. And, lately, I've heard friends and colleagues wondering about security and privacy on the internet.

Here is a video that I think does a good job of describing how to detect a dangerous email and what to do about it.

Education action team rocks

The Education Action Team had their third meeting on October 21.

Read their big ideas and take a look at the Wordle!

A book called Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns was mentioned. I'm going to pick up a copy. I like the title.

Student Video on Classroom Technology

S. Burlington students made this video contrasting technology in 1983 to today’s classroom technology. First of all, the production values make this thing look like the network news. At the end they list the current ways technology is being used to teach, communicate and learn. It seems like all of this technology is making teaching and learning more efficient. I wonder if it is also fostering a stronger sense of community? Or weakening traditional ties that get formed when students have to call each other on the phone to find out about homework. Do students still have study groups where people all show up at someone’s house?

Here is the link: http://www.eschoolnews.com/video-center/index/index.cfm?i=54133

Posted by Karyn Vogel for Sue McCormack

The democratization of the news

I just read a good article by Joyce Valenza in School Library Journal about a new site called NewsCred. NewsCred has aggregated credible online news sources so you can get the best information quickly and easily. They provide a mix of mainstream newspapers and blogs.
What is a credible news source you say? NewsCred has made an initial selection of online newspapers and blogs based on several factors you can read about on their site. Then, in true Web 2.0 fashion, NewsCred lets users rate sources and customize the site to display the sources they prefer.

As time goes on, the data for each article, news source, and journalist will grow as more readers give them the thumbs up or thumbs down. Who can predict who will come out ahead? What criteria readers will use to make their judgments? And how will these ratings feed back onto the way content is being produced? This is the democratization of the media.

And, as Valenza aptly notes, NewsCred is an excellent tool to use for teaching students how to be critical consumers of news. She suggests reviewing NewsCred’s analytic algorithms with students and asking them to decide if they agree or disagree with the methods being used. Students can also review the user rating data to look for trends and come up with their own criteria. The possibilities are endless and the result is a compelling curriculum that can truly prepare our young people for the world they are entering.

Take a look at NewsCred yourself. Remember to weigh in!

Education action team meeting

Last night I attended the first meeting of the e-State action team focused on the topic of Education. Ellen Thompson, Director of Instruction and Information Services for the Essex Town School District hosted us at the district offices.

We had a great group and some interesting discussion. See Ellen's meeting notes as well as some thoughts from a few folks who couldn't make the meeting on the Snelling e-State wiki by clicking here.

One of my takeaways from this meeting was that there are many promising projects, ideas, and initiatives happening around the state related to technology and education, including right here where I live in Essex. We'll be working to connect the dots and providing opportunities to share and collaborate.