tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78133146073697041372024-03-18T23:07:23.856-04:00Teaching in TallahasseeDoing my part to advance the integration of Web 2.0 technologies across the curriculum.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-25855362246745837142016-01-13T00:23:00.000-05:002016-01-13T00:23:37.210-05:00A different kind of FETC for 2016As FETC veterans begin to arrive at the Orange County Convention Center tomorrow, they will, no doubt, notice some changes. For some it will be the fact the FETC - having long dominated the south wing of the OCCC - is now sharing that space with the surfers convention (water surfers, not web surfers) and is split between the north and south wings. Some will notice that the paid workshops are now located at the Hyatt, a short walk from the rest of FETC. These changes should account for a bit more walking this year. No big deal.<br />
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For me, the major difference is a personal one. It was a difficult first semester this year. Other then making sure I was prepared for my workshop, I really didn't do much in preparation for FETC. There was no planning of the annual Tweetup at TGI Fridays. We had a run of 5 years with the Tweetup, but there was no real drive to organize it this year. Ordinarily, I would spend the weeks leading up to FETC blogging and Tweeting. There was none of that this year. I didn't use the #FETC hashtag until the drive down to Orlando this morning.<br />
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So I wrote all of that to say this, this year FETC will be about re-engaging. Not the regular recharge that I get every year at this massive event. No, I talking about a total reevaluation of my role in education. It will be an opportunity to re-engage with my PLN (which I have neglected as of late). In short, I'm hoping that this week will represent a major turning point in the career. That may seem like a lofty goal for a four day conference. We'll see.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-58770518526200630152015-04-13T10:54:00.001-04:002015-04-13T10:54:35.915-04:00Edcamp Branford: ReflectionsMy experience, limited though it may be (but growing), tells me that each Edcamp has something unique to offer. <a href="http://edcampbranford.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Edcamp Branford</a>, held this past weekend in Branford, FL, certainly helped prove this theory. Thirty minutes off the interstate in rural Suwannee County, Branford High School is the very definition of a rural, small town public school. In fact, Branford is actually a grades 6 to 12 institution with about 700 students. It was clear from the start that small town did not mean short on enthusiasm for sharing and learning.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H5BvdqXqYx0/VSvXE1qWYsI/AAAAAAABF8U/wQLO51BQ8kg/s1600/IMG_3630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H5BvdqXqYx0/VSvXE1qWYsI/AAAAAAABF8U/wQLO51BQ8kg/s1600/IMG_3630.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making new connections is part of the Edcamp experience<br />Photo Credit: @jen_williams & @la_Profe_s</td></tr>
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The 8:00 am start time meant leaving Tallahassee at around 6:00 am. Early for a Saturday morning. I was thankful that the Starbucks in my neighborhood opens a six, and my venti dark roast almost lasted the entire drive. Well if the coffee had not done the trick, the school band entertaining teachers as the entered the school cafeteria would certainly help get the blood moving. It was awesome to see kids investing in their teachers professional development. Student involvement throughout the day was one of the hallmarks of <a href="http://edcampbranford.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Edcamp Branford</a>. In every session that I attended, students were actively participating in discussions. Whether it be about the value of homework, the burden of testing, or the use of Google applications in the classroom, student voice was a major part of the day's learning.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready to kick-off my PLN session<br /></td></tr>
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This was an inaugural event and <a href="https://twitter.com/mathneil" target="_blank">Tammy Neil</a> and her team did a great job in making sure everyone<a href="https://twitter.com/mathneil" target="_blank">Tammy </a>approached me as I entered the door and asked that I do a session of Twitter and PLNs. I pulled some slides out of the can and tackled the first session of the day. True to Edcamp form, those that attended my session made my job easy. Only about half of the 15 or so teachers in the room had used Twitter, and most left eager to employ social media in establishing and building a PLN.<br />
had a valuable PD experience. I had intended to attend this Edcamp without signing up to share a session, but <br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/jswiatek" target="_blank">Jerry Swiatek</a> of <a href="http://www.edcampcitrus.com/" target="_blank">Edcamp Citrus</a> has been doing a session entitled <i>Things That Suck</i> for the last year or so, and it has become a favorite of mine. The idea of the session is to give teachers an opportunity to discuss "hot topic" issues in education - thing that suck. The topics to be discussed are crowd-sourced through a Google Doc. Homework, testing and cellphones in the classroom received the most votes. While there were some real differences of opinion on each of the topics, the most valuable contributions were made by the students in the room. I guess the big takeaway from this session - and really from the entire event - was the value of student voice. We need to do a better job at including them at the table when decisions are being made.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFGlTZHbQZA/VSvW9LJjStI/AAAAAAABF70/oNlTNf4jpjc/s1600/IMG_3626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFGlTZHbQZA/VSvW9LJjStI/AAAAAAABF70/oNlTNf4jpjc/s1600/IMG_3626.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students talking homework at the Things That Suck Session</td></tr>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/MagicPantsJones" target="_blank">Sean Farnum</a> of <a href="http://edcampstaugustine.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Edcamp St. Augustine</a> led a discussion on <a href="http://www.geniushour.com/" target="_blank">Genius Hour</a> (20% Time) that drew a pretty good crowd and lots of good discussion. I suspect their were those like me that have wanted to implement a Genius Hour in our classes, but needed to hear from those that have made it work in their classrooms. Genius Hour is built on the idea of providing students with time to follow their passions, to work on a project that they care about. While Sean was able to share his experiences in an elementray setting, <a href="https://twitter.com/commapolice" target="_blank">Sergio Yanes</a> of Chiles HS (and <a href="http://edcampleon.com/" target="_blank">Edcamp Leon</a>) in Tallahassee talked about how he has made it work in his high school language arts class. Sergio shared how he was inspired by the work of <a href="http://www.kevinbrookhouser.com/the-20time-project" target="_blank">Kevin Brookhouser</a> and his <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/20time" target="_blank">#20time</a> Project. Sean also mentioned the work of <a href="http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=829279" target="_blank">Joy Kirr</a> as a resource for anyone wanting to take the leap. I am determined to make this part of what I do with my students in 2015-16.<br />
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Edcamp Branford is sure to become a regular event on the Florida Edcamp circuit. Congrats to Tammy and her team. If you have still not experienced the power of Edcamp, I urge to checkout the <a href="https://edcamp.wikispaces.com/Complete+edcamp+calendar" target="_blank">schedule of events</a> coming up and spend a day that will change your life. If you are in my nech of the woods in North Florida, here are a few events that you won't want to miss:<br />
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<li><a href="http://edcampstaugustine.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Edcamp St. Augustine</a> - May 9</li>
<li><a href="http://www.edcampmagic.com/home.html" target="_blank">Edcamp Magic</a> - June 6</li>
<li><a href="http://edcampleon.com/" target="_blank">Edcamp Leon</a> - June 13</li>
<li><a href="http://www.edcampcitrus.com/" target="_blank">Edcamp Citrus</a> - September 19</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/edcamptampabay" target="_blank">Edcamp Tampa Bay</a> - October 10</li>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-26015303999259497542014-11-04T12:44:00.000-05:002014-11-04T13:29:35.401-05:00Dropbox teams up with MicrosoftMicrosoft and Dropbox <a href="https://blog.dropbox.com/2014/11/dropbox-microsoft-office-partnership/" target="_blank">announced </a>today a partnership that will provide a seamless integration of the two products. It does appear, at least on the surface, to be a move by both to rival the functionality offered by Google Drive.<br />
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The partnership will make it possible for Office users to save files to their Dropbox accounts without <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeVafO6MznRzM1c5PRIyfoxwelWQF6Wcemwgffc77ZUZPdfYmn3FKSPAX27ZjpRZb6lvKAkf8VCtXhjZagP1Y8DXTuDCD_eFAIN0_HpLZ3h0WgaFKlq6Q3I-CqG2ynoOB0HVbJcxPzNk/s1600/microsoft-dropbox-team-up-by-adding-new-office-centric-features.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeVafO6MznRzM1c5PRIyfoxwelWQF6Wcemwgffc77ZUZPdfYmn3FKSPAX27ZjpRZb6lvKAkf8VCtXhjZagP1Y8DXTuDCD_eFAIN0_HpLZ3h0WgaFKlq6Q3I-CqG2ynoOB0HVbJcxPzNk/s1600/microsoft-dropbox-team-up-by-adding-new-office-centric-features.jpg" height="107" width="200" /></a></div>
leaving the application, This will work across platforms. It will allow Dropbox users to edit Office files from within Dropbox. This is huge convenience for Office users that prefer Dropbox to other cloud storage services.<br />
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The big question that lingers is whether Microsoft will begin offering its Office 365 services for free. Currently, Office 365 requires users to pay a subscription. If the motive for the partnership is to square off with Google, it would seem that dropping the subscription requirement is the next ;logical move. We'll have to wait and see.<br />
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This should also be big news for teachers within school districts that have adopted Office 365. One concern that I hear from teachers from my District is about who controls access to their MS OneDrive storage. This would seem to ease those concerns.<br />
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This latest move provides further evidence that under new CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft is finally beginning to adapt to the demands of mobile computing. These are exciting times.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-42651858948661825602014-10-23T09:00:00.000-04:002014-10-23T09:00:41.167-04:00Is it really cheating in the 21st Century?If this is your first visit to Teaching in Tallahassee, let me make one thing clear from the start - This is not a math blog! As most of my readers know, I'm a history teacher and I blog about both edtech issues and, on occasion, history topics. That being said, I believe that the appearance on the scene of a new math app raises some important questions about what constitutes cheating in our tech-infused world.<br />
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<a href="https://photomath.net/" target="_blank">PhotoMath</a>, which bills itself as a "smart camera calculator," is a new app for iOS and Windows smartphones (coming to Android in early 2015) that utilizes the phone's camera to solve math problems for users. I don't often get overly excited about new apps these days, but this thing is truly amazing. My immediate reaction was, of course, to lament over why this tool wasn't available as I struggled through high school math.<br />
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Once you get past the coolness factor, <a href="https://photomath.net/" target="_blank">PhotoMath</a> should force us to deal with some fundamental questions about the use of tools like this in our schools. I shared the app with a group of my 11th grade students this morning and their immediate reaction was elation over how easy their homework would be from now on. But once we talked about the apps potential for a little while, students began to appreciate <a href="https://photomath.net/" target="_blank">PhotoMath</a> as a tool that could help them learn. You see, in addition to providing the user with a solution, <a href="https://photomath.net/" target="_blank">PhotoMath</a> also provides all of the steps that go into solving a problem. That could be extremely powerful for struggling students, if used correctly.<br />
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So how do we define that fine line between cheating and proper use of the tools that emerging technologies provide? I think that can be answered in the same way that I would answer questions about many tech tools that students are using, whether or not we as educators approve. We can either shut our classroom door to the tool (as many have done with smartphones), or we can embrace the tool, incorporate it into what we are doing, and teach students how to use the tool in a responsible and productive way. One thing is for sure, kids are going to use <a href="https://photomath.net/" target="_blank">PhotoMath</a>. The question is: How will we as educators adapt?<br />
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I would love to hear your ideas in the comments.<br />
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Here is a video from the <a href="https://photomath.net/" target="_blank">PhotoMath</a> website that shows how this app works.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-70924968277565996282014-10-20T16:50:00.000-04:002017-11-16T16:07:31.532-05:00Edcamp Lake: Reflections from a Day of Learning<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gqrKc12kafA/VEU46jkikJI/AAAAAAABB-o/SbmIpvXEWJM/s1600/IMAGE_266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gqrKc12kafA/VEU46jkikJI/AAAAAAABB-o/SbmIpvXEWJM/s1600/IMAGE_266.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">w/ Jerry Blumengarten</td></tr>
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It was an early start for a Saturday morning. To make it to Eustis, FL - home of <a href="http://edcamplake.weebly.com/" target="_blank">#EdcampLake</a> - I had to leave the house at 5am. The minute that I walked into the cafeteria at Eustis High School, I knew that the four hour drive would be worth it. Most of the teachers in the room were Edcamp first-timers, but the session idea board was already filling up. I scrambled to make sure I secured a spot to lead a discussion on transforming the classroom with cloud-based tools.<br />
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It doesn't matter how far from home an edcamp takes you, there always seems to be a familiar face in the crowd. If that edcamp happens to be in Florida, one of those familiar faces will probably be <a href="https://twitter.com/cybraryman1" target="_blank">@cybraryman1</a> himself, <a href="http://cybraryman.com/" target="_blank">Jerry Blumengarten</a>. Then there are the other connected educators that you know by their Twitter handles, but have never met face-to-face. It was great to connect with folks like Tammy Neil <a href="https://twitter.com/MathNeil" target="_blank">@mathneil</a> and Shauna Liverotti <a href="https://twitter.com/MsLivFL" target="_blank">@MsLivFL</a>. Like with any workshop or conference, some of the most valuable takeaways come from the connections made outside of the scheduled sessions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tammy Neil talking Twitter</td></tr>
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I decided, as I was driving south, that I would spend much of my time at <a href="http://edcamplake.weebly.com/" target="_blank">#EdcampLake</a> floating around so that I could get a sense of what was on the minds of teachers in attendance. After sitting in <a href="http://tammyneil.com/" target="_blank">Tammy Neil's</a> session on Twitter, two things became abundantly clear. First, we still have a long way to go to get teachers connected. Second, and perhaps more important, teachers are clamoring for ways to get connected. Tammy is doing a great job at spreading the message of the PLN. One of my big takeaways from her session was learning about <a href="https://fledchat.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">#FledChat</a>, that meets on Twitter every Wednesday at 8pm, and which Tammy co-moderates. I can't wait to sit in on my first #FledChat this week.<br />
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I also sat in on a couple of sessions led by <a href="https://twitter.com/MsLivFL" target="_blank">Shauna Liverotti</a>, one on Flat Classrooms and another on Effective Feedback. It was interesting to hear how teachers from all over the curriculum are trying to extend learning beyond the walls of their schools. I believe that we are just now scratching the surface of possibilities with regard to flat classrooms. That's what makes events like edcamp so important. Teachers are not getting what they need through traditional district-run professional development. This is one of those discussions that reminds me that for authentic change to happen, it will have to come from teachers. Despite the efforts of people like <a href="http://ericsheninger.com/esheninger/home" target="_blank">Eric Sheninger</a> and the work he and others are doing to connect principals, we have a long way to go before school administrators will start to lead in areas the really matter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dcvd01-LeXY/VEU5jBJ7N3I/AAAAAAABB_k/_Kx337gQ4_k/s1600/IMAGE_273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dcvd01-LeXY/VEU5jBJ7N3I/AAAAAAABB_k/_Kx337gQ4_k/s1600/IMAGE_273.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shauna Liverotti & Flat Classrooms</td></tr>
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The discussion that Shauna led on effective feedback was one that challenged me personally. Between the rush to cover ever-changing standards and trying to integrate meaningful learning experiences for my students, I struggle with providing feedback in a timely manner. I know that to be meaningful it has to be timely. We were fortunate to have a student in the room, and her insight was extremely valuable. How often do we consult with students about what it means to provide meaningful feedback. The issue of allowing student input on things like grading rubrics was discussed. An interesting idea, to be sure.<br />
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Finally, I can no longer say that I never win anything at the closing door-prize sessions. I walked away with a Livescribe Echo SmartPen. Now I just have to find time to play with it. Before closing I should offer my congratulations to Jim Curtis and the rest of the Edcamp Lake organization for a great event. This was their first year, and they are off to a grand start.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-86152738936306905222014-08-28T22:10:00.001-04:002014-08-28T23:38:13.686-04:00Remind just got better<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNgT3BCW0hGdMFrrsP80AjG5O08W-1LBVCEME4fmG8vnmX5LwJRdeWEF44rC5MlXRxIgXYreMNaKIovbsDHv2XQazANSrVlAAfa9lpm2HhsWUGn7NJtl2vyoQP6UitQrJjZed6QXxgV4/s1600/remind.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNgT3BCW0hGdMFrrsP80AjG5O08W-1LBVCEME4fmG8vnmX5LwJRdeWEF44rC5MlXRxIgXYreMNaKIovbsDHv2XQazANSrVlAAfa9lpm2HhsWUGn7NJtl2vyoQP6UitQrJjZed6QXxgV4/s1600/remind.png" height="105" width="200" /></a>Exciting news broke today from the folks at the popular education text-messaging service <a href="http://rmd.me/d24t" target="_blank">Remind</a>. They've added two new features - Stamps and Voice Attachments - that I believe will become incredibly popular with teachers this school year.<br />
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Up until now, <a href="http://rmd.me/d24t" target="_blank">Remind </a>has given educators the ability to distribute information to students and parents through a one-way avenue. Stamps allows teachers to collect instant feedback from students and parents. The way teachers send messages hasn't changed, but when the messages are viewed by students and parents who are using the <a href="http://rmd.me/d24t" target="_blank">Remind </a>iOS and Android app they will have the option of responding with one of four Stamps - a yellow star, a green check, a red X, or a purple question mark. Only the teacher will see the responses and who sent them. <a href="http://rmd.me/d24t" target="_blank">Remind </a>provides teachers with an aggregated list of responses. I can't wait to see the great ideas that teachers come up with for using this new feature.<br />
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The other new feature is the addition of voice attachments to messages. Teachers can now add voice message of up to 15 seconds in length to any outgoing message. As <a href="http://rmd.me/d24t" target="_blank">Remind </a>CEO Brett Kopf says, the "tone" of messages will come through on the student/parent side. This will give messages some life and make them more meaningful. Voice is also really easy to use. Simply select the attachment feature when sending a message and record your message.<br />
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Both of these options work best when used through the mobile app. Stamps can only be used by students and parent that are also using the mobile app. Those receiving messages through text will not see the Stamp feature. Voice attachments can be received through both text and the mobile app.<br />
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If you haven't yet done so today, go update your iOS or Android Remind app and give these new features a try. Then come back here and share your ideas through the comments.<br />
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Not using <a href="http://rmd.me/d24t" target="_blank">Remind </a>yet? Go there right now and sign-up! You won't be sorry.<br />
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Check out this recording of Brett Kopf and Erin Klein discussing today's news in a Google Hangout.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-18130393615478208872014-04-15T12:33:00.000-04:002014-04-15T12:34:34.774-04:00Revisiting Audioboo: Podcasting made incredibly simple<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEh7EqSSEhrlz7mMNacdWYqgtlpgDrd7g4QZNdj40k6T0AC3pDauDXCWiGF5-YPB5ARvUfVY8eQOt77mews8sPOBXmbRCU8UDTXglfQZPygIq9uQG90KbEzwbvSwa-pqXtJ56fzMHKNU/s1600/audioboo-1e1g1my.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEh7EqSSEhrlz7mMNacdWYqgtlpgDrd7g4QZNdj40k6T0AC3pDauDXCWiGF5-YPB5ARvUfVY8eQOt77mews8sPOBXmbRCU8UDTXglfQZPygIq9uQG90KbEzwbvSwa-pqXtJ56fzMHKNU/s1600/audioboo-1e1g1my.jpg" height="200" width="194" /></a>I received an email from a colleague a few days ago asking for advice on a podcasting app that she can use with her students. I immediately suggested that she check out <a href="https://audioboo.fm/" target="_blank">Audioboo</a>, even though it had been a couple of years since I last used it myself.<br />
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Audioboo offers one click audio recording, with a simple publishing process. With the free account, students can record up to 10 minutes per post. What Audioboo lacks in extensive editing tools, it makes up for with a very simple cropping tool. Its simplicity makes it the perfect podcasting application for use with students. Though I discovered Audioboo through its iPhone app, there is also a user-friendly website interface as well as an Andriod app (currently in beta).<br />
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Check out the <a href="https://audioboo.fm/about/education" target="_blank">Audioboo in Education</a> page for ideas and examples for using podcasting with your students. School news, expert interviews, peer assessments, biography projects; the possibilities seem limitless.<br />
I was also excited to learn that Audioboo is now available in the Edmodo app store, offering unlimited use for just $4.99.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-67569286609015059662014-04-02T09:57:00.000-04:002014-04-02T10:00:49.780-04:00Inklewriter: Choose Your Own Adventure for the 21st CenturyRemember the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choose_Your_Own_Adventure" target="_blank">Choose Your Own Adventure</a></i> series of books from the 1980s? They were the ingenious creation Edward Packard, and put you, the reader, in the story. At the end of a chapter, the reader would choose how the story would proceed from among a couple of plot options. I was not a prolific reader in my youth (something that I regret now) but I do remember how engaging these books were. The web application <a href="http://www.inklestudios.com/inklewriter/" target="_blank">Inklewriter </a>puts the power of creating this kind of interactive story at your fingertips. <br />
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<a href="http://www.inklestudios.com/inklewriter/" target="_blank">Inklewriter </a>allows writers to focus on their writing, while the application takes care of the challenging task of organizing the various plot twists. I believe that this kind of application has the potential to revolutionize creative writing classes. I teach history, and I know that there is an application for this product in the history classroom - I just haven't figured it out yet.<br />
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Here is a promo video put together by <a href="http://www.inklestudios.com/" target="_blank">Inklestudios</a>:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0LkvLMiGj7w" width="560"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-75689241597255781262014-04-02T09:03:00.000-04:002014-04-02T09:03:54.897-04:00Remind101 keeps getting better - File attachment feature added<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP206O8H6sYAJJaIlsjMKRLiTO5tL1K-KKKwl0BZUf9Dsjr2BZmKIdm27IXI9yKUGHzDoIRdlLRvn_YSZHwRfB_tZe_NfZGz-mVezdgf5VNVY56As1NGtvoofurZzPYbjllcT8ppsa1Y/s1600/Remind+101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP206O8H6sYAJJaIlsjMKRLiTO5tL1K-KKKwl0BZUf9Dsjr2BZmKIdm27IXI9yKUGHzDoIRdlLRvn_YSZHwRfB_tZe_NfZGz-mVezdgf5VNVY56As1NGtvoofurZzPYbjllcT8ppsa1Y/s1600/Remind+101.jpg" height="67" width="200" /></a>Over the past couple of years, the educational texting application <a href="https://www.remind101.com/" target="_blank">Remind101</a> has become one of the most important communication tools in my arsenal. As a simple blast-text tool, Remind101 gave me reason enough to put it to use with my classes. But this small start-up has not rested on its laurels. They have continued to make improvements, broadening the scope while maintaining the tool's simplicity.<br />
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Remind101 owes a lot of its success to the fact that they continue to seek out advice and feedback from real teachers. They are not the company at edtech conferences wining and dining school district folks with $30,000 events. They are the guys and gals wearing the cool t-shirts and picking teachers' brains around a pint at the small pubs. This grassroots market research has led to several improvements and new features, such as small-group texting and others.<br />
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Remind101's newest feature, released just a day or so ago, allows teachers to attach files to their text messages. This is exciting news. Many of the messages that I send through Remind101 points students to resources that I have posted on my class website or Edmodo. Now I can simply attach those files to the message. The attachment does use up 20 characters, leaving me 120 characters for the body of my message. A small price for this great feature, but something to keep in mind. I have not yet encountered a file-size limit.<br />
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What kind of stuff would you attach to text messages to students? Homework assignments, reading packets, pics of the class whiteboard, fun pics of class activities. The possibilities are exciting. So, how would you use this new feature? Remind101 is<a href="http://blog.remind101.com/post/81409607826/ipad-giveaway-with-remind101-attach" target="_blank"> running a contest of best practices</a>. Come up with some great ideas to share, and you could win an iPad. If you have still not given Remind101 a test run, I urge to go there right now and try it out.<br />
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Here is a short promo video on Remind101's new attachment feature.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YXBbFaV23Ss" width="560"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-77708871641576548572014-01-30T14:00:00.002-05:002014-01-30T14:01:18.268-05:00FETC 2014: Day 3 and Hitting Our Stride<div>
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It has been a busy morning. I presented my first workshop of the week this morning, and that always makes for a scramble to get ready. That's my excuse for getting a late start here and on Twitter. I'll try to make it up throughout the rest of the day.</div>
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There are some great sessions on today's lineup, and a few that I consider can't miss opportunities. Here is what I'll be checking out this afternoon:</div>
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<b>Exploring New Literacies for Networked, Self-Directed Learners and Makers</b> with <a href="http://willrichardson.com/">Will Richardson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/willrich45">@willrich45</a> - 3:20pm in S310GH</div>
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If you have not heard Will speak before, don't miss this opportunity. I attended his session yesterday and had not planned on going back today. However, I have to hear more from this guy. He is starting the conversation that we should all be apart of - How do we fundamentally change education to serve today's learners.</div>
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<b>Digital Learning Across the Curriculum</b> with <a href="http://ericsheninger.com/esheninger">Eric Sheninger</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nmhs_principal">@nmhs_principal</a> - 4:20 in S310EF</div>
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I missed Eric this morning because I was presenting my own workshop at the same time. Like Will Richardson, Eric's is another can't miss session. Eric is transforming education at New Milford HS in way that should serve as a model for the rest of the country. Don't miss this one!</div>
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As you wander the exhibit floor this afternoon, make sure you take time to visit the folks at <a href="https://www.remind101.com/">Remind101</a> and <a href="http://www.wevideo.com/">WeVideo</a>. These are two products that I really believe in, and both companies want to hear your ideas and feedback.</div>
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I have several posts that already need to be written, to go in depth with some of the most important things being discussed this week. Keep an eye out over the next few days.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-65033362427389658622014-01-29T10:54:00.000-05:002014-01-29T10:56:22.923-05:00FETC 2014: Day 2 Underway<div>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">Things are starting to pickup at the OCCC. Crowds will continue to build throughout the day, peaking at the Opening Keynote at 3:30. Discovery Education's Chief Architecture and Engineering Expert Danny Forster will deliver this year's opening keynote address. Over the year's, the opening keynote has been a mixed bag - some good, some lacking the inspiration that teachers look for in a keynote. I report later on how this year's address is </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">received</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">.</span><br />
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My day started with a session that I am still sitting in - <b>Educating Modern Learners: Intensive Look at the Contexts, Literacies and Practices that Supports Students</b> by <a href="http://willrichardson.com/">Will Richardson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/willrich45">@willrich45</a>. Why isn't this guy doing one of this year's keynotes? Like most attendees, I do get excited about learning about new tools. Many get really pumped up scouring the exhibit floor for free pens and water bottles. But this is the kind of session that every attendee should be hearing. Will is asking the right questions. Questions like, "What are the key changes we have to understand in order for the conversation to be relevant?" I plan on devoting a post later on Will's talk, so I'll refrain from further comment now.</div>
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So what does the rest of my day look like?</div>
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As I mentioned, I'm looking forward to the opening keynote. Before the keynote, I'll be at <b>Techshare Live! with Adam Bellow, Hall Davidson, Leslie Fisher and Kathy Schrock.</b> Techshare begins at 11am in the main hall (SA1). This is always a popular session, and really serves as the unofficial kick-off for FETC. If you going, get there early to beat the crowds to the good seats.</div>
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I'll probably dropout of Techshare a little early to get over to Meg Ormiston's talk, <b>Engaging Students in BYOT Classrooms</b>. Meg is great and the topic is hot.</div>
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I'll wrap-up the day at tonight's PLN Tweet-up at TGI Friday's. This is our 4th year getting together for the "unconference" event, and is always a great time to interact face to face with the PLN. Get <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AowXNG2yiGnVdFhRTnNBekVFenhwMHZXSjNMRFduRnc&usp=sharing">more info here</a>. All are invited.</div>
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I'll be posting later with more in depth comments on Will's talk, and anything else that comes up today.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-61350713546651596462014-01-28T10:09:00.000-05:002014-01-28T10:09:51.660-05:00FETC 2014: Game-based learning is the buzzword today<div>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">The learning has officially begun at FETC 2014. It is becoming clear, at least for today, that "game-based leaning (#GBL)" will be one of the buzzwords that comes out of this year's conference. FETC, Learning Games Network, and BrainPOP have put together a full-day of workshops to help teachers implement #GBL in their classrooms.</span><br />
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A couple of the tools being shared early on are <a href="https://getkahoot.com/">Kahoot!</a> and <a href="http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/">Lure of the Labyrinth</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://getkahoot.com/">Kahoot!</a> is a classroom response system. It accommodates images, making it really useful as a formative assessment tool.</div>
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<a href="http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/">Lure of the Labyrinth</a> is fun math-focused game. One of the interesting points that came up when talking about this game is that many of these games are being developed so that instructions are not needed. That should help teachers with implementation, particularly if using them in a flipped environment.</div>
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Scott Osterweil, who will be speaking later in the week, talks about the Nature of Play and Learning:</div>
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More on #GBL later . . .Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-3895258622307942552014-01-28T08:50:00.000-05:002014-01-28T08:50:55.728-05:00FETC 2014: The calm before the storm<div>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">Tuesday, January 28, 2014 - 8:30 am</span><div style="font-family: Tahoma; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AX6M-lywH8gdHPoBKoCiYwA9X9_Gjo8bsBV9SKKZLnOba9MvpJjjh2miuJx2Rj6-v2yQ1w7LILH1EKJEl-wusc-Q2w7QP5unx8T4d-CTQ9y7CqemZzn03pTxgRqRFaCW9cMZW0wXgMo/s1600/IMG_6395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AX6M-lywH8gdHPoBKoCiYwA9X9_Gjo8bsBV9SKKZLnOba9MvpJjjh2miuJx2Rj6-v2yQ1w7LILH1EKJEl-wusc-Q2w7QP5unx8T4d-CTQ9y7CqemZzn03pTxgRqRFaCW9cMZW0wXgMo/s1600/IMG_6395.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>By this time tomorrow, the Orange County Convention Center will be a bevy of activity as conference attendees will be scrambling to register and kick-off their week of learning and sharing. This morning . . . it's a mere trickle. Today's schedule consist of paid workshops, and while things will pick-up as the day progresses, it will still pale in comparison to the onslaught that we'll see tomorrow. FETC has over 8,000 registered for this year's conference, a significant increase over the past couple of years.</div>
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A quick glance at today's workshop schedule and it appears that Google Apps and game-based learning will be hot topics this year. It will be interesting to see what other buzz words surface throughout the week. I plan on popping into a few Google sessions today. I'm looking forward to hearing what <a href="https://twitter.com/Clane">Cindy Lane</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/crafty184">Chris Craft</a> have to share.</div>
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I'll be posting several times a day, throughout the week, so please stop by often. I'll also be Tweeting everything that you will want to see from FETC 2014. Follow me at <a href="https://twitter.com/stephenveliz">@stephenveliz</a> on Twitter.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-90378473913650469942014-01-26T19:18:00.003-05:002014-01-26T22:55:45.013-05:00FETC 2014: A Field Guide<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VAo_xa1bBM8hl47XeR3ZzWDDRK1TTcnk4iKk7ftX11266rQU61_2MUg-YwrrDXFHWZgoJahQJsmoaaVom3uBXZp-AYBXJmdlufId3fm7nQuY4vzpCqxmnF6r-UaJtZNrNo47MBqubk8/s1600/FETC_2014_Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VAo_xa1bBM8hl47XeR3ZzWDDRK1TTcnk4iKk7ftX11266rQU61_2MUg-YwrrDXFHWZgoJahQJsmoaaVom3uBXZp-AYBXJmdlufId3fm7nQuY4vzpCqxmnF6r-UaJtZNrNo47MBqubk8/s1600/FETC_2014_Logo.png" /></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; widows: 2;">At this time tomorrow, I'll be getting ready to depart for Orlando and the Florida Education Technology Conference (#FETC). With 8500 attendees from 42 countries and over 600 companies sharing their latest products, FETC is one of the most important educational conferences of the year. This year's conference boasts over 200 sessions and workshops covering topics that run the gamut; from building 21st schools, to employing web 2.0 tools that foster collaboration and learning. While the "official" start of FETC is on Wednesday, January 29, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) will be abuzz on Tuesday with pre-conference workshops conducted throughout the day. You can find a list of the paid workshops at FETC.org.</span><br />
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Because of the sheer size and numbers involved with a conference like this, it is impossible to see and do everything. All conference attendees, but especially first-timers, would be well served in doing a little conference pre-planning. I just spend the last hour working through the conference website and mobile app, charting my course for the coming week. While I will certainly veer of that course from time to time, my plan will at least give me a sense of direction as I navigate the crowded corridors of the OCCC.</div>
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The purpose of this post is to provide conference attendees - veteran and novice alike - with tips to help make your week more profitable. It is probably best to start with what to bring - both in your suitcase and your backpack. Then I'll share my list of must see sessions. As with any conference like this, the after-hours schedule can be as important as anything else, so I'll share a couple of events that I think would be worth your time.</div>
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<b>An FETC Packing List</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Shoes - Any packing list for FETC should begin with this in mind - the OCCC is HUGE! You will be walking a lot. From treking from the parking lot to the building, to running from session to session, to navigating the enormous exhibit hall, and standing over beverages in the evening, you spend much of the week on your feet. This makes footwear one of your most important concerns as you begin to pack. Err on the side of comfort and stability.</li>
<li>Dress for Success - The forecast is calling for temperatures in Orlando that range from the low 40s to upper 70s. There is also a 50% chance a rain on Monday and Wednesday. Like with your footwear, I would plan my wardrobe with comfort as a priority. Regular dress for FETC ranges from very casual (shorts and tees) to business casual. I would also pack a light jacket or sweater, and a raincoat or umbrella. As they say, "If you don't like the weather in Florida, wait 5 minutes and it will change."</li>
<li>The Backpack - Think lightweight. That being said, make sure you have whichever device you are most comfortable using. Over the years, I have moved from carrying my heavy laptop, to a much more comfortable iPad, to this year when I plan on going back to the laptop (albeit a much lighter version). FETC provides free WiFi throughout the conference area. Don't forget your charging cables!</li>
<li>Save a little extra space in your bags for stuff that you pickup from exhibitors. If there is one thing that teachers can't resist, it is free stuff. They'll be tons of swag being tossed your way as you stroll through the exhibit hall. While this is exciting as you fill your bags, remember that you have to carry all of this stuff home. This can get expensive if you are flying.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Session Recommendations</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Deciding which sessions to attend should be a very personal matter. However, I will share some of my top picks for the week. When choosing sessions to attend, I often look at who is presenting as much as what is being presented. So here goes.</li>
<li><b>Educating Modern Learners: Contexts, Literacies and Practices for Students</b> - <a href="http://willrichardson.com/">Will Richardson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/willrich45">@willrich45</a> - Wednesday, January 29 at 8:00am - Paid Workshop $WWA072</li>
<li style="display: inline; list-style: none;"><ul>
<li>Over the years, Will has authored one of the must-read blogs in the edtech movement.</li>
<li>Session Description: We are in transition from traditional thinking about classrooms, teaching, schools and education to a much more technology-rich, student-centered, authentic, modern definition for all of that and more. Understand the changing contexts for learning, gain a clear understanding of modern learning literacies, learn a framework for beginning conversations and actions around system change, envision and design new classrooms, schools and practices to serve modern learning and learners, and develop a 5 days-5 months-5 years plan for changing personal learning practice.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><b>TechShare LIVE!</b> - <a href="http://www.edutecher.net/index.php">Adam Bellow</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/adambellow">@adambellow</a>, <a href="http://www.halldavidson.net/">Hall Davidson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HallDavidson">@HallDavidson</a>, <a href="http://lesliefisher.com/">Leslie Fisher</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/lesliefisher">@lesliefisher</a>, <a href="http://www.schrockguide.net/">Kathy Schrock</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kathyschrock">@kathyschrock</a> - Wednesday, January 29 at 11:00am - TSL386</li>
<li style="display: inline; list-style: none;"><ul>
<li>Always a great way to kick-off opening day, this is a rapid-fire sessions of great web 2.0 tools.</li>
<li>Session Description: What's new. What's great and Where to Get IT! Back by popular demand! Join us for this fun and fast-paced session prior to the Opening Keynote! Get a first look at the latest, most exciting gadgets, apps, hardware and software in educational technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><b>Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times</b> - <a href="http://ericsheninger.com/esheninger">Eric Sheninger</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NMHS_Principal">@nmhs_principal</a> - Thursday, January 30 at 10:00am - FS1383</li>
<li style="display: inline; list-style: none;"><ul>
<li>Titled after his recently released book, this session is a must for every administrator in the country. Too bad they won't all be here. But you will be, so make sure this session is on your calendar, whether you are an administrator or not.</li>
<li>Session Description: Learning today should unleash the creativity of our students and prepare them with essential skills sets for success in a digital world. Attendees will discover how to seize the opportunity inherent in ubiquitous connectivity, an evolving real-time Web, open-source technology, mobile devices, and personalization to integrate digital learning across the curriculum.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><b>Removing the Distance from Distance Learning</b> - <a href="http://ideasandthoughts.org/">Dean Shareski</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/shareski">@shareski</a> - Thursday, January 30 at 1:00pm - FS3050</li>
<li style="display: inline; list-style: none;"><ul>
<li>One of the most important though-leaders in edtech, Shareski always puts on a good show.</li>
<li>Session Description: Many of our distance courses are still taught like correspondence courses where work is submitted to the teacher only and students are required to have strong independent skills. This session will explore the strategies, tools and design principles that will enable teachers to create learning experiences that are equal to and perhaps at times better than face to face courses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><b>Rapid-Fire Learning: 20 in 40</b> - <a href="http://blog.web20classroom.org/">Steven Anderson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/web20classroom">@web20classroom</a> - Thursday, January 30 at 1:00pm - FS3384</li>
<li style="display: inline; list-style: none;"><ul>
<li>Anderson and Shareski are on at the same time. This will be a toss-up. Steve is another star in edtech circles.</li>
<li>Session Description: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px;">Arm your technology toolkit with some of the latest, greatest and most interesting tools around. Join us as we will do some rapid-fire learning and go through the Top 20 Tools in 40 Minutes.</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>Digital Learning Across the Curriculum</b> - <a href="http://ericsheninger.com/esheninger">Eric Sheninger</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NMHS_Principal">@nmhs_principal</a> - Thursday, January 30 at 4:20 - FS6382</span></li>
<li style="display: inline; list-style: none;"><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">If you miss Eric earlier today, don't make that mistake twice.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Session Description: The time is now to change and transform schools to meet the needs of key stakeholders. Learn how to harness the power of digital tools and social media to improve communications, enhance public relations, establish a brand presence, increase student engagement, transform learning spaces, and grow professionally like never before.</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>Leading, Learning and Modern School</b> - <a href="http://christopherlehman.wordpress.com/">Christopher Lehmenn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/chrislehmann">@chrislehmenn</a> - Friday, January 31 at 8:45am - KEY456</span></li>
<li style="display: inline; list-style: none;"><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Get up early for Christopher's session. Chris is another of the principals out there that are walking the walk.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Session Description: In a time of great societal change, schools have had to work hard to re-imagine and re-envision the purpose of school. How can we create learning institutions where all members of the community, students, teachers, and administrators alike see themselves as active learners? How can we leverage all of the tools at our disposal to transform our schools into ever-evolving communities of practice that enable students to be powerfully engaged in their world today and prepared to be fully realized citizens of the world tomorrow?</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>Go Digital and Ignite Professional Development</b> - <a href="http://lynhilt.com/">Lyn Hilt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/lynhilt">@lynhilt</a> - Friday, January 31 at 10:00am - CS7768</span></li>
<li style="display: inline; list-style: none;"><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Learning for teachers is in as much need of a change as teaching student. I'm really looking forward to this session.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Session Description: This session will briefly review adult learning theory and the needs of today's social learners to support professional development. "Unconference" models, flipped faculty meetings, and teacher-led PD will be explored. Tools that will be shared include screen capture/video creation tools, as well as the use of Google Docs, Google Hangout and Google+ communities to promote collaboration. We will examine the use of blogs, wikis, Twitter, backchannels, virtual notebooks/walls, and social bookmarking as methods by which administrators can share pertinent information with staff anytime, anywhere and obtain feedback before, during, and after PD sessions.</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">There are many, many more sessions from great presenters. These are just the few that I look forward to hearing. My number one piece of advice is to plan before you go. FETC has developed a handy mobile appthat makes planning your schedule a breeze.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>Share, Share, Share</b></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">One of the most valuable things about FETC is the sharing that take place - during sessions, in the corridors, and just about every other place where attendees gather.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">#FETC - Twitter serves as the central hub for most of the sharing that takes place during the week. If you have not yet embraced Twitter as a part of your professional development, there is no better time to experience the power of this essential social networking tool than this week at FETC. Just follow the #FETC hashtag for a non-stop feed updates.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">If you are new to Twitter and are not sure how all of this works, just talk to others that you meet or jump into one of the many Twitter-focused sessions. It will change your life.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>Special Events</b></span></div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">It will be a full or learning and sharing, but don't forget to enjoy yourself. There will be many "after-hours" events, sponsored by vendors or formed on the fly by attendees. I encourage you to find something to do after a long day of learning.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>The Annual "Unofficial" PLN Tweet-up</b> - What started as a fairly small group getting together at TGI Friday's a few years ago, is now one of the real highlights of the week. This year, we'll meet on Wednesday evening at 7:00pm, at the TGI Friday's at 8955 International Drive (the one near Dave & Buster's). This is the place to be on Wednesday night. To add your name to the list of those that plan on attending - a Who's Who of the Edtech PLN - just <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AowXNG2yiGnVdFhRTnNBekVFenhwMHZXSjNMRFduRnc&usp=drive_web#gid=0">click here</a> to get to the Google Doc.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>FETC Phot Walk</b> - New this year, this sounds like a lot of fun. Organizers are attempting to break the world record for the largest photo walk. To participate in this free event, meet in front of the South Concourse of the OCCC at 9:30 on Wednesday morning. It looks like it will be about a three mile walk along International Drive. For more info, <a href="http://fetc.org/events/educational-technology-conference/information/fetc-photo-walk.aspx">click here</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Well, that was a lot of information. But it was really just a drop in the bucket of what you will see and experience this week in Orlando. I will be posting often throughout each day right here on the blog. I also invite you to follow me on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/stephenveliz">@stephenveliz</a>. Enjoy your week and FETC 2014.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-9010413940667859672013-12-19T11:26:00.000-05:002013-12-19T15:23:33.329-05:00Postach.io - The Marriage of Blogging and Evernote<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvuO_EuBfhI_UxJS6I5d0K7TJlTQSW4KBQJC91uV3QoRyan7EKB8on5NcSUIjY6-JzvNd85QjJg95irn4ImuKfTTdPho9zM5Edoh66baTwO32cJp-hVkjBDg7Jr5Tg4KzZCFFRd1u63M/s1600/postach.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvvuO_EuBfhI_UxJS6I5d0K7TJlTQSW4KBQJC91uV3QoRyan7EKB8on5NcSUIjY6-JzvNd85QjJg95irn4ImuKfTTdPho9zM5Edoh66baTwO32cJp-hVkjBDg7Jr5Tg4KzZCFFRd1u63M/s200/postach.png" width="200" /></a>This is probably the most excited that I've been about a new tool in a long time. Once in while a tool comes along that sends my mind reeling about its possible applications in the classroom. <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> is just that kind of tool. It is built around the idea of publishing blog posts directly from <a href="https://evernote.com/" target="_blank">Evernote</a> by simply adding the tag "published" to any note. It's that simple!<br />
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To get started, just visit <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> and setup a new account using your Evernote credentials. There is acollection of super clean themes from which to choose. <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> will auto-create your first post which provides you with a simple set of instructions to get you started.<br />
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Because posts are created within Evernote, you can post from wherever you access your Evernote account. This immediately gets me thinking about students posting from their smart phones, from wherever they happen to be - journaling from a museum field trip, live-blogging a science experiment, or sharing lecture notes. The possibilities are almost endless.<br />
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You can take a look at <a href="http://teachinghistory.postach.io/" target="_blank">a blog that I created</a> on <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> to highlight history resources. I plan on experimenting with it as a live-blogging platform from FETC in January. Stay tuned.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-37324751505953105592013-01-29T11:38:00.001-05:002013-12-19T11:27:15.490-05:00The Smackdown is on at FETC 2013<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqskk3pHH3KG1X2LK0ofhSUgmnn5A69MDFXc667F8vGzb2EfUbBz5u8QnT5NBlGWT-9WrfV0GI6ZWf3CxBjSZ8j7YdxHLQpOE39pJt_nWxGnouCzR_kUZxw9q4Bd12LFEpR0jSYGFFud8/s640/blogger-image--1987834217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqskk3pHH3KG1X2LK0ofhSUgmnn5A69MDFXc667F8vGzb2EfUbBz5u8QnT5NBlGWT-9WrfV0GI6ZWf3CxBjSZ8j7YdxHLQpOE39pJt_nWxGnouCzR_kUZxw9q4Bd12LFEpR0jSYGFFud8/s400/blogger-image--1987834217.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-52316853419595352142012-05-21T11:03:00.000-04:002012-05-21T11:06:44.368-04:00Books vs. E-books<div style="text-align: center;">
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Produced by OnlineUniversities.com, the following infographic gives us an idea about how people are using e-books. I would expect this data to change rapidly over the next few years.<br />
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How are you reading? Do you read e-books? If so, on what - iPad, Kindle, Nook, etc.? <br />
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<a href="http://www.onlineuniversities.com/e-book-nation"><img alt="E-book Nation" border="0" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/infographics/E-Book-Nation-800.png" width="500" /></a><br />
Brought to you by: <a href="http://www.onlineuniversities.com/">OnlineUniversities.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-85493866032482384142012-05-11T14:48:00.000-04:002012-06-07T13:23:01.951-04:00Leave the Classroom Behind<div style="color: white;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Originally posted at The Tallahassee Democrat Online - <a href="http://blogs.tallahassee.com/community/2012/06/06/leave-the-classroom-behind/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Odd
thing for a teacher to say, I know. Ho</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">wever, I was reminded just last week
about how much I truly believe that statement. Just as I’ve done for the past
three years around this time, I hit the road with fifty seventh graders on an
adventure that took us to our nation’s capital and a swing through parts of
southern Pennsylvania. I sit here today as convinced as ever that what kids
need less of is time in the traditional classroom setting.</span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LRnQQLHlqmg/T6HcCH0NYrI/AAAAAAAAqEY/AkXvuET6g48/s1600/P1080440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LRnQQLHlqmg/T6HcCH0NYrI/AAAAAAAAqEY/AkXvuET6g48/s200/P1080440.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swift Creek MS Tour Mount Vernon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">A couple of weeks ago, I was
asked to review a group of civics texts as part of our district's upcoming
textbook adoption. I felt as though I had taken a step back in time. All I
could think the entire time was, how boring. Do we really expect our kids to
get excited about this stuff? With so many exciting opportunities out there for
our students and teachers - both online and in person - why do our schools
remain trapped in a vacuum of antiquity?</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">I have a challenge for
parents. Pick-up your child's history textbook, turn to the section on
Pickett's Charge, then sit back and enjoy. Riveting isn't it? Now, imagine
talking about Pickett's Charge as you look out over the field of battle from
your view atop Seminary Ridge. That's exactly what my students and I did last
week. To be sure, we probably can't put every student in the United States on
the battlefield at Gettysburg (though we should). But why not take them on a
virtual field trip? Why not harness the power of today's technology to give our
students a panoramic view from the same spot that my kids and I stood on last
week?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Now, I'm only using last
week's extended field trip as an example. The truth is that there are hundreds
of learning opportunities that pass us by each year with hardly a notice from
teachers and parents. Tallahassee, while our state's capital, could hardly be
considered a big city. Yet, I would argue that not a week goes by when one
could not find quality musical performances of various genre, theatrical
performances ranging from Broadway-style productions to community theater, fine
art exhibitions of many stripes, or events of historical importance from
reenactments to lectures on a broad range of topics.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">The point is that teachers
have to be willing to step out of the comfortable (if not boring) confines of
the traditional classroom environment. Parents need to demand more from their
schools. The most common questions that I get from parents at the start of
every school year are about when my annual DC trip will happen, or what local
field trips I'll be taking their kids on that year. That parents have come to
expect these opportunities is a good thing and something that pushes me to be
more innovative.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">The fact that schools should
be doing more doesn't absolve parents of the responsibility to mind the gap. So,
I have another challenge for parents. With summer break approaching, make a
commitment to find at least one learning opportunity a week to introduce your
child to. Visit a museum or a neighboring town's historic district. Take a
drive to a nearby state park. If the weather keeps you in, find a virtual field
trip online. Just do something. It might just turnout to be the best summer
ever.</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-75527043759538106702012-01-24T10:45:00.002-05:002012-01-24T11:37:27.722-05:00FETC: Day One Wrap-upA day full of workshops. This is my first time coming to FETC for the full four days of action. While the opening keynote isn't until this afternoon (Tuesday), those that just could not wait gathered at the Orange County Convention Center for a day of extended workshops. I was lucky enough to snatch the presider's role in three of them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howie DiBlasi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'll write a series of posts this week providing details of FETC presentations as I see them. For the time being, you can access all of my bookmarked resources on Diigo - username stephenveliz and look for the tag fetc12.<br />
<br />
I kicked-off my FETC 2012 conference early Monday morning by spending three hours with <a href="http://drhowie.com/" target="_blank">Howie DiBlasi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hdiblasi" target="_blank">@hdiblasi</a> in his workshop on cloud computing in K12 education. Howie surveyed a long list of web-based applications, from cloud storage, to free MS Office alternatives like <a href="http://www.zoho.com/" target="_blank">ZOHO </a>and Google Docs, to content creation tools like <a href="http://edu.glogster.com/" target="_blank">Glogster </a>and <a href="http://www.kerpoof.com/" target="_blank">Kerpoof</a>, and many others.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gawnH1eykKY/Tx7XtdmfIuI/AAAAAAAAjwM/OK_OgHV6gHk/s1600/IMG_1108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gawnH1eykKY/Tx7XtdmfIuI/AAAAAAAAjwM/OK_OgHV6gHk/s200/IMG_1108.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert Miller's Session</td></tr>
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After lunch, I presided over Robert Miller's <a href="https://twitter.com/robrtmiller" target="_blank">@robrtmiller</a> workshop on classroom video production. Robert is doing some incredible things with his 5th graders, shooting video with a class set of iTouches. I was surprised with the level of quality their getting out of their iPods. Robert took the group though camera operation basic sand editing essentials using iMovie. Big takeaway for me: go buy a Mac! <a href="http://www.maxclassonline.net/MovieMaking/FETC.html" target="_blank">Click here</a> for Miller's presentation resources.<br />
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My long first day was rounded out with a three-hour <a href="http://lesliefisher.com/" target="_blank">Leslie Fisher</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/lesliefisher" target="_blank">@lesliefisher</a> session on effective digital photography. This one was mostly about me. Leslie covered both point-n-shoot and SLR cameras, often at the same time. No easy task, I'm sure. You know all of those menu options on my point-n-shoot Lumix that most of us would never dream of trying? Leslie did a great job of demystifying a lot of it. Big takeaway from this one: I need a new camera! Between Miller and Fisher, this conference could end up costing me a fortune. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JnJPx6ba9cs/Tx7YYDudkaI/AAAAAAAAjyU/b6cq2w2dDx4/s1600/P1070789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JnJPx6ba9cs/Tx7YYDudkaI/AAAAAAAAjyU/b6cq2w2dDx4/s200/P1070789.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leslie Fisher Talks Digital Photography</td></tr>
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Well, I sitting in the OCCC concourse this morning polishing up my two presentations that come up later this week, and rekindling tech connections with folks that I run into once a year. I'll get my learning day started at noon with <a href="http://www.nextvista.org/" target="_blank">Ruston Hurley</a>, and his presentation on Google Docs and Forms.<br />
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I hope to post again this evening, so check back for latest from Orlando. You follow throughout the day by following on Twitter - hashtag #fetc.<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPadAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-7203186286465377242012-01-23T09:15:00.001-05:002012-01-23T09:15:50.887-05:00And so it begins . . .Good morning form Orlando, FL, and FETC 2012.<br /><br /><br />Always one of my favorites, the Florida Educational Technology Conference kicks-off today. As I've done in the past, I'll be blogging and tweeting throughout the week - bringing all of the highlights, lowlights, and latest trends.<br /><br />I have a full day of workshop presiding lined up today - Howie DiBlasi @hdiblasi on Cloud Computing, Robert Miller on Student Movie Making, and Leslie Fisher @lesliefisher on Digital Photography. I'll be tweeting from each.<br /><br />Check back here for posts throughout the week.<br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=International%20Dr,Orlando,United%20States%4028.426722%2C-81.460561&z=10'>International Dr,Orlando,United States</a></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-14707738207140274042011-10-23T11:24:00.002-04:002011-10-23T11:28:59.502-04:00Are our kids ready for college?Hat tip to Lee Kolbert. She posted this on her <a href="http://www.leekolbert.com/2011/10/college-readiness-today.html">GeekyMomma's Blog</a>.<br />
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Click on graphic for a better view.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.knewton.com/college-readiness/infographic/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1JkXlxeWuLnA8upMa4JIkqOIUd9M9gDaNFvCf-5289m_TkX9XciFe8HRlJCDLmvw1tfEiYENHTiJAGjQA9f65FFDP8OG42xc_V985-k1bMbZdGyuroy-7DTztcCFGSB4z_Ph2JxQTA4/s1600/college-readiness+infographic.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-63205863230694268002011-10-16T18:51:00.000-04:002011-10-16T18:51:44.765-04:00Keeping Things in PerspectiveBeing part of a vast network of technology integration specialists - sharing through Twitter and so forth - can lead one to forget how much work remains in bringing technology into regular use in our classrooms. I was reminded of that this weekend. I attended and presented at the Florida Council for the Social Studies annual conference. My presentation was entitled <i>Transforming the Social Studies Classroom with Web 2.0 Tools</i>. <br />
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As I spoke on building a PLN, I was surprised that none of the more than twenty teachers in attendance were users of Twitter. Perhaps it was naive of me to expect at least a few to be users of social media, beyond simply having a Facebook account. In the hustle and bustle of the school year, the fact that most of the teachers on my school campus are not much different than the group to which I was speaking is not something I think about very much. That is a big mistake on my part.<br />
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After teaching all day this past Friday, I got in my car and drove four hours to present to a group of teachers that I didn't even know. Yet everyday I pass teachers in the hall that are as technologically needy as those that I met this weekend. What am I doing to address that need? What should I be doing? I drove those four hours intending to share what I could about integrating Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. I didn't expect to learn much. In the end, perhaps I learned the more than anyone else in the room.<br />
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Engaging in the PLN with teachers from across the globe is important. Reaching out to those that we see everyday is just as important. Are you trying to meet the need on your own campus?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-6250391627087097062011-09-18T20:36:00.001-04:002011-09-18T20:36:18.473-04:00Daily Diigo Bookmarks 09/19/2011<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://indianajen.com/2011/09/16/my-first-attempt-at-employing-digital-storytelling-in-the-classroom">My First Attempt at Employing Digital Storytelling in the Classroom « Indiana Jen</a> </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz/digital storytelling">digital storytelling</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz/history">history</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz'>here</a>.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-13525718887442569942011-08-19T20:36:00.001-04:002011-08-19T20:36:47.047-04:00Daily Diigo Bookmarks 08/20/2011<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/2011/04/20/free-tools-challenge-17-using-dropbox-dropitto-me">Free Tools Challenge #17: Using DropBox & DropItTo.me : Teacher Challenge</a> </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz/dropbox">dropbox</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz'>here</a>.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7813314607369704137.post-28401778990074959202011-08-08T20:36:00.001-04:002011-08-08T20:36:48.576-04:00Daily Diigo Bookmarks 08/09/2011<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.emergingedtech.com/2011/06/8-great-ted-talks-about-the-future-of-education-and-teaching">8 Great TED Talks About The Future Of Education And Teaching | Emerging Education Technology</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">8 Great TED Talks About The Future Of Education And Teaching http://t.co/SIsZUYP #ted #edtech #education #edchat</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz/ted">ted</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz/edtech">edtech</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz/education">education</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz/edchat">edchat</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz/twitter_favorite">twitter_favorite</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz/tweets">tweets</a></p> <ul class="diigo-comments"> </ul> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/stephenveliz'>here</a>.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12817645480571224195noreply@blogger.com0