Microsoft Updates

I have been amazed at how many teachers have not done microsoft updates on their computers. Then I started thinking about if I have done mine recently. It is problematic if you do not have your updates set to run automatically for microsoft. So, if you want to make sure that you have updated your microsoft software, this is what you will need to do to make sure it has been done recently. Open up a word document in microsoft word. Click on Help which is located in your Microsoft tool bar. Then click on check for updates.



After you click on check for updates, a box will pop up that asks you How would you like to check for software updates? Make sure you click on Automatically so that the updates will be checked on a more frequent basis.



If updates have not been installed, it will take awhile for updates to be checked and installed so that your software is up to par. Thanks to Bonnie Young who is the tech teacher at Midvale Elementary. She took a minute to show me how to run an update, so I wanted to share what was shared with me.

Technology Teacher Survey

Here is the link for the CSD technology survey for teachers to take in the district. The survey was created in google documents as a google form. Please make sure you click on the submit button after you fill out the survey. Thanks for taking a few minutes to answer these questions.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEJKOUZhdThFWDFrUjd2cmg5OHc5eFE6MA

AudibleKids

AudibleKids is an audiobook website where books can be downloaded for adults and kids to listen to and read. It is a great website for parents, kids, and educators. Books can be downloaded for free through the RIF (Reading is Fundamental) program. To access free books, click on the link for audiblekids, scroll to the bottom of the page and look on the bottom left of the link, and click on the RIF logo. Books can be downloaded on your computer or MP3 player. I think that this is a great site for teachers to use in the classroom.

Using the AVervision Document Camera with a Smart Board

I'm thinking it is time to get on the stick and start posting again in my blog. Hopefully teachers will find this post helpful in JSD and CSD. As part of our Engaged Classroom plan last year in JSD, every EC teacher in elementary received an 300AF+ AverVision document camera from AverMedia. This past month, several teachers at Crescent Elementary had asked if there was a way for their document camera to be used with their Smart Board. After spending a few hours working with cords and looking on the internet, there is a way!!!!!!! There is software that came with the document camera and that will need to be installed on your computer. There are updated versions of the software that will need to be downloaded. Here is the link for the most recent software update depending on the model you own.
http://www.avermedia-usa.com/presentation/download.asp
This is the procedure for connecting to an interactive whiteboard.
1. You will need two VGA cables. One VGA needs to be connected from the projector's video input port to the AverVision's VGA out port, which is the blue colored port. The other VGA needs to be connected from the AverVision's VGA in port to the computer's VGA port.
2. A USB cable needs to be connected between the interactive whiteboard and the computer.
3. A separate USB cable needs to be connected between the AverVision and the computer.
4. Turn the AverVision on and make sure you have selected the "PC mode" on the camera. Once this is on, you need to open the AverVision software located in your applications folder. When this has been opened, you should be able to see the image underneath the document camera.
5. Open your tools for the interactive whiteboard, Smart tools in the applications folder if you are using a Smart board, and you are now ready to use the document camera image on your interactive whiteboard.

I did need to use a USB hub in order to have room to plug in my USB cords.

This is a shot of a USB cord connected between the laptop and the Smartboard.

CSD-EMT Retreat

I was a little worried that this week was going to be long, since I have been working on the same team with Darren and Kelly in JSD, and was part of the planning for the EC program. I have actually learned a lot and the retreat has given me time to reflect and learn more about social networking and the importance it has in education. These are my thoughts about CSD Retreat (training) week.
I was very glad to have learned more about Twitter. I feel like I have a better handle of how to use Twitter as one of my new PLN's. I finally see the benefits of using Twitter and how it can help me as an educator. Most of the people that were Skyped into our trainings, were also members of the Twitter world. After using it daily with my EMT team, I have been able to send direct messages, leave notes from Skype, and connect with other educators outside of Utah. I look forward to continuing networking this new school year through Twitter.
I came away from this week with the "Big Rocks". The first would be, relationships. It is going to be very helpful for me to build relationships in my schools. In building a relationship, trust should be built, and hopefully teachers will be willing to let me in their room to help integrate technology into their curriculum. Another rock would be students. It is important that I place students first when teaching educators. It is ALL about the students!!!!! Another important rock is the importance of me being a Learner. I should be a learner as I teach others. All teachers should be learners along with their students. I think this is important to get across to teachers because the thought was that we should know everything. With the technology changing so regularly, it is hard to know everything!!!! I am very excited about working with Canyons School District and working with my new team.

NECC 09-Web 2.0 for K-3 Learning

Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools for K-3 Learning by: Gail Lovely

There really are resources to use in the classroom with grades K-3. :)
10.
Vocaroo A voice recording service.
9.
SimplyBox Recording, capturing, and sharing on the web.
8.
Kerpoof Kerpoof can be used to create original artwork, animated movies, and stories, among other things. It does have a newsletter. This is in interactive creative tool. Action and motion can be added, which is good for kids.
7.
YackPack This is like voicemail that can be left for one student or all students. Students can respond as well with their verbal communication. Texting can also be done using this tool. This is a closed community social network.
6.
Glogster Interactive posters which share information, ideas, and thoughts. This can be used in the public or private world. (One page website.) A teacher can add up to 200 accounts for free. They reside under your teacher account. They are not allowed to go out into the public world and it provides a safe environment for the students.
5.
Animoto
http://education.animoto.com This uses pics and music to create a slideshow. Students have choices in their slideshow including speed of change, order, and music to add, etc.
4.
Skype Communication and connecting with the REAL world. There is a list compiled of authors that are willing to Skype into classrooms for up to 15 minutes for free. I think this would be great for teachers to use in their classrooms.
skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com
3.
VoiceThread Students have the opportunity to respond to an image through voice or their writing. Projects can be done by students as far as experiences, digital storytelling, presentations, etc.
2.
Blogs
classblogmeister.com
The center is the teacher's blog and then the students blog are on the side of the page. Teachers can approve (or not) comments made by students. Authentic audience and authentic purpose.
Other Tools for Blogging:
Blogger, Class Blogmeister, 21Classes, Gaggle.net, and yola.com (new tool for creating a website or blog.)
1.
Wikis A place where many voices can be added. In the younger grades, one sentence or one pic could be added. There is versatility.
Other Resources:
Voki:
Uses: Students reading spelling words as avatars, narrators to blogs and wikis.......
bubbl.us
Brainstorming online. Mind mapping online tools that are free.

Quote: "There can be infinite uses of the computer and of new age technology, but if the teachers themselves are not able to bring it into theclassroom and make it work, then it fails."
Nancy Kassebaum, U.S. Senator

Day #3-Reflection of Keynote Speaker

Keynote Speaker for NECC 2009

Last night was the big kickoff of the NECC 2009 conference. The Opening Keynote was given by Malcolm Gladwell, whom is the author of several books that have landed in the best-seller list of the New York Times. He compared teaching to the rock band Fleetwood Mac, which was an interesting comparison, but really had no relevance to being an educator using technology. However, his point was that because of the band's perseverance, they built on their failures, not their successes. ******He does practice his notes well, because he spoke about the same comparison at a recent charity held this month. Charity Presentation by Malcolm

Some insightful things he said were the following:

"Success doesn't happen overnight! Sometimes it takes years."

"Effort: what you get is simply the function of what you put into it."

"Compensation strategies are better than capitalization strategies. Hunger and effort compensation strategies are better and more effective than talent."

"Failure isn't failure. It's learning."

"The struggle to learn something is where the learning lies."

"Meaningful learning is approaching a task with joy and excitement. It doesn't matter where the learning takes place, but how the learning takes place. We need to make a meaningful, learning environment."

Note: I think the presentation would have been better if he had started out with this last statement first and built upon that concept. I could have done without the Fleetwood Mac and NFL draft comparisons, especially since it had no relevance to educators and technology. Just sayin!!!!!

A tidbit of information. It was announced tonight by the ISTE president Helen Padgett that after this conference, future conferences will be referred to as the ISTE conference, not NECC conference. There is change going on everywhere these days. What does ISTE mean? International Society for Technology in Education. Did you learn something new today?

"The illiterate of the 21st century won't be those who can't read & write,
but those who can't learn, unlearn & relearn" - Alvin Toffler

NECC 09-Day #2

Workshop #2: Googlepalooza: Great Google Applications

I was a little disappointed in this workshop because I was hoping to learn about "new" applications, and it was a pretty basic class. In fact, I have taught the applications to other specialists and teachers in my school district. The apps included google docs, forms, presentation, google maps, and google earth.
Tiny URL: The instructor did share the site tinyurl.com. This is where you go when you want to shorten the length of a "long" URL address that you would like to post online.
Twoogle: Bonnie, a friend who was in the same workshop, did share with me a site called twoogle. This app allows you to search twitter and google simultaneously when you type a topic in the search box. This is very cool.
Twofind: When I was visiting the twoogle site, Browsys, maker of twoogle, suggested to look also at Twofind. This app allows you to search Google and Bing simultaneously when doing an internet search. Bing is a new search engine that has been developed by Microsoft. Amazingly, the really cool thing about Twofind is you can choose between two search engines to run simultaneously. (Google/Bing), (Google/Yahoo), (Google/Twitter), (Bing/Yahoo), (Bing/Twitter), and for videos (Google/Bing) in a drop down box.

I did learn a few new tricks to add to my teaching bag today.
NECC is a great place to network and share!!!!!!!

“The technology itself is not transformative.
It’s the school, the pedagogy, that is transformative.” - Tanya Byron

NECC 09-Day #1

Now is a time for me to learn as an educator, so I can go out and teach other teachers about 21st century skills and how to apply those skills within the classroom. NECC is a great opportunity to learn from others and to social network. The whole experience is very motivating, exciting, and it gives me a charge that I need to continue to move forward with "new" ideas to learn, share, and teach to others!!!!!

Ideas Learned at NECC 09 Saturday Workshop:
17 Free Software Tools for the 21st Century Classroom

Here are a few things I have learned about in my workshop. Dr. DiBlasi shared a site called polleverywhere.com. It is a free application that can be used to create questions for a poll. Students use their cell phone to text in their answers to the poll and you can see the results on the web. A teacher could also collect data while interacting with students in the classroom. It is very cool and a great way to have students use their cell phones. Students actually using their cell phones? Now there is a novel idea!

Web 2.0-100 Tools for Teachers:
http://snurl.com/web2tools
You will find links and explanations of over 100 Web 2.0 tools that teachers can use in their classroom. A great resource for teachers to access online.

Twitter:
Twitter is a mini-blogging platform with messages (tweets) that can be sent up to 140 characters.

Dr. Howie gave the example of how a teacher uses twitter with her students' parents in the classroom. I really like this idea of teachers using this web 2.0 tool as a way of communication with parents. Twitter is used to post assignments due, projects, events happening, etc. in the classroom for parents. Could an elementary teacher use Twitter with her students' parents? Absolutely!!!!

Twitter for Beginners - 5 Things to Do as a New Twitter User
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/07/26/twitter-for-beginners-5-things-to-do-as-a-new-twitter-user/
I thought this article was very helpful about how to become a "twitterer."

TweetDeck is an application that will allow you to set up your friends, acknowledgments and direct messages for your twitter connections. I really like this application because it helped me organize my tweets in a way where I wasn't overwhelmed. Another bonus, I can also add the app to my iPhone. Love Tweetdeck!!!!! It can be downloaded for free at http://tweetdeck.com/beta/. Dr. Howie DiBlasi personally showed me how to set up tweetdeck and it actually made sense to me. I'm going to download the program and actually use it!!!! He also showed me tweetpics and how you can share pics on Twitter.

Here is Dr. Howie's web page, which is full of information. What I liked about him is that he was all about sharing. This is exactly what all educators should be doing. Networking! Sharing!

"'It is today we must create the world of the future.'"

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Free Vocabulary Resources

At various conferences I have attended, I have ran across a resource that offers free content for all teachers in Elementary, Secondary, and higher level education. There is no subscription fee. There are themed activities, vocabulary lists, interactive word puzzles, etc. that are available for educators to use. The site is called Vocabulary and it is found at vocabulary.com. Check it out! I think the resources are relevant for what teachers need in their classroom.

Book Talks

As I have been observing our EC Trainers, I wanted to share an idea that I watched at Columbia Elementary. Andrea, who is a Trainee and a 6th rade teacher, shared with her class some Book Talks that you can find on scholastic.com. After her class saw a couple, she discussed with them the specifics of a book talk and this is how her class is going to do their "book reports". Isn't that a fun idea in creating a book report? Basically, the students will be discussing their books, without giving away the ending. They have to be creative with how they introduce their books, so that the watcher will want to read the book! Doesn't Jordan School District have awesome teachers?
Bravo Andrea!!!!!!!

Podcasting in GarageBand

I thought it was awesome how these 6th graders from Columbia Elementary created a podcast using Garageband. Melissa and Erica created a podcast about historical people. They blended music with their voices and created a page to look at while viewers listened to their audio podcast. I did edit this podcast by taking out the "likes" and the "ums" but the main work was accomplished by these two 6th grade students. I think the podcast would have been polished if they did just a little more research with their facts. However, I thought this was a great start and that their teacher did a groovy job in letting the students actually create podcasts in her classroom. Bravo Melissa and Erica!

Quote: I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.

-- Chinese Proverb

Geometry Unit - Using the Internet

Jen, an EC (engaged classroom) teacher trainer from Columbia Elem., developed four Geometry Mini Lessons to help her students in 6th grade, learn about Geometry and to prepare them for end of year testing. The students were given web assignments that included directions, a web link, and computer skills that the student used for each assignment. I really liked how she organized the web assignments into 4 mini lessons, where each student had to complete their assignments in consecutive order. After the assignments were completed, the students have to take a UTIPS test on geometry, which is used as their assessment. I did obtain permission from her to post her assignments and also give you the web link to her UTIPS test, to help you see how she set up the questions that are used for the assessment. If you decide to use these assignments, please give credit where it is due! :) Kudos to Jen!!!!! This is an excellent way to use technology in the classroom.

Geometry Mini Assignments
Lesson #1
Lesson #2
Lesson #3
Lesson #4

Assessment
Geometry UTIP Questions

Science Podcasting at JPJ Middle School

I have had the opportunity to work with 9th graders in Mrs. Monson's science class at Joel P. Jensen Middle School. It has been so fun to work with her students. Mrs. Monson is an amazing science teacher. One of the projects we worked on with her 9th grade students was in GarageBand. She wrote a list with her students of the different labs they had done in class since the beginning of the year. She paired the students and they had to choose a lab that they enjoyed and write a script about their favorite lab experience. The students then created a script and recorded it in garageband. Their recordings actually outlined the Scientific Method. Here are a couple of 9th grade student audio podcasts that were created about their lab experiences.

Everlasting Gobstopper (6th period)
Time: One minute 20 seconds



Rockets (6th period)
Time: 51 seconds




Rocket Time (6th period)
Time: One minute 2 seconds



Osmosis (7th period)
Time: 1 minute 45 seconds

Diffusion Lab (7th Period)
Time 1 minute




Quote: Self-control is knowing you can, but deciding you won't.