Using Twitter Professionally/Online PLC

I'm just wondering if anyone uses Twitter for professional connections... If you do, please respond below (or email me). I've just signed up for an account and need some good people to follow so I can better learn how to use it!

Essential e-tools for Administrators

I figured since we're about a month or so into the new school year I would share my current list of essential e-tools for administrators. Yes, I use most of these every single day and they make my life a WHOLE lot more efficient and productive.... And, for the record, these are all free (sorry, I'm cheap, so if it costs money - any money - I avoid it!)

1. My new favorite is Dropbox, and if you want a full write-up on what this can do for you read my previous post. The greatest thing about this is the ability to share files and folders with other members. For instance, we have configured a folder called "Shared Administrator Files" that we share between the three administrators at our school. Unlike the regular common drive on the network, we can all write and edit any file located in this folder. Today one of the other administrators was working on something and they wanted me to look at it, so I was able to pull it up on my system without them having to send it as an attachment in our email. In addition to this sharing ability, the other greatest thing about Dropbox is that you do not need to be connected to the Internet to use it. Files are stored locally on your computer and then uploaded to the cloud server once you have a connection. This is very useful for me at home where I don't always get a wifi connection, so I can edit files on the laptop and then when I get a connection they will be uploaded. Doing this with files located on Google Docs or Skydrive would not work since I have to be connected at all times to access those files.
2. The next tool I use daily is Evernote. Like Dropbox, the wonderful thing about this program is that notes I take are automatically synced across all my computers and my iPad. So, when I take notes at a district meeting off campus, or even a SIT meeting or team meeting on campus but out of my office, once I have an internet connection the notes are automatically uploaded to the cloud server and then downloaded onto my office computer. They're also available on the laptop and my personal computer at home - instantly. I found this to be invaluable when I'm doing informal (for now) observations/visits to classrooms. I can type a quick note to myself about things I see on my iPad (both positive and negative), and when I get back to my office it's already on my computer so I can compose the note or email to the teacher. As of now Evernote only has a very limited sharing ability (Web-based only), but hopefully they will fix that in the future because the ability to share notebooks with others would make this tool absolutely perfect. I don't even carry around a legal pad anymore, simply my iPad, and I take all notes on it.
3. Teachscape Classroom Walkthrough Tool for the iPad - If you're still doing walk throughs on your Palm or Blackberry you need to upgrade to this app! The interface is much easier to use on the iPad simply due to the larger size screen. I can also quickly exit the program, jump over to Evernote if I need to write a quick note, and then come back in and the data I had already recorded is still there. It is also available for iPod Touch, so if you don't have an iPad yet but do have an iPod Touch you can use the same tool. The biggest improvement I with this version over the previous one available for the iPad is that you do not need to be connected to the internet to use it; if you enter a room where your wifi connection is unavailable you can still use the program and it will automatically upload once you get back into range.
4. Google Reader is still an invaluable tool for keeping up-to-date on blog posts and news feeds, though I don't use the reader interface anymore (see #5 on my list).
5. FeedDemon is my RSS reader of choice. As with Dropbox and Evernote, it allows me to work offline (if I have to). It automatically syncs with my Google Reader account, which is why Google Reader is still on my list. I am able to arrange the feeds I follow into folders by topic and then read them at my leisure. It runs in the background on my desktop, so all I have to do is open it up when I have a few spare minutes and go through the new posts I haven't seen. Again, if you're using Google Reader I highly recommend checking out this "upgrade" (and, again, it's free!)
6. Google Docs is the only one on this list that I don't use every day (at least not yet). I still am partial to using Microsoft Office for all my work (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), but the forms feature in Google Docs is what keeps me coming back. It is quick and easy to send out surveys, get instant feedback, and then plan accordingly. After we did our new teacher evaluation training in August we sent out an evaluation form that afternoon for teachers to fill out, including a spot to ask questions, and all that information was automatically entered into a spreadsheet for us to review. Better yet, I was able to share it with the administrators at the other school we worked with so they could access the information as well. The other thing we're using it for is I setup a "form" so that teachers could submit anonymous questions to the administration in regards to the new teacher evaluation tool. Every time a question is submitted via the form a script automatically forwards the question to my email box, so I don't even need to open up the document to read the question. I can then work on either sending out the answer or finding it (if I don't know it). It's a quick and easy way for us to collect information from teachers in a non-threatening way and also get a feel for what the hot topics are in regards to the evaluation tool.
7. Firefox is still my browser of choice, for many reasons, but I'll just say that I don't like the feel of Chrome, and I absolutely abhor Internet Explorer (the only reason I use IE is because Fulcrum requires it!). To be honest, I was a Safari user for a couple of years (I am a Mac person at heart), but switched to Firefox since the early Windows version of Safari left much to be desired. And I've just never gone back.
   
8. Google Toolbar for Firefox just makes navigating some of my Google tools easier by having it installed - instant access to Google Maps, Docs, Mail, Calendar, etc. without having to type in the address.
9. Google Bookmarks allows me to sync my bookmarks across all my computers (home, office, laptop, etc) and have access to them regardless of what computer I'm using. And if I'm not at my computer I can always login to the web-based server and get them if I need them away from home. The biggest problem with Google Bookmarks is that while I have the ability to sort the bookmarks into categories by using labels, I can not have nested folders (sub folders), making it difficult to navigate if you have a lot of bookmarks. Hence, #10 on my list...
   
10. GMarks is the add-on I use to access my Google Bookmarks via Firefox. It allows me to create both folders and subfolders of my bookmarks. This way when I add a bookmark on one computer it shows up on all the other computers as well - in the exact same spot! This is actually one of the biggest reasons I use Firefox over Chrome - I can not stand the bookmarking system used in Chrome, so this allows me to use Google Bookmarks in a way that makes sense to me (and not the creators of Google). I've looked at some of the social bookmarking sites, but none of them do what Google Bookmarks and GMarks allow me to do. Perhaps one day I'll switch over, but for now I'm staying with this combination.
11. Thunderbird is what I use to access my GMail account from my desktop. If you can't tell, I hate using web-based applications, so this allows me to access GMail from the desktop, so I have it running next to Groupwise. Here's a tip for you: if you're accessing GMail from more than one computer or location I suggest setting up Thunderbird to access it as an IMAP account instead of a POP3, that way when you read a message on one computer it shows up as read on all of them....
    

Okay, so there's my top eleven (for now). Again, all of these are free, and if you're not using them I highly recommend you check them out. What are you guys using?

Cloud Storage

(cross posted on Success for Every Child)

I've been playing around with several cloud storage options over the past several months and I've found another one I've decided I like. And this one is DropBox. Here's what I like about it:

1) I do not have to be connected to the Internet to access my files - they are stored locally on my system and uploaded only when I'm connected (great for working at home on the laptop, which doesn't always get a connection)

2) Allows for syncing of files between multiple computers

3) Extremely easy to use and quick to upload/download files

4) Works on both Macs and PCs seamlessly (I have a Mac at home and put up with a PC for work!)

Here's what I don't like about it - and there's only one thing: the free storage capacity is set to 2GB (I could purchase additional but I'm too cheap for that).

Here's how I'm using it - and why I'm already close to my storage limit. The past six months I've been working to combine all my accounts and settings into one area, and I have three key accounts: my personal ones for home, my work ones for school, and my church ones for my church job. So in my dropbox I have three main folders: one for home, one for school, and one for church, and I can access any or all of them at any time. It's the (for now) cloud storage answer for files that is similar to my use of Google Bookmarks with the GMarks-add-on for Firefox that keeps all my bookmarks synced together on all my computers.

Think of it this way - DropBox is like having a flash drive with you at all times without having to keep a flash drive with you. Unlike Windows SkyDrive or Google Docs, I do not have to be connected to the internet to access the files, but like those two services I do have the ability to share folders with other users so they can access them. (Now if DropBox would just up their storage limit I would be a much happier person).

For those who are considering installing it on their computers, just know that once it's installed it saves all the files in a folder called "My DropBox" under the "My Documents" folder on your desktop. By saving files directly into the "My DropBox" folder - or any subfolder within it - (from Word or Excel or any other program) your files will automatically be uploaded and stored on the cloud server. Here's three examples from this past week where I used it:

1) I was working on a new faculty handbook for my new staff. I saved the file to DropBox when I left work and then accessed it from home that evening to review and edit it. When I got back to work the next day all the changes were already there.

2) Sunday afternoon I created a new worship set for my church service and put together the slide show for the congregation to follow along (something I do every Sunday) - I saved it to my DropBox folder and then when I arrived at church I accessed DropBox via the web side and downloaded the file onto the A/V computer in my church so the slide show was there.

3) I planned to use some new musical arrangements for a worship service this past Sunday that required print-outs of new sheet music. I uploaded them to my share folder on DropBox and the other musicians were able to access them and download the files they needed for their individual parts.

If you don't currently use some sort of Cloud Storage consider giving DropBox If you click on this link you should get a free 250MB after you join!

Pushing Groupwise Calendar to Your iPad

If you're like me you've found the iPad is a fantastic device, and if you don't have a Blackberry that can access your Groupwise Calendar at any time, having access to the Groupwise Calendar when you're off campus and without an internet connection is very difficult.  While there are some options available in the App Store, there is also a free option, if you're willing to take a few minutes to setup some filters and rules in both Groupwise and Google.

The first thing you will need is a Google Calendar account, and if you have Gmail you already have Google Calendar.

• While in Gmail click "Calendar" at the top and setup your account
• Choose "Calendar settings" from the left-side of the screen and then click the "General" tab
• Scroll down to "Automatically add invitations to my calendar" and click "Yes"

The next thing you need to do is setup your iPad to sync with your Google Calendar.  Go to Settings and then create an account for your calendar:

1. Create New Account and Choose "Microsoft Exchange"
2. The server for the account is "m.google.com" (without quotation marks)
3. Domain is the same as the server
4. Username is your FULL gmail address (ie, thomasrfellerjr@gmail.com) and your password is your gmail password
5. Select "SSL" as "On"
6. Only choose "Calendar" for your exchange account - do not activate Mail or Contacts

This will now allow you to have full syncronization between your Google Calendar and your iPad calendar.  Configuring Groupwise to publish your appointments to Google takes several more steps.  In short, you'll create a rule in Groupwise to automatically forward all appointments to Google, and then you'll create a rule in Google to automatically accept all appointments.  Please note that this is a one-way option - only appointments in Groupwise will show up on your Google Calendar; appointments you make on your iPad or in Google will NOT show up in Groupwise (if anyone has figured out a way to do this let me know, because I'm coming up empty).

Sounds simple enough, so let's walk through it.

First, go into Groupwise and click on "Tools" and then "Rules";  create a new rule and call it "To Google"

1. "When Event is" (the first line of the screen after the rule name) is "New Item" and click "Received" and "Posted"
2. "Item type" is "Appointment"
3. Click on "Add action" and choose "Delegate"
4. In the "To" field type your gmail address (ie, thomasrfellerjr@gmail.com"
5. In comments type "GWAppointment"
6. Save the rule

Next, create a second rule to auto-accept all appointments from yourself (more on the reason for this below)

1. Click "Tools" and then "Rules"; create a new rule and call it "Auto-Accept My Appointments"
2. "When Event is" is "New Item" and click "Received"
3. "Item type" is "Appointment"
4. Click on "Add action" and choose "Accept"
5. Save the rule

Now, you need to go over to Google and create an Accept rule... Login to Gmail and hit the "Create a Filter" link (up at the top of the page next to "Search the web" box)

1. From is your Groupwise email (ie, fellert.wms@pitt.k12.nc.us)
2. Enter "GWAppointment" in the field for "Has the words"
3. Hit "Next Step"
4. Click the options "Skip the Inbox" and "Delete it"

And that's it.  Here are a few things you'll need to remember:

• This only works ONE way - Appointments in Groupwise will be sent to Google but Google can not sent to Groupwise
• This will only work for ORIGINAL appointments; if you change an appointment, delete an appointment, or edit it in Groupwise those changes, deletions, or edits will NOT show up in Google (so if you delete it in GW you'll need to manually delete it in Google)
• It only works for "New Appointments" and not "Posted Appointments" (more on this in a minute) - that means you need to hit the "New Appointment" button in Groupwise if you want appointments to appear in both, if you just double-click on your calendar and do a posted appointment it will NOT show up in Google

So here's how to use all this...  When you want to post a meeting or appointment click on the "New Appointment" button; address the appointment to yourself (which it defaults to) and fill in all other information as your normally would (Date, time, location, category, etc) and then hit "Send".  The appointment request will now be sent to you, your auto-accept rule will accept it for you, and then forward it on to Google.  Once it gets to Google your filters in Google will auto-accept it and then delete the mail that sent it to keep your mailbox clean.  It's really that simple.

One thing you should be aware of is that Groupwise defaults to sending you a reply every time an appointment is accepted (or declined) to inform you of what happened.  These will show up in your inbox.  If you do not want to see these everytime you post an appointment (I don't want to see them!) then just create one more rule in Groupwise to delete the messages.  You already know how to create rules in GW (go to Tools and Rules), so I'll just put the parameters here:

1. Rule name is "Delete Auto-Accept Messages"
2. New Item is "Received"
3. Item type is "Mail"
4. Click "Define Conditions" and selected "Subject" from the pull-down menu and enter "[Your Groupwise Name] Accepted" (ie, "Thomas Feller Accepted" - replace "Thomas Feller" with whatever name shows up when you send emails out)
5. Add action is "Delete/Decline"
6. Save Rule

So, that's it - kinda a pain in the neck to setup but once you get it going everything works very smoothly!

Google Reader

As we have already discussed previously on this Blog, Google has a wealth of resources for educators. Google Reader (http://www.google.com/reader) is a tool that can help you, both professionally and personally. Reader is available to you FREE with your Google Account (Gmail). It allows you to "subscribe" and follow content on a variety of webpages at one time. For example, when I log into Google Reader each morning, I am able to quickly skim headlines from a variety of newspapers (Daily Reflector, News and Observer, etc.) and other news websites (CNN, ESPN, or whatever else interests me).

There are also sites that Reader can collect content. For example, it can load Twitter postings (I follow NCPAPA and NCASA through Reader) and even your Facebook postings. Reader can be easily set up by logging in and following a simple tutorial.

One other aspect of Reader is the ability to "share" information with others. I have set up my Google Reader account where I publicly post education related articles that I find for others (my staff or colleagues) to view. Here's my shared address in case you want to check it out: http://www.google.com/reader/shared/kevtsmith01

Here's also a "Getting Started Guide" in case you need specific instructions on how to get started with Google Reader: http://www.google.com/support/reader/bin/answer.py?answer=113517

Google Docs, Skydrive, and Gladinet

Cross Posted on Success for Every Child

As much as I like Google Docs for some things (surveys in particular), I get very frustrated at times because it doesn't work 100% with Microsoft Office files. For example, I have a lot of forms I've created with Word for common tasks (evaluations, observations, different data collection stuff), and uploading to Google Docs doesn't convert everything correctly. I love being able to have the virtual drive that I can upload files to so I can access them at home, but I hate having to go through the step of uploading files every time I leave work so the most recent version is available (if I'm using a document that Google Docs doesn't support).

So then I looked at Windows Skydrive, which seemed like a great alternative, because once Office 2010 comes out it will most likely have native support to save and open files directly from the Skydrive. This solves the problem of having documents that need Microsoft Office and won't work in Google Docs.

But it still was clumsy to work with (at least at this stage of development), so I was trying to find something to allow me to easy move files back and forth between my Google Drive, Microsoft Skydrive, and/or local computer. That's when I stumbled upon Gladinet. This wonderful free utility will allow you to mount your online drives as network drives on your computer. So that way I can save and open files directly from Microsoft Office (or any other program I'm using). It's setup on my computer as the Y: drive. I've actually got both my Google Docs and my Skydrive mounted, so when I go to my Y: drive I see a folder for "Google Docs" and a folder for "Skydrive". This also allows me to copy files and put them on the virtual drives via Windows Explorer (so I don't need to upload files individually but I can move entire folders).

There are obviously two huge advantages to using Gladinet (or other similar programs) to copy files to your virtual drive. For one, you can save directly to the drive (by choose "Save as.." in a Word/Excel/any program and selecting the destination as the Y: drive). The second, though, is that it provides a great option for backing up files. Since you can copy entire folders it gives you the option of backing up your entire file system by simply copying them over via Windows explorer.

For the record, Skydrive has a storage capacity of 25 GB, which is pretty significant. All three of these "programs" (Google Docs, Windows Skydrive, and Gladinet) are free.

Valuing People

Cross posted on Success for Every Child Every Day

I am going to share a pet peeve of mine, and I know it seems insignificant, but I believe it's particularly important for leaders to think about this type of thing..

This year I have made a conscious effort to communicate face-to-face as much as possible, or call someone on the phone, even though sometimes it can be more "efficient" to converse via email. I'm one of those few people who still doesn't have a texting plan on my cell phone - I only use the cell phone for making calls, and my plan has a shared number of minutes with my wife of only 550 minutes a month. Too often we as people, and especially leaders, forget the human component of the jobs we do, and that is most obvious in how often we substitute authentic communication for "efficiency" (didn't I learn somewhere that 70% of communication is non-verbal?)

This is actually a fairly common rant I read, so I don't feel I'm sharing anything revolutionary. What I don't ever read (or hear), however, is the how to use technology well when people rant about this topic. Let me share with you two things that have happened this week... First, I sent an email to a person in my district asking a simple yes/no question. All I got back was a one word email with the word "Yes" in it. The second is an email I sent to another person in my district letting them know I had done something they asked. This one at least had two words: "Thanks tom" (yes, they had my name in lowercase). They did not sign the email or anything, but it did have the customary "This was sent from my blackberry" tag line that many people have on their emails.

So, a few things.

First, why can't people put a greeting in their emails? I'm not saying I need a formal, "Dear Tom" or "Most beloved friend and colleague:" A simple "Tom - " at the beginning of the email would be nice.

Second, why can't people sign their emails with something more than their pre-filledout signature that the email program automatically inserts? It's kinda like getting a letter from someone and realizing they did nothing more than use a rubber stamp to sign their name.

Third, get rid of the darn taglines at the ends of the emails. I am so tired or reading that emails are sent from Blackberries, iPhones, iPads, or any other electronic device. I'm seriously considering putting at the end of all my emails, "This email was manually typed on an old-fashioned keyboard on an old-fashioned desktop because I think you are important enough to receive my best instead of a quick text message that I send on a whim."

When we do these things I personally believe it helps reinforce that people we communicate with have value - call it the technological equivalent of looking someone in the eye when they talk to us. Technology is a great tool and an asset, but let's not put it above the human resources we need to function in our world.

Smartboards

Okay, I just have to share this post from another blog... I have said for years that Smartboards are a great tool but they're also not all they're cracked up to be. I have seen too many teachers use Smartboards as an expensive whiteboard - and it drives me CRAZY. Here's another person's thoughts on the whole thing, and I think I have to agree with him...

Why Smartboards Are a Dumb Initiative

New Stuff on Google Docs

For a while now, I noticed the RED underlined NEW Features! button at the top of the Google Docs page.  I just figured out that if you click on it, you can access and learn about all the new features that makes Google Docs even better than it was before.  I really like the formula bar on the spreadsheets (similar to Excel) and the drag and drop columns.  On the Docs the ruler at the top of the page is very helpful, esp with tabs and margins.

Below is the link to the Google Docs page on the new features and how to get started.  One thing that confused me - once you switch to the NEW version of Google Docs, your previous docs will be in the old version, your NEW docs will have the ruler at the top of the page.

http://www.google.com/google-d-s/whatsnew.html

One of the things I realized last week was that Google Docs works SO much better on the Google Chrome browser.  I tried showing someone how to use it on the Internet Explorer browser and almost gave into the frustration.  The ease of viewing and the use of the tabs really makes it worth it to open your Google Docs on Chrome.

Put the Presenter back in your Presentation

One of my pet peeves with Power Point is that often the person that is speaking is simply reading bullets off the screen.  One of my friends, Kyle, introduced me to Prezi.  It's the anti-bullet presentation software.

Prezi is free if you are an educator and have an education email address.  I had difficulty getting the confirmation email through my school address because of our filters, but it was worth the trouble.

Prezi gets the presentation to focus on key words and allows you to zoom, twist, flip, show video, pan back out and move through your presentation on one main screen.  Your emphasis is made by the size of the text and how you frame it.  You can add video, pictures, and sound.  Instead of focusing on one frame and then leaving it, Prezi allows you to zoom out to the main frame and keeps the presentation as a whole.  It's a really cool way to keep kids from getting bored, because they have listen and participate and look for the key words - it keeps them engaged.

The concept is cool - it's worth it to watch the intro and tutorial videos to learn it and to ask a friend when you get stuck.  It's not a perfect software, but one that is worth it.  Kyle's bride, Jenny, used Prezi at a big presentation of PR guru's from major universities and impressed them with the flow and the fact that she discussed and presented and did NOT just read a Power Point.  They were my PLN connection that got me re-inspired to use Prezi after I got bored and frustrated.  That was important.

I attached a link to the Prezi I finished about the new NC Professional Teaching Standards, which is now public and one you can use as a template.  The videos are from You Tube and may not show unless you have access to the you tube videos.  I still need to figure out how to shorten the clips and get them to focus on the main point of the clip for some of the longer ones.  Click on SHOW and use the arrow keys for the easiest movements through the presentation.  There is still some editing to do.  I would love to hear from someone that knows what to do about getting better video clips.

http://prezi.com/cn5x6tecra6g/

Learning the Web 2.0 is like learning to use a Blackberry

This is an epiphany I had recently in trying new technology and trying to create a Personal Learning Network (PLN)

Step 1 - Be brave enough to try it.

I was finally brave enough to get a smartphone over the winter break.  I really wanted an iPhone, but couldn't get the cell phone coverage with AT&T and I really needed the smartphone to stay connected with my email and calendar - hence I became a Crackberry addict.

Step 2 - Be brave enough to ask someone who knows more than you

The way I learned to use my Blackberry was to ask the experts (the teens at church).  I learned what the little R and D meant in Blackberry messenger and that I needed to download the NEW bbm in order to "scan" barcodes.  (ask a teen what that last sentence means)

Step 3 - Show/Teach someone else how to do it

Next, I showed a few of my principal and AP friends how to download and use bbm.  The next thing I knew, I got a voice chat from one of them (I didn't realize I could do that.)  So what did I do - I sent my next friend a voice chat, so she knew how to do it.

So...Create your own PLN

It took me about 2 weeks of trying new programs, like Facebook, Twitter, Google Docs, Prezi, Google Earth, and others to realize that the key to learning NEW TECHNOLOGY on the Web 2.0 is to create what Stephen Anderson of Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools called a Personal Learning Network (PLN).  Use Google Reader to keep up with a few blogs; participate in a NING; try Twitter; use Google Docs to collaborate with people in and outside of school.  What that means is you use the technology to ask questions and get help and then you teach others that skill or idea.  That way you really LEARN how to use it because you did it...isn't that the best way to learn anything...

Speaking on a different level

With the technological tools of today, we can engage our students and get them to CREATE on a new level.  Using a simple flip video camera and some audio (this one of a friend playing a Ukulele) students can create their own Poetry video.  They can SPEAK to each other on another level.

Kyle Leonard, who taught with me for 3 years at Eppes Middle School, now teaches at Cal-Mum Elementary near Rochester, NY.  He had one of his top students, Olivia and one of his top musicians from his Uke club, Marcus, collaborate to produce the video below.  The premise is simple with the technology today.  Olivia recorded herself speaking her poetry (listen to the pages turn) and Marcus played a cool tune with his uke (or you can have other music in the background).  Marcus got on an overhead cart (or a rolling chair) and videoed Olivia walking silently and pausing at a window.  Overlay all of that in a video editing program an in less than an hour, students produced this...

http://www.box.net/shared/042xihe4us

I'm a big fan of a book Cheryl Olmstead introduced me to "Annual Growth for All Students and Catch Up Growth for those that are Behind".  I was talking to my grandfather about it last night and he made me think (like he always does).  He asked what will the brightest students do while those that are behind are getting help in the specific reading skills they need.  He asked me how are we going to engage our highest level students, so we don't let them slip through the cracks...I say let them create something...

Google Docs with Forms

Okay, I am just too excited about this... We've been using SurveyMonkey for our climate survey for several years. The thing I liked about it was the ease of configuring the survey and also the ability to analyze the data quickly. What I didn't like about it was having to pay $20 just to be able to download the answers.

Then I learned about using the Forms feature in Google Docs. This afternoon I sent out our climate survey to certified staff using a form I created in Google docs. It was extremely easy to use. I emailed the survey link out, and as people enter their answers it is automatically entered into a spreadsheet, and then I hit one button and it puts it all in a graph for me. It's just as easy (if not easier) to work with as SurveyMonkey, but it's not costing any money. Now I just need to get the student survey and the classified survey in there :)

This is something I highly recommend checking out!

I'm also curious to find out how others are using Google Docs, since there are so many things it can do... If you have used it at your school and have ideas on how it can help streamline some of the administrative work we do, please share!

Blabberize - Are you brave?

I wanted to try out Blabberize.com after learning about it at NCTIES. One of my teachers used it in 8th grade and his students loved it.  Imagine the possibilities of what a class could do with a project like explain how you find the area of a circle in a step by step procedure using Blabberize.  I would listen, after I laughed.   I just started playing, but it seems like you are limited to 30 sec of sound.  You need a head shot picture, a sound recording, and practice to figure out which part of our jaw to move.  Look at other previews to figure out what looks best.

Here's what I came up with...

New Ning

A new Ning has been created for administrators and leaders in Pitt County Schools. Please click here to access the ning.

If you're not familiar with nings, they are social networks that can be used for a variety of reasons, in this case professional learning. On a ning you have a profile, join (and create) groups, chat in real-time, post to a forum, or engage in discussions with other members. And, unlike posts on a public blog, everything is private and can only be seen by people in the ning. Think of it like a private facebook community, but only limited to those who are approved (in this case, administrators and educational leaders in Pitt County Schools).

Once you click on the link above you will have to register for an account (which only requires an email address) and it will go to the ning administrator (who happens to be me). Once it's approved you're in. It's that simple.

If you'd like to see some other nings you can follow some of the links below to see how they work and operate.

Ning in Education - General education oriented ning with over 9100 members
Educator's PLN - Another general education ning; approximately 3200 members
Classroom 2.0 - Perhaps the largest education ning with over 41,000 members; focuses on using technology in education
K12 Online Conference - a virtual conference on education and technology

Engaging Conversation

I had a conversation with a teacher today that really helped me realize that ENGAGING teachers are people, not necessarily a new program or a technology.

He asked me help him be part of an example of foreshadowing during a formal observation.  He set the kids up, hoping that "no one" would come in to this class, turned on some music, and left clues for them.  That enabled him to SHOW them what foreshadowing was and to LIVE through it when I showed up for an observation.  He used technology to help make his point, but it was his interaction with the students and what would catch their attention that intrigued me. The look on one girls face when I walked in was priceless.

I also saw the other end of engagement.  Watching a PowerPoint or a document camera used as a $2,000 overhead projector is not what engages students (at least not past the 3rd time when the novelty wears off). When students just listen and do nothing else, they are NOT engaged.

The key difference is what STUDENTS are doing.  jaycross wondered on his Twitter why schools were ineffective.  Ineffective schools are full of students that aren't doing much...So what are we going to do about it?

Defining "Student Engagement"

Yesterday I read an interesting article from NASSP entittled Recognizing Rigorous and Engaging Teaching and Learning. The article made the following statement:

"What would an observer expect to see in an engaging classroom? How does an administrator know when teachers and students are performing at a rigorous level? Having clear expectations and knowing what engaging instructional practices look like enables leaders to identify rigorous teaching and learning. When teachers know more specifically what to look for in their teaching and student learning, they are able to assess and reflect upon their own practice. These “look fors” identify what might be observed during a highly engaging, rigorous lesson. They also provide a deeper understanding of the expectations for a highly engaging, rigorous classroom. Let's look at the indicator "Engages students in learning." If the teacher is engaging students in learning, the teacher might begin a new lesson with an activity such as an anticipation guide to develop student knowledge and thinking. During the lesson, the teacher might provide opportunities for students to question and challenge each others' ideas, using well-reasoned arguments. These “look fors” identify what might be observed during a highly engaging, rigorous lesson.

"It is essential that administrators and staff members have the knowledge and understanding of each component within the framework and know how to use the indicators and “look fors” to improve rigorous teaching and learning."

Here are some of the look-fors the article mentioned:

1. Develops students’ background knowledge
2. Activates student knowledge and thinking
3. Makes connections and integrates new learning with previous learning
4. Models and thinks aloud the thinking and learning processes
5. Provides opportunities for students to use and create graphic organizers to facilitate their learning before, during, and after instruction
6. Uses instructional materials that appeal to diverse backgrounds and cultures
7. Provides opportunities for students to apply complex concepts and processes
8. Provides opportunities for students to reflect upon and summarize their learning
9. Checks for understanding in a variety of ways and modifies instruction to meet student needs
10. Provides opportunities for all students to think and discuss their ideas with other students
11. Integrates a variety of technology tools and applications into instructional design and implementation
12. Uses a variety of techniques that provide for total student response to learning.

Which made me think, what do others look for in classrooms to recognize student engagement when you walk in a classroom? I know for me I'm always looking at #3, 5, 6, and 11 (among others), but I thought maybe this would be an opportunity for other people to chime in on what they look for.

For the original post, click here.

Great Blogs to Follow

If you're not signed up for a Google Reader Account (or using some other RSS reader) you are missing out on a ton of great reading from other experts around the country. I have a Google Reader Account but also use FeedDemon so that I don't have to logon to the internet everytime I want to read my blogs (it can run in the background). It does sync with Google Reader, though, which is a great feature.

I spend maybe 20-30 minutes a day skimming through my feeds and find something to send out to my staff at least four times a week. But more than that I find it's a great way to keep current on lots of stuff that's going on. Below are some of my favorites - and if you follow any not listed below, please let me know so I can add them to my list!

(okay, now that I've typed them up this seems like a long list, but trust me - once you start using Google Reader (or something similar), it doesn't take long at all to skim them all)

Leadership Oriented
John Maxwell on Leadership - Not education oriented, but Maxwell has great insight's into leadership
EdWeek's LeaderTalk

School Finance 101
21st Century Principal - Great for Technology from an administrative perspective
The School Principal Blog

Education Research
EdWeek's Inside Research
McREL's Research
Practical Theory
The Quick & The Ed

Technology
Classroom 2.0
Dangerously Irrelevant (Perhaps the BEST one on here)
Free Technology for Teachers (My personal favorite, behind the previous)
Mind Dump
The Fishbowl
Transparent Learning

Law, Policy, & Special Education
Developments in Special Education Law (a must read)
Education Law
Education Policy
EdWeek's K-12 Policy Blog
School Security
Special Education Law
Stories from School: Policy Meets Practice
Edjurist
EdWeek's School Law Blog

General Teaching Oriented
A Passion for Teaching
Angela Maeirs Educational Services (a VERY good read)
ASCD Inservice
Educational Leadership Magazine
So You Want to Teach? (I don't always agree with him, but he raises some good points at times)
Successful Teaching (recently had a FANTASTIC one about how teacher attitudes)
TeachPaperless
ASCD's Whole Child Initiative

Great Info on Using Google Docs in Schools

Google Docs in Plain English
This is a quick intro – basic, but a good first step in using Google Docs. The idea of eliminating flash drives would certainly help to eliminate the need to infect computers with viruses from home and the chance to collaborate with students and other teachers is amazing.
http://dotsub.com/view/17eaa9f0-787b-4fd8-b1c7-f8d61db2e310



New to Google Docs?
This website is from Google Docs and contains help topics covering a wide arrange of topics from: Getting Started, Editing, Uploading, Collaborating, Fixing a problem, and Docs for Teachers and Students.
http://docs.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=15114


Using Google Docs in a class to revise and write

http://www.google.com/educators/weeklyreader.html - Teach Collaborative Revision with Google Docs


Be sure to look at the “Getting Started” – Step 1. It was how I figured out that we could sign up for Google Docs using a current email address. The PDF files on this page are a teacher’s survival tool to getting started in Google Docs.


Using Google Docs in the Classroom: As Easy at ABC...

http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dcdn7mjg_72nh25vq#Create_an_account


Step 1: Set up a Google account
To set up an account, go to docs.google.com. Instructions for setting it up are on the site. Students can create a Google Account with their existing email address. For a Google Account, they just enter their present email address and select a password. It simply lets them take advantage of all the free Google services.

1. Set up Google Account for your students. [If you prefer, you can also set up a Gmail account at gmail.com. That also provides access to Docs.]

2. Begin using Google Docs by simply typing “Docs” into your web browser or go to docs.google.com.

3. Sign into Google Docs with your Gmail login name or Google Account username and password.This website is another crib sheet on Google Docs for schools. It includes more technical info on using Google Apps which is a for fee service that allows you to upload emails easier ($50/user). It is written like Cornell notes that gives things to think about on the right side as it list the basic info on the left.As I was searching info on Google Docs from the 2010 NCTIES Wiki, I found the following link that opened my eyes and gave me step-by-step handouts on how to use the revision features in Google Docs. Some of the info is from the beta version and has since been updated, but it's the one of the better overall explanations to how to use Google Docs to collaborate.

Good Teaching??

This posting is the email that Kevin Smith emailed recently.  This way it is saved on the blog.



Dear Colleagues,
I came across this article from the New York Times and thought you might find it interesting.  It is long (9 pages) but does provide some fascinating insights into how researchers are struggling to quantify "good teaching."  Something that stands out right away is this quotation:

"Eric Hanushek, a Stanford economist, found that while the top 5 percent of teachers were able to impart a year and a half’s worth of learning to students in one school year, as judged by standardized tests, the weakest 5 percent advanced their students only half a year of material each year."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07Teachers-t.html?pagewanted=1

Skype Connections

A very good friend of mine that taught with me at Eppes Middle School, Kyle Leonard, posted this from his personal blog Ukulelear:

"We had a lot of fun in fifth grade today - I have Skype unblocked on my classroom computer so I can videoconference with one of my students who is out of school for a long-term medical reasons. She watches the math lessons from her bed at home (not quite as bad as it might sound). We can all see her and talk, ask questions and make her feel like she is part of the classroom again.

I had a teacher gift card I won from Walmart so I ordered a HP webcam a couple of weeks ago, and now we are connected to the world. We went ahead and Skyped a school down in Alabama who wanted to partner read a book. We found out that kids in New York are just like kids in Alabama. They have a unicycle club and we have a ukulele club, so one of my uke kids went home and got a unicycle on eBay. School is cool again."

If used properly, imagine the connection that could be made with a simple tool like Skype. The internet can be a daunting and scary thing if it is not used properly. But with the proper guidance from a teacher that is not afraid to take a chance (and set up the ground rules) school can be "cool again."

The possibilities of new technologies like Skype are amazing. The chat feature can be used as an intercom feature in more realtime than email - it's an in-school instant messaging system, if it's limited to registered users. Imagine a teacher that can see the AP at her desk and type a quick message have a quick chat with a student that is a little too "hyper". The suprise of that in person visit that was made with an on-line tool is cool. That's without even using the video part of Skype.

There are other new programs like the more controversial Twitter, or the school version of Twitter/Wiki/Blogger in one - EDMOTO. No matter what the program is, the key theme is the same - to engage our students to be responsible for their learning.

Sometimes that means figuring out what the hype about Skype is all about...