I selected this Voice Thread as my exemplary one because it showcased a Personal Learning Network. In this case it is Lee Kolbert’s Christmas Card from and to her Network. This is such a cool way to share the holidays with friends and family with the added bonus of being eco-friendly.

I can think of all sorts of ways to use Voice Thread. To name a few:

• Share a Power Point presentation on any subject with students and have them comment on each slide.
• Post pictures of science experiments and have student comments.
• Post a photo of a dissected animal with parts of the anatomy labeled or numbered. Stiudents could identify the part and explain its function. Great study tool.
• Along the same lines an HS ELA teacher could post a plot diagram and have students fill it in verbally.
• Globe Theatre also comes to mind. Identify the parts and explain here rather than in lecture.

I could keep on but the mundane task of doing the dishes beckons, so …..

Image via CrunchBase

Skype is a wonderful and free VoIP service that allows you to make both audio and video phone calls and conference calls.  I began using Skype because I like new and shiny things. Actually, I was asked to be a guest on The EdTech Classroom Podcast and Skype was how they were planning on recording.

This podcast is recorded and produced by Burt Lo in Modesto, CA.  His co-host, Joe Wood lives in West Sacramento, CA. They are a couple of hundred miles apart.  Then add me into the mix. I am in Livonia, MI which is thousands of miles away from California. By using Skype we were able to chat and record an hour long podcast free of charge. This fascinated me.

Because there were three of us (They are Macs; I’m a PC.) we were limited to audio only. This worked just fine.  (This podcast is included in the Text-to-Speech module of this 13Things class. If you’re really bored and want to listen, 1t’s episode 16 on the podcast website.

The audio quality was fine. The only annoying thing is that there is a slight delay. It is like talking on a speaker phone. During the podcast you will here Joe and I occasionally step on each other’s words.

Since that time I have used Skype’s text messaging and video conferencing capabilities to talk to my son during the school day. He would call me from his labtop at UofM-Dearborn usually looking for help with a paper.  I also use text messaging to communicate with my husband during my work day.

My brother-in-law in Chicago has used me as a guinea pig when trying out the newer “show your screen feature.”  He uses this to help my in-laws trouble shoot problems with their computer in Mobile, AL. In all cases, the video was acceptable. It was sometimes a bit choppy which can be attributed to band width and cpu usage issues. (The more things going on in the background, the choppier the video.)

I have to admit I cheated on this one. I didn’t have any 13More Things class conversations because I was very familiar with the technology. However, I am available if anyone wants to call me and talk about it. We could even conference with Jim.

There a quite a few classroom uses. It’s an easy way to bring experts into your classroom. Also, Skype would allow you to collaborate with another class anywhere in the world. (Hint: Use Twitter to set this up.)

There are a few potential problems for using Skype at school.  First, you have to have the program on your computer. It is not on the school computers, so I use my personal laptop and the school’s wifi guest account.  Secondly, I have this feeling that when I start using it frequently, IT will block it because of band width issues.

Finally, the creators of Skype are locked in a legal battle with eBay who currently own Skype.  This may cause Skype to disappear in the not so different future. But until then, Skype away.

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I am participating in an online book group. We are reading Grown Up Digital by Don Tapscott.

Image via Wikipedia

Cover via Amazon

I am

finding this book to be very interesting.  This week we read the intro and the

first two chapters. While reading these sections, a few things stuck me.

1) Descriptions of the Generations

HELP! I discovered that I am a Net Genner being held hostage in the body of a Baby Boomer.  The descriptions of the different generations were interesting, and they are, by necessity,  generalizations. As I attempt to apply these descriptions to my family, I run into problems.

My husband is a stereotypical Baby Boomer. He uses tech because he has to use it to run his consulting business. It is a means to an end. He only adopts new tech when absolutely necessary. He uses Facebook only so he can keep track of his nieces and nephews. He watches TV while reading a newspaper.

My son, a college student, should be an texting, chatting, and communicating digitally. He was more boomer than net genner.  Computing doesn’t come naturally to him. He only discovered that he could do something other that use Word when he discovered Anime to watch. Not discuss, just watch.  He has sent only one text message in his life.

Then there I am. I tweet, text, and mess around on Facebook while watching TV. I am trying to integrate this social networking stuff into my classroom. I am trying to get other actively involved.

Image via CrunchBase

I now understand why my husband doesn’t get my use of technology. We’re from different generations. (Even though we are only a year apart in age.)

2) Population age distribution is part of what caused the problems in Iran.

I am finding Tapscott’s book to be an interesting lens through which to view the events in Iran. When I looked at the all of the population distribution graphs, most seemed to follow the same general curve/shape. Then I got to Iran’s graph (p.26). It looked radically different. The largest segment of their population is in that 20-35 age group, the Net Genners. As we’ve seen that group has taken to the internet via social networks (Twitter, et al.) to show us what is happening. They have taken their activism, stepped outside the traditional hierarchy, and demanded that the world pay attention. This generation “won’t settle for a passive role in politics or in government” (p37).

Image via CrunchBase

The ruling class of Iran is clearly stuck in the old way of doing things. They underestimated this generation in both its political savvy and its use of technology. Access to the internet has opened the largest segment of its population to new ideas and a greater understanding of how the world works. Their  BS detectors are fine tuned. They know they are being lied to.

As for the old fogies running Iran, I think this mistake might be fatal in the long term. Just looking at the demographics, there are a lot more 20-30 year-olds than there are any other segment. This is the generation that will run Iran sooner than they think. The Net Genners have numbers on their side.  If I wanted to remain in power, I would seriously court this age group. It is clear that the chief religious leader doesn’t understand this basic fact. Sheer numbers trump ideology. Never underestimate the power of people in large groups.

3) Privacy

I, too, share Tapscott’s concern about the openness that this generation has with sharing personal details. I overhear too many of my students’ conversations that make me very uncomfortable. I do not want to know intimate details. When I point out that the topic of their conversation is inappropriate for school and a workplace, they react like I am a dinosaur.

It was no surprise that this openness has transferred to social networks.  When we’ve discussed using privacy settings, they tell me that they just use them to block people they don’t like or don’t know. They will only ‘friend’ people they know. They don’t see any danger in sharing very personal things within this closed group, until a couple breaks up and one party uses that info to ruin the other person. Then they blame the person spreading the information. They don’t see that they play a role in this mess because they shared things that they shouldn’t have.  They can’t accept any responsibility for what happens to their information.

In class I try to show real world examples of how the stuff they publish now can come back to haunt them in the future.  My students argue that my examples are isolated cases. I see this argument of the teenager’s inability to see into the future which as been the case for as long as I can remember. If I can produce someone they know who has been adversely affected, they don’t believe that it can happen to them. I sum this thought process this way:

The Teenager’s Motto: If it hasn’t happened to me and three of my friends, it’s not true and won’t happen to me.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of the book. Don Tapscott’s insights are fascinating.

Image by ohmann alianne via Flickr

I am a huge fan of summer vacation. Lots of time for me to read what I want, enjoy the peace a quiet of home, bother the son and the husband…. well, you get the ideas. I always begin the summer with all sorts of ideas of what I want to get done. This usually includes one or more home improvement projects and a desire to actually exercise and lose some weight.  Along with these personal desires, I always want to plan ahead for the next school year.  Ahhh…June is so filled with possibilities.

Come Labor Day, I look back and realize that while I started out with enthusiasm, I gave in to my ADHD and only accomplished what had my attention at the moment. I ignored most of what I had set out to do.  This summer, I once again vowed that the summer of 2009 would be different, but I had no real plan of action; I just had determination.  Then one of the members of my Twitter PLN came (albeit unknowingly) to my rescue.

Clif Mims (@clifmims) developed the following meme and posted it to his blog. I decided to participate and tag a few lucky folks to join me.  Clif notes that you don’t have to be tagged to participate, so I encourage you to do so.

Professional Development Meme 2009

Directions

Summer can be a great time for professional development. It is an opportunity to learn more about a topic, read a particular work or the works of a particular author, beef up an existing unit of instruction, advance one’s technical skills, work on that advanced degree or certification, pick up a new hobby, and finish many of the other items on our ever-growing To Do Lists. Let’s make Summer 2009 a time when we actually get to accomplish a few of those things and enjoy the thrill of marking them off our lists.

The Rules

NOTE: You do NOT have to wait to be tagged to participate in this meme.

1. Pick 1-3 professional development goals and commit to achieving them this summer.
2. For the purposes of this activity the end of summer will be Labor Day (09/07/09).
3. Post the above directions along with your 1-3 goals on your blog.
4. Title your post Professional Development Meme 2009 and link back/trackback to http://clifmims.com/blog/archives/2447.
5. Use the following tag/ keyword/ category on your post: pdmeme09.
6. Tag 5-8 others to participate in the meme.
7. Achieve your goals and “develop professionally.”
8. Commit to sharing your results on your blog during early or mid-September.

My Goals

1. Become a PBworks Certified Educator by attending PBworks Summer Camp. (FYI -PBworks used to know as PBwiki.)

2. Read, study and implement the strategies discussed in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works by Harold Pitler, et al.

3. Rework my 9th, 10th and 11th grade English classes (using the Michigan Merit Curriculum/Macomb Units) to include technology so that this college prep curriculum is accessible and meaningful to my resource room students.

4. Develop the following tech skills: screencasting, using my digital video recorder, and podcasting.

Cover via Amazon

5. Participate in a online book study of: Grown Up Digital by Don Tapscott

In addition, I also want to read the following books this summer:

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms by Will Richardson

Teaching Writing Using Blogs, Wikis, and other Digital Tools by Richard Beach, et al.

Web Literacy for Educators by Alan C. November

Cover via Amazon

How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed Ability Classrooms by Carol Ann Tomlinson

I know it sounds like a lot, but I am a fast reader.

Tag Your It:

I tag the following people

Joe Wood Burt Lo Jim Dornberg Linda Clinton

Deven Black Ira Socol Cathie Wigent Lisa Flanders Dick

Now it’s on to some summertime learnin’

My third period class of LD sophomores and I have been having an ongoing discussion about computers in the classroom. Their thoughts have cemented the use of integrated technology into my Resource Room English classes.

Image via CrunchBase

After I discovered (by listening to Wes Fryer, Rodd Lucier, and Ed Tech Talk) all of the different tools on the web that I could leverage for my Resource Room Students, I jumped right in. After some groveling on my part I managed to get 10 laptops for 6 weeks before Thanksgiving. We used Google Docs daily for writing. I had them start using SpokenText.net for editing. I developed a wiki. We worked on Creative Commons. Discussed online ethics and appropriate behavior.  They liked trying out all of this “new” stuff. (This trimester I added blogs to the mix. )

I noticed that the student’s quantity of writing improved. I also noticed that if I collaborated with them, they would actually edit and proof their work.  While I was glad to see this, I didn’t know if I had a convincing enough argument to get us full-time access to laptops.  After yesterday, I think I do.

We are working on a Unit 4 of the Michigan Merit Curriculum. This unit’s focus is on “The American Dream.” We began class by defining the term and reading three different essays about the American Dream. I used Google Docs to take notes. They were amazing articulate in their understanding of what the American Dream was and how it changed.

From there we segued to the concept of “work ethic” and how native born Americans don’t want to work as hard as immigrants. This naturally flowed into school and how it hasn’t changed much since I was in high school in the 1970s.  This group knew that they needed to learn new and different skills than what their parents had learned in school. The world was different and schools weren’t keeping up. Schools as they currently exist weren’t going to help them achieve the new scaled down American Dream.

Then amazing things began to happen. (Note: This is a Resource Room class for LD kids, so I only have 6 in this hour.)

JW, a smart aleck with great reasoning skills, said: “School is so boring. You are the only one teaching us things we need to know.” I was flabbergasted. Surely, we  were teaching them the skills that they’d need to succeed. I didn’t know what to say. 

AP, insightful but real learning problems jumped in. “Mrs. Chi, you are the only one who is actually teaching us how to use computers. All we learned in Computer Applications (the required computer class) was to type.”

CB, a very outspoken girl with some reasoning difficulties, had to have her say. “All we use computers in other classes for is to write papers and copy stuff from the Internet.”

DM, a bright kid with major attendance problems, added, “I am amazed at how much more I can write. I never wrote more than a sentence or two. Now I write paragraphs.”

Others agreed with him. A couple of the others mentioned that they had only used computers to play games or listen to music until now.

They all agreed that they thought they were actually learning how to “really use” technology. A couple of kids mentioned they liked that they could access their work from the public library or from home if they were absent or if they didn’t finish in class. These were tangible benefits they they could see to tech use.

JW even admitted that he hated computers and wanted nothing to do with them before my class. Now he was even using his Google Docs account for his other classes. “Hope that’s okay , Mrs. Chi.”

I was so pleased. This direct transfer of knowledge to another setting. He was applying what he had learned. I walked on clouds the rest of the day.

They got it. These “at-risk, special education” teens got it. Some were not digital natives, but once given the opportunity to really use the resources available to them, they saw the power of the web. They understood that they could do what other kids could do. They had opinions. They could express them. They mattered.

The Denny’s Free Food incident spawned a blog assignment (more about this in my next entry). This assignment asked them to critically look at readers’ comments to a local newspaper article. The kids were amazing. The discussions we had surrounding what was and what was not appropriate validated everything I had been trying to get across to them.  They began to see that what someone writes matters. They were outraged by how the commentators represented themselves, their town, and their school. I can’t wait to read their posts. (They asked me to wait, because they needed more time to read and respond. I never expected this.)

So I am now completely sold on the power of the internet and other technology to level the playing field for all kids. Every class should use technology to enhance learning.  Education as we know it needs to change. The kids know it. I hope our government and educational policy makers figure this out soon.

This is the last official task for my 23 Things You Should Know about Web 2.0 class.  It has been really enjoyable and I have learned so much. (Like using Notepad to strip the code from MS Word and Open Office BEFORE copying to a blog. Saves a lot of trouble. Thanks @suewaters and @dr_mike for all of your help.)
For this task, I decided to write a number of goal statements that relate to this class. So here goes nothing

• Technology Integration Goals for 08-09

Create and use a classroom wiki to post assignments and collaborative projects. My wiki will also include copies of all handouts and links to online resources. Individual student pages will be developed as needed.

Students will do their written assignments using Google Docs so that we can engage in synchronous editing

Image via CrunchBase

and collaboration. I will grade and comment on written work directly on the document in Google Docs.  Work will be submitted for grading and monitoring by listing me as a collaborator. This will cut down on lost work, use of paper, and allow the students to access their work from home.

Students will use web based tools to help them revise. Using SpokenText.net, students will covert their written work to speech and listen to their work as part of the editing process.

Students will create and post to a blog on a weekly basis.  I will assign a topic for a given week. Each student will be expected to respond to the prompt.

Students will be taught how to comment appropriately. They will be expected to comment on other blogs weekly.  A rubric will be developed to evaluate the comments.

Students will be introduced to appropriate web 2.0 applications as needed.

Students will be able to appropriately embed graphics and copied text so that the licensing requirements are met.

Students will be able to locate Creative Commons materials for online use.

I will create podcasts to assist students with complicated text.

I will try to establish an ongoing relationship with another class with a focus on collaboration. I would like to begin will reciprocal blog commenting and go from there.

I will locate  and use online multimedia resources to supplement the curriculum.

I will write a proposal for a COW to be housed by and used in the special education department classrooms.

I will have my students use the technology, not have it use them.

• Web 2.0 Skills that I Want to Master

I want to be able to use Audacity effectively so that I can publish podcasts for student use.

I want to learn and master video editing. I’ve never done it, but I got a Flip clone (Vado by Creative Media) for Christmas.

Master screen-casting as a tool to help students be more independent while learning new tech skills.

I want to learn all about Skype and Ustream (or similar sites) so that I can engage in active conversation with others about education (and with extended family).

I want to figure out the most effective ways to use this technology in my classes.

• Share with others

I will continue to bookmark and tag interesting websites in both Delicious and Diigo.  If I find something I think someone in my building could use, I’ll send them the link.

Image via CrunchBase

I will encourage others to take the next 23 Things class.  It was fun.

I will volunteer to co-facilitate the next 23 Things class.

I will keep bugging the powers-that-be to give us the kind of technology and training to help our students develop 21st Century Skills inside the Michigan Merit Curriculum.

Image via CrunchBase

Image via Wikipedia

I will continue to advocate for open source software to help the district reduce costs.

• My PLC

I will continue to read the blogs of my 23 Things classmates, commenting as appropriate.

I will encourage my colleagues to explore web 2.0 and try to use it in their classes.

I will follow my PLC on Twitter.

I will continue to blog about educational technology and education in Michigan schools.

I will attempt to serve as a voice of reason in the maddness that is education in the state of Michigan.

I will keep learning.

I will not give up.

In my pre-web 2.0 world Professional Development (PD) could be basically be broken down into three categories:

Image via Wikipedia

• Local Professional Development:

A boring sage-on-the-stage, supposedly “inspirational,” district inservice. My main accomplishment was getting lots of papers graded.

• Countywide Professional Development Day:

More conference like. Some years great, some years terrible. I got many papers graded.

• Conferences:

If I wanted to go, I’d have to pay my own way. Also, time away from class not necessarily approved if district didn’t think attendance “fit” with their PD plan.

None of these had much impact on what went on in my classroom. Sadly, I lost interest in gaining inspiration and new ideas for my teaching. I began to do just what my administrator and the state told me to do. My teaching suffered. I couldn’t wait to retire, but I still have 12 years to go. I was becoming the type of teacher that I despised. My love of teaching waned. I learned the technology and programs the school said I hadto and figured out ways to use these for my personal benefit, but that was it.

I became more and more frustrated with the politics of education. NCLB and the State of Michigan no longer seemed to care about anything other than test scores. They had lost the focus on the student. Flexibility gone. Creativity gone. Teach the “programmed” curriculum. My learning disabled students were left to struggle through curriculum that was (and still is) not appropriate for them. I locked myself away from other teachers to avoid the politics. I just wanted to be left alone in my classroom. I was suffering from burn out. I knew something had to change or I might as well quit and go do else.

Then a miracle occurred. I discovered iTunes, podcasts, and Wesley Fryer. I started listening to Wes’s Moving at the Speed of Creativity podcasts. As soon as I began listening, my world began to change. Wes inspired

Image by Wesley Fryer via Flickr

me to do more. He inspired me to start using technology as something other than a replacement for the typewriter. I began to think and care again. Ideas started sprouting. I began to figure out what I needed to do to become the teacher I wanted to be. The joy of teaching returned. (I hope Wes understands how much he’s improved my teaching and my life. Thanks Wes. Okay, enough with the fangirl stuff.)

I began to seek out more and more resources. I took charge of by PD for the first time in my almost 30 years in education.

I started using my twice a day 40 minute commute to learn from a number of wonderful educators. I’ve become so addicted to my PD in my car. I actually missed commuting over the Christmas break. I just wanted time alone in my car to learn. It has been a long time since I wanted to learn new things. (When I become passionate about something I develop an obsession-like focus. I must master whatever I am doing. It’s been years since that focus was my teaching. Now if the Special Ed paperwork would go away, my world would be idyllic.)

I started signing up for PD opportunities that were offered through the Monroe County Intermediate School District (MCISD), signing up for just about anything that Jim Dornberg presented. He mentioned this 23 Things class to me and I quickly signed up. I didn’t need the carrot of 20 PD hours, but is was a very nice bonus. I just wanted to know more!

This year when the Countywide PD Program arrived in my inbox, I quickly chose to attend Leslie Fisher’s gadgets session. (I’ve always loved gadgets.) In that session she formally introduced me to Twitter and the Professional Learning Community (PLC) that thrives there. I was hooked. During that session, I met Cheryl Lykowski (on Twitter she’s @clykowski) another Monroe County educator and I began to follow her. I also stared following Jim (@jdornberg on Twitter). From there my PLC has exploded. Twitter is an amazing resource to help locate some of the best resources on the web.

So this is my new definition of professional development:

Web 2.0 PD is a personal, flexible way to invigorate both teaching and learning. The learner controls what is learned, when it’s learned, and where it’s learned.

This definition is what I have adopted as my personal philosophy for my own, ongoing PD.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________
(What follows is part of the Thing 22 assignment. This stuff didn’t really fit the the rest of the post.)

The main disadvantage is that there is so much material available that it can be difficult to locate and determine the most effective personal development plan. Carefully selecting your colleagues for your PLC is probably the best way to go about this.

As for future PD Offerings: I would love see another class like this offered through the ISD. I found it very helpful. The only thing I would change is to allow the end date to be more open ended. A few of the people taking this class dropped out because they ran out of time. Maybe this could be an continually ongoing PD opportunity.

Also I would think that offerings on each of these and other specific web 2.0 topics (Jim – like those on your Google Doc), would be another way to go. I would love an entire day devoted to face-to-face web 2.0 networking would be great.

Bringing Wesley Fryer in for the Countywide Inservice would be fantastic.

Now on to Thing 23

Image via Wikipedia

Over on Twitter, I was tagged by @linda704 with this meme.  So here I go.

1. I am a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, a women’s fraternity. I pledged at Central Michigan University- Alpha Upsilon Chapter. After I graduated I served as Chapter Advisor for Alpha Pi Chapter – Wayne State, served as Province Director-Alumnae and Province Director-Undergraduates. I was awarded the Arc of Epsilon Pi with Diamond for service to the fraternity for at least 11 consecutive years.

2. I earned the rank of First Class, the highest award given in the Girl Scouts in the 70s.

Image via Wikipedia

3. I was a member of my high school Varisty Debate and Forensics teams. The first round I ever debated in my entire life was against my future husband, the defending state champ. John and his partner blew us out of the room.

Image via Wikipedia

4. I collect squirrels. That is squirrel figurines not the live ones! The squirrel is the Alpha Gamma Delta mascot. I started in college and I probably have about 100.

5. I am a Stargate SG-1 fangirl and a Sci Fi geek. I own all 10 seasons on dvd. I fell in love with Richard Dean Anderson in high school when he was on General Hospital.  Really loved him in this series.If nothing else is on TV, I’ll watch the Sci Fi Channel, throw in a SciFi movie dvd, otlisten to the Slice of SciFi Podcast. (FYI: Independence Day is on TV as I write this.)

Image via Wikipedia

6. I used to teach scrapbooking at a local scrapbook store.

7. I read trashy, escapist romance novels, usually in ebook form. Any extra money I have is spent on them.

The Conversation Prism, originally uploaded by b_d_solis.

I found this while surfing. It seems to be an interesting depiction of the Read/Write/Collaborate Web in all of its glory.

I see students being able to upload and share their Powerpoint presentations. I’ll also be able to find presentations that others have done so that I don’t have to recreate the wheel everytime I have a bright idea. For example see below.

Well, I finally figured out how to embed this. The trick is to copy all of the provided code. Then use the html editor, click <code> paste copied code from slideshare, click</Code> then save.