Yes Tech!

Some folks in my PLN (Professional Learning Network) encouraged me to join the 365 Random Photos Project, and I decided to do it.  I’ll be taking one digital photo every day in 2009.  The photos will be random/ordinary objects.  I’ve created a new blog just for the project.  I’ve also joined the Flickr EdTech 365 group.  Together, we’ll create a database of photos (with Creative Commons licenses) that can be used in digital videos and other projects.  Check out my new photo blog if you’d like!

1. Write weekly blog posts, sharing ideas and ed tech tools.
2. Create and share short video tutorials on a regular basis (every other week). Topics such as: tips, web sites, Internet safety.
3. Visit all schools in my district at least once to work with teachers or offer professional development.
4. Create new video about the district laptop program to be shown at parent informational meetings.
5. Set weekly and daily goals. Find ways to spend more time on tasks that will make a difference.
6. Have an article published in an educational journal (actually, I know this will happen; an article I wrote will be in the March MACUL magazine).
7. Continue to lead the way in the effort to increase Project Based Learning in classrooms.
8. Find a way to get to NECC.
9. Double the number of teachers in my district using Moodle.
10. Read one book per month about leadership or educational technology.
11. Take/share a digital photo every day.

I just learned that Lee Baber died last night.  I have never met Lee in person, only on-line through Skype or one of the Edtechtalk.com shows.  She has always been so helpful to others – guiding, encouraging, and nudging us all as we work together to increase the occurance of 21st century instruction into classrooms around the globe.  She has been researching and studying what a classroom of the 21st century should look like.  Read more about her ideas and research on her blog.

I am feeling sad with the loss of my online friend.  It is a somewhat strange feeling; I’ve never felt this type of sorrow for someone I have never met face-to-face.  I suppose this is one small indicator that shows the way the world is changing due to the power of technology. 

I will miss Lee’s friendship and support; I hope that I can influence others in similar ways – people I have met in person & people I have only met on-line.  

My family and I went on vacation to a place without Internet access, and it was exactly what I needed!  Although part of me wanted to be in Texas at NECC, I needed the down time.  I read lots of books, golfed, and even went white water rafting.  I so much appreciate all who were able to attend NECC for their willingness to share their experiences via their blogs.  I intend to watch the videos and listen to the podcasts that have been posted on the ISTE website, and any others I can find! 

Next week I am fortunate enough to be going to the Discovery Educator Network’s Leadership Institute in Silver Springs, Maryland.  I cannot wait!  I hear the networking and professional development is tops. 

Everyone who knows that I recently purchased a Mac have been asking if I now prefer Mac to PC. Can’t say that I do. Yes, it is different. I just like knowing both languages! At work, I use a PC. At home, I switch off. Almost everything I do these days is web based, so either platform works just fine. The creative suite of software on the Mac has been fun to try out, but there are PC equivalents to all of it. The business world is almost entirely PC, so I support my school district in sticking with PCs.

After about a month of use, here are my thoughts:

• The Mac is very hot on my lap. I quickly learned about the need to stick something between me and my laptop after scalding my thighs!
• The Mac makes a very strange bubble noise that I cannot figure out how to turn off. I have figured out that the noise is probably due to using Skype, and the noises may occur when people on my contact list log on and off. I’ve tried switching every settting, but I’m still dealing with that annoying noise. Yes, I could turn Skype off, but I like to use it.
• Microsoft Office on a Mac = Microsoft Office on a PC
• Camtasia does not work on Mac
• Photobucket is fun. This is a program that does not have a PC equivalent (at least I don’t think so)
• iChat is also very cool. I love the computer-sharing function. I use Yugma to do this on a PC, but need to use Skype for audio.
• iMovie = MovieMaker
• I love the ease of using keyboard shortcut to snag images on the Mac – Vista now does the same thing.
• Less software updates on the Mac
• Garageband lets you do “enhanced” podcasts. I use Audacity on my PC, but there is no ability to add images. I’m not all that keen on the enhanced podcasts, because I am unable to use them on my video mp3 player (I have a Creative Zen… didn’t go with Apple’s ipod. My Creative has a built in voice recorder that Apple did not have…. Apple requires an additional piece of equipment that you have to buy).
• The ease of zooming in when presenting with a Mac is an awesome feature!

Derrall Garrison tagged me on a new meme, called “Passion Quilt” that originated from Miguel Guhlin.

Miguel wants to create an edublogger passion quilt, with lots of contributors; one image per person.  The image should be one that captures what we most passionately want children to learn in school…from our particular perspective.  I created my own simple drawing in PowerPoint and saved it as an image.   

Here are the 3 rules for this meme:

• Post a picture from a source like FlickrCC or Flickr Creative Commons or make/take your own that captures what YOU are most passionate about for kids to learn about…and give your picture a short title.
• Title your blog post “Meme: Passion Quilt” and link back to this blog entry.
• Include links to 5 folks in your professional learning network or whom you follow on Twitter/Pownce.

The five people I am tagging from my Twitter network are:

1. Langwitches
2. Opening Minds
3. Stirring Up the Dust
4. Pam 2.0 
5. Bett’s Places

If you are too busy, or don’t care for these kinds of things, it’s OK to not keep it going. 

This was made with a fun Flickr tool. 

I just made this with Rock You!  I tried to embed it, but it didn’t work.  Click here to see my creation.

Technorati Tags: rockyou

Would you be able to say no?  I used my new iFlip video to shoot this short clip. I’m thinking that an iFlip could really help a busy classroom teacher who wants to have students record significant learnings to post to the classroom blog.

I’ve never been to New York City before.  It is a hustling, bustling place!  I enjoyed a week without cars.  I took this photo of the harbor at dusk.  We visited the World Trade Center site, walked through Central park, and walked through Times Square.  It was a great week, but I’m happy to be back to Michigan, with all the green grass and trees.  Vacation is over.  It’s time to prepare for the start of the schoolyear!  I need to finish up my preparations for workshops I’ll be facilitating on grant writing, MovieMaker, and Moodle for Walled Lake’s “Spice it Up” Tech Conference on Aug 21.