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Andy Pethan

37, Male

Waltham, MA

United States

Profile Information:

School / Work Affiliation: Olin College student / Educational software developer
Skype Account: rockychat3
About Me: I am between my sophomore and junior years at Olin College of Engineering in Needham, MA. It's a small school of only 300 students, focused on being a leader in innovation in engineering education. The educational mission is what turned me onto education, the subject that I now spend most of my time on. Ironically, I'm taking a year off of my education to further pursue the topic, while also integrating it with my other two major passions, social entrepreneurship and technical problem solving (most often through software). I'm currently living with five friends from my class at Olin who are also taking the year off as we work together on an educational software business.

Comment Wall:

Alyshia Olsen

Hey Andy! how're you? getting out the project to people?

Dec 26, 2008
Debbie Harris

I assume your target date is in 2009...

Dec 27, 2008
J

I wish you the best of luck with the Alight Learning project. As a computer teacher at the middle school level I found that my colleagues didn't lack enthusiasm for technology. Instead they lacked a level of personal confidence with technology that makes them more likely to use technology in their teaching. Basically, we only teach what we know, and if a teacher hasn't integrated technology into their lives they're not going to integrate it into their professional duties. I developed my website 180TechTips.com based on a series of emails I had sent to the other teachers in my building that simply answered the most common computer questions I was getting. Today the website has over 3,000 subscribers worldwide who, I hope, are building up their confidence with technology one emailed tip at a time. Here's the link to my site's mission statement: http://www.180techtips.com/missionstatement.htm My advice for your project: Don't forget about the Low Threshold Activities that have to be mastered first before teachers/students/parents can use any of your software.

Dec 27, 2008
Art La Rue

Andy: The sooner the better. I've just finished reading Daniel H. Pink's book, A Whole New Mind. Have you read it? I want to introduce his "Six Senses: Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning," while leading my students through the mist of a new idea.

Dec 27, 2008
Matt Montagne

Hey Andy,
I would be interested in having a conversation with you about this. I'll direct message my phone number and skype information to you. We can talk more to figure out whether or not my school would be a good fit for a pilot.

Cheers, and kudos to you and your team for taking on such a project. The platform that you describe would be an incredibly powerful learning space for learners in the middle grades.
~Matt Montagne

Dec 27, 2008
Gina

Andy,
Hi~ I commented on Ideablob.com some ideas that the member below also discusses re: teacher level of personal confidence and the basic computer know how lacking in many teachers.
I am a computer teacher at an Adult basic Ed program in Mpls., MN. We've just hired a tech integration specialist who will be serving two programs (over 50 teachers) most of whom are not integrating technology at all. However, as the computer teacher I have maneuvered computers into every classroom at my program and I am subtly teaching them how to use a wiki, for starters. For many, this is a huge undertaking, until they experience their students using it. Then it is that experience that seems to motivate them a bit. My advice is to keep things simple, like a wiki, to begin with and make sure it is fluid and adaptable as the years go on. And equally important, it must be affordable!
Good luck!

Dec 29, 2008
Wietze Reitsma

Andy,

Like your idea, you have my vote, succes

Dec 31, 2008
Paula

Hi Andy!
Thanks for sharing your project. The idea looks really interesting and I will vote for it!
Let me tell you a bit about me. I am from Argentina, where I have carried out some research that showed a very small percent of secondary school teachers make actual use of the Internet in for their practices. I will be giving a talk next february to share ideas and resources with many colleagues who do not even know about web 2.0. I participate of classroom 2.0 but would like to start my own network so as to show my colleagues here what one can do whith sites like NIng(and also as a personal challenge!) If you could please join me at
http://teach-with-internet.ning.com/

and probably invite some of your colleagues, too. It would be very helful to start making the network grow!
Thanks a lot.
Paula

Dec 31, 2008
Michelle Barkemeyer

Hi Andy,
I am a teacher in a small rural school and I think your idea is great. I did vote for your project - good luck! I think having easier access to all the current technology would help the novice be more comfortable with the daunting task of learning "everything."

Dec 31, 2008
omolayo tomiwa

HI ANDY IM TOO MUCH IN A HUYRYY NOW SO ICANT READ UR MESAGE BU IM INTRESTED. I WANT U 2 NOTIFY ME WEN U BEGIN THANKS REPL;Y BAK. ITS NICE MEETIN U. IM STIIL A STUDENT FROM NIGERIA.

Dec 31, 2008
Ruth

Andy,
I am a teacher and coordinator of the Talented and Gifted Program grades 7-12. I was excited to receive your e-mail for a variety of reasons, one being to become aware of what an exciting opportunity you are pursuing;I will check out the site after I finish this e-mail and will certainly give it a positive vote.
Secondly, I was excitied to see what school you are from. Two of my students have applied to Olin this year and they will be very interested in learning about some of the opportunities the students from Olin have beyond the classroom structure.
I am also the coach of the high school robotics team through the FIRST organization--For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, and we begin our competitive season on Jan. 3. Olin is one of the colleges that offers scholarships to students who have been involved in FIRST.
Good luck with your project, I will be sure to watch its progress, best of everything to you!
Ruth
Pewaukee High School
Pewaukee, WI

Dec 31, 2008
Ruth

Plus you are from Wisconsin-extra good luck to you!

Dec 31, 2008