July 2009 Blog Posts (175)

Ubuntu Linux: A Progress Report

Linux Magazine has just published a surprisingly balanced article comparing the latest versions of Ubuntu Linux and Mac OS X. Most of you are probably already familiar with Apple's Mac OS X, but Ubuntu Linux is still relatively unknown, despite being a solid, and free offering. The article celebrates some areas where Ubuntu excels while keeping a critical eye on its… Continue

Added by Chris Fritz on July 14, 2009 at 8:20pm — No Comments

2nd Grade Japan Study

Looking for ideas to study Japan...ideas, please!

http://origami-club.com/en/

http://www.jearn.jp/eng/

Added by Beth D. Nielsen on July 14, 2009 at 12:30pm — 30 Comments

Are Academic Skills Needed in Technical Education?

It seems like many people have the perception that technical careers do not require academic skills. In collision repair, not only do students need to learn and stay updated with today's sophisticated vehicles, they also need to have basic academic skills.

While four-year college degrees are not designed for every student this does not lessen the significance of academic skills. Even though technical education provides a career path for students that may not be seeking a four year… Continue

Added by Donnie Smith on July 14, 2009 at 6:39am — No Comments

Librarians are my Homies!!

I am immensely proud of this picture. The people you see include 1) Jacqueline Woodson, an author who has won the Caldecott Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award, the Newberry Honor Medal, and the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement as given by the American Library Association 2) Ann Martin, President of the American Association of School Librarians 3)… Continue

Added by Alan Sitomer on July 14, 2009 at 6:30am — No Comments

Teaching the New Writing: podcast series on Teachers Teaching Teachers

The third and final installment of podcasts about the book I co-edited and wrote a chapter for (called Teaching the New Writing) is up at Teachers Teaching Teachers. The first podcast centered on why us three editors (myself, Charlie Moran and Anne Herrington) decided to publish a collection of… Continue

Added by Kevin H. on July 14, 2009 at 5:13am — No Comments

Technology Key to Analyzing Assessment Data

This article is about incorporating assessment into the instruction to build baseline with formal assessment. The State Educational Technology Director Association has created an action plan titled “Technology-Based Assessments Improve Teaching and Learning”. In this plan, it stated that teachers and schools can improve instruction and the state can develop comprehensive longitude data system on analyzing students’ performance.

This plan, it will be beneficial for students and teachers by… Continue

Added by Jolene Morgan on July 13, 2009 at 6:29pm — No Comments

Real Life Math, Any ideas???

Any ideas on what I should teach in a Real Life Math unit? Here are my ideas so far:
Making/Counting Change
Balancing a Checkbook
"Buying" a Stock
Cooking/Baking
Trip Cost (mpg, car rental)

Added by Misty Bradley on July 13, 2009 at 5:21pm — 1 Comment

8 Engaging Videos Advocating Better Integration of Technology in Education

These inspiring, insightful videos make the case for stepping up the integration of technology in today’s classrooms

As an advocate of the use of Internet technologies in education, my fundamental goal is to inspire instructors and other members of the educational community to embrace the use of these technologies in today’s educational process. I’ve attempted to make the case myself in a couple previous blog posts, such as the popular… Continue

Added by Kelly Walsh on July 13, 2009 at 8:30am — No Comments

Feedback on Pillars of Technology Integration

What are the key elements required for a transformation of teaching and learning through the use of technology? There are obviously many reasonable ways to look at this. From what position do you view this issue? Are you a teacher, instructional coach, building principal, technology facilitator, director of technology, chief administrative officer of some flavor, superintendent, parent, or student? For you, this issue will likely run through the… Continue

Added by Sean Nash on July 13, 2009 at 8:00am — No Comments

" How important are we?" :A Reflective Teacher 9

A Reflective Classroom Teacher 9 There seems to be a general consensus that teaching is an important function in our society even though the financial rewards do not reflect that belief. As educators, we are responsible for the formal socialization process. Parents trust us to help prepare their children to be productive, well adjusted and informed members of our society. This is a tremendous responsibility and the vast majority of educators approach this task with a very serious… Continue

Added by Ronald Bovill on July 13, 2009 at 7:00am — No Comments

Goodness, do I really understand how much things have changed?

I was a featured speaker on the President's Panel of AASL this Saturday for the American Library Association's annual conference. (Took place in Chicago this year... what a town!)

So much great info, so many great people and so many great, mind-blowing ideas came at me from so many different directions that it's virtually impossible to keep up.

Yet, through the speaking, the book signings, the… Continue

Added by Alan Sitomer on July 13, 2009 at 6:30am — No Comments

Technology In The Classroom – An Investment Or A Waste of Resources?

What phrase is abuzz in the world of education? “Technology in the classroom.” Everyone is scrambling to find ways to fund their school districts or buildings with new technology for students and teachers. Some schools reach out to their communities and form alliances with businesses to help supply classrooms with new computers or projectors. Other districts have teachers working late, after school, in the evenings, and on the weekends without compensation writing Perkins grants to receive… Continue

Added by Gayla Thompson on July 11, 2009 at 8:00pm — 3 Comments

Working with a team virtually to get a project done...

This summer we're experimenting with free web-based software allowing staff to collaborate virtually and at times face to face on projects. The two we've used are Zoho Projects and Basecamp. I'd put out a tweet asking if there were similar products written for the K-12 environment and got back an iPhone/iPod touch app recommendation for SimplyBox, a free browser/collaboration tool. Our teachers are very interested in using these web-based tools for collaborative student projects this fall. We… Continue

Added by Susan Wells on July 11, 2009 at 10:00am — 1 Comment

A Walk Down Edutainment Lane: Or, What Target Taught Me About Serious Games

Apparently war game sims sell, even oldish ones. Last weekend I took a quick walk through the games section of our local Target to see what new Wii and DS games looked fun. After picking up a copy of Cooking Mama, I took a gander at some of the games on the next row of shelves. The next aisle over offered an extensive selection of games, each priced to move at $9.99.

It is kinda like the minor league for commercial video games. There are major league veterans,… Continue

Added by tjowens on July 11, 2009 at 6:59am — 1 Comment

GradePad Review

Teachnologist has a review of GradePad.

There are some great ideas for usage too.

Added by Mike Palmquist on July 10, 2009 at 3:00pm — 4 Comments

Managing Student Calls with Google Voice

I just got my Google Voice invite and have been doing a little experimenting with my students in mind. I decided to put the below widget on our class website, so students can call me if they have something urgent they need to talk to me about.

There are a few things I like about this solution:

- It allows students to get in touch with me without knowing my number.

-… Continue

Added by Chris Fritz on July 10, 2009 at 12:04pm — 3 Comments

MultiSeat computing - keeping your licensing legal

I have been watching nComputing and Fiddlehead as they work to earn some of the K-12 market. As I have tested both and heard from other schools that have done the same, I would say that nComputing has a much larger market share, but it is because of marketing budget, not because it is a better product. I stood outside both booths at NECC and it was apparent that Fiddlehead customers are much happier than nComputing customers. When I overheard a Microsoft rep say that Fiddlehead is totally legal… Continue

Added by Jim D on July 10, 2009 at 8:39am — No Comments

' Look into your Soul" :A Reflective Classroom Teacher 8

Reflective thought has always been a part of my day as well. Long before I became a teacher, I had been introduced to the art of self-reflection. As a youth, I attended Catholic grade school. Each Friday, Sister Barbara, would transport our class from the school to the church so that we might go to confession. Before we started this forced march, we were all asked to put our heads on our desktops, close our eyes, and examine our consciences.

To jog our collective memories, Sister would… Continue

Added by Ronald Bovill on July 10, 2009 at 6:30am — No Comments

" The Examined Life":A Reflective Classroom Teacher 7

"The Unexamined Life, Is not worth Living." Aristotle

Reflective thought has always been a part of our day. Dr. Z, my wife, often refers to the many hours of contemplative time she spent in her mother's flower garden and the benefits of that activity. On more than one occasion, she has revealed that many of her beliefs and values concerning education were first formulated in private thought and reflection among the blossoms of early spring. I am delighted to tell you that it is still the… Continue

Added by Ronald Bovill on July 10, 2009 at 6:30am — No Comments

National Standard 1.0 has got to be...

No one asked me but...

Considering that a bunch of high-fallutin', really smart, really accomplished folks are now getting together to concotuate national standards (and you wonder why they didn't invite me to the party?) I figured I throw in my own 2 cents.

All I ask is that they give me one standard. Just one. The rest, I'll leave to the professionals.

Standard 1.0: Have fun!

That's right, have fun. Enjoy your class, enjoy your… Continue

Added by Alan Sitomer on July 10, 2009 at 6:30am — No Comments