* School ended well.  We will be opening a new middle school in the fall – SanLee Middle School.  It’s going to be great!  I am VERY excited!  Each teacher will receive their own laptop and each classroom will have 5 computers in the room along with a SmartBoard, Elmo document camera, and LCD projector.  Plus, the Principal is fabulous!

* We presented at the Upstate Technology Conference in Greenville, South Carolina.  Wonderful group of teachers!  I really would like to attend again next year.  We presented 4 sessions and every one of them were full – even the 8:00 AM session!  Talk about impressed!

* Today I am in a McRel training.  Very good for beginners, but nothing new – yet – for us.  Matt is good and the information is FABULOUS.   This would be a wonderful workshop for teachers and there are several here with us.

* Went home to see my family for a few days.  Hubby and I also went to Carolina Beach over 4th of July weekend.  We had a wonderful time! It was good to get away for a few days.

* Hubby found a job – YIPPEE!!  Only bad part is the shift.  But, hopefully, it will change soon.

Well, that’s an update in a nutshell.  I was hoping to have the time to go into a lot more detail, but maybe soon.

Until next time ~ Danita

Our best session was our first one, Digital Photos, now what?.  We had people sitting on the floor.  Kim and I were expecting maybe 20 tops.  You can only imagine our surprise when people kept coming in.  It was great! Of course, we had a few stumbles, but since it was our first time presenting on digital photos, it went very well.  Our Animoto didn’t load in time, but Kim was a huge hit with Gogofrog.  If you haven’t tried Gogofrog, you have to – it’s great!

We then presented Wiki This Way.  We have done this particular session before, so it went off fairly well.  I hope everyone learned something.  We had some great comments from the teachers.  Again, we had a huge turnout, but not standing room only.

Finally, we ended with Creating Magic with Web 2.0 Tools.  Again, this was a rerun for us, but it still went well.  Not as many people this time since it was also during Tammy Worcester’s session.  She is so good, that I really didn’t blame people for attending her session.  In fact, I suggested that a couple of teachers go there and view our wiki later.  But, we did have a good turnout.  I think that we need to refocus if we use this session again.  Web 2.0 tools is just too wide open.  Skypeing with a NASA trainer was the highlight.  The teachers loved that!

Even though we didn’t get to attend many sessions on the last day, there were a couple of teachers presenting their lessons on SmartBoards in the hallway that I thought was one of the most beneficial I have ever attended.   Susie and her partner, whom I’m sorry I have forgotten her name, had some great ideas!  I’m so glad that she made a wiki.  I volunteered to make one for her is she would send me her lessons.  They are great – check them out!

The NCAECT conference was really good this year.  Scott Smith and Marlo Gaddis did a wonderful job.  It was one of the best conferences I have attended in recent years.

Until next time ~ Danita

NCAECT

John Kuglin

• S.W.I.M.

• “How William Shatner changed the world” from History Channel

• Route 21 partnership for 21st century learning

• IPCC – won Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore for global warming

• Lay overlays on top of Google Earth to show current weather map
  • can do Hurricane KatrinaUSGS volcanic activity
    • Lewis and Clark expedition
• Saturday Night Live parody of iPod – really cute
• www.kuglin.com

Until I land from the clouds I’m floating on ~ Danita

Flickr

Lane.cindy@gmail.com

www.googleearthgoods.pbwiki.com

Langwitches notes from same session – GREAT notes!

• password for wiki is Cindylane
• thanks to Kathy for ustreaming the session
• most in audience know a bit about Google Earth
• geogreeting.com
  • create spelling words
  • can find and graph words from all over world
  • shows letters on world map
  • good for elementary school
• Math
  • instant chart in Excel highlight data and then F11
  • KMZ file in geometry
    • measure in smoots (5 ft 7 in)
    • measure polygons
    • go to tools and click on ruler
    • measure a line or a path
    • can change from miles to yards to smoots
• Science
  • can link live volcano pics into googleearth
• Language Arts
  • Jerome Berg
    • Lit trips
  • www.googlelittrips.com
• Social Studies
  • insert image from United Streaming
  • added buttons on top of each image to make a writing assignment
  • on wiki
  • GREAT idea!!
  • go into Google Earth to see all the Civil War battles
  • each one has info and has a hyperlink of the battles
  • can view where the battle actually occurred
• Foreign Language
  • on youtube using google earth in the foreign language classroom
• KMZ or KML
  • Google Earth Community
  • Google – more – even more -earth – Google Earth community on left hand side
    • click on GE community
    • click on education
      • 11000 posts
• Google – advanced search – kml or kmz file format
  • automatically opens in Google Earth
  • make sure you SAVE so you don’t have to go hunt again
  • KMZ is a zip file
  • KML is a language (one file)
• All Google Earth images are at oldest 3 to 4 years
• Peggy White also has a similar presentation – all info is on Cindy’s pbwiki
• basic navigation tips
  • GD and GE links in pbwiki
  • make a folder first

Until next time ~ Danita

Great Resource List

• 1 to 3 mobile laptops
• things to think about:
  • equipment
  • teaching basics to the students
  • developing a routine
  • classroom arrangement
  • managing hardware
  • lesson planning
  • creating a support system
• what you need:
  • laptops
  • power strips
  • projectors
  • internet access
  • software
  • headphones & microphones
  • digital and video cameras
  • digital presenter – document camera
• the basics
  • create procedures
  • emphasize proper use
  • get the students’ attention
    • give lesson instruction before turning ON the computer
    • monitor off/lid half-closed
    • hand signals and visuals
  • learn what works for you
• developing a routine
  • unlock the cart: protect the combination
  • emphasize gentle handling
  • assign student supervisors and helpers
  • assign laptops to students
• set up and tear down:
  • set up 5 to 8 minutes
    • student supervisors in charge of smooth transitions
    • student helpers hand out laptops
    • limit number of students at cart
  • tear down 5 to 8 minutes
    • reverse set up procedure
    • each student is in charge of his/her own laptop to student helpers
    • student supervisors calls tables and maintains order
  • consider leaving out overnight
• power source management
  • charge overnight
  • 2 to 3 hours battery time
  • power strip for battery
  • visibility to screen
• classroom arrangement
  • locating near power strips
  • circulating the classroom
  • cooperative grouping
  • independent work
  • what works for hardware
• Zig-zag
  • classroom arrangement is in a zig-zag pattern for easy accessibility
• Circle configuration
  • power cord in middle
  • shoulder partners
  • moderately easy for teacher to circulate
• long rectangular
  • power strips in middle
• rectangular/square
  • power strips at end of table
  • shoulder partners
  • easy for teacher to circulate
• flexible
  • lots of freedom
  • more difficult to manage power strips
  • ideal for cooperative work
• glitches and bugs
  • if something goes wrong
    • plug it in
    • restart it
  • always have a plan b
    • network outages
    • sometimes things just don’t work
• hardware management
  • think about how to deal with hardware failure
  • updates
  • virus protection
  • software installation
  • network controls
• time for kids
• Don’t do what we did:
  • ALWAYS test sites before the lesson
• rules of thumb
  • mostly independent cooperative
    • not teacher led
  • create a support system
    • informal and formal meetings
• Chapman Science wiki
• Brainpop
• Moodle
• Teacher Resources
• Largo Middle School
• Cathie Chapman Chapmanc@pcsb.org

Until next time ~ Danita

Well, I was more wrong than you can imagine. I now have “friends” from all over the world. We share ideas, share websites, share inspirations, share conundrums, share advice, and share triumphants. The key verb there is share. I have learned so much! This is my personal learning plan. I am learning daily and contributing to others learning. You choose who you want to follow and others can follow you. At this moment, I am following 252 people and 193 are following me. That means I have a learning opportunity for professional development from 252 people from all across the globe!

Yesterday, I was able to meet Kathy Shields. She and I share a mutual “friend” Jen Wagner. I have gained so much from these ladies. Kathy and I met so she could make a uStream of what we have experienced from the conference thus far. uStream is an online live stream. Kathy was able to interview the presenter and several participants live.

Several other teachers were uStreaming sessions. That means that teachers from all over the globe had access to FETC even though they couldn’t virtually attend. They also have the opportunity to type in a chat windows so the viewers can ask questions and make comments. This is completely amazing to me!

I’m excited to see what today brings. I hope you continue reading and find something that is beneficial to you.

Until next time ~ Danita

• hold professional developments on Saturday
  • how do you get people there on a Saturday?
  • offer prizes and pay
  • started with giving away computers for home use – then running out of money so now giving away 1Gb flash drive
  • any employee can come to the pd – cafeteria workers, bus drivers, aides, custodians, admins
  • ask high level curriculum folks to fund professional development
  • his school has 485 certified employees
  • presenters and attendees are voluntary
    • would this work in a larger district?
  • classes:
    • advanced ppt
    • advanced word
    • basic ppt
    • buying or enhancing a computer
    • cool internet sites
    • digital cameras
    • digital photos and photoshop
    • ebay
    • elementary pinnacle gradebook
    • excel
    • searching the internet
    • groupwise email tips/tricks
    • distance learning
    • mac 101
    • legally downloading music
    • multi-media / moviemaker
    • paperless classroom
    • paperless office
    • project based learning
    • pinnacle gradebook
    • smartboard beginners
    • smartboard advanced
    • technology in the classroom – middle school
    • technology in the classroom – elementary
    • technology in the classroom – high school
    • united streaming
    • My comment: NO WEB 2.0 – WHY NOT???
    • has opening keynote and then go to 3 sessions
      • keynot by Tech director and Tech facilitators
    • asked teachers to teach sessions when he didn’t have enough IT folks
    • added to teacher contract that teachers must attend at least one day
    • going to add web 2.0 this year
      • wikis, blogs, podcasts, second life
• didn’t have resources for followup
• email Marty and he will send the powerpoint and Millionaire slides
  • Bowe@perry1.sparce.org

Until next time ~ Danita

• I have found the secret to having a full house for a presentation – add to the bottom of the description “This session fills up fast – come early!”
• Non-profit Next vista for learning
• Video will get student’s attention
• use video as a tool
• you can make a wonderful without a camcorder – all you need is a microphone
• video editing
  • like word processing with video
• Windows Moviemaker
  • get pictures in one place
  • put “stuff” in timeline
  • get pics from shared picture locations – Flickr
  • move pictures into editor – or import video or pictures
  • add the pics to the bottom of the timeline
  • drag to put into whatever order you want
  • can change length of the picture
  • add title page
    • same as with word processing
  • drag the video transitions between the pictures
  • add voice over with microphone
    • cheap microphones work just as well
    • click on microphone icon to add voice
  • go to save to my computer
• make sure you tell your kids not to use violence or “action scenes”
• short videos are much better than longer videos
• discuss at the beginning – copyright
  • use copyright friendly or creative commons
  • have kids make their own music
  • pod safe music
  • podsafe audio
• Morgue file free photos
• flickr
• good for ESL and special ed kiddos
  • kids push pause when they get to a part they don’t understand
  • teachers can do individual instruction
• why does quality improve?
  • audience grows especially if you post it on the web
• rules for videos:
  • no copyright material
  • 5 minutes or less
  • appropriate for young audience
  • curriculum appropriate
• nextvista.org
• rh@nextvista.org
• curriki.org
• photobucket.com
• bhphoto.com
• morguefile.com
• podsafeaudio.com
• www.prometheanworld.com
• www.einstruction.com

Until next time ~ Danita

• adrianerpeters@mac.com
• www.moore.leon.k12.fl.us
  • all handouts and presentation is on the site
• wanted to get secondary teachers involved
• had to do something inviting to get teachers to come
• wanted PD to look interesting and not what it normally looks like
• the strategies
  • creativity
  • planning
  • funding sources
  • implementation
  • evaluation
  • fun!
• teacher achievement just like we work on student achievement
• Creativity
  • use Title 2D funds to purchase digital microscops
• Planning
  • Master Technology Teachers
    • recruit teachers to implement technology in their schools
    • gave them laptops
    • paired older teachers with newer teachers
  • Curriculum Integration
    • get vendor sponsorships
  • Participants
    • focus on the teachers
  • Location
    • utmost important
  • Equipment
    • build a working relationship with the IT
• Implementation
  • 4 day tech institute
  • held at a local elementary school
  • cross platform – mac and pc
  • online registration
  • project based learning
    • something they can use on day 1
  • train the trainer model
• Process
  • Days 1 & 2
    • preassigned onto small groups of 5-7 teachers
    • digital tools 101
      • 30 to 35 minute sessions
    • 2 days to solve the crime
    • creating a project with the applications learned
      • digital cameras
      • podcast
      • video
  • Days 3 & 4
    • groups reformed by content area or grade levels
    • use the tools to create something that could be used in their classroom
    • assessment rubric
    • group sharing
• Funding sources
  • enhancing education through technology entitlement grant
  • Title 2 Part D
  • Vendor contributions
  • local business contributions
  • “You have not if you ask not”
  • took a picture at the end that said thanks from ____ County Schools
• Evaluation
  • formal project evaluator
    • paid $3000
    • talk to the teacher everyday
    • interviewed the participants and did an opening and closing survey
  • informal daily debriefing sessions
  • attended the workshop
  • interviewed and surveyed participants
  • gave written feedback to the trainers
• What’s next?
  • CSI was this year
  • The Amazing Race is next year
    • put a technology clue in local businesses for teachers to discover
    • can ride the trolley to the businesses

Until next time ~ Danita