Thingy #8 that wacky Wiki

My first impressions of a Wiki were not overly positive. Like most other people my initial encounter with a wiki was through Wikipedia . When I saw the site I was puzzled as to why anyone would take it seriously as an information source. With the philosophy that anyone should be able to add or delete information I wondered about the reliability of this site as a resource. As time wikipedia has encountered difficulties in maintaining accurate and relevant entries. Any encyclopedia with Danny Bonaducci in it has credibility issues. I would hate to see a student cite wikipedia as a source for a paper. My attitude towards wikis as educational tools however is entirely different on the classroom level. My reasoning for this is the level of control that an instructor has. A teacher can monitor, edit, and even delete posts that are inappropriate or inaccurate. I think Wikis provide a wonderful opportunity for students to provide evidence of their knowledge and mastery of an assignment. We seem to be reading a great deal of Cool Cat Teacher and with good reason. I marvel at her ability to recognize the power of the wiki while remembering to keep its uses on a level that allows all of her students to participate and experience success. Cool Cat also utilizes the wiki in simple ways such as the study hall site. I think if I were a parent or student I would value her sites. I would love to be able to track assignments online as parents of her students can.
One of the Wiki experiences I thought students would enjoy the most was Jennifer Barnett's The Crucible wiki . On this wiki Ms. Barnett uses a site powered by VoiceThread that allows students to use photographs, text, and even their own voices to post information on a subject. I can think of several students who would be thrilled to be able to be hear worldwide. it could be an incredibly motivating feature. The students in this class seemed to take their work very seriously and their posts were, for the most part very insightful. I would love to see our science teachers use this as a method to review for tests. I though the contest cool cat had to see who could post the best review was marvelous.

Putting yourself out there in a nice way Thingy #7

My difficulty with writing responses to blog posts in the pasts is the lack of response. Unfortunately for me I am one of those people who is a conversation addict. You know who we are. We're the guy you drive by on the freeway who's shouting at his radio. The invention of the bluetooth has made us a little less obvious but we're out there. We're that person in the doctor's office who can't not talk to you. We have to fill the void. We'll ask you about the weather, your kids, your dog, what embarrassing procedure you are having done, the meaningless drivel written on your t-shirt, we can't let it rest. We just can't stand the silence. We take it as a personal affront to human dignity that you are not helping us fill the conversational void. Don't try to avoid us, we'll follow you. My experience with blogs has been maddeningly hit and miss. Sometimes you will hit the incredibly dedicated blogger who answers anyone. Harry Shearer on Huffington post is one of those. Post how you love New Orleans and hate what happened during Hurricane Katrina and he is your friend for life. He'll email you his favorite gumbo recipe and invite you to spend Mardi Gras week at his house. We love them.

The flip side of that is the drive by blogger, they post it and forget it. Most likely it was a late night venting experience for them that they have long since forgotten. It is a good possibility that they've forgotten they have a blog and will never even read your post. They drive us crazy. Unless you write something really snarky ( along the lines of "Dear Moron, did you write this post in crayon before transferring it to your pitiful excuse for a blog?") the author tends to just read and go on. You aren't that important to them and your comment is even less so. We hate them. They are the bane of our existence. I am convinced that this is the foundation for 95% of the incivility on the internet. Do not ignore us. We become quite pithy and have online access to all the best thesauruses ( or is it thesauri?). We will post comments so full of bile and anger it will melt your hard drive. When I say we I, of course, mean all of those other people. I am not snarky. Heaven forbid, this gets you banned from sites and that simply will not do.

Fortunately for all of us most blogs hit the middle ground. I haven't found many blogs where the authors have the time to respond meaningfully to all of the posted responses. It is very time consuming. If you write something thoughtful and well crafted you will generally get a response. Be civil and that ups your chances. I think you have to be especially dedicated when using blogging in the classroom in order to make sure no one feels left out of the conversation. I posted on articles that haven't gotten much in the way of response and I wonder what the response to my posts will be. Ah well, just have to wait and see if I'm deemed worthy. Not that I'm waiting by the computer or anything, that would be pitiful.

Thing #6

I really enjoy the ability to quickly skim items that the reader gives you. I selected a piece from tech learning on using Wordle in the classroom. I know at West we are trying to focus on using academic language and i think wordle might help us bridge some of our gaps. When I listen to students using academic vocabulary that is on a higher level I often get the feeling they are just regurgitating what they have just heard from the teacher. I worry that they don't have a good grasp of the concept. I'd like to see our science teachers work with this in developing a deeper understanding of the terminology they are using. often when you ask students about a term they can spout the definition back at you but if you ask them what that means you get a very glassy stare. We're getting better but it has a ways to go.

my second article in thingy #6 was a post by Steven Hardon focusing on the use of gaming to improve instructional effectiveness. I posted a comment on this article and I'm curious to see if the author will respond. My praise for the concept is that it definitely piques students interest in material they might not otherwise engage in. My concern is twofold, first is the difficulty we have in getting a portion of our staff to take technological advancements into their regular instruction cycle. I worry that gaming will be seen by these teachers as trivializing the content. My second concern is that we have yet to develop effective ways of consistently transferring student success on these applications to success on traditional assessments. Maybe the answer is to ask TEA to develop an interactive shooter game that will supplant the TAKS test.

Thing #5 Google Reader - Can technology be that easy?

This is fun. I can start my very own liberal conspiracy with the help of organizational tools like Google Reader. With a little help from the creators of 23 things I filled the evening quite nicely while the wife was working late this evening. I started off the evening with an ulcer inducing breeze through a New York Times puff piece on Liz Cheney . I stumbled on this by adding the politics section of the New York Times to my Google Reader. I am really quite proud of myself. First and foremost my computer screen is still intact. Second my daughter Emily only had to come in to the room twice to ask me if I was having a stroke. Third I didn't say one bad word. Fourth and finally, after my daughter Erin politely asked me if me to stop screaming "Liar, liar, You Lie" at the computer I willingly complied.



Deciding that I had frightened my family enough for one evening I thought perhaps a a more academic rout might be in order. I perused the Google Reader selections from Tech & Learning and settled on David Andrade's article entitled Technology I use everyday. This gives me hope. Its a simple recipe that doesn't over reach. The technology pieces are well integrated into the author's instructional day and they aren't a stretch for him. If we can get to this point at West in the next year I would be ecstatic. The area I would most like to see us pursue is online grading that parents would have access to. We have made a huge point of communicating with our stakeholders and this would be a tremendous step forward for us. Lets hope the rumors of a district system supporting this function come true.

I'm proud to say that our science department has taken quite a few steps toward the authors current level of functioning. The department already uses igoogle to organize its calendar, publish its meeting agendas, and cooperatively construct common assessments. Alison Davis, Constance Dunne, and Wes Bolton are both taking this on line course and everyone seems to be focused on taking the necessary steps to become tech savy. Maybe with a little patience, a little support, and a little push we'll all get there sooner than later. Now if we could just do something about that public health care option Sheryl Stoleberg wrote about in the NY Times this morning. Live long and prosper.

7.5 Habits Lets Play !

I guess it s fairly obvious that the last rule, 7.5 is the one I follow most fervently. Others who have taken the 23 things course have warned me that the time requirements can sap some of the thrill you initially feel. I must say that hasn't happened yet. I look forward to each new toy that the course reveals with anticipation. I look at the other participants’ blogs and jealously hunt for new whistles and bells when I see their efforts. I noticed visitors’ pictures tonight in the comment section and immediately began searching my pic files for an appropriate photo. I'm looking for a caption to go with it. Maybe tan gradually and carry a big mallet? Not quite right. I'll keep thinking.

Most of the rules for lifelong learning are things I feel fairly comfortable with. My greatest strength in this area, my zest for playful exploration, is an insidious trap when it comes to my greatest weakness, keeping the purpose of my learning at the forefront of my efforts. That's probably obvious to those of you who noticed that I'm just now blogging on thing #1. I guess in the end if I want my school to benefit from all of this I need to make my weakness my focus. Like our students I could play endlessly with little in the way of substantive progress. If the effort I put into this class is going to be anything more than an excuse to sit at the computer and mindlessly surf and type I'll need to rely on my peers at West to keep me grounded. That's right Tarpley, make sure to tap me on the shoulder and pull me in from the playground when the recess bell rings. Maybe my motto for the year should be play with a purpose, yeah, I like that. Play on!

Blog on Brother Blog on ! Thing #4

A little evangelism in moderate doses can be a good thing. I think that is probably the thing that draws me irresistibly to blogs. It’s difficult to be half hearted in blogging. Blogging isn't something that will give you a herniated disc, but it does take a little effort. For the most part people who blog are passionate about their subjects. I guess that’s a good thing in the end. Think about it, who wants to read a blog entitled, "technology in the classroom,I can take it or leave it", or "My mildly entertaining experience with moodles"? If you're surfing the web you want something thats going to grab your attention, something that makes you want to respond. Dan Myers blog "Why I don't assign homework" is an excellent example of this. I can think of several math teachers who would go ballistic over this entry. As I read the entry I could se myself patting a certain algebra II instructor on the back and assuring her that they were only words. I was very impressed with Mr. Myers ability to both stick to his guns and make modifications to his positions when necessary. His ability to admit weaknesses in his own position and strengths in those who disagree with him gives his site a rational nature. That isn't a common trait among bloggers that I generally read. It makes me hopeful that reason can be found on the web as well as in face to face encounters.

The Eagles Nest blog was something that I would hope my daughter would be able to participate in her 4th grades classes. The students in Ms. Edmondson's class are able to create fairly complex questions concerning the writing process and creativity in general. It is fairly sophisticated work for third grade students. It gives an indication of the productivity teachers can find in their students if they are given opportunities to express themselves in a forum like this. The teacher’s response to a reader question about process is also helpful in that it points out to instructors that there is a structured process that needs to take place, you can't simply turn on the computers and let them surf. SP8-17 Math Blog is another example of student produced blogs with an entirely different purpose, scribing notes for review of material. Note taking can be problematic for students of all ages. Often teachers are resigned to handing out fill in the blank sheets so students don't miss content. What a great way to motivate students to take good notes, the student with the best notes is selected to be the scribe for the day.


Mark's edtech blog "Is this SSR 2.0" is a great example of how we can use blogging to facilitate improvement in instruction. Mark's initial entry in and of itself would traditionally be seen in an education magazine. After publishing the article readers who agree or disagree might be moved to send in a letter to the editor, but it typically ends beyond that. The wonderful thing about blogging is that it starts conversations. One of the important conversations we need to continue to have in education is how do we use technology without being abused by it? Cool Cat Teacher covers this well and asks some uncomfortable questions. How do we make schools secure without trampling on individual rights? How do we harness the power of technology without leaving ourselves open to being spied on by the students we serve? In a technological age is it wise to try? My new iphone takes great video, is it better to have them out where you can see them and attempt to moderate the process, or attempt to ban them and leave yourself open to surreptitious taping. It’s a great conversation to have with your class, your peers and your administrators. The nice thing about blogs is that as long as the post stays open, the conversation continues.

The Challenge of technology and Web 2.0

Perhaps the most challenging development at West mesquite has been our emphasis on using technology to make instruction more powerful, engaging, and accessible for all of our stake holders. One of the resources our district provides for us to support this effort is the class "23 things". It is a self paced program that works to introduce the learner to emerging technologies that are having a positive impact on classrooms.

I’m excited about the possibilities of web 2.0 but wonder about the challenges. Our teachers are interested in having our students use tools like the portable computer lab, but they become frustrated with the lack of availability, or the slowness of the server. That is where my greatest fears lie. Extending promises to our stakeholders that we have trouble supporting. I am hopeful that our district will be successful in their application for a large federal technology grant. They have talked about purchasing Promethean boards for our core teachers, personal response units (clickers) and other technology upgrades for these classes as well. I think we are taking steps to improve the way we use technology on our campus. I am envious of other districts with grater financial resources that are able to provide their teachers and students with greater technological resources. Our current campus technology infrastructure and hardware could certainly use a booster shot.

The thing that gives me confidence that we can overcome some of these barriers is our staff’s willingness to innovate and improvise. Wes Bolton, one of our science teachers got tired of waiting for the funds for an Elmo . He talked our principal into buying web cams for our science teachers. They are cheaper, and the teachers can do things with them they can’t do with the Elmo, like record audio. One of our assistant principals, Lisa Perry helped organize a teacher technology showcase. It used the rolling staff development concept to provide our teachers to simple ways they use technology in their classrooms. I was encouraged to hear teachers’ comments supporting the notion that these were things they can and will use in their classes. Its examples like this that tell me we can do it.

I think the most important thing for both me and my colleagues is to not get frustrated. Take a dive in and try it. Track your progress and don't be afraid to get input from others, whether it is your peers or your students. As an administrator I feel strongly that we need to let the teachers and students drive the innovations. Administrators function best as facilitators, role models, and acquisition agents. I am working on curbing my urge to dictate and improving my listening and supportive skills. Let me know how I'm doing !