06.17.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:01 pm by wwtechgirl
It has been a month or so since my last blog and I just wanted to update you all about the status of the book study I organized to do this summer. The book we are reading and discussing is “Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms” by Will Richardson. We have about 16 people from Kansas and Texas participating in the discussion. Tomorrow will be our 2nd week of discussions. The topic this week is going to be about the use of blogs in education. We have also made some create connections among ourselves and I think that the conversations will not stop at the end of the summer…I see them just beginning.
A very neat addition to this group discussion was the opportunity to interact with the books author, Will Richardson. He stopped in our first discussion briefly and hopes to be able to do more discussion and answering questions tomorrow. A big thanks to Jamie Gustin for letting him know about our book study. It is such an honor to have someone so experienced in the topic being here to join us.
I couldn’t read the chapter without writing in my blog about the chapter. It is so inspiring to hear so many ideas of how to use a blog in a classroom. It makes me want to run and share the info with the teachers in my district to help them get excited as well. This seems like a great way to motivate students and to get them ready for the “real world”. Blogs create an interactive learning experience for students by allowing them to connect with people they may never connect with. I would consider blogs a continuous rough draft of writing, as you are never fully done. The comments and interactions with others outside the walls of the school are what makes this type of writing so intriguing to students.
I can’t wait to read more in the next chapter!
Permalink
05.04.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:10 pm by wwtechgirl
I am going to try something new and I would like you to join me. This is going to be my first ever book study. When I was at Podstock a few days ago, I had a discussion with a 5th grade teacher from Oklahoma who just participated in a book study on this book and had lots of great things to say about it. I thought I would give it a try.
The book is called “Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms” by Will Richardson (2008 Edition). I would like to do this over the summer for 8 weeks. It will be a very informal, low-key thing for about 1 hour each week in June and July. We will use Wiggio to facilitate the conversation which is also something new to me.
I think it will be a fun and different learning experience to get our minds thinking over the summer. I will send more details later, but would like to get an idea of who would be interested. All you have to do is buy the book and be ready the first week in June to talk about the first chapter. No homework (other than reading a chapter per week) and discussions will only last an hour per week.
If you are a Remington USD 206 employee, this book will be purchased by the district for you to use. We will then use the book again for another book study during the school year. If you want to purchase it on your own to keep, let me know so we don’t order you one.
So, who’s in? Email me (wwtechgirl@gmail.com or crwhalen@remington.k12.ks.us) or post a comment with your email address to the blog and let me know.
Permalink
04.20.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:24 pm by wwtechgirl
Just had a very productive weekend at home getting some home remodeling stuff done. Felt great! Now I hope to continue that at work this week. As I think ahead to the next couple of weeks, there are a couple of fun things that I am really excited about.
My superintendent is hoping to start using Skype. It was a really positive conversation and I hope that we can get the administrators excited about using it so we can pass that enthusiasm on to teachers. We have no cell phone coverage in this small town/district and so trying to find me, the tech coordinator is quite a feat sometimes. We are hoping that we can use Skype to keep in touch and to have a quick conversation when it would be easier than trying to find me in the district. Plus, the opportunity to use some new technology makes it more fun, doesn’t it? What are some ways that we can use Skype in our district? How can teachers use it in an easy way that they will be motivated to try?
I am also ready to go to Podstock next week! I have been ready to try podcasting, but have not taken the plunge yet. One of my goals for podcasting is to have my High School students create a weekly podcast that we can post to our school web site. Just a little update each week about what is going on at RHS. Sound fun? I think the kids will really get into it. We do a monthly school newspaper, but to have a weekly snipit seems like another way to get them to use technology in a fun way. I feel like if I introduce them to it, the concept will take off.
I officially started my “summer” to do list today. Seems really crazy that it is approaching so quickly, but I want to be ready when it hits. It seems like things get so busy in May and when the teachers leave, I have 10 days to cram as much as I can into my days. Then I get 10 more at the beginning, but those fly by so fast I can hardly count on them for productive work on my list.
I think the weather will be nice this week, so I hope to get outside to play! Have a good week and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Permalink
04.09.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:42 pm by wwtechgirl
This has been an absolutely great week! I have learned a lot and love reading everyone’s comments about my previous post on “What are you doing to stay safe?”. Last Friday, I went to Hutch to visit the ESSDACK TIG (Technology Integration Group). Who knew you could make a Wii educational? I saw the topic and though, okay, so how educational could it really be. But it was. We got to see a demo of different ideas from Adrian Howie, a 4th grade teacher from Newton (lucky me…it is very close to Whitewater). He had 2 Wii’s in his classroom that he uses for a variety of activities, ranging from Mario Olympics to exploring the ocean for all sorts of creatures in their habit’s. What ideas do you have or have you seen used for a Wii in the classroom?
I love how Glenn Wiebe started the discussion. The brain is wired to want to learn when it is stimulated. My 14-year old son sits in front of his XBox for countless hours and is definitely addicted to it. Drives me CRAZY…but, why is he addicted? It is because it stimulates his brain, which leaves him craving more. Let’s do that in education! Let’s make them crave more!
I spent a couple of days this week learning a little more about PowerSchool (our student information system) at a Kansas User’s Conference. What a great resource we have in Kansas for those of us who use PowerSchool. The user’s group also has a listserv that can often times help us answer questions that tech support can not. Such smart people in this group with lots of experience. You only hope as a part of the group that someday you will be able to help others as much as experienced users have helped you.
Thanks to those who commented on my last Blog “What are you doing to stay safe?”. It raises lots of questions.
When you download Limewire on your computer, you are getting songs because you are sharing songs. How do you share songs? Well, through your computer network, other Limewire users have access to your songs and vice versa. So, if you get a song from them that is tainted, so are you. I also, speak from experinece. 
While this is not really an issue at school (I can’t imagine any school opening up Limewire) it becomes an Ethics issue at home. It is illegal to share those songs. Yes, I said I speak from experience. I did have it, but realized I need to practice what I preach. In a unit I used to teach, we talked about piracy and had no right to teach them about it but still do it.
It is a great idea to get your curriculum director involved. I hear time and time again from people how the IT people are the bad people. But, if you can get them involved in education more than just in network issues, then they become the people that help you educate your students. I am one of them, so I would like to say that it is possible, but I also have a great passion for helping students learn. How can you convince an IT person working for the school district that it is more than tech?
When we had Kevin come out, we had 10 parents come to the community presentation. I was happy it was not 3 people, but I went home and asked my husband, “How come parents don’t care”, so when I saw the comment from Larry, I showed him and said, “Yea! I am not the only person who feels this way!”. I am sure there are lots of us out there. But really, how can we help them care. Parents are busy, which is sometime part of the reason they don’t care what goes on with the computer at home. It is a break from having to parent. They need to care! I had a HS girl yesterday ask me why I had a Facebook account. I told her I wanted to stay connected to my friends and my son had one, so I needed to make sure he was staying safe. She said if her mom every got a Facebook account, she would NEVER add her as a friend. Another boy chimed in, “Yeah…I would never want my mom to see what pics I have on there”. Oh my! What can we do?
Lastly, in regards to social networking at school…I believe there is a time and a place. If we can find a way of doing it in an educational way, then I am all for it. I do not, however, believe that unblocking Facebook is the answer. Students do not need to be tempted to use it in a less than educational way while in school. But, I do think that with the proper planning, a teacher should be able to create a social network via Ning or whatever so that her class can have legitimate discussions or interactions. Are there other educational social networks out there that we can suggest? This is such a powerful and popular tool. Let’s engage them with it.
Whew! I guess I better close for now. I am winding down and ready for a relaxing Easter Break. Ready to spend some time at home…cleaning and resting for the final leg of this school year.
Permalink
03.30.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:15 pm by wwtechgirl
We are in a time where it has become important, necessary, and required to educate our students on the topic of CyberSafety. In October 2008, a new requirement came into play through the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, part of the Broadband Data Improvement Act. We must now educate our students on this topic. How do we do this?
Filtering is not the answer, but another requirement to receive E-Rate funding. The management of a filter is not the easiest thing to do, considering you might have a teacher group and a student group. I open some sites for staff that are closed for students. This becomes a management nightmare. Who am I, as the district Tech, to determine what websites our staff or students have access to? Right now, we have things locked down pretty tight. Not because we are strict and don’t want them to access anything, but when we set up our filter, we decided that we would be tight and then review things as needed.
As I think more about the real matter at hand, I am tending to lean the other way. Why not block the obvious sites that are inappropriate for kids (and adults for that matter), but let them use the resources of the Internet they need. At home, our rule has always been that you get a privilege until you abuse it, giving us a reason to take it away. We are not giving a chance to anyone. And why is that? I think it is because it is easier just to feel safe with a filter and not teach the real lessons in life.
Well, now we have to. Because of this Act of Congress, we get to teach our children the importance of CyberSafety. This is a great opportunity, but it goes way beyond the filter. So my question is, “How do we do it and what resources or programs are you using to do this?” Last week, we had the pleasure of listening to hear Kevin Honeycutt talk about the topic. What other ways are out there?
Another topic that can be put in the same category is Technology Ethics. How do you teach kids that using Limewire to get a song is illegal? I taught a unit on this subject and 7th and 8th graders seemed genuinely surprised that this was illegal. They don’t see a problem with burning a copy of a CD for a friend because it is possible. So why can’t they do it? If it was wrong, you wouldn’t be able to, right? Ahhhh!
Permalink
03.24.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:48 pm by wwtechgirl
I had a fabulous day yesterday that has totally inspired me. I am coming out! So, our school district hired Kevin Honeycutt to come out and talk about online safety to our K-12 students and community. Who would have thought that it would have given me the jolt of energy I needed to start my life. Well, if you know Kevin, you know that the jolt of energy just radiates.
What a great job I have?!? I get to be the “Technology Coordinator” for a fabulous school district in Kansas. Remington USD 206 in Whitewater has given me the opportunity to have my dream job. But, the world of education has kept me quiet for 5 years and now, the beast has been released. My passion was creating a learning environment for kids that will get them excited about learning through the wonderful world of technology.
What happened?!? I got my dream job and now I fix computers, run a student information system, and make sure that our network can handle the standardized tests that are required by our glorious state. My passions got squished…and now they have broken free.
Over the past school year, I have been missing something. The phrase “what now and what is missing” has crossed my mind so many times, I cannot even begin to count. I searched and searched for what was wrong. Ahhhhh! Nothing is wrong. Everything is right. I need to dig deeper within myself to find what I have already that I have not been tapping into. I am my own best resource and forgot!
Then, I met Kevin. Actually, was reintroduced to Kevin. Met him at a conference a while back and have always seen him as among the best my field. Not the field of “hi, I fix computers” but the field of “what can we do to grab those kids and how can technology make that possible?”.
So, I just want to thank Kevin for the inspiration and tell him that I am a new, old me. I have spent this day being excited about what I do and have decided that I am going to take what I know and go.
More to come…watch out world!
Permalink
