Consider This 1:2.66

I just saw a link posted on IISD’s Twitter Page about the 1:1 Laptop Symposium last week. 1:1 refers to the high schools’ one laptop per student mandate that Irving employs to educate high schoolers. It is nothing short of amazing what our high school teachers, young and old, are able to do with students that were with us 4 years ago. In this video about the symposium, there is a reference to digital natives. No matter what the socio-economic make-up of our population is, our students are digital natives. I implore you to find one family that does not have a computer, cell phone, Xbox, or other interactive digital devise. They think and learn differently than we did by virtue of their growing up in this 21^st century culture.

Consider this

1. Are we addressing students’ learning preferences with graphics and interactive materials that appeal to them?

2. Are we giving students different “stages” to succeed besides the traditional stages of sports and theater?

3. Are we preparing Irving students for our own high schools?

4. Did you know that Elliott has a ratio of 1:2.66 students to computers?

What can we do?

1. Use digital substitutes (Blackboard, Blogs, Reading A-Z projectable books) for worksheets and printable materials.

2. Give students choices on how they make their products. (Power Point, video recording, voice recording, etc.)

3. Let groups of students come to the lab for recess every now and then for some free Power Point time or free Publisher time. (e-mail me and we can get them in)

4. Try 1:1 for a week by checking out a laptop cart for a whole week.

Technology Memo #12

1. Media Fair – Let your students produce! The name of the Media Fair game is creation. Students create, students submit, students win, students feel confident about themselves. Every student should participate. Every student can be a part of this. Use what you already do in the classroom for this: research papers, Paint, Power Points, Publisher posters, etc. E-mail me to work on whole class projects. All entries are due December 10^th. Click here to log-in and review rules.

2. Staff Addresses – Do you have an iPhone, Blackberry, or any other smart phone that you sync with your computer? Then you’ll want updated contact information from your friends at Elliott. Use these directions to move staff addresses and phone numbers to your contacts in your e-mail folder. 1. Go to Elliott Public Folders. 2. Click on “Staff Addresses.” 3. Click on “Edit” in the upper-left hand corner. 4. Click “Select All.” 5. Click “Copy to Folder.” 6. Select “Contacts” in your personal e-mail. 7. Click “Ok.” If you want to see a video version of how to do this go to Blackboard>Elliott Staff Resources>Video How To’s>Copy Staff Addresses to Contacts. This is my first screen video, click on it to hear the pure excitement in my voice.

3. Video How To’s – The previous item brings me to my Video How To’s which is the new button when you go into Elliott Staff Resources in Blackboard. I will be putting instructional videos in there as the needs arise. If you want a video on a certain subject, just tell me and I will try to make one for you. So far I have made videos on tantalizing subjects such as staff addresses and campus calendar appointments.

4. Passwords list – Use the attached password list to remember usernames and passwords. And yes, it is a good thing to have so many different usernames and passwords. If someone gets your information, then they can only wreak havoc on one account instead of all of them.

5. Open Lab – Media Fair Work Time – Do you have one or a few students who want to do a project? Do they keep bugging you about some idea that they want to do? I have made 8 dates to work specifically on Media Fair entries in the computer lab with individual or small groups of students. This is for your students who keep up with classroom work, but do not get the opportunity to work on independent technology products.

Friday, November 20^th – 1-2:30

Monday, November 30^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 1^st – 9:30-10:15

Friday, December 4^th – 1-2:30

Monday, December 7^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 8^th – 9:30-10:15

6. Tech Fusion 2.0 – Tech Fusion is here again. Use your students’ products from Media Fair for your Tech Fusion 2.0 lesson submissions. Click here for details and an overview. Your first Tech Fusion submission is due December 17^th. Hint for the uncreative: search for previous Tech Fusion lessons by subject/grade. See if you could improve upon someone else’s lesson. Team-up with another teacher and you both get credit. All teachers must submit two Tech Fusion lessons.

7. Website of the Week – Technology Specialist Institute Resources – Cindy, Allison M., Fernando, and I have been attending technology sessions this year at Region 10. We will be presenting on our favorite goodies in January, but you can feel free to look at some of the resources that we have learned about thus far.

8. Paperless Classroom Tip #4 – Blog Directions – Create a blog to post directions for your classroom. Instead of printing and re-printing reading groups rotations, group assignments, etc. post them on your blog and teach the students to go to your blog when they need directions.

9. Technology Tip – Choice. Give your students choices when making a product. Write 2 pages? BORING! Let your students record their voices, take pictures, take video, make a Power Point, use Publisher, Movie Maker, or Photo Story to share their knowledge. If you are getting bored grading, then they are probably getting bored doing what you’re grading. Check out a wireless cart and give choices. I can facilitate and troubleshoot for you.

Technology Memo #11

Old (but VERY important stuff) is in red and new stuff is in green.

1. Media Fair – Let your students produce! The name of the Media Fair game is creation. Students create, students submit, students win, students feel confident about themselves. Every student should participate. Every student can be a part of this. Use what you already do in the classroom for this: research papers, Paint, Power Points, Publisher posters, etc. E-mail me to work on whole class projects. All entries are due December 10^th. Click here to log-in and review rules.

2. Open Lab – Media Fair Work Time – Do you have one or a few students who want to do a project? Do they keep bugging you about some idea that they want to do? I have made 8 dates to work specifically on Media Fair entries in the computer lab with individual or small groups of students. This is for your students who keep up with classroom work, but do not get the opportunity to work on independent technology products. Check the dates below and send me an e-mail to reserve time(s) for your student(s). If I get a lot of students signed-up, I will schedule more time. Thank you Judy McGibboney, Rebecca Davis, and Sarah Prince for already taking me up on this offer.

Monday, November 16^th – 8-9

Tuesday, November 17^th – 9:30-10:15

Friday, November 20^th – 1-2:30

Monday, November 30^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 1^st – 9:30-10:15

Friday, December 4^th – 1-2:30

Monday, December 7^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 8^th – 9:30-10:15

3. Tech Fusion 2.0 – Tech Fusion is here again. Use your students’ products from Media Fair for your Tech Fusion 2.0 lesson submissions. Click here for details and an overview. Your first Tech Fusion submission is due December 17^th. Hint for the uncreative: search for previous Tech Fusion lessons by subject/grade. See if you could improve upon someone else’s lesson. Team-up with another teacher and you both get credit. All teachers must submit two Tech Fusion lessons.

4. Grades – Grades must be verified by 8:00 Thursday morning. To access the updated end-of-six-weeks checklist for your grade, go to Blackboard>Elliott Staff Resources>Documents>Technology>Gradespeed. As always e-mail me with any questions that you may have, preferably before 7:59 AM on Thursday morning.

5. Balanced Literacy Training – Click on the time to sign-up for Balanced Literacy Training tomorrow. Pick distributed credit for this one unless you do not need distributed credit.

Elliott 09-10 Balanced Literacy

11/11/2009

3:00PM-4:30PM

6. Website of the Week – IISD Video Streaming Page – This is linked off of the both the teacher webpage and the student webpage. Search for videos to use for the whole class or let students explore science topics and compare them to what you have learned in class. Power Videos is the only one that students cannot access on their own.

7. Paperless Classroom Tip #3 – Old Papers – This is from Diane Mikkelson. When you organize you file cabinet and get rid of old papers, use them as printer paper. This also sets a good example for your students and they will look to save paper for you as well.

8. Technology Tip – This is from Mr. Rocha. Put a picture of the keyboard the students are using on the screen when you are using laptops with the students, especially for the first time. You can point out where the ctrl+alt+delete keys are and many other helpful features. This will let you solve problems as a group, instead of individually. Feel free to use the pictures above.

Technology Memo #10

1. Media Fair – Let your students produce! The name of the Media Fair game is creation. Students create, students submit, students win, students feel confident about themselves. Every student should participate. Every student can be a part of this. Use what you already do in the classroom for this: research papers, Paint, Power Points, Publisher posters, etc. E-mail me to work on whole class projects. All entries are due December 10^th. Click here to log-in and review rules.

2. Open Lab – Media Fair Work Time – Do you have one or a few students who want to do a project? Do they keep bugging you about some idea that they want to do? I have made 8 dates to work specifically on Media Fair entries in the computer lab with individual or small groups of students. This is for your students who keep up with classroom work, but do not get the opportunity to work on independent technology products. Check the dates below and send me an e-mail to reserve time(s) for your student(s). If I get a lot of students signed-up, I will schedule more time. Thank you Judy McGibboney for already taking me up on this offer.

Monday, November 16^th – 8-9

Tuesday, November 17^th – 9-10

Friday, November 20^th – 1-2:30

Monday, November 30^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 1^st – 9-10

Friday, December 4^th – 1-2:30

Monday, December 7^th – 8-9

Tuesday, December 8^th – 9-10

3. Tech Fusion 2.0 – Tech Fusion is here again. Use your students’ products from Media Fair for your Tech Fusion 2.0 lesson submissions. Click here for details and an overview. Your first Tech Fusion submission is due December 17^th. Hint for the uncreative: search for previous Tech Fusion lessons by subject/grade. See if you could improve upon someone else’s lesson. Team-up with another teacher and you both get credit. All teachers must submit two Tech Fusion lessons.

4. Grades – Grades must be verified by 8:00 Thursday morning. To access the updated end-of-six-weeks checklist for your grade, go to Blackboard>Elliott Staff Resources>Documents>Technology>Gradespeed. As always e-mail me with any questions that you may have, preferably before 7:59 AM on Thursday morning.

And yes, I did copy and paste to create this Technology Memo. Media Fair, Tech Fusion, and grades are that important.