8/7/08 8/7/08

The Digital Frontier Podcast - Episode #1

A Review of NECC 2008

Dr. Leigh Zeitz is our first guest on "The Digital Frontier Podcast," a new podcast focusing on emerging instructional technologies. Our topic in this episode is a review of the National Educational Computing Conference held June 29-July 2 in San Antonio, TX.

This Episode's Delicious Links

Podcast Highlights:

Introduction
Background on NECC
The Convergence of Instructional Technologies
Sunburst Software & Type to Learn 4; teaching elementary-age students to type.
Crick Software's Clicker & WriteOnline
Collaboration
Collaborative Tools and the Quality of Academic Work
Scientific American and Collaborative Publishing
Using Emerging Technologies to Create Collaborative Learning Environment
Dealing with the avalanche of new technologies.
Using Skype to bring experts live into your classroom.
Second Life
Bernajean Porter (on Second Life befriend Charzeee Kitaj )
National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)
Bloom’s Taxonomy
RAGBRAI
Leigh Zeitz Contact Information
Wrap

7/17/08 7/17/08

OoVoo is Ooooh Sooo Cool

I just came across a new tool for video conferencing. It's called ooVoo. I've experienced MeBeam during a classroom chat, and besides its ugly interface, it works OK. (How's that for a raving review?) On the surface, ooVoo looks better than MeBeam. Moreover, in the podcast video I watched where ooVoo was used, it has some nice features, like the ability to select and zoom to one user while they are talking. To watch ooVoo in action, head on over to the EdTechWeekly Podcast. OoVoo has an impressive features list. Most important, in my opinion, is the ability to record and stream conversations. Of course, it looks like the price is right...free. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

6/23/08 6/23/08

Updated EIT Links

6/20/08 6/20/08

EmergingIT: Final Project

Today we presented our final project, which is an introduction to Ning as a social networking tool for teachers. Our goal for this project is for the faculty to gain an understanding of the concept of social networking and how to implement it in their classrooms as an educational tool for students to interact with them.

Here are the components that we developed for this project:

Teacher Quality Assignment with Rubric
PowerPoint Presentation introducing Ning and social networking to teachers.
The social network built on the Ning platform.
Video 1 showing the old analog forms of networking/communications.
Video 2 showing technology today and how networking/communications happens in the digital age.
A Jing screencast showing how to set up your own Ning "My Page."
A Jing screencast showing how to set up your own group within Ning.
Podcast 1 - interview with Steve Hargadon about Ning and social networking.
Podcast 2 - introduction to Ning.
Podcast 3 - interview with Dr. Leigh Zeitz about social networking.

Our project team consisted of:

Brent Bergrsrom - blog
Mark Culver - blog
Chris Eller (me)
Debra Robinson - blog
Melissa Yocum - blog

You can visit the blogs of each team member to gain a different perspective on the project.

Reflection

As part of the assignment for this project, it was required that we develop something that can be used in real life. We chose to develop this project as a teacher quality assignment that can be presented during three professional development hours. While the specific building for our project is the South Hardin Middle School in Hubbard, IA, I believe the components we have developed can be used by any tech coordinator to present Ning and social networking to their teaching staff.Still, that's my opinion. What are your comments?

6/18/08 6/18/08

Give Me Web 2.0 and Keep the T-Shirt

I love going to conferences. Regardless of the topic or location, a conference is a great place to network and meet new people plus get a preview of all the latest greatest ways to do something. It's not uncommon at a conference to hear experts in a given field. Most of the conferences I go to, however, the experts are sponsored by one of the vendors at the conference.

You know the routine: you go to a splashy presentation where expert X talks about the newest, greatest toys hitting the market. The presenter is polished, the technology always works, and you can hear the audible Oohs and Ahhs as the audience soaks it in.

After the presentation (by the expert), a representative from the vendor comes up to do the closer. He/she gives some basic information about the product or service that was just demonstrated and lets the audience know they would love to meet you at their product booth.

As you leave the auditorium, you have a strong sense you are at a soccer game just after Manchester defeats Liverpool, and the crowd pushes and rushes towards the playing field. As you round the corner you see it: a beautiful display booth with 50-inch video monitors showing the product/service, free T-Shirts and water bottles with the company logos on them, and lots of sales reps dressed in matching company shirts.

Now the bad news: you find out that this incredible product/service that will revolutionize the way you teach or do your job is yours for $1,499. Of course, they are running a conference discount that lasts only for the next 15 minutes that drops the price to $1,250.

You're right. I say the same thing: forget it.

This is what I love about graduate school at UNI. Everyday this week I have left my class on Emerging Instructional Technologies with a slew of new tools and ideas to use, and the price: free. (Of course, I'm paying tuition, but ...)

Vinnie Vrotny and VoiceThread

Take today for example. Our guest expert was Vinnie Vtrotny, director of Academic Technology at the North Shore County Day School in Winnetka, IL. As in days past our guest was skyped in from his office north of Chicago. Vtrotny introduced our cohort to VoiceThreads, a most amazing Web 2.0 tool that allows groups to have conversations around pictures and videos. Like many/most Web 2.0 tools, VoiceThreads is simple to use, offers many different ways to collaborate, and best of all...is free to use.

To demonstrate the power of VoiceThreads, Vrotny introduced us to "13 Days That Changed America," an AP US History Final Project. Created by Vrotny and Kevin Randolph, History Department Chair at North Shore County Day School, "13 Days" required the students to use research, analytical, reporting and presentation skills.

In addition to VoiceThreads, the project also required students to utilize Gabcast, another Web 2.0 tool that allows users to create podcasts and audioblogs using any telephone, including a mobile phone.

As an avid student of history, I couldn't wait to see the dates the students chose:

Signing of the Constitution- September 17, 1787
Louisiana Purchase- May 2, 1803
Lincoln's Election- November 6, 1860
Golden Spike driven in at Prominitory Pt., Utah- May 10, 1869
Census of 1890- June 1, 1890
Model T introduced- September 27, 1908
Women's Suffrage (19th amendment)- August 18, 1920
Pearl Harbor attacked- December 7, 1941
GI Bill passed- June 22, 1944
Bombing of Hiroshima- August 6, 1945
Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier (Dodgers)- April 15, 1947
Brown v. Board of Education- May 17, 1954
War Powers Act passed- November 7, 1973

To learn more about "13 Days That Changed America," you can visit the project wiki and, of course, view the final project on voicethread.com.

[Note: I tried embedding the final project video into this entry, but VoiceThread and WordPress don't play well together at this time.]