Week 10: If My Spring Breaks, Can I Have it Replaced?

I hope my daughters appreciate how much time I waste trying to do new Photoshop effects to their pictures (click on the picture to get a closer look at how cool this is). . .for the brave, this tutorial can be found on my delicious page under the, you guessed it, photoshop tag.

Almost time for Spring Break. . .some of you probably thought you would never get here. As I work to catch up on all of my grading, I am honestly impressed with just how well you are all doing as a group. . .When I think back to day one, I must admit I was a bit afraid . . . :-) I will get the Inspiration and Copyright assignments graded over break. . .check WebCT for grades and any returned assignments.

This week: we will be introduced to the new collaborative wiki project that we will be doing with Dr. Hanor's 422 classes (I think there are 3!). . .also, I will be going over the Excel Spreadsheet assignment that you will be completing over our break. . .don't forget that there will be a virtual class on April 8.
Note: It would really be in your best interest to work on as much of your TaskStream narratives as you can over the break. All we have left to finish is a Social Justice movie, the EdTechProfile post-assessment, and the narratives for TaskSStream!!

Journal 9: This Comes to us from T-H-E Journal. "The Kids are All Right," by John K. Waters.

Journal 10: (this is for my overachievers who want to finish this assignment over the break ;-) I want you to search L&L or the the Internet for a journal article around an issue educational technology. . .ensure you give it a good citation and perhaps even a link if it is something that I may not have read. I can offer a suggestion, but I won't post it for a week or so.

This week's Question: If I could send you on your ideal vacation over spring break, where would you go and what would you do?

Week 9: Exactly how quick is a wiki?

I must say that I am impressed with all of the progress the class had made!! You are able to recognize similarities among programs and determine how to embed content you your blog!!

This week: we will be discussing Web 2.0 assignment and perhaps even get into the wiki! Don't forget that you always have something to work on. . .whether it's a journal entry or your narratives for TaskStream!! The copyright and journals 1-5 are past due. . . I will be grading soon.

Journal 8: is also the web 2.0 assignment. . .the instructions are on a separate journal post. . .

This week's question: How do you feel about same sex education? Explain. . .

Journal 8

Web 2.0

There are also instructions from webCT for Web 2.0!

You will first join the classroom 2.0 community, then complete the following assignment:

I would like you to pick a TOOL from the Classroom 2.0 website (see link on blog), choose a link from the tools (not content area) list on the right hand column for a technology that interests you, and follow a discussion or two that relates to your technology. In the title bar, put journal title followed by the technology you have chosen. (For example: Journal 8: Microblogging). In the journal, I would like you to define the technology (assume your reader has never heard of the technology) and then report out on what you learned from the tool discussion (follow at least two threaded discussions) and read and comment on at least three peers who have chosen a different tool. You reporting out should contain the 200-250 word minimum, but you do not need to ask and answer questions. In the assignments section, you will submit your peers names.

For Submission: you will only have to submit your tool (e.g. microblogging) and the peers whose blogs you commented on with their tool (john - collaborative documents). You can simply type the names into the html creator!

Week 8: Where do you find your Inspiration?

I don't know why I find these "demotivator" posters funny, but I do ;-)

Take the class quiz


I believe our glass is half-full . . .we have reached the midpoint of the semester. . .painless isn't it? Isn't it?

I went to the Computer Using Educators Conference in Palm Springs this weekend!!! Remind me to tell you about it! I took a tour of the Lennon Bus. . .you should check it out! Also, remind me to tell you about Google Forms!!!!!

I have graded and regraded everything that is due (I think). Please check your grades and see if anything was returned. . .For TaskStream, don't forget that you should have posted your NETS-I narrative for feedback. . .It's not that there is a hard due-date, but the quicker you get feedback the better.

I believe the journal articles are due this week. . .and you have the copyright assignment. . .and you can be working on Journals 6 & 7.

Tonight: we will be grading the PowerPoints. . please don't forget you need to bring at least three copies of the rubric with you to class!! We will also go over how to add the PowerPoint to the blog and we will discuss the Inspiration assignment!

Journals: I have already assigned journals 6 & 7, so you will not need a new post this week. If you must, feel free to scan L&L or the web for articles about technology and education. If you are not that motivated, I will post journal 8 next week.

This week's questions: After looking at the results of last week's question, it became crystal clear that parental support was the overwheling key to everyone's educational success. This makes me question the belief in an educational meritocracy. Imagine what your future would have been without parental support. Where do you see your role as a teacher in addressing this issue with your students? Do you think it's your responsibility? Explain.

Week 7: Do Two Copywrongs Make a Copyright?

Almost half-way. . .so is the class half empty or half full? Assuming you are all still in the learning phase. . .I'll say half-full.

You should be working on your TaskStream collaboration. . .as well as Journals 1-5, and any other assignment that might still be in progress for you.

This week: we will discuss the use of rubrics to grade the PowerPoints, look at your narratives for NETS-I, and introducing our copyright assignment.

Journals 6-10: (articles are for journals 6 & 7) As we move on to round two of your journal assignments, we get the new March/April issue of L&L, which contains at least two good articles that are relevant to what we have been learning. "Grow Your Personal Learning Network," by David Warlick and "Mining for Gold," by Chris Bigenho.

This week's question: With the current economic situation having great impact on education, I want to know to what do you attribute your educational success (as I believe almost everyone at least has a BA)? Was it teachers, family, or something else that you attribute your success?