Teacher Talk

Tired of Learning

That's right, I'm getting tired of chasing edtech. While the technology is changing rapidly and it's incredibly exciting to be a part of these changes particularly as they relate to the world of education...I'm starting to tire of 'keeping up.' Please understand, I love the excitement and have always been an early adopter. What is exhausting is that sometimes I would just like to use the technology instead of understand it.

Image from Somadjinn. Spinning Disco Lamp. MorgueFile.

For example, I want to access all of my email from one location (Thunderbird works for me). So, what's the issue? The level of technical expertise I need to make this happen. So, I set up an account wanting to get my gmail to this desktop application. That's easy until I get a warning that says,

Mail server pop.gmail.com responded: Your account is not enabled for POP access.

So, I go to Gmail and look around for the link to the settings page so that I can enable my account for POP access. Hey look! I can FORWARD the email to another one of my accounts...this should meet my need. In fact, what a great idea! Done. Ooooh, and here's the POP access infor too...as long as I'm here, I may as well make sure it's all on.

Basically I over-engineered a solution and now recieve emails as well as copies of emails in Thunderbird. What's more is that it all stays ad nauseum in Gmail. My EdTechies friends and colleagues will tell me exactly how to fix this, the issue...I don't want to know how. And while I want it fixed, I don't want to fix it.

Student Competition

On Your Mark. Get Set. Doodle.

Doodle 4 Google is giving U.S. students in grades K-12 the opportunity to design a doodle (see samples here) for the Google homepage. Students will be asked to draw a doodle that best represents the theme "What if...?" We ask ourselves this question every day when we build our products, so we thought we would ask the same of the future doodlers.

Check out www.google.com/doodle4google for more details. All that's needed to get started is a teacher or principal to register the school. Registration closes on 3/28/08, and entries must be postmarked by 4/12/08.

Vogt, Mary R. The Artist. MorgueFile. 

Cool Tools

Lulu Publishers. Using print-on-demand (POD) technology, Lulu Publishers can help you print and sell your book online - from a single copy to thousands. Create a book for someone's birthday present, or write a best-seller: you are in charge!

I'm a Twit

If one who twits is a twitter then one who twitters must be a twit. Twitter is well, it's a site where, well, it's...okay, I don't quite know yet (I believe this also qualifies me for twit-status).

According to Twitter.com:

It is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

Why? Because even basic updates are meaningful to family members, friends, or colleagues—especially when they’re timely.

• Eating soup? Research shows that moms want to know.
• Running late to a meeting? Your co–workers might find that useful.
• Partying? Your friends may want to join you.

With Twitter, you can stay hyper–connected to your friends and always know what they’re doing. Or, you can stop following them any time. You can even set quiet times on Twitter so you’re not interrupted.

Twitter puts you in control and becomes a modern antidote to information overload.

I'm not convinced that Twitter has any redeeming value. That said, I've recently committed to sticking with it in an effort to give twittering a fair shake.

In the meantime,

• Mom does want to know if I'm eating soup but is comfortable with asking me about it on the telephone.
• I'm more apt to be running late because of Twitter than meeting with anyone who uses it.
• Please consider joining me and we'll call it a Twitter Party. See you at www.twitter.com/epaxton

 

Is Kwout a Knock Out?

kwout | A brilliant way to quote via kwout

Okay, screen printing just got to be super easy! Visit Kwout and easily capture any section of any website.

Why do this?
Well, here's where I envision a possible application: Let's say a student accomplishes an online task and would like to capture evidence of said accomplishment. Perhaps, Kwout could be used to streamline this fete. I'm not utterly convinced that it'll work in that I haven't tried it with a non-static URL, but the intrigue exists and there is a kinda-cool-factor to the simplicity of use.

Got a great alternative use or suggestion for this resource? Let me know.

FREE Teacher Toolbar

FREE TOOLBAR

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Download this FREE Teacher Toolbar and keep the latest teaching and learning information at your fingertips. Updated automatically when you go to the Internet.

Click here to get the Teacher Toolbar today.

Got a suggestion for tools, web sites and other resources to be added?
Let the Toolbar Team know at toolbar@professionallearningboard.com.

Awesome for Autism

The previous post highlighted Google's 3D Warehouse, SketchUp Software and Project Spectrum. Here is another awesome tool and resource for enhancing teaching and learning and focusing on students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

The Wrist-o-Picwww.wrist-o-pic.com) is a way cool product invented by Gail, a veteran special education teacher in Minneapolis Public Schools. Gail spent years researching this product and has just officially launched the Wrist-o-Pic last month.

According to Wrist-o-Pic promotional materials, "Fill it with favorite images" and use as:

- Picture Schedules
- Behavior Reward Charts
- Organizers
- Memory Joggers
- Communication and
- Choice Boards
- Transition Indicator
  first this (picture), then that (picture)
- Mobile sticker chart
  (add a pic for good behavior at church, the store, etc.)
- Friendship bracelet
  display and trade mini-school pictures with friends
- Visual Cueing System
- Chore Board
- Task Organizer
- Goal Achievement Indicator
- Collectables Display
- Homwork Organizer
- Bible School Scripture Verse Memory Reminder>

While I am not an expert, at all, in Asperger or Autism, I do have a knack for finding (or as my husband claims, things just seem to 'find me') and am excited to share this information.

Locally, here in Minnesota, both Fraser Academy and a newly approved charter school in Robbinsdale, Lionsgate Academy (sponsored by Adler Graduate School, Lionsgate Academy and to serve grades 6-12.) serve students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Please tell your local education specialists in this field about it as well.

Google ANSWER Engine

Many folks know Google as a robust Search-engine.

Project Spectrum (http://www.google.com/educators/spectrum.html) is an example of how Google is also an elaborate Answer-engine.

Google's responsiveness and work with families to create career opportunities and enhancing communications for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is quite impressive. Check out Project Spectrum and try SketchUp (http://sketchup.google.com/), the FREE 3D design software for yourself.

Click here to see how easy it is to use, get  Google SketchUp Tutorials (http://sketchup.google.com/sptutorials.html) and even Download Lesson Plans (http://www.google.com/educators/learning_materials/Project_Spectrum_Manual.pdf)

Current Events in Education

There are few things more exciting than what I percieve to be outstanding use of technology in education. Andrew Pass' blog The Current Events in Education demonstrates such use.

Discussion Starters for both young and older children provide prompts that present often difficult subject matter in an enlightening manner and more elaborate vocabulary is called out for study.

Mr. Pass' has a gift for designing inquiries that draw thoughtfulness and debate while refraining from sharing his own opinions. Very commendable. We can learn a lot from his suggestions as well as from the manner in which he conducts himself. Thank you!

Get this widget!

Nuts for this Preschool Site

Pre-school age children are going nuts for this recently discovered site. The Little Animals Activity has a little bit of everything for nearly everyone's little one. Despite the cheezy graphics that make me believe even I can draw the simplicity of this site provides good, clean, learning fun.

Phonics & Rhyme
Preschoolers learn and practice letter sounds and rhymes with Digby Mole and these word games.

Music & Rhyme
A listening and watching activity garners attention and the rhyming story is just sweet with owl's that say "woof" and earthworms with claws.

Stories
The Storybear section features online books that include an option to toggle sound off/on. A nice feature is audio and written directions that tell users where to click.

Puzzles
I'm not sure if it's a lack of understanding due to age (the riddles and jokes just didn't work for me or my children) or perhaps language (British vs American English). Regardless, I'm not impressed with Puzzlesnuff and his stuff.

Math
The number games led by Count Hoot the Owl introduce addition and subtraction. While I'm not an early childhood expert by any means, as a parent I'm really impresed with the different levels eg. items to count as well as numerals to recognize.

Printable Activities
Mazes, recipes, dot-to-dots and crafts are all part of Micky Maker's activities.

Background Checks

BACKGROUND CHECKS

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The world is no longer a simple place where everyone knows everyone in their hometown or even in their neighborhoods. The world has changed and one reality of the many changes is that teaching and safeguarding children includes performing background checks for all employees and volunteers who work with or near children.

You may be surprised to learn that there is a large range of services offered by companies conducting background checks. Make sure that your're doing everything possible to protect the children entrusted in your care.

Professional Learning Board recommends MYB Inc. as a cost-effective and school-focused resource for organizations to perform background checks. MYB Inc. is trusted by districts, schools and states across the country. Click here to visit the MYB Inc. web site and learn more about how you and your organization can better safeguard all children with background checks from a company that understands the unique needs of education.

Giggles for Learning

We love how these words summarize parenting (our dads love it too!) and believe there's a comparative teacher summation out there. So, here's the challenge:

1. Create a video that generates similar head-nodding agreement and maybe even a few laughs.
2. Post it at www.TeacherTube.com (like YouTube but expressly for education).
3. Submit a link to your entry here.

It's not scientific and there's no rubric but we'll give you a free course (up to $25 value) if you make us giggle. C'mon and tell your friends too!

Connecting in Internet Time

Have an interest in education and technology?
Consider joining me in Internet Time.

Visit Internet Time

BackUp your PC!

You know the value of accessing, backing up, and archiving data.

Carbonite is the AUTOMATIC backup solution for your PC. Get a FREE 15 day trial here. And then ONLY $50/year unlimited (REALLY!) storage space.

Why Didn't I Think of That?

Somethings make so much sense that I can't believe they're new. Such is the case with WebSlides by www.diigo.com <-- my favorite bookmarking and annotating and archiving and organizing and locating and so much more tool for quite a while now!

Video: Digital Learner

This video has musical accompaniment.
Please adjust your volume accordingly and
Click the > to play. See more at www.teachertube.com

A musing...

I've been giving serious consideration to how we can make systemic changes in American education, specifically teaching and learning.

As a pioneer (entrepreneur) in K12 education, I often find myself alone and on the road less traveled. Please lend your expertise, opinions and experiences as I welcome voices from outside of my head. Thanks!

Gotta Where Shades

The future is so bright that wearing shades will undoubtedly not be enough.

This  video from the University of Minnesota is a poignant message regarding both the magnitude and urgency for education reform.

Almost Free Magazines

When students ask this question, refer them to one of many leading industry magazines. This is also a great tool for keeping up on trends, direction and changes related to life-after-K12-education. No cost other than sincere interest.

SCRATCH This!

Okay, I must admit that I'm itching to play with SCRATCH, to create interactive animations, stories and games!

Local students at St. Paul Public School's Expo for Excellence Magnet School have been betatesting new software from MIT Media Lab, a programming language that lets kids create their own games, interactive arts and animations.

Kid's can program a dance, create a chase game and animate their name.

Plus, it's FREE and translates into many languages

If you think this is intriguing, there's more. . .

Find SCRATCH at MIT Media Lab web link at http://scratch.mit.edu.
Or DOWNLOAD SCRATCH now as a free download!

FREE Children's Books!

Earn FREE Usborne children's books. Here's how:

1. Host an online eShow
   • Complete this form.
   • Pick an end date.
2. Contact your friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc.
3. Have them visit this site, click on your eShow and purchase books.

The orders are totaled up for all the people that placed an order for your eShow and your allowance of free books is calculated based on this chart.

We can even schedule an online chat enabling your guests to learn about Usborne books' unique qualities, ask questions and get help while selecting the best books for their children.

Inviting Teachers...

Blog for Teacher Talk

Inviting teacher-authors and teacher-learners to contribute to the Teacher Talk blog. This is YOUR blog and open to the whole Professional Learning Board community. Please take a look around.

New to blogging?

That's okay. Write about anything related to education, teaching and learning.

Who'll read what I write?

Maybe no one. Maybe everyone. Your postings will be accessible across the World-Wide-Web, so don't write anything that you wouldn't want shared. Also, it's important to adhere to general data privacy and confidentiality regarding student names, etc.

Why?

While we can't offer to pay you, we can provide this opportunity to engage in the technology that is forcing changes in education we are only beginning to see. This is a forum and opportunity  for teacher-learners and leaders to experience the blogosphere and blogging in a somewhat moderated environment. Discover new ground, participate in self-publishing, develop skills, reach new audiences and share ideas, insights, stories, suggestions, helpful hints and successful practices.

Interested?

If you'd like to be given blogging privileges, Send Murray an Email. Please include your name and why you would like to contribute to Teacher Talk.

Tags: blog, teachers, ed blog, teach

Free Online Tutorials

Learn skills at your own pace -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week -- with these FREE ONLINE TUTORIALS: GCF Global Learning^® is a web-based community of learners from all over the world. Membership is completely FREE! And, take the first lesson without giving out any information!

Visit the Tutorials page to see tutorial offerings, including Computer & Internet Basics,  Microsoft Office 1997 - 2003 (Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access), OpenOffice.org (Writer, Calc, Impress) <FREE alternative to Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and Life Skills including Math, Money and Career Basics.

 

Remote Access to Professional Learning Board and back again

Teacher Staff Development Web Feeds

From: Clarence Fisher
To: service@professionallearningboard.com
Date: Sep 24 2006 - 8:33pm

My name is Clarence Fisher and I am the author of the blog Remote Access. Looking through my site stats tonight I was interested to see that several hits came to my site from yours. Following the link back, I traveled through your site, one I had never heard of before. I'm interested in why you are publishing the feeds of these blogs and I question if your commercial site should be linking to non - commerical blogs. Should you at least not have a disclaimer of some sort stating that these blogs are not affiliated with you or promoting your service?

Clarence Fisher
Snow Lake, MB.
********************************************************
Re: Teacher Staff Development Web Feeds

From: Ellen Paxton
To: Clarence Fisher
Date: Sep 24 2006 - 9:57pm

Dear Mr. Fisher,

Please forgive me for overstepping apparent etiquette bounds as well as sending visitors to your blog site. I had not heard of Remote
Access previously and in an effort to share views, educational models, examples of teacher work and other pieces that I admired and thought might be of interest to my visitors (and yes, some of them are customers) I investigated placing feeds on my site.

Thank you for suggesting that I link to sites where I have relationships and/or seek permission from the authors. This makes much sense to me. Please note, Remote Access has been removed.

Sincere regards,

Ellen Paxton
Professional Learning Board
********************************************************
From: Clarence Fisher
To: Ellen Paxton
Date: Sep 25, 2006 8:22 AM

Mrs. Paxton;

I do thank you for your quick reply and your quick attention to my email from last evening.

Please understand that I did not mean to offend you or question your right to link to my blog, Remote Access; after all, this is what the web is all about. I also do not at all question your right to run a commercial enterprise to improve education and hopefully move the debate forward around educational needs for the 21st century. If you read Remote Access, my hope is that you find this to be a main purpose behind my writing as well.

Searching through your site, I find it to be an excellent example of something that we do need in education and I do plan on writing about this. I also notice that you actively recruit teachers to write and present for you, something that is also excellent as the voices of active teachers with current experience is what many audiences need to hear.

My only concern with your publishing the feed for Remote Access is that most blogrolls are called "Blogs to Read" or something like that. Last summer my blog was used to promote a company which publishes educational materials trying to drive traffic to their site through hosting content like mine. As well Remote Access and several other educational blogs have simply been bundled together, placed on a blog with Google Ads down the side where the person running the site was making advertising dollars simply from re - publishing my content. This is why I may be protective of what I write.

So once again, I apologise for any offence that I may have caused you, do know that I plan on writing positive things about the Professional Learning Board on my blog, and that I do believe your site appears to be among the best of its kind online that I have seen.
********************************************************

Tags: ed tech, teaching, ed blog, netiquette

Thanks for Tooting

Featured as 1 of fifty and chosen to represent Raptivity's Clientbase

Thank you for tooting our horn!

Professional Learning Board has been chosen to represent Raptivity's clientbase and will be featured as one of only 50 demonstrations during this week's eLearning Developer's Conference & Expo 2006.

See us at DevLearn 2006

Register at Professional Learning Board for a FREE 14 day trial of Raptivity.

Tags: elearn, teach, resource, online, e-learning, K12

College in High School

Boy, a little Fall cleaning of the electronic files and I'm finding a lot of good stuff.
The following is a school that I highlighted previously on another blog and very much worthy of sharing again here. What do you get when you combine a public school, a community college and a hospital?

The Wake Early College of Health and Sciences, a new, hybrid high school and technical college jointly operated by Wake County Public Schools, Wake Technical Community College and WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, NC.

This 5 year school will produce graduates meeting the following high school, college and workplace standards: Watch Video Here.

• High School diplomas
• Internships in Health Care
• Associate degrees in health care related vocations.

Because this is a public high school, students will get a free 2 year college degree and be one year ahead of their peers if they choose to enter college as juniors upon completing the program. If they do not continue on to college, they will have skills and experience in high demand careers that will probably offer starting salaries of at least $20/hour.

Hats off to the Raleigh Public Schools and their partners for finding a true win-win-win solution for educating our children, helping them fulfill their dreams and meeting the present and future needs of society.

Boy, a little Fall cleaning of the electronic files and I'm finding a lot of good stuff.
The following is a school that I highlighted previously on another blog and very much worthy of sharing again here. What do you get when you combine a public school, a community college and a hospital?

The Wake Early College of Health and Sciences, a new, hybrid high school and technical college jointly operated by Wake County Public Schools, Wake Technical Community College and WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, NC.

This 5 year school will produce graduates meeting the following high school, college and workplace standards: Watch Video Here.

• High School diplomas
• Internships in Health Care
• Associate degrees in health care related vocations.

Because this is a public high school, students will get a free 2 year college degree and be one year ahead of their peers if they choose to enter college as juniors upon completing the program. If they do not continue on to college, they will have skills and experience in high demand careers that will probably offer starting salaries of at least $20/hour.

Hats off to the Raleigh Public Schools and their partners for finding a true win-win-win solution for educating our children, helping them fulfill their dreams and meeting the present and future needs of society.

The word rose, no matter how it's spelled, does not smell.

Although inconsistent in how they're spelling it (text-messaging vs text messaging and eMail vs  e-mail), the messages from all three are the same.

USA Today reports:
Text-messaging replacing eMail among youth
In the era of instant gratification, students and recent graduates are used to being plugged in 24/7, and view eMail as a slower, less convenient means of communication...

Associated Press reports:
'E-mail has become the new snail mail' as younger set goes with text messaging

Mercury News reports:
SITES LIKE MYSPACE OFFERING `INSTANT' SOCIAL SCENE, FAST MESSAGING ATTRACT YOUNG USERS, STUDY SHOWS

CHICAGO -- E-mail is so last millennium. Young people see it as a good way to reach an elder - a parent, teacher or a boss - or to receive an attached file. But increasingly, the former darling of high-tech communication is losing favor to instant and text messaging, and to the chatter generated on blogs and social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. 

Email is FORMAL correspondence?

That said, no one is predicting the death of e-mail. Besides its usefulness in formal correspondence, it also offers the ability to send something from "one to many," says Anne Kirah, a senior design anthropologist at Microsoft who studies people's high-tech habits. That might include an announcement for a club or invitation to a party. 

Many college students are logged on 24/7 and the shift is starting to creep into workplace communication, too.

Chintan Talati, who is 28, often uses instant message with other younger peers at his work, a California-based Web site that provides automotive information to consumers. He prefers IM over e-mail. "It's a way to get a quicker answer," he says.

And how do we help students make transitions to college and the world of work?:
 

"Nine to 5 has been replaced with 'Give me a deadline and I will meet your deadline,"' Kirah says of young people's work habits. "They're saying 'I might work until 2 a.m. that night. But I will do it all on my terms."'

Invasion of the Robots: CONTEST

Contest Info

Create conversational robots, or BOTs, for MSN® Messenger and Windows Live™ Messenger.
The most original, useful robots collect $40,000 in total prizes.

Robot Gallery

Watch out! A mob of brilliant robots has us surrounded. And it’s growing larger every day.

Check out the entries and while you’re here, vote! You can vote as often as you like. Feel free to choose your own robot. The BOT with the most popular votes on September 15th wins the $500 User’s Choice Award!

The Only Choice

The following is an excerpt from the Elicitus Content Publisher April 2006 newsletter.

Professional Learning Board™ regards Elicitus as the ONLY choice

Professional Learning Board™ (http://professionallearningboard.com)  is the leader in online professional development “of, by, and for teachers”. It specializes in design and development of educational programs and courses resulting in increased knowledge and performance for students and teachers. It leverages Elicitus suite of content authoring products for creating training content. The company also promotes Elicitus as a preferred authoring tool to its partners and customers.

“Over the years, we’ve tested and used several eLearning content development tools. Elicitus is the only tool that meets Our Promise on which K12 teachers and college institutions depend. As a company founded on serving teachers and modeling best practices, Elicitus is the only product Professional Learning Board sells", commented Ellen Paxton, MEd, National Board Certified Teacher and founder of Professional Learning Board™.

Cell Phone as 'Lifeline'

This article references cell phones as being umbilical cords for urban familes. Given many situations, schedules and changes, cell phones are a means by which parents keep everyone on the same page.

There's no doubt that many, if not most, particularly at the secondary level, students have cell phones. During random security searches at middle and high schools in New York City, one school confiscated 129 cell phones from students.

Share Your View...
Does your school or district have a policy regarding cell phones? Do you act in compliance or resistance? If it depends, please elaborate.

Virtual Crime. Real Money.

www.startheregoplaces.com www.catchmegame.com

The case is virtual. The $2,500 reward is real. Can you solve the Case of the California Con? You’ll have to trust your gut (and no one else) to investigate and indict the guilty employee of a surf rocker’s night spot. Compete for the highest score to win: • Grand Prize: $2,500 • 1st Prize: Sony 42" 3LCD Rear Projection Television • Ten (10) 2nd Prizes: 60G Video Apple iPod® The contest only runs for 3 weeks — and with these prizes, it’s a crime not to enter. Play now — it’s free.

It's in the NUM3ERS

www.education.ti.com This Week′s Lesson Plans for NUMB3RS episode "All's Fair," airing March 31:

What's New is Old Again

Could it be that the human brain is morphing into something different and more powerful in children born starting in the late 20th century.

"One might even call it a "singularity" - an event which changes things so fundamentally that there is absolutely no going back.  This so-called "singularity" is the arrival and rapid dissemination of digital technology in the last decades of the 20th century."

Late 20th and early 21st century computer and communications technology has revolutionized and democratized the distribution and acquisition of information. When I grew up there was essentially one phone company, three TV networks [that stopped broadcasting at around 1 am] and a handful of national magazines. I remember the absurdity of thinking we would ever carry a telephone with us and when we did, it was aptly named a car phone and that's precisely where it was located most of the time. By mid-childhood we also had microwaves, music television (MTV) and VCRs.

In high school I learned to type on an IBM Selectric, for our younger teachers...this would be an antique machine called a typewriter. The following year, in college, I was required to use a computer to write and <gasp> send my reports (you're right, we still called them "papers").

Enough reminising. Students graduating high school in 2006 were, on average, born when I graduated from college. By the time they reached first grade, the public Internet had more than hit the scene. People logged into the Internet with dial-up modems at speeds of around 9.6-14.4k using large desktop computers that had approximately 100MB of storage.

Today, elementary and high school students carry cellular phones as small as the [fictional]communicator Captain Kirk carried in Star Trek, circa 1967. And, these phones do more than talk with an imaginary spaceship in orbit. Today's phones enable us to take pictures, surf the web, communicate via instant message, read and send email, record videos, watch TV, pay for stuff and play music. In fact, we have more computing power and speed in our cell phones than computers had in the early 1990s.

Oh yeh, we can also talk on them from virtually anywhere to anywhere for a tiny fraction of the cost of phone service back when there was only one phone company.

It's no wonder that 24/7 access and stimulation by technology and media has an impact on teaching and learning today.

According to Pew Internet research, 57% of U.S. children age 12-17 (or 12 million) create their own web content via blogs, web pages and more. This year's college grads are harnessing the Internet and communications technologies to create communities and personal networks unlike anything even the most outgoing among us could imagine.

Our challenge as teachers is to constantly learn and incorporate new ways of reaching our students. The good news is that best practice techniques from as far back as a century (or more) still have application with today's technologies. As Marty McFly in Back to the Future learned, what's new is old again.

Wiki is not Tricky

If you haven't encountered or explored Wikis previously...this resource is a nice, fairly organized introduction.

Share your expertise and learn from others through the eHow Guide. A Google service product claiming to have "clear instructions on how to do (just about) everything".

After a scan through several I agree the instructions are clear. Several content areas however were dismal at best. For example, How to Detect Personality Traits lists approximately nine steps the last of which is "Check into websites that offer handwriting analysis." and "Buy a book on handwriting analysis."

Now the beauty of a Wiki is that if I am a handwriting analyst, I can add detail and elaborate on the current steps. My handwriting analysis skills are limited to deciphering what letters and/or words students have written. Perhaps this means the true beauty of a Wiki is in the hand of the beholder.

Money & Mobile Phones for K-12

HP is back with another Technology for Teaching Grant supporting the innovative use of mobile technology in K-12 public schools and two- and four-year colleges and universities.

Q.   Not sure what innovative mobile technology looks like?
A.   Ask your colleagues at Teacher Talk.

Deadline: February 15, 2006.
Interested? Get more information CLICK HERE.

So...this is BLOGing?

Generally I'm considered an early adopter, you know...one who jumps on the bandwagon immediately and then asks where it's going. This has proven to be both beneficial and exciting (okay there's undoubtably a downside as well, perhaps in another post).

When it comes to the blog (short for web log <-- like that's really *too long* the way it is already) world, I'm a bit behind in getting started. In fact, I recently discovered BlogShares, a "fantasy stock market for weblogs. Players get to invest a fictional $500, and blogs are valued by incoming links."

As a business teacher it's overwhelming to contemplate how this will (is?!) changing what our students need to learn. Will we be designing curriculum to include: Virtual Currency Markets

'Plug-and-play' or 'Plug-and-pay'

In an effort to conserve energy and lower costs, Saint Paul Public Schools reportedly is charging teachers a fee to plug in microwaves, coffee makers and other appliances in their classroom.

Nuisance Devices

I've had the privilege to work in several schools and across multiple districts. One constant across all of these institutions is the agreement that personal electronic devices including cell phones, head phones, etc are considered nuisance items.

The Indianapolis Star reports that...some schools are beginning to tolerate the devices, or even...incorporating their capabilities into lessons. What are your thoughts?