CUE Meridian

CUE was great! I thought the best part of the conference was experiencing others using software/web-based utilities that we all use every day, yet we aren’t using anywhere near the full potential. I think that there is so much available to us, that doesn’t cost anything or we already have it, that we have to take advantage of it! The Google info was very useful and has many tools we don’t know about. The handout for the session I went to can be found at googled.wikispaces.com. The presenter was Chris Walsh from WestEd. Check it out.

Probably the person that I liked the most was Mathew Needleman. http://www.needleworkspictures.com/vic/about/webmaster.html

He was just so motivating to me and so real. He did so much with those little first graders. I was impressed. There are talkers and there are doers. He is a doer. I am even following him on Google Reader.

Check out Camouflage Jones Private Investigator

http://www.needleworkspictures.com/vic/view_movies/film_templates/camouflage_jones.html

How about a list of the sites we can visit for image, audio, or movie downloads:
1. Flickr
2. Google
3. pics4learning.com
4. http://morguefile.com

Others?

Also, I know we all have different opinions on privacy/use of this stuff, but it seems that as long as we are publishing to our own audience and not making money off of the project it is fine. This assuming you are teaching the art of paraphrasing and making something your own. Check out this link. This is a bit old but still in court I believe. Make sure to click on the listen to both tracks link. I showed the kids this to help get this point across. Seems the Chili Peppers are being a bit picky IMHO. Check it out:
http://www.spin.com/articles/tom-petty-vs-red-hot-chili-peppers.

Susanna,
I know you have been talking about doing public service announcements on METV. Great Idea!It was #1 on Mathew Needleman’s list of ways to use digital video technology with kids in the classroom. I like them because they can be short projects that can be storyboarded, shot, and edited in a week most likely.Made me think of a few ideas for them. How about one on keeping the computer lab clean. I like Seth’s charisma and think he would do a good job at this. Maybe he talks about how to use the lab by respecting others in the next seat(quiet if they are recording), making sure to put headphones away, picking up trash, etc… We could even do easy trouble shooting ideas like what to do if the computer freezes, how to make sure to actually quit a program and not just close the window before logging out(we may see some peripheral benefit from some teachers on this one), or other stuff. I will get this started at our Monday meetings that I have been absent from lately!
Richard

One thing I took away from the conference that I wanted to get was motivated to start blogging again with the students. I plan on starting imbee this week and hopefully will get the students blogging before the end of the week. It was something that I felt was really powerful for all the students last year.
It really motivated them to write last year and more importantly, forced them to edit as they were accountable to everyone in the class. I also used the format for alternative assessments in Social Studies, etc… and it was fairly easy to grade. Also, if I needed more from them, they would get quick feedback and could change their response thus giving them the chance to earn the best grade they could, or more importantly get them to think something out to the fullest. Of course, most things weren’t graded, but it is valuable for that as well.
I think blogging allows students to interact with classmates and share ideas and thoughts that they might not have done in person because of prejudice, social cliques etc…
My goal this year is to broaden their knowledge by blogging with students in other parts of the world giving them a new outlook on a concept. For example, I imagine the 4th/5th graders in England have a slightly different perspective on the Revolutionary War then we have in our textbooks. How about students in Mexico and their perspective on immigration? When you travel abroad you gain a perspective on life and a cultural exchange that those who don’t can’t have. Some of our students may never be able to do this, but this is a way to help them get a more balanced/global mind.

He is the bomb! I got a lot of practical ideas for digital storytelling….lots of resources on this pb wiki site. http://newtools.pbwiki.com/

Here is his website

http://www.jakesonline.org/

There are so many things that I am interested in this year.  But… as always, I want to be inspired and find a great new thing that I can take back and do.

I am so scattered lately. I want to focus. I am trying to put all the things I know together to make technology integration safe, doable, fun and relevant. It ain’t that easy!!! This year my class is tough. I am also testing more than ever.  I am spending  a lot of time on classroom management and testing. I know that technology is motivating but you still have to set up meaningful lessons and keep the children under control at the same time. I am tired at the end of the day and it’s hard to think. I am going to have to come up with things that are able to be done without a lot effort (haha)….But…that is why I go to CUE. Got to get motivated…

I am hoping to see lots of marvelous things this year at CUE. This blog will allow us to write up our thoughts and impressions and share them.