Are Your Students in the Here & Now Only?

At the Annual Conference for the Association of Independent Maryland Schools, several of the sessions focused on students and their use of technologies.  Discussion during the sessions addressed problems students face and/or students cause when using the Internet, computers, and digital devices. The consensus was that students are so focused upon “the here and now” that they don’t take time to consider how their actions online may cause problems in the future. For example, why do many post inappropriate photos online, when they’ve certainly been told that these photos can damage their reputation, attract those they don’t want to attract, and stand in the way of their college admissions or job opportunities? Why do some students continue to bully others when they have to know that this behavior is unacceptable? Is it about looking good in front of peers? Is it about social acceptance and wanting to make oneself look better than others? Is it about students asserting their independence from the adults in their lives—students trying to grow up and be noticed and accepted? As educational professionals we know that kids’ problems, which sound silly to us often seem like “life and death” dilemmas to them. How do we find ways to give kids what they need so that they will feel safe enough with their “here and now” to do what’s right for their future?

Confused about Google Tools & Docs in Education?

If you look at Google’s Term of Service, you’ll see that those using it must be of legal age to sign a binding contract, which means in most places 18 or older. This seems like an obstacle if you want to use free Google tools and docs with your students, but if you sign up to create accounts for you and your students, that’s okay. You are making the contract. Students using the accounts must be 13 or older. If you go to Using Google Docs in the Classroom: Simple as ABC, you’ll not only find information about using Google docs, but also an account creation link. There are videos and other information that show you how to create accounts. Creation will depend upon whether students already have school email accounts, don’t have email accounts, or have their own email accounts. Don’t forget to check out the Google Tools for Educators page.

Share Files with DropBox

Instead of attaching files to email and saving on USB drives, try sharing files with Dropbox. Dropbox for Windows, Mac, and Linux is a place where you can store your files online and across computers. If you use different computers at home and school, it’s a great way to have your files available in both locations and also available through your mobile digital devices. When you edit and save a file, it saves the edits on all your computers. In fact, you can even go back and look at the history of your edits. If you want to share your files with others, put the files in your Dropbox and share the link to the files. When you put your files in the Dropbox, the files are automatically backed up on the Dropbox servers. You get 2GB of storage free, but can opt to pay for additional storage up to 100GB.

eBooks vs. Print Books

You’ve heard it and maybe you said it: “There’s nothing like sitting down with a good book”, “I like the feel of the pages in my hands”, and “It’s not the same trying to read a book on a little screen.” Those of us who love to read often have those sentiments. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use eBooks and audio books as well on our own and in our classrooms. The advantages of the new ways to read are many especially when we consider convenience, cost savings, and impact on the environment. Try reading a novel on a small screen; you’ll find that you get lost in the novel just like you do when you are reading paperback or hardback book. Try downloading a novel and listening to it read to you by a professional reader. It will bring back memories of those years when your favorite teachers read to you. Why not put ebooks and audiobooks to work in your classroom? A good book is a good book, no matter how it’s read.

ISTE 2010—Denver

In case you haven’t heard, NECC (National Education Computing Conference) is now ISTE’s (International Society for Technology in Education) Annual Conference & Exposition or ISTE for short.  This year’s conference will be held in , June 27-30 at the Colorado Convention Center. If you are interested in presenting at the conference, proposals must be submitted by midnight Pacific Time on October 7^th. Major topics for the convention include: School Improvement, Technology Infrastructure, Professional Learning, Digital Age Teaching & Learning, and Virtual Schooling/eLearning.

Happy Birthday Internet! Mid-Life Crisis at 40

USA Today in the article, “ As Internet Turns 40, Barriers Threaten Its Growth ” says that the Net is going through a mid-life crisis. Problems such as spam, hackers, and fees cause us to pull back from use and innovation. We set up firewalls and other barriers, and we limit, because of safety concerns what our students can do on the Net. It’s not that we should do away with the barriers; we need them. But perhaps we can find a way to handle the Internet’s continuing and emerging problems. Dealing with such difficulties as spam, scams, and hacking waste our time and money. Problems such as Internet predators and cyberbullies threaten to make open interactive communities impossible. The Internet will move beyond its mid-life crisis into a greater maturity, but will the spirit of innovation and openness be the same? Maybe it can’t be and must find a different path. (Note: The USA Today article also contains a nice overview of Internet milestones.)

What Does Natal’s Meet Milo Mean to Education?

Artificial intelligence. What does it mean to education? You’ll want to watch the Lionhead Studios video Meet Milo to see what may be possible with artificial intelligence. Natal, a Microsoft/Lionhead project, has created a digital boy named Milo who can recognize faces, voices, emotions, and actions. It’s an on-computer character, who seems to understand the person in front of the monitor. The system uses a camera to focus upon the user, which results in hands-free interaction with what’s on the screen. The video has been called scripted, fake, scary, impressive, amazing, and the future, but it seems to be a breakthrough in artificial intelligence. In the video, Milo is supposed to be learning from the human, but if the situation were reversed, think of the possibilities for student learning.

OnGuard Online: A Gov't Safety Site

OnGuard Online: Your Safety Net offers practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you guard against Internet fraud, protect your personal information, and secure your computer. It includes games, videos and expert advice on computer and tech security. Topics such as email scams, cross-border scams, kids' privacy, identity theft, Internet auctions, laptop security, online shopping, P2P security, social networking sites, wireless security .... Some of the games are: Cyber Criminal, Beware of Spyware, Wireless Hackers, ID Theft Faceoff, and Phishing Scams. The videos are fun and could lead to more in-depth class discussion. While the games won't be the most exciting your students have ever played, they are interactive and offer valuable information. This is an excellent site to recommend to parents.

Digital Citizenship

At Common Sense Media you can download the White Paper, "Digital Literacy and Citizenship in the 21^st Century". It targets helping children through these eight initiatives: "Redesign education to include Digital Literacy and Citizenship"; "Disseminate a basic Digital Literacy and Citizenship curriculum"; "Provide teacher training in the basics of Digital Literacy and Citizenship"; "Educate parents about digital technologies, use and ethics": Fund Professional Development for Educators"; "Create basic resources for education teachers, parents, and kids"; "Fund and deliver education/technology resources in underserved schools and communities"; and "Make media education and Digital Literacy an essential part of every school's basic curriculum". Sounds good and is exactly what those of us in the field of technology in education have been saying for some time. —But consider these questions: Who's going to get this going? Who's going to write the curriculum and get the parent, teacher and student initiatives started? We know what needs to be done; do we know how to get it done? It's really up to us, isn't it?

Coming Soon? Pocket Projectors

Imagine a projector that's 4.1"*0.2"*0.6 or one that's 3.46"*4.12"*1.46". It's tiny, can fit into your pocket, but it's not really ready for your classroom yet. Two of these miniature projectors are the Optoma Pico Pocket and the 3M Micro. They cost between $350 and $400, which sounds like a good deal when you think of the cost, size, and weight of most projectors. However, their projection is not as bright or extensive as traditional projectors, and they work best with devices like iPods and smart phones. The Pico Pocket isn't designed to work with laptops. Although you'll probably not want to rush out to buy one for your classroom, these first generation pocket projectors give a glimpse into the future, where this type of technology may become part of smart phones, iPods, and notebook and laptop computers. Think of how convenient that will be.