GEC Computers in the Classroom Doug’s Delicious AccountThey’re catching up.
I’ve now officially got more spam on my blog than posts and replies.
Thank you Akismet for hiding it from the public and letting me know just how many errant posts you’ve stopped for me.
I guess I’ll have to up my posting quota to stay ahead of the spambots and scrapers and …
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A Manitoba research report talks about the harm that computers can have on student learning.
http://www.fcpp.org/main/publication_detail.php?PubID=2089
In today’s Windsor Star, a story on the report appears. Representatives from both district school boards in the area were contacted and commented on the report.
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=82bebad8-1db5-4cac-9a63-d450e79b4fae
The Montreal Gazette reported on the same story.
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=1751f789-56b2-469a-aa0d-7bf90de771a9
There are some broad, sweeping generalizations in the report but it should serve to remind us all that we are under scrutiny. There is a concern expressed in the report about the cost of putting technology in schools.
I’m reminded of the quote by Derek Bot. “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance”
If we don’t provide equity of access and instruction in public schools, where will students learn the attitudes, skills, and knowledge to be a responsible citizen in today’s society? In Ontario, we do have a program of Ministry licensed software that benefits all financially and importantly provides the opportunities for all schools for a common tool. (Disclaimer: Author is a member of the OSAPAC Committee)
With computers, we enable students to have access to more information, think deeper and more analytically, and view problems in ways never imagined in a traditional classroom. The challenge for us is to prove that it’s money well invested.
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If you recall, over the weekend, access to YouTube was interrupted. I happened to be following the discussion on Twitter through the BBC Technology feed. There was wild speculation about what was happening but it seemed to boil down to the desire of the Pakistan government to block YouTube from its citizens.
Apparently, there was a video on the service that was determined to be very offensive. So, to protect is citizens, steps were taken to address this.
This morning, an article from the BBS describes what they think happened.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7266600.stm
To me, the issue isn’t what was happening from the government end. What concerns me is that impact that such a move has globally. The incident serves to remind us that the internet is a living entity. It relies on the component parts. But, what of those of us who rely on its availability for instant information and communication?
The situation was resolved on two fronts. Service was restored in a couple of hours and the offending video was removed from YouTube.
Locally, we had a similar incident yesterday. Certainly not of global proportions but we were trying to arrange a get together of some colleagues and we were bantering back and forth via email about the weather conditions and the drive that some would endure. Until internet access was cut for one of us because of construction. We ended up having to resolve it the old fashioned way. Telephones.
This poses a problem to those who provide these services. What is considered to be acceptable up time? For those of us on the other end as consumers, what can we consider to be acceptable services and do we all need to have a “Plan B” in our pockets?
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Tags: Internet
It has been a very disruptive past little while. For a long time now, I’ve used Google Desktop. It’s been a spectacular performer and I had a few of my favourite Gadgets sitting in the Google Sidebar. So, as I’m doing my regular work, I would get the regular stream of news from BBC, Reuters (I really enjoy Reuters Oddly Enough) and of course digg.
Then, for no obvious reason, they stopped working.
Every time I’d go to add a new gadget, I’d get a message indicating that the gadget could not be registered and to check the manifest file. Did all that, did the restore point, uninstalled and reinstalled a least half a dozen times. Not only was it frustrating to see failure, but I was going without a news fix. Ever been hooked on engadget and then have it go away?
In a last ditch effort, I deleted it altogether and tried to go back to Vista’s Sidebar. It was OK but I couldn’t find the functionality that I really wanted.
So, I decided to give Yahoo! Widgets another go. It had been a while since I tinkered with them and you know what? I’m really pleased with the results. It’s a different way of looking at things. Instead of sitting in a fixed sidebar, they just float. I would periodically detach my Google gadgets but they always found themselves a home back on the side.
I think I’ll give this a shot and see how it works out. I would be interested in hearing if others have had problems with Google Gadgets; there sure are lot of hits if you do a search for the error message but no solutions that have worked for me.
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A lot of people got to add “Bernie Dodge” and “Webquest” to their vocabulary of computer terms though his work in the design and promotion of webquests as an pedagogy for teaching with the internet. More than using the Internet as a place to “get information”, the Webquest model, when used properly, elevated student engagement and thinking/analysis to higher levels. I was an adopter of the philosophy, quickly becoming a big fan. I wrote some webquests of my own.
A “No Bullying Proposal” Webquest
“Choices into Action” Webquest
“Computer Science Research and Development” Webquest
Through workshops for GECDSB teachers, many have allowed their webquests to remain online here.
As a result of Dr. Dodge’s efforts, there were many people who become proponents and created resources to support the efforts. I created a “Webquest Locator” which indexed webquests by grade level and subject area according to the Ontario Curriculum. Do an internet search for webquests and there are thousands of resources created by followers and believers.
I think that it’s important when the online community gets behind a great effort.
Recently, Dr. Dodge offered a Saturday Teaching with Technology series courses called “Using Problem-Based Learning to Enhance Decision-Making Skills“. The content of the course is particularly relevant as teachers take a look at current practice and think about how they can make it better. It’s a terrific offering for those people who were able to make the trek to the classroom and participate. The content is a next logical step to those who used Webquests effectively. The current state of technology allows for more collaboration, and most importantly, the opportunity for more student questioning and thinking.
For the rest of us, the class is online and available to all through the use of Wiki technology. Follow the link above to experience the course. It’s a very powerful and far-reaching concept.
In a world of constant change, this model offers a powerful way to get the concepts delivered to the masses in an efficient and consistent manner.
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Tags: Problem_Based_Learning
At the RCAC meeting on Friday, we did a sharing about how we’re embracing many of the components of the Read/Write Web. While I don’t like the phrase Web 2.0, I use the other and it’s a tongue twister to me. I end up more often than not doing an electronic version of Wascally Wabbit. Spent too much time in front of the television as a kid, I guess. But, I’ve adopted the one and not the other.
As we were going around, I was mindful of the new technology that was just flowing off our lips. Second Life, Wiki, Twitter, Del.icio.us to name a few.
it was a very enjoyable sharing session and we certainly took to heart many of the messages that came from Symposium 2007 and have made them part of our daily routine and our daily language. They are new terms and worthy of evolving into use into the language.
There’s one that shouldn’t though.
“Powerpoint”. As in “Let me see your Powerpoint”.
The Microsoft Office Suite contains a number of software applications. Notably Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Powerpoint. The newest versions of the product running under Microsoft Windows are known as Microsoft Office Word 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, and Microsoft Office Powerpoint 2007. They create Microsoft Word documents, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, and Microsoft Powerpoint presentations.
In language use, the third program doesn’t create a “Powerpoint” anymore than the first one creates a “Word” or the second one creates an “Excel”.
In conversations, there are those that use it that way. On numerous occasions, I’ve had people let me know that they’ve used StarOffice to create a “Powerpoint”. Grrrr.
The one that gets me is “How can I create a Powerpoint like ### does?” The answer is “Get a Macintosh computer, get a copy of iWork and develop a presentation in Keynote”. Even then, you don’t “Create a Powerpoint”. You create a presentation and you may wish to export it in Microsoft Powerpoint format.
Some words are ready for evolution status and some just aren’t.
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Tags: Software
The ima08 conference is on today. I can’t be there but would be very interested. It’s being streamed over the internet but streaming has its issues as in blocked or retraining or lost of signal…
However, Andy Carvin is in the audience.
Currently Jimmy Wales is addressing the audience and making some exciting comments about Wikipedia, its growth, the languages, the uptake in various countries.
I don’t have to be there. Andy is twittering all of the key points of the speech!
So, while I’m moving back and forth working on three different documents for the RCAC Meeting tomorrow and chomping on a Granny Smith apple, I have Twitterific following the tweets on my Mac and Twitbin on my PC. I’m not missing a thing unless Andy’s not tweeting the whole story.
Thank goodness my chair has wheels.
I now have stereo Twitter.
Hmmm. “Wikia has 4000 projects, 66 languages – not including Klingon.” Thanks, Andy.
Gotta stop blogging and get back to the documents. Where did my apple go?
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I like Negroponte’s thinking.
I remember being in the audience when he announced the $100 laptop. Today, we’re talking about lowering the price to $50 by 2011.
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/02/negroponte-olpc.html
The concept isn’t to produce a cheap laptop. It’s to produce the right laptop with the features that you need and don’t include those that you don’t. It’s those extra features that drive the price up and keeps the mainstream machines at a fairly constant price.
When you look at the classroom, just think of all of the extra processing cycles or DVD writing drives or numeric keypads or port gluttony that you get when you buy the traditional machine off the shelf. Sure, in industry or for the home hobbiest, these are important but when students type the great Canadian essay two fingers at a time, all of this functionality sits there unused, but most assuredly paid for.
The total irony is that at times we buy these high end machines with all the ports and drives and then lock them out so that nobody can use them.
Why not, then, design a computer with just what you need and nothing more.
Makes sense to me.
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As we’re aware, there is an election brewing south of the border. You can’t help hearing about it and the messages are everywhere. One of the plums that candidates hope for is the endorsement of major newspapers. This carries significance and undoubtedly sets the direction for much of the editorial content. In major cities, the newspaper readers always have the option of switching from one newspaper to another if they don’t agree with the message.
Now, in terms of internet searching, I think that we all have come accustomed to thinking that when we do a search, the results that we get are the best and most relevant given the search terms that we enter. I never thought that it might end up being political.
Until I read this report: http://www.gopconvention2008.com/news/Read.aspx?ID=511
The Republican Party has named Google as its official innovation provider. Now, I don’t know enough about American politics to take a stand, Republican or Democrat, but this will be far reaching. In the article, it’s noted that “As Official Innovation Provider, Google Inc. will enhance the GOP’s online presence with new applications, search tools, and interactive video. In addition, Google will help generate buzz and excitement in advance of the convention through its proven online marketing techniques.”
Just how will Google generate this buzz? From a marketing perspective, here’s a company that has become part of our language. Instead of “I’ll search for it”, how many times have your head “I’ll Google It”. Or, “have you ever Googled yourself?” This has become part of society and reaches into all kinds of places. From a Republican point of view, this is a huge move. How will the Democrats respond?
It’s noted in the article that there will be a video presence as well with YouTube specifically named. Is there a service that’s more publically blocked? What an opportunity to teach politics in the classroom but will be lost.
Look for an elevated presence of all things Google as the Republican National Convention approaches. Let’s hope that the politics of searching results in enhancing Google tools for those of us who can’t vote.
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What happens when you give tech savvy people a spray can?
Geek Graffiti
You’ll have to think about the images but you’ve got to admire the creativity. Well, some of it anyway.
My favourite? I don’t take a stand on US politics, but this tickles my funny bone.
</bush>
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What’s happening at Twitter?
