Month: October 2013
Pre Sue Waters
If that doesn’t get Sue to read my blog, I don’t know what will! Hi Sue.
Yesterday, Sue posted this: “Helping Educators Get Started With Twitter”. If you’re looking for a resource tailored specifically for educators, this is the one. Share it in your school’s collaboration space, link to it via your Twitter account, put it on your wiki, do whatever you can to promote her work. This really is a good document and I use many of the techniques when I introduce educators to Twitter.
I’ve added another part to my presentation that I’ve found works very well for some folks. Most of the material in the guide presupposes that people actually want to get involved.
How do you convince them in the first place? Here’s what I’ve started to do and it’s worked very nicely for me.
Go anonymous.
Before we get into the logistics of registering for an account, I try to show the value before we reach that step.
It works very well in a community like mine where there’s just a weekly newspaper and a daily newspaper in the big city to the north. Both are examples of journalism that are familiar to people but their downfall is that the story may be old news by the time their printing timeline allows.
How do we get that information “right now”? There isn’t a teacher alive who doesn’t want to bring into her classroom the news of the day or do some instant research before engaging in conversation.
So, I’ve begun to start my sessions using Twitter Search.
Or, if you know me, rather than a simple search, an advanced search.
It does require that you, as presenter, know what’s happening in the world right now but that’s easy enough if you just click a topic that’s trending. Once we establish something of interest, we’ll dig into the Twitter messages surrounding the topic. From there, we’ll discover what clicking on a hashtag or a Twitter name actually does. If you’re lucky, there will be at least one question from the learners – “how do I tell this person something?” In fishing terms, set the hook and reel them in. Of course, the next step is to create an account and talk about engaging with the author both publically and privately. Toss it back to Sue’s wonderful resource.
When you do a few of these examples, the inevitable question comes up – “What’s the best way to do a Twitter search?” We’ll talk about bookmarking the link to Twitter search which is good enough for most people and easily done in any web browser. But then we’ll move to a Level 4 activity. Everyone’s familiar with the concept of a Google or Bing or Yahoo! as a default search engine. But, what about making Twitter the default or at least one of the options. New web browsers have you covered there as well.
Google Chrome
Right click in the Omnibar and select “Edit Search Engines”. At the bottom of your currently defined search engines, look for the edit box and enter your new search engine. In this case, Twitter…
Be prepared for the question – if I can do it with Twitter, can I do it with others? (Sure, Doug never does anything in moderation – here’s a partial listing of what I’ve configured as search engines…)
Mozilla Firefox
Click on the down arrow in the Search Box and “Manage Search Engines”. You’ll be able to add/remove search engines at will and easily switch on the fly.
Once configured, Twitter just becomes part of your search engine suite of options. It’s quick and easy and so productive for the “right now” type of search. As we know, newspaper and news sources have their own particular take on things. Very quickly, (particularly in a one newspaper town) you have access to diverse views and opinions.
Hopefully, for the reluctant, this would serve to inspire a first look into the use of this very powerful educational resource. Once the value is seen, everyone wants to be a part of it. Sue’s resource should serve to put them over the top.
Related articles
- Consider other search engines for your browser (reviews.cnet.com)
- DuckDuckGo – a search engine that doesn’t track you (titifoti.wordpress.com)
- How To Change Your Browser’s Default Search Engine (makeuseof.com)
- A Search Engine for SMART Notebook Files (freetech4teachers.com)

OTR Links 10/31/2013
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The 40 Must-Have Android Apps for the Power User – The Next Web
The 40 Must-Have Android Apps for the Power User – The Next Web http://t.co/Vm2bqTP3LM
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I’m at VIA Rail Windsor (Windsor, MI) http://t.co/ZJeYorDvZb
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Howard Gardner: ‘Multiple intelligences’ are not ‘learning styles’ http://t.co/xRaa9NbZBW
Howard Gardner: ‘Multiple intelligences’ are not ‘learning styles’ http://t.co/xRaa9NbZBW
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@GingerPatti @avivaloca For the record…. http://t.co/lM8zl8RDBt
@GingerPatti @avivaloca For the record…. http://t.co/lM8zl8RDBt
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Touching Comic Strip Between A Boy and His Dog
Touching Comic Strip Between A Boy and His Dog http://t.co/Zz7GcPeh6k Thanks, @alfredtwo – Very powerful comic.
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Mozilla’s Web Literacy Standards Released | doug — off the record
Just blogged… Mozilla’s Web Literacy Standards Released http://t.co/jaHiDBoKfB
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Computer Science Teachers Association: Computer Science History
Computer Science Teachers Association: Computer Science History http://t.co/yKT6aL9QhK
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Unexpected Blog Habits That Can Kill Your Traffic | Spice Up Your Blog
Unexpected Blog Habits That Can Kill Your Traffic http://t.co/thOSE0wW0y
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101 Blogging for Kids Resources
101 Blogging for Kids Resources http://t.co/7zXZbhIxAp
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If you’re not preparing your students to use social media well, you’re not doing your job http://t.co/DtutEmZC9C
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New Windows 8.1 requirements strand some users on Windows 8 | PCWorld
New Windows 8.1 requirements strand some users on Windows 8 http://t.co/SoeY7E9WBl
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With Warmest Regards: The 12 Most Annoying Email Habits You See Every Day http://t.co/AfkW4OyvuM
With Warmest Regards: The 12 Most Annoying Email Habits You See Every Day http://t.co/AfkW4OyvuM
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Surface 2 Review | Mobile devices content from Paul Thurrott’s SuperSite for Windows
Surface 2 Review http://t.co/3eXZBkIh2g
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Vampires: Folklore, fantasy and fact – Michael Molina – YouTube
Vampires: Folklore, fantasy and fact http://t.co/FjbPCMSuNr
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Helping Educators Get Started With Twitter | The Edublogger
Helping Educators Get Started With Twitter http://t.co/KDEln8Lv0J
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Engaging Pre-Service Teachers in Authentic Writing Instruction http://t.co/QhbK0VyjWL
Engaging Pre-Service Teachers in Authentic Writing Instruction http://t.co/QhbK0VyjWL
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Google Lays Some Halloween Easter Eggs In Its Knowledge Graph
Trick or Treat: Google lays some Halloween easter eggs in its Knowledge Graph http://t.co/M5RUQuhhZw
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Five Apps to Render your Google Drive Much More Powerful http://t.co/31piPoBd6v
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The Simpsons Is Much Smarter About Math Than You Ever Would Have Guessed http://t.co/QozlGo6nyo
The Simpsons Is Much Smarter About Math Than You Ever Would Have Guessed http://t.co/QozlGo6nyo
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Writer’s Wednesday- A Creative Prompt to Ponder #ASMSG #Oct #writerRT – Fantasy Fun with Kirstin…
Writer’s Wednesday- A Creative Prompt to Ponder #ASMSG #Oct #writerRT http://t.co/dnFntM2RsO
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Noticed your new Dell laptop smells like cat urine? You’re not alone – The Next Web
Noticed your new Dell laptop smells like cat urine? You’re not alone http://t.co/BqJNVMJLzJ
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OTR Links 10/30/2013 | doug — off the record
Just blogged… OTR Links 10/30/2013 http://t.co/73QCqEf9dh
Mozilla’s Web Literacy Standards Released
Mozilla has just released its set of Web Literacy Standards and it’s something that everyone who uses the web personally or in the classroom needs to look at and try to understand.
Many people are comfortable with just accessing the web and siphoning off what they need for the moment. But, that’s only part of the picture. The web literacy standard identifies three strands where you might be navigating, creating for, or participating on the web. See the table below.
It’s not a big task. It only takes a few minutes to read the attributes.
But, where are you? Are you stuck on the left? If so, there’s so much more that you could be doing. Shift your eyes to the right.
In the classroom though, this should serve as a plan to scaffold the type of activities that you have in your classroom.
Where do you fall on this chart? I wish that I had found this to share at the open of the #ECOO13 Conference. It would have added so much value to just about every session that was offered. Certainly, it should help as folks plan for ECOO14.
For more details, check the Mozilla Wiki and the Web Literacy Standard page.
Kudos to Doug Belshaw (@dajbelshaw) and team for release 1.0.
Related articles
- Web Literacy Standard (evenfromhere.org)
- Announcing the Web Literacy Standard (specification) (dougbelshaw.com)
- Web Literacy Standard Announced By Mozilla (news.slashdot.org)
- Web Literacy Standard 1.0 from Mozilla (boingboing.net)
- Learning/WebLiteracyStandard (wiki.mozilla.org)
- The Ontology of the Web (Why I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Learning Standards) (downes.ca)
- Moving the Web Literacy Standard to Webmaker (literaci.es)
OTR Links 10/30/2013
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Computer Science Teacher: We Are the Faces of Computing Poster Contest!
We Are the Faces of Computing Poster Contest! http://t.co/EL1y7WrBfZ
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2013 Conference (14th) – ACSE – Association for Computer Studies Educators
2013 Conference (14th) – ACSE – Association for Computer Studies Educators – http://t.co/tgWwhVd5OH via @Shareaholic
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I’m at Gilligan’s (Windsor, ON) http://t.co/d9fWGuW4D5
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Waiting for The Boy (@ VIA Rail Windsor) http://t.co/av5zD4qpsU
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Building Android Apps with Phonegap – Part I
Building Android Apps with Phonegap – Part I http://t.co/9Ti904x8kX
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Blogging as the Official Scribe of the Classroom | Langwitches Blog
Blogging as the Official Scribe of the Classroom http://t.co/Ax8EiuLE5t
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Creepy and Amazing Vintage Horror Paperback Covers http://t.co/TojqobkVjK
Creepy and Amazing Vintage Horror Paperback Covers http://t.co/TojqobkVjK
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Create online quizzes for any device with Kahoot! http://t.co/981ACNddqo
Create online quizzes for any device with Kahoot! http://t.co/981ACNddqo
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Keeping Introverts in Mind in Your Active Learning Classroom | Faculty Focus
Keeping Introverts in Mind in Your Active Learning Classroom http://t.co/HxmbBipi8c
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10 Tips for an Awesome Coffee Meeting – 99U
10 Steps for an Awesome Coffee Meeting http://t.co/P3s2wnM6qR
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This Map Shows State-by-State Penalties for Texting While Driving http://t.co/5MpgJYm4zD
This Map Shows State-by-State Penalties for Texting While Driving http://t.co/5MpgJYm4zD
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The Hierarchy of Education – dan pontefract
The Hierarchy of Education http://t.co/hbOjymF3Ll
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Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks review | The Verge
Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks review http://t.co/F7j2l8W8KF
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What Connected Educators should takeaway from our parental survey on WiFi in schools http://t.co/eBNMrVWADF
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Top 6 Mavericks Annoyances and How To Fix Them | Mac|Life
Top 6 Mavericks Annoyances and How To Fix Them http://t.co/9CfOf6Rg9E
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Google Glass 2 is coming, finally compatible with prescription glasses | Ars Technica
Google Glass 2 is coming, finally compatible with prescription glasses http://t.co/gANHHiVu5i
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Are School Librarians Part of Your PBL Dream Team? http://t.co/CHoROYbeSo
Are School Librarians Part of Your PBL Dream Team? http://t.co/CHoROYbeSo
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322 Free Halloween Fonts · 1001 Fonts
Halloween Fonts http://t.co/S3HlLBe3w6
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20 Songs You Might Not Know Were Covers | Mental Floss
20 Songs You Might Not Know Were Covers http://t.co/rwnjxcXeza
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9 Things The iPhone Gave Us – Business Insider
9 Things That Wouldn’t Exist If Apple Hadn’t Launched The iPhone Six Years Ago http://t.co/lwUpgy6n5D
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New Vulnerability Found in Apps Using Wi-Fi – NYTimes.com
New Vulnerability Found in Apps Using Wi-Fi http://t.co/Eub90rNIGD
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9 Books to Drop Everything and Read | Mental Floss
9 Books to Drop Everything and Read http://t.co/NSSYZPBPaQ
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How to Find Free Stock Photos & Clip Art for PowerPoint
Here’s How to Find Free Stock Photos & Clip Art for PowerPoint http://t.co/nlpliFoNlf
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Windows 8 Devices in Education: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S Review http://t.co/4BsgNrTgql
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Writing Prompts That Just Might Change The World | doug — off the record
Just blogged… Writing Prompts That Just Might Change The World http://t.co/mgRTFUOjth
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OTR Links 10/29/2013 | doug — off the record
Just blogged… OTR Links 10/29/2013 http://t.co/Mnp5yj4qAU