Educational Technology

Being Creative Using Creative Commons

2011-12-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

Creative Common's web site has a search capability that allows users to find content licensed under one of CC's six categories. For instance, if I want to find a picture of a computer that I want to use for non-commercial purposes, and only want to reuse it as is, I would perform the following search:

I can click on any of the tabs to search with a different service (Google, Flickr, blip.tv, etc.).

Using Flickr's tab, each result will show a small "i" when moused over. If clicked upon, it will show the CC license for the image among other information.

The icons tell me I can use the image as long give credit ("Attribution") and use it for non-commercial purposes.

If you click on the "Some rights reserved" link, you learn in more detail how you are allowed to use the work:

Now that I know how I am allowed to use the photo, I am ready to move forward. Say I just want to use it in a blog post. Above the photo in Flickr is a drop-down menu. When I click on it I can choose to "Share this on..." "Blogger" or another service.

Since this is a Blogger site, I would choose that option. However, the "Share this on..." option is really only good if want to write a post about the image.

A better option is to "Grab the HTML/BBCode".

Remember to paste into the "Edit HTML" editor, not the "Compose" editor.

If you want to use a Flickr photo in a Google Docs presentation or some other online presentation service (Animoto, Prezi, etc.), you need a direct link to the image. This is not intuitive because we would think that URL in the "Grab the link" field is what needs to be copied. It is not!

DO NOT USE THIS LINK FOR
ONLINE PRESENTATIONS!

Instead choose to "View all sizes" under "Actions".

Then right-click (or Control-click if you are a Mac user) on the "download..." link and choose to copy the link.

Finally, in your Google Doc (or Animoto, Prezi, whatever) insert an image and paste in the the link.

And voila...

Thanks to Mediajon's work and allowing me to use it in this post!

Tools for Collaboration

2011-12-05T14:20:00.001-08:00

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The Fine, Endless Print

2011-12-01T09:45:00.001-08:00

Anyone who has signed up for an online service is familiar with the seemingly-never-ending user agreement that has to be agreed to before receiving access. For those of us without a law degree, some of the language can be challenging to completely understand, but there are some really important details in those agreements. Especially for us who teach or have children under thirteen years of age. Web service providers must comply with a Federal law called the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). COPPA, in short, requires Web service operators to receive "verifiable parental consent" before collecting any personal information from children twelve or under. Personal information could include items like name, location, school, etc. Consequently, many mainstream providers (Google, Facebook...) deny access to users under thirteen because they cannot or don't want to go through the hassle of obtaining the "verifiable parental consent" that COPPA requires.

If you teach children effected by COPPA, how do you comply with the law and still use some of the wonderful services on the Web to teach and learn? Here is my advice:

Be mindful of COPPA each time you want to use a service with your students.
Only use a service with your twelve and under students if they do not have to create accounts, or if they can create accounts with parental permission and you have collected the permission, or if the school district assumes the responsibility for complying with COPPA.

Here are a few examples:

docs.google.com

You can create a Google Docs document (text, spreadsheet, etc.) and publish it on the Web, allowing anyone with a link to edit it. Thus, your students do not need an account, are not providing Google with any personal information, and are complying with COPPA. Obviously, it is still important to talk to your students about what information is appropriate and safe to put in the Web.

edmodo.com

Many sites like Edmodo, which are intended for the K-12 environment, allow access to users under thirteen as long as the teacher or school collects parental permission. If you use a service like Edmodo, make sure you collect parental permission. An efficient way to do this is by listing all the COPPA compliant sites you want to use in your class during the year in one permission form. Tell your parents explicitly what the site is, its rules, and what you expect your students to be doing on the site.

google.com/a/edu

Although users must be at least thirteen to sign up for a Google account, many districts, like Durham Public Schools, are piloting and implementing Google Apps for Education. The district agrees to comply with COPPA by collecting, maybe with your help, the needed permission slips.

Put Learning on the Map

2011-11-22T09:33:00.001-08:00

My wife, Anna, and I spent a few days of our honeymoon in London last summer. On the long flight across the Atlantic I read a book called The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson. The book is the true story of London's great cholera outbreak in the mid-1850's and the quest to find its source and resolution.

As Anna and I explored the streets of London, I recognized some of the neighborhoods referred to in the book. It made the history I learned in the book come alive and feel more real.

Although we cannot transport ourselves or our students everywhere we read about in our studies, we can explore those places virtually. Anyone can create customized, annotated maps using Google Maps' My Maps.

For example, Mr. Daniel Miller at Jordan High School created a My Map for his students documenting the London sites of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Check it out below (click on the blue placeholders for details and zoom in and out)!

View Great Expectations - Settings in a larger map

How can Google's My Maps be used in your classroom?

Parent Communication

2011-11-17T12:28:00.001-08:00

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Wikis- Teaching Skepticism

2011-11-14T15:17:00.001-08:00

Wiki is a Hawaiian word meaning, according to Dictionary.com, quick. There is an interesting Wikipedia article about the origins of the wiki web application created by Ward Cunningham in the mid-1990s. Cunningham's simple idea of allowing users to collaborate online has mushroomed and is a major component of today's Internet. Users now expect the ability to create knowledge, not just be consumers of it. On the other hand, sites like Wikipedia create an enormous amount of controversy. Many disregard Wikipedia as a database of inaccurate information. Others see it as the democratizing of knowledge. Take a look at the trailer of the documentary, Truth in Numbers? Everything, According to Wikipedia. In just a couple of minutes you get a glimpse of both sides of the argument.

So, how as educators should we deal with Wikipedia? When students do research on the Internet, a Wikipedia link is often one of the first search results when Googled, no matter the topic. Many students will click on the Wikipedia link and take the information in its article to be fact, no questions asked. Depending on the article, it could very well be. However, it could just as well be opposite.

The problem is not Wikipedia, however. To me, the problem is the lack of skepticism. And this is not just a problem in the K-12 student population. Many of us are guilty of it.

Gone are the days that we can assume that any information from any source is definitively true unless we can verify it. You can argue that there was never a time when the consumer could assume that any source provided absolutely true information without verification. When I was student in K-12, I cannot remember my teachers teaching me to be skeptical of fact givers- textbooks, encyclopedias, nightly news, etc., but they should have been. What I like about Wikipedia is that it forces teachers to teach their students to be skeptical. I hope that skepticism transcends sites like Wikipedia and students find it when using any source.

So how do you start a lesson in skepticism? Use Wikipedia, ground zero for supposed inaccurate information. Whatever you are studying your classes, find out what Wikipedia has to report on it. Have your students fact check the articles in Wikipedia. Cross-reference the sources cited in its articles. Where there are inaccuracies and missing information, have the students edit the article. It is incredibly easy and incredibly empowering! And then take that skepticism and empowerment and verfiy other sources of information- the omnipotent textbook, encyclopedia, nightly news, etc. Have students create their own textbook by creating a wiki with PBWorks.com (click here for our EZ Guide) or Wikispaces.com.

Google Forms and Automatic Responses

2011-11-04T11:53:00.001-07:00

Say you have a Google Form. And say you want someone (you, him, her, someone else) to get an email with the submissions automatically when the form is submitted. Would that be nice? To me it would. And fortunately, it can be done! Here is one way to do it.

1. Create your form like always. Make sure to add a field for an email address if you want to send an automatic reply to the submitter.

2. Go to your docs and open the spreadsheet of the form.

3. Open another window or tab in your web browser and go to http://sites.google.com/site/formemailer/updates for the Google Script for Form eMailer by Henrique Abreu. Open the newest .js file (version 3.5 as of this post) and copy all the text. Or you can download and copy the text from the version here.

4. Back to the spreadsheet, open up the Script editor... under the Tools menu.

5. Click on Untitled Project at the top of the page and rename it Form eMailer. Click OK.

6. Erase all the text in the code body and paste in the text you copied in step #3. Click the Save button.

7. Click on the myFunction drop-down, choose onInstall, and click on the Run button (looks like a play button). You will be asked to autorize the use of the script. Click Authorize.

8. Click on the myFunction drop-down again and choose install and then click the run button again.

9. If you are still in the Scipts editor, go to Triggers > Current script's triggers...

10. Add two new triggers as follows and save it.

11. Return to the spreadsheet. You should see a new worksheet titled FormEmailer and new menu titled the same. (Note that the running automatically cell may read "no" for a little bit. It will turn to a "yes" once processed fully.

12. Now, go to the FormEmailer menu at the top of the page and click Settings. You will see an email editor. Here is where you will create the email that will be automatically sent when someone submits a form.

Use the Insert placeholder link to have the information submitted in that field in the spreadsheet (from the form) inserted into the email (either in the To: line, Sender name: line, or Subject: line).
Type your email like you would want the submitter to see it once received.
Use basic HTML code to make text bold , text go to the next line (line break) , or skip a line (paragraph break) .

13. Save and Close and you are ready to send out via email or post online!

Some ideas for use:

Principals love this tool for observing teachers and sending them instant observation data.
I love to use this tool to confirm that I received a form submission in regards to the Technology Challenge, the DPS Technology Showcase, and workshop evaluations.

How could you use it?

On the go? There's an app for that!

2011-11-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

I just recently purchased my first "smart phone" (an iPhone). I was very familiar with what the iPhone could do and how it worked because of my experience with iPod Touches and iPads. However, I was not sure how much use I would get from its "smart" capabilities- would I end up with just an expensive cell phone? I am on my computer quite a bit during the work day and have always felt about as "connected" as one could be. To my surprise I have found myself opting for the smart phone in many cases before my computer, especially when I am on the move or want to accomplish something simple and quick (i.e. email).

The advantage the smartphone has over the computer is that it is very mobile while always being connected. I often write my blog posts while I have a few extra minutes going from here to there using an app called Blog Press. It cost $2.99 on iTunes. It makes blogging more spontaneous. Rather than making mental notes of what I want to blog about when I get to my computer, I can actually write a few lines and post it or save a draft for later (Blog Press allows me to save the drafts online so I can finish on my computer if I want). I also really like blogging on the smart phone because I can access pictures I have taken with the phone's camera quickly and easily (no having to connect to a computer, download the images, etc.).

I have also been following all of my favorite blogs, including those of the Technology Challenge participants, using an app called Feeddler. It is synced with my Google Reader account. Feeddler is free on iTunes.

Another of my favorite apps of late is iMapMyRun (there is also an iMapMyRide for bicyclists). I downloaded this app for a recent trip to Chicago so I could log the distance and time of my daily runs (also to rescue me if I got lost!). I have used the Map My Run web site a lot for the last few years. The web site allows you to click the points of your run on a Google map. It calculates the distance for you. The app uses the GPS capabilities of the phone to automatically record the points of your run on a map, calculating your distance, speed, etc. You can also choose to see the elevation of your run, calories burned, and other statistics. In terms of education, I think the app and web site can be integrated in physical education, mathematics, geography, and other courses.

Smartphone users, what are your favorite apps?

Discuss Dynamically with Voicethread

2011-10-31T05:45:00.001-07:00

VoiceThread is a great web tool if you have never seen it. It allows someone to create a discussion around media, whether that media be images, videos, audio, text, whatever... So, say for instance you want your students to discuss elements of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. You could import an image of the painting from, say, Flickr's Creative Commons into VoiceThread, start the discussion by asking questions or making comments that will lead your students' comments.

Here is an example. The discussion creator explores the crisis in Darfur through political cartoons.

Math teachers often find it difficult to incorporate the web tools explored in the Challenge. Here is a simple idea for using Voicethread to, literally, illustrate various problem solving strategies.

So, how do you create a VoiceThread? Here is a short tutorial on the process created by yours truly!

Scoop It, Not Stupid!

2011-10-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

When Dottie Black, my friend and colleague from the Duke-PepsiCo Technology Mentor Program, first told me about Scoop It, I thought she said, "stupid". Once I correctly heard her and she showed me what Scoop It does, I realized it definitely is not stupid! Scoop It is a topic-centric curating service. It allows you to collect resources from around the Web relevant to a certain topic. Rather than just listing links to the sites, it displays a stream of the sites you have embedded or searched for. So, for example, I have created a Scoop It about participants of the Fall 2011 DPS Technology Challenge and embedded the product below. Definitely NOT stupid!

Staff Collaboration Survey

2011-10-20T13:23:00.001-07:00

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Tools for Parent Communication

2011-09-22T12:56:00.001-07:00

Creating a VoiceThread

2011-08-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

Math teachers often find it difficult to incorporate the web tools explored in the Challenge. Here is a simple idea for using Voicethread to, literally, illustrate various problem solving strategies.

So, how do you create a VoiceThread? Here is a short tutorial on the process created by yours truly!

Algebra Summit- Wikis 4 Algebra!

2011-08-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

I am presenting at the Algebra Summit at SAS this afternoon. I will talk with visitors about how to use wikis in the algebra classroom. Below is my Prezi presentation.

Wikis 4 Algebra on Prezi

Facebook Communication

2011-08-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

(Creating a Facebook Page for Parent Communication)

Why would a school or teacher want to create a Facebook page? The answer is simple- that is where their parents are. It is a potentially great medium to share the latest news just because it has a great chance of being seen. Posts will appear in your parents' Facebook news feeds along with all of the other posts in their network.

However, there is a lot of fear of using Facebook professionally by teachers and other school officials. This is justifiable because Facebook has a lot of features and murky privacy settings. Also there are Federal and local laws and policies to worry about.

So, what do you do to take advantage of Facebook's unmatched communication potential while protecting yourself professionally? My best advice is to create a Facebook "page".

A Facebook "page" is different from a full Facebook "profile". A page can have unlimited followers and does not have "friends". However, when someone clicks the "Like" button on a page, he or she will be "subscribed" to the news posted on that page. Also, his or her network of friends will see that in their news feed. Thus, your community will help spread the positive news coming from your school or classroom.

However, there are a few things you should keep in mind if you choose to create a Facebook page for your school or class.

Best Practices for Creating a Facebook Pages for your School or Class

Create an entirely new Facebook profile to generate your school/class page(s). Keep your online professional and personal "worlds" separate.

If you are not the principal of your school, get explicit permission to create a page for your school. It is also not a bad practice to clear the idea of a classroom Facebook page with your administration before moving forward.
DPS Board Policy 5150 states the following:
Employees may not use personal web sites or online networking profiles to post information in an attempt to communicate with students in their roles as school system employees.
Within the District firewall, Facebook and Twitter are blocked for students by the District's Web filter to adhere to CIPA regulations, but are accessible by staff.

Do not allow followers of your page to post comments, videos, etc.
Facebook has a minimum age of 13, so do not use the service to send news to students 12 or younger.
Use the "Question" post option to gather feedback in a controlled way.

Check out these examples:

1. Bethke Elementary School, Timnath, Colorado

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bethke-Elementary-School/141914602496111

2. Durham Public Schools

http://www.facebook.com/DurhamPublicSchools

So, how can you utilize a Facebook page to communicate with your community?

Elementary South

2011-08-03T12:54:00.001-07:00

Twitter for Parent Communication

2011-08-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

(Keep Your Parents Updated Quickly, Easily)

Whenever I talk to people about Twitter, I usually get one of three reactions:

They love it
They think it's a waste of time
They have heard of it but really don't have a clear idea of what it is

If you fall into the third group, watch this short video for an explanation.

If you understand what Twitter is, you may still be skeptical on how it could ever be helpful to teachers and schools.

Check out the Twitter feed I have embedded in the left-side of this web site. It has very short messages. The nice thing is that I do not have to edit my site in order to update it. I can send a Tweet via my cell phone in a matter of seconds from anywhere at anytime.

Best Practices for Using Twitter for School Communication

Create an entirely new Twitter profile if you have a personal one in order to generate your school/class tweets. Keep your online professional and personal "worlds" separate.
Combine your technology. Embed your Twitter feed into your school web site.
Keep the account login information secure so updates are done by trusted personnel.
Use Twitter to communicate with parents, not students.

DPS Board Policy 5150 states the following:Employees may not use personal web sites or online networking profiles to post information in an attempt to communicate with students in their roles as school system employees.
Facebook and Twitter are blocked for students by the District's Web filter to adhere to CIPA regulations, but are accessible by staff.

Keep your tweets up to date, but don't flood your followers with too many.

So, how can you utilize Twitter to communicate with your community? Visit the Google Doc wiki below to view a few ideas and add your own ideas, benefits, and concerns.

http://goo.gl/hU3YO

21st Century Schools Principal's Wordle

2011-08-03T08:10:00.001-07:00

During the DPS Principals' Retreat we conducted a Polleverywhere.com survey to collect the five most important characteristics of 21 Century Schools. Below are the results put into Wordle.net.

Elementary School Wordle

Middle School Wordle

High School Wordle

Google Docs for Staff Collaboration

2011-08-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

(Using Google Docs for Staff Collaboration)

Google Docs is an online suite of office programs. The Docs suite contains MS Office-like document, spreadsheet, and presentation programs. It also contains survey and drawing programs.

The benefits of the suite being online is that they can all be accessed from any computer, anywhere in the world that has Internet access, AND they can be shared to enable collaboration.

Forms
Forms are Google survey tool. They are quick and easy to create and allow you all types of information.

From your Google Docs homepage, click "Create New" and choose "Form"

Type your questions

Link to the form's web address from your web site, embed it into your web site, or send it in an email. The address can be found at the bottom of the "Edit Form" page.
Answers are submitted to a Google spreadsheet, which is in your Docs list.

Here is an example.

Presentations
Google presentation is just like PowerPoint, just online. Here is an example of today's PowerPoint embedded.

Documents
Google document application functions like MS Word, just online. Because it is online you can share it with one person or the whole world!

Check out this example and contribute your thoughts!

http://goo.gl/hU3YO

Wikis for School-Wide Collaboration

2011-08-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

(Creating a Wiki for Staff Collaboration)

A wiki is a web page or collection of web pages that allow anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify its content. Watch this short video for an easy to understand explanation.

Probably the most famous wiki is Wikipedia. Wikipedia is known as the world's largest encyclopedia. As of this writing, Wikipedia has over 3.5 million articles in English. It was created with the objective of "democratizing" knowledge by allowing anyone to edit its pages.

Thankfully you can create a wiki on a much smaller scale than wikipedia. You don't need any technical expertise, either. You can create your own wiki web site very quickly using free services like Wikispaces.com and PBworks.com.

How quickly and easily? Here is a video with a step-by-step in less than 60 seconds!

So, how can you utilize wikis with your school staff to improve school-wide collaboration? Visit the Google Doc wiki below to view a few ideas and add your own ideas, benefits, and concerns.

http://goo.gl/hU3YO

Principals' Retreat

2011-08-01T05:51:00.001-07:00

Important Links:

Preparation for Departure

http://pollev.com/dps_et OR
Text to: 22333; Message = 294368 and 5 words

Roadmap for Success

Breakout Sessions

Station One- All Aboard! Tools for Communicating and Collaborating with Teachers and Parents

Station 2. Route WWW: Must-See Sites for Teaching and Learning

Exit Ticket: Reflections on the Journey

Principals' Retreat Exit Ticket