ASSET8 Stakeholders Meeting 2/6/09

I wanted to thank the wonderful people at ASSET for an enjoyable and informative stakeholders meeting. I picked up new resources that I was able to forward to numerous colleagues that afternoon, and learned surprising new things about resources to which I'd already been introduced. The entire day--from my first ride on the light rail to ASSET's excellent lunch and studio tour--was a terrific experience. Thanks so much for your hard work on behalf of our students!

Two Awesome Web Sites

I just recently discovered these two gems and wanted to share them with you. The first is a web site that allows you to develop mind maps is you will using a web based program. This site is www.mywebspiration.com. The tag line is to think creatively. You can also collaborate with others.

The second web site is www.issuu.com. On this site you can upload a document that will format it like a magazine, you can save the doc as a PDF. You can email the document out and it looks like a real magazine.

Both sites require registration but there is no fees associated with them.

Enjoy, James.

Technology and Teaching

I've been teaching for nine years now, and always amazes me the rapid changes in technology and how that technology impacts our daily lives. The best comparison I have is my mother. She began teaching third grade in 1966. When I began my teaching career she gave me boxes of 3 ring binders, 36 of them to be exact. Each binder represented a week in school. There was the lesson plan, the things to be copied, and notes on future plans. Wow, have we come a long way!

In today's ever changing world we can't develop a curriculum and successfully use it for 25 years. We won't be successful, and our students won't be prepared. I love that I can get on the Internet and within an hour find numerous lesson plans that I often adjust to meet my student needs. Think about how much planning time is eliminated with the use of technolgoy.

In my classroom I have 4 student computers, my computer, a projector, and full Internet access. It is awesome to see my student's eyes light up when we go to Google Earth to see what modern day Rome looks like when we are discussing Ancient Rome. Or, when I dispaly a copy of our social studies book on the projector meeting different needs. Using Powerpoint to share information, or stream video to engage them in a real conversation. My new favorite tool is I-Tunes. When working on individual task I can softly play in the background music that is related to our curriculum, maybe an Italian opera.

We are in the beginning stages of blogging. We use www.classblogmeister.com. On this site students set up their own blog page, enter responses for the assignment which are emailed to me. They are not posted until I approve them from my email. May sound like a lot, but I would prefer to read emails in the evening than grade a stack of papers.

We have to be careful though. In my opinion nothing replaces a good novel in print form or a child's piece of art work hanging on the wall. Being a Classroom Innovator has helped me understand with even more depth the importance of technology, but also the importance of balancing technology and traditional resources.

James

Teacher Appreciation Evening Event @ Chandler Barnes & Noble

I was doing some last-minute shopping at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the Chandler Fashion mall last week, and by sheer chance ended up having a great conversation with Sibley Giles, Barnes & Noble Community Relations Manager. She told me about the store's upcoming Teacher Appreciation Evening, scheduled for Friday, January 23, 2009 at 6:00pm. She wants to host an evening for teachers that will include not only fun and relaxation, but information teachers can put directly to use in the classroom.

What better place for ASSET Innovators? I told Sibley I would attend, and offer whatever information I had about PBS resources...and I could use some help! I hope my fellow Innovators will join me in Chandler on January 23, 2009, 6:00pm, at Barnes & Noble Booksellers--this should be a great opportunity to spread the word about PBS!

PBS Teachers Happy Holiday Hunt!

Need a stress breaker or are you stuck in the house due to all the white stuff everywhere? Play the Happy Holiday Hunt and you could win Lindens from PBS Teachers Connect in Second Life!

Participate in the PBS Teachers Happy Holiday Hunt by joining our Ning at:

http://pbsteachersinsl.ning.com/

Whether you are new or experienced, come have fun searching for these locations in Second Life! And, at the same time you will learn about the vast array of standards and research-based resources available for education use from PBS!



Once you join the NING environment, you will meet other educators interested in assisting you in your journeys into Second Life. If you have yet to explore Second Life, this is a great way to start. If you are already in Second Life... look me up - Kimmer Jameson (a.k.a. Kim Flack)and join the fun!

Why bother? Well, for those who are experienced SL adventurers, we think that you will find some new resources from PBS you may never have known before. If you are not yet experienced in SL, this is a way to demystify the Grid and see some of the best sites it has to offer.

$3000L (Lindens) will be rewarded along with other fun prizes Second-Life-Style will be awarded on January 18, 2009. Where? Why in Second Life of course!


Find more photos like this on PBS Teachers in Second Life


Note: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.

HEY YOU GUYS!

The PBS KIDS GO! Broadband Player reaches millions of children every week. Since The Electric Company powered up on the site, The Electric Company channel has received hundreds of thousands of hits!  Take a few minutes in this crazy pre-holiday break week to visit with your students.  See what you think of this show's comeback - headed to Eight airwaves in 2009!   Make sure you click the button for Top 10 to find the link directly to The Electric Company.

AND - check out the electrifying behind-the-scenes footage of the making of The Electric Company show open! http://www.mcpalumbos.com/guest/ec/ec_btssizzle.mov A BIG THANK YOU to Sesame Workshop for sharing these resources with us at ASSET-Eight so we can pass them on to you!

DTV Countdown!

Recently on each newscast I watch, I notice there is a running script along the bottom of the screen reminding me of DTV - Digital Television - and what I need to do to get on board. DTV is coming, ready or not. The major network national news has also started to run a quick feature, the same as they countdown to Christmas, they now countdown to DTV.

The DTV transition is comprised of two parts. Broadcasters must upgrade to digital transmission, and viewers of over-the-air TV must upgrade to digital reception. Even with a converter box (or set-top box), your current analog television will not be capable of taking full advantage of DTV. To enjoy the full picture quality and benefits of DTV, you may want to purchase a new DTV set. But before you do, there are a few things to consider.
~ azpbs.org

Take a look at the Eight site for more specifics - and to find out how you can get a coupon for a digital converter box, if you need one, from the link above.

In the meantime, have a good laugh about how we are all in this together trying to figure out DTV and what it means for the future of broadcast television... watch the whole thing... you won't want to miss it!