Spring Break: Cribs, Teacher Edition

I saw this video at the Computer Using Educators Conference last week.  I thought all my future teachers would appreciate this. . . Hope you're all having a great break!

CLICK HERE if the video isn't playing.  . .you may have to watch a commercial, but it is worth the wait!!

Week 8: Catching up on your Work?

My Dog Frances

What a great week.  SDSU gets a #2 seed in the NCCA Tournament, I am going to the Computer Using Educator's Conference in Palm Springs, and . . .my students get to catch up on all of their work, right?  Based on the amount of stress that permeated University and Academic Halls last week, I'll take this as a sign that you all need some time to catch up.  What I can tell you all is that the longer you wait to complete your work, the further you distance yourself from the explanation of how to complete it.  Experience tells me that most people do not like to read the written instructions, so your stress level get to the point of frustration, then your fun meter for technology plummets and somewhere in the universe a person weeps uncontrollable for no apparent reason. . . .Okay, maybe it's not that drastic, but it could happen.  Keep the positive energy flowing by keeping up with your work.

I will be in UH 271 today from around 4pm until 8pm to help anyone with any assignment that they need help with.  If you are in the Thursday class and need to make up for an absence, come to either today's class or Monday, March 28 to make up for it.  If you are in Thursday's class and are behind, come to class.  If you are in Monday's class and need to make up for an absence, you can attend both today and the 28th. 

I have Re-edited the Monday class's TaskStream narratives. . .I will work individually with those who hadn't edited in class.  I will try to get to the Thursday class re-edits this week.

This Week's Question: What is one of your most memorable teacher movies?

Week 7: Making Learning Personal!

Wordle from this Blog!

We have almost reached the halfway point of the semester and my fingers' are crossed in hopes that you are all starting to become one with your technology.  I think it's important to have the ability to fail because it teaches you that it is not the end of the world.  If you aren't making mistakes, you aren't learning.  Sometimes, the best thing to do is to take a breath, separate yourself from whatever is frustrating you, then approach it later with a clearer mindset.  Call it the Zen approach to technology integration.  . . Or we could go with the Stuart Smalley approach, "You're good enough, you're smart enough, and doggone it, people like you." 

Moday Class:  I gave feedback to all of you on GoogleDocs on Sunday.  I must say that I am a bit disappointed by a few groups who either had incomplete paragraphs or both partners wrote to the SAME artifact.  I thought it was clear in class that these were to be complete so they could be edited on the weekend.  
Thursday Class: I will have your narratives with comments by Wednesday evening.  Please ensure you have given peer comments and that you have two different artifacts.

Click Here to see some past student samples for NETS-1


This week I am going to introduce a number of assignments, many of which won't be due for awhile, but I want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to work on the assignments throughout the time off and through Spring Break.  I will show you how to create a GoogleForm that you will use for the assessment of your presentation, we will discuss how to embed files in your blog & get the checklist for Emerging Technology, and lastly, how to get started creating your PLN.  For Journal's 6-10, I am giving you the first article, Journal 6, that discusses PLNs and Journal 7 will actually be the PLN assignment.
Don't forget that we have a modified schedule for the next few weeks.
Week 8: Monday, March 14, I will be in UH 271 from 4pm until around 8 pm.  There is no class on Thursday as I will be at the Computer Using Educator's Conference.
Week of March 21: Spring Break
Week 9: Monday, March 28, I will be in UH 271 from 4pm until around 8 pm.  There is no class on Thursday as the campus will be closed due to Cesar Chavez Day.
My Monday class must attend either week 8 or 9.  The Thursday class is highly encouraged to attend either or both sessions to receive assistance on any of the multitude of projects.  Please use Twitter and the #ed422 hashtag to ask any question you might have or to share any cool resource you find.
I'll discuss this in class this week, but I thought you might like to see this in writing.


Remind me to discuss the use of Skype & Box.net with the class.


Journal 6: "Grow Your Personal Learning Network," by David Warlick.  This is from the March/April 2009 issue of L&L.

Journal 7: This will be your PLN assignment.  See Instructions on the Creating Your PLN page on the class blog.

This Week's Question: What is your current favorite timesucker?  This is the thing/activity/game/website/whatever that prevents you from doing other things you know you should be doing (like, say, completing work for this class).
Currently, it is a tie between Words with Friends and Angry Birds on my iPad. . .either of which can steal an hour our two from me without my knowledge ;-)