Can the End be the Beginning?

Wow, here we are. . .well, wherever we go, there we are (for all my Buckaroo Banzai fans). Anyway, today is the last day of class for your hectic summer technology immersion. . .I like to look at this as not the end, but the beginning of you as technology using educators who aren't afraid to take chances and always look for fun and interesting ways to integrate technology into your curriculum.

Tonight: I will answer any final assignment questions and I want to spend a good amount of time discussing/reviewing TaskStream narratives. I expect that you will leave class tonight with the narratives finished and the sweat permanently wiped off your brow ;-)

You can ensure your blog is completely dialed out. . .you have at least 10 artifacts added, each artifact has an appropriate title, the NETS that it meets, and contains a description of what the assignment was. . .Tonight would be a great time to get any last minute help on your blogs.

I have almost every assignment graded (the regrades will happen later this week), so everyone should pretty much know where she stands as far as what grade to expect from the course. My grades are due Aug 20, but I expect to get them in way before that, so you can check back on WebCt and you will see your grade. . .I will email everyone through webCT when I have completed all grading and revision. . .do NOT panic about your grade until you receive said email. . . .

Final Question: Did you have fun in this class. . .explain.

Has your Techno turned into a Techyes?

Phew, the penultimate classe de tecnología!! Everyone should be finishing their movies, put their blogs to embed, and finishing up any other loose ends that you have to do. I would like to see your movie uploaded and all of your assignments embedded in your blog before you leave class tonight. . .if that cannot be accomplished, ensure you talk to me!

Tonight: we will work on the movies. . .ensure I, or a student already finished and checked off, evaluates your movie before uploading to your blog. When your blog is on your movie, you can submit your checklist to me to use for grading purposes.
I would also like to briefly introduce GoogleEarth to you so you can see what an amazing piece of technology that it is. . .

For class on Monday: I would like everyone to have completed the NETS narratives in TaskStream. If you look at the Portfolio assignment in WebCT, you should notice the most current student sample document is attached (it's even more up-to-date than the one we used for NETS I). You should know how to write the narratives. . .just remember to let the artifact drive the narrative; explain what the artifact is, how you created it, and why it is a great artifact for your proficiency in the standard. . .and in one sentence, you can explain how you might use it in the classroom!!! Relax, you ALL can do this. . .
I will briefly meet with each of you to ensure you have everything complete for TaskStream and see if there are any further questions on any assignments. . . Then, and only then, will you be given the technology crown of achievement (see hat above ;-)

Also, please ensure you can access your campus email. . .the evaluations for this course will be emailed to you through this email address (actually, it should already be there).

Tonight's Questions: Discuss one assignment/tool that you see yourself using in your future classroom. How will you use it?

Blog in a Blog

If iMovie, Will it Come Before C?

Lights, camera, action. . .we will be learning how to edit in iMovie tonight! If you didn't receive my last minute email and Edmodo post, please bring headphones to class if you have them! We will be learning how to edit sound in iMovie and headphones will be most appreciated by your neighbors ;-)

Everything that is past due, with the exception of the Spreadsheet assignment, has been graded. I have not had the opportunity to do re-grades yet. . .but I will soon.

Journal 8 & 9: WooHoo, the new issue of L&L has hit the Internet! Let's use the current issue for the next two journals. Journal 8, "Choosing the Perfect Tools for One to One," by Bouterse, Corn, and Halstead discusses issues to consider if your school can adapt a laptop program. Journal 9, "Science + Technology = Creativity (and Fun)," by Jared Mader and Ben Smith talks about creative ways to integrate technology into science curriculum!
If you choose to do a journal 10, pick another article from the August 2009 issue of L&L and ensure you give the proper citation.

Today's Question: What is your current or all-time favorite quote? It could be about education or life in general.

What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger, right?

I thought you all might enjoy this little poster (click on it to get a larger version). . .it's a "demotivator" from despair.com. If you haven't visited the site, you might find it fairly amuzing ;-)

Tonight we are going to do three things: discuss your NETS narratives (I will meet with each group to go over their NETS I narrative), learn how to add artifacts to your blog (emerging technology assignment), and discover Inspiration. I also want to demonstrate how to modify your excel template to get a cool version that we can host on our blogs.

I hope that you are feeling better about getting all of the work completed. Please don't hesitate to ask me if you have any questions or concerns about anything in the course. . .breathe. . .you will all be okay–I promise.

Journal 7: "Beyond Social Networking: Building Toward Learning Communities," by Ruth Reynard. This article comes from The Journal.

Today's Question: Speaking of motivation. . . if you received a Pass/Fail grade instead of a letter grade in this course, would it affect the effort you put into class? Explain.

Do GoogleDocs Hire GoogleNurses?

Well okay, we are more than half way through your journey into techno-transformation. If you look back at all you have accomplished so far, you should be impressed with yourselves. . .or at least mildly pleased.

Tonight we will be grading PowerPoints using our collaborative rubric. . .please don't forget that you will need 3 copies of the rubric personalized with your name as the grader. We will also briefly discuss your NETS I collaborative narratives and you will share your group's work with another group for feedback. You should have finished Journal's 1-5 (don't forget that journal 5 is extra credit), PowerPoint, and requested feedback on TaskStream.

New asignments: Copyright, Wiki, and Journals 6-10.

What's left?
Inspiration
iMovie Software Proficiency
Google Earth
Emerging Technology
TaskStream/NETS narratives

Journal 6: Remember that journal 5 was extra credit, so even if you didn't do it, start with journal 6 (i.e., you won't have a journal 5). "Don't Feed the Trolls," by Karen Richardson. L&L, May 2008.

Today's Question: How many languages do you speak? If your answer is one, do you wish you were taught another language in school? Explain.

Will the Revolution Be Televised?

Are we seriously at the 1/2 way point of the course? It seems like only a week and a half ago when we started class. . .hey wait, it was only a week and a half ago ;-)

I know that you all have something you can be working on. . .finishing touches on the Newsletter, endless journal entries, powerpoint, understanding the NETS and TaskStream, familiarizing yourself with Google Docs, etc. . .so I will try and take it easy on you tonight. . .well, as easy as I can.

Tonight: we will collaboratively create our rubric to grade the PowerPoint assignments (next Monday), learn how to request feedback on TaskStream (you should all be enrolled by now), find out how to to the spreadsheet(excel) assignment, and discover Classroom 2.0, which will also be journal 4!

Journal 4: As I said, journal 4 will be both a journal entry and a separate assignment titled, "Classroom 2.0/web 2.0 Exploration. The Instructions are on webCT. . .please read them carefully.

This should be more than enough to keep you busy over the weekend. . .sorry ;-0

Tonight's Question: What has been the best book you have read in school and the best book your have read out of school?

Today's Affirmation: ¡Sí, Se Puede!

Okay, I had to come up with a reason to showcase my latest Photoshop creation...I chose the post title. Click on the picture to get a better look! I am working with a group of high school students downtown with a project to take culturally relevant figures and do an Andy Warhol-esque pop art piece. This picture is one of my samples.

Anyway, You should currently be knee-deep in technology assignments. The Delicious assignment, Newsletter, Journals, etc., should be keeping you busy. We will briefly discuss the Newsletter before moving on. I will get to the grading this week, I promise ;-)

Tonight: I want to introduce Google Docs (something I wasn't able to do last week). We will discuss the narratives for TaskStream and how to use Google Docs as a collaborative tool. We will also begin the PowerPoint assignment and if time permits, discuss the creation of rubrics. Remind me to also discuss how to use Atomic Learning!

Journal 3: "Assessment Made Easy," by Andrew A. Zucker is from the June/July 09 issue of L&L. You will need your ISTE account to be able to access the digital edition.

Also, we are going to be doing group projects/collaboration that requires having each other's Gmail address. Please complete the following Survey (Only Once please). I sent a link to the results on EdModo!!



This week's Question: If you could be a contestant on any gameshow (past or present), what would it be? Not answering is not an option ;-)

Got Daily Affirmation?

After one week, I hope that everyone is feeling good about their technological selves. If not, allow me: "You're good enough, you're smart enough, and doggone it, people like you!" Just think, in 4 short weeks you will be an official tech guru. . .

You should have finished with your Into Letter, commented on your peers' blogs (and don't forget that you also need to comment on the class blog–It's part of the attendance and participation grade), submitted your EdTechProfile, scanned your self-portrait, joined EdModo and purchased your ISTE and TaskStream accounts. And you might have even looked at the Delicious assignment and skimmed Journal 1 ;-)

Tonight, we will begin our Classroom Newsletter and become acquainted with TaskStream.
TaskStream Self-Enroll Codes: You must enroll in both the TPA and Local TPE portfolios

Local: 6SG3BA
TPA: JF5BNH

Journal 2: I am choosing an interesting report published by the guardian UK, "How Teenages Consume Media: The Report that Shook the City" I thought future teachers and parents might find this interesting. I also wanted to give you a few more days to ensure you can access articles from ISTE's L&L

Today's Question: What is your all-time or current favorite teacher movie?

From Zero to Sixty. . .

Well, so much for a slow first class. . .I know that we covered a lot of material in the first day; unfortunately, we only have 10 dates, so things will be moving quickly. I will do my best to take into account the steep learning curve that many of you may experience, but we do have much to cover.

Last class, we did the intros and then I had you create your own blog. All but two of the blog addresses turned in to me worked, so that's pretty good. I also had you look at the instructions for the intro letter and the EdTechProfile. Tonight, I will discuss how to post a blog and insert a picture into the journal entry (don't let me forget to introduce Photobooth!), how to take a screen selection of your completed EdTechProfile, and I will introduce the Journal Article assignment(expectations are in WebCT) and the Social Bookmarking assignment. I will also introduce you to EdModo. . .again, don't let me forget ;-)

You should have already purchased your ISTE membership and your TaskStream accounts. The first journal entry will be a free article from ISTE's L&L (Learning and Leading with Technology).

Remember to come to class early if you need some extra help and check webCT email frequently.

Journal 1: "Do Your Teachers Need a Personal Trainer?" by Aileen Owens

This week's Question: What is your current favorite artist or musician?

Instructions - Publishing a Blog

Use the following Instructions to create your very own blog! Ensure you follow the naming convention outlined below. . .and pay attention to your blog's url! Click in the upper right box in the document to make it expend to a full page!!

Publishing a Blog General Instructions

Intro Letter Instructions

Write a three-paragraph letter of introduction to me and your classmates that you will post on your class blog. You can see a sample Intro Letter of yours truly below!!
Content:

1st paragraph: Introduce who you are, where you are from, and where you went to school (K-12) and college.

2nd paragraph: Give an overview of your experience with technology. Are you a Mac or PC person? How much do you depend on technology on a daily basis? New question for technology: which version of Microsoft Office are you using the most (with the Office 07 release for PC and 08 release for Mac, the transition is not an easy one for most people. . .and some of my instructions will need to be modified depending on the version you are able to access!)


3rd paragraph: Read the CSUSM/COE Mission Statement (It’s on the syllabus) and respond to any part of the statement that speaks to you. Was it a factor in your decision to apply at CSUSM?

Include a digital picture of yourself on the blog.

Also, comment on at least three other peers' blogs.

To submit in webCT: include your blog link and the names of the peers whose blogs you commented on.

Grading: Three points for the intro/pic on blog; two points for peer comments.

Introducing . . .Me

My name is Jeffery Heil and I am from, well, I'm not sure. I was born in Las Vegas, NV and lived there until I was two years old. Then I moved to Phoenix, AZ and lived there until first grade. . .then I moved back and forth from Seattle, WA (actually, Marysville, but no one outside of the NW knows the city). I attended quite a few elementary schools in Phoenix and Marysville and then attended two high schools twice. I started high school in Marysville, moved to Phoenix, moved back to Marysville, then moved back to Phoenix to finish high school. I have attended almost every college in San Diego. . .but I received a BA in Philosophy from UCSD, my teaching credential from National University (awesome synchronized swimming team!), and my MA from SDSU in Liberal Arts & Sciences. I also dropped out of a doctoral program at Pepperdine University. . .if you think it's expensive to see a doctor, try earning one at a private university ;-)

My experiences with technology are varied. I had little or no experience until I began college, then I developed a love of computers. I am proficient in many different programs from basic word processing to advanced video editing. I have been teaching educational technology for the last 5+ years and I love to show people how to integrate technology into their teaching! I am currently a technology resource teacher for the San Diego County Office of Education's Juvenile Court and Community Schools, where I assist teachers in their use of technology to support student learning. Oh yeah, I am a Mac. My district is moving toward almost exclusively PCs, so I have been forced to go to the DarkSide during the day, but I guess it has made me more of a well-rounded computer geek ;-)

The mission statement of the CSUSM/COE was a factor in my decision to apply to be a distinguished teacher in residence (DTiR). As a San Diego County Office of Education employee, working for the Juvenile Court and Community Schools, I have been very committed to ensure educational equity for all students. The academic achievement gap isn't something that will go away with positive thoughts, but through hard work and dedication from everyone involved in the education of our students. I see CSUSM as an institution dedicated to producing educators who can affect positive change as we transform public education! Technology can be a great medium for social change, which I hope to model for you this summer!