Week 6: I'd Like to Thank the Academy. . .

Two weeks ago it was the Grammys, last week, President's Day, and now I have the Oscar buzz looming over my head. I sincerely hope that Sacha Baron Cohen does not show up to class to dump the ashes of Kim Jong Il on me. . .it's just not something I would urn for ;-)
Let's see, you have had a fair amount of time to complete the assignments that were introduced in the weeks prior to the holiday.  Journal articles 1-5 are due next Monday. . .I highly encourage you to work in these before the weekend. . .it will truly make them much more interesting.  Diigo is due on Wednesday and the Technology Self-Assessment should have been completed by last Thursday.  I will do my best to be in the lab an hour or so before class, so please come in if you need any assistance.
Tonight, we will have quite a bit of material to cover.  I want to discuss TaskStream, GoogleDocs, and how you will be writing your first NETS-T narrative.  We will also go over the presentation assignment as I intend to introduce most of you to a fun new way to present material with a web-based tool called Prezi.  It should be a fun, ash-free evening for all!

This Week's Question: What is something you have learned well without formal teaching?  How did you learn it?  This could be a sport, hobby, musical instrument, etc. .

Week 4: Now that's gonna leave a (book)Mark!

Some of my Diigo Tags

Okay, I realize that it might be hard to compete with the Grammy buzz tonight, but I'll give it my best shot!  In class tonight, you can begin by working on your newsletters. . .there is also always a journal article or two that can be completed, as well as a cool gadget being added to your blog.  Discover any interesting teacher site or other educational resource?  Why not tweet it with our #ed422 hashtag. . .

Tonight, we will learn about social bookmarking and how to use it to collect/archive resources and to connect with other educators.  You will also use a reflection tool from the School 2.0 website to get a feel for the NETS-T and how they transfer to your teaching practice. Everyone should have purchased her/his ISTE subscription and TaskStream as well.  I will have you log in to Task Stream and self-enroll in the CSUSM Local TPE portfolio (it is the one you will be using for the credential program).

I also want to remind everyone that if you need help with anything related to this course, I am always in the lab at least an hour before class.  If that time doesn't work, we can also arrange another time/place for some extra help. . .please don't be afraid to ask.

This week's Question: If this course were Pass/Fail instead of being offered as a letter grade, would it change your effort?  Explain.

Week 3: How is Class -– Tweet!

As we move into the third week of the semester, I hope that you are all beginning to acclimate to the pace of the course.  My expectations are high, but I will give you lots of support!  You should have your blog configured the way you like it.  The About Me tab should contain your picture and your introduction.  You submit the link to your about me page along with the names of the peers on whose blogs you left comments.  I discussed journals 1-5 last week.  I really want to emphasize that if you can do one per week, it will make the entire experience much more pleasurable!  If you wait until the night before the due date, I promise they won't be as fun.  Also, last week I mentioned that you need a self-portrait for the scanning assignment.  We will use the .jpg version of your scan in the Classroom  Newsletter  that we will be working on this week. 
You were also introduced to Twitter last week.  I know that it might have been a bit overwhelming, but I will recap how to use it for your professional development and tell you what I expect from you this semester.  Don't be afraid. . .we'll start slow. . .and you will enjoy it by the end of the semester ;-)  Journal 2 is about Twitter and the use of some social dashboards like TweetDeck.  Here is a link to some short and informative videos by Davis Wees to further help you understand this tool.  Eight videos to help teachers get started using Twitter.

Tonight:  We will begin the Classroom Newsletter (hopefully, using your scanned self-portrait), discuss Twitter, and if time permits, I will introduce you to TaskStream!

This Week's Question: Who has been one of your favorite teachers (at any level) and why?

Week 2: Learning to Fly

Can you believe that in one short class session, you are blogging?  Did you see that coming?  Well, this is only the beginning of your techno-makover.  I hope that you will not only learn a lot about how to integrate what you are learning into your future classrooms (or life), but that you will enjoy the process!  Remember that mistakes are part of any learning process, so do not be afraid to make them. . .in fact, if you are not making mistakes, I would venture to say that you are not learning as much as you could be . . .

This week, I want to ensure that everyone was able to get the "About Me" page on her/his blog and show you a few ways in which you can enhance your blog.  We will discuss leaving commentsand I would like you to put a picture of yourself in Moodle. . .this helps me get to know everyone much quicker.  I will introduce you to the journal article and scan assignments, discuss Citation Machine, and introduce you to. . .drumroll please. . .how to use Twitter as a professional development tool.  And a handful of other fun and interesting technology tidbits. . .remind me to discuss Dropbox. . .

You did sign up for TaskStream and become a member of ISTE, right?

This week's Question:  What should every teacher know about you?

Week 1: Welcome to Ed422!

Welcome to another awesome semester of EDUC 422. . .Technology Tools for Education. By the end of this course you will learn a lot about how to integrate technology into your classroom, as well as a few tricks and tips for how to ramp-up your so-called digital life ;-)

I will use this blog to keep everyone updated on the weekly requirements for the course, as well as model for you how to create a blog for your future classroom!  I need you to read each entry carefully, as I will be giving away $50 tonight to the person who finds the hidden gnome in this very post. . .Okay, not really, but I do need everyone to read each entry ;-)

Technical Issues:  

First order of business:  If you do not have a Gmail Address/Account, you need to get one!  (and no, your CSUSM email does not count).  Don't worry, I have worked it out with Google to give you free email accounts!

You will be asked to join and/or participate in a number of web-based tools, software, etc. . .I recommend that you find a user name that identifies you, is appropriate for school/parents, and one that you can remember. . .

While this course has no required text, you will be required to subscribe to ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education (see link on this blog), as well as purchase a subscription to TaskStream, an online portfolio generator.  

     For TaskStream (also linked on this blog): You will need to self-enroll in the Local TPE.      

     Here are the code you will need:

                                               Local TPE: 6SG3BA
                                              

I will also ask you weekly questions on this blog that you will need to answer. Some are related to education and most are related you your lives. . .It allows me to build community while ensuring that you are reading the weekly posts!

This Week's Question: What is your current favorite piece of technology and why? (currently, I think I would have to say my iPad. . .although my quest to master Angry Birds almost cost me everything I hold. . .okay, perhaps that is a bit of hyperbole ;-)