Lou Douros- Freepath Software

I really, really like Freepath. I can see immediately going to my music teacher and principal and getting all of their stuff on Freepath. It would make life so much easier. Of course my music teacher is going to have to wait for the mac version.

I appreciate the emphasis on the free software. Sometimes all you know is the expensive software, but you neglect to look for the open source software. It's probably because it takes so much time to sort through it all.

One of the more expensive software items I am looking at is MathWhiz, which is an adaptive math tutor with fun social implications but no e-mail or messaging. It is awesome, but for a school of 400 it would be around $16000. That's what I am looking for right now, a math test kids can take before OAKS so that we can see strand data at the beginning of the school year, and kids can do activities based on the strand data.

I need to do more research.

CIO- Now I Know

Wow, Steve Langford helped me understand my ITC Director. Maybe it is natural to immediately want to focus on infrastructure. A lot of staff were upset when we invested in Microsoft Outlook instead of transitioning to gmail. It used a lot of money that could have gone to student access.

Right now our district has a pot of money for technology that they don't want to spend. It's frustrating. There is such an impression of gloom and doom. However, the stimulus has money for the "modernization" of school. Isn't that a good thing?

Equity- well I have to say that I understand the issues. I spent $750 of my book money to get a SmartBoard. If the district gave one to every school that didn't have one, then I would not be okay with that. Actually when I did buy it, my principal talked to the IT guy and made sure we wouldn't get penalized for it. So I understand what Vicki was saying about letting those who are motivated lead. And I also agree with Robin that it would probably need to be a top down initiative after looking at the different models schools have.

Web Design by Don Woodward

Don showed a lot of nice design techniques for web media. It makes me realize that while HOI's website is the best of the elementary schools, I have been very lazy about keeping it relevant. Maybe it is too plain, not enough personality. I am definitely going to evaluate it soon. Hmmm.

Please feel free to look at it and send me comments. I think that my boss (i.e. principal) likes the two method click. He looked at the navigation bar and tried to figure out what was missing.

http://www.centennial.k12.or.us/schools/hoi/

Pete it's been corrected!

I checked the wikipedia page we changed and less than 24 hours later it was corrected! I noticed that at the bottom of the page it was modified at 4:33 Feb. 6. I don't know if that was a.m. or p.m.

The 3rd graders in Gresham have been saved from misinformation!

Web Developer/Programmer Visit & Why I Know I Am Right Teaching Search Strategies

It always hits me at this time of year. Will my program get cut or not? Don't they know I am preparing kids for the literacy they will need in the 21st Century? Then there are the staff meetings in my classroom. What is Boolean? And what that leads to is a lot of moping around and why oh why doesn't anyone understand me and my curriculum!?

Well I guess there is one dude in Oregon who understands the savings technology provide to a district. Not only that but he also understood to use the technology someone has to teach how to use it effectively in authentic settings. That man is Paul Navarre from Net Interaction.

It is kind of like the text from Understanding by Design (Wiggins, 2005). You start with a desired outcome, discern the acceptable evidence and then design the learning activities. It is in those learning activities that technology can be used with purpose and context. No assistant can do that.

Like Paul said, "Technology is only a tool."

Signal to Noise at BSD

Scott who is a TOSA came from BSD came to class today to talk about one of his projects Signal to Noise which is a multi-format short film contest, K-12, in his district.

It is amazing the support his district gives him and the opportunities that the students have. Having that outlet can really prepare students for skills necessary in college.

I wish I could see the tv studio at Conestoga M.S. Last year I was able to do a broadcasting club with my 5th and 6th graders, but we had to videotape it, edit it and burn it on dvds. Then we distributed it to teachers to show on their t.v.s.

Mt. Hood Community College also has a unit that will work with 6-12 grades on producing video. It is free, or at least it was. They come out to the schools.

Because of a conflict with after school meetings, I was not able to do the broadcasting club this year. I do a movie with the 4th graders, but maybe I should do something with the 5th and 6th graders at the end of the year in video production. Hmmmmm

Sugata Mitra

I am very excited to see this Ted talk. My husband was telling me about it. The language acquisition is exciting. I want to show it to my two friends who are a GLAD and SIOP trainers.

It makes me think about the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation. I was always annoyed that their main funding goes to allow internet connection in rural areas, and now I can see what a benefit it is to those areas.

I think I might show this at our meeting to create our district technology plan.

New Tech Class!

I have started an Administration class at Lewis & Clark about school/district technology. It's very exciting, even though I can't believe I am taking an ADMINISTRATION class.

I don't know what I am going to do for a final project, but I probably need the most work in networking, which I don't think I am ready to tackle yet. Maybe I can do more work on the school website WITHOUT my husband's help, since that website requires coding.

I would like to learn about the decision process districts go through when deciding what technology is incorporated into schools and where those funds come from. I think that the CIO from Beaverton will be very interesting.

I think that when technology is applied correctly in schools, it can be a great motivator for kids. I work in a low-income school, and getting the kids jazzed about learning can be difficult. Technology is an easy tool to allow them to take control of their learning. I just wish we had the means to make it possible. Our school district supports libraries, which is the first step because those are the people most are responsible for teaching "21st Century Learning," but we are still acquiring the equipment to do that. But I have started to work on a large grant that would supply funding to our library media/technology programs in our school district. Portland Public Schools received the grant last year. It was nearly half a million dollars!

We'll see what happens!