tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33558878890527212952024-03-12T17:48:55.269-06:00TLC007Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-77947331611787279972012-03-05T17:36:00.015-07:002012-03-05T21:39:28.767-07:00Sharing the Learning in Coronation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdnDLLEAUF0_yPYH-jSZfXYe4YBZFUXkif9pkJDi8P83-xb6FettTVcKODaAgEVMRXaw6p8c9OuMjPitNfp4uVehuuZb5PCbv-9s2FxjwukG6Rfzky2RwkidRLHmMnr47rbYXWLaa7Zc/s1600/raising+Kids+in+Coronation.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdnDLLEAUF0_yPYH-jSZfXYe4YBZFUXkif9pkJDi8P83-xb6FettTVcKODaAgEVMRXaw6p8c9OuMjPitNfp4uVehuuZb5PCbv-9s2FxjwukG6Rfzky2RwkidRLHmMnr47rbYXWLaa7Zc/s200/raising+Kids+in+Coronation.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716576744425640882" /></a><br />On March 5, 2012 I had the pleasure of travelling to rural East Central Alberta to a town called Coronation to share the learning on the topic of technology in education. I was asked to present some different topics on technology to students, teachers and parents. I began my day working with Grade 8 students on blogging using the site <a href="http://www.kidblog.org">www.kidblog.org</a> I briefly explained blogging to the students, and Mrs. A, the classroom teacher, was the observer and learner in the background. Once the students had the chance to begin blogging, the fun began. They were truly engaged. Of course with learning something new, the students may or may not have blogged with purpose, but the experience and ease of set up was a hit with Mrs. A. Once the trial blog session was over, Mrs. A created her real classroom blog in approximately 10 minutes. The best part for her was that the site is secure, she is in control of posts and comments and she can allow more freedom if students earn it. Blogging promotes literacy, assessment for learning, 21st Century skills and digital citizenship. Thank you Mrs. A for allowing me to work with your Grade 8 class. <br /><br />Next was an iPad apps for education session with a small group. We shared apps that are being used among us. It is always difficult suggesting apps because it depends on the learner and the classroom. <br /><br />Third was a Digital Citizenship presentation for parents at a luncheon. It was great seeing around 15 parents show up. Bring food and they shall come. My presentation is called Technology: The Good, Bad and the Ugly. I presented through video and many parents in this rural town are nervous about the dangers. One question asked was on advice in raising their kids. My advice to all parents is to be a good role model in using technology and have a strong relationship with your kids. Many parents use technology as a babysitting tool and do not monitor their kids use. This is when inappropriate use or contact with online predators usually occur. Stay connected with your kids and set boundaries. <br /><br />I repeated my presentation on Digital Citizenship with Grade 9 students in the afternoon. The students really enjoyed the video clips of the positive sides to technology. The Sophia Grace and Rosie <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=KUWpd91UBrA">YouTube videos</a> YouTube video was a big hit. When presenting to junior high I always try to caution about once something is posted it can be there forever. The consequences of cyberbullying was seen by showing the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1LG9NymhTE">Ryan Halligan Story</a> to the Grade 9's. I always get choked up thinking this could easily be my son. The students were a great audience and very respectful. Thanks Grade 9.<br /><br />My final session of the busy day was a TLC (Technology Leadership Coordinator)<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HoHCw0YnLFkI4aBYcUvwJnnkMps_hSvuVz-AaxgrMR4/edit">Web 2.0 SMACKDOWN.</a> Usually these sessions are information overload for teachers, but there were many questions asked and I stressed that it is not about the tools but about the learning. I would say that out of all the free tools online that blogging with students reaps the greatest benefits. Literacy, effective feedback, 21st Century Skills and digital citizenship can be accomplished through a classroom blog. <br /><br />Things I can take back to my District in Medicine Hat include learning about a dual platform in a rural school. Coronation School runs both Mac and PC computers and teachers enjoy the choice. Some like the PC and others like the Mac. IPads are being used as well but mainly for assistive technology. Coronation has a great computer to student ratio 1:2. Credit earned units in high school classes help this ratio exist. <br />All teachers have a Macbook Pro supplied by the school. Digital learning and motivation to learn new ways to integrate technology by teachers was evident during my stay. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRFF1vzsUm7KYTZg4_0q8MF5-cyTwcQqYme0oUrS2-cixS4Z_pGD_ZKqzurJsNggsynCO_5YI_5Y9y7PKXOCvG-W4fLGiVXEEeVDKhTNB5DMcZnA-S8fKK6kGaYx7mobRCeu41clTLKY/s1600/20120305_104129.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRFF1vzsUm7KYTZg4_0q8MF5-cyTwcQqYme0oUrS2-cixS4Z_pGD_ZKqzurJsNggsynCO_5YI_5Y9y7PKXOCvG-W4fLGiVXEEeVDKhTNB5DMcZnA-S8fKK6kGaYx7mobRCeu41clTLKY/s200/20120305_104129.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716638569932279714" /></a><br /><br />Lastly, I do thank Sharalynn Anderson for asking me to present in Coronation, Cam Brown and family for allowing me to stay at their acreage, the staff, parents and students at Coronation for the kindness and learning I can take back from my time at Coronation School. I love my job in that I can help stakeholders embrace technology and in the process, also deepen my learning.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-63944954094930214662012-02-25T14:38:00.005-07:002012-02-25T15:06:06.373-07:00What if?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjQgsbfdf0VPo_SIdy80RcRoXQ3lgKuXpD2JnNFkhBq7DzwC4dGBVHgMWUTrgckoCKBjnVuaZYqrpxUJgzDqKisUEAFFcTrVwytVanQZDlGkABjq1UJES5Iolw1SzIlMo_Cci4dMKeMU/s1600/Kiva+-+Loans+that+change+lives.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 177px; height: 78px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjQgsbfdf0VPo_SIdy80RcRoXQ3lgKuXpD2JnNFkhBq7DzwC4dGBVHgMWUTrgckoCKBjnVuaZYqrpxUJgzDqKisUEAFFcTrVwytVanQZDlGkABjq1UJES5Iolw1SzIlMo_Cci4dMKeMU/s200/Kiva+-+Loans+that+change+lives.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713197960320033586" /></a><br />We had our annual Teachers' Convention on February 23 and 24 and I was happy to attend a session by Bill Belsey titled "My Classroom is Wired, Now What?" Bill provided plenty of stories of how he makes learning authentic and real for his students in his classroom. He shares his classroom experiences on his class website called <a href="http://www.coolclass.ca/frameset.html">coolclass.ca</a>. Although Bill uses technology fluently with his students, he stresses that it is not about the technology, it is about the learning. <br /><br /> One example Bill shared with us was his story about how he got his classroom involved in <a href="http://www.kiva.org/">Kiva</a>. Kiva is a non-profit micro loan organization helping alleviate poverty by providing loans to people to help them start a business. Bill explained that 98% of the loans get repaid. <br /><br /> Here is what Mr. Belsey's class did. The classroom had to raise $100 by working, not getting a hand down. When the class earned the money, Bill told them they had to research <a href="http://www.kiva.org/">Kiva</a> and find a person they feel would benefit from the money. The students presented to the class and they voted on 4 people to give $25 dollars to. The loan was repaid to the class, and they started the process all over again.<br /><br /> To me, this is a great example of Global Education, citizenship and authentic learning. So I titled this post "What if?" What if more and more classrooms raised money and got involved with <a href="http://www.kiva.org/">Kiva</a>? What if teachers read this post and spread the word through Twitter and other Social Media? What if hundreds, no thousands of classrooms raised a little bit of money to provide a loan for someone trying to break out of poverty? I will leave you, the reader, with these questions and will be happy to have you comment. Please do, and please spread the word. You can empower your students to make a big difference in the world we live in.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-36166548947977945022011-12-06T14:35:00.005-07:002011-12-06T15:28:50.441-07:00Don't Be a Dentist!Today, I went to the dentist. Just a check-up and cleaning, but the phobia remains. I have had plenty of dental work since my childhood days, and earlier haunting experiences have left a lasting impression on me that does not see me laying on a beach in the tropics. Going to the dentist to me is like standing out in minus 30 degree weather with no gloves or scarf. <br /><br />How many students feel this way about school? Do children get the same impression of school as I do with Dentists? A teacher can make a world of difference, good or bad. I always thought I was friendly and fun as a teacher and last week at a Christmas party I met a former student to whom I taught Science. I asked her what she remembered about being in my class and the only thing she said was, "I remember getting a detention from you." <br /><br />Wow! Not the impression I was looking for. It made me reflect on my practice. How many other students over the last 20+ years in the classroom remember the negative? I know in my heart that I made learning fun and provided opportunity for group work laughter and individuality. <br /><br />I hope this situation was a rare one, and I hope that all teachers have rare occasions like this. If going to school for children is like going to the dentist, then why would they want to go? Learning should be fun and teachers have the power and gift to make school more enjoyable days of a student's life. Don't be a dentist. <br /> <br />My dentist today was excellent, and has always been. I am not trying to depict that going to the dentist is horrible, but for me the impression from years ago still lasts today.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-90569414176155075692011-12-02T08:41:00.003-07:002011-12-02T08:51:45.125-07:00Digital Citizenship in the ClassroomBeing out of the classroom for 3 years now, I do not know if there is an issue with using technology in a responsible manner. 3 years of change in technology and new innovations leaves me feeling left behind in awareness of Digital Citizenship needs. As an Educational Technologist, I have presented a number of times to parents, teachers and students on the topic, but have not been on the front lines of technology use in the classrooms like teachers have. So I would like to hear from teachers. Is there a need to teach Digital Citizenship? How is it addressed in school? Are there any concerns about students using technology? If so, what are they? If you have 1 minute, please contribute to the poll created for teachers in the classroom. Click <a href="http://goo.gl/nRdWT">here</a> to participate.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-61465453085915952162011-11-29T20:34:00.001-07:002011-11-29T20:35:40.693-07:00Technology Newsletter November 2011<div><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" style="width:420px;height:325px" id="fada91e3-850b-d777-e67f-c3d397a09066" ><param name="movie" value="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v2/IssuuReader.swf?mode=mini&viewMode=singlePage&backgroundColor=%23222222&documentId=111130032904-fdef609f5a6949a2bcdb59293f4b21c0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="menu" value="false"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><embed src="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v2/IssuuReader.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" menu="false" wmode="transparent" style="width:420px;height:325px" flashvars="mode=mini&viewMode=singlePage&backgroundColor=%23222222&documentId=111130032904-fdef609f5a6949a2bcdb59293f4b21c0" /></object><div style="width:420px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://issuu.com/tim.johnson/docs/nov2011technews?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222" target="_blank">Open publication</a> - Free <a href="http://issuu.com" target="_blank">publishing</a> - <a href="http://issuu.com/search?q=blogging" target="_blank">More blogging</a></div></div>Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-27087841931816317572011-09-28T21:34:00.000-06:002011-09-28T21:34:26.152-06:00Tomorrow's Tech in Today's Schools: BYOD<a href="http://techtoolsforschools.blogspot.com/search/label/BYOD">Tomorrow's Tech in Today's Schools: BYOD</a>Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-30328865836282596202011-09-16T13:13:00.005-06:002011-09-16T14:15:20.291-06:00I Switched to Axe!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuGhc4uTykutdNHhW0U98nIwwxyKapHE7C-O6aB472TBX20_pJRdeG2C_sTatm2AfmZaulnHx69R606K3yMMa6aM5Ca8InvT6jnJd7SIabckhlkC2zU2QB1DUJ5jQomzyoPwYW375R-s/s1600/axe_twist1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuGhc4uTykutdNHhW0U98nIwwxyKapHE7C-O6aB472TBX20_pJRdeG2C_sTatm2AfmZaulnHx69R606K3yMMa6aM5Ca8InvT6jnJd7SIabckhlkC2zU2QB1DUJ5jQomzyoPwYW375R-s/s320/axe_twist1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653045493062129794" /></a><br />Last week I had the pleasure of presenting to a room of Learning Coaches for our School District. I began with a story about Axe.<br /><br />I was shopping with my wife and headed down the deodorant isle. Here I saw a man, shopping with his wife, sniffing all brands of deodorant. At first I giggled to myself, because I am a Speed Stick guy, but then gave in to sniffing brands of deodorant. So I began smelling different brands, and stuck a few in my wife's nose for approval.Finally I settled on Axe Twist. It reminded me of the commercial where the guy was getting licked everywhere he went. <br /><br />Here is the catch. I told this story to the Learning Coaches. I tied it in to changing what I am normally use to and taking a risk to try something else. In education, many teachers are not willing to take the risk for many reasons: fear of failure, too much on their plates, and tradition to name a few. One of the roles of Learning Coaches in our district is to help teachers find ways to meet the individual needs of the students. Differentiate. This means looking at new things and trying different ideas. Risk can mean reward, or failure, but trying new things leads to learning. <br /><br />I believe my message went over well with the Learning Coaches. They were disappointed they did not get the Old Spice guy from the commercial, but they got the story behind Axe. And I didn't get licked once.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-74351503524904815042011-08-30T14:52:00.024-06:002011-09-01T15:10:34.827-06:00Shh! No More Video Noise!I still enjoy all the visuals that YouTube has to offer. Well sort of? I find myself clicking x's all the time now to get rid of ads that I don't even read, but take up so much video space. And some ads on the side can be risky, especially in front of young eyes.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3whab5Ls3ctCyrUo6-XMYOyBoswdRW1XESYamO0UxzB9NE8lkOZOUONn5DkaBj09ET2XmikjY-rRWmpOEyvkRMmqmb3_hD5c9roA2E7pNDetSs2tH0vZ1tKofTIiEnv3vfbJgL0kkNa0/s1600/Michael+Jackson+Pepsi+Generation+-+YouTube+ads.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 420px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3whab5Ls3ctCyrUo6-XMYOyBoswdRW1XESYamO0UxzB9NE8lkOZOUONn5DkaBj09ET2XmikjY-rRWmpOEyvkRMmqmb3_hD5c9roA2E7pNDetSs2tH0vZ1tKofTIiEnv3vfbJgL0kkNa0/s320/Michael+Jackson+Pepsi+Generation+-+YouTube+ads.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646758136801221874" /></a>
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<br />Solution: <a href="http://quietube.com/">Quietube!</a> It is a java install right on your browser toolbar that allows you to go to a YouTube Video, click the Quietube extension and the video will begin playing with empty surroundings. That's right! No ads, comments (which many begin with the "f" word) and no pop ups.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtLF4voMNOXwd8h46tVWfYRe_2LY0KDhFhCWpTlZgw_JPzlxX1iiOmUIHEU7Hg9ifWuSlwHOLPTOOZhUD37aC5cfqhZG17l62Lz2KMRpxVuWfxMgIl1U6ryTpk0SwQy_lcQK3QVBFons/s1600/Michael+Jackson+Pepsi+Generation+-+quietube.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 420px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtLF4voMNOXwd8h46tVWfYRe_2LY0KDhFhCWpTlZgw_JPzlxX1iiOmUIHEU7Hg9ifWuSlwHOLPTOOZhUD37aC5cfqhZG17l62Lz2KMRpxVuWfxMgIl1U6ryTpk0SwQy_lcQK3QVBFons/s320/Michael+Jackson+Pepsi+Generation+-+quietube.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646759147644175074" /></a>
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<br />To access videos with no advertising go to <a href="http://quietube.com/">Quietube</a> and follow directions to install the extension. Next find the YouTube video you want to show. Finally click on the Quietube extension in your toolbar and you will be redirected to the video with no ads. Very refreshing!
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDF_n3Ok7cUKxeavDn1qveRySOBqPJLaMs8UHrhJgPN2Q1-rvGGJFxE3tZOIjdK0MQAU-wzBkXrScOysEZaHajOf1J_0yzqhbPwoMWlg9qsHc3Ku5EDv6GsVBdHavcril-d7tMwQTlJQ4/s1600/quietube+-+How+to.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDF_n3Ok7cUKxeavDn1qveRySOBqPJLaMs8UHrhJgPN2Q1-rvGGJFxE3tZOIjdK0MQAU-wzBkXrScOysEZaHajOf1J_0yzqhbPwoMWlg9qsHc3Ku5EDv6GsVBdHavcril-d7tMwQTlJQ4/s320/quietube+-+How+to.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646766902512689202" /></a>
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<br />Two other websites to mention that eliminate advertising and other distractions are <a href="http://viewpure.com/">ViewPure</a> and <a href="http://safeshare.tv/">SafeShare</a> . Both are great ways to show a YouTube video without distraction.
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<br />Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-64068875607101526412011-06-22T08:39:00.002-06:002011-06-22T08:43:17.400-06:00#ISTE11 Here I Come!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gQy17i-jbkuBSL8rLWHCH5cE6B7DiCX4FVh6VlXNyrGTXShZuloV0LHkYf-vVpZjJDR2n74KfFNiWGlDjat-8Ae0oNY3uhpQG1F0EYxsp1d6GvuzCrmxWxs3uHsm7ujM_fhS361yV5Y/s1600/front.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 340px; height: 340px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gQy17i-jbkuBSL8rLWHCH5cE6B7DiCX4FVh6VlXNyrGTXShZuloV0LHkYf-vVpZjJDR2n74KfFNiWGlDjat-8Ae0oNY3uhpQG1F0EYxsp1d6GvuzCrmxWxs3uHsm7ujM_fhS361yV5Y/s400/front.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621053981716379346" /></a><br />It has been a great lead up on Twitter with my PLN chatting and posting all the excitement as we head to Philidelphia. I am looking forward to meeting new colleagues. It amazes me how global we have come in a short time in sharing and learning from each other as we plan and deliver new ideas in the best interests of the students. <br /><br />Cheers to all of my PLN friends! @tibon007 is looking forward to connecting at #iste11.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-58033225459971020252011-06-22T08:19:00.004-06:002011-06-22T08:39:12.416-06:00Only Peanut Butter, No Jam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuzz8SBbW37tuPb7EG9dqddSGljYnDZohTSH05OAweS-SdGel7hHPczaUk4I_F-4ayXvULyCRWyO26scSM4DftNSeMq-K3zBShrNbqrQylNHtKm5F2GqvUYByhYoMlplLSwmkGjVKfA0/s1600/only+peanut+butter.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuzz8SBbW37tuPb7EG9dqddSGljYnDZohTSH05OAweS-SdGel7hHPczaUk4I_F-4ayXvULyCRWyO26scSM4DftNSeMq-K3zBShrNbqrQylNHtKm5F2GqvUYByhYoMlplLSwmkGjVKfA0/s400/only+peanut+butter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621050801271693266" /></a> Yesterday morning I threw in the toast, got out the PB and searched high and low for the jam. None. So I sat, complained to my wife and ate bland peanut butter and toast.<br /><br />How does this story fit into education? Well, sometimes students are faced with Peanut Butter day in and day out. No jam, no variety. Sometimes teacher's can become unaware that they are only serving Peanut Butter. My advice: reflect, add some jam/variety to your lessons and your students will enjoy their menu.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-15807589091706524812011-05-06T13:50:00.007-06:002011-05-16T16:26:28.366-06:00The "F" Word"FOIP! I'm FOIPed! What the FOIP?!" Yes, sometimes <a href="http://www.servicealberta.ca/foip/">Alberta's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act</a> can seem like a swear word to educators and students. FOIP can get in the way of creativity. Myself, I enjoy dabbling in the creative and collaborative world that is offered by the WWW, and take the risks associated with putting myself out there. Sites such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Animoto, etc. offer everyone the chance to create, communicate, collaborate and express themselves. These sites provide an avenue for teachers to reach <a href="http://prezi.com/gxgypkp67mka/blooms-digital-taxonomy-and-web-2-tools/">Bloom's higher levels of taxonomy</a>. I enjoy many great student and teacher produced videos and other products on the web and wonder about how many more could be produced if it were not for FOIP. <br /><br />However, as educators in Alberta, how closely are we reading the terms and agreements on the sites we use in our classrooms? Are we abiding by the FOIP agreements set by our districts, governed by our province, when we ask our students and parents to fill out the technology use forms at the beginning of the year? <br /><br />With the increasing discussions of allowing Personal Owned Devices in Alberta schools, we need to strengthen our communications between all stakeholders in educating our students. At our Alberta Education Jurisdictional Technology Contacts meeting, FOIP and Acceptable Use policies created a wealth of discussion, some of it through a web 2.0 tool called <a href="http://titanpad.com/RWaNcC6k8q">titanpad</a>. <br />At the top of the list is making sure Digital Citizenship is embedded in daily teaching pedagogy. Awareness in using online tools is important before we allow our students to access many new sites that are being introduced and used in the classrooms. This <span style="font-weight:bold;">should not</span>, however, deter teachers from using these fantastic learning tools.<br /><br />Years ago, I had no concern with FOIP. Realizing today how easy it is to access, post and download pictures, video and information, I still take the risks myself, but as an educational technologist, I make sure that teachers are aware FOIP issues. <br /><br />One easy step to continue the creativity in the classroom using technology, is to get a FOIP form signed each time you are unsure of a web activity you are doing such as YouTube or Animoto. It may be a pain, but you will feel more at ease. <br /><br />What are your thoughts regarding the right to privacy regarding technology and education?Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-19187115239250816172011-04-13T10:35:00.006-06:002011-04-13T22:37:05.857-06:00TLC's Tips for TwitterI am definitely not the expert regarding Twitter, but have learned some helpful tips for the Twitter newby. I am sure there is a Twitter term for a newby. Let's start with an introductory video via Howcast.com<br /><div class="embedded-howcast-video" style="text-align:center;font-size:9px;"><object width="432" height="276" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="howcastplayer"><param name="movie" value="http://www.howcast.com/flash/howcast_player.swf?file=149055&theme=black"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="flashVars" value="&fs=true"></param><embed src="http://www.howcast.com/flash/howcast_player.swf?file=149055&theme=black" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="432" height="276" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashVars="&fs=true"></embed></object><br /><a class="embedded-playback-url" href="http://www.howcast.com/videos/149055-How-To-Use-Twitter" target="_blank" alt="How To Use Twitter">How To Use Twitter</a> on Howcast</div> <br /><br />Next it is important to learn about Twitter terminology. Why reinvent the wheel? No need for me to write. Here are some great links to twitter terms.<br /><a href="http://www.thehappyaccident.net/basic-twitter-terms/">Basic Twitter Terms</a> via @gregpincus<br /><a href="http://support.twitter.com/entries/166337-the-twitter-glossary">The Twitter Glossary</a> <br /><br />Once you get the hang of tweeting, you will want to build your profile so that others will recognize you for your interests. This builds your PLN to suit your needs. Twitter has a great link that explains this. <a href="http://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/108-finding-following-people/articles/20005336-how-to-promote-your-profile">How to Promote Your Profile</a> <br /><br />You may want to find specific people to follow. For example I am an educational technologist so I want to read tweets pertaining to uses of technology in school. An administrator may want to look for other administrators to join. A website that is a search engine of people you may wish to follow is called <a href="http://tweepz.com/">http://tweepz.com/</a>. For example if you are an elementary principal and wish to find people in this category, type in "elementary principal" and tweepz will give you great suggestions. <br /><br />Learning about hashtags will allow you to filter out specific topics you are interested in and join in on a specific discussion. For example every Tuesday there are many educators who get together and discuss a certain topic under the hashtag #edchat. Medicine Hat School District can use a hashtag such as #sd76 to send messages pertaining to Twitter users in the District. Other examples of School Districts using hashtags for their teachers include, Peace Wapiti #pwsd, Grasslands #gps6, and Lethbridge #lethsd.<br /><br />Mentions and people to follow begin with the @ sign. The @ sign before a person's twitter name will send any tweet to their mentions link. This means you can tweet an idea and if you want a follower to respond, just use the @ sign in front of their twitter name. They will get a notification that they have been mentioned. I tend to use my following bff's names alot. @cunningandy, @jenclevette, @VanessaSCassie, @Grade1, @gcouros, @shareski, @justintarte, @tomwhitby, @Larryferlazzo and @web20classroom. These people are a combination of Principals, educational technologists, great teachers and social networking enthusiasts. I have learned more from my Twitter PLN than I do reading a book or attending a conference. Thanks to my mentions, and I know I missed a whole lot of wonderful Twitter friends. <br /><br />To add followers from a Twitter friends list, you can click on their profile and click on their following list. Many times you will see similar interests in profile biographies. Click "follow" and you have just added a new twitter friend. I like to look at how many tweets a user has because it may show experience in a certain area, or it may be a person that sends out many good informational tweets. <br /><br />If you have some good tips to share about Twitter, please comment below.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-49170555373319995462011-04-08T08:54:00.006-06:002011-04-08T09:16:13.293-06:00Way Back When . . .A fellow colleague, Lorne Cooper @LorneCooper, emailed me a great link to archived websites. The website is called <a href="http://waybackmachine.org/">WayBackMachine</a>. It is in beta right now but it seems to be working fine.<br /><br />What you do is type in a web address and click on go and choose the year you want to look back on. WayBackMachine searches the archives and takes you to the website from that particular year. It is a great way to remember for those like me who have "sometimer's disease," only can remember some of the time. <br /><br />I guess why it is interesting to me is because I have moved from Brooks to Medicine Hat, and I use to have a classroom website. I was always curious on how it looked, and even what I used it for. <br /><br />I also was the webmaster for the Brooks Bandits Junior A hockey team for a number of years. <a href="http://flames.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8471185">Curtis Glencross, #20 for the Calgary Flames</a>, was a part of the hockey club in 2001. Take a look at the screenshots I found from using Way Back When. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaqwWZne5L8Vd9K563SGIQvBHQ5a2epIDKS39ghAE8AEhfcmqRGAGfOuiCDJRna5zwEOTkc3hVTVti-ms_pNAbP1xSvhpOrtrjHeA0U7MjtZwvg_Vxe0zcNhw71AdOvjE3O71xE1at1A/s1600/Roster.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 362px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaqwWZne5L8Vd9K563SGIQvBHQ5a2epIDKS39ghAE8AEhfcmqRGAGfOuiCDJRna5zwEOTkc3hVTVti-ms_pNAbP1xSvhpOrtrjHeA0U7MjtZwvg_Vxe0zcNhw71AdOvjE3O71xE1at1A/s400/Roster.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593230451841454754" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQsshMpv1d2fd-4G6og74otR7Olo5iVRwhiYVVTTHCyDCfKcEPOvW3-VZzT3G_WzerFBu2T1ZGCP-FxqAU5OHFszruWT9leu0felJO2q2Qb0S7XidPNl-lx2NP5-Prlm8np3ctcr93XQ/s1600/curtis+glencross+2001.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQsshMpv1d2fd-4G6og74otR7Olo5iVRwhiYVVTTHCyDCfKcEPOvW3-VZzT3G_WzerFBu2T1ZGCP-FxqAU5OHFszruWT9leu0felJO2q2Qb0S7XidPNl-lx2NP5-Prlm8np3ctcr93XQ/s400/curtis+glencross+2001.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593230702819792482" /></a>Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-25068071344925554492011-03-25T07:08:00.008-06:002011-03-25T18:16:41.793-06:00Don't Steal from a Tech GeekTaking responsibility for your actions is very important in today's tech savy world. People who post slanderous messages on their social networking sites may not be aware of the consequences they face, like not getting that job they hoped for. The story from the <a href="http://www.globalnews.ca/video/index.html?releasePID=DAdtdtxZpx8qc6iSBCEIWZ__Tos7J3Ho">Global News</a> this morning motivated me to write this post. <br /><br />You may remember the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDCZM3kfHBs&feature=related">"Two Teachers, one chair"</a> pep rally incident that ended up on YouTube and resulted in teachers losing their jobs. While the teachers did not use technology inappropriately, their actions were inappropriate and technology was used to show it. <br /><br />The latest news story comes from a University student who got his laptop stolen. While turning his back in a study hall, his laptop was nabbed. Fortunately for this student, he used the web to back up his files. Following the heist, he went online to see his stored files, and he found the thief's files were on his backup server. BUSTED! Now the student is sharing a video of the thief on YouTube. <br /><br />Using technology comes with responsibility. This message has been shared over and over again, and there are more and more stories that to show why we need to think before we act. <br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8c8W1NDYf38" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-65029282356444002762011-03-01T11:00:00.004-07:002011-03-01T14:18:55.018-07:00Sounds Like a Broken RecordMany of my PLN colleagues will agree that we hear the same thing over and over again regarding educating stakeholders about the responsible and appropriate use of technology. And the importance of teaching Cyber Safety. Well this post is no different. <br /><br />In my job, I have been speaking with students and parents about the important topic of Digital Citizenship. Lately, I read a tweet from @tomwhitby which linked to a video about SMART phones and gps tracking. The way it works is that these new phones have automatic settings to track applications created by the phone. For example, when a picture is taken and posted to Facebook, Flickr or other sharing sites, the information from that picture can be copied. I thought, "Good to know," and then on the morning news, a similar video was shown. It made me stop to think that many parents, teachers and even students do not know the implications. I found a similar video on YouTube that will help bring more awareness. The video below shows how this works.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-WFqnZbVtQM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />A website called <a href="http://icanstalku.com/">icanstalku.com</a> was made by a father after he found out that a picture taken by his daughter revealed the location where the picture was taken from. The website is used to warn people about the gps tracker feature on their phone. <br /><br />This post is not to scare away teachers and parents on allowing students to use their phones. It is the opposite. Awareness of the changing world of technology and how things work is important along with the discussions and education with the students/children. Digital Citizenship and Cyber Safety cannot be left solely to the digital natives who are risk takers and love to take pictures and post them. Adults need to get in the know about the rapid changes happening daily with our digital devices. Educate! Do not think that what you do not know won't hurt you. It just may. Once you have the open discussions about technology, as a parent and teacher, you should feel a little better about your student/child using it.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-65410249914922120842011-02-14T23:09:00.003-07:002011-02-14T23:15:33.199-07:00Future Teachers: What is needed from you?Today I had the pleasure of presenting to 33 aspiring University students studying to become our next fellow colleagues. As I am the President of our local Teachers' Convention, the presentation was suppose to be about convention, however I had to speak a little about my passion, and that is 21st Century Learning. I put together an Animoto presentation, but while I was thinking about what is needed from our future teachers, I thought that I would like some help from my PLN. So I shouted out to my Twitter PLN and asked the question, "In one word, what describes a successful future teacher?" Here are some responses.<br />@courosa, tweeted 'Connected (with multiple meanings)'. So true. More so today, teachers need to be better connected with their students; understanding what makes them tick. Connection needs to happen more with parents; involving them more by communicating, be it with the use of technology. Connected with the community helps students relate to the world around them. Connected globally, for the classroom should not have walls. These are some thoughts about how teachers need to be connected.<br /><br /><br />@jenclevette, tweeted 'Resilient (willing to make mistakes)'. Yes! Making mistakes =learning. Improving and trying again is the assessment for learning piece. Miss Frizzle would be proud. "Take chances, make mistakes!" Thanks Jen.<br /><br />My Twitter PLN was very helpful with the creation of the Animoto below. @AmyInspires, tweeted 'Patient', @earlsamuelson and @bdyck, tweeted 'Adaptable', @chaugen 'Flexible', @Grade1 'Innovative', and j_wasch 'Curious'. All these adjectives and more are what are needed from teachers now and in the future. The Animoto was the product of some great collaboration. Collaboration allowed me to think outside the box, and from this I was helped in presenting a message to our future colleagues.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzIEZyq8zOXiu4-ZNUdf0Pg71hIe90d7_Ont9y9b1c-35q2df98OPghYaPmiuPLNYrDOQfRn9YSxYBylS0IjA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-74542214592333098892011-01-31T10:03:00.004-07:002011-01-31T10:20:20.268-07:00Web 2.0What is Web 2.0?<br />Wikipedia defines Web 2.0 as, “commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web.” I look at Web 2.0 as free resources for teachers to connect with students, collaborate with colleagues and celebrate learning. A good video to explain Web 2.0 is located <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN11ZoDJXD4&feature=player_embedded">here</a>. 1000 administrators were interviewed and listed Web 2.0 as positive factors in education for the following 7 reasons: <br />1. Student engagement increases<br />2. Opportunity to differentiate learning<br />3. Improves critical thinking skills<br />4. Develops new capabilities in students<br />5. Gives students and alternate learning environment<br />6. Extends learning beyond the walls of the classroom<br />7. Promotes life-long learning<br />In the following sections I will describe some categories of Web 2.0 and link you to some popular applications. <br /><br />Web 2.0: Presentation Tools<br />PowerPoint is one of the most common ways of presenting. Features including background, transition, adding sound and embedding video make it very useful for teachers and students. What if you didn’t have access to Microsoft products? The WWW has many free presentation tools that users can access. Here are my top 5 with brief descriptions:<br />1. <a href="http://animoto.com/">Animoto</a>- automatically produces creative, unique video pieces from your photos, video clips and music. Fast, free and easy. The new educator’s feature allows you to add your class to the account. Check out this <a href="http://animoto.com/play/4apLwdxw01917paer59n1A?autostart=true">Animoto example</a>.<br />2. <a href="http://prezi.com">Prezi</a>- is the free zooming presentation editor. The website comes with many examples and tutorials to make your presentations pop. <br />3. Photostory 3- free download from Microsoft that allows you to add still photos, text, voice and even add background music that you can create in the program. <br />4. Slideshare- allows you to take your slides and add them to the internet to share, edit and add voice so your presentation runs automatically and you can access them anywhere.<br />5. <a href="http://edu.glogster.com/">Glogster</a>- interactive poster that allows teachers to create student accounts. ClipArt, video, voice, pictures and links can be added to create and engaging presentation. Here is one of my <a href="http://tibon007.edu.glogster.com/#messages">examples</a>.<br /><br />Web 2.0: Image Tools<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a> is a popular site that allows you to upload your photos and have access to photos from other people. This is considered a social photo sharing site. From Flickr you can take photos and edit them. By clicking on the edit button you will be directed to an editing site called <a href="http://www.picnik.com/">Picnik</a>. Here you have a selection of photo editing tools like cropping, removing red-eye, adding shapes or frames. A fun tool to make images talk is called <a href="http://blabberize.com/">Blabberize</a>. Upload photos, follow the instructions and you can make any image talk. <br />Another great image tool comes from <a href="http://blabberize.com/">Bighugelabs.com</a>. Students can upload photos to create posters, id cards, magazine covers, billboards and more. <br /><br />Web 2.0 Collaboration Tools<br />Many teachers are looking to the web for learning platforms for their classroom. Web 2.0 tools exist for this purpose. Here are my top 5 website picks that offer platforms for classroom collaboration, and are free.<br />1. <a href="http://www.edmodo.com/">Edmodo</a>- is a private online social platform for teachers and students to share ideas, files, events and assignments. It <br />looks somewhat like Facebook, but the Teacher has user control. Edmodo allows teachers the ability to handle pieces of class activity online. Teachers can send out assignments, receive completed assignments and assign grades using the online platform. Students can collaborate with each other under teacher supervision. Edmodo does much more but the main thing is it is secure. <br />2. <a href="http://www.wikispaces.com/">Wikispaces</a>- free platform for teachers to add content, embed video, have students share their projects and chat about a certain topic in a class. Click here to see how a Grade 1 teacher uses a Wiki.<br />3. <a href="http://www.google.com/google-d-s/tour1.html">Google Docs</a>- available through a Google account. Google Docs allows the creation and sharing of documents similar to Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. You can also upload documents from your computer and access them anywhere. Once a document is shared users can edit, and have the ability to work on it at the same time. To collaborate while you are working together, there is a chat box on the side. Of course, you have the choice to share or not share a document. <br />4. <a href="http://kidblog.org/home.php">Kidblog</a>- allows students to publish posts and participate in discussions within a secure, teacher controlled environment. Blogging promotes communication, literacy, a chance to reflect and other higher level skills. An example of a classroom blog is here.<br />5. <a href="http://twitter.com">Twitter</a>- allows you to create your own Personal Learning Network. Find links, articles, and opinions and share your thoughts by following some colleagues sharing your interests. Alberta Education and the ATA are tweeting regularly and it is a great way to catch up on news, on your own time. Some teachers are using Twitter with their students to have online discussions relating to a topic in the classroom.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-18813720246169667972010-12-21T09:11:00.005-07:002010-12-21T10:21:25.701-07:00FireworkHave you ever listened to a song on the radio and enjoyed the beat and tune, and then later watched the video and were blown away with the actual meaning? This has happened to me a number of times. I can say I don't really listen to the words, but when the video is added to a song, the meaning takes off. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw&feature=related">Firework</a>, by Katy Perry is a great example of a good song with a powerful video attached. I didn't realize until I watched the video that this song signifies being proud of who you are and that everyone is a "firework." So many songs have wonderful lifelong messages in them. <br /><br />I guess it's the visual learner in me that needs to connect words with pictures. Think about this when teaching students. Not all students get meaning from text or audio. Not all students learn through lecture, technology, and not all are on the same page as the teacher. More and more literature and research states that differentiated learning opportunities are needed in our classrooms. This is not an easy task when a teacher has 30 students, and thousands of learning outcomes to meet in a year. <br /><br />It is reassuring to me that the following video is posted on the <a href="http://www.inspiringeducation.alberta.ca/">Alberta Education</a> Website. I believe the powers to be are listening and doing their homework to make our educational system a better one. <br /><object width="500" height="275"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zDZFcDGpL4U?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zDZFcDGpL4U?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="275"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">This post is dedicated to my children; they are "Fireworks."</span>Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-7159739132727190422010-11-28T06:38:00.015-07:002010-12-08T18:45:45.561-07:00Life's For Sharing: Learning from ATLE10I had an amazing three days earlier in November in Red Deer at the Alberta Technology Leaders in Education (ATLE) conference. The theme of the conference was "Designing our Technology Game Plan." Learning new innovations, understanding digital literacy and hearing what other school districts are moving forward with was quite interesting. Meeting new colleagues, and reaquainting with others I have seen in previous technology seminars was one highlight for me. The food was great, the prizes were incredible and the free-bees filled my bag.<br /> All aside what made the three days incredible were the keynote speakers Dean Shareski,(@shareski), Alec Couros(@courosa), George Couros(@gcouros)and Leonard Niebo (@LNiebo). If you are not familiar with Twitter the names in parenthesis are the speakers' Twitter handles.<br /> Each speaker, including all the speakers I attended have one thing in common. Sharing. I have attended a number of conferences on the topic of 21st Century Learning, and sharing is a major part of learning in education today. Each speaker offered their presentation to the participants, which years ago was unheard of. The <a href="http://atle.memberlodge.org/Default.aspx?pageId=844255">ATLE website</a> has links to the keynote's addresses which are very informative.<br /> Twitter was used extensively during the conference to tweet out main ideas, resources and share thoughts. If you are on twitter and you wish to view some tweets from the conference, the hashtag is #atle10. Many in attendance have their own blogs, and I find reading other people's educational blogs a great source of Professional Development.<br /> If you would like to comment on this post, leave your blog address, so that it can be shared. So to conclude this blog post titled "Life's for Sharing: Learning from ATLE10" I would like to add these YouTube videos called Life's for Sharing. T-Mobile has created a number of videos that demonstrate the power of the human spirit. The second video is a re-creation that was filmed in Canada and is great around Christmas time.<br /><object width="500" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NB3NPNM4xgo?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NB3NPNM4xgo?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="250"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="500" height="275"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SXh7JR9oKVE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SXh7JR9oKVE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="275"></embed></object>Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-22214996424467510432010-11-23T14:20:00.005-07:002010-11-23T14:39:49.741-07:00Teaching about Blogging: Need to Get Your Feet WetAs an educational technologist, I usually present tools such as Blogger, Edublogs, Skype, etc. but don't really get to use them in a classroom. Today I visited a Grade 9 classroom and presented a lesson on blogging in the classroom. I began by discussing social networking, which got the kids intereseted, especially when talking about how cellphones can be used in the classroom. I showed the students examples of <A href="http://www.edmodo.com/">Edmodo</A>, Blogger, <A href="http://edublogs.org/">Edublogs</A> and <A href="https://www.wikispaces.com/content/wiki">Wikispaces</A>. So far, so good. I then wanted them to participate, so I asked them to research practical uses for the classroom. The lesson kind of went downhill from here. To ask students to research about blogging didn't work. It would have been great if a blog was created with them. Some students did go ahead and create a blog or wiki account. I am not sure where it will go from there, but at least some had interest. I guess my point is that it is easy to present wonderful technology tools to a teacher or class, but if there isn't the purpose behind it, the presentation will fizzle. With all of the new innovations for education continuing to surface, it would be nice to be back in the classrooms, as long as students have access to technology. I did show the class a video about why students like to blog. I like it because it comes from the kids.<br />This <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfJETK3am1M">YouTube</a> link shows students top 10 reasons to blog in the classroom.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-2032247496344111322010-11-15T09:41:00.005-07:002010-11-22T16:19:48.653-07:00Get Hyped With SkypeSkype is an easy and free way for teachers and students to make connections beyond the walls of the classroom. Students can learn from other students, connect with other cultures, and enjoy authentic learning. Teachers can use Skype for professional development and share their materials online. I agree that Video Conferencing can be difficult because of the gathering up of the students and taking them to the conference room. But with Skype, all a teacher needs is a webcam that has a microphone. In some cases, Skype can help with inclusive education. <a href="http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=196">Here is a link to a great story as an example.</a>Here are my top 10 reasons to use Skype in the classroom:<br />1. Meeting your <a href="http://www.epals.com/">ePals</a> face to face.<br />2. Talking to an expert that you may have studied about.<br />3. Collaborating with other classrooms on a project.<br />4. Teacher Professional Development.<br />5. Parent Meetings.<br />6. Inclusive Education.<br />7. <a href="http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/">Have a story read from the real author</a>.<br />8. <a href="http://skypeintheclassroom.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/lets-build-a-community/#comments">Locate teachers</a> who are looking to collaborate.<br />9. Raise <a href="http://langwitches.org/blog/2009/01/02/reasons-for-skyping-in-the-classroom/">Global awareness</a>.<br />10.Student Announcements. <br /><br />Number 10 is easier with <a href="http://www.smarttech.com/Home%20Page/Solutions/Business%20Solutions/Products%20for%20business/Software/SMART%20Bridgit/">Bridgit</a>, E<a href="http://www.elluminate.com/">luminate</a> or other webinar software. Our School District uses Bridgit software which is a SMART Technologies product. <br />If you are interested in using Skype, I have created some online tutorials which can be found on the <a href="http://tlcsd76.wikispaces.com/Skype+and+Video+Conferencing">TLC wiki</a>, or on my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/timjohnson007?feature=mhum">YouTube</a> channel.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-3616896705579420562010-10-29T15:57:00.001-06:002010-10-29T16:00:00.291-06:00Give and You Shall ReceiveMy job as an Educational Technologist has many rewards. First, I get to help teachers learn new ways to integrate technology into their lessons. Almost all are very appreciative that they received help with the technology. It can be confusing. I also get to meet many new people, from different schools and cities. The personal reward that I find beneficial to my role is that not only do I get to share my ideas, but teachers will share theirs. These experiences build my repertoire of tools as I continue to go from school to school. Even questions about how a piece of technology fits into a curricular goal can give me ideas to create new activities in SMART Notebook or other tools. For example, while visiting A.E. Bowers School in Airdrie, Alberta, I not only made new friends with fellow teachers, but a Grade 2 teacher asked me about the hundreds chart in Notebook. She wanted to use it for estimation, but the chart provided in the activity toolkit shows all the numbers, and she wanted them hidden. How can we create a hundreds chart that hides the numbers? Challenge to self. Using a table from Microsoft Word, I created a hundreds chart. I copied and pasted it into a SMART Notebook page. Then I right clicked on each numbered cell and added a screen shade. All of the numbers in the hundreds chart are now hidden. A teacher can ask a student to reveal a number, move in any direction a certain number of spaces, and ask for an estimate of what that number may be. A new idea that is now created and shared. The video below (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyuunXEE1Pk">watch on Youtube for clearer video</a>)shows the process. Teachers need time to collaborate and share their ideas. An idea might not be created right from the start, but through conversation on curriculum and pedagogy, the light bulb might just turn on. <br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-b448440ab3ff263 class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="b448440ab3ff263"></OBJECT>Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-34374532154554073572010-10-11T07:20:00.010-06:002010-10-11T08:15:22.155-06:00Need a Visual? Youtube It!Hmm? How do I install my own sprinkler system? Is it possible to rip a YouTube video into just an mp3 file? Audacity doesn't allow my file to save as mp3. How do I convert sound? How do I embed video into my SMART Notebook lessons? The answers to these questions can be found on YouTube. I use to spend wasted time reading a manual over and over to make sure I followed the step by step instructions. Now I turn to YouTube. I find I learn faster visually, as do most learners, so to grasp a concept, or find answers to just about anything, YouTube is an avenue. How can YouTube help your PLN? Here are my top 10 reasons to use YouTube in the classroom. <br />1. Find visual answers to questions<br />2. Present an opinion on a topic<br />3. Show video on curriculum content<br />4. Create a database of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=timjohnson007&aq=f">"howto"</a> videos for your students or PLN<br />5. Market yourself and talents <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBVcHHN9Bv4">Kelsey's Art</a><br />6. Celebrate class projects, themes and/or special events (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDInJXXPexU">MHHS halftime dance </a>at Football game)<br />7. Bookmark your classroom videos into "favorites folder" for quick access<br />8. Convert video to Flash files from YouTube to embed into your Notebook lessons (a how-to) is shown below.<br />9. Share via email, twitter, blogger, etc. and collaborate with friends<br />10. BECAUSE VIDEO IS MUCH MORE INTERESTING THAN TEXT!!Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-88658022534438564292010-10-05T16:37:00.005-06:002010-10-05T16:56:00.455-06:00Are You looking for Answers?In my field as an Educational Technologist, I find that research is easier to do and find, thanks to technology. <a href="http://www.twitter.com/tibon007">Twitter</a> made no sense to me when I first signed up. But once the Personal Learning Network (PLN)grew to suit my professional needs, research became easier. Many educators find resources and post links to twitter that can easily be explored. Twitter is not just about "What Shaq is doing at this minute." Through my PLN I also found a cool site called <a href="http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/personalowneddevice">Wallwisher</a><br />Since personal owned devices are just around the corner in many school districts, I asked the question, "What is your position on allowing Personal owned devices in the classroom?" Particpants can link to the site and post their opinion on the wall. This has great potential in the classroom. Another site that I found through my PLN is <a href="http://answergarden.ch/create/">Answer Garden</a>. Again, the researcher can post a question and send the link to followers, students or whom they want to direct the question and respondants can post their answers to the site. Another innovative application for the classroom that students should enjoy. So if you are looking for answers . . .Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355887889052721295.post-80832283909722683682010-09-22T09:27:00.006-06:002010-09-22T09:49:24.902-06:00Discovery Education: More than Just VideoYesterday I facilitated a webinar on <a href="http://discoveryeducation.com/Canada/">Discovery</a> 101 with 22 of our district leaders. To say Discovery, which many still know as United Streaming, is all about showing videos means you are still living in the past. I joined Discovery about 6 or 7 years ago and was amazed at the videos I could use in my classroom. Now, not only can I download clips, but I can set up a classroom and assign content to my students. Teachers can grade assignments, know when they are turned in, and reassign if the project was not up to standards. Students can log in 24/7 and access video for their research, or assignments given by the teacher. Teachers can also embed video into SMART Notebook lessons. Many of the administrators were amazed at how much information was provided during the webinar presented by Karen Goldman. I am excited about the possibilities that teachers, and more importantly students have to use video in their learning. Now my job as an Educational Technologist is to support teachers in setting up accounts, creating folders, downloading video, and embedding video into their lessons. I am excited to be able to help teachers learn the benefits of digital resources in teaching and learning. I am happy that our district has a site liscense for Discovery Education. One last comment. Discovery Education provides a multitude of resources for teachers, including free webinars, to support teachers in learning more about how to use Discovery in their classroom.Tim Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14305986789946331440noreply@blogger.com1