Google Teacher Academy Action Plan: Part 1

This afternoon, I held my first workshop for teachers addressing Google Apps. as part of my post-Google Teacher Academy Action Plan.  I was absolutely thrilled to see about 11 teachers show up after a long day of teaching (and remember, the first week back after winter break is a doozie!).   The goals of this first workshop were to create a Google account and set up Google Reader.  As I was planning this workshop, I realized that I would probably need to lay some ground work for some of the teachers who were not familiar with this wonderful blogosphere and why it’s so powerful.  I did my best to explain…but I realize that when I speak on a topic I’m passionate about, I speak more quickly and I wonder if I’m making any sense at all.  Luckily, I didn’t see many expressions like this:

What?

It was difficult to explain how exciting and valuable online connections made by Web 2.0 tools (specifically blogs) can be.  I compared it to a huge auditorium with millions of people in it, all sharing things…and their thoughts/ideas/conversations are visible via speech bubbles above their heads.  You can easily search the speech bubbles to find a conversation that interests you.  Once you’re involved in one conversation, it’s almost impossible not to notice how it’s related to many other conversations in the auditorium.  Practially everything can be linked on one level or another.   Now, imagine that auditorium is the globe.    (Yes, as I typed that I realize how that comparison doesn’t do the blogosphere justice. ) What can I say…I tried. 

Anyway, the teachers I work with know I”m goofy and stuck with me as we got into the meat of the workshop.  I showed them the commoncraft videos Blogs and RSS  in Plain English.   (Man, they are amazingly clear!)  I saw heads nodding with understanding, and I knew we were ready to jump in.  I showed them this blog and briefly discussed how links within a post and comments worked.  Then, I showed them this short blogroll which I created specifically for the teachers in attendance.  We created Google accounts and added a blog to Google Reader.  Lastly, I pointed them towards this Google Site I created, which contains video tutorials for the things we did during the workshop if they need to review at a later time.

My hope is each of the attendees finds a blog they really like and begin following it on a regular basis.  In retrospect, the workshop should have been longer than an hour.  Also, I think I should have added a survey-type game at the beginning to gauge the prior knowledge of my audience. 

Overall, I’m very pleased.  Most of the teachers left happily and even made comments like, “Thanks for the workshop, Christy…so when I need help with this again in a few days, you can give me a hand, right?”  Remarks like that are always a good sign!

Seven Things You Don’t Know About Me

Thanks to Ann Oro for tagging me on this meme.  I’m sure you’ve read about 100 of them already, but I’ve found most of the posts interesting, and hope adding my two cents doesn’t invoke extreme boredom.

1.  I am a low-tech techie:  As newlyweds, my husband and I have been fanatically frugal for..well, a long time.  We’re looking into purchasing a home and the condo we live in now needs some major repairs.  That being said, there is very little “fun money” in this household.  Would I love a mobile device, new laptop, webcam?  Of course!  But for now, I’m participating in this high tech world via my dining room table.  It’s not great, but it works!

My laptop

(Yes, that’s right, I use a USB keyboard because the laptop’s keyboard (which has been replaced twice) refuses to work.) 

2.  Speaking of my husband, we met on an online dating site three years ago.  Currently, we don’t personally know any other couples who have met online and made it down the aisle, but we’re always looking more “weirdos” like ourselves.  

3.  My childhood home is 10 miles south of our condo.  My work is 8 miles east of our condo.  I happen to like New Jersey.

4.  I’m very excited about participating in 365/2009.  D’Arcy Norman is encouraging folks to continue the Flickr group that was started in 2008.  I’ve always been interested in photography, and this is the perfect “excuse” to really get started. 

5.  I was a competitive swimmer from age 5-19.  When I was 9 years old, I competed on a winter team with Jersey Wahoos, an indoor pool.   That March, the entire building collapsed right before my group’s practice was to start.   Most of the kids saw the roof sagging and ran for cover.  I have always worn glasses, and having had removed them for practice, had no idea that I was in danger.  I miraculously fainted as the roof fell, and was therefore trapped under rubble (rather than crushed by it) for over an hour.  Somehow, the wonderful fire/rescue workers found me fairly quickly and I spent a few days in the hospital with relatively minor injuries.  Thankfully, only a few other kids suffered injuries and no one was in serious condition.   They replaced the roof that summer and I continued swimming there until I was 17.   Sometimes kids do bounce right back.

6.  I love music.  I have no musical talent myself, but deeply appreciate those people who can manipulate notes, instruments and their voices to create art. 

7.  I feel bad for people who don’t get to work with children.  I work very hard at my job, and sometimes I feel frustrated due to lack of time, energy, resources, understanding, etc.  But at least once a day, I have an interaction with a student that is down-right fun.  I think the world would be a better place if everyone had fun at their job.

Thanks for reading!  I’m tagging Jen Boggs, Tyler Reed and Amy King.

Doing My Homework

The State of New Jersey Has An Updated Educational Technology Plan? (please see update at bottom of page)

Where have I been? 

The document, “Preparing Today for Tomorrow” was approved by the State Board in December, 2007.   The history of the document states that there have been several versions written before, and that the state has reached the previous goals which warranted this new educational technology document.  Honestly, it was more exciting to read than I thought it would be. 

The document is comprised of a vision statement, 4 goals and indicators on state an local levels that “enhance the achievement” of the goals.  I was pleased to read this:  (I changed key words to red font)

Vision Statement
All students will be prepared to meet the challenge of a dynamic global society in which they participate, contribute, achieve, and flourish through universal access to people, information and ideas. 

Goal 1: All students will be prepared to excel in the community, work place and in our global society using 21st century skills.

GOAL 2: All educators, including administrators, will attain the 21st century skills and knowledge necessary to effectively integrate educational technology in order to enable students to achieve the goals of the core curriculum content standards and experience success in a global society.

GOAL 3: Educational technology will be accessible by students, teachers and administrators and utilized for instructional and administrative purposes in all learning environments, including classrooms, library media centers, and other educational settings such as community centers and libraries.

GOAL 4: New Jersey school districts will establish and maintain the technology infrastructure necessary for all students, administrators and staff to safely access digital information on demand and to communicate virtually.

It sounds like NJ is on the right track.  I was a little disappointed as I read further.  There was emphasis put on assessment of students and local districts concerning how well these goals were being met.  However, there was no plan on how to reach these goals.  I did not find elaboration of ideas such as, participating and contributing as a member of a global society.   Professional development is mentioned, but without details of how the in-service should take place, and what tools/equipment should be highlighted. 

I understand the benefits of creating a document that says, “Hey, this is a list of goals that will help students.  We’re not going to dictate how you reach them..but we expect you to meet the goals.”  Our other Core Curriculum Content Standards  are written basically the same way.  When a district is updating their math curriculum, this poses less of a problem.  The text book company can create a scope and sequence based on the state’s standards.  Better yet, some text books are written to specifically meet a certain state’s standards.  Technology is so different.  There is no text book company to help.  Technology is a collection of tools, not a subject area.  The tools should be used to enhance learning, but administrators, educators and students first need to learn how to select an appropriate tool for the task.   I believe districts need guidance on how to create and implement a comprehensive and effective technology plan.

Without a feasible and executable technology plan, districts (like mine) may not progress further towards the goals in the New Jersey Educational Technology Plan.  Technology is a complicated tool and we should approach it in a comprehensive manner.

Is technology seen as a tool:                                                                                       

Photo by: sypix

 

    When it should be a TOOL:  

Photo By: Shirley Two Feathers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE:  Three cheers for New Jersey!  Not only has the DOE released new and improved Core Curriculum Content Standards (including technology), but they’re also launching a three phrase collaboration with districts to bring our schools into the 21st century.  Check out:  Creating 21st Century New Jersey Schools.  This plan completely answers the concerns I posed in this post.  I’m looking forward to moving forward!