As an instructor, Teri is knowledgeable, approachable, and affirming. She combines a gentle style with high expectations. Her online courses are well-designed, and she models the “best practices” discussed in the classes.
Today was the Technology Showcase for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It was hosted at Calvert Hall. What a magnificent school! They have a wonderful array of tech tools plus a very knowledgeable and helpful tech team.
My presentation was on using social media for professional development. I spoke about Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Ning. Most of the time was spent on Twitter, and I was able to market the Tuesday evening #edchat a bit. I had also registered the hashtag #aobtech for the showcase and encouraged participants to use it. The concept of a back channel was a bit new for them.
The people in my session seemed very open to using the tools but had some legitimate concerns. Figuring out how to navigate through this new sea without drowning in it is a bit tricky at times.
This weekend, I had no major project looming for grad school and other professional and personal responsibilities were under control. Even my house was straightened. For the first time in a long, long time I had the opportunity to read for pleasure.
I had ordered Anne Tyler’s new novel, Noah’s Compass, from Amazon but figured it would have to wait until summer. What a nice experience to be able to get absorbed into her world of eccentric yet lovable characters.
I am only about a third of the way through but I expect I will finish it in two days; it’s a great read. Tyler has a gentle touch with Baltimore, which I especially appreciate.
Tonight’s Twitter #edchat centered on helping students discover their passions. I had a few thoughts to add, specifically that we need to incorporate non-contingent interactions. By talking to them and listening intently during non-academic conversations, we can let them know we value their interests. I also tweeted about inviting guest speakers to our classrooms and allowing students to question them freely (although within certain boundaries). With Skype, we have access to professionals all around the world in real time.
My own passions center around learning, teaching, and mint chocolate chip ice cream.
I am not sure what to think about Google Buzz. Mashable is doing a fine job of keeping us up to date, but at this point, I am reserving judgment.
This is what I do like:
I like that it is part of Gmail.
I like that the layout is already familiar to me.
I like the integration with Google Reader.
I like the logo.
I think the rapid reaction is incredible, but sometimes it’s better to step back and reflect. I was all for Google Wave, but I haven’t used it as much as I intended. Let’s see how Buzz can work for us before we go gaga for it.
Here in Baltimore, we are in the middle of a major weather event. We are already known for our ridiculous reaction to snow, and this blizzard has dropped about two feet on us, with no signs of stopping soon.
It is gorgeous but a little scary at the same time. I look out my window and see nothing but a blanket of pure white. There is no movement of any kind: no people, no cars, no dogs, no squirrels, no birds . . .
Even with the lack of movement, I still feel connected. My Facebook family has been commenting all day about the situation. My online classes are still submitting their assignments to me and posting on the discussion board. My Google reader accumulates resource after resource for me. My Twitter PLN continues to spark my intellectual curiosity.
This situation is one of many that underscores the importance of teaching our students how to utilize the tools of Web 2.0 and the necessity of knowing them ourselves.
Part of tonight’s #edchat centered on the role of content versus skills. While I agree that skills are vital, I am sometimes baffled by the strong anti-content bias I see emerging. Prior knowledge is vital for new learning to emerge. Our brains utilize schemas to structure our understanding of material. We look to see if previous patterns exist and match up the new information against what we already know to see if there is a “fit.” I think the field would benefit by a “both/and” attitude rather than insisting on “either/or.”
This widget takes us to How People Learn, which is a great resource:
