Google's Quest for World Domination

I cannot keep up with Google. I recently got introduced to Google Apps and Forms and realized how in the dark I am about all the services that Google provided. I did a little research and received some links to check out that I am posting here for future reference. They come in fast and furious and I need to invest some serious time so that I can brighten up the darkness...

Google Docs

http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2010/10/tips-tricks-sharing-google-docs-like.html

Google Apps

http://www.google.com/support/a/users/

http://edu.googleapps.com/

http://sites.google.com/site/gtaresources/2008-11-18/materials

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/03/free-33-page-guide-google-for-teachers.html

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/07/google-for-teachers-ii-free-33-page.html

http://www.edutopia.org/google-educators

Drop box Resources

http://web.appstorm.net/roundups/data-management-roundups/10-more-killer-dropbox-tips-and-tricks/

Dropbox is an tool that I have only used for about one month. So far, I cannot believe I've lived for so long without it.

To describe its use, imagine dragging a file into a folder and having the ability to retrieve it from any other computer. It also has the ability to have a shared folder so that I can share documents with colleagues just as easily. It has been so intuitive that I am eager to learn some Killer Dropbox Tips and Tricks It is quick. It is easy. Check it out.

Week 9: Reflection

After nine weeks, I am certainly eager to apply what I have learned into my practice. I find myself referring to "this great class that I took this summer" frequently when catching up with my colleagues. My colleagues have been inundated with emails from me as I forward resources that I am receiving from my professional learning network.

In my last few posts I mentioned that I thought I was pretty tech-savvy before entering this course. I have been humbled by this course because I am amazed daily at what is out there that I not only never had tried, but never even heard of. Social bookmarking? Diigo? This resource alone was worth the tuition rate. Well, maybe I exaggerate, but I really like it a whole bunch!

In terms of what I wanted to know, I guess I cannot emphasize enough that I did not know what
I was missing. I wanted to improve teaching and learning in my classroom as the name of the class implies. Now that I reflect on Web 2.0 versus Web 1.0, I can distinctly discern the difference. I am not sure how much I "got it" before, but I get it now.

Upon completion of this course, I feel the biggest lesson I learned is that there are so many people out there willing to help and share information with you on countless topics. Expanding my professional learning network has helped to keep me "in the loop" with all of the newfangled technological developments that have educational importance in the teaching and learning that takes place in my classroom.

In closing, I would like to describe an example of the advantages of expanding my professional learning network. I was having difficulty with the appearance of projected images from my laptop while using my SMARTboard today, so I posted the following in a forum in the Ning group Smartboard Revolution. In less than one hour, had the response pictured. Amazing! Thanks Obe!

Hello. I was using my SMARTboard on my desktop pc today and everything worked fine. I then attached my laptop, switched to project from my laptop, and went to write on the board. When I did, the alignment was off so I tried to reorientate. When I did, only about 2/3 of the board was visible. What I mean is my last set of dots was not visible on the projected image. I switched back to the desktop and it was fine. I assume it is a projection setting issue from my laptop. Should I be projecting a certain resolution? Thanks, Mark

Week 8: Technology Integration is Everywhere

On a recent weekend I went to a friend's house to borrow a book that he suggested that I read. Since he was not going to be home he left the book on the seat of his car for me to pick up when I arrived. When I retrieved the book, I was happy to find that he had left me a quick note attached to a newspaper article. The note, pictured above, is scribbled on a the back of an old card and contains only four words: Technology Integration is everywhere.... The article is titled Moving to a Digital Future, Where Textbooks are History appeared in the New York Times Sunday, August 9th.

Although the article is interesting, I found the method of its delivery to me much more interesting. When I first picked up the article, read the note and the title of the article, I had to smirk due to the irony. Typically, the majority of news articles related to technology make their way to me via email, Twitter, podcasts, blogs, and Ning. I was not expecting one to be cut out of the Sunday paper clipped to a recycled piece of scrap paper.

I appreciate that my friend was thinking of me by forwarding the article along and I cannot agree more, technology integration is everywhere. I wonder when it will reach him?

Week 8: A flatter and fatter me

I feel that it impossible to not become "flatter" as a result of taking Teaching in Learning in a Networked Classroom. The term "flatter" is used in reference to Thomas L. Friedman's book titled The World is Flat. Prior to enrolling in the course, I thought I was pretty tech-savvy. I was able to install, learn, and used new software and peripherals. I quickly became competent in the use of SMARTboards and even became a SMART certified trainer. Compared to my colleagues, I think I secretly thought I was a technology superstar.

....And then the class began. Instantly it became apparent to me that I had a huge hole in my technology bubble. By huge, I mean the size of Texas huge. I was using technology on an island of one. It was me, alone, in my technology world.

After using Google Reader and RSS, Skpye, blogging, wikis, social networking, social bookmarking, podcasting, and the sources and communication provided by my classmates, I've started to repair the hole.

I am still operating on my island, but things have changed. I am no longer operating alone in my world. I have instant access to the entire universe in a few keystrokes. The best part is that a lot of this information COMES TO ME! This instant access brings me to the second "f" word in the title, fatter.

The good news is that I enjoy repairing my technology gaps. I am eager to learn how I can use technology to enhance my curriculum and instruction. The bad news is that I enjoy it so much that I have bypassed a few things in my life. So what, if did not paint the house this summer as I had intended to. I have been so intrigued in learning about the Web 2.0 world that I would happily dismiss the idea of going for a run. As a result, I may have gotten fatter while becoming flatter.

The time that I have spent reading, researching, commenting and participating for this class far exceeds others I have taken. However, I am now communicating with people from around the globe on topics that have direct value and impact on my teaching. And I am a better educator because of it.

I like this new world much better than my old one.

You can become part of my world:

Twitter Diigo FaceBook Skype and Google (mr.mparsons) Ning

Week 7: Assessment of Technology

Howard Gardner and Robert Marzano are the names of two people that are starting to be ingrained in my brain as my school continues to improve its instruction and assessment. If you have participated in Differentiated Instruction training, I am sure Gardner was mentioned. As my school alters curriculum, we are frequently reminded of the work of Marzano who states that curriculum needs to be both "guaranteed and viable."

The work of these education leaders and constant reinforcement of my principal, Patti Kennelley, has led me to believe that students need to know what they are supposed to know and be able to do.

When assessing technology, the same concept applies. If I assign that my students need to create a lab report about an experiment that we do in class, one student may choose a traditional written lab report where another may choose to create a podcast, video, or other multimedia presentation. No matter the medium, each student still needs to demonstrates the scientific skills that the lab was intended to showcase. In terms of assessing the medium, I would either use a rubric specific to each type of medium or I would use our school-wide rubric for the assessment of effective communication. If I choose the latter, it still assesses the use of technology, just not to the extent of a rubric specific to each product.

Week 7: PBL

In order to help me try and wrap my head around project based learning (PBL) , I researched a few sources on the web. I knew that many teachers "do projects", but I needed to clarify specifically what PBL is and is not. I visited pbl-online.org, who defines PBL as:

a systematic teaching method that engages students in learning essential knowledge and life-enhancing skills through an extended, student-influenced inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks.

If you have not visited this site in your research, I recommend to take a few moments to check it out. I helped me clear up what exactly is PBL, now I just need to take the proper steps to ensure that my assessments "authentic."

As a way to help you in the creation of your assessment, you may desire to create a checklist for your students to follow. To help you, visit pblchecklist.4teachers.org. 4Teachers.org is also responsible for the very helpful rubric generator site called Rubistar. It is quite easy to use and give a great starting point for the creation of your assessment.

Podcast

After some slight formatting issues, I've finally been able to post my podcast.

I have been working at school the last few days because we are changing the schedule for our freshmen and creating a "Freshman Team". During our lengthy meetings, the topic of our discussion shifted to public relations and communicating with the community. We were looking for a vehicle to share information consistently, I a Web 2.0 idea popped into my head.

If we create a I-LHS Freshman Team blog, we can get the word out to our community consistently and efficiently.

A colleague said that we should have a recording that answers the question: Why did we start the Freshman Team in the first place? Again, a Web 2.0 idea popped into my head.

This would be the perfect application of a podcast.

They podcast is short (27 seconds), but I feel that I overcame some obstacles in terms of creating and posting that will make the completion of future podcasts much easier.

You can listen to the podcast by going to the I-LHS Freshman Team blog, or by using the podomatic player below.

Why create a Freshman Team?

Mark Parsons' Podcast

Week 7: Free Choice The Accidential Billionaires

I happened to catch an interview NPR last month with the author of The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal. I was immediately interested in learning more about this story after hearing the title, but even more so after listening to the seven minute interview by Guy Raz. As you can gather from the book's title and the interview, the development of the social networking site Facebook into and the internet phenomenon that is today is surrounded in controversy. The following weekend I happened upon a Borders and had to pick myself up a copy of the book. As you can see from the book's reviews on Amazon and the comments on NPR's site, the book itself is causing quite a stir, never mind the story.

I'll summarize my opinion with a mock Facebook status update:
Mark Parsons just finished The Accidental Billionaires, an interesting, fun, and quick summer read. Check it out.

Week 6: Professional Learning Networks

I have a friend who seems to know everyone. Wherever we go he is always running into someone and shaking hands or giving a pat on the back. I asked him once how he knows all these people and his reply was simply, "networking."

My understanding of networking is limited to spreading your name around so that it benefits you when it comes time to apply for a position. You try and get on good terms with as many 'important" or "powerful" people as possible so that you could use this network of people to your advantage when the moment is right.

Professional Learning Networks are similar. You still have these connections that you call upon for assistance, however there is a distinct difference. Using tools like Ning, Twitter, Facebook, Podcasts, Blogs, and wiki's, you can become connected with people all over the world who share interests similar to yours. Then you can use these connections to give and receive information that could benefit you are anyone else in your network.

Here is a quick example. I was lucky enough to get a SMARTBoard last year. To get some additional help, I search the web for podcasts related to SMARTBoards. After listen for about six months, I was introduced (over the web) to people who frequently share tips and tricks and just plain old good information about the use of interactive whiteboards. I benefit directly from these kind individuals who are part of my network. And maybe, someday, they will benefit from me.

By the way, if you are interested in SMARTBoards, I suggest you look into adding James Hollis and Obe Hostetter to your professional learning network. Also check out http://smartboardrevolution.ning.com/ for a plethora of information and resources.

Week 6: Professional Development

When I think about professional development, particularly when it concerns technology, I feel that we play the role of consumers and the new technology is the product. Our professional development often demonstrates and introduces us to a product, with its accompanying bells and whistles, and then we are sent back to our classrooms. Sometimes the product works beautifully as demonstrated. Often though, the product does not work in quite the same fashion as demonstrated, nor does not live up to the expectations that we had during our "test drive". We are left to figure out exactly how to get the product to work effectively in our classrooms. Since we are all short on time, it gets put off. It collects dust. Eventually, is gets sucked into the black hole that is our "I'll get to it as soon as I get these other really important things done first" pile.

"Our professional development models should involve teachers in how we use and struggle to use such tools meaningfully and how we ourselves wrestle with and resolve such issues."

The sentence above is taken from Christine Greenhow's Reccommendation 2 of Supporting Teachers ' Development of Extended Social Networks for Teaching and Learning, found on page 110 of the book Web 2.0, New Tools, New Schools. I am in complete agreement with this statement. If we want our professional development, specifically Web 2.0 tools, to "stick", we need to discuss how are we going to use this technology meaningfully. We need to discuss the educational benefits of using these tools, and research what works and what does not. I fear that if this research does not take place, the new bells and whistles that were demonstrated during our professional development will quickly begin to devolve, much like the annoying Powerpoint sound effects that seemed so cool once.......ten years ago, but now make you cringe. I made a special video for those who wish to hear the laser, drum roll, and applause again.

Week 6: Free Choice (Summer Reading)

I enjoy reading when I have the time to take a few minutes out of the day to actually relax and curl up with a good book, but I seems that I never can find enough time during the school year to read anything but magazines. Since this is the case, I try to make up for my lack of reading during the school year by reading during holiday breaks and summer vacation.

This past June, my friendly librarian school pulled me aside and said "I have the book for you." She accused me of being "a computer geek" or "techie nerd" or something along those lines and said I had to read "Little Brother." This story, written by Corey Doctorow, who is not only a journalist and science fiction writer, but also a blogger. The author describes his novel in the video below:



I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and was quite thought provoking. It certainly got me to think about how technology is used, not only by our students, but also by the government. If this type of novel appeals to you, I suggest reading the description and reviews located at Amazon.com.

Week 5: Podcasts

I began listening to podcasts in December of 2008, after a friend and I had a discussion about mp3 players. I was in the market for a new music player because my non-iPod was damaged. We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the different brands and he emphasized how easy it is to download music from iTunes and to sync an iPod to your computer. During this discussion, he also mentioned that he frequently downloads podcasts. I had heard of podcasts, but never realized the wide variety of topics and degree of quality that is available for download. He told me to go home and search for a podcast on any subject and I would likely find something “cool to listen to.”

Like any good student, I took his advice. I went home and immediately searched for podcasts on SMARTBoards using iTunes and found the Teachers Connecting podcast which I discussed in Week 4. Next, I searched for podcasts that would improve my consistently fading knowledge of Spanish and found the Spanish Connection. I searched, and searched, and searched. My friend was right. There seems to be a podcast for any subject.

As for podcasts, I enjoy listening to them. I have about four that I listen to regularly. What I really love is that as soon as I open iTunes it looks for recent editions and automatically downloads them. When I attach my iPod (which I received for Christmas) it automatically adds them to it. This convenience is crucial, for if it was not so user-friendly, I am sure that I would not even bother.

Podcasting is a great way to reach a large audience to spread your message. Your audience can listen at their convenience, which means that they do not need to be chained to their computer in order to receive your message.

So, in the end, it turns out that I am in complete agreement with my friend. Podcasts are cool to listen to.

Week 5: Blog about Blogs

What Blogs Are / Are not

So I was thinking that blogs cannot soapboxes, or they shouldn’t be in my opinion. Who want to read that? Then a thought crossed my mind: Do I actually know what a soapbox is? Of course I am familiar with the expression, but I thought I should look it up before I post it for the world to see. I went to Google which directed me to Wikipedia. I read through the history of the word and was amazed, and slightly shocked, when I read the first of the three terms listed under the heading “See Also.” “Debate” didn’t bother me. Neither did “Forum.” What did was the four letter word listed first, “Blog.” Hmm…

I guess I was wrong. A blog can be your soapbox. It is clear to me now that a blog can be whatever you want it to be. Anyone can blog about anything they want. Because of this, there is certainly no “one size fits all” format. If you want people to read your blog however, I think it certainly needs to be informative, easy to access, and well thought out.

I thought I’d see what Google had to say if I searched “why blog” and I eventually came across a blog called The Ed Techie. The author has three main points about why to blog which are summarized below:

1. Exposure: Blogging exposes our thought process for others to see.

   “A blog is good means of allowing others to observe some of the less well thought out ideas and ongoing projects of an academic.”

2. It keeps us current, technologically speaking.

   “It provides a useful tool for engaging with other technologies – the array of web 2.0 technologies can be quite daunting. However, many of these relate to blogging, and so by keeping a blog one is exposed to these technologies in a meaningful context.

3. It is a place to post the ideas in your brain, without going through the formalities of publishing an article in a journal.

After reading this blog, I decided to add it to my Reader. As I was doing it I had and “Ah-Ha” moment. It is starting to become apparent to me that Web 2.0 is all about establishing connections with people with similar interests. We are no longer limited to the people we share lunch with to bounce ideas off of. The entire world is out there, ready to and willing to collaborate.

Week 4: Wiki's in Education

The first time I heard the term “wiki” was about two years ago. I’ve wasted space in my brain remembering that moment because I cannot get past how odd I thought the term was. Blog makes sense to me because it is short for web log, but wiki? I had to find out. Wikipedia states that the term is Hawaiian for “fast.” It also mentions that Wiki can be expanded to be “What I know is”, but that is a backronym.

I recall my principal returning from a conference excited about Wiki’s and that we as a staff were going to start using a PBwiki as a means to increase communication. What happened next is unfortunately what happens a lot to new technology. We were asked to log on and to participate. I am sure you can guess what happened; very few people accessed the Wiki and participated in a meaningful way and therefore it eventually disappeared.

I wish that my first experience was more successful. I give my Principal credit; she tried to introduce the staff to a new technology and tried to model its use. Unfortunately, she was learning as she went along and did not have a great Wiki to use as a model. Luckily for me, I am in a different situation. I am very impressed with the Wiki that I am using for my class, Teaching and Learning in a Networked Classroom, and I hope that I can create a Wiki that is as user friendly as this one is. I also have performed a search for Wikis and now have a better understanding of what works and what does not.

Once site in particular that I visited was titled Scientific Investigations. This Wiki was created using wetpaint and I was initially very impressed that the instructor created this Wiki for students to collaborated and create a lab report. By using the Wiki, the instructor knows exactly who contributed to the assignment and could easily monitor the changes made to the page. I think this is a very effective was to not only use a Wiki, but to solve a problem using the scientific process.

The downside of this Wiki was that there was only one experiment. All of the pages were edited during a one week period in 2008 and never revisited. A lot of the Wiki’s I looked at seemed to be abandoned as if they were used for one project or at the start of the semester and then left to fade away, similar to my first experience. I hope that I will not fall into that same trap when I create one for my class. I think the way to combat this issue is to try to use the Wiki frequently as a means on communication, not just for a singular assignment.

I have a Wiki question—what if two students are trying to edit the same page from two different locations at the same time? What happens? I feel that this is likely if I assign partners and for them to edit for homework.

Week 5: Free Choice; Using SMART Recorder

For those of you that have a SMART board in your school, the software includes a recorder that works like Jing. This will record whatever action takes place on your desktop, active window, or an area that you select. It will also record your audio if you are connected to a microphone. When you complete your recording, it saves your file as a Windows Media file.

FYI, you are allowed to download the SMART software called Notebook, even if you are not using a board. The stipulation is that you need to have one in your building.

I made this video spontaneously and it took seconds. This tool could be an option for those who are interested in making a training video or adding classroom problems and solutions to a blog, wiki, etc.

Check it out. Let me know if you have any questions or a further explanation.

Mark

ps----Sorry for the cough at the beginning. This is the "raw" or unedited version.

Week 4: Free Choice

I am not the type of person who enjoys having to make decisions. I know it sounds weird, but it is true. Trying to decide where to go out to eat with my wife can be a chore because we both respond, "I don't care. What do you feel like?" So, when I noticed that we had to blog about a topic of our choice, I naturally had a difficult time deciding on what to blog about.

After quite some time, I decided that I would blog about a resource that I uncovered that first opened my eyes to the possibilities of collaboration using Web 2.0. In January of this year I subscribed to a podcast titled Teachers Connecting Podcast using iTunes. This podcast is hosted by Ben Hazzard and Joan Badger who describe their podcast as follows:
Interactive whiteboards, cross-classroom collaboration projects, and the stories of teachers are all a focus of the Teachers Connecting Podcast. This show delivers fresh and engaging lesson ideas!

By listening to this podcast while commuting I have been exposed to many resources that Web 2.0 has to offer. The show usually begins by describing some interesting Internet sites or new technology that has been released such as episode 10 which introduced me to Google Chrome. The hosts often communicate with guests via Skype and also invite listeners to follow them on Twitter where they will often post links to the resources mentioned in their podcast.

I find that I do not always get the time to explore the web for new resources so finding out about them while driving is perfect for me. Try is out. Let me know what you think.

Week 4: Will Richardson

In Will Richardson's article, World Without Walls: Learning Well with Others, the author states that "we as educators need to reconsider our roles in students' lives, to think of ourselves as connectors first and content experts second." This line has sparked some very interesting viewpoints from my classmates, but it took me a few days to digest the meaning and impact of this statement and to formulate my thoughts of this line. The longer I considered how crazy this idea is that we as teachers are more like connectors or facilitators, than experts or instructors, it became clear to me that this idea is not new at all. Like a lot of what is "new" in education, in my opinion Richardson's idea is not new, it is just applied in a different way. Consider the image below, taken from the Department of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology, University of Georgia.

The caption mentions the idea that the role of the teacher is changing from the "sage on the stage" to the "guide on the side." The constructivist approach is far from new and I am sure that many educators try to emulate the "guide on the side" by preparing lessons that engage our students in activities that help them formulate their own understandings of the content rather than just simply telling them what they need to know.

I think that Richardson was making the point that now we have more access than ever to resources to help support this type of instructional method. Our students are no longer limited to the materials that we provide or the ideas that a few other students in the class develop. They have access to "experts" via their computer who could possibly provide a greater incite and knowledge base than we as instructors can provide. However, since our students are likely to encounter questionable content or may have difficulty establishing connections with the "experts", it is our job to facilitate and moderate these connections.

Week 3: Media Sharing

A few weekends ago a group of friends and I went on a camping trip to the Maine coast. We spent a lot of time at the beach which was quite cold, but yet still enjoyable. I returned from that trip to find that one of my friends had posted a bunch of images to his Facebook page. One of those images was of me reading my Web 2.O book at the beach.

Media sharing, like all technology, has advantages and disadvantages. It think it is wonderful to communicate with family and friends across the globe. I love to access YouTube and other sites for resources for the classroom. However, for every great experience with media sharing, I need to filter through heaps of the useless postings. This is the world our students live in. This is what they are used to. Somehow we need to train these students to conduct research effectively and to post respectfully. Immediate access to information is a bittersweet. The whole world is at their finger tips, and that is to very powerful as well as pretty scary.