Stirring Up the Dust » Technology

21st Century Learners Project

Kitty Forbus — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:51:07 +0000

First let me say, “No, I have not fallen off the face of the earth.” As you know, blogging takes time and there are days that my real job, my husband (who has just taken on a bi-vocational pastor’s position), my two children, and my National Board Ceritification process just take all that I have to give. Life as we know it limits me to only so much in a day. However, today I’m back in the blogging world.

Let me tell you about a new project happening in my system that I am rather excited about. It’s called Talladega County’s 21st Century Learners project. The project was started by a group of teachers from Talladega County who have been involved in a project with the Alabama Best Practices Center on 21st Century Learning. Sheryl Nussbaum Beach has been working with teachers from Alabama for the past three years. This particular team of teachers is organizing the same type program for our local school district. A mentor team has been established to facilitate four sessions second semester. The team members are Robbie Stewart, Amanda Spurling, Kim Knight, Karen Pemberton, and Jennifer Barnett. The first training session is January 2nd and I have been asked to be a co-presenter on blogging. The first training session will cover blogs, wikis, web tools, and web wonders. These first sessions are designed for high school and middle school, with elementary to follow in the fall.

At this point, I am unsure of the number of teachers across our county that will be involved. Every school is sending a team of teachers, so regardless of the number, the impact of this initiative will be felt system-wide. It’s exciting to see this happening. Two schools within our district are part of the 21st Century Learning initiative of which Sheryl Nussbaum Beach has helped to implement. I have often lamented the fact that my school was not a part and that I had “missed the boat” on this opportunity. Thank goodness it is coming full circle and I have the chance to participate to some extent.

It should be a wild, fun-filled, education ride. I expect loads of dust to be stirred up across the county as we go. I’ll keep you posted on our progress.

Technorati Tags: blogging, education, 21stcentury, bestpractices

Confession Time

Kitty Forbus — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:58:21 +0000

I hate to admit it. I’m embarrassed to fess up. But the first step to recovery is admitting the problem. So, here goes…I don’t have an iPod. Easy now. I can hear the gasps all around. I plan to rectify this problem by Christmas as I have seen the need to own one. For so long, I thought you only used an iPod to listen to music. I’m a wife and mother of two small children. When do I have time for music? The car? Rarely. It’s usually the sounds of the DVD player. Home? Please! Work? No way. So you see why an iPod appeared useless to me. That much money for a portable radio?

Well, thanks to my network of friends in Twitter and the blogosphere, and all of the links and professional development workshops they direct me to, I finally see the need for an iPod. The K-12 Online Conference was the kicker. I now see…the iPod is not just for music anymore!!!

I’m putting an iPod on my Christmas list. With my limited knowledge about them, I don’t really know what to ask for. I’m hoping you readers might send me some suggestions. Do I want the one that is like an iPhone without the phone? Do I simply need an mp3 player? Nano? Help!!

I want to become comfortable with this piece of technology. I can’t call it new. It’s just new to me. Sadly, I can probably find any number of kids at school that could teach me how to use it! I want to incorporate podcasting into the activities that spring forth from my media center. In order for me to successfully do that, I have to learn a few things for myself. I can’t promote the technololgy if I don’t know how to use it!

Time to stir up the dust again. Let the learning begin, and like the old song says, “And let it begin with me…”

Image: “iPod Family.” Christopher.leal’s Photostream. 15 February 2006. 1 November 2007. http://www.flickr.com/photos/10722572@N04/1246190649/

A Day of Learning

Kitty Forbus — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:03:47 +0000

Where do I even begin? Yesterday was a day of learning for me. Let me preface this post by saying that over the weekend I bit the bullet by joining Twitter (a post on this is coming), finding some people to follow, and settling in to watch the action. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but so many people in my blogosphere had raved about Twitter that I had to check it out.

One of the first interesting things that happened was Chris Lehmann’s tweet that he was going to UStream his presentation at the T+ L Conference in Nashville. So, I decided to check it out. What did I have to lose? So I clicked on the link and lo and behold, there I was in his presentation in Nashville, TN. I could see his computer screen and participate in the backchannel as well. He alternated views between his computer screen and a shot of the room for those of us in the chat. Chris was speaking on 21st Century Learning, but honestly the chat in the backchannel had my attention. I have to admit, being a visual learner it is hard for me to stay focused on the “talk” from the presentation when I can read the “talk” in the backchannel. You can visit his wiki with presentation information here.

I participated in a minimal way in the chat. I still feel like such a newbie that I’m sometimes intimidated to throw in my two cents worth. But , oh, what validation I feel to have someone agree or build upon what little I toss out there. It’s quite humbling and yet exciting to be a part of it. There I sit absorbing it when into the chat room come David Jakes, Will Richardson, Mark Wagner, and many others whom I have come to admire and respect via the blogosphere. I was a little starstruck to say the least.

The power of the network amazes me! One tweet enabled me to connect with some of the most recognized names in the business. I can sit at my computer in small town Alabama and still be a part of some powerful stuff. Why? Because of the network! The network allows us to keep our finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the world of educational technology. And in case you don’t know it, it’s changing and growing at a phenomenal rate.

Last night I once again set out on a new learning adventure…I joined up with the Women of the Web 2.0 for their chat with David Warlick. It was another learning experience, but I’ll save it for another post…I’ve stirred up enough dust already!

Technorati Tags: blogging, education, twitter, t+lconference, wow2.0, blogosphere, willrich45, djakes, markwagner, chrislehmann

A New Cool Tool

Kitty Forbus — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 02:10:40 +0000

From Ewan McIntosh’s blog post of August 17th, I learned of the launching of Animoto. Ewan stated that Animoto “provides a funky alternative way to view and listen to slideshows.” Now, I like slideshows, but in times past slideshows have taken WAAAAAY too long to create. Maybe I was just technologically impaired, but I found it not worth the trouble most of the time. I decided to give Animoto a look and see what made it funky. My first thoughts were “What is Animoto all about?” Their website answered the question.

What is Animoto?

Animoto is a web application that automatically generates professionally produced videos using patent-pending Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology and high-end motion design. Each video is a fully customized orchestration of user-selected images and music. Produced in widescreen format, Animoto videos have the visual energy of a music video and the emotional impact of a movie trailer.

The heart of Animoto is its newly developed Cinematic A.I. technology that thinks like an actual director and editor. It analyzes and combines user-selected images and music with the same sophisticated post-production skills and techniques that are used in television and film. The technology takes into account every nuance of a song: the genre, song structure, energy, rhythm, instrumentation, and vocals. Whether it’s punk, pop, hip-hop or a classical Stravinsky piece, every Animoto video is totally customized. Even videos generated with an identical set of images and music will each have a completely distinct set of motion design. No two videos are the same. They can be emailed, and embedded in pages on websites including social network sites like Facebook and MySpace.

Now that’s a lot of technical talk just to say “we’re a really easy tool that can be used to create some neat short videos.” Honestly, I spent about 10 minutes learning the process. I took me one try to get it right. After that, I could make a short video with about 12 pics in less than five minutes. It was really exciting! The first video I made was one with student pictures. I hope to put it on our school website, but I’m waiting on parental consent. My next thought was that I needed to put one of these videos on my media center website. So, rather than use students, I took pictures of the room itself and made my video. I’m going to post it here for you to see. I wanted to make one with pictures of my children and post it here instead, but their grandmother was a little phobic about me posting their pictures. Go figure!

Anyway, my final thoughts on the matter are…try it! What have you got to lose?

Technorati Tags: animoto, blogs, slideshows

The Technology Battle

Kitty Forbus — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:17:43 +0000

My principal is making a concerted effort this year to ensure that our faculty uses more technology in their daily repertoire of teaching strategies. So far our teachers have been given Elmo Document Cameras and projectors, as well as provided with the training to use them. I have given a crash course in APT Plus, specifically United Streaming. In addition, our school technology coordinator has given a mini workshop on the uses of the InterWrite White Board. I’m excitedly awaiting the implementation of these new tools. While there is still so much more to share on the technological front, we have to be slow and cautious as we introduce these tools. As I’ve said before, too much of good thing can be overwhelming and cause frustration. I don’t want folks around here to feel like the character in the following cartoon.

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Technorati Tags: technology, cartoon, interwrite, elmo

Skype and the Newbie

Kitty Forbus — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:03 +0000

I promised myself and my audience that I would take it slow with the technical stuff and the blog. I want you readers (the two or so that there are) to keep me in check on that one. Not that I feel I have mastered blogging, far from it! I just wanted to take on another Web 2.0 tool before the new school year begins. I want to present my teachers with a few “tricks in the bag” so to speak. However, I know I have to be careful not to overwhelm them. Far too often, I think we as teachers are presented with too much “wow” and not enough time to master what we have been shown. The end result is frustration, failure, and, and no implementation. That having been said, my latest undertaking was Skype. (Just in case you’re wondering I think I’ll be podcasting next.) I went to WalMart and bought a Logitech webcam for $24.88 plus tax. Ialso bought a set of headphones with a microphone just in case I needed them. I know my laptop has built in speakers and a microphone, but I wanted to be prepared for anything once I started. I’ll be honest and tell you that it took me an entire morning to set it all up. I had to load software, disable my antivirus and spyware programs, read directions, configure a few setting on my computer, and such. However, I was ready to take and make calls by lunchtime – so I thought. I had prearranged with Cathy Nelson to test my Skyping skills today. She called me first on Skype. but I missed her call trying to figure out how to answer her. I called her back and we began our conversation. I could both see and hear her! She, however, could only hear me. I fiddled around a bit and eventually got the video feed going. I think it was a permanent fix, but I’ll have to test it on another call. The end result, my first Skype call. Thanks, Cathy for being my guinea pig!

I think I still need to work a bit on the audio from my end. The headphones didn’t exactly work right, or maybe it was my failure to do something correctly. I could hear the audio coming from the computer rather than the headphones, but Cathy could hear me best through the headphone microphone. I’ll stay at it until I figure it out. After all, this is a learning process.

So, where do I go from here? Two teachers from other schools within my county want to learn to Skype, too. We’re already planning how we can connect our students and present them with a project or two. Of course we as the teachers have to become comfortable with it first. I’m off to a good start anyway.

As a side note, here’s a picture of myself that I took with my new webcam. Oh, the fun never ends!

Technorati Tags: skype blogging web2.0 webcam