I'm preparing some future presentations and articles. One thing I've really struggled with in past is how to get across the power of writing a blog as a tool that forces you to learning, especially to synthesize knowledge. In the past, I've used the analogy of the challenge during school of writing and how it forces you to really understand something. I've also talked about seeing my kids writing and how it shows important gaps. But, somehow this doesn't really capture this effect.
Does anyone have a suggestion on how to capture that power?
Why does Karyn and Barry tell us - Top Ten Reasons To Blog and Top Ten Not to Blog - "I’ve learned more via blogging over the past year than I learned in the preceding several years!"?
Those of us who blog have experienced this, how can I translate that into a description that is meaningful for someone who is considering whether it makes sense to spend the time and effort to blog?
Help!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Conference Thoughts
Hate to post again around better conferences but two things:
1. I just saw a fantastic post - Do We Need NECC that discusses a lot of the same issues. And there are some fantastic comments/trackbacks there.
2. On the original post - better conferences - there's been a call for moving this to a Wiki. I'm not really sure what the Wiki would look like, but it seems that there's an opportunity to have something along the lines of a Conference Patterns wiki. It would discuss different patterns that can be used for conferences as a whole or elements of a conference.
Unfortunately, I don't have time to pursue this right now. Maybe someone wants to pick it up. Feel free to continue to discuss on the original post.
1. I just saw a fantastic post - Do We Need NECC that discusses a lot of the same issues. And there are some fantastic comments/trackbacks there.
2. On the original post - better conferences - there's been a call for moving this to a Wiki. I'm not really sure what the Wiki would look like, but it seems that there's an opportunity to have something along the lines of a Conference Patterns wiki. It would discuss different patterns that can be used for conferences as a whole or elements of a conference.
Unfortunately, I don't have time to pursue this right now. Maybe someone wants to pick it up. Feel free to continue to discuss on the original post.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
MindManager 7 Mac- Switching to Outline View
One of the new features in MindManager 7 Macintosh is being able to switch from the Map view to the Outline view. Here is a short tutorial showing you how to do this. More to come.
YouTube Remixer
For those of you that have posted videos to YouTube you may want to take a look at the YouTube Remixer application that lets you edit and enhance your video using a version of the Adobe Premiere Express Engine, running on the web. Using the YouTube Remixer you can add graphics, borders, transitions, captions and effects without having to leave the browser. YouTube Remixer is still in beta but it is exciting to see what is now possible to do within the browser. I think that your students could have a field day with this application- I know I will!
The iPhone Revolution?
The iPhone, released to the public last Friday, is one of the most hyped devices in memory. But is all the excitement justified?
John McCormick of Baseline suggests that the iPhone could blow the market for handheld rich Internet applications wide open, even though the iPhone was designed for the consumer rather than the enterprise market. Om Malik concurs, noting the significance of the built-in Safari browser that brings the full Web experience to mobile phones for the first time. Smart Mobs opines that mobile phones (not just the iPhone) represent a mass medium unto themselves that are revolutionizing the fundamental ways in which we communicate.
UPDATE: Read a contrarian view...
John McCormick of Baseline suggests that the iPhone could blow the market for handheld rich Internet applications wide open, even though the iPhone was designed for the consumer rather than the enterprise market. Om Malik concurs, noting the significance of the built-in Safari browser that brings the full Web experience to mobile phones for the first time. Smart Mobs opines that mobile phones (not just the iPhone) represent a mass medium unto themselves that are revolutionizing the fundamental ways in which we communicate.
UPDATE: Read a contrarian view...
Monday, July 2, 2007
Profesional Development
My friend and colleague Karen Janowski got me thinking about the summer and opportunities for our own professional development. The summer is a great time for educators to be involved in professional development and to learn about new resources and ways to deliver instruction to their students. With the internet becoming ubiquitous and new Web 2.0 applications, now is the time to explore on your own these rich resources. If you haven't already taken a look at Google Docs, wikispaces, Skype or del.icio.us then spend some time getting a feel for the applications and how they can be used in the classroom. You may also want to take a look at YouTube and TeacherTube for ways to integrate video into the classroom using nothing more than an inexpensive webcam. I know that many teachers are looking for ways to get their students to write and what better way than to use a blog. Teachers can set up free accounts on Blogger and have a working blog up and running in minutes. Blogger gives teachers the controls they need to be able to limit who can post and how posts are moderated. However, before starting a classroom blog it is a good idea to consult with your building administrator. Also take a look at Vyew a new collaborative tool that makes sharing your desktop with students a snap. I would be interested in learning how you might use these tools when your return to your classroom in September. Have a great Summer of learning!
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