tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43967470256858582822024-03-06T02:49:15.136-05:00TechnoSeedsTeachers teaching teachers use technology to collaborate, set goals, focus on inquiry, and learn specific technology skills.Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-34789936716269091202010-06-29T22:11:00.007-04:002010-06-29T22:39:09.899-04:00Writing and Technology Integration<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqLWhIOO0thNyU83w5KmtR8wQZ9YjyvtHcPvDDkQcP_Gn3bN1HlbGj4hxwTnjKsN-NFFg3J-3NAeanZmlipngc5-DfUwuSxTtZVhXvw7ii-rbieJlC3oMtdow4WcZKnzhBOs8GL6JR-A/s640/2010AWPsummerInstitute.jpg" width="640" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>The Appleseed Writing Project Summer Institute is well underway and teachers are immersed in their writer's life. It is great to see the teachers embrace the writing process through a variety of reading/writing opportunities. Participants had a chance to complete a 3, 2, 1 activity at the beginning of the E-Anthology presentation. I asked the teachers to write down 3 emotions that come to mind when they hear the word <b><i>technology</i></b>. Those feelings were listed here to create this wordle image.Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-13643811932121773222009-09-24T19:14:00.006-04:002009-09-24T19:39:48.575-04:00Wikispaces for TeachersThe <a href="http://www.ipfw.edu/awp/awp_2009_conference.html">2009 Appleseed Writing Project Conference</a> is a buffet of writing opportunities this year. Our keynote speaker, Harvey Daniels, will be energizing the participants with techniques that educators, K-16 will be able to take back to their classrooms on Monday morning.<br />I am excited about teaching teachers how to create a wikispace for the classroom at <a href="http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers">Wikispaces for Teachers</a> website during my session in the afternoon. Please click on this link <a href="http://inarteducators.wikispaces.com/Wikispaces+for+the+Classroom">http://inarteducators.wikispaces.com/Wikispaces+for+the+Classroom</a> to view an example of how a wikispace can be used to create a resource list and agenda.<br />In addition to sharing several online resources, I will be leading the session in setting up your own wikispace. I hope you will all have a chance to comment here at the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/">TechnoSeeds blog</a> on the relevance of this session at the end of the class.<br />If you are interested in learning more about blogging, you might take a look at my <a href="http://artwritingtech.blogspot.com/">Art, Writing, and Technology</a> Blog to see the kind of things I have posted there.Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-12403967869826950772009-07-09T13:59:00.009-04:002009-07-10T10:25:45.224-04:00Now that the Appleseed Writing Project's 2009 Summer Institute is coming to a close, I asked this year's Teacher Consultants to give a short testimonial to the importance of their participation in the National Writing Project and discuss how this professional development might impact their teaching and perspective on teaching specifically writing in their area of expertise. This is what the 2009 TC's had to share.<br /><br />"WoW! technology rocks! Technology folks! I did not know until today that there are so many possibilities and so many varieties in using technologies at schools: logs, Wikispaces, Flickr, Tag Gallery, wordle, blogs,...etc. Thanks, Barbara Kuntz."<br />---I. Kim<br /><br />"The Writing Project was such a wonderful experience. I am now truly seeing the world through the eyes of a writer. The Summer Institute allowed me to work with talented, creative - just simple awesome colleagues! The students will be the beneficiaries."<br />Barb<br /><br />“The Appleseed Writing Project has helped me develop as a writer, and I've been thinking about how that can look as incorporated in technology, too!”<br />Ashley<br /><br />“The food in San Antonio was beyond compare, but the food for thought was what truly filled my spirit.”<br />Amy<br /><br />“Writing in my classroom will not be the same! It will be more student focused and student driven. I can't wait to bring back the writers' notebook, which I seem to have lost over the years!“<br />Stacy<br /><br />"Appleseed Writing Project has provided me with researched based strategies that I know will bring success to my students."<br />Joe<br /><br />“My teaching will never be the same. I believe that I am just as important as the English teacher in modeling and teaching using writing. I know I will be a better teacher because of the institute.”<br />Maryanne<br /><br />“I have come to appreciate the power of writing and how it can change people's lives. The technology that is at our disposal now is really helpful and makes our life easier, richer, and more creative.”<br />Irene<br /><br />”I think the technology presentation gave me a few more resources to use with the techno savvy students that I work with every day. The AWP has really opened my eyes to the ideas that will work with my students on an everyday basis.”<br />Ali<br /><br />”Technology in writing can create a sense of power for the student in the modern classroom. It allows them to connect on a level they are comfortable with and find themselves proficient.”<br />Jon<br /><br />"I think blogs and wikis are much more interesting than typical school web pages. They add an interactive element. Seems a little more 'democratic'."<br />Nathan A<br /><br />“The technology that we were shown was really great because I really didn't know about some of the programs. I really liked the wordle website. The AWP has helped grow my knowledge about writing. I enjoyed sharing my writing and hearing everyone share their writing. The demos helped me think about teaching writing in several areas of my day with my students.”<br />Kari<br /><br />“Writing is powerful! I enjoyed refreshing my knowledge of the reading writing connection. Writing helps everyone solidify their thoughts.”<br />Julie<br /><br />“As a writer, I feel that I am still a child, but at least I have been born. Before the project, unless it was research, which I love, I did not enjoy writing. I am beginning to find a voice, and that I appreciate. I consider myself fairly technologically diverse. I do not know many programs, but I learn quickly and naturally. I enjoyed learning about wordle today...it is possibly the coolest bit of technology I have seen in a while. Thank you!"<br />Amanda DeBaillieTech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-60563698481352463192009-02-01T14:55:00.003-05:002009-02-01T15:26:47.689-05:00Food for the Soul<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkq8NJNlHOHHQXaQMNdzhpEJ35MwqNO2DSw8lEBZwBMsmJ30nJq7cZR_C8hFMXpZoYoOp4_gOv6qKIINMRAVFnUsuJ4gg7WCPHe4A0wo1biHTT6KzZzscwZepZZSclDa9bYYrALE3MAE/s1600-h/food+for+the+soul.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkq8NJNlHOHHQXaQMNdzhpEJ35MwqNO2DSw8lEBZwBMsmJ30nJq7cZR_C8hFMXpZoYoOp4_gOv6qKIINMRAVFnUsuJ4gg7WCPHe4A0wo1biHTT6KzZzscwZepZZSclDa9bYYrALE3MAE/s320/food+for+the+soul.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297920614351055058" /></a><br /><br />The River Walk in beautiful San Antonio, Texas was a festive sight for the soul. It is a unique blend of culture and textures. Experiencing bright colorful foods, sounds, and people at the 2008 National Writing Project Conference was a blessing worth sharing. This year I joined several other NWP technology liaisons to take a photo/writing marathon. We brought along our digital cameras to take interesting pictures and wrote about life experiences. The photo above was taken at the first meal I shared with fellow writers from the Appleseed Writing Project. I knew that keeping my digital camera in hand would provide a visual account of this wonderful experience. <br />Consider taking photos of everyday life to build motivation for writing rich experiences. The photo above gives me a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure mixed with color and excitement. The flavor was magnificent!Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-53117955239144053652009-02-01T10:35:00.003-05:002009-02-01T10:45:58.341-05:00<a href="http://www.piclits.com/viewpoem.aspx?PoemId=6103"><img src="http://www.piclits.com/piclit-image/0/6/6103.png" alt="PicLit from PicLits.com" style="padding: 31px 8px 15px 10px; width: 260px; background-image: url(http://www.piclits.com/assets/images/piclit-thumb-background.png); background-repeat: no-repeat;" menu="true" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.piclits.com/viewpoem.aspx?PoemId=6103" style="padding-left: 4px;">See the full PicLit at PicLits.com</a><br />Experience another new interactive tool online at <a href="http://www.piclits.com/">PicLit.com </a>. Kevin, a fellow technology explorer, is always introducing me to new online tools. Although I don't explore as much as he does, I love to spread the word. I look forward to using this tool with some of my students.Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-31623945288672707302008-07-07T11:45:00.008-04:002008-07-07T12:50:01.780-04:00National Writing Project<a href="http://www.imagechef.com/ic/poem/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www.imagechef.com/"><img src="http://cdn-users1.imagechef.com/ic/stored/users_227/1136919/sampaaeb7b3ce1dfb3f7.gif" alt="Visual Poetry - ImageChef.com" /></a><br /><br />I deeply value the professional development opportunities I have gained by becoming a member of the National Writing Project. The previous post, <span style="font-style: italic;">A Day in a Sentence</span>, is a collaborative writing activity conceived by my colleague and fellow NWP technology liaison, Kevin Hodgson. I was honored with the privilege to host <a href="http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/"><span style="font-style: italic;">A Day in a Sentence</span></a> this past week. As I reflect on this experience, I am reminded of opportunities provided to me as a member of a much larger community, the <a href="http://www.nwp.org/">National Writing Project</a>. This government supported organization thrives on the revelation that teachers who teach other teachers will effectively develop writing instruction in our schools by becoming better writers. By immersing oneself in the practices needed to be effective mentors, teachers write volumes for varied audiences and purposes from self and/or the person sitting next to them in the summer institute to posting on the World Wide Web. Our moto this summer was "trust the process." Like <a href="http://artsmartie.wordpress.com/">art</a>, writing can get messy and jumbled at times. After refining technique and shoring up the rough edges, one can effectively express one's perspective in general or specific terms to create a clear image for a desired audience. It is a great feeling to be so empowered!Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-42230309514447539022008-07-07T00:29:00.030-04:002008-07-07T15:10:21.007-04:00Day in a Sentence<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkqtKTBMpBJpVkrHa9jN-bkE8vS19rknnA4tw8KmZr1qaMB7JKPrL0sGLC1G4hI38CYWj_g0bPlqWJe2qUaz-oMDNoFSuqLRuoWXPPvJbo6snsevWf8ASezb-C3fx8WBz7s4ziOk4dYM/s320/Dayin+a+Sentence+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220140810748767490" border="0" /></a><a href="http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><br /><br />The release of Day in a Sentence writing activity is here! I owe a huge THANK YOU to all of the writers for their voice this week. There are several images that help tell the stories. I hope you will enjoy our collaborative spirit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2v2zzPxUI5Xxh_PT6wlLi-_g2_vcRgMyneOugXj5rLrKV87BhLPTZBFwjzRr09eoLDjQ-2VuEOPMj8e5nE8TLPs-TFA4DF8U78DM3C_0WoDW5qINR4k5CFya_dVnSTrHkDWs8hBjiLJY/s1600-h/2630895848_5af6f2bbf9_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2v2zzPxUI5Xxh_PT6wlLi-_g2_vcRgMyneOugXj5rLrKV87BhLPTZBFwjzRr09eoLDjQ-2VuEOPMj8e5nE8TLPs-TFA4DF8U78DM3C_0WoDW5qINR4k5CFya_dVnSTrHkDWs8hBjiLJY/s320/2630895848_5af6f2bbf9_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220144391863281506" border="0" /></a>Kevin (image and podcast included) writes,<i style=""><br />I'm feeling some Patriotic stirrings now that Bush is on the way out and change in our nation is inevitable.<o:p></o:p></i><br /><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/static/34o9szvc4c.mp3">http://www.box.net/shared/static/34o9szvc4c.mp3</a><o:p></o:p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>David writes,<br /><o:p></o:p><i style="">Slaving daily over a hot laptop, interspersed only by the demands of dog and family, looking forward to a chilled weekend without the heat. <o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Rglass says,<br /><i style="">Few things worse than summer colds.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Michael writes about the Appleseed Writing Project Summer Institute Open House.<br /><i style="">Yesterday, the open house brought together all elements of what we have been doing for a culminating event which we shared with those who might be interested and our own families. Now I am ready to move on with my writing and teaching.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Mary from AWP shares a concise image.<br /><i style="">A day in the AWP is a blur of thought, insight, inquiry, and emotion, which eventually clarifies into something profound and equally useful.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">AWPer, Gloria, is reminded about her previous blogging.<br /><i style="">Technoseeds is new to me. I am happy I am starting to use it. I used to use a blog years ago but I stopped because I did not manage the blog well. Thank you, Barb, for teaching it to us.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">AWPer, Judy, changes the <st1:place><st1:placename>Indiana</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Purdue</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>University</st1:placetype></st1:place> at /<st1:city><st1:place>Fort Wayne</st1:place></st1:city> acronym into a celebration for her colleagues.<br /><i style="">IPFW, I Praise Fellow Writers.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">AWPer, Jay, a middle school social studies teacher, writes about the ideas he has gained during the AWP summer institute.<br /><i style="">As we prepare to bring our writers' institute to a conclusion I am amazed at how many ideas are coming together and influencing my thinking.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Allison writes thoughts about Appleseed Writing Project Summer Institute.<br /><i style="">Read alouds, demos, logs, and creative writing have filled my days and my life with ideas of more effective ways to express myself.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Jacki writes about being a participant in the National Writing Project.<br /><i style="">Participation in each day of the summer institute has given my voice volume and permission to be heard.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Marcel writes,<br /><i style="">Relationships, silver and gold, were highlighted this week after I was chef on Monday morning.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Amalia shares her thoughts about managing time during the summer institute.<br /><i style="">My day is going well! I started my morning with a nice two mile run, which I completed in 35 minutes. It was so relaxing and rewarding. The rewarding section has a lot to do my time. I was overjoyed with my time because lately I have not been running. It was also rewarding to encounter people who greeted me in such a friendly and encouraging manner. They all complemented my pace and made comments such as "Keep it up!" Besides my running, I am glad that I managed to be on time to my wonderful Appleseed Writing Process (class). Yesterday was very embarrassing to be late. I hope my day continues going well!<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yZ6uUMKrE5HAfALLQx0g1x92bXif33o4EdaTZtbq5MOiHfy6-8N71SmHC-M0clGKanL0cltnIkwCgN9xh792zMJbcBWad12mRbxnfBrhft_-a1PGrHPF9a2ixdA0MYuea7VNf71Eyvc/s1600-h/Land+of+the+Free+Flag.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yZ6uUMKrE5HAfALLQx0g1x92bXif33o4EdaTZtbq5MOiHfy6-8N71SmHC-M0clGKanL0cltnIkwCgN9xh792zMJbcBWad12mRbxnfBrhft_-a1PGrHPF9a2ixdA0MYuea7VNf71Eyvc/s320/Land+of+the+Free+Flag.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220128004026417954" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="">Jane Swanson (included image) reminds us,<br /><i style="">While planning for a weekend of fun in the sun and the excitement of exploding fireworks, I paused to think about the families who have lost loved ones for our country and my privilege to enjoy the freedom for which their sons and daughters have died</i>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""> Dkzody writes about being an educator.<br /><i style="">Even though I am living at a reduced pace, I still managed to get all my yearbook computers set up for the 2009 book.</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">Amy Kenyon writes about the 4<sup>th</sup> of July.<br /><i style="">Tom Petty concert tonight, barbeque with family tomorrow, parade and fireworks on Friday - what a week!</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">Bill G writes,<br /><i style="">Leaving behind the real world to see the world through new lenses as I travel from Pennsylvania, Canada, New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Virginia and back home to the real world. It makes a difference in your outlook on life and things. It recreates your social imagination.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">Larry Ferlazzo’s big realization of the week:<br /><i style="">I'm teaching English Language Learners during summer school in a room without a screen for the first time -- why did I never think before of projecting on a whiteboard so I, and students, could annotate projected text? It's so much easier than using a transparency.</i><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypz77iTmzBOot6xctaXDisK3zzOvCQ83jet37hWAL1XSJ3FEzlh99S6AhebkKP3H8s9iaBNGKXO_L_vGigulYSBFs1-ZjnA2UhJZskfU_C4CrwvucaKJZ2f4u6n6SF0T0FPpg-9skAOk/s1600-h/carrot-seedling.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypz77iTmzBOot6xctaXDisK3zzOvCQ83jet37hWAL1XSJ3FEzlh99S6AhebkKP3H8s9iaBNGKXO_L_vGigulYSBFs1-ZjnA2UhJZskfU_C4CrwvucaKJZ2f4u6n6SF0T0FPpg-9skAOk/s320/carrot-seedling.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220127862837217538" border="0" /></a><br />Sara P-C (included photo) writes,<br /><i style="">My favorite tenants in my tiny 4x4 foot garden (thank you Square Foot Gardening and my patient husband...) have to be the miniscule carrot plants, with their thin crab-grass first leaves, crowded into friendly cliques because I was a little overzealous with the post-seeding watering</i>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">samccoy says,<br /><i style="">Think of summer as a time for clearing the mind of all the great ideas we have during the school year, a cleansing experience</i>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Blogger In Middle-earth shares a verbal image with us.<br /><i style="">Tall stony pillars in juxtaposition,<br />Wires in a matrix traversing the vision,<br />Sparrows perched affably cuddling each other,<br />Bobbing together,<br />Cocking their heads to cheer one another,<br />Scorning the weather.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5azsbN63ry6nO40jRAhvLqAkCvezLoDVzAXy6Z6HrWmtIrxwf8zf58LK3Bh5gWWeHCWghz2Gjh9cayPG98TOW4dW5qek0kbLa4iCgsgL550kgCYvPEu_Kakbk4fLWBFXpzh9x-qJ8ZQ/s1600-h/lasco1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5azsbN63ry6nO40jRAhvLqAkCvezLoDVzAXy6Z6HrWmtIrxwf8zf58LK3Bh5gWWeHCWghz2Gjh9cayPG98TOW4dW5qek0kbLa4iCgsgL550kgCYvPEu_Kakbk4fLWBFXpzh9x-qJ8ZQ/s320/lasco1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220128617367751922" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><st1:city><st1:place>Tracy</st1:place></st1:city> found an image from a <st1:street><st1:address>Brighton street</st1:address></st1:street> artist named Lasko that she felt depicted her sentence.<span style=""> </span>The direct link to the image is <b style=""><a href="http://www.woostercollective.com/2005/04/24-week/">http://www.woostercollective.com/2005/04/24-week/</a> </b>where you will see the<b style=""> </b>original content posting.<b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">This week, my first week of summer vacation, is lovely yet I find myself already thinking of next school year - I need to remember that I exist outside of teaching because I think that is the only way to put all of myself into my teaching.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsQN-6Xhsv834X5lnRmo9dwnjZ-4tfMLNIm5L8luZF8DGewN6EFoBdFp1t90fhG2X4uOZi2rHKEE6k5QLxE9QNaoNTwkLnMS_5Z__RLMrbQ65HuncfV16mG1ka7IhvOQPrI5KK8PPMYk/s1600-h/2637425054_444d2d9d67.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsQN-6Xhsv834X5lnRmo9dwnjZ-4tfMLNIm5L8luZF8DGewN6EFoBdFp1t90fhG2X4uOZi2rHKEE6k5QLxE9QNaoNTwkLnMS_5Z__RLMrbQ65HuncfV16mG1ka7IhvOQPrI5KK8PPMYk/s320/2637425054_444d2d9d67.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220127532494482786" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Lilya shares her thoughts about motherhood (photo included).<br /><i style="">Oh, the proud mother's heart beats faster as her darling little one plays his part at the concert as if it that was all he did! <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Matthew writes about the 4<sup>th</sup> of July holiday.<br /><i style="">Fireworks and hot dogs abound during week one of vacation.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdUUbHxCWg7CDFdsN_sKRWqYIEGr2MnpKzkvrqQTLwJTqMUXn6i8ZcNCNqFSl9WQQTt3gsydK4teGR6MJPVHp1szuMrCisMWmKCT4m7NdTa07IsayjALZiOY1Si_QCsW3V9bDebl2sHs/s1600-h/Outing+087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdUUbHxCWg7CDFdsN_sKRWqYIEGr2MnpKzkvrqQTLwJTqMUXn6i8ZcNCNqFSl9WQQTt3gsydK4teGR6MJPVHp1szuMrCisMWmKCT4m7NdTa07IsayjALZiOY1Si_QCsW3V9bDebl2sHs/s320/Outing+087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220128513925552898" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Paul B writes,<i style=""><o:p></o:p><br />Finally figured out who had the last piece of cake after downloading the pictures from the camera--darn kids.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcmAOcYQCN63haeMafirh3ncvJdsVxuhFJOBKblvBYK_mNvOSqGl8r18plEtDbQ4Qkyw-FEHcFYUYzRdlH6YT-GzB1ior5Kst03UEzMHGeUP01jLKhblsZM7qB4WqyiPVOHiFV8SuBJI/s1600-h/DSC00251.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcmAOcYQCN63haeMafirh3ncvJdsVxuhFJOBKblvBYK_mNvOSqGl8r18plEtDbQ4Qkyw-FEHcFYUYzRdlH6YT-GzB1ior5Kst03UEzMHGeUP01jLKhblsZM7qB4WqyiPVOHiFV8SuBJI/s320/DSC00251.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220143962664367922" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Elona H writes,<br /><i style="">This week I've been taking advantage of the cooler weather and spending my time getting caught up on my gardening.<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Bk writes, </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">This week has been all digital for me. Well, not all, there was also the 4th of July to fold in and I hope I did justice to everything. Our SI begins tomorrow and my new DS log goes on display for the group to see. It was fun creating it for sure and now out to the public it goes.<br />Here's its link:<br /><a href="http://homepage.mac.com/blkdrama/iMovieTheater29.html">http://homepage.mac.com/blkdrama/iMovieTheater29.html</a><o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXe5k6RKG_nkBg63mvHJKoyIh2vR9vigXHDYGxGr26vCWL8J64SWF_rMoEKxFRyIl-DQXrSTzFTdJUQgzOiO5yH668vU-xnKkAhgtllzxo0p0bkHVbcdVk3TvbWz_88bDJjg5SSZ3PqA/s1600-h/empty-feeder.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXe5k6RKG_nkBg63mvHJKoyIh2vR9vigXHDYGxGr26vCWL8J64SWF_rMoEKxFRyIl-DQXrSTzFTdJUQgzOiO5yH668vU-xnKkAhgtllzxo0p0bkHVbcdVk3TvbWz_88bDJjg5SSZ3PqA/s320/empty-feeder.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220128317774331970" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">J. Hawk bought a hummingbird feeder last week and have lots of hummers feeding...but no pictures yet.<br /><i style="">"Put it out, and they will come," I told Mr. Hawke when I put the hummingbird feeder in the Wal-Mart cart. And come they did!</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjec6E-55Gn0oEBOdvpUvxY2_hTOEQ0aKApk5kg3lP1OiY9eqEJn52M5VXSfLMj_UsTXYZvepccnW904AALf4tN_MwgZyJkZLXLk2a3bb-Uq7EbI8oiNXm99jtu7gJzFIwNxvhLdS2qrLM/s1600-h/DSCN9033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjec6E-55Gn0oEBOdvpUvxY2_hTOEQ0aKApk5kg3lP1OiY9eqEJn52M5VXSfLMj_UsTXYZvepccnW904AALf4tN_MwgZyJkZLXLk2a3bb-Uq7EbI8oiNXm99jtu7gJzFIwNxvhLdS2qrLM/s320/DSCN9033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220143851511670674" border="0" /></a>The final sentence was created on the 4th of July by yours truly.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Weeded, trimmed, edged, mowed, exhausted, sore, and satisfied-all in a day's work.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">I am happy to be a part of a collaborative community who can come together and create such a rich collection of perspectives.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></p>Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-50418152136144142332008-07-01T08:08:00.005-04:002008-07-01T08:29:52.096-04:00Day in a Sentence (or two)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXS2FIYccajOn-6i_ATu0y7Jdkd4SE_5FUEV9qzdXQ6CPP6jCgD2MFrUD9YiWIuza9gi-p6ykB4oZbZDWMtWlOpDl7UGf3xBQCF7xsjK7Eb43bSq_w3vz9JK2XGum_gux7mjxyzIU6fo/s1600-h/Dayin+a+Sentence+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXS2FIYccajOn-6i_ATu0y7Jdkd4SE_5FUEV9qzdXQ6CPP6jCgD2MFrUD9YiWIuza9gi-p6ykB4oZbZDWMtWlOpDl7UGf3xBQCF7xsjK7Eb43bSq_w3vz9JK2XGum_gux7mjxyzIU6fo/s320/Dayin+a+Sentence+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218021775996448146" border="0" /></a><br />I am very pleased and privileged to be a member of a group of “digital explorers” formed by electronic leader and <a href="http://www.nwp.org/">National Writing Project</a> colleague Kevin Hodgson, technology liaison for the <a href="http://www.umass.edu/wmwp/">Western Massachusetts Writing Project</a>. I am honored to be the guest host for this week’s collaborative writing activity, <a href="http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/category/day-in-sentence/">Day in a sentence</a>.<br /><div>As I was preparing to post this call for writing, I jumped over to <a href="http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/">Kevin’s Meandering Mind</a> to find a very interesting new tool. I thought it would be great if you would consider adding a photo or snapshot to reinforce your sentence. If you do not have a photo, it is still perfectly fine to post your written sentence the words alone. Since I am a visual arts teacher, I love to see visual representations whenever possible. Check out Kevin’s posting for <a href="http://taggalaxy.de/">TagGalaxy</a> as well. It is an amazing visual display.<br />The Technology Focus Group Blog was initiated to document evidence of professional development. Our writing inquiry was based on the use of online resources and digital media to research exciting, innovative writing practices that we could use in the classroom.<br />I hope you will join us this week by sharing your “week in a sentence” or your “day in a sentence.” Post your “day or week in a sentence (or two)” by leaving a comment under this post. I will gather then throughout the week and release them to the world on Sunday.<br /><br />As a sidebar, if you have an image to share, you may have to send it to me separately from the post. I am not sure if you can post an image on the comment section here. Just e-mail the image to barbkuntz at comcast. net. Please remind me of your name and post.<br />I will happily display the image with the post.<br />Thanks so much for sharing your inspiration with us!<br /></div>Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-18252260873760016882008-06-28T17:07:00.005-04:002008-06-28T17:32:34.094-04:00Amazing Photo Tools<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://taggalaxy.de/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYq99v-qBEJ7MIVVbXND6rhPSOgftLLPzz84N4lw8CUZH10MQy8FQ622Gm5cpVItCjc2cEnN8cZdEmA5F31s5bKD5xBbKOB3oMjAdE4laEVzAASwuuASfsoKkEYwWCluaD_32rmaxupC8/s320/TagGalaxy+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217047515235274930" border="0" /></a><br />I just spent the better part of today playing with a new website called <a href="http://taggalaxy.de/">TagGalaxy</a>. It is a wonderful display of photos tagged on Flickr. I realized that I could create a unique tag for my own photos and see a interesting display with this tool. If you type in <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Indianabloom</span> in the tag name you can see the images I have taken over the past two years. I can see plenty of applications in an art room. I can't wait to share this with my students in the fall. A great application of this web tool would be to allow your students to select a specific photo and tell a story about it. I plan to post artwork on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a> to display for the school this year. TagGalaxy is a great application to display artwork publicly.Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-61399116681365808432008-06-22T12:21:00.006-04:002008-07-07T12:45:02.940-04:00Vocabulary Images<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfIsxAk-8vrWjWRPCL3Ib1d59WEWPhipFmT7hgoSdtGpPmnJWvClRLkirweEd34DLaFgALjACF_YHWqtLmUQxCmTgKVWX-g9wpTXDE3h49-gf6E9VBtkk6QhgnARldtavwiP380XOrso/s1600-h/AWP+08Emotions.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfIsxAk-8vrWjWRPCL3Ib1d59WEWPhipFmT7hgoSdtGpPmnJWvClRLkirweEd34DLaFgALjACF_YHWqtLmUQxCmTgKVWX-g9wpTXDE3h49-gf6E9VBtkk6QhgnARldtavwiP380XOrso/s320/AWP+08Emotions.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220313649148343922" border="0" /></a><br />One of my friends pointed me to another new web site that is incredible if you love words and images. <a href="http://wordle.net/gallery?username=artsmartie525">http://wordle.net/gallery?username=artsmartie525</a> I hope you will check out this site for creating simple images of vital vocabulary. I know my students will see this site quite often in the coming months. What a great way to share new vocabulary in an interesting and visual approach. The tool menu is quite easy to use and you could print out the image if you need to place it in the hands of your students. I love this Web 2.0 tool.<br />Check out the other image I created with our 3, 2, 1 exercise from the summer institute. I asked the participants to jot down <strong>3 emotions</strong> felt when hearing the word "technology", <strong>2 utilities </strong>that they wanted to learn, and <strong>1 application</strong> that they felt comfortable teaching their students. This is the list of our community spirit about technology. <a href="http://wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/33364/AWP_E-motions">http://wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/33364/AWP_E-motions</a>Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-7294418681181719502008-02-01T15:35:00.000-05:002008-02-01T15:44:59.149-05:00<div align="center"><strong>2007 National Writing Project Conference </strong></div><div align="center"><strong> New York City, New York<br /></strong><embed pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="288" height="192" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fartsmartie525%2Falbumid%2F5162110869292187761%3Fkind%3Dphoto%26alt%3Drss"></embed></div>Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-84450593107946346162008-02-01T14:33:00.000-05:002008-02-01T15:21:02.254-05:00<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HmRGGyam2YofhT1BAsRlT4LakxspLAZFeRZrveZuvmILrLsegBw8aovQVWAm4HT8IUy5DF4yVO55ws7mrip8DPCWsVdSHyS4WCu-ttRW91N6eKrBZRvbytW5h61If5j_fmAy15xd31Q/s1600-h/ICE2008.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162108103333249106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HmRGGyam2YofhT1BAsRlT4LakxspLAZFeRZrveZuvmILrLsegBw8aovQVWAm4HT8IUy5DF4yVO55ws7mrip8DPCWsVdSHyS4WCu-ttRW91N6eKrBZRvbytW5h61If5j_fmAy15xd31Q/s200/ICE2008.JPG" border="0" /></a> In January 2008, I attended the Indiana Educators Conference in the Indianapolis, IN. I am the building technology coordinator where I teach visual arts to elementary students. As the technology coordinator, I am obliged to learn about new and current technology tools.<br />My focus at the 2008 ICE Conference was podcasting. I attended two special sessions on podcasting; the how, the why, and the creation. I am very pleased to have learned about podcasting using both, Apple and PC formats.<br />In November, I attended the 2007 National Writing Project Conference in New York City. It is very exciting and rewarding to attend the NWP conference. I always gain a great deal of professional development by attending sessions led by some of the best teachers of writing in the country.<br /><div align="justify">Now, I must use what I have learned to encourage other teachers to integrate technology in their writing instruction. I am very excited about the upcoming Indiana Network Retreat in February where, we, the technology liaisons from all five writing project sites in Indiana, will demonstrate some of the newest Web 2.0 tools.</div></div>Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-65075196671384416292007-07-08T16:03:00.001-04:002008-02-01T14:30:33.986-05:00Professional Development<div>I recently completed a segment for an ABC Movie Project <a href="http://techstories.edublogs.org/category/abc-movie-project/">http://techstories.edublogs.org/category/abc-movie-project/</a> conceived by Kevin Hodgson. Kevin is the technology liaison for the Western Massachusetts Writing Project <a href="http://www.umass.edu/wmwp/">http://www.umass.edu/wmwp/</a> of the National Writing Project.<br /><div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">If you are interested in the collaborative efforts of some the technology liaisons of National Writing Project, <a href="http://www.writingproject.org/">http://www.writingproject.org/</a> from across the United States, click on the following link <a href="http://dogwritingideas.wikispaces.com/ABC2007">http://dogwritingideas.wikispaces.com/ABC2007</a> to view the Master Page for the collaborative on-line ABC Movie project. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Kevin and Bonnie Kaplan offered an opportunity to join this experimental on-line project to the NWP technology liaisons. I was interested in learning how to make a digital story. I must admit, my understanding of a digital story was not what I thought it be. I figured that I would just take some video with a camcorder and load it to the computer and them upload it to the Internet. It wasn't that simple and I quickly realized that I did not know how to accomplish my segment of the project. I had to do some creative problem solving to get it accomplished. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">The following link will take you to my segment of the ABC Movie Project titled "Little T" for Technology, <a href="http://techstories.edublogs.org/2007/06/18/little-t/">http://techstories.edublogs.org/2007/06/18/little-t/</a>. I hope you enjoy our collaborative efforts. I learned a great deal from this project. </div></div></div>Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-86043481842999449922007-06-25T16:13:00.000-04:002007-06-25T17:27:46.360-04:002007 Reflection Tech Focus<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> As I look back to the beginning of January, I think about how much we have accomplished on our journey with technology during our 5 month Technology Focus Group. I wanted to share basic technology skills that would encourage other teachers to jump on the TECHNO-bandwagon. I seem to get electrified when I get around computers. I guess some of my fellow teachers would just shake their heads with disbelief when I talk about how excited I get with every opportunity to learn something new about computers. I have gained a plithera of knowledge about digital media, the computer's inner workings, and utilizing Internet products, and yet, I know so little. </span><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Our Technology Focus Group used an on-line collaborative document on Google <a id="pa1" onmouseover="return ss()" href="http://www.google.com/pagead/iclk?sa=l&ai=Bq73sKCWARq3EJIToigGei9X8D_21vx3l_dDsAvWNwPUNwLgCCAAQARgBOABQ08is9v7_____AWDJxqyI9KPIEJgBnIcBmAGYoAagAcfYj_wDyAEB2QPBaCGNDWc48A&adurl=http://www.google.com/google-d-s/b1.html">Docs & Spreadsheets</a> to discuss our individual technology needs during our 5 month study group. I lead the tech group with a reasonably, brisk pace through Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point. We also experimented with a social bookmarking <a href="http://del.icio.us/">http://del.icio.us/</a> tool, and as a final meeting we began posting to this TechnoSeeds blog <a href="http://technoseeds.blogspot.com/">http://technoseeds.blogspot.com/</a> to share our reflections from the past 5 months. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">In retrospect, the journey was very successful. We had our share of frustrations along the way. I have always felt that the learning process includes a few growing pains. We dealt with Snow Days out of school on some of the days we were scheduled to meet. The Google doc. made it possible to have an on-line conversation even when we could not meet face-to-face. There were scheduling issues from time to time that posed challenges. Additionally, there was "the plan" to use an Internet product that did not quite work the way I had intended to use it. We tested it and found out I needed to go back to the drawing board. Good thing I am an art teacher! We were able to find a resolution that worked even better than I had anticipated. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The participants gained more knowledge and confidence, including realizing the computer wouldn't exploded on contact. We are all at different levels of learning. I found a high level of frustration myself when I committed to an on-line collaborative digital storytelling project. For some strange reason I thought I would learn how to do things "I did not know" through osmosis, or something. It did not happen. I had to do some creative problem solving to complete my task. It was a humbling experience that reminded me that we all learn at individual rates. Some of us need extra time and instructions. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">At our final face-to-face meeting we used a microphone and digitally recorded the conversation. This will enable me to approach podcasting with a tiny experience in my tool belt. My involvement with the digital storytelling project prompted me to learn to record on my computer which, in turn, was shared with the tech focus group. I also continued to gain knowledge about being a team leader and sharing technology instruction.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">In conclusion, I must say that I am very pleased with our experience and I look forward to the opportunity to lead or participate in another tech focus group if there is a group of Teacher Consultants who are so inclined.</span></div>Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-2203965534852661242007-06-13T12:08:00.000-04:002007-06-17T23:22:12.613-04:00Tech Focus Reflections<div align="justify">Participating in the AWP Tech Focus Group has been an exciting adventure for me. I feel so much more confident with technology. Notice that I did not say that I feel comfortable. But--I do feel confident enough to charge forward and explore many of my technology questions. I am looking forward to the next phase of my adventure.</div>technoseedlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13756964575381235465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-59583149308176210282007-06-13T11:54:00.000-04:002007-06-17T23:21:43.755-04:00Technology Reflections<div align="justify">I am a public school Elem. Art teacher. I have one computer in my classroom and have had very little training in computer technology. I used a Mac for years and felt comfortable with it. My school corporation decided that all new computers being issued were going to be PC. I did not know anything about programs on a PC. I panicked.<br />I had the opportunity to be a part of a technology focus group which met once a month for 5 months. Goals were established and each month questions were asked about technology mechanics that we wanted to answer. Our sessions focused on different topics each month.<br />I think back on these many months and have some comments to say. I found out from this experience that not only am I a visual learner but I also have to take notes on procedures as I see them being done. My advice to anyone that is a visual learner is to definately take notes so you can go back and follow the steps to successfully run computer technology programs. I did learn some Excel procedures which helped me set up a grade sheet for my different classes. I also confirmed the fact that I am a beginning learner for PC programs and it was hard to have our teacher teach at a faster pace than I could keep up with. I was reminded of my own teaching in the classroom that I have to try to hit that medium paced range of instruction so that I can help those that are behind and further those that are ahead. I do think that by participating in this focus group I was exposed to many new things in a smaller setting. I only wish that could be the case at my school on a regular basis.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4396747025685858282.post-37166081646194106682007-06-13T11:39:00.000-04:002007-06-27T14:49:07.021-04:00In the Beginning<div align="justify">I am happy to say that we have spent the last five months asking technology questions that apply to our collective classrooms in regards to teaching writing to students. You have to learn the "how to"s before you can teach them to someone else. This has given us a chance to develop some technology tools that are being used during the summer institute for the Appleseed Writing Project in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I am certain that I have learned a great deal by being the leader of the first Technology Focus Group. I get very excited when I have an opportunity to learn new technology skills. I held my first two video conferences this year. I provided technical support for two of my colleagues who held video conferences with teachers from Texas in March of this year. Through the process of meeting with our technology focus group, we collectively created a Google document. While we realized that it was a fantastic tool, we found it was not the right tool for blogging for the summer institute. In February, I set up my first private blog that is being used for the summer institute. This is our public blog for teachers who are interested in discussing technology. I am certain that there will be others who would like to pose technology questions that are nagging at them as educators. I look forward to those future adventures where we will have a chance to discuss more technology questions at the heart of teaching students. </div>Tech Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04475343017934749358noreply@blogger.com0