"Floogle" and Mass Absences: Put the technology to work

How might we prepare for the inevitable mass flu?  We can prepare by monitoring it via google or cdc tracker.  

Visit Flu Trends

or 

Flu Activity from CDC

This might be a good time to think about how the district might prepare for 30,60, or 90 students and staff being absent at one time.  No doubt we have the technology to continue 'school' it would just be a matter of creating the lines of communication using online tools, Edline, StudyWiz, and email, esp. student emails.  I have spoken with the nurse about this and she has sent me a link to a webinar for mass absences.  But the best source to deal with it is us.  

The Smell of an Apple

I worked many years surrounded by PC's and Toshiba laptops and so as I stood on the steps ready to walk in the door it felt like I was leaving the PC world behind. What would these people look like, I wondered? Would there be a distinctive smell? Would there be swearing in ceremony? Would they know my background...I mean, would I stick out? I can tell you they found me before I found them. I could not locate the exact building among many at Pineland so when I called the MLTI office and asked how I could find the building from the cafe (I called from the front steps of the entrance... and I always find coffee), the voice on the other end of the phone said turn to your left and start walking, I can see you from my office. And when I was pointed in the right direction, he said to look for the Apple sign. Did I find Apple or did they find me? Oh...and Apple people look like PC people and nothing smelled sour.

MLTI Tech Lead Training 9/24/09


Not a fan of trainings that give detail on "easy" stuff and speed through more complicated stuff. For ex., navigating asset manager is pretty "easy" and a lot of time was spent here, but study wiz - 15 minutes! Ugh! I'll defer to teachers, OJT, and Scott to refine my skills. So, I share the frustration with learning new stuff and why cram trainings don't work. So what does work? To learn Study Wiz, collaborate on best ways to maximize time by focusing on pieces of the whole, sharing what we know, use those who are experienced with, talk about why we want to or should use it? If we are Mac-centric, then we should learn the Mac suite of tools...supported by the many open-source options (that's my plug for Open Source)



Three things from MLTI training that stuck out:
Back up (easier said than done)
Spend no more than 8-10 minutes troubleshooting MacBook issue - call help desk!
Mac care and bag - there is a right way and a wrong way to put a laptop in bag

Scott, Literacy sites, and a Word Cloud

Many people I know that I have been shadowing Scott throughout the district and the more I follow the more I know this is the best way to acquaint myself with staff, students, and technology assets. More important, working with Scott has been an invaluable educational experience to say the least: he has been the consumate teacher for me and has more than impressed me with his knowledge and patience. Thank you, Scott!!!!

I know literacy is the buzz here and here are some websites that might help:

http://www.spellingcity.com/

http://www.visuwords.com/

http://www.freereading.net/


The following Word Cloud summarizes my week. Word Clouds are great for introducing discussions about themes and plots and a good way to introduce vocabulary. View the following and come to your own conclusions:

Watching the TUBE

YouTube access requests were many this week and until we install a multi-tiered security and access platform by-passing MSLN will be cumbersome. BUT here are some alternatives to accessing videos......Check these out....Hope THESE aren't blocked!!:)

Watch Nat'L Geographic Films and NOVA specials free.....at

SnagFilms

This SchoolTube video at   http://www.schooltube.com/video/41261/Hope-for-Technology-A-conversation-with-Digital-Natives 

And view this site in any language:  http://dotsub.com/

Studying flash cards with Quizlet (Goes well with the Cornell NoteTaking System) has been a great way for students to study terms.  Also, you can make quizzes for students...and if you don't have time to create your terms list search for classes studying similar terms and use that for your students to study....

Another site that I only tinkered with  is Ediscio

My First Week at LF

My first week certainly affirmed what I already know:  Teachers are heroes who do more with less...and I was nothing less than inspired.  On the technology front teachers expressed that technology needs to work to be effective: I agree that printers not working is unacceptable.  It made me think that if a teacher has to take attendance and walk to a printer and it takes 4 minutes to do so- if everything is working correctly - the monetary cost per year is astronomical and the human cost not replaceable.  The cost of paper and ink alone frightens me:  What would be a strategy to save? Is centralized printing cost effective?   I digress only to reveal this fact:  The art of teaching lies in how best teachers manage the 43-50 minutes of instruction time and technology glitches should not disparage learning time. (Would block scheduling work?) Ideally, technology should seamlessly support instruction time more not distract it.  So...it has to work.  In the business world (or any world) time is money and some say that a response and a solution to a technology glitch should take 3- 10 minutes.  Of course, that is assuming resources are optimum - and they should be, since we are talking about valuable resources - like students and teachers.  The next month or so will give us a more adequate and up to date infrastructure, a strategy will be created to support the infrastructure, technology and asset management will afford us cost-effective decision-making, staff, student, and stakeholder support will increase, especially if we could have a couple of staff in each building assisting Scott  (and myself) with tech issues.   Things will get better on the technology front.