Using Flickr to Eliminate Those Boxes of Unsorted Photos
March 25
Even with the advantages of digital photogtaphy, we too often end up with a “pile” of unsorted pictures on our computers. In this session we talked about the use of Flickr, Picasa, and other sites for storing and sharing photographs.
PowerPoint Slides
Video
Tech 20 Session 9 from Greg Dhuyvetter on Vimeo.
Additional Resources:
What’s All This Fuss About Twitter? And if I Have 100 People Following Me, Where Am I Taking Them?
March 12, 2009
Twitter is one of the most talked about web apps right now. Ene if you don’t participate, it’s good to know about what it is and how people are using it. This week we introduce the Twitter service, give a listing of terms and uses, and explain how to set up a Twitter account.
This week’s PowerPoint slides
Video
Tech 20: Session 8 from Greg Dhuyvetter on Vimeo.
Additional Resources:
www.delicious.com/gdhuyvetter/twitter
My Twitter name:
Three Great FREE Word Processors: Shhh, Don’t tell our Microsoft Overlords!
March 5, 2009
Microsoft Word is a wonderful word processor, but it is not the only one available. For a long time technological progress was measured by how familiar a person was with the Microsoft Office Suite, but now it is possible to use different tools and not lose the ability to communicate.
This session focuses on three free word processing options. Openoffice.org is a productivity suite with many of the features of MS Office. Both Google Docs and Buzzword are online word processors which offer convenient storage and sharing options.
PowerPoint
Video
Tech 20 Session 7 from Greg Dhuyvetter on Vimeo.
To learn more about any of these issues, or to access the word processors, see my bookmark page at www.delicious.com/gdhuyvetter/altwp
…since I have written a post, and a VERY long time since I’ve written about my personal passion, the net book.
Without being too cocky I do believe that I called this one right. The net book (or as they call it on BuzzOutLoud the not-book) has taken the market by storm and is quickly populating Starbucks everywhere.
I’ve been asked by several teachers and parents to recommend a netbook. Though I don’t feel comfortable recommending a specific product, I want to write a scenic overview from which you can take whatever you want.
Though several companies make these machines (I am waiting for the Fisher-Price netbook any day – the Pampers netbook?) i think there are three main players and two alternates in the field. Here are the big three in no particular order:
1. The Asus eee PC
Asus was first to the game and have developed the form to where it is now. The most confusing thing about the eee is that they have released SO MANY MODELS! One needs to look at the stats very carefully when ordering in order to get what you want.
The eee is available at Amazon, where you can probably find the best selection and good prices. If you are impatient, it is also available at Target, though they will only have one or two models
2. The Acer Aspire One
Full disclosure here, I have not yet touched an Aspire. I have included it in this discussion based primarily on reviews I have read and the general reputation of the machine. Depending on model, the Acer is probably the least expensive for a quality product. The Acer can be purchased online and at Walmart stores as well as all the usual online sources.
3. The Dell Latitude Mini
Dell was later into the netbook field, but they have entered with a strong machine. The keyboard is probably the most comfortable of the three. It is slightly more expensive than the others, but still a great deal. I haven’t seen this machine available anywhere but directly through Dell, so you can’t try before you buy (of course we have one here if you want to look at it).
There are two other names in the field, the MSI Wind and the HP Mini-note. I
Delicious & Social Bookmarking: A Tasty Way to Organize the Internet
February 26, 2009
Del.icio.us or Delicious.com is a valuable site to find, save, organize, and share bookmarks. Through the use of tag words you can quickly identify and find relevant sites, your own, and those tagged by others.
PowerPoint
All links for today’s session can be found at www.delicious.com/gdhuyvetter/delicious
[slideshare id=1075125&doc=mdw2k1usersgdhuyvetterdelicious-090226153453-phpapp02]
Creating Your Own Blog with WordPress
January 29, 2009
Everyone should try her or his hand at blogging. Blogging allows you to share your thoughts, experience, and expertise with the world and to connect with people of similar interests
PowerPoint
This week’s links:
Free Blogs
WordPress
Blogger
Live Journal
Resources
Blogging in Plain English (video)
http://www.commoncraft.com/blogs
How to Create a Blog
http://www.2createawebsite.com/traffic/create-free-blog.html
Blogging for teachers
http://mark.blogspot.com/2005/03/blogging-for-teachers-part-1-what-are.html
Blog Rules for Educators
http://www.edtechmag.com/k12/issues/november-december-2006/blog-rules.html
Legal Guide for Bloggers
http://w2.eff.org/bloggers/lg/
50 Useful Blog Tips for Teachers
http://www.teachingtips.com/blog/2008/07/21/50-useful-blogging-tools-for-teachers/
Article: Values and Difficulties with Teacher Blogs (Us News and World Reports)
Overheard in the LeVecke center:
Copyright and Fair Use: My Life in Crime
January 15, 2009
Issues regarding copyright and fair use have become more challenging for teachers in an era of easy access and digital duplication.
This session dicusses the definitions and rules for appropriate fair use in an educational environment. Also introduced is the concept of Creative Commons and what these new licenses might mean for educators.
PowerPoint
Links for this presentation
Videos on this Subject
Copyright for Educators (series)
http://www.youtube.com/user/KOCETV
Copyright 101 for Teachers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzlry1c76nc
Creative Commons – Get Creative
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io3BrAQl3so
Other Resource Sites
Teacher First Resource Listings
http://www.teachersfirst.com/getsource.cfm?id=7493
When Published Works Pass into the Public Domain (Chart)
http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm
Creative Commons
Creative Commons Search
http://search.creativecommons.org/
A Crash Course on Copyright
http://www.utsystem.edu/OGC/IntellectualProperty/cprtindx.htm#top
10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained
No, I’m not talking about swordplay. I’ve been thinking often recently about two contradictory forces that are affecting our decisions in the world of technology.
FORCE 1: Expansion
The principle of web 2.0 is open communication. It is hoped that these tools can help move us and our students from passive consumers to active participants and content producers. The insular world of the office or classroom is passing and giving way to open models of digital communication.
As teachers we want to engage students in this brave new world. A class is not limited to rooms of desks for five hours a week. More than any time in history, education is available any time and any place. I’m hearing exciting examples here and elsewhere of teachers conducting on-line discussions, encouraging student blogging, and even having students use tools like Twitter and instant messaging. Some of these efforts are amazing. Some are poorly devised and unsuccessful. But all of them are important steps in expanding the definition and realities of education.
FORCE 2: PROTECTION
Just as we have never had so many tools for communicating with students, we have never been as concerned with safety and liability. The actions of the irresponsible and reprehensible have made schools and teachers rightly obsessed with safety and liability. This force takes several forms including sheltering students from age inappropriate materials and giving them tools to avoid cyber-bullying. However, it also relates to communication in social media. When I hear about exciting examples of teachers using these tools, my teacher enthusiasm is always tempered by my administrator sense that this is a potential liability for the teacher and the school.
I’m not sure what the answer is to this. I know that we can build some of these tools into our own servers so we will have greater oversight and teachers and students more protection. But I’m not completely sure whether we do students good or harm by building up walled gardens when they will be spending their lives in a wilderness.
A student learning how to drive a car may spend a very short time working on a training course, but as soon as the basics are mastered, the student has to navigate city streets and freeways. The reason for this is not that we want to put students at risk, but because there is no point in navigating a protected course…it’s not where they are going to drive. Similarly, while we need to teach students skills and safety before they go out on the digital highway, this is going to be where they drive….uh, surf.
I welcome your comments.
10 Great Podcasts for Educators (How to Claim Your iPod as a Business Expense)
December 18, 2009
Podcasts are a great way to learn. These portable lessons allow you to “time shift” and access the material you want when you have time to listen (or watch). This session presented a group of podcasts that you can use as a starting point in discovering this new media.
PowerPoint
Video
Links for this workshop can be found at www.delicious.com/gdhuyvetter/podcasts