YouTube Video

I know this isn't totally related to our MILI grant "things", but this was an interesting venture into creating a video for posting on YouTube with my robotics students.  This was filmed, edited, and posted by student team members as a requirement for one of the 2009 First Robotics Challenge awards.  Enjoy!

Thing 4 Online Productivity Tools

I spent a few hours this weekend checking out Thing 4's Online Productivity Tools, and I've implemented a new iGoogle homepage that includes links to gmail, google reader, a to do list, weather, mortgage rates, places to visit pictures, facebook link, and things to ponder.  Like my MILI peers, I too felt like I was swimming in Web 2.0 opportunities.  There is soooooo much available on the web that I often find the hours slipping away before I actually accomplish the top things on my to-do list.  The only thing I have yet to successfully add to my igoogle page are email feeds from other accounts (i.e. I have multiple gmail accts for different purposes).

I also spent time planning my class lessons and documenting the plan on the Assign-a-day calendar tool.  I did like typing out my thoughts with dates, titles, and descriptions.  I found it satisfying to think ahead and get my plan in writing.  The only downside that I have found for this particular tool is that I can't link it "live" to my school web page....or at least I haven't figured out how to do this yet.  It appears that I can share the calendar with a colleague, but not with students???!!!  This limitation seems a bit weird to me.  So if you're reading my blog and know a way around this little hiccup, let me know.

Well, back to work...I want to go to sleep tonight with my planning done through Thanksgiving.

In the news...

Wednesday was busy day.  During the school day I took a group of Washburn girls on a High Tech Girls Society field trip to Lockheed Martin to celebrate Women in Engineering.  We left at 8:30 and returned at 2:30.  They listened to presentations related to all fields of engineering, toured the facility, built electromagnetic motors, and participated in a tower building contest.  Whilst all of this was happening I was chosen to be interviewed by WCCO News.  The video can be viewed at http://www.wcco.com/video/?id=50389@wcco.dayport.com

Upon returning to school I took another group of Washburn students to the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology.  They are participating in a program called, A Taste of Science and Engineering, and will get a chance to work with college students, professors, and organizations to learn about the different math, engineering, and physical science programs at the U.  

Thing 3...Research Projects & MILI

So I finally motivated myself to look over Thing 3: Research Project Calculators & Dribbling.  As I reviewed some of the great organizational tools I thought, "How handy."  As it seems with many of the "Things" we discuss via the MILI grant I first think of how they apply to the scholarly life of my biological children before I think how I'd apply them to my classroom.  How would this tool keep family feuds to a minimum when learning that the research paper they've known about for 3 weeks is due in 3 days (UGH!!).  I like that an inanimate object can guide them through the process of choosing a research topic, creating a thesis statement, and sending them hounding emails re: what they should be doing to complete their literary assigment.

This time, however, my FIRST robotics team was in the forefront of my thoughts as I reviewed all of the support documents for creating a video.  The Millerbots have been tasked with creating a PSA (public service announcement) to promote robotics in high schools across America.  None of us on the team have done anything more than brief video clips that end up on facebook or You tube and we are feeling a bit "novice."  I think that many of the storyboarding worksheets, copyright and fair use info, and the video production step-by-step guide will really help this project move forward.  As is the goal with most of what happens related to high school robotics the adults try to facilitate rather than direct student achievements.  I hope they (the students) are as excited about these tools as I am. 

I also checked out the Google Educators links.  It looks like attending the Google Teacher Academy may be something I need to add to my life's "to do" list.  

As for the challenges related to using all of these great resources......TIME.  I don't have enough minutes in the day to do it all.  It would be great if as a building a committment would be made to introducing these tools consistently to all kids and then when the opportunity arises to use them it is not necessary to spend significant time "teaching" the process.  It would be nice to just create a step in the assignment that reads:  Step 1 - create an RPC for this assignment!  (and everyone would know what you're talking about).

As for dribbling.....hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Who'd a thought.....

Who'd a thought a year ago I would be spending halloween night passing out treats to tricksters AND blogging.  Tonight I've multitasked on various levels via the wonders of wifi.  My grades are done, my facebook is updated, emails are read and/or ignored, comments made, bills paid, and replies sent.  I'm also proud to say I did all of this without eating any of the candy I was passing out...obviously I wasn't passing out chocolate. :-)

Happy Halloween everyone!

Google Docs

I've become a fan of google docs and am promoting it to my kids....in this case I'm referring to my own children, but think that I am doing a dis-service to my classroom students if I don't also share the benefits of this internet-based tool with them.  I have promoted the use of collaborating with my children and peers via google docs recently in two very different scenario.  

Scenario 1: A daughter has to write a science lab report for school.  Using google docs, allows her document to be waiting for her at school if there are a few spare moments to jump on a computer during class, and it doesn't matter if she has the latest version on a flash drive.  We also use google docs so that I can proofread her writings from anywhere...a week ago we collaborated in this way while I was in a Fargo, ND hotel room....we chatted via gmail, collaborated via google docs, and spoke on the cell phone when we needed to discuss something in depth.  It was wonderful.  This afternoon (a Sunday) she just yells up the stairs and tells me things are ready to be reviewed and I open the document between other computer tasks, give my feedback, save & share, and she's back at it.  Very cool!!

Scenario 2: Grant writing.  The Washburn Robotics team is applying for a grant from NASA and I was collaborating on the writing of the grant with the other advisor.  I wrote up my responses in google docs while sitting at a Caribou one Saturday morning and then he could open it at his leisure and add too it.  The only hiccup we had was that google docs did not let him edit our document if he used firefox, but internet explorer and safari seemed fine.  Not sure why that happened....  But, overall I love that we're not constantly wondering who has the latest version or when it was last updated.  Google docs keep track of it for us.

Now, I'm still not comfortable putting ALL of my files on Google docs, but for the times I have, its been great.  Try it, you might like it.  :-)

promethean vs. smart boards

20+ electronic white boards have been installed at Washburn over the past few weeks.  It has been funny to listen to the students talk  about them and compare their features.  Some think the smart board is better because of its tangible eraser and colored pens....others love the promethean board and its stylus.  So far, I like my promethean board.  I like that if my hand drags as I write it doesn't affect the message on the board.  I've played with the handwriting recognition program, and think that it has merit.  I'm still trying to figure out how to use my visualizer/document camera and promethean board simultaneously....I think I have to reconfigure the wiring.  Training next Wednesday should cover this.  

As for my MILI training last Wednesday...(sigh).  By mid-week I was already tired and rushing to make it to Ramsey on time.....I was late (sorry Karen).  It took me a bit to settle into the assignment of checking out advanced google features and de.lic.ious.  I think it will be awhile before I think de.lic.ious is yummy.  :0   

I'm feeling inundated with "new" things to do.  There have been so many meetings (plc, ilt, pbis, mili, site, conferences, robotics, staff development, etc...).  Add to that family commitments, grading for end of quarter, staying late to help kids in my computer lab and the days are a blur.  My year has been great to date....but I could use a little down time.