Time for another speedy list of Websites to preview, and hopefully use!  I've given you the name of the site or tool, along with a link to the site and a short description. 

21Classes - http://www.21classes.com/

21Classes lets teachers set up and manage a multi-user blog solution with independent blogs for students instantly and easily.  A class can have its own portal, where all students have their own blog.  It gives students a platform to discuss topics covered in class outside of school.  It is a free service for classrooms of up to 10 students providing 1 MB of Web space for each of the 10 accounts.

(Price for premium - $79.00 per year)

AwesomeHighlighter - http://www.awesomehighlighter.com/

Awesome Highlighter makes it easy to highlight text on a Web page and once you are done, it gives you a link to the highlighted page so you can share it.  It’s easy to do – simply insert a Web page address in the provided box and click Highlight Page.  It then takes you to your desired page and allows you to highlight any text on the page.  When you are finished, click Done at the top of the page.  You will then be presented with a page that includes the highlighted portions plus the link that will take you to the highlighted page.  If you just want the highlighted portions, you can email it, copy it to your clipboard, or share it to twitter, delicious, facebook, or wordpress.  You can register for free in order to save your highlighted pages to review later. 

Board800 – http://board800.com/

Board800 is an interactive whiteboard application that allows the user to draw, include text, work with an image, etc. online and then save the work to use later as a .png or .jpg file.  It’s quick and easy if you want to draw something quickly and save/share it with someone. 

Cacoo – http://cacoo.com/

Cacoo is a site where you can create diagrams online and then save them and share them as desired.  A free account is available with limited features, but you can create and save a diagram that includes text, pre-drawn images, etc.

(Price for Plus plan - $49 per year; $4.95 per month)

CoSketch - http://www.cosketch.com/

CoSketch is a multi-user online whiteboard designed to give you the ability to quickly visualize and share your ideas as images.  It uses simple sharing – anything you paint will show up for all other users in the room in real time.  One click will save the sketch as an image to use later.  It is free and does not require registration, plus it runs in all common Web browsers without extra plug-ins or installations. 

Creately - http://creately.com/

Creately is a visual document manager with a central repository and built-in collaboration.  Create diagrams of all kinds and access the data from anywhere.  An extensive library of ready-made templates is available.  No registration is required to try Creately. 

Dabbleboard - http://www.dabbleboard.com/

Dabbleboard claims to be the “whiteboard reinvented”  Dabbleboard is an online collaboration application that’s centered around the whiteboard.  With a new type of drawing interface that’s actually easy and fun to use, Dabbleboard gets out of your way and just lets you draw.  Both free and paid versions are available.

Drag on Tape - http://www.dragontape.com/#/home

Drag your favorites onto a timeline and share your mixes with friends.   You can also quickly look at the featured, new, hot and popular mixes shared by others.  If you want to make your own, simply get an account, find your favorite clips on YouTube and insert them.  Share or not – you decide. 

EditGrid - http://www.editgrid.com/

EditGrid is an online spreadsheet service.  It uses the majority of features that Excel® has, but also allows sharing, collaboration and publishing, is live data and delivers on demand.  You can check out spreadsheets created by other users, too.  They include a Quick Tour you can scroll through at your own pace.  The most popular feature is the real-time collaboration.  Personal accounts are free, and a business side is offered for $5 per user per month (with a 30-day free trial). 

FlockDraw - http://flockdraw.com/

FlockDraw free online whiteboard based painting and drawing tool which allows you to draw in real time with others.  You can have unlimited people in a room and the drawing updates in real time.  Use different colors, shapes, and text.  There are public lobby rooms where you can try it out, but be careful, since anyone can draw in these rooms, some of the content may not be appropriate.  You must have Flash installed for it to work. 

Googlios - http://sites.google.com/site/googlioproject/

This site is intended to be a collection of resources for those interested in using ePortfolios in education.  There is a short intro video to watch.  There are also examples to see and other videos to watch about ePortfolios.  There’s a piece for instructors as well. 

Grou.ps - http://grou.ps/home

Grou.ps is a do-it-yourself social networking platform that allows people to come together and form interactive communities around a shared interest.  It is easy to use and takes five minutes or less to be up and running.  There are 70+ templates to choose from to customize your group.  You can make your group public or private.  There is a tour available so you can learn how to create a group, customize the look, post content, invite friends, and much more.  It is free to try, but paid versions cost from $2.95 to $29.95 a month, depending on the membership using the group.

GroupTweet - http://www.grouptweet.com/

GroupTweet allows 2 to 100,000+ contributors to tweet from the same account.  Contributor names can be displayed or hidden and multiple contributors can be controlled through message moderation.  There are both free and premium accounts.  The premium costs $4.99 per month, but is what’s needed for message moderation and a few other features. 

Kidblog - http://kidblog.org/home.php

A safe and simple blog for students, designed for elementary and middle school teachers to use.  It’s fast and free and allows students to publish posts and participate in discussion within a secure classroom blogging community.  Teachers maintain complete control over the student blogs. 

Kizoa - http://www.kizoa.com/ 

            Kizoa is a slideshow maker, a collage creator and a photo editor

which is fun and easy-to-use, online, and free to join.  You can create slideshows with effects, text and music; make collages from templates; edit photos with filters, effects, and frames; and even share your work online (e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Websites, YouTube) or burn to a DVD.

Knowcase - http://knowcase.com/

Knowcase is a fast, easy and free tool for capturing and organizing information.  For individuals and groups.  You can quickly save ideas, notes, to do lists, etc. and then organize everything using drag-n-drop features.  When you’re done, you can share your lists with a team, co-workers, students, parents, etc.

LucidChart - http://www.lucidchart.com/

Create professional charts and diagrams with Lucidchart.  Drag and drop shapes quickly help you start your design.  An overview video is available and educators can request a free account. 

MeBeam - http://www.mebeam.net/

Using MeBeam, you can instantly video conference.  There is no need to download anything or signup or login.  MeBeam is 100% free.  Simply type in the name of any video room and then tell people to meet you in the room.  You can chat while you utilize the video.

Middlespot - http://middlespot.com/index-m.php

Create a personal dashboard across all your devices.  Middlespot is the simplest way to view, read, and watch your documents, photos, links, and videos on all your devices.  Take 30 seconds and create your own dashboard to suit you with simple drag’n’drop, resize and rotate features.  Each dashboard has a personal Web address.  Share it on Facebook, Twitter, e-mail or embed in your blog or Website.  Basic accounts are free, but Plus accounts are available with more features.

Mindmeister - http://www.mindmeister.com/

Mindmeister claims to be the leading online mind-mapping tool.  You can sign up for a 30-day free trial.  Personal accounts are $4.99 per month, but they also offer Pro and Business accounts. 

Mixbook - http://www.mixbook.com/

Mixbook allows you the creativity to create your own custom photo book by choosing a design, adding photos, and making adjustments.  You can add photos from many different sources and select thousands of pre-designed themes.  (You can also make cards and calendars.)  Check the Gallery for some ideas.  If you sign up for their e-mail list, you get a 20% coupon code.  If you are wanting to use Mixbook with students, you can sign up for the Mixbook Education Program. 

Muvee Cloud - http://cloud.muvee.com/

This site allows you to bring together photos and video.  Albums are by shared by invitation only.  Invited guests don’t need to sign up for the service to view your albums.  You can also create fun home movies by choosing the content, the style, and the music.  With the click of a button, a muvee is made!  Muvee Cloud is a paid service, but they do offer a free unlimited 15-day trial membership.  The premium membership plan is $19.95 per year. 

PrimaryPad - http://primarypad.com/

PrimaryPad is a Web-based word processor designed for schools that allows students and teachers to work together in real-time.  This site offers a video guide on its use and you can start creating a new pad without signing up for anything.  You can sign up for an education account, though, for free for three months.  (It also looks like a school can have a Pro account for free for twelve months.)  There is a Teachers link on the menu bar that includes links to Lesson Ideas.  (The other two sections are not available as yet – Lesson Plans and User Guide.) 

Protagonize - http://www.protagonize.com/

Protagonize lets you explore your hidden writing talent.  You can create and develop your own stories, discuss and refine your writing style and technique, follow your favorite stories and authors and discover the works of talented authors.  Accounts can be created for free. 

Splashup - http://www.splashup.com/

Splashup, formerly Fauxto, is a powerful editing tool and photo manager.  It’s easy to use, with the features professionals use, and works in real-time.  You can edit many images at once.  Splashup runs in all browsers, integrates seamlessly with top photo sharing sites, and even has its own file format so you can save your work in progress. 

Stinto - http://www.stinto.net/

With Stino you can create your own chats in seconds and invite people to join by simply sending a short link.  All you need is a modern browser – no download, no installation, no registration required.  Stinto can be used for business conferences or just to chat about things you care about – and new features allow you to share photos, sketches and other images. 

Story Jumper – http://www.storyjumpger.com

Publish your own children’s book with StoryJumper.  StoryStarter helps you write a story in just seven steps.  You can use their art or your own drawings and photos to illustrate your story.  You can share stories online for free, but they also offer hardback versions for a price.  You can view several examples right off the homepage.

SweetSearch - http://www.sweetsearch.com/

This is a search engine for students.  Every Web site in SweetSearch has been evaluated by research experts.  It is free and a student (or adult) can simply type something they are searching for and click Go for a list of results.  (Be aware, it is not as comprehensive as Google or Yahoo – for example, searching for Caldwell County Schools + Kentucky does not find the actual CCS Website, but finds other sites that mention CCS like yp.com and city-data.com. 

Tgethr - http://tgethr.com/

Tgethr is an easy collaboration tool for groups.  You can join for free and groups are private.  The free plan includes 1 group and up to 5 users with 250MB of storage.  Be aware, though, it will include some small ads.  They also have three plans – Plus, Basic and Starter.  Starter is the most popular and costs $6 per month.  It includes up to 3 groups with unlimited users and 2GB of storage.  To start a group, simply develop a group e-mail (i.e. earnestgroup@tgethrcom), name the group, and then include the e-mails of the people you want to be in the group. 

Thinklinkr - http://thinklinkr.com/

Thinklinkr is an easy way to create and share outlines.  Leave Thinklinkr open for a day and use it to organize your thoughts – you won’t ever want to turn it off!  They have three plans – basic (which is free), pro (which is $5 per month) and business (which is $5 per month per user).  When you register for the basic account, you will see a message about the 5-minute tutorial and the fact that it automatically saves. 

Twiducate - http://www.twiducate.com/

Twiducate is social networking for schools.  You can have your students connect to a private social network.  You can also have other teachers and students connect to your network across the globe.  If you are a teacher, you can sign up for Twiducate for free.  It is the perfect solution for elementary and secondary students.  Rather than having your students sign up and enter an e-mail address, you sign up and create a class code.  Using this code, the students login to your class network.  Students can answer questions, collaborate on problems, and even embed pictures and videos.  A teacher has full control over the network.  This is very simple to use.

Voxopop - http://www.voxopop.com/

Voxopop, formerly Chinswing, is a voice-based e-learning tool.  Talkgroups are a fun, engaging and easy-to-use way to help students develop speaking skills.  They’re a bit like message boards, but use voice rather than text.  Talkgroups can be public, restricted, or entirely private. 

Wallwisher - http://www.wallwisher.com/

Wallwisher is a new way to communicate.  It is an online notice board maker, ideal for making announcements, keeping notes, etc.  It’s easy.  It’s effective because you can say more with images, music, and video and it’s intuitive because it works like a real notice board – simply drag and drop to re-arrange.  You can view a demo wall and a screenshot to get some ideas.  You start by building a wall – simply enter your name and e-mail address; choose a wall URL; decide who can view and/or post (you can even mark it so that you approve every post before it shows up on the wall – good for teachers!); select a theme; and give it a title and a sub-title.  And start posting!

WebCanvas - http://webcanvas.com/#0,0,1

            WebCanvas is the world’s largest collaborative painting. 

WebNotes- http://www.webnotes.net/

WebNotes is a tool you can use right from your Web browser to highlight and add notes to Web pages.  You can stay organized and search your notes and even share your notes via e-mail, Twitter, etc.  Look at the features to try it out for yourself.  The Lite version is free.  The Pro version is $35 a year and the Platinum version is $300 a year.  (Be aware this does not seem to work on Macs, nor does it work for certain browsers, like Firefox 11.0)  It did work for my Dell’s Internet Explorer, though, and I could see many uses for it – both as a classroom tool with students or in a training session with other professionals.

Wiggio - http://wiggio.com/

Wiggio is the easiest free way to work in groups.  You can host conference calls, create lists and tasks, send messages, manage events with a shared calendar, poll the group in real-time, and upload and manage files in a shared folder.  Students and teachers can use Wiggio to collaborate on projects, case studies, labs, study groups and class initiatives.  This one may be a little more complicated than others, but it has lots more features. 

WikiDot - http://www.wikidot.com/learnmore:education

WikiDot for education offers an unlimited number of members, 5 GB for file uploads, and much more.  It is free for educational/research purposes.  After registering for an account, you will be directed to design your homepage.  You can then share this page with others. 

Woices - http://woices.com/

Woices is a site where you can find multitudes of “tours” by people just like you!  Signing up for an account is free and you can prepare and upload your own tours, plus listen to others.  You can record an “echo” which is a short vocal account of the place you are describing or a “walk” which is a collection of echoes, which may be more appropriate for a walking tour style of presentation.  You can search for different “tours” – for example, there is one (obviously done by a student) about the Kentucky Derby in Louisville.  This could be a good alternative to the normal stand and deliver type of presentation by students in a classroom. 

Wordia - http://www.wordia.com/

This is a free resource, which enables teachers to build a game to help students with vocabulary.  Games can be played by students and can be used as challenges to other students but to other schools as well.  It is completed in three easy steps – add the vocabulary, build the game, and engage your students.  Teachers can create a free account, but students can have accounts, too.  Teachers can have control over who accesses their games.  This would be a good idea for keyboarding classes since one of the games is to type the words. 

Wridea - http://wridea.com/

Wridea is a Web service is a way of gathering ideas, sharing with friends and organizing the content.  Create new idea entries in seconds, update details, discuss in depth and categorize under different pages.  If used with a projection system in a classroom, this could be a neat way to share ideas with students.  As they have an idea during a brainstorming session, simply type the entry in Wridea for all to see. 

Writeboard - http://writeboard.com/

Writeboards are sharable, Web-based text documents that let you save every edit, roll back to any version, and easily compare changes.  Use Writeboard to write solo or to collaborate with others.  Three simple steps get you started – simply name your Writeboard, give it a password (only those with the password can access it), and enter your e-mail address.  (You have to agree to the terms of service, but they are the usual.)  You can then type away!  You have the ability to invite others to collaborate if you wish simply by entering their e-mail address.  They are then sent the URL for the Writeboard, along with the password.  This could be used with students, but it would also be a great way for teachers to collaborate with each other, especially between schools. 

Zooburst - http://www.zooburst.com/

This is a digital storytelling tool, which lets anyone easily create his or her own 3D popup books.  Using ZooBurst, storytellers of any age can create their own rich worlds in which their stories can come to life.  Start with the Gallery to see some examples. 

If you have been reading the last few entries, you will note I have been sharing information from the KySTE Spring Conference.  It was a very valuable conference and I hope if you have never attended, you are encouraged to do so next year.  There are so many sessions to choose from and very simply, the connections you will make with other educators across the state is invaluable.

Jim McKinney led several sessions on technology and I learned a great deal from him.  This last session I will cover was entitled "Hiding in the Web".  McKinney explained that the Internet is self-sustaining, paid for through the purchase of IP addresses and therefore, no one technically "owns" the Internet.  In 1969, Arpanet was begun and is considered the early forerunner of today's Internet.  The body with the driving force is the United States through the Department of the Interior, however there is an issue now about the United Nations taking over the "control" of the Internet.  Since the Internet is pretty much a "free" entity all its own, it is very difficult to take cases to court.  As McKinney pointed out, sometimes a subpoena for records in Kentucky is hard to execute because the Internet company may be in California or even Canada or Mexico or somewhere else in the world.

Lots of factors complicate researching cases involving the Internet.  Wireless connections create problems, encryption creates problems and several Internet companies are out there just for the purpose of making it easier for people to "hide in the Web".  Here are some examples shared by McKinney:  Spoofing - allows the user to put false information in an e-mail header; Telnet - allows for remote access which enables your computer to be taken over and used remotely (known as a Zombie); Anon Remailer - is a service which enables the sender of an e-mail to send the e-mail to them and then they forward it with a new header; Anonymouse - can delay the delivery of e-mail up to 12 hours; and Crazybone - a free tool used to send e-mails which appear as if they are coming from others.  McKinney also noted Web browsers can "leak" information about where you are going on the Web, what you are doing on the Web, etc.

Law enforcement use every tool available to track criminals on the Internet.  However, many of the tools are free for anyone to use.  The American Registry of Internet Numbers is one of five regional Internet registries providing Internet resource allocations, registration services and coordination activities and is a great place to start if you are wanting to find out more about IP addresses.  ARIN is a non-profit corporation which manages the distribution of IP v 4 and IP v 6 addresses.  ARIN serves Canada, many Caribbean and North Atlantic Islands, and the United States.  Simply type an IP address in the SEARCH Whois box at the top right of the ARIN homepage and search to find out more about the address.  Also, ARIN has information about IP v 6, ARIN at a glance, IP addresses and Domain Names, etc.  Go to the site and see what you can learn.  (There is also an equivalent for Europe called RIPE.  They, too, have lots of information to help you understand IP addressing and much more.)  Check it out - go to ARIN and search for 170.185.50.19.  It should show as an IP associated with the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).  Interesting, right?

McKinney also shared some ways to check your computer to make sure it is not being used without your knowledge.  Check your processor periodically - if you're not doing anything and it is really running, that may be a clue.  To check this on a Mac, it's very simple.  Go to your Applications folder and look for the Utilities folder which should contain the Activity Monitor.  This is what will show you how your computer is being used.  One way to check performance on a Windows computer is to go to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Performance.  This provides a nice graphic, too, about how your computer is being used.

Another good Web site which has an abundance of free tools is CentralOps.  These tools are free for everyday, interactive use with no login required.  If you want more features, you can register for a paid account, but you get 50 free service units every 24 hours as an anonymous user.  Some of the tools available are Domain Dossier (which allows you to investigate domains and IP addresses); Email Dossier (which allows you to validate and troubleshoot email addresses); Browser Mirror (to see what your browser is revealing about you); and more.  For example, go to the Domain Dossier and type in "caldwell.kyschools.us" and click Go.  The IP address will show as well as all sorts of information like the Registrant Organization being the Kentucky Department of Education.

The last piece I want to cover is about documentation.  If you receive a suspicious e-mail or see something posted on the Internet which is incorrect and perhaps inflammatory or derogatory, you should document it.  You can use the print screen feature of your computer or use screen capturing shortcuts to preserve what is showing on the screen.  You can also print e-mails which contain the expanded header information.  There are also paid services which can be useful when documenting, such as Camtasia, Snagit, etc.  One caution - if you use a camera or cell phone to take a picture of a screen, make sure you save the image on a removable media card.  Otherwise, if the case goes to court, law enforcement may confiscate your entire camera or cell phone as evidence.  If it's saved to a media card, you can just deliver the media card and not lose the use of your camera or cell phone.  Another issue - if you are investigating something like child pornography, be extra careful, because as you document instances, you may be preserving the image on your own equipment (your computer, your cell phone, your digital camera, etc.).  Make sure you completely and permanently erase such images after they are obtained or used  by law enforcement or attorneys in court. 

Again, I hope you have learned something over the last few weeks as I've shared the information from the various sessions I attended at KySTE's Spring Conference 2012.  It was a very valuable three days and I encourage you to attend next year and even consider presenting a session yourself!  We can all learn so much from each other, so don't be afraid to share your knowledge. 

I trust everyone had a nice week off for spring break and returned to school/work refreshed and ready to face the last few weeks of the school year.  This is always an exciting time for students and staff - demonstrating what we know on tests and preparing for the Class of 2012 to graduate and all other students to be promoted to the next grade level.  Spring is definitely a time of renewal and as trees and flowers continue to bud and bloom, we all should feel a sense of a new beginning and a chance to make positive changes in our lives.  Here's to another great week!

I have been sharing information from sessions I attended at the KySTE Spring Conference several weeks ago and today I want to return to Jim McKinney and sessions he gave on Tracking E-Mail to the Source.  With this week's entry and next week's, I will finish the discussion on the KySTE sessions.   

Most everyone uses some form of electronic mail, or e-mail, today.  In fact, in many jobs it is a required element because that is the main method of communication.  Did you know e-mail got its start in the 1970's?  It's been around for a lot longer than most of us realize.  Since it has been around for many years, it is fairly easy to understand how users have tried to "hide" when using e-mail.  All of us have experienced the spam-type e-mails or solicitation e-mails or suspicious e-mails which contain links and attachments and most of us are smart enough to just delete those.  That is a very good practice to follow!  If you don't recognize the sender and it's not a trusted source, simply delete it!

McKinney noted e-mails have two types of headers.  The first is the memo header which most of us are familiar with - it contains the to, from, subject line, etc.  The second is the expanded header which includes more information, such as the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the sender (well . . . kind of, more on that later).  Right now we are on IP version 4, but they're running out of addresses so IP v 6 is coming soon.  IP addresses are written in dotted quad notation, as a series of four (4) 8-bit numbers; for example, 111.222.333.444.  Each number falls between 0 and 255.  IP addresses can either be dynamic or static.  Dynamic addresses change when you logoff and logon, but static addresses remain the same.  IP addresses are mainly divided into five classifications - a, b, c, d and e.  Classes a, b and c can be searched.  Classes d and e are reserved for various experimental reasons.  Class a = 0-126; Class b = 128-191; and Class c = 192-223.   You'll notice that the number 127 is missing - this is used for loopback purposes and cannot be traced.  IP v 6 will be expressed in hexidecimal, or base 16.  This version will contain 8 segments divided by colons; for example, 2001:0db8:85a3:08d3:1319:8a2e:0370:7344.  Can you imagine having to remember such an IP address?  McKinney also taught about Domain Name Service (DNS), which is the way Internet names are located and translated into IP addresses.  The top level are generic and country codes, like .us, .de, .fr, etc.

Now I realize most of the previous paragraph flew over most reader's heads.  However, the basic information about how Internet addresses and everything is set up and used is crucial to understanding how to read an expanded e-mail header if you are wanting to trace where an e-mail has originated.  According to McKinney, an abbreviated record of an e-mail's journey through the Internet is recorded in the expanded header.  At the basic level, e-mail identifies a person (sender) and the location of that person on the Internet or network.  As you "read" an e-mail expanded header, you read from the bottom up.  If a field has an x prefix, it is not an official field.  The X-mailer gives the service information.  MIME = multi-purpose Internet extensions.  Date and time stamps will show also.  Be careful, though - the date and time stamp is from the computer that sends it (the computer's system time), but that can be easily manipulated.  Very simply, you can just change the system date and time of your computer to change this date and time stamp. 

The expanded header of an e-mail shows the hops the e-mail took from server to server.  IP addresses in both parenthesis and brackets is verified.  Be aware, though, that there are e-mail anonymizers which strip header information.  Also, these anonymizers can delay the sending of e-mail for up to twelve (12) hours.  This can easily throw off someone who is not aware.  For example, someone could show the date and time stamp of an e-mail and then claim an alibi to proclaim their innocence.  Law enforcement and lawyers have to be aware of the work anonymizers do when preparing cases.  Also, McKinney reminded everyone not to just forward an e-mail to a technician or someone investigating a case because once you do that, the e-mail header changes to your information!  Copy and paste the original e-mail, including the header, into a text document for preservation.

Next week I will cover McKinney's session on Hiding in the Web.  I learned one important fact about pictures I didn't know in that session.  Hopefully you are learning right along with me!

This week I am continuing to share information and knowledge gained from the KySTE Spring Conference and want to focus on the sessions by Jim McKinney.  I attended the pre-conference workshop day and the third session of the TIS/TRT strand was on Social Networking: The Dangers of Too Much Information.  I got so much from Mr. McKinney I decided to take two other sessions from him the next day. 

McKinney has excellent credentials.  His background is in law enforcement and he now teaches courses for the academy.  In fact, he is the one who trains School Resource Officers for the state of Kentucky.  He stated everyone is exposing too much information online and putting themselves, and others, at risk.  He gave an example of a soldier in his barracks in Afghanistan, posting a picture online of he and his buddies with his living quarters in the background.  McKinney said it is fairly easy to get the coordinates of where the picture was taken and terrorists could then easily send an artillery unit there to bomb and wipe out the barracks.  That is certainly a scary thought!  Technology is also being used to "flash rob", much like a "flash mob".  In case you don't know, a flash mob is where a group coordination is done through devices like smartphones or tablets, instructing everyone to go to a certain spot and perform a certain task at a certain time.  If you've ever seen the commercial on television where the one man is in a station full of people and he starts a dance by himself and then realizes the time has been changed and his phone is too old and slow to get the information, that's a good example of a flash mob.  Apparently this same method is being used to coordinate robberies.  McKinney is concerned schools do not have enough adults to combat an organized activity like these and that SRO's could be overwhelmed.  It really doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out, in my opinion.

One example given by McKinney was a case which happened in a school district in Kentucky.  Some students copied the district logo from the district Website and set up a Facebook page.  They called school off on a Friday.  This probably would have worked, but someone alerted the district before the damage was done.  Also mentioned was the world of sexting.  Students must be taught the possible future impact of doing such things as posting inappropriate pictures.  Not only can it hurt them today, but in the future, potential employers may find these pictures and a person could lose a job offer because of it.  More and more employers are searching potential employees online to see what is posted on their Facebook page or what comes up in a Google search.  Students need to know that what they are doing today can impact their future.

McKinney gave many facts and statistics about social networking and how criminals are using it for data mining, or pulling particular information from the Web.  It is truly unbelievable how people are using the Internet for criminal purposes, but even more unbelievable how they are using it simply to hurt others.  McKinney specifically mentioned Topix which is a problem because it is anonymous for the most part.  It is difficult to find out information or prosecute cases due to the fact this company is in California, not Kentucky, so they often try to claim they do not fall under Kentucky law.  Also mentioned was My Yearbook which enables video chat and is one of the fastest growing social networking sites.  Facebook, of course, is the largest used social media.  (It was pointed out in a discussion at the recent Region One TIS/TRT Meeting/Training that adults have "taken over" Facebook and that more and more students are moving to Twitter and other social networking sites.)

Another scary thought is the fact meta data is embedded into files we all use, especially pictures.  EXIF data is attached to all pictures.  This information includes coordinates of where the picture was taken.  (Remember the first example given about the soldier?)  You can Google EXIF and download a free reader.  McKinney suggested turning off the location services on your phone to keep this information from going with any photos taken.  Another interesting piece of information is a geolocation.  Geolocation is identifying the real-world geographic location of an object, like a mobile phone or an Internet connected computer.  You can also download software which enables you to change the default geolocation of your device.  This means you can literally "hide" while online.  This makes it more difficult for law enforcement to trace and identify online criminals.  I found some facts about the information which is attached to pictures (jpeg images) and I was not aware of this.  For example, the EXIF information for a simple jpeg image contains the file name, the file size (both of which you might expect), but also the make and model of the camera, the lens aperture, the sensing method, the lens size, and the firmware version.  Other information attached to picture may include the ISO speed rating, the flash information, the type of image it is, the location of where the picture was taken, etc.  It was absolutely eye-opening to me to see all the information attached to pictures.  These readers are for both Mac and WIndows-based computers.  (BTW, EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format, in case you were wondering.)

McKinney ended by calling Google the "evil empire" due to the fact they are archiving all of our data.  However, I would like to point out Google isn't the only online entity to be storing data about our activities online.  Basically the overall point is this . . . if you don't want it out there for the general public, then don't put it online.  If you don't want others to know what you are doing online, then don't get online.  Basically our lives are open books if we are connected to the Internet, whether it be by smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, whatever.  It's like anything else in life - you never can be completely safe and secure and technology just opens one more avenue for criminals and others to take advantage of us.  Always be aware of your surroundings, whether in person or online and act accordingly.

Have an awesome week for spring break and watch what you are doing online!

Continuing to share information gained from various sessions at the recent KySTE Spring Conference, this week I want to highlight sessions on Paper Prototyping, OneNote, Photostory, Machinima, and Broadcasting.  I'll start off with a quote from Keith Barnes of Bullitt County who said, "You give away the durable and you charge an arm and a leg for the consumable."  Examples he gave were: give away the razor, but charge a lot for the razor blades and give away the cell phone, but charge a lot for the data plan.  This made a lot of sense to me.

Barnes led a session on Machinima, the dominant video entertainment network for gamers around the world.  Machinima uses real-time 3D computer graphics rendering engines to create cinematic productions.  The basic steps to creating a film are writing (the script), preparing, rehearsing, capturing, editing, and publishing.  There is a Machinima Toolkit 4 Teachers which can give you a lot of ideas, what you will need, general information, examples, and much more.  For every expensive piece, Barnes had a free or very low cost solution.  He suggested the book, Machinima for Dummies.  There is so much to Machinima and the making of characters and such I cannot possibly cover it here, nor do I have enough knowledge or expertise in it to be very helpful since this session was my first exposure to it.  However, it looks fun and would be very engaging for students, especially those interested in animation, graphics and film types of careers.  Machine + Cinema = Machinima! 

Amy Johns led a session called Paper Prototyping 101.  Thinking about the game design process, Johns explained four ways to engage students in the creation of their own game - explore, discover, create and share.  In the explore phase, students should talk about the different types of games that exist.  (Board, video, card, etc.).  Discuss what they like or dislike about the different games.  Next, have the students discover different types by bringing in samples of appropriate games or pictures of people playing the games.  Allow them to think about a topic for a game of their own.  Third is the creation part.  Students should make a paper prototype to put in front of others to "play test".  This will help them identify holes in their design.  Last is to share - each student or group should be given a few minutes to present their idea and design.  This would mimic the actual sales pitch to an investor group or design company.  It was very interesting to work in a small group of four attendees and come up with a game concept and paper prototype in just a few minutes.  We developed a game for young children to help them identify words that rhyme.  Our idea was to have it published as an app for the iPad or Android device.  What a neat idea!  This incorporates all sorts of skills - critical thinking, creativity, presenting to an audience, etc.

Sharon Sheets gave a short demonstration of OneNote.  This program is fairly standard with Windows-based computers and is part of the Microsoft Office suite in most cases.  (Note: It may not come pre-loaded on the computer and may have to be downloaded from the original install CD.)  Also, OneNote is available for Web access and for mobile devices.  OneNote is basically taking the idea of a binder with sections and putting it into digital format.  OneNote is searchable so you can easily find something you have documented.  It has a drag and drop feature, can record video and audio, works with Outlook, can be shared using SkyDrive, etc.  OneNote is great for teachers who can't make a meeting - simply record the meeting and the notes and then share the notebook with them at a later time.  This is a very visual program - you can create a cell anywhere on a page to type and it has flexible formatting.  You have the basic tools that come with most Microsoft Office products, so it is familiar and you don't have to teach new skills.  Sheets suggested you start with something small, but to start right away.  The more you use OneNote, the more comfortable you will be.

Microsoft Photostory is another product used by several schools.  In this session, two teachers/media specialists gave some great ideas on how this could be used, even with young students.  The one project which caught my attention was to write your own fairy tale.  After discussing fairy tales, students create pictures in PowerPoint to use in Photostory later.  Individual slides in PowerPoint can be saved as .jpg files.  (You can also use pictures from the Web, but make sure you cover copyright and documenting resources with the students.)  If it is easier, you can always get some pictures or drawings and have them in a centralized location for students to quickly grab and download.  Once Photostory is opened, it's basically as simple as importing the pictures, putting captions on the pictures (if desired) and adding audio.  (Note - the presenters suggested you use a headset with a microphone because the computer mic may pick up too much background noise, especially if you are in a computer lab setting working as individuals.)  You can add music if you want, using the pre-loaded music of Photostory or by importing your own.  (Again, watch copyright laws and documenting.)  The end product results in a .wmv file which can then be shared and shown.  An idea for cross-curricular collaboration is to have students get ideas and facts from their social studies class, write the script (story) in their language arts class, and then create their Photostory in their technology or media class. 

Getting a broadcast going at a school is not easy, but the rewards are great!  John Paul II Academy has been in existence for six years and as the school came together from three other schools, they had lots of equipment to piece together for a studio.  The presenters gave various ideas on low or no cost equipment as well as information on making the broadcast work successfully.  For example, there should be cue cards made for slowing down, speaking up, smiling, etc.; having the principal speak every Monday or Friday; have special guests come on Tuesdays or Thursdays (including both school staff and students and outside guests); using props for certain occasions or seasons (i.e. Mickey Mouse's birthday? Use a stuffed Mickey Mouse on the anchor desk).  For their school, the broadcast is mainly an 8th grade effort and all 8th graders participate in some way throughout the year so everyone is on camera at least once.  Another idea to get excitement for the next year is to take the 7th graders on a field trip to a nearby television station.  If that won't work, see if someone from the television studio will visit your school to talk to the students.  Also try to involve students who aren't normally involved in some other organization like band, sports teams, etc.  Find students who might need this outlet of expression.  One suggestion was to have a training day over the summer to prepare the next group for the next year.  One of the attendees mentioned the Student Television Network which is a nationwide organization.  They offer week-long camps in Springfield, Missouri, every summer.  It takes more than one adult to run the broadcast.  Make sure you cover everything in case someone is out due to illness, professional development, etc.  Planning ahead saves a lot of time and effort. 

Next week I'll return to Jim McKinney and continue my "series" on the KySTE Spring Conference sessions.  Have a great week!

Today's entry might be a little longer than usual because I want to start giving some information about what I learned at the KySTE Spring Conference.  I attended so many wonderful sessions and hope some of what I learned will be of value to you.

I attended the pre-conference workshop day and took the TIS/TRT strand.  The first session was a panel discussion on "Surviving the TIS/TRT Experience".  Most of the schools, big or small, are finding the same difficulties and the same successes, so that was good to hear.  We're all in the same big boat apparently!  One of the issues mentioned was keeping students focused and one of the panelists said we should never forget we're in the business of educating students, not promoting technology.  Also, it is important teachers and technicians work together - technicians must understand the classroom, not just the technology side.  One other important point was we should train teachers first so they feel very comfortable with using the technology before they try to use it with students.  One idea was to allow the technician to co-teach a lesson integrating technology, not just allow the TIS or TRT to co-teach.  Another idea was to consider having short PDs twice a month - offering a single-focus training each time.  For example, have an after-school session on document cameras or have a before-school session on a spreadsheet program with the focus of making charts.  Another panelist mentioned administrators should also be using and modeling technology.  Otherwise, how can they do walkthroughs and evaluations appropriately?  An emphasis was to not just give staff a Website or tech tool and leave them on their own, but rather to show them how and where they can use it.  My thought after this session was "sit and get" which is an old adage which implies the person actually "gets" what we are teaching.  Instead, what we usually do in technology is "show and go" - we tend to show them a cool tool and them leave them on their own.  One last thought for this session was to let the instruction and curriculum drive the selection of the tech tool you use, not the reverse.  Too many of us are getting on the bandwagon and purchasing the latest and greatest tech tool and then don't have a way to utilize them fully and they end up in a closet or corner somewhere.  So, be careful what you purchase and make sure you have a solid purpose for the purchase.  Don't just buy the tool because it's cool!

The second session was on comparison shopping and many hand-held and personal devices were discussed.  There are so many to choose from and pros and cons of each were given.  Again, though, the emphasis was on considering the apps and features you want before you buy.  The suggestion was to talk with teachers about what they want to do and then purchase the most appropriate device.

The third session was on social networking and the dangers of having too much information available online.  Jim McKinney was the presenter and he was so interesting, I decided to take two more sessions from him.  I will reserve that information for next week's blog entry.

The last session of the day was a tech resource smackdown.  Various people showed quick Websites and apps.  I will end this week's entry with some of those tools:

Isle of Tune - This is a universal app for the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and can also be played online.  The descripion says "Create musical journeys from street layouts.  Roadside elements are your instruments and cars are the players."  You can  browse shared tunes others have created or create an island all your own.  I would suggest you take a look at some of the shared tunes to start to give you some ideas of what can be done.  This would be a great app/site to use in a music classroom!

TourWrist - Have you ever wished you could take a panoramic shot of something but didn't have the special camera or lens to do so?  Now you can!  You can shoot panoramas with your phone or camera.  They have a video which shows you how it works.  It really is fascinating.  I haven't had time to really explore this in depth, but from what I understand the general idea is that you take lots of photos and they are then seamlessly put together to make a panoramic view - all around, up and down.  Neat!

OnLive Desktop - Unleash your Tablet.  This is what the Website says as it offers both an iPad app and an Android app.  Supposedly you can create and revise Microsoft Office (r) elements like PowerPoint(r) and Word(r).  Again, I haven't had time to get this app and see what it's all about, but if it does what it says, it could prove to be an invaluable tool. (Hint: You must go the actual Website and create an account there before you can access the app.)

ClassDojo - This claims to be real-time behavior management.  According to the site, you can improve student behavior and engagement by awarding and recording real-time feedback.  You can print or e-mail behavior reports to easily engage parents and staff.  Save time by recording behaviors and accomplishments right in class with just one click.  Once you register (it's free), you can take a tour of how it works, using a demo class.  Remember the old method of putting a name on the board and putting hash marks as the day progressed?  This is an online version.  You can set up your class and then award either positive or negative marks.  For example, under positive you can award a point for Participation, Helping others, Creativity, Great insight, Hard work or Presentation.  Under negative you can subtract a point for Disruption, Late, No homework, Disrespect, Interrupting or Out of chair.  If you have a smartphone, tablet or iPod Touch, you can use the device as a remote control which allows you to award points from anywhere.  The most interesting aspect of this to me is the Report Cards feature.  When you finish the day (or the class), you can go to this section and see a visual of positive/negative performance overall for the entire class (no names).  This could really be a incentive if you were going to reward an entire class in some way - for example, if we have 90% positive awards, we'll not have math homework on Friday this week.  You can also e-mail the report cards to the parents of individual students by entering their e-mail addresses.

HowJSay - A free online talking dictionary of English pronunciation.  Simply type in a word and hear the pronunciation.  I tried to stump it by entering "supercalifragilistic" and it worked!  Pretty neat tool, especially for English language learners.

These are just a few of the apps and sites mentioned and hopefully you will find something you can use in your classroom.  Have a great week and I look forward to sharing information from the sessions by Jim McKinney next week.  I will leave you with a couple of quotes from Scott McLeod who was the guest speaker for the conference . . .

We used to be passive receivers, now we're active producers.
What once was local is now global.

Just FYI - Infinite Campus has announced some new hands-on virtual labs which are now available.  To access them, you'll need to login to the Campus Community.  (You can also find the link on the Staff Resources page of the Caldwell County Schools site.)  If you already have an account, simply login.  If not, you can click the link labeled "No CampusID?" and follow the instructions to register.  When you login, look for the Knowledge Base link on the top menu bar and then click on Hands-On Virtual Labs on the left menu.  You will then see information about the labs and should notice the following are available:  Attendance Clerk, Nurse/Health Clerk, Principal, Register (District Edition), Register (State Edition Linked), and Teacher.  Check them out soon!

 

I have returned home from another good conference.  The KySTE (Kentucky Society for Technology in Education) spring conference was held in Louisville March 7-9.  As usual, the conference was full of interesting sessions and terrific people from all across the state.  KySTE is a membership-based organization but their membership fee is very low compared to other professional organizations - if you are interested in learning more about them, go to the KySTE Website.  Their membership year runs from July 1 through June 30 and is only $25.  You receive complete access to the site, as well as conference discounts (they have a one-day event in the fall and a two- or three-day even in the spring).  Also if you want to look over some of the resources posted from this year's spring conference, you can click here.  Even if you didn't get to attend the conference, you might find some session titles which interest you and the resources may be enough to get you started.

Because I was gone for three days last week, I am playing catch-up this week, so this blog entry will be short and sweet.  I hope to get all my notes organized sometime in the near future and will be sharing information I learned at the KySTE conference through this blog.  So, check back next week!

I will leave you with something one of the STLP students told me in a hallway while waiting for a session to begin . . . "The past, the present, and the future walked into a bar.  It was tense."  

Did you miss me last week?  I can't seem to get over this "Kentucky Krud" as some would call it.  Doctors and nurses will tell you not to be around others until you are fever-free for at least 24 hours.  That's hard to do in some cases, because you might feel okay, but still have a fever.  With all the changes in the atmosphere lately, it's no wonder my head and body have had difficulty adjusting.  I may be getting to the point where I am allergic to the atmosphere here in West Kentucky just as I was diagnosed in Oklahoma.  (That's another story for another time.)  Anyway, I am dealing with the dizziness and the low-grade temps from day to day.  I hope this week finds you in good spirits and good health!

This week will be an interesting and fun week for me.  I will be attending the KySTE Conference for three days and even have the opportunity to present one of the sessions and facilitate another.  I am excited about my session on the Thinkfinity Community.  As I work on my Ed.D. online, I find it essential to have contact with others through an online format.  The Thinkfinity Community provides this for Kentucky teachers FREE of charge!  You can't beat that deal!  The attendees of the session will go away with their Community account established and information on how to connect with colleagues.  The session I am facilitating is on the Digital Divide.  What I hope to find through the session is how districts across the state are dealing with the "haves" and "have nots".  With all the emphasis on integrating technology, my concern is with those districts who cannot afford one-to-one projects and what we are doing to ensure all students have access to the technology they need to complete assignments and learn.  In this day and age, we'd like to think we are far removed from the one-computer classroom, but that is not always the case.  I'm looking forward to seeing what other districts are doing in this area of integrating technology.

I have been seeing lots of "smackdown" sessions about technology, both online and on site.  What "smackdown" generally means is to give you as much information as possible in the shortest amount of time possible.  For example, I've attended a Webinar about 20 tech tools in 20 minutes and just last week saw a Webinar given by Kathy Schrock which included 60 tech tools in an hour.  So, to me, a "smackdown" is giving information at the rate of one tech tool per minute.  Since I don't know how long it takes you to read through my blog entries, I'm going to assume you will go through these suggestions at your leisure and not feel like you have to get through each one in one minute!  :-)

Here are some links for you to try this week and in the spirit of the "smackdown", I'm just going to include a quick link to many Web sites and a quick statement about what they are:


3 Shots to Caffeinate your Presentations - three concrete tips for improving presentations
All My Faves - a quick and visual way to organize your favorite Web links
The American Journey - a video series which corresponds to Glencoe publishing, but free and available to all
Appitic - a directory of apps for education by Apple Distinguished Educators
Apples 4 the Teacher - educational resources for teachers and kids, pre-K - Grade 6
Biddle's Bytes - a blog which provides awesome tools and resources to support integrating technology
Bloomin' Apps - apps which support Bloom's Revised Taxonomy
BrainPop GameUp - a great place for educational games with lesson ideas
CK-12 Flexbooks - a selection of textbooks on many subjects, to view online
Conduit Mobile - a method of creating free mobile apps for all the major devices, no coding required
CuePrompter - an online teleprompter
Education Collection - lots of tools for teachers, including templates for Microsoft products
EduCreations - create and share great video lesson on an iPad or in a Web browser
Edutopia - K-5 iPad Apps - a blog which contains apps appropriate for K-5
Exploratree - ready-made thinking guides/graphic organizers (United Kingdom)
Gimme 5 Games - educational games, including physics puzzles
History Pin - an interesting way to "pin" historical and current pictures to places on a map
iLearn Technology - another blog on integrating technology into the classroom
JellyCam - make stop-motion films with a Webcam or photos
Kideos - videos for kids
Learn It In 5 - how-to videos for the technology classroom
Microsoft Office Web Apps - using SkyDrive, access, edit and share your documents and presentations online
Mission US - an interactive way to learn history; 2 missions now available (Revolution and slavery/Civil War)
My Name My Story - stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things
NBC Learn - time-saving tools and standards-aligned content for teachers and students
K-6 Learning Center - a learning portal by Ottawa Hills Schools
PaperRater - offers free grammar and spelling check, proofreading, plagiarism detection and more
ParentLink - a notification/communication system
Pencil - an animation/drawing program for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux
Planbook - an online storehouse for lesson plans, simple to create and accessible anywhere
Schoology - a way to manage lessons, engage students, share content and much more
Science360 - videos about various topics in science
SlideRocket - a different kind of presentation offered for students and educators
Smore - design beautiful online flyers and publish instantly
SoundCloud - capture a voice, moment or music in seconds and upload audio you've already created
Studyladder - a mathematics and literacy program developed by educators (elementary/middle school)
Stykz - a multi-platform stick figure animation program
TagMyDoc -a new way to share documents; allows you to apply a QR code tag to your document
Teachers Pet - many resources for younger students and links to teaching ideas and resources (United Kingdom)
ThinkB4U - information about Internet safety and privacy

I hope you will find something among these links which will help you and your students in some way.  Enjoy your week!  

Finances

I know the issue of finances is not an easy one to tackle, but with the economy the way it is today, we need to be even more diligent about teaching our young people how to handle money.  It truly bothers me whenever I go to a store or restaurant and realize the person taking my order does not have the skills to count out the change without trying to rely on what a computerized register is telling them.  Have you ever been in such a place and have the electricity go out?  I actually was in a gift shop once after a thunderstorm and they said they could not sell anything because they didn't have their registers working.  I was surprised - all you had to do was calculate the cost of the item(s), multiply by .06 to get the Kentucky state sales tax, and add it all together for the total bill.  Taking the money and counting back any change should not have been an issue.  Because they couldn't handle doing it all "by hand" (or "by mind", as I like to think of it), they totally shut down and missed out on quite a few sales.  I've been concerned about the state of our economy and the lack of financial skills (and just basic math skills) of our citizens ever since. 

Here is a Website dedicated to financial literacy for everyone.  Practical Money Skills for Life has all sorts of free materials to help anyone understand finance.  But the best part is the section developed just for educators.  Teachers can find free lesson plans and educational games for classroom use for students all the way through college age.  Another advantage to the site is being able to take their lessons and match them with state standards. 

Using games to help teach financial skills is well-researched.  According to the site, in the early 20th century scholars like Swiss philosopher Jean Piaget began challenging the notion play was considered a diversion rather than a means for education.  Piaget found the way kids play evolves as they grow older and his work helped transform education to a more child-centered approach.  Other researchers have found children have always learned through play "and today, digital media has resulted in increasingly ore sophisticated games that can engage youth while at the same time encouraging learning."  (Donnini, L., Miller, K., and Walker, K.)  Several games are available for free on the site - Financial Soccer, Financial Football, Money Metropolis, and Peter Pig's Money Counter.  Some of the games are available for SmartPhones, too.  Some are downloadable and others are played right on the site. 

If you are concerned about teaching financial skills, then the Practical Money Skills for LIfe Webite is for you!  Check it out soon!

Every school today is in the business of educating students to become college and career ready.  In order to do that, we must teach them 21st Century Skills.  Here are some links to help:

1.  21 Things for Students - Created by a grant from the REMC Association of Michigan, this site was developed by teachers and instructional technology specialists.  There are many links on the menu which might be of interest: Troubleshooting, Digital Footprint, Digital Citizenship, Be Legal & Fair, Search Strategies, Digital Images, Buyer Beware, Powerful Presentations, and much, much more!  Many of the links include videos and activities to be completed.
2.  21 Things for Administrators - This site is based on the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators.  It contains basic tutorials, virtual sessions, hands-on activities, and links to resources.  The "21 Things" include areas like differentiated instruction, digital images, content area tools, digital citizenship, online learning, staying organized and portable mobile administration.
3.  21 Things for the 21st Century Educator - This site follow the same format as the two mentioned above, only the focus is on teachers. 
4.  Compelling eLearning for K-12 Educators - This site offers free professional development you can take anytime, anywhere.  Titles include "Thinking Critically with Data", "Educational Leadership in the 21st Century", and "Collaboration in the Digital Classroom".  Also, check this site for additional tools and information. 
5.  Cool Tools for Schools - This Wikispace is maintained by Lenva Shearing and includes all sorts of Web 2.0 tools in areas like slideshows, audio, drawing, writing, music, mapping, graphing and file storage.  There's also a page filled with resource links for teachers.  A new section of the site under construction is the Cool Apps for Schools - take a look at the different apps Shearing is posting and see how they can be used with your students. 
6.  Dan King - This is a little different from most, but you can start by clicking on the iPad picture to see a site with all sorts of app resource links.  Or, click on the Google icon to see links to all sorts of information and instructions on the use of Google products.  Or, click on the Web 2.0 icon to see a table of different Web 2.0 tools you might want to explore.
7.  Naomi Harm - Another great resource is this blog which includes entries about all sorts of technology.  One entry which caught my attention was the one on January 31st about 20 innovative ways high schools are using Twitter.  Another was the entry on January 28th about Infographics (see example graphic above).  
8.  UDL Tech Toolkit - Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, is a set a principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn.  This toolkit was developed to provide links to resources, the majority of them free, to help all students.  On the left menu are items like Text to Speech, Graphic Organizers, Study Skills, etc.

Maybe some of these links will provide you with resources to help your students (and yourself) become a true 21st Century learner!

Last week I shared some information from Shannon Holden, the founder of New Teacher Help.  Continuing on the ideas he provided for new teachers, this week's blog entry is about documentation.  Of course, many of us veteran teachers can also gain a lot of insight from Holden's suggestions, too!

"The most important thing that you can do as a new teacher to cover yourself is to document as much as possible." 

1.  Keep basic student information in a spreadsheet or database format.  Include the student's full name, address, phone number, parent information (names, phones), e-mail addresses and any other vital information (such as food allergies).
2.  Keep a behavior spreadsheet or database.  Include the student's name, the date the behavior occurred (Note - this can be good or bad behavior), what happened, and the actions you took to modify the behavior if necessary.
3.  Keep copies of discipline referrals to the office.  If possible, scan them so you can keep them digitally.  Attach these referrals to the behavior spreadsheet or database you are keeping.
4.  Keep samples of student work.  Again, if it is possible, scan the work so you can keep it digitally.  (Be sure to get permission from the student and/or guardian if you want to publicize the work in any way, especially online.)
5.  Keep a contact log.  Include the person you contacted and the method (home, cell, work phones; e-mail) and the basic information about why you contacted them.  Don't forget to include information if you don't reach anyone, too.  For example, list if you left a message on an answering machine or voice mail, if you left a message with another family member (older brother or sister, grandparent, etc.), if you got a busy signal, if you did not get a return receipt on an e-mail, etc. 
6.  Keep a spreadsheet of dates and times you spent at extracurricular activities.  For example, "Football game ticket taker - August 3rd - 5 to 8 p.m." or "School dance - February 14th - 6 to 10 p.m." 
7.  Keep a log of tutoring.  If you help students before school or after school or at other times, document the student(s), the date, the time and the subject matter or specific lesson.  You might also want to include times you offered your services but had no "takers".  This might come in handy when a parent says their student needed extra help but didn't receive it.  You can let them know all the dates and times you made yourself available.
8.  Keep a professional development log.  List all sessions, dates, times, trainers/instructors, etc.  If you have certificates of completion, scan those and keep a digital copy or at the very least, place them in an easily accessible notebook.
9.  If you have a Website, periodically take a screenshot of the information you have posted and save it digitally.  Also keep a digital copy of any materials you post. 
10.  People are forgetful - consider keeping notes of faculty meetings, professional development, professional learning community meetings, parent/guardian conferences, etc.  Simply type a quick paragraph or two in a word processing program and save digitally.
11.  Consider keeping a digital copy of student progress reports throughout the year. 
12.  Consider keeping a digital textbook/book issue sheet.  Include the name of the student, the name of the book, the number of the book if applicable, and the date the book was issued to the student.  Include a separate area for the date the book was returned. 

According to Holden, the moral of this story is "There is NO substitute for documentation!"  Even though it looks like a long list, if it is all kept digitally, it doesn't take too long to enter or scan the information.  And, remember, documentation has saved many a career, so it's invaluable. 

Have a great week!

Shannon J. Holden is the founder of New Teacher Help, which provides information for new teachers to help them be successful, especially in those first few crucial years.  However, it never hurts for "old" teachers to review some of the tips and tricks of the trade!  On the Website, Holden gives free access to many helpful tools and one I found particularly interesting was the information on "Lines of Communication".

Holden states unsuccessful students thrive on the lack of communication between the adults in their lives.  With that in mind, he gives the new teacher several methods of communication and explanations for how each either works well or not.

*Letter sent home – The least effective form of communication, especially if you send the note home with the student. Mailing the letter home costs you money for a stamp, and will be thrown away if the student is the one who checks the mailbox every day.

*Phone call (home phone) – Effective if you reach the parent…but effectiveness goes way down if you leave a message on the answering machine. Kids check the messages before their parents get home, and your message is “accidentally” erased.

*Phone call (parent’s cell phone) – Effective if you reach the parent, and leaving messages are just as effective because parents rarely let their kids check the messages on their cell.

*Parent conference – Effective when you can get parents to come to the school. Some parents will make appointments to see you, then have “something come up” to cancel the meeting.

*Email – My favorite mode of communication. You can say everything you want to say without being interrupted…and you can print out the email to put in your files. Perfect! Well…almost perfect, as parents can use the old “I didn’t get your email” excuse.

*Text message – Many teachers are using text messaging to keep in touch with parents. You don’t have to use your phone…set up a free email account with Yahoo! and use their “texting” feature on your home or school computer! Simply type the parent’s cell phone number in the address line, then type your message in the box and hit “send”.

*District ListServ – My district has an apparatus to text message parents in the event of an emergency, school closing due to weather, or other important event. Students and parents sign up for the service, which opens up an opportunity for you to access those important cell phone numbers for your professional use.

*Teacher Website – There is no substitute for the teacher Website. You can post educational video clips that you download, you can post educational podcasts that you can download from any of 20 different sites…and all of this material is FREE! You can also post a calendar with information such as assignment due dates, lesson notes, and other valuable information. Most teachers will say that they do not have the time to build and update a Website. The reality is that having an UPDATED teacher Website saves you tons of time answering student and parent questions over and over.

*Computerized grade program with parent access – This may be hard to believe, but there are parents that do not fill out the proper forms to gain access to their student’s grades via the school’s computerized grade program. Find a way to give an incentive to students whose parents sign up for access. Remind them to write down their user name and password or you’ll be getting phone calls from parents who forget!

*Progress reports/report cards – Many of these are accidentally lost on the way home from school. The only way that progress reports/report cards are effective is if the students are required to bring SIGNED reports back to school the next day, or be subject to a parent phone call.

*Student planner – The person who thought of this idea was well-intentioned, but the planner is a microcosm of how the lines of communication can break down. Here’s how the planner works: The teacher provides material (lesson objective & assignment) for the students to copy in their planner, the student is to faithfully put the objective and assignment for each class in the planner and take it home to be seen by their parents. The parents must check the planner every night, and sign the planner once a week. The student is to bring the planner back to class, where it is checked by the teacher to make sure that the message is making it home. That’s a lot of moving parts! If just one of the people involved (student, teacher, or parent) fail to live up to their responsibility, the system breaks down. What makes the failure even harder to swallow is that the school bought the planners (at a cost of approximately $3 per student)…what a waste of money!

You probably noticed I highlighted one sentence of Holden's statements.  For parents and students who have Internet access, building a useable teacher Website is a wonderful way to keep everyone up-to-date and informed.  Many teachers have also considered using social media as a way to communicate.  However, Holden says:

Facebook/MySpace/Twitter - These social networking sites can be a valuable tool for educators...or a recipe for disaster!  Be careful about using these sites, "friending" your students, or posting unprofessional material on a page.  (For a list of about 100 teachers who have been suspended or fired because of their stupidity, just Google the phrase 'teacher Facebook trouble' and start reading!)  If you want to harness the power of the Internet, I recommend building your own Website...it's a lot safer!

Well said!  Holden has a lot more to say and I hope to highlight some of his other ideas and suggestions for making all of us better in the classroom and in our respective offices and positions in the coming weeks.  Thanks for reading!  

I recently was introduced to some information by Dr. Lynell Burmark of California, who has released a book about presentations and what NOT to do.  Dr.  Burmark's background spans kindergarten through graduate school and the book, They Snooze, You Lose, won a book of the year award.  The first chapter of the book was available as a free download, so I took advantage of it.  She basically says we've been using presentation software since 1989 but wants to know how anything has changed since then.  Dr. Burmark is not against slideshows but she wants to warn us against constraints for us as presenters, or teachers. 

First she suggests we get away from the usual default templates.  We also need to be aware of background colors and images as they may detract from the important content we are trying to get across.  Dr. Burmark reminds us as English language users, we read from left to right and so, our presentations should follow the same patterns.  Another important point is the use of color.  Did you know color visuals increase willingness to read by up to 80%?  Or that color enhances learning and improves retention by more than 75%? 

The eye has an order in which it sees colors.  Yellow or other colors where yellowish hues dominate (like lime green), are seen before other colors.  In general, warm colors like yellow or red are seen before cool colors like blue or green.  The best color combination for a presentation is a blue background with yellow text.  Who knew?  Another point about color - for men, about 8% have some type of color deficiency, with the most common problem being an inability to distinguish red from green.  If you have red words on a green background, some of your audience may perceive that as a blank slide! 

Type, or font, is also important.  It is easier and faster to read lower case letters, so don't put everything in capital, or uppercase, letters.  If you are presenting to a large group or in a large room, consider whether your font and font size is big enough and clear enough to read from the back of the room.  A good idea Dr. Burmark shared from another author is to prepare your presentation then approximate what your audience will see by looking at the slides in the slide sorter view at 66%.  One rule of thumb is not to have more than two typefaces on one slide and to be especially careful with the number of words on each slide.  Can you limit yourself to only one or two words per slide to guide your audience instead of the average 40 words per slide? 

Most of us feel comfortable with presentations in today's society, especially in education.  It probably is a good idea to visit the basics every now and then and go back and tweak our previous presentations so they are the best they can possibly be for our audience. 

I am out of the office today (Monday, January 23rd) attending an Infinite Campus User Group Meeting/Training in Paducah.  Come back tomorrow for my latest blog post! 

This week I want to share three more interesting Web sites which I hope will prove to be of benefit to you and your students . . .

1.  Better Lesson - This site has over 300,000 resources uploaded by teachers you can browse.  You can also upload and share your own resources, plus connect with fellow educators around the world.  The home page has featured lesson plans, too.  You can register for a free account simply by giving them your name, e-mail address, and selecting the school where you work.  Once inside your own account, you will see featured files for elementary school, middle school, and high school levels.  Each school level is divided into the core curriculum subject areas of math, science, social studies and English.  You can add a personal profile with a biography and photo if you desire.  Once you have an account, you can upload files in many different formats - Word, PowerPoint, Adobe, etc.  You can design courses as well, inputting information into a lesson plan template.  As you save documents, you can select whether you want them shared with the public or keep them private.  Luckily, many of the teachers using this service are allowing their documents to be public so you can choose what you'd like to utilize.  No sense in re-inventing the wheel if something else is already out there you can use!

2.  Class Parrot - I am so impressed with this site!  ClassParrot allows you to text students or adults in a safe, simple way.  The home page suggests you use the service to remind your students of upcoming exams, homework updates and reminders of events.  Also, parents can opt to receive texts, too.  Very quickly, I established a free account and added a class.  The next screen gave me instructions to send a simple text message (@mrsmeear) to a certain number.  Once I did that, I immediately got a reply that said "Thanks, Mrs. Earnest needs to know who you are before adding you to @mrsmeear.  Please reply with your full name."  After I sent my name, I received a text that said "Welcome to ClassParrot Melissa Earnest!  Mrs. Earnest will use ClassParrot to keep you posted.  Your phone number will remain private."  I then sent a test message to myself and it came through very quickly.  As part of the service, you can create a poll asking students or parents to reply with a Yes or No answer to your question.  You can also see a history of messages you have sent.  For the members, you only see the name they sent, not their phone number, so the system is secure.  If you click the Setup tab, you can get a printable page of instructions for students and parents to start receiving the messages.  You can click the "How It Works" link to find out more about ClassParrot.  Again, I was very impressed with how quickly I could set up an account, set up a class, register a class member and send a quick text message.  The initial free account gives you 500 messages. 

3.  Dynamic Periodic Table - For the chemists out there, here is an interactive periodic table.  Colorful and easy to read, you can click on any of the elements to find out more about them.  For example, clicking on Ag (Silver) I see the Wikipedia article about the element, plus a picture, general properties, physical properties, vapor pressure, atomic properties, and other information.  Back to the full table, you can select different features to show - weight, names, electrons, and even a wide version.  You can also select different languages.  Simply hovering your mouse over the Nonmetals and Metals groups, the table will change color accordingly, highlighting the types you select.  Across the top there are four tabs - Wikipedia, Properties, Orbitals, and Isotopes.  Selecting any of these tabs will bring you to a different appearance of the table with even more selections.  I'm the first to admit, chemistry was not my favorite subject in high school, but maybe if I'd had this interactive table, I might have found it a lot more fun and much easier to learn!

I hope you will try these three sites soon!

In the January 2012 edition of Tech & Learning, there was a list of 100 sites/apps they recommended for educators.  I found several I wanted to research further.  With that in mind, I spent a little bit of time looking at these sites and would like to share the following:

1.  Useful Charts - This site claims it's for lesson plans, study help, or quick reference.  Their homepage is divided into several categories such as most popular, science, social studies, English, and even "just for fun".  The first one which caught my attention was under the psychology section.  Simply clicking on the name or icon for any of the charts will take you to the appropriate page.  In the case of the Myers Briggs Types, you are shown a screen which includes information about the various MBTI types.  You can click on the Short Personality Test link and answer four questions.  Once you do that you get a four letter "code" which you can then read about to find out more on your personality.  This might be a great activity to do with students, especially at the start of a new year or new semester.  It could really make a difference in how you interact with students and even reach as far as letting them know how they can interact better with each other.  There are so many charts on this site, it's virtually impossible to preview them all, but hopefully you can find something you can use, either personally or with students.

2.  Draw Island - This is a very quick drawing program.  You can select from several sizes of drawing space and then use different tools on the left-hand side to draw.  There is a pencil, a line, different styles of rectangles and circles, plus an eraser, etc.  You also can change the opacity and size of the drawing tool used.  There is even an animation piece!  Once you are done with your drawing, you can save it as a png file.  Even though this site would be appropriate for any art class, you could also use it for other courses - for example, a student could make a quick illustration of what a poem or short story means to them.

3.  Fraboom - An online children's museum, Fraboom has many "rooms" to explore.  If you click on the Map beside the name at the top of the homepage, you can see some of the possibilities.  Being a social studies teacher, I checked out the US Presidents part first.  There were different activities and games to do and my favorite quickly became the "Name That President" game.  Presenting some caricature-style drawings of the different presidents, you have to select from four possibilities to see if you can match the president's picture with their name.  It was more difficult than I had anticipated!  Another interesting game was trying to decide which presidential function went under a particular category.

Try these three sites this week and in the future, I hope to share a few more of these interesting sites with you!  Have a great week!