Technology Wonderings

We’ve spent a fair amount of time updating our website to reflect all the changes in the department over the past year.  Some faculty come to us asking for help encouraging collaboration and others are looking for more information on podcasts.  With this in mind, our navigation is organized to include both strategies (collaboration, blended learning, etc) and tools (CMS, emerging technologies).  It is essentially two ways to get at the same content and we’re hoping the faculty will find it user-friendly and a valuable resource.  

We don’t have all our content fully migrated to the new site (click around to the different links) but please take a look and offer feedback:  http://www.wit.edu/td

I’m getting really excited for the Building Learning Communities conference here in Boston next week. As I look through the program at the session descriptions I’m in awe of the people who will be there all week offering important and thought provoking sessions. Apple is also helping the ADE’s attend so I know that I’m going to reconnect with old friends and meet a bunch of new ones. We’re all staying at Hotel Indigo (thanks Apple!!) and I’m confident that as much learning will happen in the halls of the hotel late at night as will during the day in the sessions.

These are people whose sessions I plan on attending:

• Marco Torres (movie making)
• Liz Davis & Lisa Thumann (collective intelligence)
• Marc Prensky (how technology changes teaching)

Keynotes by:

• Ewan McIntosh
• John Davitt
• Pedro Noguera

We’re doing a laptop pilot this summer, throwing all the major brands into the mix to see how they perform head to head.  As a result, we need to update all the support documentation to go along with these updated machines.  New OS, new versions of Office on both the mac and pc side.  Our department has been having the support doc debate lately.  Is updating all the documentation we’ve created over the years the best use of our time?  Doesn’t it make more sense to point people to resources already available on the web and through the application?  Because of the short turn around on the documents for the pilot (machines are being distributed tomorrow), we’re doing one page “New Features” with links to resources already out there.  Will let you know how these docs are received.

I think that I’m finally getting Twitter.  I’ve been lurking, trying to figure out how it could be a useful part of my professional practice and as I “follow” more and more people…it’s coming together for me.  This is what Jeff Utecht refers to as building the Personal Learning Network, right?  So as I make plans with friends and look at cool websites (thanks Tim!), I find myself learning a TON from amazing educators all over the world in just 140 characters.  Yes, I’m on board with Twitter.  Follow me:  scheney 

One of our departments is interested in using a student response system for big lectures so I’m researching which might be the best to implement here at WIT.

 ”The terms classroom response system, classroom communication system, wireless response system, and interactive response sytem are used interchangeably. The term refers to a software/hardware system that allows instructors to easily get instant feedback from their students, using remote control devices and a portable receiver.The basic process works like this: Students are shown a question and they respond by pressing a button on their remote control (clicker). Responses are tallied by computer and feedback is instantly available in the form of histograms and detailed reports.”  From UTexas

There are many variables to consider…price, hardware, software (Mac & PC), do students buy their own remote (clicker) or are they provided by the Institute, integration with BlackBoard CMS, support, etc.  Much like video conferencing software, it seems that these companies merge often.  I’m looking for your experiences here…what SRS do you use?  Why?  What do your faculty say about using the systems?

I love how one thing leads to another…After receiving an e-mail about Course Management Alternatives at universities in the Boston area I looked that the pps that was attached to the e-mail.  In the pps, I saw a screenshot of a wiki (which is hosted at Tufts) from the Bureau of Study Council and Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard called Millennial Students:  A conversation.  There are some great links on this wiki-resources from the PBS and PEW project and EDUCAUSE.  One that resource that particularly spoke to me was this video from Michael Wesch and his students at KSU.  I wonder if information like this has been presented in this format to my faculty before…I wonder if hearing from students how disconnected their lives are from their education would make a difference to my faculty… 

I’ve been given the task of finding valuable and inspirational staff development opportunities for my colleagues and I.  I could spout off a bunch of good k-12 technology conferences but being new to higher ed (see below http://scheney.edublogs.org/2008/02/15/transition/), I’m not sure what to say.  So far I’ve come up with:
-EDUCause 2008:  Interaction, Ideas, Inspiration in Orlando, FL from October 28-31.  They don’t have session descriptions posted but looking at last year’s program, I think it would be a good fit for us.  Plus it’s in Orlando…in October…that would be nice.

-ASTD 2008:  This training and development conference is in San Diego, CA from June 1-4 (coming right up) and tracks include designing and delivering learning and facilitating organizational change.  The problem is that it isn’t specifically targeted to Higher Ed but a bonus is that Malcolm Gladwell is a keynote speaker…check out his TED talk. So, any other suggestions.  Conferences that you find so inspirational and worthwhile that you attend every year?!  Please share. 

After a handful of years working towards technology integration at the k-12 level, I’m transitioning into a new role in HigherEd as an Instructional Designer.  The process is exciting, I’m learning a much different angle on technology implementation and the university is supportive and welcoming.  The first part of my transition is an updated look for my blog.  You’ll also notice new links on my del.icio.us account related to mentoring (we’re setting up a technology mentor program with the faculty) and technology competencies (we’re interested to know what kinds of faculty technology standards you use…) and general faculty development related to technology.  I’ve also joined http://college2.ning.com/ to start some new higher ed friendships, brain-picking, and collaboration.  There is a solid program in place here at WIT and I’m thrilled to be a part of its evolution.

If you have thoughts, ideas, or resources on any of these topics-please share!  One of my goals is to make my blog more of a “Stephanie CMS”.  The first action step is posting more often.  Here goes…

Teachers all over the building are using blogs as a new way of communicating with parents and families in town and across the country. Check them out:
2nd Grade (O/L): http://class2ol.edublogs.org/
5th Grade (S/W): http://5swnh.edublogs.org/
6th Grade: http://6thgronline.edublogs.org/
7th Grade: http://seventhgradenews.blogspot.com/
8th Grade: http://8thgrquest.edublogs.org/

I read a recent post by Jeff Utecht called “Getting my ducks in a row” where he outlined his plan for supporting teachers who receive laptops as part of their work. At my school 30 teachers purchased laptops this summer, for their personal use but most are planning on bringing it back and forth to school to support their teaching. I wonder how many of them would buy into a Teacher Technology IEP? I think it is a great way to set goals and focus your learning but considering these are technically “personal” machines I don’t know that my teachers would get excited about having their progress tracked throughout the year.

I love the support group idea where teachers using their laptops meet in small groups a couple of times a month for help troubleshooting and conversations about classroom impacts of their technology use. People all over the world are struggling to support teachers in an effective, constructive way. My school among them.