Chanatown

As we've been deploying document cameras to more teachers at ETHS, my first meeting with teachers generally involves setting up the machine, introducing them to the basic functions of the device, and then discussing some general ideas for how to use the machine. This month, we've continued with the second wave of training, which involves installation and exploration of the Aver+ software that is available for download from AverMedia .

Perhaps one of the more underutilized applications available at ETHS, Discovery Education Streaming offers over 80,000 embeddable and/or stand alone video clips for teachers to use, stream, and download through our servers. We last discussed how to begin taking advantage of the assignment, quiz, and writing prompt builder tools , and today, we'll dive into one of my personal favorites, the Atlas feature.

I'm aware of how fortunate I am to have the position of Technology Staff Developer.  I've written a bit about how this has been the dream job for me this past year, and how I'm looking forward to continue improving and helping ETHS become a leader in successfully integrating technology with its schoolwide goals.  I'll be the first to advocate for the need of a full time technology integration specialist in every school or at least in every school district.  Obviously, funding is important, so I'm joining other Ed-Tech professionals in "Tweet for EdTech" today, with the hopes of securing additional monetary support for EETT .  I want to reiterate a point made in my AEP video : it's not just about getting the tools, but rather funding the training that is needed to successfully use these tools.  A SmartBoard will only be as "smart" as its user(s).

edWeb.net is organizing a contest for videos to be submitted for possible viewing by the Association of Educational Publishers.  Although it would certainly be nice to win a Flip Video Camera, I'm almost just as excited to imagine my submission being played on the big screen at a major conference.  It's an exciting time for classroom technology, and I think the publishing community is on the verge of something huge.  Digital textbooks are just around the corner now that the hardware (read: iPad and its soon to be released counterparts) is finally here.  I'm not advocating for a complete shift away from paper textbooks, but I truly think that digital textbooks (full versions, and not just online companions) can make a dramatic impact on student motivation and engagement in the classroom.  View and listen in on my entry below:

Well, the 3,000 stickers have been passed out, hundreds of flyers were pinned to the walls, and banners, videos, and PA announcements have combined to show our school's support for the city's bid for Google Fiber.  I attended the press conference earlier today, and was extremely proud of our school's efforts along with those of all of the city's partners.  This was my first real experience interacting with city officials, and as the mayor stated in her remarks, it was a sight to see all of us gathered together, unified in support of this initiative.  I would truly love to see us have the opportunity to rally once again in the near future.  Google us! Below is our video submission.  Thanks to all of the faculty and staff who participated.  Also, William Jenkins deserves much of the praise in putting this fine piece together.  For the rest of Evanston's videos, please click here .  

For a few days, I've been working with Mr. Jenkins on gathering video footage for our contribution to Evanston's bid for Google's RFI for Fiber for Communities . After listening to several teachers comment on how classrooms would be affected if ultra-high speed internet connections (1Gb/s) made their way to ETHS, I was reminded of an earlier post on why I love my job based on Daniel Pink's TED talk.  When filming my segment later today, I will emphasize the following points: Autonomy Given ultra-high speed internet in the classrooms, labs, and community, students will be able to access information and advance their education on their own pace and schedule.  No longer will class hours and the school year be from 8-4pm and from late August to early June.  Learning can be 24/7, 365, and this ties well to findings that the current generation of learners tend to perform better in later hours. Mastery With the Internet as the neverending resource of information, stud...

I'm sending the app later today, but here's the video I created using animoto.com. Educators can get a free all-access pass by applying here . Enjoy!

Well, LIT 2 is one of my favorite songs at the moment, and the video, well, you have to watch it. Pretty creative. My favorite part: the video screen.

So, our tub and shower has been getting dirtier and dirtier. Black stuff collecting at the edge between the shower wall and tub is what I assume to be mold. With a day off today, I chose to tackle the project of learning how to caulk. I found several quality YouTube videos on the subject, and I went to my local TrueValue to get supplies. A razor blade, the caulk, and some painter's masking tape cost less than $20, and I was ready to go. It took about 20 minutes to scrub away the old caulk (this was the most difficult part), and a few minutes to lay the tape down. I highly recommend the use of the tape, as it makes it very easy to get a clean look in the end. Squeezed out the caulk, smoothed and filled with my finger (the bottle does say that the stuff causes cancer, uh...), and I was done in under an hour easily. Not too shabby!