Randomly Systematic

A month ago, I was emailing and making plans to meet up with my Internet EdTech buddies I’ve met through various networks. A month ago, I was planning projects and looking forward to what I would offer my teachers based on what was on tap at NECC in San Antonio.

Then I was told I couldn’t attend NECC at the expense of my employer. My registration was completed and paid for, but the money ran out. In a nutshell, my registration was replaced by someone who worked with technology but was not an educator. That’s just how it goes- whoever has the money makes the call.

Originally, I was VERY upset about this. It brought up a discussion I have been having for about a year now with different friends I have in EdTech about technology driving education in a school district versus education driving the technology. It all became so clear in ONE email from a supervisor. I complained, I job-searched, and I even had a rant go out to MaryAnn…but I eventually got over it. All things happen for a reason, right? And I quickly noticed that my complaining didn’t make any magical changes. Let’s not even get into the fact that I had enough SkyMiles saved up to send myself had I known an educator from my district wouldn’t get the opportunity to go. ((ahem))

ANYWAY, I am very excited to get to “participate” in NECC. OK, I’m not there, but I still get the opportunity to virtually keep up with what’s going on! I’m watching my email explode with questions and comments from my friends out there keeping me updated. The Twitter feeds coming in help me to see what everyone’s doing and what everyone thinks is both great and not-so great. The blogs I’ve subscribed to bring me insight into the workshops and conversations that are happening, and even AS they happen- and content seems to just fly into the Wiki’s as if I were there!

Am I still irritated that I’m not physically present at NECC? Yes. Am I satiated by following the information that streams to me via the Internet and my mobile updates? Yes.

I am absolutely amazed at how much technology has narrowed the gap between those of us at home and those privileged folks at NECC. And besides, I’m still in my pajamas… there are perks to staying at home!

I had a very humbling experience which was probably LONG overdue for me.

I was preparing to participate in a presentation for Photoshow from roxio. As I installed the trial software, I was told that I would need to put in my personal information to access the trial. Oh no…I don’t even think so. The tantrum began- blah,blah…another password…blah,blah…I’ll never use it again. The whining just poured out of my mouth, despite the fact that the presenter was probably one of the nicest people I have ever met. What was wrong with me?

In my defense, I have to admit that I’ve been spoiled by OSS and freeware, so the thought of having to jump through hoops to install something I just knew I wouldn’t want to purchase irritated me. After all, I have become a Photo Story 3 Nazi, and even got other family members hooked on Smilebox. The last thing I needed was ANOTHER photo sharing program!

I’m happy to report that the Photoshow folks bought my “redherring” email address and name. I plugged right along and uploaded photos, not needing to wait on the presenter to tell me what to do. Or did I? The program was a little confusing to navigate, and I had assumed it was similar to Photo Story anyway. What do they say about people who ass-u -me again?

I was pleasantly surprised with Photshow. Granted, I don’t plan on buying it, but it wasn’t bad at all. I’d even venture to say that I’d download it if it was free. ((Ahem )) Yes, I’m that person. Now before you start rolling your eyes, I have to say that I apologized to the person who presented. I even told her how she had checked my attitude and surprised me!

On the way home, though, I realized that I was rude. In fact, I was acting like a certain know-it-all who has sat in on a few of my workshops, and made it more than obvious that she felt like it was a waste of her time. UGH! I can’t stand those kind of folks, the “know-it-alls” who convey their opinion to everyone in the room that they’re smarter than the presenter and the entire audience put together. They shift in their seat, using their body language to throw negativity in every direction. This is the person that checks their email when the presenter is speaking and shares a funny one with the person next to them; this is the person who does the “sigh aloud” thing a couple of times; this is the person that shakes their head and rolls their eyes because they think they should be up there presenting. I CAN’T STAND HER… I mean, “that person.” And yet, I was acting just like her, er, them.

I don’t know if I was grumpy because I’m sleep-deprived, or if I was being a technology snob (on which I have no basis to do so), but I am sorry I behaved like an idiot. That’s right- I said it. It takes a lot to stand up in front of a room of peers and teach. Would I have acted that way if my daughter were watching me? Was I proud to have mirrored “that person” that has been in a couple of my workshops? Why was I acting like a know-it-all?! I am not only sorry about my behavior, but I am truly embarrassed by it.

OH! If you are ever “that person” in a workshop or conference, just know that your behavior is rude and childish. Oh, and you’re acting like an idiot.

You know, I have always considered myself to be fairly computer literate. Don’t misinterpret that to mean I write html in my sleep, no- I use the online code generators or look up lines for what I need. What I mean is that I feel fairly comfortable on a computer, knowing how and where to navigate to get what I need; knowing what components to install and where to install them when I find what I want; I’ll even go so far as saying I know who to trust online when I need to fix something, and when to seek professional help. OK, I’ve established some background there in my defense, moving on….

I just recently celebrated my 9th anniversary with my husband, Jason, who is one of the most considerate folks I have ever known. He’s that guy that catches that one reference you make in the mall, and then wraps it up for you two months later at Christmas. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t marry that person- HA! ((ahem…sorry)) We have been researching the Sky Caddie for him as a gift- I know the element of surprise is gone, but being an educator in South Carolina, my paycheck is not forgiving of high dollar purchases gone wrong. During our search (which has been ongoing for about two weeks for price comparison and product testing), I had to go to Columbia for a conference. While there, I had the infamous “iPod debate” with some friends.

I’ll admit, I have previously been one of those, “all you need is a plain mp3 player,” and “who needs an iPod- there are other brands out there” people. Then I sat in on my buddy’s workshop about integrating iPods in education. I knew MaryAnn had been using an iPod for a while, but never actually had “the talk” with her. Fast forward to lunch with MaryAnn and Brad, and there was no more iPod debate for me…I wanted, no wait, I needed to get my hands on an iPod. Brad had pulled out his iPod touch and I was hooked. And if I could work a few evening classes, I would save up for an iPod Touch instead of the Nano or Classic .

I spoke to my husband that evening, excited about the possibilities in EdTech. Like MaryAnn said in her workshop, many of the students we teach already own iPods, why not utilize that? Why not write a grant asking for a class set? I was pumped! My husband and I discussed our own daughter who was on her second mp3 player (the first only being a 512 MB since she was in Kindergarten at the time). Granted, she couldn’t watch videos on her player, she could still listen to podcasts or poetry or multiplication rap… see where I’m going?

After getting home from the conference, I decided I need a nap. Somehow, my husband managed to sneak my anniversary card into my pillow (yes, it was sweet and I cried) and then handed me my gift bag. You guessed it, that beautiful black box inside held my new iPod Touch. I was BEYOND ecstatic, and my poor husband got a quick hug before I chained myself to my computer for the rest of the evening. I downloaded the manuals and iTunes, surfed for downloadable applications, and added email accounts.

That’s when it all started to hurt. Why the heck couldn’t I import my mp3’s from my computer? Wait a minute, why can’t I add all of my pictures at one time? Adobe Photoshop- no, I prefer my HP Image Zone Plus. I’ll just convert these wma’s real quick in Switch… what?! Protected? Hey, why I can’t I add those Foo Fighters songs?

So I have had my iPod for 3 days now. I have re-ripped a couple of CD’s using iTunes, which seemed to be faster than trying to move all of my mp3s into one folder. Prior to mp3s, when I was ripping CD’s to create a collection of favorite songs for my car or classroom, I had several wma files poking around. There were also quite a few untitled tracks that were confusing, too. I also started organizing some of my pics using Adobe Photoshop, and spent a good bit of time “reconnecting” photos for some strange reason.

Do I love my iPod? Yes. Do I love the fact that I have to borrow my daughter’s iCat because I haven’t bought external speakers for it yet? Well, no, but that little cat is so cute and seems to really like Jack Johnson’s songs…

Day 2

Another day of workshops have come and gone here in Columbia, SC, and many educators throughout the Palmetto State rushed out the doors with smiles on their faces and new favorites bookmarked in their browsers!

I hosted a second session today (yes… about WebQuests), but also sat through an incredible session with Tom Taylor about Google Earth (I’m not sleeping tonight, folks, I’ve gotta get on Google Earth). I’m very sad that I won’t be back tomorrow- I saw the list of sessions, and I am NOT happy that I’m missing out! The workshops are great, and besides learning more about EdTech trends, I was able to network with educators from all over SC.

Another big plus for me was being able to sit down and have lunch with folks that I normally only get to communicate with online with the SC Discovery Educators Network. Oh yeah, and lunch was free (plus, plus plus!). I also got a “behind-the-scenes” glimpse of what the “geniuses” behind these workshops have had to do to make everything run smoothly. And let’s not forget… the conference is FREE.

For about an hour, I helped out in the lobby. Everyone involved was really great, and truly kept educators going throughout the day. These ladies (perhaps a gentleman or two… but probably not Dean) packed goodie bags, printed schedules, and matched up name tags. They directed traffic, taught sessions, and (most importantly) refilled the coffee. HA! And for some strange reason, they smile the whole time! As if that wasn’t enough, I also watched as they continued to plan future events for educators, and met to discuss what else they could do for SC teachers.

If anyone missed the opportunity to attend this week’s workshop, there will be another round of technology workshops July 29, 30, and 31st. Registration will open May 6th. Don’t wait to register!

I was very fortunate to host some fabulous educators in a workshop for SC’s ETV Technology Workshop in Columbia, SC.What’s the topic? WEBQUESTS. Don’t laugh- true, WQ’s have been around since 1995, but so has Walmart!

There are two main reasons why I chose this topic. First of all, you have to start somewhere. Those of us who work in professional development can tell you that some folks are just intimidated by technology- the hardware, the software, the very idea! For whatever reason, WQ’s don’t seem to carry that negative aura that blogs and wikis seem to give off. Why? Maybe because it’s “tried and true” in the eyes of some folks, or maybe because it’s been around longer than podcasting…who knows?! It just seems to make some educators a little more comfortable with the idea of integrating technology. Ya know, maybe it’s the fact that all you really need to use a WQ is a computer and an Internet connection. Hmmm….

My other reason for wanting to facilitate a workshop about WebQuests is because WQ’s are a great way to guide Internet research. Let’s face it, I love Google just as much as the next IT (check out the presentation in Google Docs-HA!), but having children “Google it” is not the best, or the safest, way to go about teaching kids to use the Internet. A WebQuest forces prior knowledge and research as you plan where to go and what to look for in the final product. It’s also a tool for those of us working with students who have limited access to computers and computer labs. I mean, when you have five students using one desktop computer, you may have to get creative with your computer time!

Besides, WebQuests were created to promote higher-level thinking, and serve as excellent tools for project-based learning. Those are both good things, right? So why not use WebQuests?! And if the format is an issue, then why not customize it to fit your classroom and the needs of your students? Or better yet- why don’t you have your students create a WenQuest?

For those wonderful folks who attended and shared some FANTASTIC information with the rest of us- thank you! And I have to apologize, it seems that every time I try to do a workshop or class, it turns into a “why I love my SMART Board” session. OOPS!

Anyway, if you’d like to get the information and links from the presentation, here it is:

I think we bought our first digital camera in 2000, which would be about the time I dropped (and broke) a very nice, uber-expensive Minolta 35-mm camera that I …um… “inherited” after a BAD break-up. ((ahem))

Victoria’s first birthday party was booked at Chuck E. Cheese, and I needed a camera. VOILA! We began our trek of digital memories that has spanned three desktop computers, and countless family outings.

My file managment has really improved, and I’ve taken great care to save and back-up our digital history. But I have to admit, I’m not very good at actually sharing our pictures! We print a few around certain holidays, but for the most part, I forget to actually share them with family and friends. That’s a little sad, isn’t it? I mean, in a world full of Snapfish users and Picasa accounts, there’s just no excuse. Wait a sec…can I count the albums I created on MySpace or Facebook? Hmmm….

Several months ago, I started getting into Photo Story 3 from Microsoft. I created my family’s New Year greeting video/slide show. I’ve also shared my love of Photo Story 3 in my professional life to help the folks I work with create fun multi-media projects with their students. Recently, I even taught a parent-child technology class at one of my schools!

While I love Photo Story 3 and have forced my creations on family and friends, I took a minute to revisit another fun photo sharing application: Smilebox. In fact, I was looking through the Smilebox designs for a friend, and ended up creating a slide show including pics of my daughter and new neice.

But here’s the best part- my daughter loved and and decided to create her own Smilebox slideshow. Check it out!

Make a slideshow – it’s easy!

Whew! Let me blow the dust off this place… it sure has been a while!

I had sincerely hoped to keep up this blog, but wouldn’t you know it- life happened. HA! How is it that with all of the technology at my fingertips, I have less time? OK, I know, “cry me a river, Jess!”

Now that the pity party is over, I have GOT to share how much I just love Google Calendar. I’ve been using this application for a while, but the true genius of it wasn’t shown to me until other people and networks I belong to started sharing their calendars with me!

POOF! Instant all-in-one-super-duper planner. I mean – this is brilliant! One click and I can see what trainings are available through Classroom 2.o or if I have anything scheduled with the DEN. One click and I know when my nephews are going to be visiting or what new video game titles are being released. Not to mention I can easily share with my family, friends, and colleagues when I’m not available or going out of town.

There’s no questioning the geniuses at Google, but this is an application that has helped me get my digital life a little more in tune with my physical one.

I guess I can say that I’m one of those people who gets easily excited. In fact, I’ve been told I’m a car salesman’s dream! But I gotta say, I’m getting really excited as the countdown begins for FETC, and this is a “legitimate” reason to be excited.

FETC is a huge conference, and one that I’ve wanted to check out for several years now. As if going to the conference wasn’t good enough, I’m going to attend with some colleagues who make a trip to Walmart loads of fun. But wait! There’s more… the opening keynote speaker this year is Jeff Corwin!

I’m not a huge fan of leaving my family for any period of time, and this trip to Orlando is no exception. I expect to spend a good bit of time outside of the conference on the phone or online with my husband and daughter. We’re all big Corwin fans, so I promised to try my hardest to get a photo or autograph for my daughter. Oh, and I may or may not have promised her a new Webkinz to help ease the anxiety (I’ll be gone for four whole days, afterall).

Is anyone else headin’ to FETC? And don’t get me started about NECC this summer….

WOW. I’m so inspired after reading someone else’s blog! It’s so easy for us to get into a slump and complain… I’m guilty of that today.

I know that I’m blessed to have my family, and that my life is filled with more wants than needs on most days, but I still get into a rut and start complaining. What on Earth is wrong with me? I’d like to thank Melonie for her blog and follow in her footsteps. So here goes, I’m so grateful

• to have a job that gives me the same breaks and vacations as my daughter
• to have a husband that is patient, kind, and a wonderful father
• to have a daughter is healthy and bright
• to have celebrated another Christmas with my mom & dad
• that I was able to put on a warm coat on a very cold day
• that I have to decide what I want to eat each day, because I have several choices
• to have the opportunity to worship and praise God however I want to

If you leave a comment, please tell me what you’re grateful for today! And if you need to be inspired, check out this post.

My daughter has quite a few aunts and uncles, all of whom are ready to spoil her at the drop of a hat. While I’m very appreciative of all “the love,” my husband and I spend much of January deprogramming our child. I mean that lovingly, of course!

While Webkinz, Pokemon, and video games ruled most of the gift-giving, there was one thing that stood out. My brother, a conservationist and animal-lover, gave my little one a different kind of gift card this year. Both he and my daughter have a passion for animals and conservation, and he is also responsible for my household’s decision to “go green” in the last year. This year, he gave my daughter a gift adoption from the World Wildlife Fund.

All of us know the WWF and its black and white panda logo, and I’ll be the first to admit that I’ll acknowledge the cause verbally, but rarely send them a check. In my defense, that should make it easier to donate in smaller amounts… <<ahem>>. ANYWAY, the way the gift adoption works is that the donor (my bro) gives the gift card to the gift recipient (my child). My daughter than goes online to browse through photos of endangered animals, and allows her to read a short biography about each one.Once she selects the animal she wants to adopt, the WWF sends her a certificate of adoption, photo, and plush animal.

My daughter ADORED this gift; she is so proud to “do her part” to save an animal. As a parent, it’s amazing to see her tell others about all of the animals on the list, which she seems to have committed to memory! She understands that she won’t actually own this animal, and that she’ll probably never see it, either. And yet, at 8-years-old, she’s OK just knowing that she has helped to protect it.

OH! And in case you’re wondering, she chose the black-footed ferret (despite my brother’s plea to adopt the vampire bat, and mine to adopt the blue-footed booby). She’s also ready to adopt another animal, which she is prepared to save her money to do. Let’s put the power of this gift into perspective: my daughter wants to save up to “adopt” an animal she will never physically see, instead of buying Mario Galaxy for the Wii. WOW.