Thinking about Blogs

I am enrolled in a class that is requesting that I reflect on blogging as an assignment. I read through the sample blogs and I prefer the blogs that stick to a professional nature than a personal one. I felt like some of the personal posts were soapboxes for the writer. I would like to read facts and then leave the comments area open for personal opinion instead of the post. This would allow for readers to create their own opinion without bias from the author.

I have abandoned this blog for a bit but the course has given me a new vision for my space. I would like to get back to posting about educational technology. I think that I could share tips and tools with my facilitators in my blog instead of sending out emails with links. A blog is a true commitment and I think that is where my struggle begins.

Thanks for voting!

I LOVE my technology friends! Way to go by voting for my niece at http://centerstagephotography.blogspot.com/2010/01/favorite-image-of-2009-contest-kansas.html She is number 8. If you have not gotten a chance then what are you waiting for...vote!

Hope to see you in Lake Charles at TNT!

It is that time again this year when the Region 5 TLTC works with the annual conference Teaching and Technology (TNT). It is the 11th year for this conference and they are expecting 700 attendees on October 3, 2009. The conference is open to region 5 folks but hopefully there will be some Tweeters there to document all the great things going on that day. You will find me at the booth with the Intel Banner working the table by handing out flyers and bookmarks. I will be doing a session at 1:35 PM entitled License to Thrill: Tools to Capture your Students' Interest. If you are there then please stop by the session or the booth to say hi. I am looking forward to a great day and some good shopping and eating the night before the event.

Port Allen, LA meets Asia!

I was so excited to participate in a webinar for Asian Intel Senior Trainers. I wasn’t quite sure if Asia was ready for a Port Allen girl but I think it was a perfect match. We were asked to spotlight a couple of web 2.0 tools. I presented my materials using Prezi and I spotlighted Glogster EDU glogs that were created by Louisiana students. A big shout goes to Jan McGee of Ouachita Parish for sending me some glogs that were created on the Revolutionary War. My niece created a glog on her summer reading – Three Cups of Tea which was awesome. She said Glogster was a cool web 2.0 tool and she wished that her teachers would use these types of sites instead of the boring web 2.0. I am not sure what exactly what is Boring web 2.0 but I take any compliment that I can get. Prezi was also a big hit so check it out if you want to go outside of the box with your presentations – this ain’t yo mamma’s PowerPoint. The experience was so incredibly cool that it made it sit back and think of the great opportunities that have passed my way all because I am an Intel trainer. I also have to think about all the people that I have encountered. I have met so many state educators that I would never have known except maybe by name. I feel a part of an educational whole instead of just a girl (or should I say glamorous lady) who works behind the desk in the DOE building. I look forward to working with all of you this school year and I can’t wait to get one of the enormous cookies at our MT celebration at LACUE. We will have our luncheon at LACUE and details will follow in upcoming months.

Glogster

I am having such a great time with Glogter

Discovering Discovery Education

I just conducted my first training with Discovery Education Streaming. Wow! This tool come a long way since the days of United Streaming. I had a few fellow educators from the Department of Education join me for lunch and a training. I was limited in time but what a productive hour! I was able to show the basics of the site and discuss exporting clips and pictures. A great time was had by all. I think I see future lunch trainings with Discovery....

There Is One in Every Group

The 3^rd annual Louisiana Literacy and Numeracy Conference was held this past week . I was asked to present at the Numeracy portion so I demoed math examples from the LCC using tools from my Visual Thinking presentation. Visual Ranking was a big hit and I briefly covered Seeing Reason since I was running short on time. The session was a big success and all left with Intel training flyers…never hurts to do a little PR for our programs. I was a little surprised at one of the evaluations. There were some great comments but you know we always focus on the negative ones. The statement was….spent too much time on the computer and needed to cover subject materials. I was sad to see that the participant who was a teacher did not recognize that I was covering the subject materials but with the use of the computer. I was showing them the LCC way of doing things and then how to enhance the activity with technology. I guess you can’t win them all over with our cool technology stuff but we must keep on trying. Good Luck with your technology integration adventures.