EPSY556 Pam Ponderings

On CTER, Endings and Beginnings

2009-12-05T14:09:00.000-06:00

My CTER journey is about to come to an end, and I am filled with mixed emotions. Completing a graduate course of study is something I have wanted to do for a very long time. I am so very glad and grateful I've been able to do so. As my daughter told me the other day, "You did it for all the right reasons, Mom... Not for money but because you really wanted to." A colleague made a similar comment last week as I was discussing how very much more I have gotten from this two year program compared to my four year undergraduate degree. His reply? "Perhaps it was your attitude, your age - making the most of an opportunity." In a sense, the experiences I've had, both personally and professionally, between those two degrees have made a difference as well. Past and present experiences to build upon... While the past two years have been busy with coursework, crowding out more time with family and career, they have also been an incredible educational and personal journey for me. Thus, I am both glad for the prospect of more time and proud of what I have accomplished, yet sad to be finished and leaving a community I have grown to love. It occurs to me, however, that this is not really an ending, but instead a beginning.

In a sense, that new beginning has already begun. CTER has impacted me personally and professionally already. Because of my position, the ripple effect has been district wide. We have our own Moodle server at work and staff are beginning to use it. CTER was definitely the inspiration for that! Because of the Moodle frustrations some CTER cohorts have experienced and shared, we're taking it slow and thinking it through carefully first. I have great hopes for its success because of that. Will students have enough access to do what we'd like? How can we structure the activities so students need to think critically and collaborate? What educational needs/weak areas do we have that can be addressed, improved, enriched? Then there's the Web 2.0 arena. Our administration is loosening some restrictions as we're finding ways to not only keep students safe but teach them digital safety and citizenship. Staff are beginning to use blogs and wikis, plus maximize and leverage their classroom web sites to keep students and parents current and challenged. Our Internet filter has been loosened a bit. The middle school technology instructor is exploring the possibilities that Scratch and Alice may afford and a pilot unit utilizing student email accounts is in the works. Flip cameras are showing up in use everywhere, many in students' hands. Our technology team is planning NETS awareness for all staff and looking at a technology scope and sequence, engaging and involving more staff. A few administrators even led technology sessions at this year's Techno Expo institute day. Leading. Using tech. Not blocking it.

This course alone, has opened doors of opportunity and growth. My webquest for fourth graders on evaluating web sites will be taken for a test drive shortly. My Fiction vs. Non-fiction learning object is already in use and future LO plans are in the works. (I love eXe!) My student led discussion on standards brought new insights to its creator (imagine that!) and I'm more than ready for a big administrative meeting - on standards. The final position paper I'm working on is a three-fold "win win win". It is the perfect wrap up for this course, an even more perfect wrap up for my CTER experience, and a personal professional "win" as I imagine... "If I were in charge of the world/the future of education." Ah, if only! On a more personal note this blog has been a bringing together of professional "ah hahs" and a voice for self. I wept as I wrote on the eve of yet another wakeful 9/11, then slept having given it voice. This blog gave voice to my digital story, Coming Home, as well; a voice that was heard beyond my cohorts, shared inevitably with VA groups and counsellors alike. Giving voice and thus healing as well. Beautiful. My husband's response to Coming Home, "It's beautiful." Can such grief be that? Perhaps. Giving voice.

And personally? I'm on Facebook and My Space and am beginning to explore Twitter. I have RSS feeds and blogs and wikis. I'm on You Tube and we own a Flip. I've been in Second Life and shared the Sistine Chapel with my husband. My CTER experiences have transformed my family and redefined relationships. You see, it isn't just me. Technology, it seems, is contagious. And it seems to be most contagious in areas of need. I admit to not being the most faithful Facebook user. When new photos go up or one of my out of state sisters or cousins shares, I'm on it. But my husband, my non-tech husband, is all over Facebook. Regularly. You see, it filled a need for him. He's retired military. Friends are literally all over the world and, you guessed it. They're on Facebook. In Afghanistan and Iraq. Out of state and out of country. He shares and texts and posts on walls and connects. The Flip goes everywhere with him and he no longer needs my help getting them off the camera and uploaded. Our adult daughters of course were already "there". Now we're "there" with them. Sharing, more of life together, connected in new ways. And we haven't lost any of the "old" as naysayers foretell of gloom and a future with people unable to interact face-to-face, in "old" ways. Instead, that remains and a new dimension of connectedness has been added. Injecting new life into old relationships.

For me, 2010 will be a new beginning as well. I will have more of that precious commodity, time - and I have so many ideas to explore and "what ifs" to investigate. It's as if the finish line is really a new place to start all over again, only better.

Thanks, CTER! I'm going to miss you.

Pam

Finish/Start Creative Commons Licensed Flickr Photo by I Like

On Risk Taking and a Confession

2009-11-15T16:09:00.007-06:00

Risk taking. Responsible risk taking. It's at the heart of life, facing it square on and making the most of it, getting the most out of it. It's how we grow and stretch and change; how we stay vital and interesting and interested. It's been on my mind lately for two reasons. First the ICTS Technology Specialist's test (the how and why being another paragraph), and second having a cohort write of me, "it is heartening to know that she still loves what she does! Very often, teachers get disillusioned with teaching: the students don’t care, the schools aren’t supportive, the kids are not interested in learning,etc etc etc. I don’t get that sense from Pam. I get a sense that she is still excited about her role as an educator and the future of learning. She is willing to experiment and try new ideas." That is very high praise; I personally believe the highest kind in education. Upon reading it, I felt honored and undeserving at the same time. Not that I don't love what I do, because I absolutely do love it. I have the best job in the world and am so very grateful for it and the opportunities it affords. I absolutely am excited when presented with the opportunity to try something new. It's just that there are so many other educators just like me. We simply don't hear much about them. I work with many of them and see many more at conferences and workshops. But what does all of this have to do with risk taking? It made me stop and think. Just why do some of us continue to love what we do, excited about new ideas, while others of us do not? It struck me yesterday after completing the Technology Specialist exam. It's the willingness to take risks. At least in part. It may not be the whole answer to the question, but it's certainly a part of the equation. Burn out. Inability to change. Stagnation. They all in a sense lack risk taking. Not reckless risk taking, but the responsible kind. The kind where you look the situation over, do some research (formal or not), make an assessment, decide you might fail but that's ok, make some plans, then take the plunge.

So what of the ICTS exam? Certainly it involved some risk taking on my part. It became very clear as soon as I neared Parkside Junior High School that I was not the typical test taker. As I entered the foyer literally packed with bodies and looked around, it became crystal clear how very out of place I was. The building was filled with youth. I wanted to say, "my children's age", but in reality my children are older than that crowd. So, I took another deep breath (as it had taken quite a few deep breaths before that to get to the point I was at), and plunged into the crowd. I discovered some extremely kind and pleasant youths, willing to converse and even commiserate with another generation. When talk turned to what test each of us would be taking, some measure of "credit" was given for "my" exam. Clearly it was not one they routinely take or thought they had a chance of passing. Then again, never having taken an ICTS exam before, I was uncertain of even what the exam would be like much less my chances (other than how I'd done on the practice test) of passing. After the fact, I wouldn't say the exam was easy, and I wouldn't say for sure that I even passed. That information I'll have to wait a while for. And though I signed and promised not to reveal the contents of the exam, I can say that I have a few people and institutions to thank for many of my answers. It amazed me, as I worked through the questions, how many of them I could point at a person or situation that taught me that. A number of times I caught myself smiling and a few times almost laughed out loud. (Which might have been grounds for invalidation and dismissal. ;) Caroline who first presented me with the opportunity to work where I do then prodded me along and took risks with me, Josh our past RK consultant who was always willing to stop and explain something server-side to me, our district who trusted me with their network and their staff training and the learning that takes place in their labs and the writing of their last three tech plans, ICC (our local community college) that offers a very challenging networking course, and our CTER courses as well. Remember AoI with Tony? THAT was an LOL for sure for me, as much of the class complained openly. And PB wiki grant writing - for my group about Student Repsonse Systems. There they all were in the exam... And to complete the risk taking circle here, the correct answer to practice test question #16: "Administrators in a middle school want to foster an environment conducive to the comprehensive integration of technology into the educational setting. To achieve this goal, it is most important for the administrators to:" (drum roll, please!) "cultivate a culture of responsible risk taking and to support innovation in the use of technology." A culture of responsible risk taking!

My confession (per the post title)? Simply that at times, many times, I've hesitated before taking that risk. It involves putting yourself out there, whether for failure or success or something unexpected. It also involves some extra time and energy, coping and self-talk, honest evaluation and a hard look at yourself and the situation at hand. I've discovered it also means excitement and opportunity, fun and good conversation, change and growth. Fun even in failure. Some of my funniest stories involve some pretty large failures - that became pretty good life lessons and jumping-off places to success as well. CTER has been such a risk. The biggest risk taking was applying for admission. My transcripts were yellowed with age. My colleagues I began with (in another state) had retired. My first inclination was to try quietly, then no one would know if I failed. That illusion didn't last but a minute before reality hit. I had to meet with administrators to get permission to take an online masters. I needed recommendations. So, I decided to take the plunge anyway, and in a sense the process was freeing. I wrote what I truly felt and made my resume look the way I liked it, not the way I imagined it "should" be. Caroline sent a recommendation and an email that simply said, "You go, girl!" Once I started CTER, I decided to make the most of it. For me. Because of that, I've chosen projects beyond my comfort zone, used CTER's expertise and learned way more than I ever imagined. Sometimes that assignment risk taking meant losing a point, but the whole point IS risk taking. And during the ICTS exam, there was the question. The one that sealed the deal for me. I knew that answer because I took the risk, used a new and different tool when a familiar one would have been accepted, learned a great deal and lost a point. I took the risk and a small "hit" for it, but knew an answer and more importantly gained the knowledge I wouldn't have otherwise had.

Risk taking. Great stuff of life!

Pam

"Take the occasional risk" Creative Commons Licensed

Flickr Photo by mafleen

Pam 12/12/09 Update...

Flickr Creatice Commons Licensed Photo Fortune by KellyK

at http://www.flickr.com/photos/elasticsoul/216428692/

Fortune come true... I passed!!!! =]

Full Circle: The Future of Learning

2009-11-08T19:22:00.006-06:00

My first EPSY556 blog posting was on the future of learning, an assigned first topic. That topic made me stop and think. Now we're headed into a group assignment, a final position paper about the future of learning. Again I found myself having to stop and ponder. A lot of coursework, new ideas and challenges in the form of milestones and modules have happened since that first writing and a lot of conversation as well, both in class and at work about class. I found myself one day (during the ponder portion) with a vision of what MY school would "look like", and before I knew it my body had carried me across the hall to have a conversation with Shanna, our district librarian. I am so lucky to work with her! She is not only an excellent educator, mother and co-worker, she loves to discover new things and talk about "what ifs" and "how could" and "should we" and "let's!" So, my ideas flowed out and bounced around a bit and settled back in my mind. I wrote about them in an email to the other group members for our final position paper. I knew I was with a great group when responses and comments came right back at me. We eventually decided to take a bit of a different approach for our paper. It's a better approach, a more global one, one more appropriate for the assignment. Yet, I have those thoughts with nowhere to go, so I decided to blog them and give them some air!

First things first, so I return first to my initial blog. My "position" hasn't really changed, yet it has solidified and deepened. I wrote, "I will not pretend to know the future of learning. That is something none of us can truly know. Yet we can know what it 'will not' and dream of 'what might be'. It will not be straight rows while teachers talk and students listen, take notes and spew back information on demand. It will be collaborative and creative and global, information seeking and remixing, challenging and ever-changing. We will not be able to train them for their future job career, as our students will have multiple jobs and multiple careers, many of which will not exist when they graduate." Of information and facts I pondered, "Information during my educational years came from the library, textbooks and teachers. Today information is everywhere and everyone in a sense is a teacher." I spoke of standards and skills and change. Then I looked ahead at the course using that crystal ball, the syllabus, predicting growth and even a favorite. Hah! and LOL on myself! I pondered standards in that posting though they almost didn't "fit" - yet they were certainly on my mind. I'm now preparing to lead a ten minute discussion and the topic is... (drum roll...) standards. I've rewritten that discussion three times now. I'm not even sure it's something my cohorts ponder. But obviously it is something I needed to settle for myself, I needed some sense of them. I've always known that "sense of them" was there, but haven't had the time to take a look. So, while my discussion may or may not be enlightening to others, it has already been that for me. I have the fourth version in my head. Perhaps it will be the final one. And my course favorite prediction? Little did I know... I wrote of digital storytelling as my anticipated favorite, "Storytelling has ancient roots and thrives today, in new forms and in old. I have seen students as enthralled by storytellers during school assemblies as by digital ones. It is an art that teaches and speaks to us on many levels, often with universal truths. As such it holds an important place in education." At this point in the course I can honestly say that for me, both educationally and on a personal level, the storytelling assignment impacted me the most. By far. It surprised me in many ways. Personally, the process of creating and then sharing my story has been healing. It opened insights and conversations, sharing and deepened understanding. I had not expected all that. It was hard and wonderful at the same time. Educationally, I saw some of its possibilities in terms of language arts and creativity. Looking back I saw it in small ways. After all, it's about yourself. It isn't anything "new" or really educational in that sense. Hah! Little did I know. Digital storytelling builds community. It deepens understanding of self. I thought I knew my CTER cohorts pretty well by now, almost two years of sharing. I learned so much more about them during our storytelling! Digital storytelling can speak to diversity and issues - the kind that involve hard pondering and critical thinking. It provide incredible opportunities for creativity and "writing" (in its many, many forms). I see all kinds of subject areas in these stories, so many places a classroom could "go"... This is SO much better than, "What I did on my summer vacation"...But I digress.

Back to the future of learning. In Pam's school. In my first group email I wrote, "First I think the way “school” is organized needs to be looked at and seriously changed. I think we need to spend time with subject areas and standards based instruction, but perhaps in a more fluid RTI and block scheduling kind of a way. For instance, a child might be a part of one teacher’s activities for reading depending on their level of achievement so far, then another grouping for math or science or social studies. And not necessarily just by grade level, but multiple grade levels – PreK-2 and 3-5 and 6-8 and 9-12 for instance. Something really fluid. That all needs to be supported well with presentation of core content along with exploration of the topics and supported in lots of ways including technology. Second, I think the part of the day should be for creative problem solving, critical thinking kinds of projects – interdisciplinary and creative. I think students should have a variety to pick from and it should be by interest, not by grade level. Lots of projects should be available in areas staff are interested in as well. Third, I think the supports we provide to both of those are critical. That includes library services and what technologies (hardware and software) are available and what kinds of professional development and on site support (personnel) are provided. Libraries need to be a part of the whole mix, not a separate place to just maybe go to. There should be tech integration specialists working side by side with teachers as they work with students. Critical kinds of software and hardware should be available, and there should be ways to not be so filtered on the Internet. Safety and Internet use and information literacy skills should be taught as you go – while using them under staff guidance. Then lastly, I think we should be using social networking tools to help tie this all together and support what’s going on and sharing – between core subject areas as well as the more creative problem based projects. The broader community should be included as well. There are all kinds of social networking technologies that could enhance all aspects of the school community. They should bring the students and staff and school and community together while problem solving and learning core content and being a school community. I want to revamp the whole enchilada." It all kind of just "spilled out"... I truly appreciated the conversation/responses that flowed from that email. Ana especially made me stop and re-think. Do we need that standards based instruction? Could we educate students without it? My conclusion (to myself, mostly) was that to a great extent I think we could in the higher grade levels. I do think, however, there's a basic reading and math foundation our youngest students need before they can get full measure from the other educational opportunities we dreamt of. I do, however, believe we can do a much better job of providing that foundation without workbooks and worksheets. And certainly it needs to be more fluid, less "by grade level". Yes, lots of early childhood and early elementary teachers use all kinds of wonderful hands on, interactive and even technology-based activities to lay this foundation. Yet, I still see too many paper and pencil activities to be satisfied with the status quo. So, I'm advocating some less traditional ways to lay that foundation, and I'd like to see it stirred in with a good measure of the rest of "Pam's school mix".

Maybe when I retire...

Pam

Next Dimension Flickr Photo Creative Commons Licensed by h.koppdelaney

"Mercury Transit

Come fly with me
I'll help you there
You've got a friend

HKD"

Our Story: Coming Home

2009-10-12T16:44:00.024-05:00

For me, the creation of this digital storytelling for my CTER EPSY556 class has been cathartic. The topic was inevitable. I knew it immediately, but resisted for a while. Too personal. Too close. Yet, our story is sadly not unique. It is a story that too many share. So, while at my age I have several life journey stories I could tell, this one beckoned, insistent. It called for a voice. Someone to speak. I knew in my heart it was right, though hard. At times, I wept while creating it. A good weeping, the healing kind. And so I offer it here to you in honor of my husband and all the men and women of our military who serve and sacrifice.

Download: Coming Home
It will play best if you right click and Save Link/Target As...
After the download, play it from your local computer.

If that doesn't work well for you, view it online at:
http://www.epd86.org/olivito2/Coming_Home.html

I have gone through several revisions. I began with a search for some good old American patriotic classics, but could not find one that allowed me to use it in its entirety. I created one with clips and snippets and posted it. I felt compelled to put it out there... Give voice to the story. Yet, the sound wasn't "just right" and some of the clips might have been a tad bit longer than allowed under fair use. ;) I created a version with the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra and asked permission, yet got permission only for use with the class for which it was created. I thought it over for a while, but no. Not right yet. So, I went back in. The break was good, a step back from high emotion... The current version uses two songs from Opsound, songs I have grown attached to. So. The final version. Finally.

Credit Details:
Audacity - Mixing multiple sound tracks into one, sound effects
Flickr Photos:
- 20081111 Chicato_IL_VeteransDay, Obama-Biden Transition Project
- 37/366: Puzzle Me in Pieces by dramamath
- Always Faithful by BL1961
- Major Tammy Duckworth by Yankee November
- Memorial Day by Elessar
- Mosaic Man by Pink Iguana
- Remembrance by Mr. Mo-Fo
- Saluting Those Who Serve/Served by lissalou66
- St. George's day 2009 Ashton Tameside England.by Sir Garlichad
- Suicide by Morgennebel
- This Time It's Personal by violinsoldier
- True Cost of War 4 (Takoma Park, MD) by takomabibelot
- US Backed Ethiopian Troops by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
- Veterans Day, November 11, 2007 by Wigwam Jones
- Vietnam War Memorial by TimothyJ
- Washington DC: Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall by wallyg
HHC 106 AVN Photos
Jing - Capture CN Freight Train clip, Windows Media Player Light/Flash
Opsound - Castor and Contrejour, Rogg Maddeford Piano Duos
Partners in Rhyme - Sound effects
Personal Photos
RAD Tools - File conversion
Windows Media Player - Light/Flash video from Visualizations: Battery
Windows Movie Maker - Main Production Tool
You Tube - CN Freight Train
Zamzar - File conversion and download

Pam

Weeping Angel Flickr Photo by Theodore Scott

On Blogs and Pam... and David Warlick's 2¢ Worth

2009-09-30T21:52:00.002-05:00

I have to admit that, though I am very comfortable in my own blog(s) when assigned for coursework, I have not been compelled to blog on my own (Why would anyone be interested in my common, ordinary thoughts?) and have not regularly followed anyone else for that matter. The former is definitely related to my reluctance to Facebook or Twitter as well. My German roots bristle at the thought of such frivolous and non-productive use of time. I was raised to be busy (in a productive work-ethic way), clean, frugal and punctual. I cannot imagine my grandmother at a party, much less blogging, twittering or on Facebook. I can, however, picture her cutting paper napkins in half (as using an entire napkin is totally unnecessary) then using a straight pin to secure the carefully scissors-cut napkin package edges together. I can also clearly picture her ironing my grandfather's boxer shorts. (That is another post entirely.) That said, I have studiously and with good German intent worked diligently to shed those qualities and acquire the ability to relax and enjoy this God given life of mine. I have made great strides in that endeavor, laughing often (even at work), taking in nature's gifts even as presented in small doses during the day, singing along with my favorite songs and occasionally allowing myself the forbidden pleasure of reading a book just because...

Yet CTER has brought to light my lack of progress in certain areas. I'm proud to say I'm actually reconsidering all three "frivolous, non-productive" afore mentioned pastimes: blogging, Facebooking and Twittering. I have to give CTER Cohort Luke full credit for the Twitter reconsider. He pointed me in the direction of an article that showed how Twitter can be useful, even educational. So useful, my grandmother might even agree! Well, perhaps not, but I certainly am willing to be convinced. Facebook has proved its worth to me in an unexpected way - through my totally non-techie husband. He is retired and has found new reasons to be online. He pours over ham radio sites and technical information, swaps emails with ham friends and any other friend that is willing to participate (so many it is difficult for him to keep up), and he now Facebooks. Our youngest daughter got him started along with a young military man he has mentored through the years. Pictures were up from Afghanistan if my husband were on Facebook, so my daughter patiently spent many painful sessions showing my husband the ins and outs of Facebook. Then about a week later she patiently (and with a straight face) explained to him he should probably not write on his own wall, but respond to others on their walls instead. Slowly he began to navigate Facebook and very quickly became connected with many, many people from his past. My favorite was the first time someone texted him on Facebook. I was sitting next to him, doing CTER homework (working,of course) and he seemed startled, then concerned. What do I do? Look at what I got! I can answer??? How??? I told him to just type. Then press "Enter". He did. And when he pressed "Enter" and almost immediately got a reply, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. He typed for a LONG time, and when he stopped he turned to me and announced, "That was FUN!" I think that's when he and Facebook sealed the deal. They're a pair now, and I can see it's benefits for him - how it keeps him connected, posting pictures of his new antennas and conversing with friends deployed in combat zones. I know a part of him feels a bit guilty that he's home and safe - and not with them. His being home and safe and connected to them, in a sense makes Facebook my friend too.

So we come to blogs. The point of this rambling post. Because finding and reading blogs is part of my current CTER course, and thus official "work", I have been doing so. At first a bit tentatively, but then with building interest. Some are very useful and would keep me up-to-date on education and tech and anything else I'd like. Those for sure my grandmother would approve... Yet, I've found myself drawn to those with a more personal touch. Those that look at the stuff of life and weave it with thoughts and experiences in a personal sort of way. Those you can look at and nod your head or smile - then often have your own aha moment of insight and even possibly usefulness. Thus I was drawn to David Walick's 2¢ Worth.

His current article, "Is Starbucks Killing Community?", made me think twice and re-read it as well. I'm only an occasional Starbucks customer, and always just to purchase (usually on a road trip of some magnitude) and leave. I do think Warlick is probably a bit defensive, as he obviously is often one of those sitting "alone at a table, tapping on their laptops" being written about. I have not done that, my sole laptop wifi experience being at a Panera's to attend a CTER Elluminate course session while in Ohio at my mother-in-law's totally unconnected household. Perhaps I've been in the wrong Starbucks, or the right Starbucks at the wrong time, but it has always been very busy - and while not buzzing with conversation, they flat out have been too crowded to describe them as a "buffered safe haven away from home". There simply wasn't enough standing room to have any kind of a "buffer". Even my solo Panera experience in a suburb where I literally knew no one (other than my husband and mother-in-law safely tucked away in a tech- free suburban home), led me to conversation. I chose a quiet corner where empty tables surrounded me, a bit self-conscious about "going to class" at a restaurant - but as soon as I got myself logged into the session, up walks a woman... Can she sit at the table next to me? (It's Panera's for goodness sake, I'm not in charge of who sits where.) Then questions about the wifi connection. Comments about her tech problems (with hopeful pauses). A story about the woman she's supposed to meet. And so on. It seemed to me, she was looking for community, not running away from it. My husband's lone wifi experiences also center around Paneras. He meets a ham radio buddy there, they fire up their laptops, put their heads together and share community. I also have to wonder whether "engaging in conversations within like-minded communities" is a real threat either. Agreeing on a favorite coffee house is a pretty small like-minded connection. Certainly all varieties of communities and thoughts drink strong coffee.

That's not the article that caught my eye as I was blog-hopping, however. It hadn't been written yet. What made me stop and stay a while was reading "A Ramble about Getting Reminded" and then "Are We Selling it to the Wrong People?" Yet it was while I read the entire third post, "Reasoning Our Way In..." that I realized I was hooked. Hooked on a blog! Truth lived there. Of: A Ramble... Our children and our students certainly do not "read the instructions". They simply begin. Which led to a really good question: "I guess my question is can teachers who demand instructions (step 1, step 2, step 3) teach experiential learners?" Of: Are We Selling... Ads speak to educators about tools that will "speak digital native" to students and pull them away from the distractions of Twitter and Facebook. Surely their ads and products would be different if they were being sold to students - the ones who would actually be using them. After all, (good question), aren't we (and "they") supposed to be serving students, not teachers and schools and "education"? And of: Reasoning Our Way... LOL! I don't own a watch any more because my children convinced me they are no longer necessary. That's what cell phones are for! Yet my husband clings to his, although he resembles the description of one unable to decipher the buttons and their multiple functions. He is quite an intelligent man, yet he turns to our children (and me if they are not present) to press that magic combination of buttons on his watch or our VCR or DVD player to make it perform whatever function necessary at the time. A truth. Children certainly approach a new task something like a safe cracker. A safe cracker with confidence. Confidence with good reason. They usually "get in".

The final blow was a bit further down, "Blog Worthy Topics". Warlick speaks of blog worthy topics, the type used educationally, teacher-learner and student-learner blogging - and then suddenly it becomes all about a Twitter hash tag, #bwtopic... and an atom feed for it... (http://search.twitter.com/search.atom?q=bwtopic) ..and a posting of the feed on Class Blogmeister Ning network. UH OH!!!

I'm feeling pulled in farther than I bargained for. =]

Pam

Starbucks - makes da people - come together!

Flickr Photo by [ AndreA ]

On Ted... and Age and Technology

2009-09-16T18:53:00.004-05:00

Today another quiet victory! It caught me, unexpected, in a sea of questions during another open lab help session today. She arrived last, waited patiently and as we sat together and began, there was textbook software and SMART Notebook questions and a bluetooth install and a QuickTime issue all in a rush. It came so quickly at me I missed it for a second. Where was the hesitancy? The "not really complaining" (as she has such a good and kind heart) but a real and honest "isn't this just too hard and too much to ask" approach. But wait - she didn't have to be there. And again... She was smiling at me, enthusiastic and hopeful, words tripping over themselves to tell me about the software and her new bluetooth mouse and keyboard and the SMART Notebook training she went to this past summer. We left the lab for her room and as she spoke of "so much to learn" about the SMART Notebook I couldn't help but do a mind-wander to the past. Checkered a bit, tugs and pulls mixed with some high anxiety - the kind that could lead to "not so good places". Yet when I would approach her, open to listen, trying to stand in her shoes - she was always ready to meet me, both professionals, wanting the "right". She got high credit from me for that. That and her giving generous support for my husband's unit in Iraq. Generous in time and heart. You see, I had found out that many soldiers had lonely birthdays there, no one knowing or remembering, alone and away. So I started a birthday cards for the troops campaign, fought hard to "win" the birthday date list (evidently a high level secret) and sent out a plea for cards from classes. I provided the addressed envelopes and stamps, yet after some initial "takers", most preferred to donate envelope and stamp money. Easy. But not worth much without the innards, the cards. Well, this teacher, my quiet victory for today, came through in spades. Regularly, with compassion. And the cards. They were the most glorious creations! Her class must have invested much in time and care. Cut out and pops up, treasures glued and media explored. They brought me smiles and some laugh alouds as I stuffed and sent them. Frank's unit must have agreed. We got such wonderful thank yous and letters in return. And another mind-wander, back to asking her to be a part of the core technology leadership team. We needed all voices. Balance. Even the negative. So with hesitancy we began that part of our journey. Standards. NETS. Hopes and roadblocks and struggles. She began to see the bigger picture and we better understood her shoes. A good investment in many ways. So - today's quiet victory runs deep and appreciated the more for it. She set up the bluetooth herself and it was working ! yet she didn't have rights to install and didn't want to "miss" anything the CD might have to offer. LOL! and HaHaHa for me inside. I savored the visit. As we fixed and answered and set up, she told me about how wonderful it was to use the computer and project on a screen, being able to face the students and engage with them, not trapped behind her computer screen. And her students. They were so impressed and excited with her technology skills! (LOL - love it out loud - again!) And so was she. Then she pulled out her wireless remote clicker (an added bonus, also new) and told me more stories of students (and teacher) excited about opportunities and experiences. Education, a classroom, enhanced and made better. I left feeling as if education got a gold star today.

And as I pondered this post, I realized a theme. My previous quiet victories (post) - the star victory was a "veteran" teacher. So is today's. And then of course there's me. Also as well, Ted has been on my mind. My brother-in-law missed, now gone. An incredible man, an incredible life. Life well lived and shared. He never met a person he wasn't truly interested in. He would listen as if you were the most fascinating person around. And he remembered, revisited, spent time and wrote. Oh, did he write! Letters the likes of you'd never received before. Long and penetrating, personal and giving. The first time my daughter was the lucky recipient of such a letter (typed by then, no longer hand written), she brought it to me, quiet concern on her face. Would I read it? It was... as I expected, yet she had not. She seemed at a loss, then said, "Mom. I can't throw this out! It's different than other letters." It's... a story, a history, literature... a work of art and a reaching out of self and selflessness. That was Ted. Because of that, his funeral was hard yet joyous, well shared and well loved. Ted, as well, was a lighthouse, a beacon of change - not just the acceptance of it but the natural embracing of it with joy in new "stuff" of life. And a new way to write. To reach out. The Internet and email, a move to a laptop when bed-bound, hospital-bound. Not so unusual you might be thinking. Yet indeed it was. You see, Ted was not my sister's age, he was my mother's age. My mother who we lost three years ago at the age of 90. I hesitate to tell people that... Ted is so hard to explain, imagine, conjure up. You had to meet him to see his inner youth and the way you didn't even recognize or think upon his age. He was ageless, an adventurer, interesting and interested. And his Irish brogue! His reading of scripture at a service was the stuff of legends, irish brogue full tilt. He claimed they taught the children in Irish schools public speaking, the hows and whens and whats and wheres, but we knew behind the skill and brogue was Ted-ness that made it so. Ted was an educator and well-"experienced". Though born in Wisconsin, his missionary family moved to Scotland where he learned the printing trade. He worked his way back to America caring for Arabian race horses on the ship. He served during World War II in the South Pacific, in Papua New Guinea and Queensland, Australia. While in Brisbaine, he laid the groundwork for the later establishment of the Australian Church of the Nazarene. After getting his degree and an M.A. he was appointed Superintendent of Schools for American Samoa by the Secretary of the Interior. After leaving Samoa he produced a health education training film in New Caledonia for the South Pacific Commission. He then moved on to New Zealand where he taught primary school and produced two films. After moving to California Ted continued to make educational films and taught special education students until his retirement. So - you can see Ted collected a LOT of people to communicate with along life's way. And as my sister Cindy wrote in her husband's obituary, "Ted ... made life better for everyone who knew him." So. Of Ted. He wrote to me. Often. As he did with so many others. But to me he wrote about technology. While my father-in-law and father couldn't even be pictured in front of a computer and my mother-in-law roundly refuses to consider the idea, my mother so proud of me (asking questions, wanting to understand) yet a bit jealous of any visits punctuated with online time, Ted... Ted embraced technoloogy as the most natural thing, writing to me about printers and computer specs and email and digital cameras and tech woes, as if it was just more "stuff of life" to learn and explore and gloriously use. To write. To be. And so he did. A techie at 93. A beacon for many and an example for all.

On 9/11, Quiet Victories and 21st Century Skills

2009-09-11T01:31:00.000-05:00

Being responsible for the technology training for a district is often a daunting task. A quick look at the skills of a cross section of staff in any district compared to ISTE's NETS for Teachers, the Six Essential Learnings, and 21st Century Skills... and the enormity of the task at hand becomes clear. I began my position years ago with great hope and anticipation as well as a great expenditure of time, effort and personal investment. I realized the other day, while driving between buildings, meetings and beginning of the year open lab help sessions, that I still have that great hope and anticipation, and am as well overbooked and very invested. So, what's to write about one might ask? The middle, of course.

The middle can get bogged down in seemingly endless tasks and too many needs to properly care for. Effort is huge and progress can be slow. Each year has been begun and met with new ideas and approaches, targets and tools as well as roadblocks and challenges. Then the target moves; changes and evolves... and the bar is raised. Yet the essential questions remain the same. How to fit educators today to educate in today's society. How to fit students for their future, keeping it full of promise and great hope.

Then there's the middle that's more personal. The mom and wife and daughter and friend and co-worker and sister parts that, when tried (or trying), we're not supposed to "take to work" but "leave at home". Yet 9/11 began for me at work and the death and loss to follow seemed to follow me there as well. 9/11/2001. Enough loss and more than one can stand, yet then... A dear friend and co-worker lost to a long exemplary battle with cancer. Her husband soon follows. My father-in-law falls down the basement steps the same day my husband is activated for 18 months active duty in Iraq; my husband buries his father and returns home to pack and serve. There he is forever changed, friends lost and maimed, torn and lost. Duke, our first Brittany and hunting dog, dies. Tommie, our cat, is next. One child loses a job; the other her health. The woman who hired me and nurtured me and poked and prodded me towards what now I know is the best job in the world retires. My dear friend and tech team partner dies after a long and brave medical battle. And then I care for and lose my mother. Incredible grief. A few weeks ago my brother-in-law is lost. Grief again. Eight years. Grief and loss. So I find myself just after midnight and the dawn of another 9/11. Unable to sleep and grieving for those who grieve tonight.

Yet, just last week I found myself singing again. A very blessed miracle and a great sign of hope in my heart again and on the horizon. Then two days ago I became aware of quiet victories. They crept in quietly, through the back parts of my mind. Quiet victories at work. Victories! A veteran teacher, uncertain and unsure with technology at first, now changed. Asking new questions because she's comfortable and sure, now changed. Smiling broadly, helping someone else ! and proudly sharing. Solid, "at home" tech use and integration. Quiet victories. Momentum building in district with ground swells and pockets of such creative and fun and learning-loving tech use. I realize ! I am no longer alone, alone with the task of trainer of tech. My train and share and one-on-one and "ask another" seeds have taken root. They've sprouted quiet victories. Quiet victories at work ...and at home, more quiet victories. A child with an even better job than the one lost. Another coming out of that downward medical spiral that sucked her in. Lessons of war learned and patched; victories in hard healing.

Quiet victories. Great hope. My prayer this 9/11.

Facebook: Personal or Public?

2009-09-06T16:57:00.000-05:00

Twice this week I've been reminded of the public nature of social networking sites such as Facebook. This week as well, we've been looking at social networking sites (along with wikis and social bookmarking) in my EPSY 556 CTER course. Thus, Facebook has been on my mind and I felt the need to ponder it a bit.

First, one morning over coffee, I was presented with a man being interviewed on Fox and Friends who was fired from his job because of a Facebook post he made. Griffin Scott, a news anchor, seemed like a nice enough guy in person. What did he post on Facebook? "Griffin Scott knows what the Enola Gay was and that makes me the only person under 40 who knew that in our newsroom. Not sure whether to be proud or not..." The company feels "that subjected the station to public disrepute, contempt, scandal or ridicule".

Second, I was told through the rumor-mill at work that a certain teacher in our district got into trouble recently because of a Facebook post about a wild party. Now, rumors being what they are, I'm not sure if words and/or pictures were involved, but it certainly seems that someone in our district (allowing for inaccurate name information) got talked to by an administrator about something posted on a Facebook page, which most likely involved a whole lot of fun at a party.

Disclaimer/definition: Rumors are unverified, heresay, and not necessarily true!

Yes, I tried to resist, but I DID search for him/her on Facebook. I'm not really proud of that, but it was kind of in the interest of "research". After all, I'd already decided to ponder it on this blog. Upon searching, s/he seemed to be locked down pretty tight. I could see his/her Facebook photo and where s/he lived, but I'd have to ask to be a friend to look for any party details. S/he did, however, have a freely available list of Facebook friends, so again in the interest of research I looked to see who might have "told" on him/her. I'll never know, because s/he is friends with lots and lots of people that work for the district. Now, while I was tempted to ask to be his/her friend, I stopped short of doing so. First, it might be kind of obvious that I was looking for party details - asking at an untimely time to be a friend. As well, if I became his/her Facebook friend, then I would also be likely to be asked to be friends with all the suspected whistle blowers at work. Now, my Facebook page is pretty "blah" and I don't really use it much, but still... I'd just read a boatload of horror stories on the Internet about people fired from work because of Facebook posts and they probably thought they were pretty much upstanding law-abiding citizens too - so after a bit of hesitation I backed out of that page.

If you're curious about all the Internet Facebook horror stories, all you have to do is Google it. A very long list will come up. I stopped after a page or so of them, but here are a few examples:

Facebook post gets NFL Eagle's worker fired: The site quotes, "Dan is ******* devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver...Dam Eagles are Retarded."
Teen Fired for Facebook Post: This page has two examples. The first was a girl who was bored at work and posted so, only to get a reply post of, "Why don't you come upstairs? I can give you some work to do." The second was a UK girl who posted similarly that her job was boring, then was called into the boss' office and fired.
'Sick' employee fired because of Facebook post: She claimed to be home sick because she needed to be in a darkened room and couldn't look at a computer screen. Then she began posting to Facebook from home. Oops.
This final bullet isn't really an example, but some good advice. How to Avoid Getting Fired by Facebook.

All of this research reminded me of another work rumor. Supposedly a disgruntled job candidate posted about her displeasure (in detail) about not getting the job, and was then "banned" from even being a substitute in our district.

All of this research also got me pondering education and teachers and their private lives. We certainly have gotten beyond the old fashioned stereotype of a single, straight-laced woman in the role of teacher. Yet, when I attended Kent State University in Ohio from 1966 to 1970, all education majors had to wear a skirt or a dress to class. We were told it was professional dress. True enough back then, but Ohio winters can get pretty brutal and I had a LONG walk across campus to classes. Sure enough, when I began teaching, dresses and skirts were required. However, very shortly thereafter, pantsuits were allowed. This was pretty controversial. Plus, you had better be wearing a legal pantsuit, not slacks and a top that simply "matched". Today our staff basically has to follow the same dress code requirements as students. That's pretty "loose". We did have a bit of a flap a year or two ago about footwear of all things, sandals and flipflops to be exact. Again, that was the rumor-mill as I have no first hand knowledge, but I did see a handout with pictures of footwear...

So, what can we do? The How to Avoid Getting Fired by Facebook site is probably a good start. Facebook allows you to set privacy settings, and taking a look at those is a very good idea as well. You can manage your Privacy under your Facebook Settings. Within that, you can set your search visibility to everyone (the default I believe), friends of friends, friends only or customize it further. Then in your search results content you can turn on or off your picture, your friend list, a link to add you as a friend, a link to send you a message, and a list of what you're a fan of. The most disturbing to me, however, is the public search listing, as I read somewhere recently that soon regular search engines will bring up your social networking info. The default is to allow: "Create a public search listing for me and submit it for search engine indexing." It may be too late already, but I unchecked that box! My other "find" while researching this was the fact I could block my mother-in-law from my Facebook page. =O Or anyone of my choosing. No need. She refuses to get a computer. (Disclaimer: And she is such a lovely person, I would never really want to do that. She was just "an example".)

Another eye-opener today was when I was searching to see if Annette Lamb has a blog I could follow. Google found "Annette Lamb | Facebook" and provided this info and a link: "Annette Lamb is on Facebook. Join Facebook to connect with Annette Lamb and others you ... Annette Lamb has 315 friends on Facebook and is a fan of 51 Pages." Uh, oh... Clicking the link brought up some pictures and info. So I googled myself. There was my Facebook link, but it held a link to log into Facebook (no pictures and info like Annette's) and this text: "Pam Olivito is on Facebook. Join Facebook to connect with Pam Olivito and others you may know. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world ..." Whew... Guess unchecking the box worked.

My final eye-opener was today when I joined Wetpaint to reply to a blog posting there. A window came up asking me to let Wetpaint and Facebook communicate with each other. I read, "Connect Wetpaint with Facebook to interact with your friends on this site and to share on Facebook through your Wall and friends' news feeds. This site will also be able to automatically post recent activity back to Facebook." I'm not sure I understand all the implications and conveniences and connections of this, but I do suspect it will create less privacy and make more of what is posted available publicly. I also suspect this is the future.

So, where do I stand on all of this? Legal issues aside, I believe we are role models for students, like it or not. When in public, we need to act accordingly. I don't think that means that I can't have fun at a private party or have a beer on Superbowl Sunday with friends. I do think it makes a difference whether students will likely gain knowledge of that behavior via people in attendance. I also think the more "wild" the party/fun, the more certain we should be that it is indeed private. What of social networking sites like Facebook, then? I think people tend to be lulled into a false sense of privacy when using them. After all, one is usually in a private place when posting, and usually there are no repercussions for what we post. Yet, we need to remember social networking sites by their very nature are quite public. We also need to remember that someone else can post those fun party pictures to their social networking site page or repeat a comment. In a way, we've come full circle, as pretty much anything private can easily become public in today's digital age.

Lykketoft viser Facebook on Flickr by Jacob Bøtter

Intro Thoughts: EPSY 556 Analysis of Advanced Instructional Technologies

2009-08-22T14:05:00.000-05:00

The Future of learning...
I will not pretend to know the future of learning. That is something none of us can truly know. Yet we can know what it "will not" and dream of "what might be". It will not be straight rows while teachers talk and students listen, take notes and spew back information on demand. It will be collaborative and creative and global, information seeking and remixing, challenging and ever-changing. We will not be able to train them for their future job career, as our students will have multiple jobs and multiple careers, many of which will not exist when they graduate. Mine did not. The three school districts I taught in for ten years in two states did not have technology as we know it today, and certainly there was no training provided on that 16 mm projector in the hall closet or the opaque projector next to it. Information during my educational years came from the library, textbooks and teachers. Today information is everywhere and everyone in a sense is a teacher. Communication during my educational years was face to face or very slow through the US Postal Service. Telephones were tethered to walls and party lines were common. Communication with family in the military was non-existant to sporadic and untimely. Today communication is instantaneous and varied, individual and collaborative. I communicated with my husband in Iraq through email, web sites, Skype and the US Postal Service. Today my husband communicates with friends in Afghanistan via Facebook and cell phone. Change is accelerating. What was true for me will be exponentially more so for our students. Our thinking must shift, our attitudes, our teaching, our learning.

So what of standards - NETS, and 21st Century Skills and State Learning Standards? The first two speak of collaboration, communication, media, locating and evaluating information sources. While certainly they will evolve, at their heart they already point towards the future. The Illinois Learning Standards, by definition are more specific. While their goals are true, I wonder... Does the importance of certain facts change as means to attain them change? My husband and I grew up with slide rules and typewriters, no longer necessary or evident today, except perhaps as curious artifacts for conversation. Do we need to learn cursive writing? Memorize math facts? Do long division "by hand"? Perhaps still today, yet their future may be limited. While core competencies shift, new competencies are born. Certainly information and information resources have grown beyond what any one person can "know" in the old fashioned sense. As the future unfolds, it will become more important to locate and evaluate information and State Learning Standards by necessity will shift as important core competencies evolve and change. Shift (most certainly) happens.

The challenge for educators and education itself is change. Some of us have "moved". Many have not. Our educational structure - from the buildings we inhabit to the standards/testing we must meet - has moved even less than our educators. All of that has to change, or we will be swept away by the tide and become obsolete - a slide rule or typewriter to examine as a curious artifact of the past.

A reading pondering...
Laura Turner's 20 Technology Skills Every Educator Should Have is an impressive and daunting list for most educators I know. While I could check them off mentally one by one, I have had the luxury for several years to live with technology in my job. I no longer have a classroom of students, lesson plans, parents, meetings and open houses to sandwich in between my tech explorations. And while certainly our newer teachers are more at home exploring new technologies, my own 20-something year old children would slow down when they got to database querying skills, video conferencing skills and computer security. Thus, while the list is a good one, educationally there are two glaring problems I see. First, the majority of teachers would take quite some time, if motivated to do so, to acquire these skills - and by then technology would have moved on, leaving this list behind. Second, even if every teacher on the face of the planet possessed all of the listed skills, it would not guarantee best practices or quality technology integration or classroom/curricular change. Possessing skills does not necessarily translate into quality integration any more than a person holding great knowledge is necessarily a good teacher.

And a few more Pam Ponderings...
Beginning a course and reading its syllabus for me is always exciting but with a bit of anxiety thrown in. Looking ahead at 16 weeks' work is usually a bit daunting, yet in this case I found myself becoming excited about the possibilities and opportunities presented. This is my last CTER course and that look ahead confirms it will be a truly appropriate one for that role. Yes, I have an eportfolio, such as it is. It is a reflection of self (although in need of an update), yet it calls for reflection on my learnings. I've taught staff to create and use webquests and have created video for previous courses. Yet this course and their consideration is different. It will take what I've done in a sense in isolation (considered separately) and bring them together in the more global perspective of exemplary practices, transforming teaching/learning and the very future of education and learning. As well, I have found that a second look at technologies (especially in CTER courses) means a fresh look, with new discussions and differing perspectives as well as deepening understandings. Syllabus reading as well for me involves "favorites" to anticipate. Digital storytelling right now holds that place for me and this course. Storytelling has ancient roots and thrives today, in new forms and in old. I have seen students as enthralled by storytellers during school assemblies as by digital ones. It is an art that teaches and speaks to us on many levels, often with universal truths. As such it holds an important place in education. Other syllabus thoughts have to do with 21st Century Skills and Literacies. The past week the district librarian and I have again considered them, taking another look at ISTE's NETS and The Big 6 of information literacy. We do so as we map out the school year and what children will encounter in our district libraries and labs. I do so alone as well, as I map out my goals for staff tech training opportunities and challenges. It is usually a lonely task, in that the district librarian and I may be the only ones truly taking a look at those. Teachers and administrators are focusing on a good beginning to a new year as well as already holding discussions of scores (past and future) and high stakes testing. Certainly in today's society that is necessary to consider. And certainly the education and achievement of students is tantamount, including our own Illinois Learning Standards. Yet 21st Century Skills can seem to be forgotten amidst all that - and they should not. Thus, a look at them with other educators is to me both refreshing and exciting.

"We will consider what kinds of digital wisdom are necessary for our students to enter a workforce whose characteristics may not exist as we know them today." (From: Course Moodle Digital Literacy and Storytelling Info) This is not a new question for me, yet I continue to ponder the answer on a regular basis. I have the opportunity to develop curriculum for K-5th graders and influence that of 6th - 8th graders as well for the district in which I work. On one hand, it is easy to get involved with the tech project/lesson at hand and swept away by the details. That in itself is a good thing, investing your self and being caught up in enthusiasm and promise. On the other hand, it is so important to see the big picture, look down the road into that elusive future. Schools today have difficulty simply keeping pace with new technologies. How can we hope to prepare students for an unknown future in a fast-changing environment? Yet that is the task at hand. Staff are probably tired of hearing me talk about teaching students how to approach new software and new technologies, how to evaluate them for usefulness and worth, how to use supports and find answers, and to convey an attitude of opportunity with change. Yet, is all of that enough? And if it is - or portions at least, is there a better way to teach it? Part of me replies "no, it is not enough - and yes, there may be better ways", and that portion of me is hopeful for this course, anticipating fruitful discussion, new ideas and real life applications for me, "my" district and our students.

Hong Kong, Wanchai - Learn Live Create
by lionel bodilis on Flickr.com