Google Reader Shared Items

As many more of my colleagues are using Google Reader, I wanted to point my readers to the SHARE feature of the reader. Simply click on share at the bottom of a post entry on Google Reader and it is automatically saved to a website that can be shared with friends. You then subscribe to someone else's shared blog finds. It's a lot like social bookmarking but you are sharing individual blogs and news feeds rather than bookmarks. Anyway, click here for my shared items on Google Reader. I just started sharing items on a regular basis so if you are interested in what I find interesting, then subscribe to this page.

Facebook--Denied!!

In today's local newspaper, the Rochester D&C, a guest essayist named Matt Mohnihan writes about his experiences on Facebook. He is a graduate student who studies fusion energy at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics. Mohnihan writes about his experiences on Facebook, "I found a group of people on Facebook working on fusion research at national labs, universities and in Europe. I was astounded by how much I learned so fast through these exchanges. I gave them ideas about how to conduct their research, experiments to try and how what they do fits with what I do. These connections have definitely helped me at work."
Our schools seem to have a narrow view about what social networking is all about. We should be teaching our kids the power of social learning networks, not denying access to these sites. My school has denied access to Myspace and Facebook. I've used Ning for a class project but maybe by next semester, Ning will be banned too. Our school needs to show students how powerful collaboration (21st Century cooperative learning) can be.
Update: If you are interested in academic social learning networks...start with reading this post.

Ning in the Classroom-Update!

Ok...it's been a week (3 blocks) since I started our Ning project on the 1970's. There was zero content when we started and I encourage you to go and check out the unbelievable amount of content that has been added to the site at www.seventies.ning.com (I believe you have to sign up for Ning to take a look). After introducing Ning to the students on Day 1, I gave them these tasks on Day 2 and Day 3.
I would love to read your comments on this project and the use of a social networking site in the classroom. Many schools have blocked similar sites (myspace, facebook, etc.) and I think this is definitely the wrong direction to take. I did have to remove one video because I thought the content was not suitable for a school project. My biggest concern now is about grading and assessment and determining what they learned about their assigned topic area and other assigned areas. Comments please!

Ning...70's Style

I've decided to try my first classroom project using Ning. Sometimes you just have to jump into these things. I've created a 70's social network on Ning and every student has been assigned an area of expertise (actually, they know very little about the 70's but they will become an expert in an area...hopefully). I am introducing Ning to my class next week and we will use the mobile lab all week to find and add content to our social network. They will add video, music files, pictures, start discussions, create forums, and respond to my prompts. I've even created a forum category called "Living in the 70's" for parents, grandparents, and relatives to share their memories of the 1970's. Feel free to add your own 70's experiences in this forum category. I have also incorporated a Google Collaborative Map where students can placemark all the locations they read about. I started the map with markers for Three Mile Island and Rockford, IL (hometown of Cheap Trick). Cut & Paste this address into your browser to see the 1970's map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=
101641730469849352738.000440a33566d4a40f7e7

Check the Ning site in a week and see how it's grown (I hope!).

Gabcast #2

Gabcast! TechnoCoach #2
Ok...just a bit of an explanation how this GabCast with my daughter got to this page. I used my cell phone and called into the Gabcast 1-800 #. Second, I entered a passcode to set up a conference call. Next, I had my daughter use another cell phone to call the same 1-800 #, enter my channel # and my conference call passcode. Next, I pressed "1" to start recording our conversation. At the end of the conversation I pressed #, then "2" to publish the conversation automatically to this blog. Have your students set up phone interviews, give the interviewee the numbers/passcodes and have the entire interview recorded and automatically posted to the web.

GabCast #1

Gabcast! TechnoCoach #1
Press Play!

Library Thing

Library Thing is a way to share all the books on your shelf, create lists of books you want to read, and connect to other readers who have read the same books as you in order to find new and interesting reads. You can view your books "on the shelf" by covers or in a list format. You can share your books on your blog. You can tag your books with key words and you can join and connect to others with similar topic or author interests. See a random picture of my "book shelf" on the right side of this blog. I do read books about other topics besides U2...it was just easy to add those to my list!

VoiceThread

I believe VoiceThread has some interesting classroom possibilities. Students can record voice or text responses to the same picture or groups of pictures. Teachers can record quick explanations to diagrams, formulas, etc. Slideshows can easily be narrated (you could even save PP slides as jpegs then upload them to voicethread to have collaboration take place with your entire class (or subset of students could respond to each pic). If you have ideas...post them here! Better yet, if you create a VoiceThread...post a link and share.

Try the Photosynth Experience

This is mind-boggling. This application basically takes all the photos it can find on the net on one search query (this demo uses Notre Dame Cathedral) and brings them together for one visual experience. Then for something really cool it creates a 3D rendering from all the images. This is an 8-minute demo video.

iEarn - Making Global Connections

Started in 1988, iEARN is the worlds' largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and young people to use the internet and other new technologies to collaborate on projects that both enhance learning and make a difference in the world. Create a project or join an active project to work collaboratively with classes and teachers from around the world. There is a buiolding fee for teachers to join and Klem South is leading the way for WCSD. This has Senior Project possibilities as well. Check out some of the current projects like the Green Ribbon School Project or My Most Prized Possession Project. Be creative and start your own project and get other global communities involved.