Two Cans and a String

Discovering New Life.

2009-03-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

In my past life I was a teacher or a scientist. How I became an ICT pro I can't explain. I love nature documentaries and working with kids, but I never pursued a career in either discipline. So nowadays I just get to watch from afar and think about what could have been.

Recently I learned of a project that will allow three special teachers to accompany scientists from The Nature Conservancy and The American Museum of Natural History on a trip to Palmyra and the Solomon Islands. They’ll see first hand the amazing diversity of life found there and view efforts to conserve the fast vanishing marine and terrestrial habitats.

The teachers are:

Robin Bottini
Science Teacher from Avon Lake High School, Avon Lake Central School District, Ohio

Dawn Sherwood
Science/Oceanography Teacher from Highland Springs High School, Henrico County Public Schools, Virginia

Jennifer Van Gundy
9th Grade Science Teacher from Hinkley High School, Aurora Public Schools, Colorado

You can also check their progress at http://www.rediscoveringdarwin.org/

SMART Table Gets Some Gizmodo Love

2009-03-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

Even my fellow geeks at Gizmodo.com have nice things to say about the SMART table and how they can be used to educate our children. You know how I feel about edu-tech, so check out this post.

New Promethean Viral Shows and Proves.

2009-03-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

The folks at Promethean went with a testimonial feel with their new video, but also added actual classroom footage. Check out the video below.

Also worth noting is Promethean's use of consumer feedback after the initial beta release of their new software ActivInspire. Between the teacher blog contest and hundreds of unsolicited responses, the software developers had plenty of fodder to go back and make corrections. Check out this article.

Simple and Clean

2009-02-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

Here is Peter H. Reynolds doing his thing at BETT Show 2009 on an Activboard.

Promethean Blog Competition or When is it Okay to Lie?

2009-01-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I really wish I had just made a career change to become a teacher a long time ago. There are so many cool things going on in education these days even in the midst of a recession. Just got the news from the education wire that Promethean is currently holding a blog competition with huge prizes. The grand prize being a $8,000 ACTIVclassroom setup. I'm considering submitting a blog entry where I lie and describe myself as a teacher of young special needs war veterans. Gotta pull those heart strings!

You can find more information by clicking here:

Good luck everybody, keep your favorite non-teacher in mind if you win.

Decatur EDtv gets ACTIV

2009-01-13T09:07:00.000-08:00

Activboards have been introduced to several schools in the City Schools of Decatur. Check out this video of an Activ classroom in action.

For All My Educators out there.

2009-01-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

I received this email a week ago about FETC 2009 in glorious Orlando, Florida:

Top Five Reasons to Cover FETC 2009:

Many great stories about classroom challenges and ed-tech under one roof
Discover innovative ways to improve teaching during a tight economy
Secure informative quotes from inspiring speakers
Report on the latest ed-tech tools, tactics and trends
Gather unique anecdotes from local educators and the nation’s top ed-tech professionals

One of the largest conferences in the nation devoted entirely to educational technology is fast approaching. FETC 2009,The Educational Technology Conference in Florida, will take place Jan. 21-24, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Register for press credentials now and allow your audience to live (and learn) the experience through you!

Media representatives and bloggers are encouraged to attend and see the latest in educational technology. There is no cost for media registration; those interested can register online at www.fetc.org (click on Press and then go to Credentials). Please note that media representatives and bloggers are required to register and will not be admitted into any FETC venues without a press badge.

We hope you will consider attending and/or covering this important conference.

If you have any questions, please contact Rick Oppenheim at (850) 386-9100 or FETCpress@1105media.com.

Two new products I am dying to see at FETC in Orlando next month.

2008-12-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

Bummer... on my way out the door Chuck let me know that I will have to "figure out how to work FETC into" my January plans. Given that I have been begging to go to FETC for years, I will "make do".

Here are two products I am dying to get my hands on next month:

NOW THIS IS GOOD ECONOMICS

2008-12-17T09:11:00.000-08:00

A nice bit of news from an otherwise dreary economic week:

As Americans grapple with the economic downtown that has pinched their disposable income, more people than ever are turning to libraries for a both enrichment and enjoyment, reports the Connecticut Post. In recent years, libraries across the region have evolved into bustling meeting places where the public has easy--and often, free--access to electronic technology useful for both learning and entertainment. Maura Ritz, director of the Fairfield, Conn., Public Library, reported that circulation of all items borrowed from that town's busy libraries is up about 16 percent over last year. Ritz is certain the nation's sagging economy is the primary reason for the surge in library patronage. "We're a lot busier," she said. "The library is a huge bargain.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/around-the-web/index.cfm?i=56506

Sharon Campbell and the Promethean Board

2008-12-12T09:38:00.000-08:00

Ms. Campbell has been receiving a lot of press lately, mainly due to her unique classroom and teaching style. Here is a short video highlighting her use of the Promethean ACTIVboard.

Touchy Touchy

2008-12-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

Buttons? who needs em...

If you thought a touch user interface would just be a fad you are sadly mistaken. Check out this article from the New York Times.

As expected the hype around a touch interface is far stronger than the actual implications. This still seems to be the next logical step in communication devices, especially when we perfect the technology. So what are we seeing now? A genuine change in user interface for a bunch of Iphone copycats trying to keep up with Apple?

Only time will tell.

More Teachers Helping Teachers

2008-11-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

After viewing this video, I'm starting to consider a switch to a career solely in classroom technology...just cool.

Iphone Takes Down a Giant

2008-11-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of Gizmodo.

So it finally happened. The generation shift consumer communication technology has happened yet again...and in record time nonetheless. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Apple's Iphone has officially out sold the Motorola Razr in the third quarter. Remember the Razr...the slim nifty phone. Well after a 100 ripoffs and improvements by other manufacturers, the public has clearly stated that they want a features latent cell phone or at least a laptop they can fit in their pocket. I know Japanese consumers are light years ahead of us in cell phone technology, but what next? I look forward to my cell phone being able to raise my kids...can't wait.

Teachers Helping Teachers in The Midwest

2008-10-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

If you Activboard users are looking for some help check out this blog. The Wired Classroom had a great post had a great post this week. This is great, because not everyone adapts to new technology as well as others. So in order to get the full benefit from IWBs like Promethean and Smart, educators need to be educated on how to use the devices correctly.

Just flat out cool.

2008-10-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

Check out how technology and creativity came together in Goochland County schools in Virginia.

Any Good Science Needs an Experiment

2008-09-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

Another update from the good folks at Promethean. They are now working with schools in the UK

The blog post can be found by clicking here.

The 8 week training/trial will take a special look at the changes in teaching and learning behavior.

Good luck guys, hopefully the kids across the pond will be as enthralled as I was when I first saw this phenomenal teaching tool.

Two IWB brands living together.

2008-09-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

I was spending some time at the Education I.C.T and Learning Blog today and they had an interesting predicament. Though I would call it a blessing rather than a burden, they have both Smart boards and Promethean Activboards to choose from at their school. Click here to see how they are incorporating this technology in their classrooms.

The Return of the Black

2008-08-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

Uh-oh...Blackberry Bold is set to release next month. It's decision time. Will I sway to the dark side of Apple's Iphone or will I stick with my trusty Blackberry series. Only time will tell. $300 bucks on the AT&T package so not a bad deal.

The Virtual Field Trip or the Death of the Permission Slip?

2008-08-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

"Follow me kids to a place where you wouldn't get beat up for dressing like this"

Wasn't this the vision of the Internet about 10 years ago? Kids seeing distant places from the comfort and cost effectiveness of their classrooms? Well hey it's here and what do you know it is actually working. Check out this article about the schools in Niagara, NY and their distance learning experience. Imagine following a revolutionary war soldier into battle and seeing through his eyes in real time at the real scenery. Technology in the classroom is all about improving the level of engagement and until we invent time machines that work without leaving people stuck in alternate dimensions this will have to be the alternative.

A contest worth entering

2008-07-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

The boys at Gizmodo have got one great contest going this week and it's for the betterment of society...maybe. This is a MS Paint contest to illustrate your vision of the future. This may be the only time anyone asks you for your opinion on matters this great...so have fun with it.

WOW and Distance Learning

2008-07-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

I'm assuming my hours logged onto World of Warcraft with people across the nation won't count as distance learning education. However, it's interesting to see classrooms incorporating online gaming into their distant learning sessions. I've been reading much about the improvement of this form of education. I can only imagine how fun it would have been to learn English grammar rules in the 8th grade, while watching a Chinese 5th grader cover the same material. Nowadays it's not just two classes that can see each other...they are bringing in shared lesson plans, quizzes and even games where the two classrooms can compete. These are truly inspirational times and you've got to be happy with the way the education system is keeping up with technology. Just got to keep an eye out on the roll call for a youngster named Leroy Jenkins.

Fear the snooze button

2008-06-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you rarely need the snooze button, being you were cursed with an internal clock that wakes you up at 5:17 am, 6:30 am, 8:15 am and sometimes 10:36 am. However, I do use the alarm function on my clock from time to time. There are people out there who absolutely rely on an alarm clock to wake them up. For example; my roommate in college had the horrible trait of not waking up to his alarm...though I would. I soon found out that if I turn off his alarm for him...he will sleep for days. I chose to just wake him up, being the smell of his funk building up rivaled all the lack of sleep.

For such people comes the Tyrant Alarm Clock. Tyrant hijacks your cell phone's contact list and makes random calls until you tell it to stop. Wow! Imagine oversleeping and your phone randomly calls your ex. Your situation just got a lot worse very quickly. I'm all for this technology...for other people.

A door closes as one opens

2008-06-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

I talked about the Promethean Activboards in the past and how much I like the way they engage children in the classroom. Well it seems Promethean isn't alone in the journey to alter the classroom. Well June brings the end to most public school terms and this is when schools start to figure out budgets and the purchases of new equipment. This is where the world of ICT plays a huge part. Not only is there a great space for improvement when it comes to education technology, but everyone involved can actually feel good about what they are doing. SMART Technologies is the producer of interactive whiteboards much like the ones brought to schools by Promethean. Since competition breeds innovation I'm happy to report on this brand and their efforts.

Here is there classroom remote Senteo, that allows students to respond and vote from their seats and see the results.

Here is the SMARTboard in action

The Future is here...which is bad news for the mouse

2008-05-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Touch UI is coming to the common man...in PC form. Or at least that's what Window's is planning for 2009 for the operating system Windows 7. This article focuses on the business aspects of the advances in touch interface and mentions some pretty nifty ideas. MS Paint with touch is kind of an old idea that has already taken form on interactive whiteboards but still a fun notion. Imagine, someday we may have an office completely devoid of mice and mouse pads.

You know what this means right? We aren't very far from holograms in the workplace.

Iron Man or Why I hate Robert Downey Jr.

2008-05-07T08:31:00.000-07:00

I'm an old school nerd. I read comics, played video games and listened to music produced by people much angrier than any human has the right to be. As a nerd I was eagerly awaiting the Iron Man movie. To sum it up, I wasn't nearly as blown away as everyone else was by this movie. Roberty Downey does a good job at playing himself...which I hear requires a tremendous effort by any actor...especially when thats all you do. The action was pretty cool...except for a couple of phantom tank shells...which I hear tend to explode, except when fired at Iron Man. The plot worked well enough. Maybe I was just expecting too much from this one. Maybe it's the fact that I never really got into Iron Man comics. Maybe it's because I ran out of popcorn 10 minutes into the movie (never split popcorn between more than 3 people). This movie was a B effort but with the hype of an A movie. Well at least Samuel Jackson is going to play Nick Fury...which makes sense I hear.

Pencils, Paper and touch screens

2008-04-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

PC World ran an article this week about the increase in technology used in the classroom. Technology in the education system is one of the more interesting aspects of my profession. Whether it be Promethean interactive whiteboards, projectors, shared monitors, or laptop programs, the education system seems willing to take on new ideas.

Youngsters are attracted to technology as much as anyone. They practically drive the cell phone market in the states. It should be the duty of teachers, principals and super intendents to investigate these advances thoroughly and educate themselves on how to effectively use them as tools to engage students more deeply.

Just a quick thought.

A great resource from Tom Snyder

2008-04-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

Not this Tom Snyder...

but rather Tom Snyder Productions that specializes in creating aides for k-12 classrooms. You can read a very in depth article here on how to better incorporate interactive white boards. 13 pages of genuinely good information.

Honda's green initiative.

2008-04-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

I hope in the future we get to see a solar powered Honda Civic...lowered to one inch off the ground, carbon fiber hood, black race rims and a giant spoiler.

Check out Honda's green site, it's pretty slick.

Specific Highlight: The Products and Lifecycle pages give you an idea of the substance behind Honda's green promise. I find it difficult to buy this sort of jive from an auto maker, but Honda actually has been producing next generation specs for quite some time and their hybrid versions of the Accord and Civic help to supplement the Prius rage going on.

A lot of people probably never got to see this commercial in the states, but it's a good one.

This is Why I'll Never Be Able to Save for My Retirement

2008-03-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

I'm damn near 40 and stuff like this still get my goose. I need a support group...after I recreate the intro to Knight Rider on my DS.

The Darkside is beginning to look awefully attractive.

2008-03-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

"These are not the cellphones you are looking for."

I find my self in the middle of a growing war at work. On one side we have the vigilant PC supporters and the other the growing resistance movement manned by Apple fan boys. My day as a data management worker has been compromised by this war as I pledge allegiance to neither side. However, I just read this article on www.forbes.com about Iphones trying to usurp Blackberry's dominance of the business world. I'm in the market for a new cell phone (yeah its been about 4 months on this Sidekick) and I gotta say the Iphone is drawing me into its web of design and brand affinity. I just fear the retaliation from the PC guys at work when they find out I've been converted.

Simmuh Down Now

2008-02-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

Grabbed from my second home www.gizmodo.com

I like green technology, but it's difficult to support the market when it's more expensive and ellusive to get a hold of. Dig this little gadget though that cools down your motherboard without using extra electricity.

This is made by the good folks at MSI in Taiwan. A bit bulky but a good starting point.

-DeanHendo

Promethean: Good things growing in my back yard

2008-02-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

Not a lot to cheer about these days in ole Atlanta. The Falcons are back to being the Falcons. The Hawks still sorely miss Domonique Wilkins. There is light though. Promethean the producer of interactive whiteboards and Activstudio software, based in ATL took home a couple of Codie awards this week at the SIIAs (Software Information Industry Association). Check out this video from Baltimore (can't believe this is gonna be the last season of The Wire btw).

At least the world of ICT will give Atlanta something to cheer about...until the demise of Ted Turner that is.

Gaming and Education

2008-01-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

Let's take a moment to review this idea simply. Can Master Chief help kids learn about the solar system? Can Mario teach kids about math? What can children learn from a the same industry that brought us Grand Theft Auto? Okay maybe that's too simple.

"I've found that the battle rifle has proven effective as a discipline tool"

This week the Florida Education Technology Conference highlighted video games used as education tools. As a strong proponent of brining technology to the classroom I'm on the fence on this issue. I would rather explore the use of laptops and interactive whiteboards in the classroom. I'm sure kids would love to play games in school, hell I like to play them at work. However, just because the bridge is there doesn't mean we should cross the connection. Afterall kids already have a connection to gaming and associate it with fun and liesure...which have no place in the classroom.

-DeanHendo