President Obama 2009 State of the Union Address:
President Obama 2010 State of the Union Address:
Thoughts? Comments?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wordle - Obama 2010 State of the Union Address
The first Wordle is the 2009 State of the Union Address. I wanted to include it in order to show a compare and contrast of the two speeches.
Thoughts? Comments?
Thoughts? Comments?
Wiki Wednesday #4 - Web 2.0 Guru
Nominated for a 2009 Edublog Award for Best Educational Wiki, the Web 2.0 Guru is a great Wiki for finding Web 2.0 tools as well as some information and explanation of each resource. You can find resources by subject matter, best practices, hardware, software, cyber-citizenship and others. You can also find links to other blogs related to technology integration and education. The author, Chery Capozzoli believes in the power of Web 2.0 so much that she has developed a term for the study of Web 2.0, Web2.0logy.
What I like best about the Wiki is that it is organized very well and that links to the resources you might be looking for are easy to find. I also like the section on The Three R's. This is an area that we are working hard and looking to improve in our district because of the movement of Internet use by such a younger generation of students and children.
Another good aspect of this Wiki is that it is not all about resources. It is also about information and articles pertaining to the changing of education as we enter the 21st Century. There is lots of vital information on this Wiki, and I highly recommend that you take a look and see what you can find that is of use. But if you are just looking for Web 2.0 resources, then here is where to look.
Weather Forecasting, Education, and Technology...yes there is an analogy
So there is a winter storm coming to my section of Western Kentucky. I have seen several forecast, but only one seems to stand out in the crowd. One News Station had a 10-15 inches graphic for our area, another news station has 3-4 inches, and a third news station has 2-6 inches. Then you check the national websites and we have 3-4 inches and 3-6 inches. So now, I bet you are wondering "How is the weather forecast related to educational technology?"
Let's look at that one news station; the one with 10-15 inches as a possibility. They know it might be the more aggressive model, or the more aggressive approach. They know it could back fire. They know that most other weather forecasters might disagree with their forecast. They know that other weather forecasters might not trust the same model, or maybe they are not as experienced studying that model.
But what if they end up being right? What if we get the 10-15 inches? They will look like the smart ones. They will look like the ones who took a chance. They will be the news station that everyone will remember that got the forecast right. They also know that if they are wrong, another weather system will come along to give them a chance to get it right. They don't give up on the model the next time. They just tweak how they use the model in their forecast.
By using this forecast, their news station stands out, and makes people want to watch their news station, it also makes people talk about their forecast. People will visit their website for more information. And when they get it right, you will see them bragging about it in an advertisement about their news and weather during a future newscast in fact.
Educators who work at integrating technology are this news station. They are using a different model, trying a different approach, trying to stand out in a crowd of normalcy, complacency, and the "same old, same old." They know that there will be hiccups in using the technology, but another lesson will present itself for them to improve their lesson and technology integration techniques. Their technology integration only enhances their lesson.
People will want to come see how they use the technology. People will then talk about their lesson and how they integrated technology. That teacher will then share about how they knew the technology would work in their class. They will write a blog post, mention it on Twitter, and share in a faculty meeting or hopefully at a District meeting. Because when you do something that works in your classroom, you want people to know about it.
So my question to you is....which Weather Forecaster are you?
Let's look at that one news station; the one with 10-15 inches as a possibility. They know it might be the more aggressive model, or the more aggressive approach. They know it could back fire. They know that most other weather forecasters might disagree with their forecast. They know that other weather forecasters might not trust the same model, or maybe they are not as experienced studying that model.
But what if they end up being right? What if we get the 10-15 inches? They will look like the smart ones. They will look like the ones who took a chance. They will be the news station that everyone will remember that got the forecast right. They also know that if they are wrong, another weather system will come along to give them a chance to get it right. They don't give up on the model the next time. They just tweak how they use the model in their forecast.
By using this forecast, their news station stands out, and makes people want to watch their news station, it also makes people talk about their forecast. People will visit their website for more information. And when they get it right, you will see them bragging about it in an advertisement about their news and weather during a future newscast in fact.
Educators who work at integrating technology are this news station. They are using a different model, trying a different approach, trying to stand out in a crowd of normalcy, complacency, and the "same old, same old." They know that there will be hiccups in using the technology, but another lesson will present itself for them to improve their lesson and technology integration techniques. Their technology integration only enhances their lesson.
People will want to come see how they use the technology. People will then talk about their lesson and how they integrated technology. That teacher will then share about how they knew the technology would work in their class. They will write a blog post, mention it on Twitter, and share in a faculty meeting or hopefully at a District meeting. Because when you do something that works in your classroom, you want people to know about it.
So my question to you is....which Weather Forecaster are you?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Twitter Tuesday #4 - Twitter Tools Top 10.
You would think that just be able to use Twitter and software like Tweetdeck would be enough to meet your needs as an Tweeter. But let me tell you, those only scratch the surface of tools that you can use for Twitter. I wonder if I will ever run out of tools to post here weekly...sooner or later it will have to be information from Tweets I receive. For this week I thought I would create a Twitter Tools and Applications Top 10 that I find useful and entertaining. These are in no particular order.
1.) 140 Twitter Tips - A Slideshow Presentation with Tweets suggesting ways to improve your Tweeting experience and Twitter Marketing Tips. How could you become a better Tweeter? How could you adapt these suggestions for education?
2. ) CalTweet - A tool for online promotion of your events via Twitter. Would be a good way to share events in your classroom or school as well. You can print a guest list and have RSVP's emailed to you. It seems more social, but it could be worth investigating to see if it can serve an educational purpose for you, your students and school.
3.) Friend or Follow - A great way to check who you are following that is not following you back or who is following you that you are not following back. Interesting look at your Twitter friends and followers.
4.) TweetStats - A Great way to discover your life as a Tweeter. Tweets per hour, day, month, as well as a Twitter Timeline. You also can get Reply statistics. You can also get your Tweet Density so you can see when you are Tweeting the most. It will also provide a Tweet Cloud and Hashtag could. Interesting information.
5.) Twibbon - A great way to get someone to follow a cause on Twitter. Raising funds for a student or a school project? Want to get the word out about a community service project? Twibbon might be a great source for your school or classroom.
6.) TweetBeep - Receive Twitter Alerts via Email. Might be a great way for you to monitor a school or classroom account to ensure no inapporpriate information is baing shread on your school or classroom Twitter account. Think of it as Google Alerts for Twitter.
7.) Trendistic - See trends on Twitter and even check for trends of your Twitter Account. Check trends to certain websites, categories, or people. Here is the trends for Twitter post of "Tablet"
8.) Twitt(url)y - Tracks URL's shared on Twitter. Lets you know the most popular links and stories for the day. Are you RTing any of these?
9.) Sniff Sniff....want to know when you have been Unfollowed? Qwitter can tell you that.
10.) Twitter Analyzer - A very through analyitic tool for your Twitter Account. Probably the best that you will find on the Web.
1.) 140 Twitter Tips - A Slideshow Presentation with Tweets suggesting ways to improve your Tweeting experience and Twitter Marketing Tips. How could you become a better Tweeter? How could you adapt these suggestions for education?
2. ) CalTweet - A tool for online promotion of your events via Twitter. Would be a good way to share events in your classroom or school as well. You can print a guest list and have RSVP's emailed to you. It seems more social, but it could be worth investigating to see if it can serve an educational purpose for you, your students and school.
3.) Friend or Follow - A great way to check who you are following that is not following you back or who is following you that you are not following back. Interesting look at your Twitter friends and followers.
4.) TweetStats - A Great way to discover your life as a Tweeter. Tweets per hour, day, month, as well as a Twitter Timeline. You also can get Reply statistics. You can also get your Tweet Density so you can see when you are Tweeting the most. It will also provide a Tweet Cloud and Hashtag could. Interesting information.
5.) Twibbon - A great way to get someone to follow a cause on Twitter. Raising funds for a student or a school project? Want to get the word out about a community service project? Twibbon might be a great source for your school or classroom.
6.) TweetBeep - Receive Twitter Alerts via Email. Might be a great way for you to monitor a school or classroom account to ensure no inapporpriate information is baing shread on your school or classroom Twitter account. Think of it as Google Alerts for Twitter.
7.) Trendistic - See trends on Twitter and even check for trends of your Twitter Account. Check trends to certain websites, categories, or people. Here is the trends for Twitter post of "Tablet"
8.) Twitt(url)y - Tracks URL's shared on Twitter. Lets you know the most popular links and stories for the day. Are you RTing any of these?
9.) Sniff Sniff....want to know when you have been Unfollowed? Qwitter can tell you that.
10.) Twitter Analyzer - A very through analyitic tool for your Twitter Account. Probably the best that you will find on the Web.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Must See Monday #4 - Cybrary Man
If it was not for my Twitter account, this is one of the websites that I probably never would have came across. Cybraryman Internet Catalog for Educational Websites should be one of your homepages for educational related content. Home to over 20,000+ links to resources related to education and winner of multiple online awards, Cybraryman is definitely a site worth investigating and spending some time on.
Cybraryman Internet Catalog is the work of Jerry Blumengarten. An eductional professional with over 30 years of experience in education. The website helps to catalog much of what educators find and look for on the Internet...all in one location.
There is a section dedicated entirely to parents which has information on bullying, safety, poverty, family, parenting, marriage planning, toys etc. There is then a section for students with links related to every subject area as well as general information like test preparation, hobbies, college selection (which would also be good for parents these days), homework help, etc. There then is of course the section for educators which is then broken down into areas for Staff Teacher Tools, Grade Level Classroom Organization, and Subject Areas. There is also links here to Web 2.0 Tools, and teachable moment stuff like the Census, Black History Month, and the Winter Olympics. Of course each page from here leads to so much more information. There is a final section of General Interest which is general enough that I suggest you check it out for yourself. The links here will definitely be helpful in enhancing lessons you are teaching as well as makeing you look smarter.
Anytime you need something in Education, try visiting the Cybraryman Internet Database first and see if you can find what you are looking for.
If you have a Blog, Ning, Wiki, let him know and he will add it to his collection for visitors to his website. You can even find mine on there as well.
Cybraryman Internet Catalog is the work of Jerry Blumengarten. An eductional professional with over 30 years of experience in education. The website helps to catalog much of what educators find and look for on the Internet...all in one location.
There is a section dedicated entirely to parents which has information on bullying, safety, poverty, family, parenting, marriage planning, toys etc. There is then a section for students with links related to every subject area as well as general information like test preparation, hobbies, college selection (which would also be good for parents these days), homework help, etc. There then is of course the section for educators which is then broken down into areas for Staff Teacher Tools, Grade Level Classroom Organization, and Subject Areas. There is also links here to Web 2.0 Tools, and teachable moment stuff like the Census, Black History Month, and the Winter Olympics. Of course each page from here leads to so much more information. There is a final section of General Interest which is general enough that I suggest you check it out for yourself. The links here will definitely be helpful in enhancing lessons you are teaching as well as makeing you look smarter.
Anytime you need something in Education, try visiting the Cybraryman Internet Database first and see if you can find what you are looking for.
If you have a Blog, Ning, Wiki, let him know and he will add it to his collection for visitors to his website. You can even find mine on there as well.
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