Week 5: Learning to Prez-ent!

As we continue to move forward in your technology transformation, I hope that you are beginning to feel more comfortable with your skill.  In an odd way, everything you learn technology wise builds your mental schema of how to work with new tools.  There is a lot of overlap in what skills are required for each of the new tools you use!
You should continue the balancing act that is your workload for this class.  You are tweeting, writing posts for journal articles, working on your newsletters, and oh, yea, you probably have other classes too ;-)
Tonight, we will finally get into TaskStream, but just to ensure you have accounts and that you are self-enrolled in the Local TPE. Here is the code you will need:  Local TPE: 6SG3BA.  Last week I discussed that I expect you to complete the Technology Self-Assessment on your own.  However, I will briefly cover the requirements in class.  Lastly, we will learn a new presentation tool, Prezi, that you will use to create a presentation on the NETS for Students (See link on the left).  Finally, I will ensure that everyone understands how to convert their classroom newsletter to PDFs!


This Week's Question:  What is your current favorite musical artist or band?  Currently, I can't stop listening to Portugal. The Man, who are in fact playing at House of Blues tomorrow. . .But my all-time favorite band is Radiohead

Week 4: I Tweet, Therefore I Am!

Can you believe you are actually using Twitter?? I have noticed that many of you are already tweeting interesting sites and tools. Thanks. As the semester continues, I will revisit this tool as an amazing part of your personal learning network (PLN). This week you will learn about social bookmarking as well as create an amazing classroom newsletter. Ensure that you have your self-portrait complete and are ready to use it in class.  You were also to have your TaskStream and ISTE account/membership and you were to complete the survey from the Week 2 blog.  We also have a technology self-assessment assignment to complete; however, I do have a video for how to complete this assignment which is on the Ed422 YouTube Tutorials link on the left column of the class blog. I will discuss in class how to access the video and complete the self-assessment.
I will do my best to get the first two assignments graded.  I will remind you how to access your grades in Moodle/Cougar Courses. Don't forget to answer the weekly questions and to always check the blog.  The journal articles are also on the class blog. . .try and keep up. . .it will make you much happier!

This Week's Question:  Who has been one of your favorite teachers, at any level, and why?

Week 3: I Can See Clearly Now, the Lights are On !

Barring any other catastrophe, natural or otherwise, we should be having class tonight.  It seems a little odd to have a break in the beginning of the semester, but I know we will all be fine. . .right?  Anyway, I will revisit everything tonight to ensure that you know how to wrap and/or insert images into your intro letter, how to adjust the comment settings on your blog and how to add various gadgets to your blogs.  We will discuss how and where to submit assignments, as well as what to call them if they are not web-based, etc.
If you were able to scan your image, you will be able to use in your newsletter that you will start tonight. If not, you have time to get it done.  I will also show you how to get your scan on your blog.
I do believe that you are supposed to have your TaskStream and ISTE accounts by now. . .please complete the survey from week 2 post to give me your information. . .You will need the ISTE account to access articles from L&L for the journal assignments.  You should have noticed by now that we do indeed have 100% of the student blogs linked on the class blog. . .which is a great start.
Lastly, you will be introduced to Twitter this week. . .Don't be afraid! I assure you, it will be fun and educational.


This Week's Question:   What is something you have learned well without formal teaching?  How did you learn it?  This could be a sport, hobby, musical instrument, etc. .

Week 2.1: We Lost the Power. . .

Please watch the screencast below to hopefully get caught up on class assignments the blackout caused us to miss. . .Forgive the crude audio and any screaming children that you hear in the background.  Don't hesitate to email any questions or to plan on coming to class early on Thursday to get some extra help.
Please leave a comment below that you watched the video!
peace,
jeff

Week 2: Getting Your Feet Wet?

It seems as if everyone has survived week one, which is a good thing, right!  I know that we went over a lot of acronyms and concepts relating to technology, education, and your future digital lives.  I appreciate everyone feigning interest on the first night ;-)  I can assure you that it will all make sense before the end of the course.

The expectation from last week was that you would create your blog and give me the address.  We did fairly well, but there are still some student blogs not on the blog roll.  If you need help with this, please come to class early so I can help you get your blog up and running!  Remind me to talk about design, and how to incorporate your images into your blog post.  I asked that you get a picture of yourself on your Moodle profile. . .While I adore babies, I really want to see a picture of you so that it will help me put names to faces at the beginning of the semester. I realize that you will also have a picture on your blog, but the redundancy helps me the redundancy helps me. . .Also, you were to subscribe to ISTE and TaskStream. . .(see survey below to give me your information)

This week, I want to discuss how to better organize your iGoogle page.  You will learn about RSS, which I promise is more exciting than it sounds.  I'll revisit how to comment on blogs and how to make some very cool adjustments to your existing blogs. . .We will also discuss how to submit assignments, read instructions, and some general file naming conventions.  I will introduce you to the journal article  and scanning assignments.  And lastly, yes, you will learn how to begin to incorporate Twitter into your digital lives. . .And if I have time, we will discuss Dropbox. . .


Click Here to give me your TaskStream/ISTE information.

App of the Week:  Evernote

This Week's Question:  What should every teacher know about you?

Week 1: Welcome to Ed422!

Welcome to another awesome semester of EDUC 422. . .Technology Tools for Education. By the end of this course you will learn a lot about how to integrate technology into your classroom, as well as a few tricks and tips for how to ramp-up your so-called digital life ;-)

I will use this blog to keep everyone updated on the weekly requirements for the course, as well as model for you how to create a blog for your future classroom!  I need you to read each entry carefully, as I will be giving away $50 a week to the person who finds the hidden gnome in this very post. . .Okay, not really, but I need everyone to read each entry ;-)

Technical Issues:  

First order of business:  If you do not have a Gmail Address/Account, you need to get one!  (and no, your CSUSM email does not count).  Don't worry, I have worked it out with Google to give you free email accounts!

You will be asked to join and/or participate in a number of web-based tools, software, etc. . .I recommend that you find a user name that identifies you, is appropriate for school/parents, and one that you can remember. . .

While this course has no required text, you will be required to subscribe to ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education (see link on this blog), as well as purchase a subscription to TaskStream, an online portfolio generator.  

     For TaskStream (also linked on this blog): You will need to self-enroll in the Local TPE.      

     Here are the code you will need:

                                               Local TPE: 6SG3BA
                                              

I will also ask you weekly questions on this blog that you will need to answer. Some are related to education and most are related you your lives. . .It allows me to build community while ensuring that you are reading the weekly posts!

This Week's Question: What is your current favorite piece of technology and why? (currently, I think I would have to say my iPad. . .although my quest to beat Angry Birds is almost becoming an obsession)