What Do They Want?

I always joke that my super power is eaves dropping & people watching. It is probably just my ADHD but I am good at being in a room (or even twitter stream) full of people & picking out idiosyncrasies of most people. With that I can even figure out personalities. It is just me. To be honest it is a survival mechanism, I quickly figure out who I would clash with or who would not appreciate my odd humor.

A month ago I was asked by someone “what do teachers really want to know & care about.” Easy if I think about the twitter/blogosphere world. But something else was added to that question, “teachers outside of the “edchat” crowd.” Stop right now, this is not anything negative about edchat or anyone involved. You know as well as I that we are a small (very small) population of teachers. The day I was asked this I was presenting at the state tech conference (AETC) and immediately began observing. This is kinda where the “Get Your Hair Wet” post came from. The idea people want to learn on different levels (Sprinklers, Waders, and Cannonballs – http://bit.ly/hairwet) is something that has been on my mind since then as well. Since that post I have attended 2 more conferences, ISTE11 and my district’s tech camp. Every time I walk into the doors of these conferences that question is still on my mind.

So I THINK (notice word I used here) I have figured out. In the blogosphere we focus on pedagogy, seemless tech integration, reform (that is a big one), and change. That is wonderful. We need that level of passion and commitment from people in our field. But I think there is this majority of educators who love their job & want to do it well. They do what their boss/district suggest/wants them to do. They teach kids, kids make good grades, they love these kids, kids move on and new ones come in. There is not one thing wrong with this. At one time we were there. So what do these teachers want? Well when it comes to technology they want something they can use now & suggestions how to use it. They want tools, apps, sites, etc. I see (and at times join in) complants about resistance to technology integration or any kind of change. Teachers are not resisting technology just to tick us off or because they do not want the best for their kids. They resist because they don’t know where to start. Their boss says they must use it & they must now somehow do something that is not natural to them.

What do we do about it? We give them what they want. Yep that easy, we start with a few “cool” tools, we show them how to use it using good pedagogy, not doing the same old stuff just putting stilettos on it, and let them try it. Baby steps. You attend a tech conference the sessions with Web 2.0 tools in the title will be fuller than a session about changing your teaching. This is ok. Think about it, why did you join twitter or start reading blogs? Most (not all) will admit to wanting new websites to use or someone told you about the learning that was happening there. Once there, little by little new passion comes out. This will happen with those teachers who are trying out wikis or glogs. Keeps giving them more tools until that passion starts showing.

Hey, I may totally off here. If I’m completely off and looking at this incorrectly, please use the comment box below & tell me what you think! I do know my passions are technology and teaching teachers about technology. Unfortunately I still am not in a position where I get to do that everyday, but many of you are. Don’t get frustrated because change or adaption is not happening quick enough, be patient.

This week I started a new blog that focuses on these Web 2.0 tools & apps. http://toolsandappsyall.edublogs.org/ It is all I can do now, but if it gets one teacher a step closer to join the 8% of teachers that integrate technology into their classroom I am beyond satisfied!

*By the way want proof people care more about tools & apps, I posted a post on this blog 1 hour before launching new blog & it has received double amount of hits as the post here. I think part of that os we are more than likely to share with non-techies a tool they can use.*

QR Codes Are So 2011…Or Are They?

QR codes are kind of a “buzz” right now. If you know what they are You see them everywhere, if you don’t once you read this you will start noticing them is the oddest places. Last week at the district tech camp I, along with Michelle Wilson, taught a session on QR codes in your classroom or library. (By the way she and I made an awesome team!) Most of the people in the session had never even heard nor have seen the codes, plus did not have smart phones to “play” with them as well. But that was all good because they could not only scan them, they could create them as well by the time the hour was over. If you do not know what QR codes are, they are square bar code looking things (pictured below) that once scanned with a camera can take you immediately to a website or dials a phone number.

qrcode (1)

While researching QR codes I kept coming across (and people sent me a few) posts about how they are a fad and will not be around much longer. In the marketing world I can see how fads come and go and how these codes may get “boring.” In the education world we have to admit educators are not always on the cutting edge. I know in our “blogosphere” we are pretty cutting edge but there are still people in our schools who are still new to technology or putting “the students will make a PowerPoint…” in their lessons and calling it tech integration. So the idea that a technology that is making something easier would just disappear is silly. I think QR codes will stick around for a while and here are the reasons why:

  1. Mobile technology is becoming more and more common with students. Not only are smartphones available to most students it is becoming the main way they connect with the internet. If the majority have them and use them, we need to be taking advantage of this.
  2. The need to “know more” is natural. Think about when you were in school and sat daydreaming staring at the posters around the room. Did you ever wonder more about the posters? I would stare at maps in my middle school history class and wonder about the places. I would wonder about the person who said the quotes around the room. Put a QR code on these that take students to more information.
  3. We are a NOW society. Students (as well as adults) want to know info now. They do not want to wait until they get home to find out info, they want it at that moment or it is no longer important.
  4. Teenagers (and preteens) are just too “cool” to write down URLs. Think about it, first day of school you give the students your class url and there is that few who say “I don’t need to write it down, I can remember” and they don’t.
  5. You give a class of 30 kids at least 5 will type it in incorrectly. (Then yell the site is broken.) QR codes can be scanned on the web cams and will take straight to site.
  6. You cannot deny how powerful these can be in the hands of students with special needs. They do not have to type in URLs, they can have info right there, you can have it read directions they cannot read, codes can lead them to more instruction (tutorials, etc), the list can go on and on. Boundaries are now going away with the use of technology, cheers to that!!
  7. They are EASY. Teaching students how to use and create QR codes are a one time lesson. That easy.
  8. Awesome way to fill up bulletin boards to display work. Students love to show their work with others, when work is online that is hard to do, so post QR codes!

So last night I had 10 of these and it was a Top Ten list, but I accidently deleted the post. Now I cannot remember what they were (it was after midnight when I wrote it). So if you have suggestions of why QR codes so not need to be a trend that quickly disappears, let me know!!

Here is the link to the wiki from our presentation that includes lists of uses of QR codes as well as more info on these codes.  http://qrcodesineducation.wikispaces.com/

I Don’t Want To Be Stagnant

In the south stagnant water is a nightmare. The heat does not mix well with it, it starts smelling, then you get mosquitoes, and then there are the reptiles – I hate reptiles. If you own a pond or lake you have to find a away to keep the water moving most of the time to avoid the issues mention before. Movement is key.

Every so often I feel that I have to defend my twittering. I find myself explaining why many times. Yes, twitter is a social media platform. Yes, I can be very social there. But if you have ever been around me in ANY situtation where I am comfortable I am pretty “chatty.” It is me and who I am. But chatting just to chat is not why I am there. I am there to learn. I am there to be part of a community that builds off each other.

I have never had a colleague come to me and say “Look at this cool website” or “I just read a book about pedagogy & learning as a whole, you need to read it!” So sad to say that, but it is the truth. When I started twitter 3 yrs ago I was becoming pretty bummed I was a semester away from having to part ways with my EdS cohort. It was the first time I had been around a group of people who pushed me to learn and shared new ideas. I am person addicted to learning. That would be why I finished college, got a MEd & completed all courses for an EdS before turning 30. I need to feed that hunger. The thought of losing that support system terrified me, because I am so not ready to go back again, though the word Doctor is intriguing. Twitter has helped keep that support system as part of my everyday life.

Yes I “play” on here and so do others but that is no different than pur kids chatting in the hallways between class! I enjoy knowing personally the people I learn from. I love their unique personalities. There are no rules (though some may argue) to twitter but be yourself! I like hearing that people have a good (and sometimes bad) day. I like the people who tweet out their posts (bc my reader gets so full and it helps me sort). I like the laughs and I even like the annoying folks (they don’t bother me, they add to the whole melting pot of people I enjoy being around!).

So the paragraphs above here were written days ago & the post has sitting here unfinished. Today I led 3 different sessions at the district Tech Camp. A whole day of doing the 2 things I have this huge passion for, technology & professional development. Professionally it was such a fun day to spend it doing what I love. So if these are my passions why would I not be an advocate for twitter?! Twitter IS professional development. Period. The blog post, the links & tools shared, the connecting with people smarter than me, and more!

If a dam is on a river, the river stops & becomes stagnant. If there is no dam the river eventually stops but only when it reaches the ocean. There is entire sea of knowledge out there, I know I don’t want to get stuck behind a dam.

All I Brought to ISTE11 Was an iPad (and fabulous shoes)

Last year at #ISTE10 my biggest complaint was my back pain. Caused by lugging my laptop around. So this year I left it at home. I don’t use it much when I’m at home, mostly bc it has been replaced by my iPad & iPhone. I did not bring it to Educon but was a little more nervous about not bringing it to #ISTE11 a TECHNOLOGY conference. So when trying to decide one thing kept coming to mind, I’m always the first to get excited when I hear that schools have gone 1:1 iPads. If its good enough for kids it has to be good enough for me right?

So here are my thoughts, observations, and whatnots, for all they are worth. My back is much better (though my feet aren’t, but that’s different story) but thankful I only had to carry around my purse and no bag. I could do everything I wanted to. Mostly tweeted, blogged in airport, so social media wise it was perfect. Some sessions had websites or wikis, great for keeping up with that as well. I loved the fact I never had to worry about finding a wifi signal (or worry about the one in the conference center dropping me).

I really never missed it until Monday & Tuesday. I needed to write a formal document. Needed headings, links, etc. Gdocs (which I love), especially the mobile version just couldn’t cut it. That was driving me crazy. Finally spent a good deal of time in the hotel business center and got everything completed. But this was a very stressful situation.

Here is what I’m taking from this, when IPads came out my first thought, bad for schools because mostly “consumer” driven. Get info, search, and read. Over time I realized through apps they are allowing to be more “producer” driven. One app that comes to mind is the “Show Me” app. Started playing with this week before ISTE, and by accident got to meet one of its creators while in Philly, but can see how this ad apps similar can allow students to share what they know. Apps like “Slide Share” created by the awesome peeps at Motion Mobs can allow for presentations to easily be shown from your Slide Share account, which you can create from Keynote app. See there are ways the iPad can be a producer.

But I’m still stuck. What if a student needs to link something in a blog post? Or update a wiki? What about that high school senior wh has a term paper in MLA format due? Now what? I don’t know. Have labs set up just for this. If there is an app developer out there listening can ya help them out? You know I hate papers, would rather students produce something more fun, but this is still a standard that needs to be addressed. Like I said iPad was smooth sailing until I needed that document. Is this where you take your positives and negatives and then make the decision? I don’t know.