5 Photo Finds for the Classroom

It always seem to be a challenge for teachers to find sites that provide copyright free images for use in the classroom. Here are 5 sites that were recently shared on Twitter. I just told somebody the other day that I don’t know how I knew about anything before Twitter (sometimes it seriously feels that way). Nonetheless, I am hopeful this post provides some more resources for teachers working in the classroom.

http://www.everystockphoto.com/

We are a search engine for free photos. These come from many sources and are license-specific. You can view a photo’s license by clicking on the license icon, below and left of photos. Membership is free, without advertising, and allows you to rate, tag, collect and comment on photos.

http://www.pdphoto.org/

PDPhoto.org is a repository for free public domain photos. Unless something is clearly marked as being copyrighted, you can assume it is free to use. If you want to use these images: Go ahead. Most of them have been placed in the public domain. However >>> While most of them are public domain, a few aren’t. Be sure to read the license under each of the enlarged pictures. If you have any questions, please ask.

http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

PublicDomainPictures.net is a repository for free public domain photos. You can upload your own pictures and share your work with others.

http://www.pics4learning.com/

Pics4Learning is a copyright-friendly image library for teachers and students. The Pics4Learning collection consists of thousands of images that have been donated by students, teachers, and amateur photographers. Unlike many Internet sites, permission has been granted for teachers and students to use all of the images donated to the Pics4Learning collection.

http://www.sunipix.com/

Sunipix is a picture library for students, teachers, architects, website designers, advertising and marketing executives, civil engineers, business executives, travel agents, government agencies, and media/Information Technology professionals. Sunipix provides royalty free photographs (100 DPI) free of charge for personal and business needs.

Interactive Whiteboard Middle Ground

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interactive_whiteboard1.jpg

This is third time I’ve tried to write this post. I’ve had a hard time trying to cover all the bases and still say what I want to say. So I think at this point I’m just going to be as direct as possible and go with it.

I believe interactive whiteboards can be an incredibly engaging instructional tool when used properly. Now what does it mean to use the IWB properly?

First, you have to actually unpack the equipment and turn the board on. When teachers refuse to even try I have to ask how that board ended up in that room in the first place. I would love to see some kind of application process put in place before a teacher receives a board. I also question whether the teacher really has the best interest of the students in mind. I think of this quote often, “We need to prepare students for their future, not our past.”

Interactive whiteboards are called interactive for a reason. They NEED to be used interactively! That means let the students touch the board. Stop blocking the board with desks and tables. When kids aren’t allowed to touch the board, the board becomes exactly what the critics say it is…a glorified overhead. It focuses attention on the front and center of the room and kids just sit and watch. Certainly not the best use of something supposed to be interactive.

I realize it takes more time to plan and adjust lessons to incorporate technology. But any teacher that is a good teacher actively reflects on their lessons and adjusts them accordingly. It bothers me tremendously when a teacher says they’ve been teaching for 25 years when actually they’ve taught 1 year, they just taught it 25 times. There are so many resources available now it would not be that difficult to make some adjustments. I also don’t expect teachers to modify every lesson plan for the entire year at one time. All I ask is that they make an effort. Try modifying one unit or one section of a unit and see how it goes and move on from there. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, but at least try it!

There are critics that claim these boards are a colossal waste of money and there are the champions that claim their mere presence can transform classrooms. I agree with neither. There has to be some middle ground. They are only a waste if they’re not used properly, and when they are used to be truly interactive they can be quite effective. Is taking the middle ground a cop out?

Classroom 2.0 PA 2009

Photo courtesy of FlickrCreativeCommons/Regulus

It has been over a month since my last blog post and I need to stop slacking! It should be much easier to find some worthwhile topics now that we’re back in school and there is always something going on.

For example, a couple of weeks ago I attended the Classroom 2.0 PA Conference at the Capital Area Intermediate Unit (IU15). It was outstanding! There were about 50 people in attendance, which led to some very informal and productive sessions. For me, the conversations that take place during conference sessions are the most beneficial. The sharing of thoughts, ideas, and knowledge about a particular topic opens the pipeline of ideas to take back to my school district and our teachers.

I also had the opportunity to present for the first time at a conference. I thought it went relatively well, but I found quite difficult to prepare when I didn’t know the level of my audience. Consequently, I found that I assumed a certain level of knowledge that I should not have. That being said, I hope I was able to adjust the information I shared so everybody was able to walk away with something to take back to his or her classroom.

Here are some of the gems I found while attending this year’s event.

During the two days of the conference, we had the opportunity to Skype with the following people:

• Steve Hargadon – founder of Classroom 2.0

http://www.classroom20.com

• Andrew Lafoon and Aryk Grosz – founders of Mixbook. Mixbook is a site that allows you to create collaborative photo books and photo albums. They have done a tremendous job of building this site and adjusting the site for educators.

http://www.mixbook.com/

• Nori Yoshida and Jack Yu – co-creators of Brainyflix, which is an SAT vocabulary video contest. This is a “must” for any high school teachers!

http://www.brainyflix.com/

I think the best way to share what was available is to just link to the wiki. Here you can find all the presentations, handouts, wikis, etc. A big thank you to Cheryl Capozolli for organizing the conference and developing a great opportunity for learning! Stay tuned for information about next year’s event.

http://cr20pa.wikispaces.com/Presentations

NETS*A Now What?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chocxtc/3671112258/

NECC 2009 was a great learning experience for me, and I continue to reflect and ponder many thoughts and ideas from my time in Washington D.C. With the start of school right around the corner, I’ve been thinking about the impact of ISTE’s release of the NETS for Administrators (NETS*A). When I say I’m thinking about their impact, I’m actually wondering if they’ll have any impact at all for us.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve noticed that the majority of people attending technology conferences and workshops are the people in the technology department with a few exceptions. There have been two groups from our school district noticeably absent from these technology conferences and workshops, and those two groups of people are regular classroom teachers and administrators. The drive behind this post is to put all the questions I have in my head in print and hopefully get some feedback on how to get them answered or how to proceed this school year. Here is why I wonder if the NETS*A will have any impact…

1. Will our administrators use NETS*A?
2. How will they use them?
3. How do we as an Ed Tech team get administrators involved?
4. What’s the best way to show administrators what good classroom technology use looks like?
5. How much progress is possible without administrators on board?
6. Will we be able to show them how important technology is in education?

Any possible answers or suggestions you could provide would be greatly appreciated. I will attempt to make this issue a priority this school year because I feel as though we need them completely on board to make the changes that are necessary in today’s educational setting. I think both district and building administrators can be great leaders. Their experience, knowledge, and leadership skills are invaluable to the goal of continued improvement in education.

Top 10 Reasons Staci is Cool

I know this woman who is SO cool she deserves her own blog post. At least that’s what she says and I promised her I would blog about her just to quiet her down. However, now I’m sitting here with this “promise” hanging over my head and a reminder every time she calls. I recently finished her Top 10 list of coolness, so without further delay…here is the Top 10 list of why Staci is the COOLEST!

10. Staci plays a mean game of Wii bowling. She hasn’t bowled a 300 yet, but she kicks Dave’s a$$.
9. She wears some crazy-a$$ shoes. Not sure where she finds those things, but they sure are somethin’.
8. Staci Rhubright Sorber took to Facebook like a fish to water. What took so long? Why the resistance? It took some convincing, but she’s now rockin’ Facebook like a pro.
7. She hates the Eagles. I don’t think this item needs any comment…but I’ll make one anyhow. What a colossal mistake the Cowboys are making if they don’t bring Pac Man back!
6. She’s the only one that did & will do shots of 151 w/ Lauren. Both these chicks are nuts…that’s like drinking straight kerosene.
5. Only someone of great awesomeness can quote from the momentous film Dumb & Dumber on the fly. I contemplated making this #1, that’s how great it is for her to dig that movie.
4. Staci is THE best God Mother. Seeing the kids is important to her. That alone endears her to us beyond anything else.
3. She amazingly adjusted to the role of mom. I think everyone knew she’d be a quality influence on Jared, but it has been fun to watch her in her new role. Plus…how could she be worse than the other female role models in his life!
2. She married Dave. Gotta give her credit…she did better than alright with this choice! In fact, Dave might be so spectacular he deserves his own post – we’ll see!
1. Staci is best friends with Lauren. This could be the ONLY possible reason that tops #2. Separately they are amazing women, but together they are…well, t-r-o-u-b-l-e!

Since I ONLY included 10 reasons here, I am obviously missing some other explanations for why Staci is SO COOL! Please feel free to leave a comment and share what you would add. Promis fulfilled, Staci. Now get off my back!

Love ya. Chris & Lauren

An attempt @ NECC Recap

As a first-time NECCer, I’ve been contemplating how I want to approach my first post NECC blog. I’m not sure what the best way is to capture my thoughts, feelings, impressions, and lessons learned. I cannot find a way to recap everything from NECC succinctly, so I’ve decided not to fight it. The following is my best effort to encapsulate my experience.

First impression: WOW, WOW, and WOW! It took me at least a day to wrap my head around what was really going on. There were countless places to explore and opportunities to learn. Having a chance to experience everything was impossible, so decisions had to be made about what was most important. That task alone was a difficult one because I was a first-timer and wasn’t sure where my time would be best spent. I started by attending some sessions…

Sessions:

• I attended a session with Dr. Christopher Moersch where I had the opportunity to learn about bringing the H.E.A.T. Dr. Moersch also introduced us to the LoTI level, which was a new concept to me. You can find more information from Dr. Moersch at The LoTI Connection.
• One of my favorite session of the conference was Effective Leadership in an Era of Disruptive Innovation with Dr. Scott McLeod. He was able to show us how to move in education with disruptive technologies. You can read more at Dangerously Irrelevant.
• Sylvia Martinez of Generation Yes presented a terrific session on professional development and how to empower students with technology. You can see Sylvia’s session here on the Generation Yes blog.
• I definitely took advantage of the opportunity to attend Sheryl Nussbaum Beach and Will Richardson’s session titled Here Comes Learning. This was quite a nice overview of how learning looks different today, creating learning communities, and connecting! Will Richardson – Weblogged and Sheryl Nussbaum Beach – 21st Century Learning
• I enjoyed a NETS session titled “Differentiating NETS*T – Moving Teachers Toward Transformative Technology.” I was a little concerned when this one started because I was afraid I was going to be stuck in a session where they discussed a whole host of tools I was already familiar with: Voki, Blabberize, Edublogs, Audacity, Wikispaces, Elluminate. However, I was pleased to see that the presenters then took these tools and showed attendees exactly how to use these tools to move teachers toward technology being transformative, and I believe that is completely where we need to be headed! You can see the manner in which they used these tools at ConferenceConnection2009.

Bloggers’ Cafe: I had heard so much about this area in the past I knew I had to spend some time there. I have to admit that I was a bit intimidated at first. I am a definite newbie when it comes to blogging and have been at it less than a year. BUT…Twitter was my savior (as usual). I had the unbelievable opportunity to meet so many people that I’ve built online relationships with it was amazing. It was like we had been talking for ages because in some cases I’ve “known” these people for over a year. And now I had the chance to sit and pick their brain for more than 140 characters. An experience I won’t soon forget and thanks to those I met and with whom I had the time to engage!

Exhibits: HOLY EXHIBITS! Geez! I was blown away by the sheer magnitude of this place. But after I took some time to wade through the majority of the displays on the floor and pick up my personalized flash drive, I actually returned to speak with multiple vendors who were quite helpful and informative. I do have to wonder if this area needs to be so “over-the-top”? Do these businesses really have education at the forefront of their minds? After seeing the pink Cadillac and Elvis, I pretty much had my answer. But…on the other hand, my kids and I definitely enjoyed the swag! Check it out:

NECC was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before and I am hopeful that I have the privilege of attending each and every year!

Top Tools from 09

Photo courtesy of Joi Ito from Inbamura, Japan via Wikimedia Commons

As many educators do after a school year is over, I recently found myself reflecting upon the previous year and thinking about what was successful for teachers and students. There are a multitude of web 2.o tools available for teachers to use for many different purposes. After our district’s A/V Expo, I realized that three tools truly stuck out. Teachers and students had tremendous success using VoiceThread, Blabberize, and Glogster.

VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate pages and leave comments. We have been lucky enough to be able to purchase school accounts for each of our elementary schools. These accounts have been used in numerous ways throughout the year. VoiceThread is quite intuitive and diverse in its use which translates well to the classroom. So here are some examples of how Voicethread was used this year by some classes…

Fifth Grade VoiceThreads

Grade Three VoiceThreads

Blabberize allows you to add audio to a picture or other image. This tool is also an easy, straightforward web 2.0 tool to use in the classroom. It provides students an alternative to written reports, speeches, or a way to publish student stories. Click HERE to see multiple examples of using Blabberize in the classroom.

The last tool on my list, and one that I believe has some real potential, is Glogster. Glogster is an online poster maker which allows you to add images, graphics, voice, music, and text. So far this tool has been an enormous hit, however, our teachers have experienced some functionality issues. It is my sincere hope that over the summer months these wrinkles are ironed out, so our students can experience the full potential of Glogster. Click the link below to see some examples of student Glogster work.

Student Glogs

These were the three prominent tools I saw thrive in our elementary buildings this year. I am hopeful that teachers continue to take advantage of the web 2.o movement and continue to explore new tools as well. Please help us to expand our horizons by contributing suggestions, examples, or links here via the comment portion of this blog. I look forward to your input!

Mobile Devices 2-3 Years

Picture courtesy of Flickr.com/creativecommons/Jean Ruaud

The Horizon Report indicates that the education community should be on target to adopt the use of mobile devices in 2-3 years. The recent evolution of mobile devices has peaked my interest regarding their use in the classroom. The industry produces 1.2 billion new devices per year! It’s a marketplace that is in a constant state of innovation and advancement. We know the large number of students that carry these devices every day, so when do we confront the idea of using them in the classroom instead of banning them completely?

Right now both of the high schools in my district ban phones in school. The students can bring them to school, but they may not use them during the day. I would have to check on the “official” rule, but if iPods are allowed, it is most likely based on the decision of the individual teacher and only during “study hall”. I believe this is going to have to change.

The amount of students that possess these devices and their capabilities lead me to believe that we need to begin formulating a plan to manage them in schools and classrooms. Here are just a few classroom uses we could start tapping into…

• Internet access – not for prolonged research , but certainly for quick references in class
• Cameras – students can use their built-in cameras for capturing images for projects. Capturing images from a field trip. This could be particularly useful for capturing pictures outside of school to use with in-school assignments or quick snapshots in class.
• The use of sites such as Poll Everywhere. This allows students to respond to questions via text messages. This can even be used for live polls and animated charts in PowerPoint.
• Text and voice reminders of upcoming assignments, quizzes, tests, etc.
• Yodio – use for field trips, educational trips, or even documenting vacations.
• Students that possess smart phones have even more at their fingertips including educational apps for iPhones and iTouches.

As you can see, the possibilities of using mobile devices in education certainly garner discussion of a future plan. However, I did spend ten years in a middle school classroom and I am not naive enough not to realize there are some issues that need to be addressed.

• Off-task behavior – Having phones in the classroom is an open invitation for off-task behavior. Is this something that can be handled with classroom management? What if students turned phones off and placed them on a table when they’re done using them for class? Just a thought…
• Cheating – What about students getting messages providing them answers? Sure it could happen. But can’t this also be controlled by classroom management? If you can spot a student with a tiny piece of paper, or writing on their desk, how could you not spot a phone or iPod?
• Texting – Texting in the halls after students leave the room where they used the devices for class is also a legitimate concern. I think that guidelines need to be agreed upon with administration – what’s the rule if a student texts in the hallway now? Why can’t that same rule apply?
• Phone calls – This is a similar issue to texting. Again, why can’t the same rules apply that are in place now for a violation of inappropriate phone use.

Please understand, I am not saying that teachers need to start planning lessons using cell phones or iPods right now. But I am saying that with the development and advancement of mobile devices and the possibilities for educational use, there needs to be a vision. The discussion needs to start taking place…even if it’s between individual teachers and their administrators. Can we discuss a trial? Can we discuss possible solutions? It’s time for this discussion to start.

Twitter While You Work?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamsblog/2382736952/

Should you Twitter at work? Should it be acceptable to your employer that you spend time during your work day on Twitter? I will only answer for myself, and my answer is yes. Although, I must add that I generally use my Twitter and Facebook networks differently. The majority of my Twitter network is a group of professionals. A group of knowledgeable, insightful, and helpful professionals. During the work day, I will scan my network’s tweets for relevant blog posts, articles, breaking news, classroom tools, project ideas, links, and they’re always good for a laugh or two. I also spend time tweeting any of those previously mentioned items, plus requests for help to solve technical issues, suggestions for classroom resources, input on philosophical discussions, and support. Sometimes I wonder how I knew about anything before Twitter!

The drive behind this post is born out of comments and inquiries about whether or not Twitter and other social networking sites (Facebook) have a place during the school day. I believe they can be used appropriately during work hours. I believe the sites themselves are not inherently bad. I believe the general perspective on Twitter is that it is just another social networking site. This standpoint comes mainly from how the media has portrayed it in the news and on talk shows. To me, it is so much more than that. I personally use Facebook as more of a social outlet and Twitter as more of a professional network. Some of my network overlaps between the two sites, but as a general rule I use them quite differently.

So should teachers be discouraged or “get in trouble” for using a social networking site at school? I am of the opinion that these sites can be used appropriately during the work day. Generally, I don’t see a modest amount of posting to Facebook or Twitter much differently than I do talking in the hallway to another person in the hallway or faculty room during school. You’re merely communicating with people that you are not able to converse with face-to-face. Is there a potential for abuse of this? Sure, but as professional educators I believe the majority of us are prudent about what and how much we post. If there are educators who lack this good judgement, I’m confident they will be addressed much in the same manner they would if they made inappropriate verbal comments, or if they mistreated students.

I don’t view the use of these sites by teachers during the work day as tremendously problematic. As evidenced in the recent news articles, there are teachers that misuse them regarding how often they post and what they post. It is my belief that if we, as educators, want to be looked upon and treated like professionals by the rest of the world then we need to behave in such a manner. If my boss came to me and asked me to justify my use of Twitter at work, I could absolutely warrant the use of my network during the work day! If you have any ideas, examples, opinions, or general comments; please feel free to join me in this discussion and leave a comment.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88526923@N00/2114874155/

Why Technology?

Dean Shareski is the author of the blog Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech. I read his blog on a regular basis and follow him on Twitter. Recently he posted a podcast in response to a question posed by Ben Grey, and that question was “Why Technology?” Dean responded to this question with a couple of thoughts that really resonated with me. I’d like to share how and why I agree with Dean when it comes to answering “why technology?”

Thanks to Flickr.com/creativecommons/rebecca and bernhard for the photo

My first thought regarding this question is we should use technology to create. We have the ability for students to create that we’ve never had before. The tools at our disposal today are more than ample. I think about the many alternatives to written projects students can produce…podcasts, blogs, photo stories, web pages, wikispaces, digital storytelling, presentations, comic books etc. We need to provide students the opportunity to create. Creating the digital form of a great story, a demonstration, or a wonderful piece of artwork is so much easier today, it seems imprudent not to offer this opportunity in classrooms.

I believe a second aspect of technology in education is the ability for others to access these digital products. Providing students with an authentic audience makes a tremendous difference when producing digital content. In addition to an authentic audience, publishing these projects also allows for legitimate feedback from others and the ability to connect. Publishing is important, but the ability for others to connect to that information and consume it in their own way is valuable! Whether that consumption is to analyze, critique, or validate it; this access by others that publishing provides is vital.

I encourage you to visit Dean Shareski’s blog mentioned at the beginning of this post. He has some great ideas and insights about educational technology. I also invite you to share your thoughts here about the original question that inspired his post and mine…Why Technology?