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Some last conference observations June 30, 2007

Posted by Debbie Stafford in : NECC2007 , 1 comment so far

Some more conference observations

In a few sessions everyone was asked to talk to their neighbor on the current question. Everytime we did this the sound went way up. I know that we have all observed this, but it is worth reminding people that when you interact during a learning session, the sound does go up.

Overheard on an escalator “software program that will call into a student’s home with a wake up call” good for chronically tardy students. I currently shudder at this. When and where will this all end up? Are the schools now to be totally responsible for students or is there point at which our responsibility ends?

All over the conference Web 2.0 was being discussed, highlighted, demonstrated, encouraged and touted. We were urged to push for our students to be able to use these tools. Yet in the daily leader, I read a full page (or almost full page) ad from a vendor who “promises” they can keep students out of myspace.

I hope other attendees will respond with comments on my postings or even add a session I did not attend. If you will do so as a comment to this post, I will move it to a new posting.

I also hope others had an easier time that I did leaving the converence. First problem, my box that I was having the Kinko’s hold for me disappeared. If you happend to have picked up a box with Stafford written on in, full of some conference stuff, please contact me as I especially would like to have the two ISTE books I bought that were in the box.

Second problem, my flight was cancelled so I spent another day in Atlanta - which did allow me to go to the Coca Cola museum.

Posted by Debbie Stafford

Re-imagine, Rejuvenate, Renew: Beyond Library Media Specialist 2.0

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My last workshop was;

Re-imagine, Rejuvenate, Renew: Beyond Library Media Specialist 2.0

Annette Lamb

I chose this one because I thought it was going to be another big picture session and because I had heard of Annette Lamb. I was not disappointed. This presenter is a high energy presenter, something hard to do when your session is the very last session of the conference!

We began with the challenge; how have we changed preceptions of what a zoo is? One focus of the “new” zoo is to reintroduce animals to the wild. Dr. Lamb hypothesized that it is the same with studnets, that we need to “reintriduce them to the wild” ie outside.

Dr. Lamb gave us a set of 3 Rs Reflect, Rethink, React in order to Redefine education of students and rejuvenate learning spaces. Along with this we discussed some of the web 2.0 type tools available, especially looking at the fact that they are available anywhere for can be individualized.

One program in particular was highlighted librarything. This online tool allows users to enter books in their “library”, tag these books, see how others tagged the book, share and do so many other web2.0 type things. Students can experience a community, practice social networking skills and engage in literature. I had already heard of librarything and have an account but had not delved into some of the other possibilities. I think that on my new library website I will make a link to librarything and push some of my teachers to use this site.

Posted by Debbie Stafford

Teach Web Design using Macromedia Dreamweaver 8

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Wednesday’s third session was;
Teach Web Design using Macromedia Dreamweaver 8
Jan Marrelli www.lvp.com

While this was a commercially sponsored session I still found it to be useful. While we have had webpages up for years now, and with the “web 2.0″ hype, one might think that webpages was passe. However, the room was full! I wonder if sometimes we forget that some of the older “technologies” are still new to some people and that everyone can use a refresher.

One of my goals for next school year is to totally revamp by school library’s webpage. While this session was billed as focusing on using dreamweaver, the session actually focused more on basics of good design for any kind of online publishing.

Posted by Debbie Stafford

From Web Consumer to Producer: Student-Created Virtual Exhibits

Posted by Debbie Stafford in : NECC2007 , 1 comment so far

My second session on Wednesday was;
From Web Consumer to Producer: Student-Created Virtual Exhibits
Mark Hofer, websites and programs mentioned can be found on this wiki which the presenter encouraged people to add to;
exhibits.wikispaces.com,

I enjoyed this session very much. Like the previous session, the focus was equally on the WHY of using Virtual Exhibits as well as the HOW. Mr. Hofer shared some of the reasons that virtual exhibits, however, they are do contribute to student learning;

Mr. Hofer also emphasized that these virtual exhibits can be very simple, short, one skill demonstration projects to a virtual museum project. He showed some simple math demonstrations using programs incorporated with smart boards, to powerpoint presentations to video presentations, to Wiki sites. I was especially interested in the wiki examples as they support some of the efforts I have been doing the past year in my district.

I do have one other example I would like to share with Mr. Hofer, one on the book Turn Homeward Hannalea
Posted by Debbie Stafford

Beyond Testing: Projects that Nurture Creativity

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My Wednesday sessions were a mixture of big picture and more specific how tos.

My first session Wednesday morning;
Beyond Testing: Projects that Nurture Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Collaboration presented by
Peggy Healy Stearns websites mentioned www.peggyhealystearns.com and

While the focus of this session was on elementary, as librarian I still felt it was a worthwhile session.During the first part of the session the focus was on why students needed Project Based Learning experiences. The bullet points supporting PBL were;

along with specific job skills;

I especially liked the focus not on the technology itself but on the how and whys that technolgy can make teaching these skills easier and why sometimes students still need tape, scissors, glue and crayons.

The second part of the session focused on a few “open ended” tools that would support elementary students in dealing with mapping, and communities. These tools were all developed by Ms Stearns, however she was not pushing them because they were hers and gave other ideas for programs student could use. View her website to see more about these tools.

In looking at these mapping, community projects were the point was made that mapping activities are great activities for geography and mapping skills are in demand for jobs and that mapping actitivities are great for learning about other cultures.

I will be able to take these ideas away and “slip them in” when working with my high school teachers.

Posted by Debbie Stafford