The (T)Ec(H)centricity of Me

What is it with me?  

Often I find myself reflecting on my actions and thoughts and wondering why did I think/say/do that?  My latest episode, or moment of clarity, was when I was on Twitter.  I looked at my “Followers” and “Following” numbers and noticed they were almost the same.  “Good”, I thought.  “Balance,,,,ahhh…not too lopsided either way…just the way I like it”.
I`d like to say that the balance was coincidental, but quite honestly, I prefer it that way.  I`ve deleted Twitter members that I no longer have interest in and I have blocked followers who are, quite obviously, “bots” or people who I simply do not know and who could possibly no way add to, or enhance, my Professional Learning Network.  Just to keep the balance.
I have many eccentricities but I think this is my first technology one.  I do like balance.  I like to see things even out.  I believe in Karma and the Taoist concept of yin yang.  In western terms I believe in even stevens.  And yes, I`m amazed too, my faith has now crept into my cyber-life.
Have you established any tech eccentricities, superstitions and habits that you are aware of?  If so please share!  I`d love to know that I am not alone.

The Power of Twitter and Establishing My Professional Learning Network

This time last year, I would NOT have read these in the past 24 hours -
A great blog post by Sean about integrating tech.
An internet safety guide for parents of G5 children written by a teacher in Vietnam.
Another article about online safety from Mashable
A piece on why Google may have left China.

If it was a year ago, I would not have been able to quickly and conveniently invite a lot of teachers in the Kanto area to attend the Gr. 5 Tokyo International School Exhibition this Thursday evening.  I also wouldn’t have been able to receive prompt feedback from Jean.
I would not have been able to check in with Kim and ask how her presentation went today.
I wouldn`t have known about the WeAreWhatWeDo NPO and I also wouldn`t have known about PYPThreads and be able to catch up on the latest blog posts and forum discussions.
I wouldn`t have known what was going on in schools in India, Australia, Yokohama, Tokyo…….today.
I wouldn`t have found some of the most thought-provoking visuals I`ve seen created by a teacher on the net.

All in the last 24 hours.

My PLN has inspired me this year and for all those I am “following” out there, I want to say a big thank you for re-energizing this teacher.  At a time when I needed a boost, you came along.

My Twitter – my new mate who knows stuff.

travis_ion@hotmail.com

travis_ion@hotmail.com….and proud of it!!!!

I was having an interesting conversation the other night at a friend’s birthday party about email accounts and how to merge them .

Like most people we began, in the 90`s, with either a yahoo or hotmail email account.  Then we progressed to a work email address, then maybe a mac one and finally a gmail account.  At present, I have two gmail accounts – one is for work and the other is on reserve for when I leave my current employer.  My reserve one has only been used for dabbling in Google Plus which still hasn`t grabbed me.   My mac.com account is pretty much useless.  I don`t bother with it that much anymore.  I havent been a big fan of Apple`s me.com services and I find it all rather cumbersome – more so than what it should be if you get my drift.  It usually has my electronic receipts in it and spam messages.
Finally I have my run-down, “Failed To Send” hotmail account.
As my friend mentioned to me the other evening , when we compared notes about our IT specialists at work (Alan, past not present!!) they have lashed us with “You still have a hotmail account?” and that is then followed up with,, “Get rid!” and laughter and sniggering.  They do not say but it`s clear I am nothing but a simple classroom teacher and they are the Masters of the Domain, Supreme Overlords of the Server etc. etc…
It`s true though.  My hotmail account is useless.  My mum and older brother are the only ones who use it (along with quite a few bots asking me out on dates and a Nigerian prince who seems to get kidnapped often).
However, for all its current worthlessness, it stills means a lot to me.  It has my memories in email messages dating back to 2003.  It has a cool robot design.  It has Windows Live which I never really worked out.  It also has beautiful emails from mates and past lovers, it has a message from my mother about her breast cancer, it has all my travel arrangements about relocating to Japan and it also has job offers and job denials.  So I really can`t bring myself to delete my hotmail account.  I love it.

So dear reader, have you deleted any of your old email accounts?  How did it feel?  Do you still have a hotmail or yahoo account?  Do you suffer from nostalgia-itis like I do?
Please feel free to comment and share!

I.C.T Benchmarks…….really?

A learning colleague of mine, Mitch Norris, threw out a ripper of a comment at our last COETAIL (Certificate of Education Technology and Information Literacy) meeting at Yokohama International School.  Mitch, excuse me if I have misquoted, “If ICT is meant to be a tool for enhancing learning, then why do we have ICT benchmarks?”
Pretty good point if you ask me, and one, it seems, I can`t let go of.
Most of you are aware of the  International Society of Technology in Educuation (ISTE) and the National Education Technology Standards (NETS) that they promote.
“ISTE’s NETS for Students (NETS•S) are the standards for evaluating the skills and knowledge students need to learn effectively and live productively in an increasingly global and digital world.”
These NETS are not only for students but also for administrators coaches and teachers, provide standards for schools to strive for. Though not compulsory among the international school circuit, several “leading” international schools such as International School of Bangkok. International School of Munich and Yokohama International School, use these benchmarks.

Now, getting back to Mitch”s comment, he then attempted to make his point clearer by referring to math tools/materials teachers use for further understanding and enhancement.  Which now leads us back to his original point which I shall repeat in my own words.  Should we teachers, or administrators, be responsible for the teaching and learning of ICT benchmarks and standards?  Should we look at our documents and make a concerted effort to to teach those standards?  Or should ICT integration be part of the teacher’s normal practice of differentiation and, of course, extension?

Do we need ICT benchmarks or in fact have we gone beyond that now as we are progressing from ICT dependable infancy, into a more inquiring, risk-taking ICT childhood?

If that is the case, and I believe it is, can we also please get rid rid of the term “21st century learning”?  For goodness sake, we have been here for the past 12 years……..      (I hope some of you see the connection I`ve made here!)

All feedback is of course welcome and if anyone from ISB, ISM or YIS would like to correct me or add, please feel free!

3C Music Video Tribute to Simple Machines

As part of their UOI, my students collaborated and created a music video tribute to Simple Machines.  They have also been discovering iMovie and incorporated basic functions into their music video.

 

Wordling My Blog

I am surprised I use the word two so much!

Japan In A Day – Remix

And here`s the remix, and I`m also awaiting action from two record companies.

Japan In A Day – Grade 3 version

Some students elected to participate in the Japan In A Day documentary.  Here is the result.

Apologies to Bono but I really had no control over this!  And yes, the music will be removed before submission….

Addendum to “The Effect of the Arts” Unit Planner

How we express ourselves

“A powerful piece of art engages the audience and invites a response.”

Below is the addendum to my Unit of Inquiry planner.  The focus here was to incorporate elements of visual literacy into an already IB published document.  I combined technology with the children`s art by proposing to publish their pieces in an online gallery – VoiceThread.  Children were then to comment their art and then invite others to comment as well.

The course, Visual Literacy, opened my eyes to the realm of possibilities students, and teachers, can present their information.  For it to be engaging and captivating, we need to familiarize ourselves with the various amount of tools online, and as teachers we should become knowledgeable of two or three of them.

 

When the Blue Men came to visit

During our unit of inquiry, we organized a visit from the world famous Blue Man Group.  

And here’s the vid

Another Infographic

Created by: MBA Online