Inauguration Update

The application process has ended and we have selected 11 students to travel to DC. Our inauguration site is now live.

To follow the trip's progress and find out what the students are doing leading up to and during the inauguration, visit the following site:

http://wainauguration.org

Documenting The Inauguration

My co-woker, Peter Smith, and I will be taking 4 students to Washington, D.C. to document the events surrounding the Presidential Inauguration with a variety of technologies.  We will be using tools like blogs, Twitter, video, podcasts, and Flickr to examine the impact of the election of Barack Obama and understand the personal stories of those in attendance.

To learn more about the trip visit our informational site: http://sites.google.com/a/worcesteracademy.org/inauguration/Home

Using TV For Class Without the TV

I remember when I was a kid and one of my teachers would show a 8mm film from the 60's in class.  Those film strips were painful to watch.  Not only were they boring but they lacked any substance.  Later, with the advent of cable and the hundreds of TV channels, our options increased.  Now better shows could be recorded on VHS.

Now as many of you are sure aware, the Internet can provide those shows to us for free and on demand.  No longer do you have to have a pile of VHS tapes laying around.  With the creation of tools like Slingbox, which brings live TV to your computer, and Hulu.com, access to relevant shows has never been easier and simpler.

While Hulu.com may not have access to all the shows you want yet, the model itself is worth acknowledging.  As we move further into the 21st century, it will be Internet's ability to provide the resources we need for education to greater and greater numbers of people that will truly change the world.  The equity that an Internet connection has brought will not only enhance education but provide more and more people with the opportunities to learn.

While streaming video and it's potential cannot be overlooked as a fad, it's potential is only as good as how it is implemented.  As educators we must make sure that while we provide access to these tools, they do not stand alone as the only means of instruction.  The video is a tool that must be supported by the proper activities and methods of reinforcement for a true educational impact.

Presentation on Connectivism

I have been taking a class on Technology and School Change. My final paper is on the concept of Connectivism and how it can help improve student learning and teacher professional development. To learn more about my project, take a look at the presentation I had to create for the paper.

Paul Hudson Presents at Google

Paul Hudson, author of Prelude to Tomorrow, was kind enough to speak to me and my summer reading workshop about his book at the beginning of the year. Two weeks ago he did a similar talk at Google.

It is a great book, if you have the time, I highly recommend reading it. Watch the video and judge for yourself.

Ancient Rome and Google Earth

If you teach World History, you need to check out the new Google Earth 3D layer of Ancient Rome. It presents Rome as it would have looked in 320 AD.

The layer was created by Google and The Rome Reborn project at The University of Virginia.

In addition, Google for Educators have created a competition that is connected to the release of the new Ancient Rome layer. Create interesting lessons based upon the new Rome layer and win some great prizes.

New Media Literacies

As of late, new media and social media have been the focus in education. Applications Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube have become an integral part of our teaching practices. Project New Media Literacies, created by MIT, has been examining where New Media is going and how it can apply in education. Check out their new video.