Google Presentation Application
Topic: Emerging Technologies

There have been rumors since last spring about Google's plans to launch a web-based presentation tool. Presentations was released last Monday and the entire suite of applications is now being referred to as Google Docs (rather than Google Docs & Spreadsheets).

As I mentioned in today's earlier post, Common Craft also just released a nice video clip (under 3 minutes) that explains the concept of web-based applications.

I've taken a quick look at this new tool. Users are able to upload existing presentation files (up to 10 MG), or create new files online. As with other Google Doc apps, the doc owner can invite collaborators. It is possible to add live links to the slides (a nice feature). There are limitations (in addition to file size) such as no animations or transitions.

At this point it's certainly not going to replace PowerPoint or other presentation programs, but it is nice to have. It also seems to be a bit more intuitive than Zoho Show (at least for me). But there are features on Zoho Show that aren't readily apparent here.

 

 Technorati Tags: Google Docs, school administrators, Susan Brooks-Young

Google Docs in Plain English
Topic: Emerging Technologies

The folks at Common Craft released a new video last week: Google Docs in Plain English. It provides a great overview of why someone might want to use web-based applications.

I'm presenting a hands-on workshop on Google Docs early next week at the AETA fall symposium in Orange Beach, AL. This will definitely be added to the intro.

BTW, I'll be posting about the latest application in Google's suite later today. 

 Technorati Tags: Google Docs, school administrators, Susan Brooks-Young, CommonCraft

I Get the Picture!
Topic: Emerging Technologies
There's a new web-based tool that looks like a winner for educators. Called Pikiwiki, this free site allows users to set up pages to share with whomever the creator designates. To start a new page, drag and drop photos (or video clips, PowerPoint slides, mp3 files, etc.), then add text, and collaborate. The pages are not indexed in Google or other search engines and are ad-free. Check it out!

 Technorati Tags: Pikiwiki, school administrators, Susan Brooks-Young

Solving real world problems from your living room...
Topic: Emerging Technologies

You've probably heard or read about the disappearance of adventurer Steve Fossett nearly one week ago. But you may not have heard about the expanded online search that has helped turn up six previously uncharted plane crashes--but not Fossett, so far.

Fossett's friend, Richard Branson, is using Google Earth to review satellite images of the area where Fossett's plane may have crashed. Now the public is being invited to join in the search using Amazon's Mechanical Turk. This means you may have students who are choosing to spend their spare time reviewing and marking satellite images. Click here to learn more. 

Assuming someone wanted to do it, would your staff and students be able to engage in this activity at school, using the classroom technology currently available? Should they be able to? Why, or why not?

 Technorati Tags: Google Earth, school administrators, Steve Fossett, Mechanical Turk, Susan Brooks-Young

Keeping a Good Teacher Down
Topic: Leadership Issues

I just read this post on a blog written by an 8th grade teacher. She sounds like the kind of teacher I would have loved to have had on staff at any of the middle schools where I worked--creative, energetic, and a life-long learner herself.

But rather than being rewarded for making a serious effort at engaging her students by using cutting edge technology tools, she's encountering roadblocks all along they way. And the really sad part is that I get the impression that the decision-makers here didn't really do any of this with malice!

Anyway, read her post... How would you deal with this situation?

 Technorati Tags: Web 2.0, school administrators, Susan Brooks-Young

New Tool from Google
Topic: Classroom Blogging

Google has just added a tool in Google Book that allows users to select and embed text from pages of books included in the Google Book collection into a blog post (see sample Shakespeare sonnet below) or web page. Selections may also be sent to Google Notebook.

The tool doesn't jump right out at you (it's just to the right of the grabber tool), but I think I can see where a teacher could use something like this to direct students' attention to a specific passage for a lesson. I think I'll keep an eye on what happens with it. 

 

 Technorati Tags: Google Book, school administrators, Susan Brooks-Young

The Whole Child
Topic: Leadership Issues

This video clip comes from ASCD's Whole Child project and may be a great way to launch a discussion about education today with staff and/or parents.

 

 Technorati Tags: ASCD, school administrators, Susan Brooks-Young, Whole Child

BSF, GOI! (translation below*, if needed)
Topic: E-Communication

*But seriously, folks, get over it!

USA Today just ran another article about text messaging and the demise of civilization as we know it because students regularly try to slip text acronyms into writing assignments.

I guess I'm having difficulty understanding why teachers aren't comfortable just telling students that there's a time and a place for texting and a time and a place for conventional written language and then sticking to it by refusing to accept papers that cross the line or by dropping the grade. Kids do understand consequences and will respond accordingly (I think).

But this particular topic rears its ugly head on a fairly regular basis, so maybe the solution isn't as simple as I think. What am I missing?

 Technorati Tags: USA Today, school administrators, Susan Brooks-Young, text messaging

Right vs. Right
Topic: Leadership Issues

This is what I originally planned to write about yesterday. With a few exceptions, use of Web 2.0 tools and other communication technologies in schools almost always leads to a showdown somewhere along the line. The players vary, depending upon the situation or even local culture-- it might be IT staff vs. teachers or parents vs. administrators, etc. For example, a teacher wants to use a classroom blog to increase home/school communication only to encounter resistance from IT staff whose primary concern is to protect the integrity of the network. Or, school officials and parents clash over whether student cell phones on campus are a distruption or a safety measure.

Often, when I listen to any of the parties involved explain the situation, it's clear that they perceive the problem as an either-or situation. Someone's right and someone's wrong (usually the other party!), making it a win-lose proposition that can't be resolved without someone giving in or losing face.

I've known that this position of right-and-wrong is...well...wrong, but couldn't put my finger on exactly why until I read an article in Sunday's Seattle Times. The topic of the article was a request the FBI made to Seattle's two major newspapers, the Times and the Post-Intelligencer.

Two men (apparently of Middle Eastern descent) had raised the suspicions of ferry staff because they rode at least 6 different routes within a few weeks, asked questions about ferry operations, and took photographs of odd things like ferry doorways. One employee became so suspicious, he took a photo of the two men. The concerns and photo were brought to the attention of the FBI.

The FBI asked both newspapers to print the photo to ask the public's help in identifying the men and both papers refused, saying there was not enough information to justify tying these men to terrorism. A day later, after additional investigation, one paper printed the photo, while the other still refused. Both papers heard loud and clear from readers who thought each decision was dead wrong. This is where the ephinany happens for me.

Apparently, one reader identified this as a right vs. right decision. It wasn't a matter of someone being wrong. Instead, it was a matter of trying to make the best decision between two correct courses of action. This idea comes from a book called "How Good People Make Tough Decisions," by Rushworth Kidder.

The author of the article relates this idea to what he calls the "shrill, mean-spirited and absolutist" posts appearing in a variety of online venues these days. This is what led me to think about the conflicts I see in schools and districts related to technology and also helped me begin to get a glimmer of why it's so tough for the people involved to work toward resolution that's good for everyone involved.

Anyway, the book's on it's way. Once I've had a chance to dig into it, I'm sure I'll have more thoughts to share here. 

 Technorati Tags: Seattle Times, school administrators, Susan Brooks-Young, decision making, Web 2.0

Excel Tutorials for School Administrators
Topic: Leadership Issues

Okay, this is really not a Web 2.0 thing (unless you upload your Excel files to a Google or Zoho Spreadsheet) and I was intending to write about something completely different today, but then I checked my Bloglines subscriptions and found that Scott McLeod just posted a valuable link on his blog that I want to share with you. So, I'm scrapping my original plan and choosing to ignore the deviation from a Web 2.0 topic.

Educators are awash in data today. We collect it like maniacs. But then, what do you do with it? Sometimes you can get by if your IT department has the staff and time to generate reports for you. But what if that's not the case, or if you need to do some analysis quickly? That's when school administrators need to have some basic Excel skills under their belts. And, Scott has developed and posted a series of basic tutorials specifically for educators at School Data Tutorials. I highly recommend that you check it out and share with other administrators and teachers.

 

 Technorati Tags: Excel, school administrators, Susan Brooks-Young, Scott McLeod, D3M