Comments for Independent Thinking http://barblcohen.edublogs.org A blog about using technology at a K-8 independent school Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:36:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on Taking the Long View by EDin08.com http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/04/02/taking-the-long-view/#comment-2432 EDin08.com Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:44:37 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/04/02/taking-the-long-view/#comment-2432 Hi Barbara, I just wanted to make sure that you were invited to our education "Blogger Summit". We hope you can make it and feel free to share this invitation with any other bloggers in the area that might be interested. The invitation is attached below. Alex ED In '08 Blogger Summit -------------------------------- Strong American Schools is excited to announce the ED in '08 Blogger Summit. Conference details are as follows: May 14th - 15th Palomar Hotel, Washington DC Registration is Free! An opening reception is scheduled on the evening of Wednesday, May 14th. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served before the screening of a new documentary film on education, Two Million Minutes. A Q&A session with the filmmakers is set to follow. Then join us for an all-day conference on May 15th. Nowhere else will you have an opportunity to meet and network with fellow education bloggers, participate in panels, attend workshops, and help tackle some tough questions on the state of education in America. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP today! Register at http://edin08.com/bloggersummit/ Hi Barbara,

I just wanted to make sure that you were invited to our education “Blogger Summit”. We hope you can make it and feel free to share this invitation with any other bloggers in the area that might be interested. The invitation is attached below.

Alex
ED In ‘08 Blogger Summit

——————————–

Strong American Schools is excited to announce the ED in ‘08 Blogger Summit. Conference details are as follows:

May 14th - 15th
Palomar Hotel, Washington DC
Registration is Free!

An opening reception is scheduled on the evening of Wednesday, May 14th. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served before the screening of a new documentary film on education, Two Million Minutes. A Q&A session with the filmmakers is set to follow.

Then join us for an all-day conference on May 15th. Nowhere else will you have an opportunity to meet and network with fellow education bloggers, participate in panels, attend workshops, and help tackle some tough questions on the state of education in America.

Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP today!

Register at http://edin08.com/bloggersummit/

]]> Comment on Buddies Love Technology by Jacob Lumbroso http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/02/29/buddies-love-technology/#comment-2431 Jacob Lumbroso Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:44:38 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/02/29/buddies-love-technology/#comment-2431 As a lifelong student in various areas, I am certainly interested in alternative approaches and techniques to learning, whether it be engineering, history, foreign languages,etc. I do however question whether such alternative approaches at say the pre-highschool level, do not detract from the very serious challenges that are faced by the average American student. I say this because I do not see these approaches taken in say Japanese or German settings and fear that instead of concentrating on those needed skills like mathematics, we spend time and more focus on exposing students to computer skills which they are likely prone to do on their own. As a lifelong student in various areas, I am certainly interested in alternative approaches and techniques to learning, whether it be engineering, history, foreign languages,etc. I do however question whether such alternative approaches at say the pre-highschool level, do not detract from the very serious challenges that are faced by the average American student. I say this because I do not see these approaches taken in say Japanese or German settings and fear that instead of concentrating on those needed skills like mathematics, we spend time and more focus on exposing students to computer skills which they are likely prone to do on their own.

]]> Comment on Teaching with Technology - The Electric Company by Teaching on The Finance World For News and Information Around The World On Finance » Teaching with Technology - The Electric Company http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/02/10/teaching-with-technology-the-electric-company/#comment-2430 Teaching on The Finance World For News and Information Around The World On Finance » Teaching with Technology - The Electric Company Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:10:14 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/02/10/teaching-with-technology-the-electric-company/#comment-2430 [...] Teaching with Technology - The Electric Company As my sons and I watched, I marveled at how Fargo North, Decoder indeed was teaching how to decode sentences using methods I’ve seen so… [...] [...] Teaching with Technology - The Electric Company As my sons and I watched, I marveled at how Fargo North, Decoder indeed was teaching how to decode sentences using methods I’ve seen so… [...]

]]> Comment on Keeping Quiet About Voice Recordings by Richard http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/01/29/recording-voices-and-keeping-quiet-about-it/#comment-2429 Richard Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:56:25 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/01/29/recording-voices-and-keeping-quiet-about-it/#comment-2429 Don't language teachers get so excited about recording and posting audio? Here, the teachers used a recent schoolwide language teachers meeting to share experiences with online video and audio. All of the lower school teachers agreed to use them to prepare for the holiday musical performance -- that's right, all four of them, despite highly variable tech proficiencies! I'm thrilled about this. Richard Don’t language teachers get so excited about recording and posting audio? Here, the teachers used a recent schoolwide language teachers meeting to share experiences with online video and audio. All of the lower school teachers agreed to use them to prepare for the holiday musical performance — that’s right, all four of them, despite highly variable tech proficiencies! I’m thrilled about this.

Richard

]]> Comment on Maiden Voyage with Voicethread by Brian http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/01/23/maiden-voyage-with-voicethread/#comment-2428 Brian Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:29:22 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2008/01/23/maiden-voyage-with-voicethread/#comment-2428 Barbara, thank you for referring me to your link. This is great and the kind of "stuff" we're looking for--great resource! Barbara, thank you for referring me to your link. This is great and the kind of “stuff” we’re looking for–great resource!

]]> Comment on I May Be Nuts, But… by 6th Grade Blog Club — A Few First Glimmers of Hope : Independent Thinking http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/29/i-may-be-nuts-but/#comment-2427 6th Grade Blog Club — A Few First Glimmers of Hope : Independent Thinking Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:50:25 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/29/i-may-be-nuts-but/#comment-2427 [...] I wrote in “I May Be Nuts, But…” a few months ago, I am now the advisor of a 1x/week blog club for 6th Graders. Although the [...] [...] I wrote in “I May Be Nuts, But…” a few months ago, I am now the advisor of a 1x/week blog club for 6th Graders. Although the [...]

]]> Comment on I May Be Nuts, But… by arvind s grover http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/29/i-may-be-nuts-but/#comment-2426 arvind s grover Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:08:54 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/29/i-may-be-nuts-but/#comment-2426 I ran a live webcasting club last year, along with helping the newspaper with the few podcasts they produced. We started all of those activities with a study in what quality media is. We listened to good podcasts and bad ones. We critiqued, studies how to produce good audio, how to edit, how to tell a convincing story, how to have multiple speakers, etc. A lot went into the before-production study. They did get rolling pretty well though. Here are some episodes if you're interested in hearing them. Probably won't be too interesting since they're about our community, but you can see where they got: http://ourmedia.org/user/56193 I ran a live webcasting club last year, along with helping the newspaper with the few podcasts they produced. We started all of those activities with a study in what quality media is. We listened to good podcasts and bad ones. We critiqued, studies how to produce good audio, how to edit, how to tell a convincing story, how to have multiple speakers, etc. A lot went into the before-production study.

They did get rolling pretty well though. Here are some episodes if you’re interested in hearing them. Probably won’t be too interesting since they’re about our community, but you can see where they got:
http://ourmedia.org/user/56193

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by Bloggers in My World : Independent Thinking http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2425 Bloggers in My World : Independent Thinking Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:30:18 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2425 [...] & Jon’s Pregnancy Blog: Abby, a friend and former colleague, attended my CAIS presentation last spring and decided to make her first blog about her pregnancy & birth [...] [...] & Jon’s Pregnancy Blog: Abby, a friend and former colleague, attended my CAIS presentation last spring and decided to make her first blog about her pregnancy & birth [...]

]]> Comment on The Amazing Janet by Deprivatizing Teaching : Independent Thinking http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/01/the-amazing-janet/#comment-2424 Deprivatizing Teaching : Independent Thinking Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:44:10 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/01/the-amazing-janet/#comment-2424 [...] the classroom spider will eat the cricket he’s about to feed it, or look around the walls of Janet’s room and see classrom documentation showing how they are incorporating math concepts into their [...] [...] the classroom spider will eat the cricket he’s about to feed it, or look around the walls of Janet’s room and see classrom documentation showing how they are incorporating math concepts into their [...]

]]> Comment on Bringing the Computer Lab into the Kindergarten Classroom by Deprivatizing Teaching : Independent Thinking http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/16/bringing-the-computer-lab-into-the-kindergarten-classroom/#comment-2423 Deprivatizing Teaching : Independent Thinking Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:41:05 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/16/bringing-the-computer-lab-into-the-kindergarten-classroom/#comment-2423 [...] classroom in order to create meaningul connections to technological tools, skills and projects. My new adventure with teaching kindergartners right in the K classrooms is having the fringe benefit of allowing me [...] [...] classroom in order to create meaningul connections to technological tools, skills and projects. My new adventure with teaching kindergartners right in the K classrooms is having the fringe benefit of allowing me [...]

]]> Comment on The Amazing Janet by | Doug & Richard are Amazing Too! http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/01/the-amazing-janet/#comment-2422 | Doug & Richard are Amazing Too! Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:06:01 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/10/01/the-amazing-janet/#comment-2422 [...] « The Amazing Janet | [...] [...] « The Amazing Janet | [...]

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by Lori Saltveit http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2324 Lori Saltveit Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:35:38 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2324 Great, inspiring workshop. For about a year I've been contributing to other peoples blogs but have been wanting to explore blogging with my high school students - I've been given some incentive. Thanks! Great, inspiring workshop. For about a year I’ve been contributing to other peoples blogs but have been wanting to explore blogging with my high school students - I’ve been given some incentive. Thanks!

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by Matt Spowart http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2323 Matt Spowart Wed, 21 Mar 2007 01:05:36 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2323 Barbara, Thanks for the link - I looked at it - I will probably create something from what I read at that site. We are continuing to have a spirited internal conversation about blog protocols and preventing "cyber-bullying". I think this is a good teachable moment for the kids to use this protected and supervised environment to teach proper use of blogs. Matt Barbara,

Thanks for the link - I looked at it - I will probably create something from what I read at that site. We are continuing to have a spirited internal conversation about blog protocols and preventing “cyber-bullying”.

I think this is a good teachable moment for the kids to use this protected and supervised environment to teach proper use of blogs.

Matt

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by Barbara http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2322 Barbara Tue, 20 Mar 2007 23:36:25 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2322 Matt, Thanks for your comments & EXCELLENT questions. I'll do my best to answer everything, but hope others will chime in as well! As far as Acceptable Use Policies for blogs go, one resource I've found is through <a href="http://www.budtheteacher.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page" rel="nofollow">Bud The Teacher's Blogging Wiki</a>. He has sample parent letters and a few AUPs as well. I'll try to add to this comment later, but I've gotta go, Barbara Matt,

Thanks for your comments & EXCELLENT questions. I’ll do my best to answer everything, but hope others will chime in as well!

As far as Acceptable Use Policies for blogs go, one resource I’ve found is through Bud The Teacher’s Blogging Wiki. He has sample parent letters and a few AUPs as well.

I’ll try to add to this comment later, but I’ve gotta go,
Barbara

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by Matt Spowart http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2321 Matt Spowart Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:37:42 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2321 Hi Barbara, I attended your presentation at CAIS yesterday - thanks. I teach 4th grade at Brandeis Hillel Day School in San Francisco. For me it was extremely timely because I just set up a website and a blog based on our class bridge unit for my classroom last week (I used IWeb and .Mac). However, the administration is cautioning me to work out protocols for the website before I make it public. It is currently password protected. It has some student pictures (no names, or identifying characteristics). Could you send me the terms of use or acceptable use policy that MCDS has and any other ideas you have about protocols for this kind of thing? Questions my administrator had about my blog is: Am I going to check spelling and grammar? How am I going to make sure all entries are appropriate (no hate comments)? To whom are you going to give the password? (just my students? all 4th grade students? All Brandeis students and parents? - currently the blog is password protected but on IWeb I don't think there is a mechanism for me to check comments before they are posted (I can turn off the comment function - but then it wouldn't really be a blog) Frankly I'd rather just instruct my kids on proper blog etiquette and then take down a comment (I can do that easily) if it's not appropriate. I'd love and appreciate any suggestions you have here. Thanks, Matt mspowart@bhds.org Hi Barbara,

I attended your presentation at CAIS yesterday - thanks. I teach 4th grade at Brandeis Hillel Day School in San Francisco.

For me it was extremely timely because I just set up a website and a blog based on our class bridge unit for my classroom last week (I used IWeb and .Mac). However, the administration is cautioning me to work out protocols for the website before I make it public. It is currently password protected. It has some student pictures (no names, or identifying characteristics).

Could you send me the terms of use or acceptable use policy that MCDS has and any other ideas you have about protocols for this kind of thing?

Questions my administrator had about my blog is:
Am I going to check spelling and grammar?
How am I going to make sure all entries are appropriate (no hate comments)?
To whom are you going to give the password? (just my students? all 4th grade students? All Brandeis students and parents?

- currently the blog is password protected but on IWeb I don’t think there is a mechanism for me to check comments before they are posted (I can turn off the comment function - but then it wouldn’t really be a blog) Frankly I’d rather just instruct my kids on proper blog etiquette and then take down a comment (I can do that easily) if it’s not appropriate.

I’d love and appreciate any suggestions you have here.

Thanks, Matt
mspowart@bhds.org

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by srigyan http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2320 srigyan Tue, 20 Mar 2007 04:55:34 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2320 Hi Barbara, Well, just set up my blog site and downloaded the pdf of your presentation. Very inspiring! Don't know how I'm going to use this yet, but you made it very clear that this is a very powerful tool. Thanks, Sri Gyan McCaughan Mount Madonna School Watsonville, CA Hi Barbara,

Well, just set up my blog site and downloaded the pdf of your presentation. Very inspiring! Don’t know how I’m going to use this yet, but you made it very clear that this is a very powerful tool.

Thanks,
Sri Gyan McCaughan
Mount Madonna School
Watsonville, CA

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by barblcohen http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2319 barblcohen Tue, 20 Mar 2007 04:00:43 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2319 Azmi, You're so welcome...I can't wait to hear more about your P.E. blog. What a great idea! ~Barbara Azmi,

You’re so welcome…I can’t wait to hear more about your P.E. blog. What a great idea!

~Barbara

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by Azmi http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2318 Azmi Tue, 20 Mar 2007 02:25:52 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2318 Barbara, Awesome presentation today. Wish they'd given you more time to explore and explain more on podcasting. Anyway our school use blogs for teachers to post homework and class activities. Since I'm a PE teacher I've kind of ignored it b'cos I never assign any HW or work for kids but your session open up a new avenue for me. I'm planning to use a blog to post our daily activities and hope the kids get motivated and parent know what's going on in PE daily. Thanks again! Azmi Barbara,
Awesome presentation today. Wish they’d given you more time to explore and explain more on podcasting. Anyway our school use blogs for teachers to post homework and class activities. Since I’m a PE teacher I’ve kind of ignored it b’cos I never assign any HW or work for kids but your session open up a new avenue for me. I’m planning to use a blog to post our daily activities and hope the kids get motivated and parent know what’s going on in PE daily. Thanks again!

Azmi

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by Barbara http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2317 Barbara Tue, 20 Mar 2007 02:04:15 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2317 Thanks, Abby! It was great having you in the session today...and I'm so glad to hear that you're planning to try it out with your soon-to-be-babe. If you're using a Mac, you may want to consider using iWeb to create your blog because there are some really cute baby-themed templates and since I imagine you'd want to share lots of photos, it integrates beautifully with iPhoto. Let me know when you've got it set up! On to your question about blogs vs. wikis...the major difference is that with a blog an individual or group of individuals control the posts and then the world-at-large is free to comment. Typically blogs are set up diary style with posts & comments. A wiki is a full site, created by a group or individual that later can be edited by ANYONE who views the site. (Unless you set up your wiki to limit this.) A wiki has pages, articles and discussions, all of which can be added to, edited or changed by users. Both fall under the heading of "Web 2.0" or "Read/Write Web" tools, and both can be extremely powerful. I'd love to see how you're using wikis at PBS! ~Barbara Thanks, Abby! It was great having you in the session today…and I’m so glad to hear that you’re planning to try it out with your soon-to-be-babe. If you’re using a Mac, you may want to consider using iWeb to create your blog because there are some really cute baby-themed templates and since I imagine you’d want to share lots of photos, it integrates beautifully with iPhoto. Let me know when you’ve got it set up!

On to your question about blogs vs. wikis…the major difference is that with a blog an individual or group of individuals control the posts and then the world-at-large is free to comment. Typically blogs are set up diary style with posts & comments. A wiki is a full site, created by a group or individual that later can be edited by ANYONE who views the site. (Unless you set up your wiki to limit this.) A wiki has pages, articles and discussions, all of which can be added to, edited or changed by users. Both fall under the heading of “Web 2.0″ or “Read/Write Web” tools, and both can be extremely powerful. I’d love to see how you’re using wikis at PBS!

~Barbara

]]> Comment on Blogging & Podcasting Presentation: Hello World! by Abby http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2316 Abby Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:40:50 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2007/08/18/cais-presentation-hello-world/#comment-2316 barb, just wanted to say your presentation today was very inspiring! I'm going to begin my exploration into blogging with the Guinn-Stewart baby blog. I'll be sure to let you know when it's up and running! In the meantime, I missed the end of your presentation to make it to the next. Was hoping to gain some clarity on what the differences between blogs and wikis are? Our school has recently been using wikis, but not blogs - they seem very similar. Or am I way off and have no clue what I'm talking about? barb,
just wanted to say your presentation today was very inspiring! I’m going to begin my exploration into blogging with the Guinn-Stewart baby blog. I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s up and running! In the meantime, I missed the end of your presentation to make it to the next. Was hoping to gain some clarity on what the differences between blogs and wikis are? Our school has recently been using wikis, but not blogs - they seem very similar. Or am I way off and have no clue what I’m talking about?

]]> Comment on About by Josie Fraser http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/about/#comment-2274 Josie Fraser Sun, 17 Dec 2006 17:25:04 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/about/#comment-2274 Dear Barbara, delighted to let you know you've won a special convenors award in this years intenational Edublog Awards: http://incsub.org/awards Please do get in touch! Best, Josie. Dear Barbara, delighted to let you know you’ve won a special convenors award in this years intenational Edublog Awards: http://incsub.org/awards
Please do get in touch!
Best, Josie.

]]> Comment on 4th Grade Mission iMovies by Bestessaytips http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/05/31/4th-grade-mission-imovies/#comment-2162 Bestessaytips Tue, 20 Jun 2006 09:33:58 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/05/31/4th-grade-mission-imovies/#comment-2162 Good movie, can you tell me in your opinion how blogging has helped you to create the movies?! Will blogging affect movie industry in the nearest future?! Good movie, can you tell me in your opinion how blogging has helped you to create the movies?! Will blogging affect movie industry in the nearest future?!

]]> Comment on The 1st Graders are a Hit! by Independent Thinking » 4th Grade Mission iMovies http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/05/12/the-1st-graders-are-a-hit/#comment-1302 Independent Thinking » 4th Grade Mission iMovies Wed, 31 May 2006 01:36:31 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/05/12/the-1st-graders-are-a-hit/#comment-1302 [...] Independent Thinking A blog about using technology at a K-8 independent school « The 1st Graders are a Hit! [...] [...] Independent Thinking A blog about using technology at a K-8 independent school « The 1st Graders are a Hit! [...]

]]> Comment on Podcasting 1st Grade Stories by Independent Thinking » 4th Grade Mission iMovies http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/03/30/testing-1st-grade-library/#comment-1301 Independent Thinking » 4th Grade Mission iMovies Wed, 31 May 2006 01:31:42 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/03/30/testing-1st-grade-library/#comment-1301 [...] My tech department colleague and one of our 4th grade teachers took the “blog as final project publishing tool” model one step further this week. Using the identical setup to the one I used for the audiobooks and the duck blog, these wonderful teachers have created a repository for all of the 4th grade student iMovies about the California missions. But for me, the best part is that the top post is a podcast of the students, explaining how they made their movies. Talk about making your process transparent. Great job! To see the movies, go to: [...] [...] My tech department colleague and one of our 4th grade teachers took the “blog as final project publishing tool” model one step further this week. Using the identical setup to the one I used for the audiobooks and the duck blog, these wonderful teachers have created a repository for all of the 4th grade student iMovies about the California missions. But for me, the best part is that the top post is a podcast of the students, explaining how they made their movies. Talk about making your process transparent. Great job! To see the movies, go to: [...]

]]> Comment on The 1st Graders are a Hit! by barblcohen http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/05/12/the-1st-graders-are-a-hit/#comment-1280 barblcohen Tue, 30 May 2006 20:05:18 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/05/12/the-1st-graders-are-a-hit/#comment-1280 Toni, I was so thrilled to read your comment! Definitely the quintessential "flat world" example, and so very cool indeed. We absolutely love WordPress, and have been having so much fun with this fabulous (and free) Edublogs site. The best part of the audiobook project by far has been the overwhelmingly positive response from the kids' friends and family. Thanks for the story, (and we should talk ;) ) Barbara Toni,

I was so thrilled to read your comment! Definitely the quintessential “flat world” example, and so very cool indeed. We absolutely love WordPress, and have been having so much fun with this fabulous (and free) Edublogs site. The best part of the audiobook project by far has been the overwhelmingly positive response from the kids’ friends and family.

Thanks for the story, (and we should talk ;) )
Barbara

]]> Comment on 1st Grade Podcasts - Almost Halfway There! by barblcohen http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/04/29/1st-grade-podcasts-almost-halfway-there/#comment-1279 barblcohen Tue, 30 May 2006 19:59:56 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/04/29/1st-grade-podcasts-almost-halfway-there/#comment-1279 J.D. Thanks for the tip about gcast -- it's been on my list of sites to take for a test drive. I'm glad you enjoyed the stories! Cheers, Barbara J.D.

Thanks for the tip about gcast — it’s been on my list of sites to take for a test drive. I’m glad you enjoyed the stories!

Cheers,
Barbara

]]> Comment on 1st Grade Podcasts - Almost Halfway There! by J.D. Williams http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/04/29/1st-grade-podcasts-almost-halfway-there/#comment-1239 J.D. Williams Tue, 30 May 2006 03:29:57 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/04/29/1st-grade-podcasts-almost-halfway-there/#comment-1239 You might want to look at www.gcast.com for hosting your podcasts. I had tried using archive.org and ourmedia.org earlier this year and it seems to be slow and unreliable. G-Cast is connected with GarageBand, and free. I've found it more reliable. I listened to some of your first graders' stories and they are great. You might want to look at http://www.gcast.com for hosting your podcasts. I had tried using archive.org and ourmedia.org earlier this year and it seems to be slow and unreliable. G-Cast is connected with GarageBand, and free. I’ve found it more reliable.

I listened to some of your first graders’ stories and they are great.

]]> Comment on The 1st Graders are a Hit! by Toni http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/05/12/the-1st-graders-are-a-hit/#comment-923 Toni Sun, 21 May 2006 15:31:11 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/05/12/the-1st-graders-are-a-hit/#comment-923 Barbara - I love the podcasts. I'm a Banyan room parent and was thrilled by the blog. Both for its content and because it uses WordPress software which my company happens to work on (www.automattic.com). How's this for a flat world story: my company develops blogging software and releases it as open source (WordPress). A guy in Australia picks it up and runs a free blogging service for schools (Edublogs). My kid's school finds it and creates wonderful classroom blogs for the community to enjoy! Barbara - I love the podcasts. I’m a Banyan room parent and was thrilled by the blog. Both for its content and because it uses WordPress software which my company happens to work on (www.automattic.com). How’s this for a flat world story: my company develops blogging software and releases it as open source (WordPress). A guy in Australia picks it up and runs a free blogging service for schools (Edublogs). My kid’s school finds it and creates wonderful classroom blogs for the community to enjoy!

]]> Comment on The Demise of the Computer Teacher? by barblcohen http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/01/23/the-demise-of-the-computer-teacher/#comment-501 barblcohen Mon, 15 May 2006 22:22:58 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/01/23/the-demise-of-the-computer-teacher/#comment-501 Fred, Thanks for the comment and thanks for the link to your product. I've also worked extensively with the various technology curriculum products at <a href="http://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com/technology/" rel="nofollow">Teacher Created Materials</a>, which do many of the same things. For me, though, the problem is less about having materials available ahead of time for the teachers, and more about how they want to teach technology...they want me to do it for them, and they want (and this I agree with) for it to be a dynamic, spontaneous process as class projects emerge. Thanks for your comment, Barbara Fred,

Thanks for the comment and thanks for the link to your product. I’ve also worked extensively with the various technology curriculum products at Teacher Created Materials, which do many of the same things. For me, though, the problem is less about having materials available ahead of time for the teachers, and more about how they want to teach technology…they want me to do it for them, and they want (and this I agree with) for it to be a dynamic, spontaneous process as class projects emerge.

Thanks for your comment,
Barbara

]]> Comment on The Demise of the Computer Teacher? by Fred Suchy http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/01/23/the-demise-of-the-computer-teacher/#comment-491 Fred Suchy Mon, 15 May 2006 15:14:29 +0000 http://barblcohen.edublogs.org/2006/01/23/the-demise-of-the-computer-teacher/#comment-491 I have been a "computer teacher" for 22 years. I feel the solution to the problem is the "Technology Integration Kit" we have created. Instead of "reacting" to teacher requests and throwing a lesson together at the last minute we have put together a collection of "Curriculum-Based Technology Projects" which 1) meet curriuculum standards in curriculum areas and 2) expose students to a progression of technology skills. For FREE samples visit our site www.k8technologyprojects.com Sincerely, Fred Suchy I have been a “computer teacher” for 22 years. I feel the solution to the problem is the “Technology Integration Kit” we have created.

Instead of “reacting” to teacher requests and throwing a lesson together at the last minute we have put together a collection of “Curriculum-Based Technology Projects” which 1) meet curriuculum standards in curriculum areas and 2) expose students to a progression of technology skills.

For FREE samples visit our site http://www.k8technologyprojects.com

Sincerely,

Fred Suchy

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