I think using digital photograph would be great. I wish we had a digital camera bin we could borrow from our Resource Centre and then have the students create movies/slideshows for science – motion, simple machines etc.

I am in the MEd (following TLITE) – just rec’d the letter. I’m sure you will get in. Not sure about my focus just yet. Somehow without some deadline slamming me in the face, I’m not inclined to worry about it yet!

I am on Twitter – look me up! Send me a tweet about the MEd.

My reading list is getting a little on the extensive side! I am reading:

Windows on the Future – Ted McCain, Ian Jukes (almost finished)
The World is Flat – Friedman (almost finished)
Net Savvy – Ian Jukes, et al.
Information Power – American Library Association
Mosiac of Thought – Keene/Zimmerman
Here Comes Everybody – Shirky (been on my shelf for a year!)
Reading Power for Nonfiction – A. Gear
This list does not include the fiction reading I do as the school T/L! I bring home a stack of children’s books to read over the summer as well as harass my local public children’s librarian for books
AND will attempt to teach myself some HTML programming. That ought to be scary!

I’ve been reflecting on how to successfully integrate video into my courses. Digital photography and Photoshop both worked so easily into my program in the last couple of years but my attempts to introduce video and video editing this past year weren’t as successful. I’ve also been thinking about the work we did using Flickr and blogging in my art/photography courses. Flickr, to my surprise, was used more successfully than student blogs and I’m not really sure why at this point.

Summer reading includes Dances with Dependency by Calvin Helin, Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky and maybe the Fifth Discipline by Senge. There are other books on the shelf, but I’ll let lazy summer days decide the rest! I’m also signing up for Twitter this week, and waiting to hear if I’m in the MEd year that follows TLITE, both of which will affect my summer reading list.

What are you reading this summer?

The chat is still difficult, but I think “playing” on it for a bit is needed then I’m going to have to interject some structure.

I chose TappedIn over Ning because I was familiar with it – had a spot there last year, but couldn’t use it and it met with the security that made both myself and my principal comfortable. TappedIn’s terms of use matched our school internet use policy as well. The support there from Jeff is simply wonderful. His experience teaching online and his willingness to share ideas is almost a lifeline for me. In terms of doing an action research project, I needed something I did not have to learn to use before bringing it into use with the students.

The teachable moment, that I most gratefully tip my hat to you for. Your post on teacher power has been the best pro-d I’ve had for this year.
Check back tomorrow – the “Hellcats” are coming on board with me. That post should be most interesting – provided I live to write it!

Thanks for blogging about your virtual learning environment experiences. Your second lesson idea sounds much more manageable, I am interested however in how TappedIn would have allowed them to create a collaborative group discussion post.

I have had similar experiences with chat in all of my classes. They never seem to get tired of using it in inane ways. Still every once in a while I come across a group using it really effectively.

I was really interested to read about the ‘teachable moment’. It really seems like giving students these safe virtual learning environments as places to make mistakes is really important.

One last question. Why did you choose TappedIn over Ning? And does TappedIn allow you to grab an rss feed from the individual student blogs.

Keep on blogging Cindy. I’m really enjoying reading about your experiences.

@Claire. I have yet to work with anyone who has used Elluminate. I think many teachers are still uncomfortable with moving outside of their technology comfort zone and stick very closely to what they know. After my first attempt at TappedIn I can understand why! I just happen to have a death wish! Actually, it was great!