TIE 2007 Session 1112 – Python June 19, 2007
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Conference Sessions, Tools.add a comment
1112 Using a Free Computer Programming Language it Integrate Math Standards – Scott Durkin 6-19-07
Python is named after Monty Python. Python is a very easy and simple programming language. Python is a strict formatting language: it is all about the spacing. http://staffweb.psdschools.org/sdurkin. This class is based on the same concept as the original concept as the MIT work (http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2007/05/15/with_simplified_code_programming_becomes_childs_play/)in Logo or Squeak or now Scratch. There is a strong presence in industry and in web. This is also very similar to the programming work on a TI 83 calculator. Conditional statements require the use of a “:”. Close the shell after each script run to get a clean start.
We were walked through scripting a simple ‘halt, who goes there?’ program, another to calculate the area and perimeter of a rectangle, and a game to guess a secret number. Additional examples included factors, primes, and least common multiples.
This session has been terrific. In so many sessions, a presentation like this is more of a theoretical discussion. This was a hands-on session where we were actually programming in Python. This will really help with web programming, and also with meeting Math standards.
Will Richardson at TIE 2007 June 19, 2007
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Conference Sessions, Edubloggers.add a comment
TIE 2007 This may be a little rough. My apologies for any errors in spelling or grammar. I’ll try to come back in and clean it up a bit.
6-19-07
Keynote – Will Richardson
Started off with a presentation of CPS (student clicker systems) with information about the integration of technology and data collection. Looks like the clicker systems are close to reaching a tipping point in use in schools.
Will Richardson is presenting at the TIE conference. He starts off by saying he sees things through 3 lenses, as a teacher, as a parent, and as a blogger. Will mentions a couple of points from Karl Fisch’s (http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/) ‘Did You Know’ presentation.
Politics is beginning to use social tools. These new tools allow for us to connect in ways we couldn’t before. Citizen journalists are transforming journalism. Many online new sources allow for direct commenting by readership. Model for music has to change in the environment where most of the music online is shared. People are contributing, in conversations, to the opinions about everything.
Everything is changing except education. We just don’t move very quickly. Our kids are changing as long as they have access. 1 in 3 in Philadelphia have never been on the Internet. Kids are posting their own movies and pictures, and we’re all downloading them.
Standardized testing isn’t going away. The world is getting more transparent. The future will bring always on networks from everywhere. Our (education’s) response is to restrict access. Will blogs because he is engaged in interesting conversations. Blogging allows anyone to participate in those conversations. The conversation is global in scope. How do these technologies change teaching and learning.
The difference: the last 6 years involved 95% engaged learning through the blog conversation. The previous formal education through Masters and beyond didn’t add as much to his learning because he was probably only learning at 15% engagement. Examples:
• www.fanfiction.net. Student publishing and audience reading. Mostly these are adolescents because they want to, not because it has anything to do with school.
• While we usually think of myspace as a place to block, there is a lot of learning going on there. Meg Cabbot, the author of Princess Diaries has a myspace where her readers can write directly to the author.
• Nata Village blog – blog about life in a world ravaged by AIDS. Even villagers from Nata Village have been able to comment on this blog.
• What holds us back? Lack of knowledge and fear. How many of us are smarter than a fifth grader? Text message to 46645 with define:term. The ‘Google’ term definition is phoned back to you.
• MIT Courseware is also available online and can be taken for free. Kids in Nigeria are able to access this.
• Wikipedia – our kids are using it. It shouldn’t be used in isolation. We need to show them how to use it, and how to be effective with the information they get there. Not only can the info be edited, but that editing history can be reviewed, and the back-story conversations can also be reviewed. Kids are also getting the idea that they can also contribute
• Collaboration example of online document with 4 IM windows open editing collaboratively due that afternoon. Kids can’t be just readers and writers, they also need to be editors. Martinlutherking.org is a site that should raise red flags for kids, but they also need to know what to do in response. They need to be able to edit.
• Hypertext reading and writing is a different set of skill sets. NYTimes “Scan this book” Literacy is changing. Knowledge and information is changing.
• If you have an Internet connection, you are no longer the smartest person in the room. Connect up to them and learn from those smarter people. EX: Secret Life of Bees. The students’ blogs were first on Google. They connected to the author who responded with a 2300+ word response.
• Pulitzer prize winning author mentored one of Will’s journalism students.
• Polar blog connected to 6 classrooms. Kids wouldn’t let the teachers take the blogs down after the project was over because they had more learning to do.
• Flat classroom project connected to a classroom in Cambodia.
Kids need environments that let them go beyond our limitations. What we assign also has to change. Kids have no investment in the work we give them. Ex: Radio Willow Web podcast. We have to get away from worksheets and getting them to a world wide audience.
Wrapped up with a student produced video called ‘Parents’. Makes a great point about buckling up. Became an LA public service announcement. We need to connect them to a transparent, collaborative, connected world. Simply digitizing the old analog work isn’t enough. The conversation has moved from classrooms to professional/personal practice. It is incumbent upon us to embrace this for ourselves, to inform our own learning practice. Find learning transformed for ourselves.
Three questions:
1. Who do you learn from? Are they all in physical space?
2. How are you building your networks?
3. How are you modeling your learning for your students?
Upcoming TIE Conference June 15, 2007
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Conference Sessions, Link Collections, Net Neutrality, Tools.add a comment
I’m putting up my materials for my presentation at the upcoming TIE Conference. Take a look and see if there are better examples of online free tools or categories I’m missing. What are your favorite online tools? There will be a second page covering Net Neutrality still to come. The page is listed above or can be accessed here:
http://villagegreen.edublogs.org/tie-2007/
Kids’ Search Tools June 13, 2007
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Kids’ Search Tools is a web site I stumbled upon while looking for something else. Isn’t that how the best stuff is discovered? The site has search tools that students may find useful. The small collection includes a dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, and student focused search engines. There are also a couple of links for both teachers and students.
http://www.rcls.org/ksearch.htm
Where a Bill Becomes a Law June 9, 2007
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Tools.add a comment
Here is one of the more interesting mashups I’ve seen come along in a while. “Where a Bill becomes a Law” is a mashup of a satellite image of congress together with the ability to search for specific legislation and track it geographically. That is if it actually moves anywhere. Many bills never make it out of committee.
Kathy (Dryburgh) Schrock June 4, 2007
Posted by Matthew Woolums in Articles/Videos.add a comment
Kathy Schrock has put up an excellent collection of materials used for her presentation on Second Life, which includes a video rebroadcast of the actual presentation in Second Life. If you haven’t looked at Second Life, and wonder what the buzz is all about, this is a good way to get your feet wet.
http://kathyschrock.net/blog/2007/05/kathy-dryburghs-guide-to-sl-for.html
