Comments on: Leap and the Net Will Appear http://resiever.edublogs.org/2008/09/21/leap-and-the-net-will-appear/ Noticing what gets stuck and what falls through Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:27:04 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Ann Oro http://resiever.edublogs.org/2008/09/21/leap-and-the-net-will-appear/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Ann Oro Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:27:13 +0000 http://resiever.edublogs.org/?p=57#comment-59 Hi Jan: I stopped by to tag you with a <a href="http://njtechteacher.blogspot.com/2008/11/tag-youre-it.html" rel="nofollow">Wordle meme</a> that is going around (if you are interested). I really enjoyed your post. My school is in a similar situation. I have the luxury of being in the school's computer lab as I am the teacher of that subject. We have 16 desktops and 6 laptops on the first floor of the building. I can support 22 learners at a time. We won 20 wireless tablet PCs and as of Monday, they will be available on a cart on the second floor of the building. In each class, I have struggled to get at least two Macs with Internet access. They are older than the ones in the lab. When I was teaching math on the second floor, I really had to plan to include technology in my lessons. It was a great lesson for me over four years. I lived on the other side of the technology gap for those classes. It is worth whatever machinations you have to go through to work in the technology parts of your lessons. Those complicated schemes will work to your benefit. It's not the same as having a lab full of computers but it can work. We had some really creative math classes using technology over the years, but they only happened once or twice per quarter. Ann Hi Jan:
I stopped by to tag you with a Wordle meme that is going around (if you are interested).

I really enjoyed your post. My school is in a similar situation. I have the luxury of being in the school’s computer lab as I am the teacher of that subject. We have 16 desktops and 6 laptops on the first floor of the building. I can support 22 learners at a time. We won 20 wireless tablet PCs and as of Monday, they will be available on a cart on the second floor of the building.

In each class, I have struggled to get at least two Macs with Internet access. They are older than the ones in the lab. When I was teaching math on the second floor, I really had to plan to include technology in my lessons. It was a great lesson for me over four years. I lived on the other side of the technology gap for those classes.

It is worth whatever machinations you have to go through to work in the technology parts of your lessons. Those complicated schemes will work to your benefit. It’s not the same as having a lab full of computers but it can work. We had some really creative math classes using technology over the years, but they only happened once or twice per quarter.

Ann

]]> By: Reporting out and Following up http://resiever.edublogs.org/2008/09/21/leap-and-the-net-will-appear/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Reporting out and Following up Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:30:36 +0000 http://resiever.edublogs.org/?p=57#comment-55 [...] Some of you know I am began the PhD program in educational technology at Concordia University in January of 08. I’ve got a long way to go before completing, however am starting to think about my research focus and will be submitting a proposal in the near future. My thoughts have been cloudy around this. I knew I wanted to explore learning in a systemic way - organizational learning, group learning, individual learning, and I know I want to look at what works already. There is so much reinventing the wheel in education and I definitely don’t want to do that. But I haven’t sat down and put it into words yet. Until this morning, when I read Jan Smith’s post Leap and the Net will Appear [...] [...] Some of you know I am began the PhD program in educational technology at Concordia University in January of 08. I’ve got a long way to go before completing, however am starting to think about my research focus and will be submitting a proposal in the near future. My thoughts have been cloudy around this. I knew I wanted to explore learning in a systemic way – organizational learning, group learning, individual learning, and I know I want to look at what works already. There is so much reinventing the wheel in education and I definitely don’t want to do that. But I haven’t sat down and put it into words yet. Until this morning, when I read Jan Smith’s post Leap and the Net will Appear [...]

]]> By: Tracy Rosen http://resiever.edublogs.org/2008/09/21/leap-and-the-net-will-appear/comment-page-1/#comment-54 Tracy Rosen Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:36:47 +0000 http://resiever.edublogs.org/?p=57#comment-54 Congratulations! I like the moral of your story - it is so true. Picture this - we have a 30 person lab for 1200 students! Some of our classrooms have computers, mine has 3. Only 1 works, and it runs windows 2000. I bring in my laptop but because it runs linux, the techs are afraid of it and won't let it on the network. But I have my kids rotate on our one stinky box and we grab the lab when we can. Your research focus is interesting. I plan on looking at something similar on a systemic level. (I'm a PhD student in educational technology) I'm interested in the circumstances and beliefs that lead to engagement in learning on an organizational level as well as in the classroom, and how each impact the other. And you know what? This is the first time I've been able to concisely put into words what I want to research. Thanks! Are you going to continue blogging about your research here? I hope so. Congratulations! I like the moral of your story – it is so true.

Picture this – we have a 30 person lab for 1200 students! Some of our classrooms have computers, mine has 3. Only 1 works, and it runs windows 2000. I bring in my laptop but because it runs linux, the techs are afraid of it and won’t let it on the network.

But I have my kids rotate on our one stinky box and we grab the lab when we can.

Your research focus is interesting. I plan on looking at something similar on a systemic level. (I’m a PhD student in educational technology) I’m interested in the circumstances and beliefs that lead to engagement in learning on an organizational level as well as in the classroom, and how each impact the other.

And you know what? This is the first time I’ve been able to concisely put into words what I want to research. Thanks!

Are you going to continue blogging about your research here? I hope so.

]]> By: Jan Smith http://resiever.edublogs.org/2008/09/21/leap-and-the-net-will-appear/comment-page-1/#comment-51 Jan Smith Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:53:23 +0000 http://resiever.edublogs.org/?p=57#comment-51 Errin, think I'll join you in that cup of tea... Yes, I will be bookmarking digital resources on Diigo, and pointing out valuable print resources as I go. Every time I think I have an understanding of engagement, I find something new that challenges my thinking. Via the typical hair-pin turns that the network gives you (Twitter to blog post to YouTube to website to magazine article to Amazon), I found a book that may be both challenge and inspiration: Daniel T. Willingham's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-Dont-Students-Like-School/dp/0470279303/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222199577&sr=1-3" rel="nofollow">Why Students Don't Like School</a>. It's not published yet, but looks like it will be fascinating. I just saw his video re-framing (debunking?) the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIv9rz2NTUk&eurl=http://olliebray.typepad.com/olliebraycom/2008/09/do-learning-sty.html" rel="nofollow">concept of learning styles</a>--oh, the things that make you go "hmmm". And, about the laptop cart: well, I may have been too hasty in my excitement. After a great, perspective giving chat with our district IT leader, I see the challenges with a cart (you have alluded to one). It may be our best worst choice. I am just going to have to get creative. The kids are motivated to blog, having had a wee taste, and that is half the battle. Tell me more about your blogging project--I am curious! Errin, think I’ll join you in that cup of tea…

Yes, I will be bookmarking digital resources on Diigo, and pointing out valuable print resources as I go. Every time I think I have an understanding of engagement, I find something new that challenges my thinking.

Via the typical hair-pin turns that the network gives you (Twitter to blog post to YouTube to website to magazine article to Amazon), I found a book that may be both challenge and inspiration: Daniel T. Willingham’s Why Students Don’t Like School. It’s not published yet, but looks like it will be fascinating.

I just saw his video re-framing (debunking?) the concept of learning styles–oh, the things that make you go “hmmm”.

And, about the laptop cart: well, I may have been too hasty in my excitement. After a great, perspective giving chat with our district IT leader, I see the challenges with a cart (you have alluded to one). It may be our best worst choice. I am just going to have to get creative. The kids are motivated to blog, having had a wee taste, and that is half the battle.

Tell me more about your blogging project–I am curious!

]]> By: Errin http://resiever.edublogs.org/2008/09/21/leap-and-the-net-will-appear/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Errin Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:40:55 +0000 http://resiever.edublogs.org/?p=57#comment-50 A cup of tea and some time read a few good blogs…a lovely Saturday morning… Your action research question sounds great – a very rich topic which could take many directions the further you go! Are you going to share research sources (articles, authors, etc.) somewhere on your blog? I’d be interested to do some reading on that topic too! Student engagement is key. I believe that because our society ‘forces’ children to go to school, we as educators should do our very best to ensure that they are engaged. If they aren’t engaged, or can’t engage for some reason, they won’t be motivated to participate in the learning atmosphere of the classroom. Congrats on the laptop cart! It’s funny how things just work out sometimes. My school (300 students) received a second lab full of new computers this summer. What a difference! I constantly integrate technology to enhance the learning in my classes/my school and access has not been an issue this year. There are two teachers that I’m collaborating with on a blogging project. We are going to set up our first blogs (very exciting!) next month and I’m thankful that we don’t have to worry about lab access. One thing I have heard about laptop carts – ensure everything is charged up in advance! A cup of tea and some time read a few good blogs…a lovely Saturday morning…

Your action research question sounds great – a very rich topic which could take many directions the further you go! Are you going to share research sources (articles, authors, etc.) somewhere on your blog? I’d be interested to do some reading on that topic too!

Student engagement is key. I believe that because our society ‘forces’ children to go to school, we as educators should do our very best to ensure that they are engaged. If they aren’t engaged, or can’t engage for some reason, they won’t be motivated to participate in the learning atmosphere of the classroom.

Congrats on the laptop cart! It’s funny how things just work out sometimes. My school (300 students) received a second lab full of new computers this summer. What a difference! I constantly integrate technology to enhance the learning in my classes/my school and access has not been an issue this year. There are two teachers that I’m collaborating with on a blogging project. We are going to set up our first blogs (very exciting!) next month and I’m thankful that we don’t have to worry about lab access.

One thing I have heard about laptop carts – ensure everything is charged up in advance!

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