Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Want to Use Blackboard Collaborate (Previously Elluminate) Free for a Year?

Long before I took a job at Elluminate, the company's flagship program had become a significant part of my work. To say that I was a passionate user might even have be an understatement, as the live events first for Classroom 2.0 and then FutureofEducation.com were some of the best professional experiences I'd ever had. When my consulting work with Ning wrapped up and I got a call from Rajeev Arora saying he was hoping I'd come work for Elluminate, it was clear I'd found my dream job.

Even though the acquisition of Elluminate and Wimba by Blackboard ultimate has resulted in that dream job being reduced to part-time, my passion for the product is unabated--and I know many of you feel the same way. So it's a pleasure for me to be responsible for a "contest" around the new release of Blackboard Collaborate 11, which we're calling "Collaborate for Good."

Here's how it works: Join the contest site at http://www.wecollaborate.com, and post a proposal on how you would use a free Blackboard Collaborate room to make a difference for your school, your organization, your community, or the world. Encourage your friends or "followers" to make comments supporting your proposal, with bonus points for cross-posting your ideas on your own blog. Then on August 1st we'll announce ten winners who will each get a free 50-seat room of the new Blackboard Collaborate 11.

Please post a proposal!  I can't wait to see the kind of things you'd like to do.

Monday, June 27, 2011

EduBloggerCon - Many Thanks, Teacher 2.0 T-shirts, and iPad2 and Blogging Contests #ISTE11

Saturday was a terrific day! Thanks so much to all who came, and especially to those who helped in any way.

There are some "Teacher 2.0" t-shirts left, and I'll have them at the ISTEUnplugged area starting this morning, along with the purple Blackboard Collaborate buttons (and my snazzy Teacher 2.0 wristbands!). The official word from Bb Collaborate is that they will be walking around handing out tickets for people caught wearing the button or the t-shirts, and then using those tickets to raffle off an iPad 2 on Tuesday at 2pm at the Blackboard booth (#303).

In other contest news, I'm in charge of a special contest related to the release of Blackboard Collaborate 11 (the new combined Elluminate and Wimba). It's called "Collaborate for Good." You propose how you would use a free Blackboard Collaborate room to make a difference for your school, your organization, your community, or the world. Ten 50-seat rooms will be given away. The contest site is now open at http://www.wecollaborate.com.

If you're in Philly, I hope you have a great day and a great week at ISTE. If not, be sure to check the streaming session at http://www.ISTEunplugged.com.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Week of June 27, 2011 - Live and Interactive Webinars in Blackboard Collaborate (Formerly Elluminate)

Below are this week's public, free, and interactive Webinars through LearnCentral.org, the social learning network for education that I work on for Blackboard Collaborate (formerly Elluminate).

The time of the events below will show up automatically in your own time zone when you are registered in LearnCentral and when you have chosen your time zone in your profile, or you can check the new event time converter on the event page. Event recordings are posted and available after the events if you aren't able to attend them live. If you are looking for an easy calendar import / RSS feed for these events, you'll now find a link on your calendar page or the calendar page of specific groups!

We hope you will consider hosting your own public webinars using the free LearnCentral public room--instructions are available by joining the "Host Your Own Webinar" group on the main announcement tab (http://www.learncentral.org/group/3432/host-your-own-webinars).

Thanks for your attention, and see you online!

EFACILITATE: INTERVIEW WITH WALEED JAMEEL (Australia Series)
Mon 27 Jun 06:00AM New York / Mon 27 Jun 10:00AM GMT / Mon 27 Jun 08:00PM Sydney
Coach Carole. On Monday June 27 at 8.00 pm Sydney time (2.00 pm Dubai time)we’ll be interviewing Waleed on his experiences as Business Manager for their GAClearn (Moodle based learning environment) and how he supports a very large team of efacilitators located across the world. You’ll have an opportunity to discuss with Waleed how his facilitators benefitted from the recent GAC Facilitation Course (GFC) and how he manages the support structure using up-to-the-minute online tools such as Dropbox.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/164415

LEADING THE STAFF YOU'VE BEEN IGNORING SINCE YOU ARE SO BUSY (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Mon 27 Jun 01:30PM New York / Mon 27 Jun 05:30PM GMT / Tue 28 Jun 03:30AM Sydney
Lou Russell. It's been a crazy ride and not completely over. With more work and far less staff than ever before, your team has been just barely keeping their heads above water, just like you. There's no time to have meetings, or plan careers or think strategically about anything. That's okay for the short term, but it is not sustainable. As the job market rebounds, your talented staff will look for a better boss. As the organization rebounds, your talented staff may be working on the wrong things. Join Lou Russell to think about reconnecting your staff to your business, and reconnecting yourself as well.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/130270

FUND YOUR NEXT CLASSROOM PROJECT! (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Tue 28 Jun 08:00AM New York / Tue 28 Jun 12:00PM GMT / Tue 28 Jun 10:00PM Sydney
Laura Candler. Laura Candler, of Teaching Resources, will interview 5th grade teacher Francie Kugelman in this hour-long webinar. Francie has had 40 projects funded through DonorsChoose.org and has a winning formula for success! She will share her tips and tricks for writing grants and getting classroom projects funded through this organization.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/159326

STEM FESTIVALS (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Tue 28 Jun 01:00PM New York / Tue 28 Jun 05:00PM GMT / Wed 29 Jun 03:00AM Sydney
Mary Henton. Learn the basics of how to facilitate a progressive alternative to the middle school Science Fair-The STEM Festival! STEM Festivals are learner friendly, encouraging inquiry-based thinking and creativity while solving real world problems in your classroom, school and/or community.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/163648

SABERES 2.0 - PRODUCCIÓN VERBAL (Aula 2.0)
Tue 28 Jun 09:00PM New York / Wed 29 Jun 01:00AM GMT / Wed 29 Jun 11:00AM Sydney
Tomas Chaskel. En esta exposición tenemos como eje de trabajo el guión. Lo trabajamos desde en diferentes medios como son la radio, el video, la televisión, el documental. A partir de esta premisa desarrollamos diferentes propuestas con los alumnos donde pueden estudiar el guión en los diferentes medios.En este caso en particular estamos presentando el guión en la radio. Elegimos como soporte digital un sitio basado en Google Site como contenedor de las propuestas a desarrollar en clases. Y una red social Bligo como espacio de encuentro entre los alumnos y los docentes. Es alli donde los alumnos publica sus producciones individuales y grupales.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/164782

CSPO COMM (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Wed 29 Jun 08:30AM New York / Wed 29 Jun 12:30PM GMT / Wed 29 Jun 10:30PM Sydney
Molly Williams. Join Molly Williams for a communication event.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/165037

ACMESCIENCE.COM MATH PODCASTS (Aula 2.0)
Wed 29 Jun 09:30PM New York / Thu 30 Jun 01:30AM GMT / Thu 30 Jun 11:30AM Sydney
Maria Droujkova. Join Samuel Hanson in a live and interactive discussion of his podcast series.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162928

YOUTH MEDIA IN KAZAKHSTAN (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Wed 29 Jun 12:00PM New York / Wed 29 Jun 04:00PM GMT / Thu 30 Jun 02:00AM Sydney
Laura Adriance. Beginning at 9:05 am Pacific Time (US), participants at the World Affairs Council's Global Youth Leadership Institute will learn about youth media in Kazakhstan by hearing from Tatyana Prilepina of Matrix. Time for discussion/Q&A included. Open to all.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/165215/Youth+Media+in+Kazakhstan

APRENDIZAJE EN RED CON USO DE TIC (ARTIC) - SESIÓN 4 (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Thu 30 Jun 08:00PM New York / Fri 1 Jul 12:00AM GMT / Fri 1 Jul 10:00AM Sydney
Diego Leal. Cuarta sesión del curso abierto ArTIC (http://artic.pbworks.com)
http://www.learncentral.org/event/165031

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

EduBloggerCon 2011 in Philadelphia This Saturday!

EduBloggerCon 2011 is this Saturday (wahoo!), and so here are some final pre-unconference notes. The wiki page for the event is http://www.edubloggercon.com/EduBloggerCon+2011.

1. Remember, you don't need to be registered for ISTE to attend EduBloggerCon (hurray to ISTE for everything associated with our putting on EduBloggerCon--room, wireless access, promotion, and this liberal entrance policy!). So please spread the word to educators within striking distance of Philadelphia, as everyone is most welcome and, since we are in a huge ballroom (Ballroom A) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, there's room for as many as want to come! You don't need to let anyone know you are coming, but it is definitely fun to see who's attending, so you can use the following pages to indicate your attendance: The Classroom 2.0 event page at http://www.classroom20.com/events/edubloggercon-2011 or the Facebook Event Page at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=166834533375953.

2. We've used a variety of methods over the years for brainstorming our "unconference" session topics. This year we're again going to try an electronic method for submitting ideas, commenting on them, and then "liking" them to gage popularity. The process starts now (I added four topics to "seed" things) at http://edubloggercon2011.democrasoft.com. Log into the site, then to post a topic suggestion use the "Ask a Question" button. To comment on a topic suggestion (show your support, give additional ideas, or ask clarifying questions), just click on the title to see more detail, then post your comment or use the "Like" link to indicate your support for that session idea. We'll tally the "like" votes at 9:30am on Saturday to determine which sessions to schedule and in which order (to avoid conflicts between the most popular). Big thanks to EduBloggerCon sponsor Collaborize Classroom for the use of their platform for this.

3. Vicki Davis will be in charge of what we have called, in previous years, the "Web 2.0 Smackdown"--but which she is calling "Web 2 Kung Fu" this year. The idea is basically the same, which is the demonstrating of great tools you will use, but Vicki will put her own special spin on this activity and give instructions at the time. The one rule we will have is that vendors or their (formal or informal) representatives are not allowed to show their own products--it just wrecks the mood! :)

(3a. For the record, since many of you will also be spending time at the Bloggers' Cafe during ISTE: while we have no actual rules for the Bloggers' Cafe area, please hold vendors to the same standard there. The Bloggers' Cafe should be somewhere comfortable to talk without getting a vendor solicitation--which they've started to do in the last couple of years. We're delighted to have vendor representatives be a part of the conversations, but not to shill their products.)

4. There is a totally new event at EduBloggerCon this year: the "Keynote Smackdown." In the ISTE affiliate event the same day as EduBloggerCon, they invited a small number of speakers to give a "preview" of their keynote addresses to the affiliate leaders who choose speakers for their annual conferences. We though this was a great idea, not because any of us are choosing speakers, necessarily, for events, but to hear brief versions of the thoughts and ideas that are being shared our colleagues at events. We're doing our Keynote Smackdown at 4pm because the ISTE affiliates will be done with their own activities and can come over and hear more people, so if you have great things you can share in 3 minutes, or you want to let the affiliate leaders know of your amazing speaking talent, sign up on the wiki at http://www.edubloggercon.com/EduBloggerCon+2011.

5. A really big shout-out to this year's sponsors of EduBloggerCon! Not only do they provide a little financial support for the event, but they do so knowing that we don't do any real showcasing of our sponsors so as not to detract from the "unconference" nature of EduBloggerCon, and that we ask their representatives to come and participate as individuals and not to promote their products (except by bringing material for a literature table). Which means that these sponsors are the real deal and any individual thanks you can give them is greatly appreciated. They are: ISTE, Blackboard Collaborate, Charlene Blohm and Associates (CBA), Collaborize Classroom, and Glogster.

If you're attending EduBloggerCon this year, can't wait to see you there! If you are not able to make it, we will try to stream out the Web 2 Kung Fu and the Keynote Smackdown events and will have the details on the EduBloggerCon wiki. We'll also be asking the sessions to pick hashtags so that some of their conversations can make it to you if you're inclined to watch the Twitter feed.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

This Week's Live and Interactive Webinars in Blackboard Collaborate (Formerly Elluminate)

Below are this week's public, free, and interactive Webinars through LearnCentral.org, the social learning network for education that I work on for Blackboard Collaborate (formerly Elluminate).

The time of the events below will show up automatically in your own time zone when you are registered in LearnCentral and when you have chosen your time zone in your profile, or you can check the new event time converter on the event page. Event recordings are posted and available after the events if you aren't able to attend them live. If you are looking for an easy calendar import / RSS feed for these events, you'll now find a link on your calendar page or the calendar page of specific groups!

We hope you will consider hosting your own public webinars using the free LearnCentral public room--instructions are available by joining the "Host Your Own Webinar" group on the main announcement tab (http://www.learncentral.org/group/3432/host-your-own-webinars).

Thanks for your attention, and see you online!

TECH TALK TUESDAYS: BLOGGING WITH BLING (Australia Series)
Tue 20 Jun 02:00AM New York / Tue 21 Jun 06:00AM GMT / Tue 21 Jun 04:00PM Sydney
Anne Mirtschin. Mel Cashen will share how she commenced blogging, how she uses it with her class and some of her favourite web 2.0 tools.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/164195

ISTE SIGVE SPEAKER SESSION (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Tue 21 Jun 05:00PM New York / Tue 21 Jun 09:00PM GMT / Wed 22 Jun 07:00AM Sydney
Scott Merrick. Join this webinar for another Speaker Session.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/142091

SABERES 2.0 - PROYECTO DE AULA (Aula 2.0)
Tue 21 Jun 09:00PM New York / Wed 22 Jun 01:00AM GMT / Wed 22 Jun 11:00AM Sydney
Tomas Chaskel. El proyecto de aula “ANA LA IGUANA DE VISITA EN CASA”, se convierte en una herramienta útil en el proceso de aprendizaje de los niños del grado preescolar del colegio INDUPALMA, Colombia, donde los padres son parte importante de esta idea, involucrándose en la estipulación y construcción de este proyecto.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/164212

ET@LKING: EVERNOTE! (Australia Series)
Wed 22 Jun 06:00AM New York / Wed 22 Jun 10:00AM GMT / Wed 22 Jun 08:00PM Sydney
Anne Mirtschin. Evernote allows you to make one note or 500,000. It is a popular online tool that allows you to take notes, clip web pages, snap photos, grab screenshots and then stores it all. Join us for this webinar, where Graham Clark will demonstrate how it works and why it is one of his favourite online tools. Please join us and share in the coversations.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/164237

CONCEPTUA MATH (Math 2.0 Series)
Wed 22 Jun 09:30PM New York / Thu 23 Jun 01:30AM GMT / Thu 23 Jun 11:30AM Sydney
Maria Droujkova. Join Arjan Khalsa, Lauri Susi and David Robertshaw in discussing the software going from visuals to concepts & fluency.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162926

EPORTFOLIO COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE (Australia Series)
Thu 23 Jun 10:30PM New York / Fri 24 Jun 02:30AM GMT / Fri 24 Jun 12:30PM Sydney
Coach Carole. The 2011 E-portfolios Implementation Trials have provided funding of up to $9,000 (plus in kind co-funding from each organisation) to two training organisations to investigate and identify the features of an e-portfolio system which supports workforce development requirements, and/or improves learner participation. The Two Trial Leaders will share their experiences of these trials. Ken Johnson from Victoria University, Victoria will share his experiences about the Scaffolding VCAL learners with e-portfoliosEIT trial which investigated how thePebblePad e-portfolio system an innovative approach to integrated delivery for the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL). The aim is for the e-portfolio to help learners beyond the VCAL program. Ray Tuckey from Great Southern Institute of Technology, Western Australia will share his experiences about E-portfolios for Trainers – where trainers have been support to develop their own e-portfolio as part of their Cert IV in TAE to help them continue their lifelong learning using the Mahara e-portfolio system.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/160641

JUMP MATH (Math 2.0 Series)
Fri 24 Jun 02:00PM New York / Fri 24 Jun 06:00PM GMT / Sat 25 Jun 04:00AM Sydney
Maria Droujkova. During the event, John Mighton will answer questions about the charitable organization JUMP Math.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162927

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Save the Dates - Announcing the Worldwide Library 2.011 Virtual (and Free) Conference

We are pleased to announce the Library 2.011 worldwide virtual conference, November 2 - 3, 2011. The conference will be held online, in multiple time zones over the course of two days, and will be free to attend.

To be kept informed of the latest conference news and updates, please join the Library 2.0 network. The call for presentation submissions will go out July 5. We are looking for conference volunteers, commercial and non-commercial partners, and conference advisory panel members! You can let us know of your interests when you sign up, or contact Steve Hargadon directly (steve@hargadon.com) if you represent an organization that would like to become a conference partner or sponsor, or if you are an individual who would like to serve as one of our international advisors.

The Library 2.011 conference will be a unique chance to participate in a global conversation on the current and future state of libraries. Subject strands will include the changing roles of libraries and librarians, the increasing impact of digital media and the e-book revolution, open educational resources, digital literacy, shifts from information consumption to production (Web 2.0), multimedia and gaming spaces, libraries as community centers, the growth of individualized and self-paced learning, the library as the center of new learning models, understanding users in the digital age, assessing service delivery, and defining leadership and information professional careers in a networked and changing world.

The School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at San José State University (http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/) is the founding conference sponsor. SLIS is the largest accredited library and information science program in the world. With their office located on the San José State University campus, and through their online program, they serve students throughout the entire state of California as well as other states and nations. Dr. Sandy Hirsh, the director of SLIS, is co-chair of the conference. Dr. Hirsh has been a faculty member at several academic institutions, as a librarian in academic and special libraries, and more than a decade in leadership positions with Silicon Valley's leading global companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and LinkedIn. She is a recognized advocate for library services, has an extensive record of research in the field, and has been actively involved in leadership roles with professional associations.

Steve Hargadon, the founder of Classroom 2.0 (http://www.classroom20.com) and the Global Education Conference (http://www.globaleducationconference.com), is the founding co-chair of the Library 2.011 conference. Steve hosts the popular FutureofEducation.com interview series, and has consulted on social media and education for PBS, Intel, Ning, Microsoft, KnowledgeWorks Foundation, CoSN, MERLOT, the U.S. State Department, the and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology.

We are looking forward to this momentous event, and to your participation!

Thank you,

Dr. Sandra Hirsh, Professor and Director
School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at San José State University
More Information: http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/faculty/hirshs/hirshs.php

Steve Hargadon
Web 2.0 Labs
Email: steve@hargadon.com
Phone: 916-283-7901
More Information: http://www.stevehargadon.com

Saturday, June 11, 2011

This Week's Live and Interactive Webinars in Blackboard Collaborate (Formerly Elluminate)

Below are this week's public, free, and interactive Webinars through LearnCentral.org, the social learning network for education that I work on for Blackboard Collaborate (formerly Elluminate).

The time of the events below will show up automatically in your own time zone when you are registered in LearnCentral and when you have chosen your time zone in your profile, or you can check the new event time converter on the event page. Event recordings are posted and available after the events if you aren't able to attend them live. If you are looking for an easy calendar import / RSS feed for these events, you'll now find a link on your calendar page or the calendar page of specific groups!

We hope you will consider hosting your own public webinars using the free LearnCentral public room--instructions are available by joining the "Host Your Own Webinar" group on the main announcement tab (http://www.learncentral.org/group/3432/host-your-own-webinars).

Thanks for your attention, and see you online!

O-MUN DEBATE (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Sun 12 Jun 08:30AM New York / Sun 12 Jun 12:30PM GMT / Sun 12 Jun 10:30PM Sydney
Jingshen Zhao. Students will simulate the United Nations General Assembly and debate the issue of food security. Please register via http://o-mun.org/register and learn more about our program at http://o-mun.org/about
http://www.learncentral.org/event/161467

EFACILITATE: A MOODLE FACILITATION JOURNEY (Australia Series)
Mon 13 Jun 03:30AM New York / Mon 13 Jun 07:30AM GMT / Mon 13 Jun 05:30PM Sydney
Coach Carole. On Monday June 13 at 5.30 pm Sydney time we’ll be interviewing Waleed on his experiences as Business Manager for their GAClearn (Moodle based learning environment) and how he supports a very large team of efacilitators located across the world. You’ll have an opportunity to discuss with Waleed how his facilitators benefitted from the recent GAC Facilitation Course (GFC) and how he manages the support structure using up-to-the-minute online tools such as Dropbox.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/163588

WASTEWATER EDUCATION (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Mon 13 Jun 01:00PM New York / Mon 13 Jun 05:00PM GMT / Tue 14 Jun 03:00AM Sydney
Wasterwater Education. Wastewater systems management and financing options for small communities.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/160459

CHROMEBOOK PILOT - LESSONS LEARNED SO FAR (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Mon 13 Jun 08:00PM New York / Tue 14 Jun 12:00AM GMT / Tue 14 Jun 10:00AM Sydney
Rushton Hurley. Matthew Peskay of KIPP LA Schools will discuss what students in his schools have experienced with the Google Cr-48 pilot program. How do cloud-based devices benefit schools, and why should teachers care?
http://www.learncentral.org/event/159106

"MINI-GEEK FEST" MONTHLY ONLINE CONVERSATION JUNE, 2011 (AzTEA 2.0 Professional Development)
Mon 13 Jun 09:00PM New York / Tue 14 Jun 01:00AM GMT / Tue 14 Jun 11:00AM Sydney
Peggy George and Kim Thomas. Do you get excited and energized by talking with other educators about technology tools and resources? Do you often feel overwhelmed with all of the new tools and feel you don't have time to keep up with everything? If you do, then the Mini-Geek Fest is here for you! No homework, no assignments, no cost—just an hour online, once a month to listen, share and discuss technology tools for your classroom, websites and more. Join co-hosts Kim Thomas and Peggy George in AzTEA Elluminate from the comfort of your own home. It's not a presentation or a tutorial, but a conversation--think of it like a "show and tell" where ALL participants can contribute.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/163769

TECH TALK TUESDAYS: ENGAGING STUDENTS WITH TECHNOLOGY (Australia Series)
Tue 13 Jun 02:00AM New York / Tue 14 Jun 06:00AM GMT / Tue 14 Jun 04:00PM Sydney
Anne Mirtschin. This session will focus on engaging students through technology, with a particular emphasis on the creative arts. We will be looking at recording, video, audio, claymation, animation, games etc. Something to unleash the creative spirit in the most reluctant learner!
http://www.learncentral.org/event/163511

THE ACCESSIBLE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Tue 14 Jun 12:00PM New York / Tue 14 Jun 04:00PM GMT / Wed 15 Jun 02:00AM Sydney
Gailene Nelson. Accessible technologies have long been a necessity in both the face-to-face and online classrooms, but sometimes even the best teachers haven’t always been aware of the best practices about how implement them. In this presentation – which will be closed-captioned - learn how several schools such as UMass Boston and Bloomsburg University have utilized the accessibility capabilities of Blackboard Collaborate technologies to teach students with disabilities and even be nominated for national teaching awards. Valerie Haven from UMass Boston will share first-hand experience about supporting synchronous conferencing for students with disabilities and how she adapted to new challenges that demand adaptation and innovation. We will also hear about the work of Sam Slike and his team at Bloomsburg University who were finalists for the IMS Learning Impact award. Finally, we will hear from Blackboard Collaborate’s own Shannon Urban who will discuss effective instructional techniques of using accessible collaboration technologies.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/151754

LINGUAFOLIO ONLINE FOR STARTALK (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Tue 14 Jun 04:00PM New York / Tue 14 Jun 08:00PM GMT / Wed 15 Jun 06:00AM Sydney
Krystal Sundstrom. In this webinar, you’ll learn about navigating LinguaFolio Online, how to manage student accounts, and how to integrate LinguaFolio in your program.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162577

LARRY FERLAZZO ON HELPING STUDENTS MOTIVATE THEMSELVES (Future of Education Series)
Tue 14 Jun 08:00PM New York / Wed 15 Jun 12:00AM GMT / Wed 15 Jun 10:00AM Sydney
Steve Hargadon. Join Steve Hargadon for a live and interactive Future of Education interview with Larry Ferlazzo on his new book, Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers to Classroom Challenges.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/163805

ET@LKING: QR CODES IN EDUCATION (Australia Series)
Wed 15 Jun 06:00AM New York / Wed 15 Jun 10:00AM GMT / Wed 15 Jun 08:00PM Sydney
Anne Mirtschin. This session will focus on the ever emerging technology QR (Quick Response) codes. As a recent edition in the Horizon Report they have grown to become a powerful addition in any classroom. These simple 21st century barcodes have changed the way in which we connect to the internet. QR Codes are basically a modern version of the barcode, however by the very fact that they can be read from all directions they can contain much more information. The session will explore various educational examples from a wide variety of subject areas. Participants will have a hands on look at scanning and create their very own QR Codes. Leave with practical skills to utilise them in your practice.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/163612

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF ISTE11 FOR LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALISTS (TL Cafe)
Wed 15 Jun 08:00PM New York / Thu 16 Jun 12:00AM GMT / Thu 16 Jun 10:00AM Sydney
Gwyneth Jones. ISTE-SIGMS: How to Get the Most Out of ISTE11 for Library Media Specialists
http://www.learncentral.org/event/163223

NUMBERED NOTES (Math 2.0 Series)
Wed 15 Jun 09:30PM New York / Thu 16 Jun 01:30AM GMT / Thu 16 Jun 11:30AM Sydney
Maria Droujkova. Join Jason MacCoy in the discussion of music education from the user interface point of view.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162924

PODCASTING WITH BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Thu 16 Jun 12:00PM New York / Thu 16 Jun 04:00PM GMT / Fri 17 Jun 02:00AM Sydney
Gailene Nelson. Nearly every student listens to podcasts, yet so few instructors make their content available in this widely popular format. Learn how instructors can use Blackboard Collaborate web conferencing and voice authoring to EASILY create their own podcasts. Perfect for creating vocal overviews of practically any subject, podcasts increase the interaction and student engagement level of online classes by allowing students to hear in-depth explanations of detailed subjects by their instructors. In fact, now that the export features of Blackboard Collaborate web conferencing and voice authoring have become so much richer, audio (and even video) can be exported to iPods, iPhones, or other MP3 and MP4 players so students can listen to the their instructors when they're on-the-go or exercising.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/161613

DENISE POPE ON "DOING SCHOOL" (Future of Education Series)
Thu 16 Jun 08:00PM New York / Fri 17 Jun 12:00AM GMT / Fri 17 Jun 10:00AM Sydney
Steve Hargadon. Join Steve Hargadon for a live and interactive Future of Education interview with Denise Pope, author of "Doing School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students." Dr. Pope is quoted extensively in the movie Race to Nowhere, and in this book looks at the educational experience at a well-regarded California public high school from the students' point of view. She "follows five highly-regarded students through a school year and discovers that these young people believe getting ahead requires manipulating the system, scheming, lying and cheating." Dr. Pope believes we need "a new vision of what it means to be successful in school" and that student voices are a key component of any conversation on school success.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/163806

APRENDIZAJE EN RED CON USO DE TIC (ARTIC) - SESIÓN 2 (Aula 2.0)
Thu 16 Jun 08:00PM New York / Fri 17 Jun 12:00AM GMT / Fri 17 Jun 10:00AM Sydney
Diego Leal. Segunda sesión del curso abierto ArTIC.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/163780

MATH GAME DESIGN GROUP MEETING (Math 2.0 Series)
Thu 16 Jun 09:00PM New York / Fri 17 Jun 01:00AM GMT / Fri 17 Jun 11:00AM Sydney
Maria Droujkova. Join Randall Fujimoto and Maria Droujkova in discussing game mechanics of Math Trek photography game.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162930

TURNING YOUR SCHOOL INTO A TECHNOLOGY CENTER (Explore LearnCentral)
Fri 17 Jun 06:00PM New York / Fri 17 Jun 10:00PM GMT / Sat 18 Jun 08:00AM Sydney
Elly Faden. How can schools become collaborative technology centers - using existing computers, software, and skills? We will review School Documentation Architecture: the core of your technology center.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162741

IPODSIBILITIES - IAUTHOR AND IBOOK (Classroom 2.0 LIVE)
Sat 18 Jun 12:00PM New York / Sat 18 Jun 04:00PM GMT / Sun 19 Jun 02:00AM Sydney
Kim Caise, Lorna Costantini and Peggy George. Join us for a conversation with Megan Wilson as she presents, "iAuthor and iBook".
http://www.learncentral.org/node/163701

NEW POSITIONING OF MATHEMATICS? (Math 2.0 Series)
Sat 18 Jun 02:00PM New York / Sat 18 Jun 06:00PM GMT / Sun 19 Jun 04:00AM Sydney
Maria Droujkova. Join Alexandre Borovik in the discussion of his books and the fundamental issues in mathematics education.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162925

Thursday, June 16th - Live with Denise Pope on "Doing School"

Join me Thursday, June 16th, for a live and interactive Future of Education with Denise Pope, author of Doing School:  How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students. Dr. Pope is quoted extensively in the movie Race to Nowhere, and in this book looks at the educational experience at a well-regarded California public high school from the students' point of view.  She "follows five highly-regarded students through a school year and discovers that these young people believe getting ahead requires manipulating the system, scheming, lying and cheating."  She writes:
These students explain that they are busy at what they call "doing school." They realize that they are caught in a system where achievement depends more on "doing" - going through the correct motions - than on learning and engaging with the curriculum. Instead of thinking deeply about the content of their courses and delving into projects and assignments, the students focus on managing the work load and honing strategies that will help them to achieve high grades.
Dr. Pope believes we need "a new vision of what it means to be successful in school" and that student voices are a key component of any conversation on school success.

Date: Thursday, June 14th, 2011
Time: 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern / 12am GMT (next day--international times here)
Duration: 1 hour
Location: In Elluminate. Log in at http://tr.im/futureofed. The Elluminate room will be open up to 30 minutes before the event if you want to come in early. To make sure that your computer is configured for Elluminate, please visit http://www.elluminate.com/support. Recordings of the session will be posted within a day of the event here.
Event Recordings: The full Elluminate recording and a portable audio recording (mp3) will be posted here within a day of the event.  The LearnCentral event page is http://www.learncentral.org/event/163806.

Dr. Denise Pope specializes in curriculum studies, service learning, student engagement, and qualitative research methods. She is particularly interested in student voices and the students' perspectives of school. She focuses on academic stress and its consequences for students' mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Her book, Doing School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students (Yale University Press, 2001) was awarded Notable Book in Education by the American School Board Journal, 2001. Dr. Pope is a 3 time recipient of the Stanford University School of Education Outstanding Teacher and Mentor Award.

Dr. Pope is co-founder of Challenge Success, a research and intervention project that aims to reduce unhealthy pressure on youth and champions a broader vision of youth success. Challenge Success is an expanded version of the SOS: Stressed-Out Students project that Dr. Pope founded and directed from 2003-2008. She lectures nationally on parenting techniques and pedagogical strategies to increase student health, engagement with learning, and integrity.


Doing School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed-Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students

Tuesday, June 14th - Live with Larry Ferlazzo on Helping Students Motivate Themselves

Join me Tuesday, June 14th, for a live and interactive Future of Education with Larry Ferlazzo on his new book, Helping Students Motivate Themselves:  Practical Answers to Classroom Challenges.

Date: Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
Time: 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern / 12am GMT (next day--international times here)
Duration: 1 hour
Location: In Elluminate. Log in at http://tr.im/futureofed. The Elluminate room will be open up to 30 minutes before the event if you want to come in early. To make sure that your computer is configured for Elluminate, please visit http://www.elluminate.com/support. Recordings of the session will be posted within a day of the event here.
Event Recordings: The full Elluminate recording and a portable audio recording (mp3) will be posted here within a day of the event.  The LearnCentral event page is http://www.learncentral.org/event/163805.


Larry Ferlazzo teaches English and Social Studies at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California. He has written two previous books, Building Parent Engagement In Schools (with co-author Lorie Hammond) and English Language Learners: Teaching Strategies That Work.

He writes a popular education blog at http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org, and has won numerous awards, including the Leadership For A Changing World Award from the Ford Foundation. He also was the Grand Prize Winner of the International Reading Association Award for Technology and Reading and was given The Education Partnership Award by the College of Education at California State University, Sacramento.

His articles on education issues appear regularly in the Washington Post, Teacher Magazine and The Huffington Post. In addition, his work has appeared in The New York Times, Educational Leadership, Social Policy, and Language Magazine.

Larry was a community organizer for nineteen years prior to becoming a public school teacher. He is married and has three children and two grandchildren.


Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Challenges

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

The New Teacher 2.0 Network, a Sweet Contest, and a Free Workshop


Today I'm making the official announcement of the Teacher 2.0 community (http://www.teacher20.com). Those of you who are aware of my other networks will know that I have a commitment to making spaces where conversations about education can take place (a full list of those projects is at http://www.web20labs.com). With so many places to go on the Web, and a great diversity of Ning communities for educators (which I hope I can take some small amount of credit for), I had to make sure I felt this project could add something uniquely valuable to those that would take the time to participate there.

Teacher 2.0 is a community for educators to talk with each other about their personal and professional growth. While Classroom 2.0 (http://www.classroom20.com) has been extremely successful and now has over 56,000 members, the focus of Classroom 2.0 is really around the use of social technologies and the Web in the classroom, and would not necessarily be the right place to talk about reigniting career interests and passions. It seems to me that a more focused community could help provide value for talking about how the Internet, Web 2.0, and social media are providing personal and professional opportunities--and that I can bring in guest speakers for webinars on these topics.
  • How do you identify your career interests and opportunities? 
  • What can you do to re-engage your passions in your work? 
  • How do you use the Web to build and participate in personal learning networks? 
  • How do you start building your own personal or professional presence on the Web, and what kind of work opportunities come from doing so? 
  • How do you build--and start sharing--your professional talents in webinars, at workshops, or at conferences?
As I've given workshops on "Teacher 2.0" the last few months at conferences in California, South Dakota, and Australia, it has been really fun to watch the energy levels and excitement of the participants as they talk about the things they love to do in life, and then brainstorm with each other how to bring those interests and passions into their professional practice or career. In Rapid City, at the TIE (http://www.tie.net) conference, things got particularly electric as we heard from a teacher who is an expert in sharks, then another who specializes in the geology of the Black Hills, from one who decorates memory boxes for hospitals to give the parents of deceased children, to one who gave birth to her own grandchildren because of her daughter's medical condition. There are many aspects to what you do as teachers, but it is sad--and maybe not uncommon--to feel as one teacher in Australia related to me with some emotion:  she'd gotten so busy and bogged down in her work that she couldn't even remember what her passions at one time were.

Teacher 2.0, I hope, will become a place for these and other important conversations, at a time when teachers especially need emotional and intellectual support for what they do. It can also be a place to support teaching as a profession and to share professional opportunities. But most of all, I think it can be a place where teachers can help build a community together during a time of potentially dramatic change in how education is both being viewed and carried out. The dramatic changes in thinking about teaching and learning that are being precipitated by the Web are also bringing dramatic reform movements and dialogs that often portray the teacher as the problem and not the problem-solver. My modest hope is that Teacher 2.0 becomes a place of empowerment for teachers and the profession.

So, three quick possible actions for you.

1. Join Teacher 2.0 and help build the community into something that's useful to you. It won't be your only destination on the Web, but I'd like it to be one that makes a difference and also helps to identify those other places which help teachers and that we can point to and support.

2. If you join the network, you'll notice that there is an "Ideas" box on the front page to which you can contribute, vote, or add your comments. From today until the end of the day Friday, June 17th, anyone who adds an idea or comments on one will be automatically entered into random drawing to win a free, brand-new, all-in-one Lenovo M90z ThinkCentre. The M90z is an amazing 23" all-in-one touchscreen desktop computer, and detailed specs can be found here. (This contest is open to everyone in the world, with the exception of those countries that the US has sanctions against, which include North Korea, Cuba, Myanmar). This is part of a great promotion that I was supposed to have held two months ago, but which came at a really bad time for me! The full disclosure is that I was sent one of these ThinkCentre's myself as part of the invitation to hold this contest, and it would not be an over-statement to say that this has clearly become the most sought-after computer to use in our home. I'll. announce the winner on my blog at http://www.stevehargadon.com, and will contact the winner directly.

3. If you live in the Sacramento, California area, or can or want to be in that area on Friday, June 17th, I'm going to hold the first-ever Teacher 2.0 workshop. We'll meet from 9am - 3pm, and details (limited at this point!) are here: http://teacher20.com/events/teacher-20-workshop. I'll be taking my conference workshop outline and building a day of activities we can do to mirror the goals of the network in a hands-on setting: identifying career interests and personal passions, using the Web as a personal learning network, building your online presence, using the Web as a personal career platform, starting and curating Web projects, hosting workshops, speaking/interviewing, and anything else you can help me think of! This will be fun but is definitely experimental and I'll be looking for lots of feedback on what you will want in this kind of a workshop.  Because there is a cost for the venue, I'll gladly accept a voluntary $20 donation from anyone who attends to help me cover the cost!

Hopefully, Teacher 2.0 will find a place of value for you. Thanks for your attention, and see you online!

Saturday, June 04, 2011

This Week's Live and Interactive Webinars in Blackboard Collaborate (Formerly Elluminate)

Below are this week's public, free, and interactive Webinars through LearnCentral.org, the social learning network for education that I work on for Blackboard Collaborate (formerly Elluminate).

The time of the events below will show up automatically in your own time zone when you are registered in LearnCentral and when you have chosen your time zone in your profile, or you can check the new event time converter on the event page. Event recordings are posted and available after the events if you aren't able to attend them live. If you are looking for an easy calendar import / RSS feed for these events, you'll now find a link on your calendar page or the calendar page of specific groups!

We hope you will consider hosting your own public webinars using the free LearnCentral public room--instructions are available by joining the "Host Your Own Webinar" group on the main announcement tab (http://www.learncentral.org/group/3432/host-your-own-webinars).

Thanks for your attention, and see you online!

O-MUN LOBBYING & DIRECTORS MEETING (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Sun 5 Jun 08:30AM New York / Sun 5 Jun 12:30PM GMT / Sun 5 Jun 10:30PM Sydney
Jingshen Zhao. The student Model United Nations delegates will be lobbying a resolution on food security, while the adult advisors and student facilitators will have a planning meeting. Learn about our initiative at http://o-mun.org/about and join the community at http://o-mun.org/register before attending our meeting.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/161465

FRONTIER SD PEER COACHING WEB EVENT (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Mon 6 Jun 04:30PM New York / Mon 6 Jun 08:30PM GMT / Tue 7 Jun 06:30AM Sydney
Shelee King George. This session will extend Frontier School Division's Peer Coaching training. Focus on Trust and protocols from Session 6 and 7 of the Peer Coaching Program hosted on the Parters in Learning Network. Training will be led byPeer-Ed.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/159400

PEER-ED PEER COACHING BYTE-LEADERSHIP SUPPORT (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Mon 6 Jun 07:00PM New York / Mon 6 Jun 11:00PM GMT / Tue 7 Jun 09:00AM Sydney
Peer-Ed Peer Coaching Byte-Leadership Support. Peer-Ed’s Peer Coaching Webinar Bytes are intended to connect peer coaching facilitators and their coaches. Each 30 minute Webinar will focus on one topic, deliver a short presentation, and then provide an opportunity to ask questions and/or share other strategies. This byte will feature Tracy Watanabe, Technology Integration Specialist -Apache Junction Unified School District, Arizona. Hear how she keeps leadership in the loop and celebrates her peer coaching successes. Consider how you can apply these ideas to your coaching program. Learn. Connect. Share.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/158083

DIY SUMMER READING LIST (TL Cafe)
Mon 6 Jun 08:00PM New York / Tue 7 Jun 12:00AM GMT / Tue 7 Jun 10:00AM Sydney
Gwyneth Jones. Join Guests: John Schumacher, Kelly Nelsen, & Shannon McClintock Miller and Ernie Cox: We will build an exciting summer reading list with the help of youth participants from around the country.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/137758

CHRISTOPHER CHABRIS AND DANIEL SIMONS ON THE INVISIBLE GORILLA (Future of Education Series)
Tue 7 Jun 08:00PM New York / Wed 8 Jun 12:00AM GMT / Wed 8 Jun 10:00AM Sydney
Steve Hargadon. Join Steve for a live and interactive Future of Education with Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons, authors of The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us. While not a book specifically about education, this fascinating look at "how our minds don't work the way we think they do" will hopefully capture your attention as it has mine, as well as giving us a chance to think about its implications for education, both in terms of classroom practice and for larger educational policy.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/142217

THE CYBRARY MAN (Math 2.0 Series)
Wed 8 Jun 09:30PM New York / Thu 9 Jun 01:30AM GMT / Thu 9 Jun 11:30AM Sydney
Maria Droujkova. Join Jerry "The Cybrary Man" Blumengarten on one man's quest to support learning with a curated library.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162922

LINGUAFOLIO ONLINE FOR STARTALK (Host Your Own Webinar Series)
Thu 9 Jun 01:00PM New York / Thu 9 Jun 05:00PM GMT / Fri 10 Jun 03:00AM Sydney
Krystal Sundstrom. In this webinar, you’ll learn about navigating LinguaFolio Online, how to manage student accounts, and how to integrate LinguaFolio in your STARTALK program.
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162576

MATHEMATICIAN'S LAMENT (Math 2.0 Series)
Thu 9 Jun 03:00PM New York / Thu 9 Jun 07:00PM GMT / Fri 10 Jun 05:00AM Sydney
Maria Droujkova. David Wees and Richard DeMerchant will facilitate an open, interactive discussion about "Mathematician's Lament."
http://www.learncentral.org/event/162923

TROY HICKS ON BECAUSE DIGITAL WRITING MATTERS (Future of Education Series)
Thu 9 Jun 08:00PM New York / Fri 10 Jun 12:00AM GMT / Fri 10 Jun 10:00AM Sydney
Steve Hargadon. Steve hosts a live and interactive Future of Education with Troy Hicks, co-author of Because Digital Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Online and Multimedia Environments and author of The Digital Writing Workshop. We'll talk about how to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, since many students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. Troy will also discuss how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction.
http://www.learncentral.org/node/162989

SWEETSEARCH/FINDINGDULCINEA OVERVIEW AND UPDATES (Classroom 2.0 LIVE)
Sat 11 Jun 12:00PM New York / Sat 11 Jun 04:00PM GMT / Sun 12 Jun 02:00AM Sydney
Kim Caise, Lorna Costantini and Peggy George. Mark Moran, founder of Sweet Search, will give an overview of the SweetSearch and FInding Dulcinea website and share the recent updates.
http://www.learncentral.org/node/162988

Thursday, June 9th - Live with Troy Hicks on Digital Writing

Join me Thursday, June 9th, for a live and interactive Future of Education with Troy Hicks, co-author of Because Digital Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Online and Multimedia Environments and author of The Digital Writing Workshop. We'll talk about how to apply digital writing skills effectively in the classroom, since many students may be adept at text messaging and communicating online but do not know how to craft a basic essay. Troy will also discuss how best to integrate new technologies into writing instruction.

Date: Thursday, June 9th, 2011
Time: 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern / 12am GMT (next day--international times here)
Duration: 1 hour
Location: In Elluminate. Log in at http://tr.im/futureofed. The Elluminate room will be open up to 30 minutes before the event if you want to come in early. To make sure that your computer is configured for Elluminate, please visit http://www.elluminate.com/support. Recordings of the session will be posted within a day of the event here.
Event Recordings: The event recordings will appear here after event, as well as at the LearnCentral event page http://www.learncentral.org/node/162989.

Troy Hicks serve as the Director of the Chippewa River Writing Project, a site of the National Writing Project at CMU. He teachs pre-service writing methods classes and facilitates professional development on the teaching of writing, writing across the curriculum, and writing with technology. In his research, he collaborates with K-16 teachers and explores how they implement newer literacies in their classrooms.





Because Digital Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Online and Multimedia Environments (National Writing Project)

Tuesday, June 7 - Live Interview with the Authors of The Invisible Gorilla

Join me Tuesday, June 7th, for a live and interactive Future of Education with Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons, authors of The Invisible Gorilla:  How Our Intuitions Deceive Us.  While not a book specifically about education, this fascinating look at "how our minds don't work the way we think they do" will hopefully capture your attention as it has mine, as well as giving us a chance to think about its implications for education, both in terms of classroom practice and for larger educational policy.

Date: Tuesday, June 7th, 2011
Time: 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern / 12am GMT (next day--international times here)
Duration: 1 hour
Location: In Elluminate. Log in at http://tr.im/futureofed. The Elluminate room will be open up to 30 minutes before the event if you want to come in early. To make sure that your computer is configured for Elluminate, please visit http://www.elluminate.com/support. Recordings of the session will be posted within a day of the event here.
Event Recordings: Once the event is finished, the recordings will be posted here and at the LearnCentral event page at http://www.learncentral.org/event/142217.

Christopher Chabris received his B.A. in computer science and his Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University, where he was also a Lecturer and Research Associate for many years. He is now Assistant Professor of Psychology at Union College in Schenectady, New York, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Neurology at Albany Medical College, and a Visiting Scholar at the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence. His research focuses on two main areas: how people differ from one another in mental abilities and patterns of behavior, and how cognitive illusions affect our decisions. He has published papers on a diverse array of topics, including human intelligence, beauty and the brain, face recognition, the Mozart effect, group performance, and visual cognition. Chris also writes occasionally for the Wall Street Journal. Chris is also a chess master and poker amateur.

Daniel Simons is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois. Simons received his B.A. in Psychology and Cognitive Science from Carleton College and his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Cornell University. He then spent five years on the faculty at Harvard University before moving to Illinois in 2002. His scholarly research focuses on the limits of human perception, memory, and awareness, and he is best known for his research showing that people are far less aware of their visual surroundings than they think. His work is published in top scientific journals and is discussed regularly in the popular media. His studies and demonstrations have been exhibited in more than a dozen science museums worldwide. In his spare time, he enjoys juggling, bridge, and chess.

The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us