Nominate Little Old Me!

I know I’m just a pre-teen in the Edublogs bloggers’ universe of seasoned pros, but I think School Communications 2.0 has been around long enough to get a few measly nominations to the Edublog Bloggers’ Awards. So think about it, would you?

The nomination process is relatively simple. You just go to this site and fill out the form. The only catch? You have to have a blog to nominate, because you have to write a post about the contest and link to the Edublogs contest page.

But beyond that, you simply have to contact Edublogs and list the name of my blog. That’s it!

I may not win, but at least I’ll get to dance the Pasa Doble.

Teaching Around the Firewall

Edutopia recently explored how teachers have gradually found ways to teach around the firewall in “Stumbling Blocks: Playing It Too Safe Online Will Make You Sorry.” How do teachers teach in school districts that block Facebook, Twitter, and many Web 2.0 applications that can enrich learning and encourage lively, hands-on learning?

When I present to school districts about Web 2.0 tools and technology, I often run afoul of the firewall in a given school district and can’t use the system to display these tools.

So how are teachers working around overprotective content filters to use Web 2.0 tools in the classroom?

Edutopia’s piece, written by Suzie Boss, advocates four steps teachers can take to teach in spite of the system:

1. Befriend the keymaster

2. Innovate in Safe Places

3. Teach Good Digital Citizenship

4. Advocate for Access

Here’s what Antero Garcia, a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School System, says about putting up walls to keep Web 2.0 out of the classroom:

“Sooner or later someone is going to expect my students to be able to quickly and effortlessly post to a blog, add to a wiki, or collaborate via some sort of social-networking protocol. And once again, my school will have failed to prepare them for such a task.”

Word to the wise.

Are You a Tech-Savvy Superintendent?

Title page to Locke's Some Thoughts Concerning...

Image via Wikipedia

eSchool News has just announced its Call for Nominations to its 2009 Tech-Savvy Superintendent Awards.

Here’s the announcement fresh from the eSchool News presses:

Does your superintendent “get it” when it comes to technology? Does he or she demonstrate exemplary vision for the use of technology to improve all facets of education—and show outstanding leadership in working to make this vision a reality?

If so, then help us recognize these accomplishments by nominating your district’s chief executive for eSchool News’ ninth annual Tech-Savvy Superintendent Awards.

Nominees, who must be general superintendents of a K-12 school system, will be judged according to the criteria below. Ten national finalists will be chosen by the editors of eSchool News in consultation with last year’s winners. The 2009 winners will be honored in a ceremony held at the same time as the American Association of School Administrators annual conference in San Francisco and in the February 2009 issue of eSchool News.

Here are the criteria used by the judges:

Ten “Hallmarks of Excellence” for the eSchool News Tech-Savvy Superintendent Awards

1. Must be a general superintendent.

2. Models the effective use of technology in the day-to-day execution of the superintendency.

3. Ensures that technology resources are equitably distributed among students and staff.

4. Insists that adequate professional development is a component of every technology initiative.

5. Demonstrates exceptional vision in leading the development and implementation of a districtwide technology plan.

6. Exhibits a thorough understanding of the role of technology in education and can articulate that understanding to all school district stakeholders.

7. Provides exceptional leadership in supporting the integration of technology into the curriculum.

8. Demonstrates exceptional vision in employing technology to streamline school district business operations.

9. Demonstrates curiosity and open-mindedness in considering emerging technologies and weighing non-traditional solutions to traditional problems.

10. Thinks creatively and strategically about the long-term challenges and opportunities of technology in the school district and in education at large.

Hurry and get those nominations in, because the deadline is Sunday, Nov. 30. Apply at this link.

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Nings for Educators

I have recently discovered Nings, social networking sites for people of similar interests. You can see a few of my Ning memberships in my sidebar — the Website Owner Zone, Twitter GoGetters, etc. Nings are great platforms for communicating with other people who share your passions, to share links to great sites, to announce events and conferences, and more. You can also start your own blog on these Nings, or cross-post from your blog to the Ning for others to read.

Each of these social networks was created by someone who signed up for an account on Ning, created a network, and then invited in friends, colleagues, and/or students to interact around specific educational topics.

There are dozens of Nings out there for educators, so I thought I’d share a few with you and encourage you to explore them and think about joining. You can get email updates once you become a member and it’s a useful way to share best practices in education.

1. The Global Education Collaborative

This is an online community for teachers and students who are interested in joining global education projects. With more than 800 members, the site encourages users to post media, blogs, and ideas for advancing collaborative education worldwide. Some of the groups-within-the-group include “Global Awareness Curriculum,” “Student-Driven Podcasts,” and “Primary Teachers Collaborating.”

2. Classroom 2.0

This is a social network for those interested in Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies in education.
“Beginners” are encouraged to become “part of the digital dialog”. This is a very active Ning, with more than 13,000 members and lots of resources designed for digitally savvy teachers and administrators.

3. School 2.0

This Ning describes its purpose as “a larger discussion of how education, learning, and our physical school spaces can (or should) change because of the changing nature of our social and economic lives brought on by these technologies.” There is also a wiki associated with the site, which you can find at www.School20.net.

4. Independent School Educators Network

This 1,200-member network shares tips and share best practices in classroom technology. It also has a list-serv you can subscribe to at ISED list-serv, the SchoolComputing Wiki, an ISE group on Flickr, and join in the conversation at EdTechTalk.com.

5. Ning in Education

A general education Ning with more than 2,000 members. If you’re looking for a place to share general information, tips and to seek out advice, this is the place to go.

6. Coming of Age

This site was established to enable people to meet and discuss “Coming of Age: An Introduction to the NEW Worldwide Web,” an ebook about blogging, podcasting, and other applications, and how they can be used in the classroom. You can also get your free copy of the eBook at this Ning site.

7. Smart Board Revolution

An example of how specific Ning groups can be. This 500-member community shares best practices, tips, ideas and lesson plans on using interactive whiteboards in the classroom. A great idea.

8. Teachers 2.0

This Ning of more than 200 members who help one another to learn and use technology tools ranging from PowerPoint to Web 2.0.

The good news is that if you haven’t found a Ning to your exact liking, you can start one of your own. And Ning has recently launched an ad-free platform specifically for educators.

Here’s a very tool video about setting up a Ning, geared specifically for educators, from falconphysics on YouTube:

Touched by the Better Angels of Our Nature…

In the aftermath of the Presidential elections, those of us who supported Barack Obama are basking in the glow of victory. But my friends and relatives who supported John McCain ought to know that we are well aware of the challenges that lie ahead. There really is no time to gloat. And since both candidates took the high road on Election Night, why shouldn’t we?

In the interest of healing, then, there’s no better time than today to extend an olive branch across the aisle and roll up our shirtsleeves to start working on the future.

A nice little blog out in the sphere is attempting to do just that, with an ingenious idea that’s catching on. Zefrank.com has launched a visual way that readers can send photos in to express their hope that when the celebrations have died down, we can reach out to one another and embrace, at least through the Web. The site is called From 52 to 48 With Love, and you can submit your photos directly to Zefrank. Naturally, the photos sent in have to be vetted first, since Zefrank has noted that some submissions haven’t been nice. But check out just a few he has displayed on From 52 to 48:

My favorite, though, is the following photo, which quotes a wise man on the subject of unity. You may have heard of this guy:

In case you can’t read it, here’s what the sign says:

Dear 48:

To quote a great American: “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.” — Abraham Lincoln.

We’re all in this together…

Love and respect, 52

This post, incidentally, is dedicated to my husband, the McCain supporter.

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Post-Election Bliss

Rev. Santino endorses Barack Obama for Preside...

Image by Rev. Santino via Flickr

I’ve neglected this spot for the past few days, busy at work and stressing out about the 2008 Presidential elections. The outcome — this country’s resounding support for the most inspirational leader I’ve seen in many years — was more than my cynical little heart could have dreamed. An African-American man elected by more than 72 million people to the highest office in this land, and my faith in our country instantaneously restored.

For months, I have figuratively held my breath and yet have been buffeted by the highs and lows of the polls. I have made the mistake of briefly bringing up politics with the wrong people, quickly regretting my decision to do so and then questioning my own conscience and choices. It was so personal and emotional. I was so repulsed by Gov. Palin that I could barely see straight, and so went looking for individuals who felt the same way, both in my everyday life and online. I developed an insatiable appetite for details about the campaigns so I could defend my decision against even the most well-read challengers.

I embraced my two college-age children when they told me that I was on the moral high ground for supporting Barack Obama, and they joined me in that support. Which was a huge relief — because my husband was supporting McCain. He and I argued like children at times, until we finally decided to quietly retreat into our own corners. He, watching the Fox News Channel and Bill O’Reilly. Me, reading the Internet and volunteering to call battleground states for the Obama-Biden campaign. I wore campaign buttons.

I contributed money to the Obama campaign, something I haven’t done since I purchased tickets to a fundraising dinner for George McGovern in 1972. When people leapt to their feet after McGovern spoke at that dinner, I did, too, convinced that he was on his way to defeating Richard Nixon and pulling our troops out of Vietnam. But I was in college then, and so idealistic. And so wrong. Then Watergate happened, and I lost what little was left of my idealism.

Until last night.

During the lull between the announcement that Obama had been elected as our 44th president, and his speech at Chicago’s Grant Park, I checked my emails.

There, at the top, was a message from Obama:

Evelyn –

I’m about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.
We just made history.
And I don’t want you to forget how we did it.
You made history every single day during this campaign — every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it’s time for change.
I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.
We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I’ll be in touch soon about what comes next.
But I want to be very clear about one thing…
All of this happened because of you.

Thank you,
Barack

George McGovern never thanked me.

And so, some 30 years after I thought I’d misplaced it forever, I feel college-student idealism coursing through my veins again.

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Letters to Our Next President

As you head out to the polls, think about the next generation of young people and the future you will decide for them. Or, as an alternative, read Writing Our Future: Letters to the Next President, a new website sponsored by the National Writing Project and Google and featuring letters written online by more than 4,900 students ages 13 through 18,  representing 185 schools around the country.

The National Writing Project is the nation’s largest professional development network for the teaching of writing. The NWP believes writing is a cornerstone of civic engagement for people of all ages. Hallelujah!

Here is what Maria M. of New York writes on the site:

Mr. President ,do you know how many of our soldiers have died in this stupid war?  Do you know how many kids have lost a family member who they really loved? Another thing is that we can’t just leave Iraq alone to rebuild their country their because its all our fault their country is like it is, after we finish rebuilding Iraq we should just leave them alone and learn to mind our own business. We should use those 9 billion dollars a month we use in war for better stuff, like health care for everyone. We should also use this money to rebuild our schools and make them better for us and future generations…The country is not doing anything to help its people and you know there’s a large amount of people who are homeless and sleep on the streets because they are waiting to be placed in a shelter. Tell me who is going to help all these people?

Or this, from Ashton H. of Nebraska:

I know as the new president you have a lot on your plate, but if you read just one of the thousands of letters you get each day, it might help you realize what’s important to the younger age group of the United States.  The scariest thing to me in the world is the lack of my safety.  Every morning, I watch the television while I eat breakfast, and every morning, a new crime has been committed.  It usually consists of a murder or robbery.  And I’m beginning to realize that crimes don’t only happen in just the big cities.  I feel scared when I’m walking at night or in a shopping mall during the day.  I’ve heard of rape and shootings in each of those settings, and each in Nebraska.  I want myself, my friends, and my family to feel safe.  I don’t want to raise my children in a crime-infested nation.

Big issues are tackled by these young writers, including abortion, immigration, the economy, gay marriage and gay rights, and global warming.

Finally, here’s what James G. of New Jersey wants to ask the new president:

Look over there at the corner, where the boy sells drugs. He doesn’t sell them because he wants to but because he feels he has to. It is all he knows in order to help his family. What about the girl who is finishing her fourth year in college and works endless hours to pay off her student loans? Or the single mom who gives her two children all she has, but her all just isn’t good enough because she’s just been laid off? These are everyday problems that are present in our country — can you help? Can you give something to those who have nothing? Can you improve our economy and take stress and heartache away rather than add to it? Our president must be able to relate, a person with a common background and experience dealing with the problems of today. Our president needs to strive for an end to war, not for a continuance. These are all things that need to be addressed, are you up to the challenge?

Let’s hope the new president spends his first 30 days in office reading these letters. He could learn something.

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Thinking of Not Voting? Google Says Think Again.

OK, so while I sift through the dozens of Obama emails I’ve received today asking for my help calling voters in one last push, Google has done another great video meant to encourage anyone out there who still might be apathetic about voting (could there be people like this?) to get out there and pull the lever in the most exciting landmark election I can remember.
Again, they’ve called on well-known faces (and some apparent help from Steven Spielberg) to make a fun, well-paced video that’s the sequel to the “Don’t Vote” video released earlier. Check out the latest installment here, and tell me that Sacha Baron Cohen doesn’t crack you up:

Happy voting. I hope to see you there on Tuesday.

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