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 A team of three fifth grade classes are participating in a smartphone 1:1 pilot program. Students will be using these mobile learning devices in school and at home. The concept is about using 21st century tools for educational access anywhere, anytime.
On the day of deployment the team of students gathered in the cafeteria where their teachers facilitated a discussion regarding the power of these smartphones as learning devices. The teachers then dispersed the phones and confidently walked the students through unpacking, turning the devices on, logging in, and syncing. It all went so smooth. Students were excited but stayed focus on the task at hand. They were knowledgeable as to the purpose of the 1:1 which was made evident during discussion. They also showed an understanding of the expectations and responsibility that goes along with having the device. The teachers sent out a sample assignment to the devices which the students received via “go sync”. Students were then asked to put their phones into their cases and calmly left the cafeteria anxious to make use of their phones in the classroom. In less then 90 minutes so much happened and went so well.
Things like this don’t just happen. It is about planning, research, teamwork, sharing, and an understanding of purpose and desired outcomes.
Thought it would be interesting to check out what it took for us to get here.
So, here is a look behind the scenes that made the deployment look so easy.
· Numerous in house discussions/presentations regarding the potential of mobile devices in education were had. A vision was born.
· Federal grant was written which entailed several conversations and rewrites prior to acceptance.
· Discussions with cellular providers regarding phones, insurance, plans, and customer service.
· A partnership with Verizon was formed. We would be using their service, internet filter, and provided htc smartphones.
· 1st assembly line - unpacking, charging, and loading software on approximately 85 phones.
· Upon further discussion and several meetings we decided to make use of Soti software to manage the phones and use Go Know educational applications.
· Soti was loaded onto our computer and we sat through a webinar to gain an understanding of organization and management.
· A custom phone home page of applications was created to keep things simple and streamlined for students and teachers.
· Various levels of the provided internet filter was tested before deciding on which to go with.
· Red Fly devices were ordered and dispersed to teachers in the 1:1. It’s function is for demonstration as well as to act as a device to benefit special needs students.
· 2nd assembly line - Soti had to be loaded on each smartphone after which each phone with case was labeled and placed into a plastic baggie with charger. Each baggie was then labeled with a students name.
· Arrangements were made to have a representative from Go Know come into the district for two days to train the teachers and tech staff.
· Teachers began the process of digitizing lessons for the smartphone.
· Parents were invited to an evening dinner event where AUP’s and surveys were handed out. Discussion of implementation, purpose and Q and A was provided.
· A Go Know webinar was provided answering questions and making sure that the teachers were comfortable with the software.
· A decision to use a vpn connecting us to our own in house internet filter was made and is in the process of being implemented. Upon implementation Sky Fire will be installed allowing more internet capability and flexability.
· My Mobiler was installed so phone could be shown on interactive white board for presentation purposes.
· 3rd assembly line - Just prior to deployment all phones were turned on where we checked the charge and made sure that the phone was working properly with Soti and Go Know.
· On the day of deployment student schedules needed to be adjusted. A portable interactive white board was connected in the cafeteria. Boxes of phones were brought in. Press was contacted. Digital cameras/video cameras were brought to document the event. Administrators, tech personnel, Verizon partners, and Boces representatives were made aware of the event and attended.
Almost a years worth of work, that’s why it went so smooth. It took a lot to get this off the ground but with a focus on 21st century skills and a vision of the power of a mobile 1:1 we know students will benefit from its implementation.
I am looking forward to watching and working with the teachers and students to see where this is all going. Planning, research, collaboration, teamwork, and a vision really does pay off.
 For me, the beginning of this school year has been all about iwb’s (interactive white boards). Specifically for my district, it’s about Smart Boards. Smart hardware, Smart software, and lots of training. Should every building in a district strive for 100% iwb integration into each classroom? I’m not sure on that one. In a realistic view of iwb’s in the classroom some things are easily overlooked that need to be considered. Placing an iwb in a classroom does not constitute increased levels of learning. The iwb by itself does not automatically provide contextual real life 21st century skills for students. The board on its own does not focus on student creativity, creation of content, global communication, or global collaboration. It’s doubtful that students will list Smart Board skills on their college application or resume. Another concern that should be considered by a district is cost of maintenance, replacement, and wondering what will happen to these iwb’s when the next big thing regarding the dissemination of content in front of a class comes around. The iwb is just a tool and like any other tool it’s about educators being able to effectively use it to reach the desired educational outcomes. Now, don’t get me wrong. Having been a classroom teacher for a number of years with and without a Smart Board I would not want to teach without one. I do believe that every educator willing to learn and understand the potential of the iwb should have this powerful, versatile tool in their classroom. Continued professional development, planning time, and shared discussions with colleagues is a must for this to happen. If educators are aware of the potential, provided with proper training, willing to create, and willing to share content then the iwb becomes a motivating, engaging, tool which can lead students to an enriched learning experience. With that said, here are some resources that you may find useful. There are many, many other resources out there and as you discover I hope you can share along the way. 42 Interesting Ways to use your Smart Board
Smart Board Revolution Ning
 Fortunately I had the resources to design and put together a podcasting studio for one of our middle schools. I Thought it might be beneficial for some and maybe interesting for others to check out the final product. We will be using this as a movable studio for students and staff to create educational content. Training on its hardware/software as well as pedagogical possibilities will be provided to staff. Students will find it to be an engaging, valuable learning opportunity. Once podcasts are created students, parents, and all stake holders will be able to listen, view, and subscribe to the content. Here is a list of the hardware and software that was used. Hardware - You can see most of the hardware in the provided image. 15" MacBook Pro - The core of the studio Alesis Multimix 8 usb 2.0 eight channel mixer 2 Audio Technica AT2020 Condensor Microphones - Good quality mics for vocals as well as acousstic instruments 2 boom mic stands 2 pop filters Bose Companion 2 speaker set - Monitors beyond the internal speakers of the MacBook. Lacie 500GB External Hard Drive - Place to save audio and video can also act as backup. 2 IPod Classics - Can download to these for playback. 2 Belkin Tune Talks - Connects to iPods so recording can be done in the field. 1 Cannon FS100 digital camcorder 1 Flip Ultra video camcorder 1 Tripod for camcorders Modified old Alpha Smart Cart - This cart was perfect although needed a minor change. Its original size did not fit on the elevator so the tech staff at the middle school was able to chop it down to size. Removable trays, plenty of storage space, holes for electric, and locks all around make it a perfect place to house the equipment. Software Garage Band/Audacity - For recording and editing audio. iMovie - For editing video. iTunes - For format conversion, playback and sharing. Lame encoder - For format conversion when using Audacity. Wire tap Anywhere - Takes any audio output and brings it into our audio recording application. Can record Skype calls. Feed For All - Creates, and edits RSS feeds for the podcast. eChalk - Our district tool of choice for providing online communication. Product will be providing RSS feed capabilities. We will be moving here once it is available.
 Screencasting is the process of capturing video from your computer screen. Anything that you can normally do or show on your computer screen can be recorded. Screencasting can also provide a recorded narration to go along with what you are doing on the screen. To do this you will need some type of mic to input the audio.
Screencasting can be a powerful tool when used with educational content. It is great for providing step, by step procedural tutorials and is a wonderful way to give instructions on any topic.
Student created Screencasts can be very powerful in that having students explain and teach other students can be one of the best ways to reinforce prior learning. It can also bring new perspective to students who are struggling.
Teacher created Screencasts can also be useful. Students and parents can view the Screencast at home to view missed material or can concentrate on material that needs further clarification.
To get a feel for it take a look at some of the student and teacher created Screencasts at Mathtrain.tv.
So how do you create a Screencast?
Here is a short list of recommended applications.
Some have associated tutorials for you to take a look at.
At the bottom of this post you will find a comparison chart. It does not list all the tools I have provided but gives a nice summary of many.
Free Web Based Screencasting Tools.
Screentoaster - Free online Recorder. Works with any platform . Saves to your account and can then be embedded to your wiki or blog. Screentoaster Tutorial
Screencastle – Free simple/usable web based recorder. No signup required.
Screecast-O-Matic – Free online Screencasting. Easy to use exports as .Mov
Screencast-O-Matic tutorial
FreeScreencast – Easy to use. Site says no tech degree required.
GoView - Simple online Screencasting by Citrix. Record, edit, share.
Demo and tour on Homepage.
CaptureFox – Firefox Screencasting extension. Only works on Firefox with win XP or Vista.
Free Software Based Screencasting Tools
Free but download is involved. More robust and flexible than web based.
Jing – One of the more powerful freebies out there. Definitely worth a look.
Jing Tutorial – Select “Watch a Video to see how” on Homepage
Debut – Captures video and still images from various devices.. Can export in almost any video format.
Camstudio – Free striped down version of the high quality Camtasia software. Easy to use. Creates videos as AVI’s and convert to Streaming Flash.
uTIPu - Screencasting tool that supports keyboard shortcuts. Works only on XP and Vista. Quick Start Guide on Homepage.
ISU or I Show You - Allows you to do basic editing to your recording by drawing on it, adding notes, or recording an audio narration.
oRipa Screen Recorder – Simple screencasting tool that allows you to save output in multiple formats.
Pay Software Based
Camtasia Studio – This is a pay version piece of software but it is king when it comes to Screencasting. High quality, robust, and allows full editing. If you start using Screencasting often and you get serious about it, this is the way to go.
Check out the Overiew Video. Free trial download available.
SMART Based Recording
SMART Notebook Recorder – If you have a Smart Board then you have Smart Notebook as well as Smart Notebook Recorder. If you don’t have a Smart Board you can download Notebook with Recorder built in for free. You will need the serial number off of any Smart Board to download the latest version.
Once you have made your recording with this you will need to upload the video to a hosting service in order to have an online presence.
It is extremely useful to use an interactive white board (iwb) or a tablet to do a Screencast that requires neat hand written work. If you do not have availability to an iwb one alternative is to pick up a tablet such as Wacom’s Bamboo tablets. Theses are inexpensive (under $100) and one is all you need to get running.
One other thought, if you are looking for an iwb type interface but don’t have one available these sites can provide a similar experience (some of the screencasting tools have it built in).
Twiddla
Scriblink
Dabbleboard
skrbl
Imagination at Work
Give Screencasting a try.
It is easy and can be an extremely powerful educational tool.
I have done this with many classes and have had wonderful results.
 go to the table!
 So, want to add a little to my post regarding videos and district roadblocks before I talk about creating your own video site. Anything I am finding on Youtube that I would like to save I have been using PWN Youtube (pwn means to take ownership of in Leet speak). All you need to do is navigate to the Youtube video you are interested in. In the url just type the letters pwn just prior to the word youtube. It would look something like http://www.pwnyoutube/watch… Once you select enter you will be taken to the pwn site. Once there right click on the flv link and save the target as. You can now save the file to your place of choice. Want more options? You can do the same thing with more file flexibility by inserting the word kick in front of the word youtube. There is also kissyoutube for you romantics. For other videos outside of youtube I am still liking mediaconverter.org. I suggest that you don’t start saving all these videos to your district hard drive. We don’t want to fill that up with all our videos and upset our tech staff when they wonder why we have no space left. It’s relatively cheap to pick up a good sized, extremely portable removable hard drive these days. Then, just save your stuff there. You will always have access to it. So, you might be saying I don’t really want to go out and purchase am external harddrive. You might also be saying hey wait a minute, I am missing the whole collaborative, shared piece that comes with a youtube or teachertube. You can’t add comments or ratings. Hmm… I could place the video in a wiki or blog and ask students to comment and maybe upload to the wiki but that’s not as effective as the video site itself and it’s a lot of extra work. Too bad I can’t create my own video site that could have moderated comments and offer the ability for others to upload comments and video based on my my administrative permissions. Well, you can! I know this sounds like a commercial but it’s not. I have started to use a site called Fliggo.com. It’s like creating your own personal youtube site. You can upload videos directly from youtube or from videos you have downloaded on your computer or external drive a described above. You can select permissions on the site making it completely public, private, or invitation only. You can also set up moderated comments and can allow others to upload video to your site. Here is my Fliggo. http://cmantin.fliggo.com/ I have been using it as I do professional development and I really like it. Btw, it is not blocked by my districts filter and it's free. I see great potential here for educators to use this in conjunction with their classes. Whether you use it as just a warehouse for your videos or allow full sharing and collaboration I think you will find it a valuable tool in an educational setting.
 As students create content online an excellent teaching opportunity presents itself regularly in terms of copyright and fair use. So, the question is what can be used?
That can be tough to answer because copyright and fair use, have some pretty gray areas. Want more information on copyright and fair use, take a look at Copyright and You .
I like using public domain and Creative Commons material when I can. I know we are going to be safe using these.
Public Domain materials are basically creative works where the copyright has expired or the government has provided the content for our use.
Creative Commons is a new method of providing free licensing of creative work so others can share, change, or just plain use it. It provides an easy method of allowing people to share and use the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright.
If you want an overview of Creative Commons check out the video below.
There are six different licenses that Creative Commons offers. You can check them out
here.
Here is a list of resources from public domain and Creative Commons that you can safely make use of.
Flickr Creative Commons
Free Sound Project
Jamendo
Every Stock Photo
Behold
Simple CC Flickr Search
MozCC
Compfight
Wikimedia
USA.gov
Openflix
PhotI
Creative Commons Search
Yahoo CC Search
Advanced Flickr Search
Stock.xchng
Project Gutenberg
 My last post was based on how to view Youtube blocked content by downloading and saving your videos. Another alternative is to find Youtube alternatives. Here is a list of sites I have come up with. They have been tested and are not blocked by the NRCSD filter, ymmv depending on your school district. The first section of my list provides sites like Youtube in that you can view as well as upload and share content. The other sites listed have content you can browse through and watch. This of course is not a complete list and you may wish to bookmark and add to it as you see fit. Please let me know of any great stuff you have come across. There are lots of great educational video podcasts, but that is for another post. Remember to preview all content prior to getting your students there. Sites you can view, upload, and share content.teachertubeAll levels. An online community for sharing and viewing instructional videos. Browse, view, and upload your own content. Provides students and educators with safe media sharing. schooltubeAll levels. An online community for sharing and viewing instructional videos. Browse, view, and upload your own content. Provides students and educators with safe media sharing. eudblogs.tvAll levels. An online community for sharing and viewing instructional videos. Browse, view, and upload your own content. Provides students and educators with safe media sharing. ustream.tvAll levels. Watch live video as well as archived clips. Create and upload your own live video stream. Lots of different types of content here so be sure to be comfortable with the appropriateness of content. Free Education based Video SitestulynAll levels. Math tutorials. cnn student newsAll levels. News at student level provided by CNN. cspanMiddle, high school, and higher education. News provided by Cspan. kids know itElementary and middle levels. Educational Movies on various topics. Ends with online quiz. math moviesAll levels. Watch mathematics in main stream movie clips. math trainElementary and middle school levels. Spelling help through video. the futures channelMiddle, high school, and higher education levels. Educational videos with a focus on math, science, technology, and engineering. poptechMiddle, high school, and higher education levels. Interesting educational videos featuring speakers on various topics. Focus on science, technology and the future of ideas. TEDMiddle, high School, and higher education levels. Annual conference of world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give their presentation in 18 minutes. SnagfilmsAll levels Provides documentary videos on various topics. fora.tvMiddle, High school, higher education levels Videos based on live-event speeches, discussions, interviews and debates. iCueAll levels Created by the NBC network. Provides resources for students, teachers, and lifelong learners. Focus on history, government, politics, and ela. DiscoveryAll levels. The Discovery channel network. Videos on various topics. dotsubMiddle, high school, higher education levels. Browser based tool enabling subtitling of videos on the web into and from any language. Videos on various topics. huluLarge selection of videos from more than 100 content providers. Geared toward entertainment but educational content can be found within. tv.comAll levels. More TV via videos online. slingAll levels. TV, movies, and news videos.
 There are some great educational videos out there. A major roadblock to showing your class these videos are the restrictions and limited access found within our schools. For example, Youtube has its share of inappropriate material but there are also some great educational videos that can be found as well. An answer to this problem would be to download the video in a file type you can use. There are lots of tools out there that can achieve this. I am going to give you a couple of my favorites, which are all free of course.
Online tools – Quick and easy solution.
Media Converter
Copy and paste the url of your video.
Select the file type you would like to convert the video to (Windows users might select .wmv or .avi. Mac users may want to go with .mov).
Name the file.
You can skip the advanced stuff step.
The conversion process will take place.
Upon completion you will be prompted to download the converted video file.
Zamzar
Same idea as above but Zamzar emails the download to you.
You will find a video below that will walk you through the process.
Downloaded Tools – Robust conversion applications for your computer.
Format Factory – Large amount of conversion types, feature rich.
Handbrake – Great for ripping and converting DVD’s and other file types.
Download Helper – A Firefox extension which will convert directly from your browser.
 I think it is important for all educators and students to know the "how to" in regard to doing a search on Google. Many of us just type in a phrase and get hundreds of thousands of hits and then, maybe we look through the first ten to twenty links. Not very efficient or effective.
So, how do we narrow down the enormous mass of information?
Check out Google Guide. It is a straight forward Google search reference page with simple understandable examples.
For some more search ideas take a look at the video below which features tips given by a Google engineer.
 Went to the Tech Forum North East Conference a couple of days ago. The keynote was given by David Warlick. I have heard him before and always thought he was a great speaker. He started the keynote by introducing a relatively new search engine called searchme. Very slick looking tool which has an interface very similar to an iPhone or an iPod touch. We all thought it looked way cool. Cool factor aside, what resonated with me was that David stated that his goal is to learn something new within 24 hours prior to each presentation he will be giving and then present what he learned as the opening to his presentation. This made me consider the concept of “life long learner” as well as just how much stuff there is out there to learn. We say life long learner in reference to student outcomes but are we modeling this behavior? It’s tough in our busy lives, but for us personally and professionally it has a major positive impact on ourselves and our students. Let’s show them the “cool factor” and explain how we are learning these new tools and ideas on our own time because we are life long learners.David’s keynote was wrapped around the potential of digital natives and the global conversation. His theme was not to be afraid. There is much fear on the part of educators and administrators to open the doors to the digital natives and the global conversation. I saw David several years ago, a little after the London bombings. He ended his keynote by showing us the site We’re Not Afraid. This site was created right after the bombing incident where people on a global scale were able to tell terrorists via pictures and text that we are not afraid. This was a powerful way to conclude his keynote. David ended the 2008 keynote with the same site. This time the awareness was about us letting go of the fear we have regarding out digital native students and the ability to move forward in this new global economy.
Links You Can Use
Electing a President in Plain English – Figured with the presidential election upon us this video is pretty timely. The folks at Common Craft do a great job in their explanation of the presidential electoral process. I point to their videos often especially regarding web 2.0 materials. It seems they are branching out and it is looking good. Could be useful to present to your students.. Here are some polling links you might be able to make use of. Poll Everywhere – Take live class polls using sms text messaging or the web. A couple of other poll services worth a look.
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