Things+I+learned+at+PETE+&+C+2007

Department of Education
Did you ever feel like you were being expected to accomplish the impossible, to become an expert on something that is still being invented? The parallel was drawn to building a airliner while it is in flight.

The Keynote Speaker Joe Caruso: author of __The Power of Losing Control__
These are a few of the thoughts that Joe Caruso expressed in his entertaining opening speech:
 * We get so busy doing what we do we forget __why__ we do it
 * We must "reach in" to find balance
 * The paradox of my situation as a teacher in the public education system is that I have "power in it -- but no control over it"
 * I need to learn to expend my energy on those things I can control
 * "When we think we CAN control something, we are compelled to try"
 * Lily Tomlin said "We're all in this together--alone."
 * I need to learn to use influence rather than control
 * What are the stories that define who I am? Who my students are? Who my colleagues are? What my school is?
 * We use stories to make connections inorder to find meaning
 * Just use the tools until the tools become a part of the culture. [I'm not certain who said that]
 * "Influence is more powerful than any fantasy of control"

Web 2.0 is places in the cybersphere where educators can find productivity tools and teaching tools.

 * Here are few of the links I was introduced to at the conference by Jim Gates from Capital Area IU
 * [|http://home.comcast.net/~jgates808/web2toolsd.html]
 * This page is loaded with links to many teacher tools.
 * [|http://home.comcast.net/~jgates808/scfile.html]
 * Here is another of Jim's lists of his favorite sites on web2.0
 * [|http://home.comcast.net/~jgates808/twfile.html]
 * Here is another of Jim's lists of his favorite sites on web2.0
 * [|http://home.comcast.net/~jgates808/oss.html]
 * And here is "all" you need to know about open-source software.
 * If you want you own wiki space FREE, teachers can get free space at http://nets4teachers.wikispaces.com

Designing Instruction for Digital Natives
Although this was above all a sales pitch for blended schools, the ideas behind the creation of blended schools are worth thinking about:
 * The students we are teaching are used to working in social communities. As educators, we are missing the boat if we don't utilize this fact in our classrooms.
 * If we don't get our students attentions, someone else will.

Making Your Student Technology Team Work!

 * go to http://www.cpavts.org/ITResponse
 * although this tech response team was developed at a tech school with students who are studying computers, there are some good ideas that can be incorporated into a student support group (especially the response trail and the evaluation forms)
 * 1) email to help desk or ?
 * 2) dispatch student
 * 3) student response
 * 4) teacher evaluation
 * 5) student grade

Moodle: a Student Centered Space

 * Yackpack is a plugin that allows teachers to leave voicemail messages for students. Can students send voicemail to the teacher? I don't remember
 * Calendar automatically inserts start and end dates for assignments from the assignment setup
 * Random Glossaries Entry--insert student pictures, students enter information into profiles which appear randomly on the Moodle page of classmates only
 * Flickr is a free, online photo management site that is very compatible with Moodle (and other programs) so that you can easily add photos and video
 * go to [|www.hetemeel.com/einsteinform.php] for a fun individualizable message board
 * make multiple glossaries (by chapter, unit, essential question)
 * create a wordwall for each unit in the html block
 * news.google.com is a great place to gather news on a current topic. Insert a RSS feed on a topic and keep current
 * if a blog is appropriate for a lesson, request that that specific blog be made available
 * elgg.net is a blogging cite that allows for comments

Web 2.0 Tools

 * [|http://www.weebly.com/] - very easy web creation

Your comments
Although you could hardly edit what "I learned" but you might very well have things to add. Please join the "discussion" and maybe we can get this jet plane build in midair. I would like to know if any of these things help you or if you think of some cool uses for any of these tools.

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