Technology Reflections

Well – I’m going to Boston next weekend to see a Red Sox playoff game!!!
If the Red Sox win the series they are playing now, I will be at next Saturday’s game at Fenway Park! I entered a lottery to get the opportunity to buy tickets – limit of 2 tickets for ONE game. Sales started at noon today and at about 12:15 I got into the area where you can buy tickets online – you wait in a virtual waiting room while the page refreshes until you get in. I was so nervous once I got in the room! I was afraid I’d mess up something and lose my chance! I was shaking and the shaking didn’t go away for a while after I completed the purchase even. There were no 2 seats together, so I ended up with 2 single seats in adjoining sections. My friend and I don’t care – just getting in is great!

Then I had to get airfare (I live in Florida). I ended up with GREAT flights that weren’t too horribly expensive. If the Red Sox don’t make it to the next series, then I’ll still go up and spend the weekend with my friends. I do have to take off Friday and Monday, but everyone at work was so supportive and happy for me – they know what a big Red Sox fan I am. The kids who I had in class when I made the purchase – nice to be the computer teacher and able to be in front of a computer all day – were so great when I told them – the were SO happy for me!

Then, I had my friend’s log in because she got picked to try for tix too – and at 3:10 – 5 mins before the final bell – I got in again and got her tickets for Game 6. Standing room only tickets and that game may not even be played, but she was happy. So she’s going with my on the 13th and then maybe again on the 20th!

I’m still flying high from the excitement! Woohoo! GO RED SOX!!!!!

Ok this has nothing to do with teaching, but I am an avid, some might say obsessed, Red Sox fan. Last night they clinched the American League East Division Championship for the first time since 1995, thanks to the Baltimore Orioles’ win over the Yankees!

Post Season here we come!!!

I’m back from FETC! For some reason I find that every other year the pickings are lean for me……let me repeat that FOR ME. I’m not in any way, shape or form saying that FETC was not up to it’s usual par. Last year I found tons of stuff for me, software and ideas, so naturally, this year I only found a few things. But they were good things!

I have wanted a Mimio Interactive Whiteboard for years – the price is right and my Media Specialist, who was with me this year, has agreed to purchase one for me I showed it to the math teacher who was with us and he wants one too – I’ll share mine with him for the rest of this year and we’ll try to get him one next year.

I also got some good info on making Digital Stories better. Just some small tips to take them up a level. I did some workshops on podcasting, which is something that I want to do, but haven’t felt that I have enough knowledge to do. Too bad we don’t have Macs because Garageband is the coolest thing! I will do podcasts with audacity and other tools.

Did you know that headphones use the same technology as microphones? If you plug headphones into the microphone jack you can use them as a microphone! My students are doing that to narrate their digital stories. The quality is not as good as if you used a microphone, but until I figure out how often I’ll podcast, I’m starting out with headphones (Note: I didn’t learn this at FETC – I learned it from my friend’s 14 year old son)

I didn’t win an ipod as a matter of fact I didn’t win anything. But I have decided that I NEED a video ipod, so I’ll be buying one next weekend

I have a ton of stuff to go through and new websites to visit – I’ll post any other good stuff as I find it.

This Wednesday, January 24th, I’m heading to FETC – Florida Educational Technology Conference – held in Orlando. I have gone to this conference for the past 4 years (I think this is year #5). I also went 8 years ago.

I love this conference! Every year I get some great ideas to use in my classroom – software and best practices. One year I won a copy of Office 2003 and last year I won a copy of OneNote. This year I really want to win a new ipod

There are two software programs that I found last year that I still use in my classroom, and will continue to use. EdClass is a program with lessons that integrate core curriculum with Office products. It is only for Windows (maybe they have a Mac version that I am not aware of) and offers options for Win98, 2000 and XP. You can also choose your Office version from 2000, XP or 2003. I bought this for use as my computer curriculum, but my media specialist thought it would be great for everyone. There are plenty of activities to go around. I did a (poorly attended) training and then no one ever used the program.

The other program that I found last year is my favorite! NetSupportSchool is a program that allows me to monitor the computers in my classroom. It not only lets me *spy* on the students’ computers, but it also lets me take control of their computers in order to help. It also lets me broadcast lessons and videos from my computer to all of theirs. I can even log on, log off, shutdown and reboot the computers from my workstation. There is so much that this program does and I haven’t even learned it all. We bought this program for my computer lab, and two other rooms. The research teacher has a mini-lab of 13 computers and the media center has a full lab of 25 computers. For some reason we never installed the program in those rooms. That reminds me to check on that next week. We should do it in the media center at least. We didn’t have a permanent research teacher at the beginning of the year, and then when we did hire one, I didn’t want to overwhelm her with added technology.

I am looking forward to finding new ideas at this year’s FETC. Is anyone else out there who reads my blog going?