Memorial Day Tribute

The slide show created by Daniel Breitfeller. The music is "Dogs of War" from the Medal of Honor: European Assault soundtrack.

The Future of Print Media?

Could this be the future of print media? Will this become the standard format for books and magazines? Will this be a good thing or is there a downside? What are you thoughts?

Point and Shoot Foreign Language Translation...There's an App for That??

Point your iPhone or iPad at a sign written in Spanish and see it translated into English before your eyes? Yep, that's what Word Lens is all about.



I have not seen the app in action, so I have no idea whether or not it's as good as the video. Wow, just think of the possibilities!

On Your Graduation, Wishing You Discomfort, Anger, Tears, and Foolishness

A thought for you on your graduation:
 
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen

                                                          --A Franciscan Blessing

Famous Failures

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.

-Henry Ford

Beginner's Guide to QR Codes

The Eye on Education Blog is featuring links to recent posts on QR codes. Check it out here.

Why the BlackBerry Playbook?

When Apple came out with the iPad, I asked myself a question many of us have asked. “Why do I need one? What’s missing by not having one?”

As talk of BlackBerry joining the tablet field grew, I decided to hold off at least until the Playbook came out. That day happened just a few weeks ago. I did buy the Playbook, and this post will share my reasoning. Hopefully, it will help others who are faced with the same decision.

What Hole Does It Fill?
My BlackBerry smartphone gives me the ultimate in portability. All of my precious Outlook data goes with me in my pocket. I have a camera, video recorder, voice recorder, and pretty much the kitchen sink, and it’s all on something about the size of deck of cards.

My laptop gives me the full computing power of a desktop computer. I have the Office suite. I can log onto a Wi-Fi hotspot at any number of locations. I can compose document. I can give PowerPoint presentations.

So what’s missing? What hole would a tablet fill? What would it do better than the tools I already have? What would it not do as well as the tools I already have?

I did try to keep an open mind. After all, my laptop is almost five years old. It’s still running Windows XP. Even though I replaced the hard drive only a year ago, I would be due for a new laptop at some point anyway. Would a tablet be a suitable replacement?

Why the BlackBerry?

Today's smartphone market offers an array of options. It is also highly competitive. The latest figures show the Android holding 33% of the market, BackBerry at 29%, and the iPhone at 25%. If you are in the market for a new phone, which one should you buy, especially when the leading competitors are all excellent choices? This post is about the reasons behind my choice, the BlackBerry.

The BlackBerry Syncs With Outlook
I could probably end the post with that last statement...The BlackBerry sync with Outlook. Other leading brands do not. My last post explained why I use Outlook and have done so since 2001. The leading handheld device at that time was the Palm. Palm provided a great piece of desktop software for free, but they also understood how popular and powerful Outlook was. Therefore, you were provided two options: sync with the Palm Desktop or sync with Outlook. I wish every smartphone offered the options to sync with Outlook.

Most of us have Microsoft Office, complete with Outlook, so when you buy a BlackBerry, there is no need to look for any third-party software to manage your calendar, to-dos, contacts, etc. Install the BlackBerry Desktop Software on your computer, run through the simple setup procedures, and you are ready to share your organizational data between your computer and your BlackBerry.

Go with another smartphone, and you will find plenty of options. One program handles your calendar. Another one handles to-dos. Finding one that has calendar, to-dos, contacts, and reference information rolled into one is. Finding something that does all of that at no additional cost is even tougher.

The Task List Search Function is Fast and Easy
When I look at the BlackBerry task list, I see a list of my to-dos in order by due date. With the most overdue items at the top and the things I need to do years from now, such as renewing my driver’s license in four years, at the bottom. But what if I want to find a particular item or group of items?

I press one of the two "convenience keys" on my BlackBerry Bold to bring up my task list. If I simply start typing, the device starts narrowing the list. With each key stroke, the list narrows instantly to only the entries which contain that string of letters. Because it happens with each keystroke, I never have to wait on search results. In a future post, I will discuss how to use the task list in more detail.

It's Easy to Share My Methodology With Others
I do what I do with Outlook and the native BlackBerry software. When I work with someone else who has Outlook and a BlackBerry, we do not have to begin by purchasing additional software. We do not begin by downloading any new software. We can jump right into methodology, because we already have everything we need.

I do keep my eyes and ears open for other software that helps people organize their lives. One of the main reasons I do so is that non-BlackBerry users need some options, since other leading brands do not sync with Outlook. I want to be ready to help people succeed with whatever smartphone they have.

For my own use, however, I already have everything I need. That's certainly not to take away from any software that has been developed. There is some good stuff out there. I am a proponent of people using digital tools to make managing their lives easier, and anyone willing to write software to that end has my full support.

It's simply a matter of when you have Outlook and a BlackBerry, all you need is some instruction on how to use what is already at your fingertips. That's the easy part.

Why Outlook?

For over a decade, my Day-Timer and I were inseparable. After a great deal of thought, I made the switch and went digital. Outlook became the tool which managed my life. The Palm became the "satellite" that allowed me to take my data everywhere. That was 2001.

Ten years later, I still manage my life with Outlook. My BlackBerry is now the satellite. Yes, there were other options back then, and yes there are even more options now. Why Outlook then?
Why Outlook now?

All the Eggs in One Basket
I have never been one to embrace lots of tools. Let's keep it simple. Give me one tool that can do it all. I hear so many conversations that go something like this:

I use Outlook Express to manage e-mail.
I use Google Calendar to keep up with appointments.
I use ToodleDo to keep up with tasks.
I use (fill in your own blank) to manage phone numbers.
I use (fill in another blank) to manage e-mail addresses.
I use Pad of Notes to manage miscellaneous reference information.

That's all well and good. I prefer a different route.
I use Outlook to manage e-mail
I use Outlook to keep up with appointments.
I use Outlook to keep up with tasks.
I use Outlook to manage phone numbers.
I use Outlook to manage e-mail addresses.
I use Outlook to manage miscellaneous reference information.

Are you seeing a pattern here?

Because I have everything in one program, all of the data "talks to" the rest of the data. Using "drag and drop," when I receive an e-mail with information about where I am supposed to be, I drag it to the Calendar button. Outlook creates a new appointment and includes the entire body of the e-mail message in the note section of that appointment.

When the e-mail concerns something I am supposed to do, and I don't want to do it right then, dragging the e-mail to the Task button creates a new task. It fills in the subject line of the task with the subject line of the e-mail, which I can then edit. It puts the entire body of the e-mail message in the note section of the Task.

I can drag a Note to the Mail button and instantly create an e-mail. The text of the Note appears in the body of the of the e-mail message. Drag and drop saves tons of time and allows me to get the e-mail Inbox empty on a daily basis.

Outlook is Readily Available
If you have Microsoft Office, you have Outlook. Admittedly, you can buy stripped down versions of Office for home use that do have include Outlook, but the standard Office program is going to give you Outlook. There is nothing else to buy.There is no annual fee. There is no "free for the basic version but here's the charge for the upgraded model" to worry about.

Outlook Has Stood the Test of Time
I have been using Outlook for 10 years, and it has been around a good while longer than that. People have put it through its paces time and time again. Because it has been around so long and is so popular, there are countless help resources on the Internet and countless people who can help out with best practice.

Outlook Will Carry the Heavy Load
Sure, you can fine plenty of programs that will let you make a to-do list. Entering half a dozen tasks is one thing. When you really and truly use one program to keep up with all of your tasks, repeating tasks, and goals with their various steps and supporting information, you are looking at over 1,000 tasks, and that's a conservative figure for most people. Yesterday, I renewed my driver's license. I already have a Task in Outlook reminding me to renew again--in 4 years.That's what I mean when I say keeping up with all of your tasks.

Will the task program you are considering carry that sort of load? Can you search it quickly and pull a bit of information that is embedded in the note section of a task? How quickly can you reschedule dates on 100 different tasks? Outlook makes it look easy.

Here to Stay
You and I see companies go belly up every day. I just don't see Microsoft being one of them. We also see companies hook you with a "free" services that one day become not so free anymore.

What are you going to do if and when the company that hosts your valuable data in the cloud goes out of business? What are you going to do if and when they say, "Sorry, but we lost all of your data," and then point to something in the user agreement that says they are not responsible in case of loss of data.

Every bit of my Outlook data resides in one file. Every appointment, every to-do, every contact, every piece of reference information, every sent e-mail--It's all in one file. Every week, I back up that file with a copy on my hard drive and a copy in the cloud using Dropbox. Every month, a copy of that file goes onto an external hard drive.  

Have I considered going with other options? Not for more than 5 seconds. Not when something has worked this well for this long. That's my answer. That's "Why Outlook?"

What are your thoughts? Anyone have other reasons you like Outlook? Are there dissenting opinions?

What I Wish I Had Know Before I Set Up My BlackBerry Playbook

Having been a BlackBerry user for 5 years, I had been looking forward to the release of the Playbook. A week ago today, I made my purchase. In short, I am enjoying the Playbook, but there were some frustrating moments with setup. In short, the frustration should not have been with the product, but instead with the instructions and with some items I though tech support should have known but did not.

In this post, I will share what I learned along the way to save others time and stress. Saving people time and stress is pretty much what this whole blog is about anyway!

Sarah Kay: If I Should Have a Daughter...

This TED Talk, filmed in March 2011, seems particularly timely for Mother's Day.

The Worst Things are Never the Last Things

It was a week ago today that tornadoes ripped across Alabama. Within a day, my wife and I received calls, e-mails, and Facebook messages from friends in various parts of the country making sure we were OK. Yes, we were spared any damage, although parts of our city were not as fortunate.

As we began to hear statistics, we also began to hear of friends, or friends of friends, who had lost their homes, or worse. The statistics began to take on faces. Every  Alabamian was impacted in some way by this series of tornadoes.

The following morning, Good Morning America aired this story.

The devastation in Cordova and Tuscaloosa is captured in these pictures. Thanks to Andrea Hollenbeck for her permission to embed this collection. Music is "I Shall Not Walk Alone" by The Blind Boys of Alabama.

Yesterday, a prayer service at Birmingham's Samford University included this video created by Lawrence Mathis:



 
Almost 25 years ago, I listened to Dr. John Claypool deliver a sermon in which he made the point again and again, "The worst things are never the last things." I have thought about those words many times since. I have thought about them a great deal this week. He ended that sermon with the story of the funeral for Sir Winston Churchill. In Dr. Claypool's words:

The account of Churchill’s funeral at St. Paul’s Cathedral confirms this fact. He had carefully planned it himself and included in it some of the great hymns of the Church and all of the wonder of our Anglican liturgy. Furthermore, there were two things that he specifically requested at the end that made it unforgettable for every person there. When the benediction had been said from the high altar, silence fell over the packed Cathedral. A bugler high up in the dome of St. Paul’s had been asked to play the familiar sound of “Taps,” a well-known signal marking the end of something. Those haunting notes brought home to everyone there the realization that an era had come to an end, and it was reported that there was hardly a dry eye in the church. 

However, as Churchill had requested, after the notes of “Taps” had sounded, another bugler on the other side of the dome, began to play “Reveille.” “It’s time to get up, it’s time to get up, it’s time to get up in the morning.” That final touch caught everyone by surprise, but revealed where Churchill had gotten the strength across the years to never give up. He did believe that the worst things are never the last things and the final sounds of history will not be “Taps” but “Reveille.”

We are already hearing "Reveille." On Sunday morning, our congregation listened as The Rev. David Hall talked about events of  the previous several days and how we could best help in the coming days, weeks, and months. David's position is unique in that he serves us as an ordained priest and is also a full-time employee of The United Way.

David Hall told us of the 47,000 phone calls fielded by his office. So many of them were requesting help. So many others, from every part of the country, were offering help. In short, he asked us to keep eyes and ears open for lists of things that would appear for needed items and to respond to those lists. "Don't just show up," he said. He told us more ham and turkey sandwiches have been prepared than those in need could possibly eat. Needs for bottled water had already been handled. Realistically, the tornadoes of Alabama will soon cease to be national news, yet the needs will continue long after the attention has shifted. "Watch for those lists," he said. He also added, "Write a check."

Last Thursday, David issued this communication:

I have been working on our United Way emergency response team since early this morning.  The devastation throughout Birmingham and the rest of the state is significant.  Currently, FEMA and law enforcement are discouraging volunteer efforts in the areas hit because conditions are not safe.  The best response is to do just as Stephen asks and make contributions to disaster relief through the Rector’s Discretionary fund or United Way’s website at www.uwca.org and you will see Tornado Disaster Relief on the home page.  I did not see a Disaster Relief link on the diocesan webpage but I am sure they will accept donations as well.  That website address is www.dioala.org.  Walmart gift cards are also an excellent idea.

When the time comes that volunteers will be valuable and needed, that effort is being coordinated through Hands on Birmingham, United Way’s volunteer recruitment division.  People who wish to volunteer their time should go to www.handsonbirmingham.org and click on TORNADO VOLUNTEERS.  You will be contacted when conditions are safer and volunteer teams are being formed.  Whether you make a financial contribution, give your time, or offer your prayers, thanks for the help you will provide for those who were impacted last night.

In the past week, in places like Tuscaloosa and Cullman, Hackleburg and Cordova, and in many other towns throughout Alabama, shock is turning into resolve. Hopelessness is turning into hope. Mourning what was lost is turning into thanksgiving for all that remains. As the notes of "Taps" fade, the sounds of "Reveille" grow stronger.

Alabama will rebuild, will make things even better than before, and will do so with the assistance and prayers of friends all over this nation. The worst things are never the last things.

Clips from "Teacher Movies"

During National Teacher Appreciation Week, enjoy some film clips from some of the popular "teacher movies" of our time. Music by .38 Special.

Be Kind to Animals Week

Hi! My name is Cabrio. I wish I could tell you how old I am or what my days as a pup were like. You see, I was picked up on the road as a stray in an eastern Tennessee town. The next thing I knew, I was at animal control. There were lots of dogs there, but I felt so alone and so scared.

I knew what was happening. With more dogs than room to accommodate us, others around me were disappearing into this room in the back and not coming back out again. Being “put down” was what they called it. I just knew I might be next.

Then, this lady who said she was from a place called the Bright Hope Animal Rescue appeared and asked to look at me. I have to admit, I was really pretty much a mess at that point. They actually had to shave off all of my fur because of the mess I was in. She came back to visit me a second time, and this time I wound up going home her. For the next several months, I stayed at the rescue. There were lots of other dogs and even horses that lived there.

That brings me to my home now. One day, a car drove up into the driveway. The man and woman who got out seemed awfully interested in me and wanted to talk to me and pet me. As it turned out, they wanted to adopt me and take me to their house to live forever.

My days have been good ever since. I have a soft bed and plenty of treats. My new owners seem ecstatic when they say “sit” and I do or when they say “shake” and I lift up my right front paw. If that makes them happy, I am game! My fur is growing back a little more every day, and my owners think I am so pretty.

But from time to time, I do think, “What if that lady from Bright Hope had not stopped by?" I am afraid to say I probably would not be alive right now to tell you my story.

There are animal shelters all over that are overflowing. Our stories are all different. In some cases, our stories are tragic. During my time there, I met some friends who would make great pets if just given a chance. I hope they found homes.

This is “Be Kind to Animals Week.” There is perhaps no better way to celebrate it than to visit a shelter and give one of us a forever home. Another way you can show your kindness if to make a donation to one of the rescues in your area. They work tirelessly to find loving homes for loveable pets. And, they make a difference. Bright Hope sure made a difference for me!

Have You Looked at Blogger Lately?

Blogger continues to add enhancements. Current Blogger user will probably get a few ideas from this video.

Tryphone Makes Selecting a Cell Phone Easier

The number of cell phone selections can be overwhelming. A site called TryPhone is designed to make the process easier. You will be able to choose from a selection of featured phones. You then see an interactive video demo of your selection. You may select from a number of tasks and have the the site walk you through the steps. The site also allows you to select any two phones and see a comparison of features.

Going to this site is certainly no substitute for holding the phone in your hands. It may, however, be a good prerequisite to a trip to the retailer.

How Can I Use QR Codes?

In the last three posts, you learned what QR codes are, where to download a reader, and how to create them. Today, we will learn some practical uses for this tool.

Would you like for visitors to view videos of current school events? Post a QR code on the wall of the main office and consider it done. Visitors scan the QR code and view the video while they wait for their appointment.

Would you like the entire community to view those “current events”? Post that same QR on bulletin boards and windows throughout the community.

Ah, but the “current information” changes, right? No need to pull down those flyers and put up new ones. As long as the new information replaces the old and uses the same URL, the QR code can remain the same.

The spring play is coming up and you would love to include a wealth of information in the printed program. Printing costs, however, are high. The solution? Keep the program simple, but include a few QR codes. While the audience waits for the play to begin, they enjoy a slide show of photos, read bios for each actors, digest letters from the superintendent and principal, and even view a video of “out-takes” from rehearsal, all from a smartphone or tablet.

In our profession dealings, we exchange business cards with other people. Later, we manually enter their contact information in our electronic address books. Want to shorten that process? Create a QR code for your own information. Save it as a JPEG and transfer it to your smartphone’s photo collection. Now, you can give someone your “electronic business card” by letting them scan the QR code. Your information is safe and sound in their contacts without anything having to manually enter anything.

One of this blog’s readers mentioned putting a QR code with his contact information on the back of the school ID he already wears.

What about putting a QR code of your school’s contact information on promotional material? As people scan the QR code, your institution’s information becomes a part of their contacts.

Flash cards have been a popular study tool for generations. QR codes add a new dimension. Instead of hiding the answer by putting it on the reverse side of each card, you can create a single sheet with all of the questions. Next to each question is a QR code containing the text for the correct answer. Students check themselves by scanning the code and viewing the answer on the smartphone’s screen.

Do you have items you want students to identify on sight? Budding geologists should be able to identify various rocks. In anatomy class, students should be able to identify the bones on a skeleton. Print the QR codes for the names of the rocks or bones and attach them. Students check their knowledge by scanning the QR codes to reveal the correct answer on the screen of the smartphone.

You have a flat tire. You open the trunk and are a little unsure as to the steps for changing the tire. But right there on the inside of the trunk is a QR code. You scan the code, and on your smart phone see a video for how to change the tire.

Enjoy this short video on QR codes:
 

Whether it’s turning a sheet of paper into a multimedia presentation, opening a door to a larger document, unlocking hidden text, or sharing contact information, QR codes offer a new dimension to how we can communicate information.

What ideas come to mind for you that we have not listed?

Create Your Own QR Codes

In the last two posts, we learned what "Quick Reference" codes are all about and where you can get a reader. In this post, you will learn how to create your own. Several sites are available for you to create QR codes in seconds.

Kaywa

This very simple site asks you to enter the URL and click "generate." To save and use the code, click directly on the QR code to view the it in a separate window. Right-click and save the image to your computer. Another option is to copy the html code for later use on a website or blog.

Notice that Kaywa also allows a phone option. Enter a telephone number. When someone scans the resulting code, it will call the phone number. If the phone number has an exchange, my own experiments indicate you follow the phone number with an "x" and the extension. The smartphone calls the number, pauses, and enters the extension.

Mobile-Barcodes

This generator operates much like Kaywa. This site also allows you to compose a QR code that will create a new e-mail message on the smartphone with an address, subject, and pre-formatted text body. You will also see a simple "message" option. Rather than taking the viewer to another site, you see a message immediately on the screen.

Online QR Lab

This generator does all of the things we have discussed to this point, but also allows you to create a contact. Add your own contact information, and when others scan the QR code, you will be added to their smartphone contacts.

Kerem Erkan

Browse the drop-down list of QR code types you can create. Your result appears as a very large code on the screen. Right-click and save to your computer

Bit.ly

If you already use Bit.ly as your link shortener, realize there is a built in QR code generator. After creating a shortened URL, refresh and click the "Info page" beside the link. There you will see your QR code.

BlackBerry Messenger

If your BlackBerry does not already have Messenger installed, clicking the above link will allow you to download it. When you open Messenger on your BlackBerry, press the menu key and select "Scan a Group Bar Code." This code reader will take you to a URL or make a phone call. I have found it does not support some of the other options, such as e-mail or messages.

As you see, creating QR codes is easy. Now the question becomes, "Why would you want create them?" Perhaps you are already thinking of some uses. The next post, the last in this series, will provide some practical uses for QR codes.

Have you benefited from this series on QR codes? If so, send me an e-mail. In fact, you can scan the code you find in this post. It will create an e-mail with my address completed, a subject, and a pre-formatted body. Depending on the reader, the subject and text of the e-mail in the address line, but don't worry. The e-mail will send successfully.

Have you been able to scan QR codes? Have you created some of your own? Tell me about your experience.

Download Your Own QR Code Reader

In the last post, we introduced the concept of "Quick Response" codes, better known as "QR" codes.To use a QR code reader, you will need a smartphone equipped with a camera. The next step is to download a reader. The one I use on my BlackBerry is called "QR Code Scanner Pro." You can download it for free here.

Here is a list of other sources for downloading QR code readers:

2d Code
Best QR Code Readers
5 QR Code Readers for iPhone
QR Code Readers for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7

In addition, if you have a BlackBerry with BlackBerry Messenger, you already have a built-in QR code reader. Open the BlackBerry Messenger, press the Menu key, and choose "Scan a Group Barcode."

How do you use the QR code reader? When you see a QR code, open the reader on your smartphone. The smartphone will use your camera to let you see the code. Position the smartphone so that you can comfortable see all of the image.

With both QR Code Scanner Pro and the reader built into BlackBerry Messenger, simply hold the smartphone still. In a couple of seconds the reader confirms that it has successfully scanned the code and gives you a prompt as to whether or not you wish to go ahead with the results.Other software may require you to press a key to start the scan. Once you have confirmed the selection, your browser opens and you are taken to the link.

That's all there is to it! You may notice that scanning a QR code on your smartphone is the on-the-go equivalent of clicking a link when we are on our computers. QR codes allow those "links" to show up anywhere in our environment.

At this point, you have probably already seen some practical uses for QR codes and may have some others in mind. In the next post, you will lean how to create QR codes. In the post following that, we will look at some ways you could use this tool.

Have you been able to download and begin using a QR code reader? I would like to hear your thoughts.

What are QR Codes All About?

I remember when funny little black and white rectangles started appearing on products in the grocery store. Today, we are all accustomed to those bar codes. We know that the pattern of black lines contains information and that a special scanner is needed to read that information.

Now, we are beginning to see a different pattern. This one is square, with the area being filled with a small squares of black and white.Welcome to QR codes. "QR" stands for "Quick Response."

What does a QR code do?
When you scan a QR code with a special reader, the most common result is that it takes you directly to a website. That website may then give additional information or show you a video. However, the QR code can be used to make a phone call or create an pre-formatted email.

The thing that is making QR codes grow in popularity is the ability to download a reader to your smartphone. Then, when you see a QR code in a magazine you are reading, on a flyer taped to a store window, or on a piece of promotional material, you can scan the code and see the additional information.

In the next three posts, you will learn how to do each of the following:

1. Download a QR code reader to your smartphone.
2. Create your own QR codes.
3. Implement QR codes in a practical way.

What are your thought so far on the topic of QR codes?

Google Language Tools

In the technology workshops I conduct, Google's language translation capability is a topic I enjoy. We all use Google, yet many people have not noticed the little "language tools" link. That link allows us to type text in one language and have it translated to another. The same area allows us to enter a URL and view the site in another language. I have used that capability for years to allow people to translate any of the blogs I have authored into another language just by clicking a link.

How accurate is the translation? Those who speak foreign languages fluently tell me that grammatical and syntax errors are common. The meaning, however, is conveyed well.   

Just how does Google handle the process of language translation? This video provides an interesting explanation.

What Can I Do With a Document Camera?

What can you do with a document camera? Basically, you can take any object and project it for an audience to see.

LCD projectors attached to computers have given us the ability to take anything that can be brought to a computer screen and project it for a large group to see. In the same way, a document camera attached to a projector allows someone to put a piece of paper or a three-dimensional object under the device and see the imagine on a large screen.

Need some specifics for how a document camera can be used?
Here are some ideas.

NAESP 2011

Thanks to those who came to "Data That Matters." As a reminder, you can download the tool from FrankBuck.org. Click the "Free Resources" link, and look for "Data That Matters."

This session was recorded, so whether you attended the session and want a refresher or whether you were unable t attend, you will be able to download the presentation. My understanding is that you will be able to download the presentation from this site.I am not sure when the presentation will become available, so check back.

The Networked Student

"The Networked Student" was inspired by CCK08, a Connectivism course offered by George Siemens and Stephen Downes during fall 2008. It depicts an actual project completed by Wendy Drexler's high school students. The Networked Student concept map was inspired by Alec Couros' Networked Teacher. Teachers may use it to help their colleagues, parents, and students understand networked learning in the 21st century.

Sir Ken Robinson on Changing Education Paradigms

I am looking forward to hearing Sir Ken Robinson speak at NAESP. Enjoy the following talk accompanied by the "quick draw" artwork.

Instant Grader--Final Project for Online Course

This post is primarily for the benefit of those who, along with me, took an online course entitled "Using Google to Become a 21st Century Administrator." The "final project" of the class involves implementation of what was learned in the course and a presentation of that learning. This video outlines the problem addressed and the solution I created using Google Docs.

Now that you have watched the video, how about taking the Instant Grader for a test drive?

Click here to see what a student would see and take a test. 

Hitting "Enter" will submit the test for grading. Also, scrolling to the bottom of the screen and clicking "Submit" ends the test.

Want to see what the teachers sees? Click here. 

Use the two tabs at the bottom of the screen you see to examine both the raw data and the graded test.

So, what do you think?

21st Century Education

This video was produced by the New Brunswick (Canada) Department of Education. Its purpose is to stimulate discussion among educators and other public education stakeholders within the province of New Brunswick. The video demonstrates the rapid change in our society due to technology and the changes predicted for the future. The video explores the world of students today and the world that students will step into following graduation.

Next is Now

"Next is Now" depicts the human connections empowered by rapid changes in communications technology both in Canada and around the world. "Next is Now" was produced by Rogers with support from 76design and Thornley Fallis.

E-Mail Makes Us Stupid??

We now have research that shows E-mail makes us stupid! A study done in Great Britain found that e-mail lowers our IQ by 10 points. Hewlett-Packard commissioned the study which found that the constant interruptions of e-mail, instant messages, and cell phones temporarily lower a person’s IQ. The 10 point drop is more than double the IQ dip associated with smoking marijuana—a mere 4 points.

Is it really e-mail that is the culprit? I certainly don’t think so, at least not when e-mail is used correctly. E-mail can be one of the best tools we have going for us. We ignore it and take care of other business. At some point in the day, we turn our full attention to our e-mail, handle every message, and get “in” to “empty.”

On the other hand, there are those who check their e-mail constantly to see if anything new has arrived. They read and re-read messages without ever making a decision about what needs to be done with any of them. Their in-boxes grows with each passing day. I don’t doubt that their IQs drops and their stress levels rise.

Likewise, the cell phone can be a blessing. You can make calls from anywhere. The problem is people can track you down anywhere and at any time. (We have probably all had the experience of being in the restroom and hearing the phone ring in the next stall.) That’s where technology can become a curse.

Our challenge is to be sure that our technology makes our lives easier, reduces our stress levels, and functions as the wonderful servant it can be. Technology can trap those calls in voice mail, quietly hold those e-mails until we choose to handle them all, and beautifully organize our to-do lists so that our minds can engage in creative thought.

Technology—a valuable tool or terrible distraction? As technology becomes increasingly important in our culture, we had better determine its function.

What are the challenges that you face with e-mail? 

What solutions have you found?

"Five Tips for a Clean Desktop and Peace of Mind" ASCD Conference Daily

If you are visiting here for the first time as a result of the ASCD session, welcome! Thanks to everyone who came out at 8:00 AM on a Saturday morning to hear "Get Organized: The 5 Keys to Organization & Time Management." I was blown away by the article which appeared the following morning in the "Conference Daily." Robyn Gee really captured the essence of the presentation in her article, "Five Tips for a Clean Desktop and Peace of Mind."

I hope you will come back often as we take the 90-minutes we spent together and use it to begin a conversation that will last as long as you choose to participate. Each time I compose a new blog post, I also post a link to it on Twitter shortly thereafter. If you would like to follow me on Twitter, you will automatically get a "heads up" when new material appears here.

For all conference attendees, you will begin receiving a set of six weekly e-mail newsletters, each one reviewing one of the major pieces of the presentation. After that, a newsletter each month will continue to bring you tips on improving organization and time management while decreasing stress.

Data That Matters

Do you find yourself drowning in data yet starved for meaning? Do you have filing cabinets filled with data, yet you are at a loss as to how to organize and communicate what the data is showing? If you are coming to Tampa this April, you can get some help!

“Data That Matters” provides a single, specially-formatted spreadsheet into which schools can enter and track all group or individual data. You will be able to see at a glance past performance, current performance, goals, and the degree to which the school is accomplishing its goals.

Join me for “Data That Matters: Using a Balanced Scorecard to Summarize and Organize Data” and learn the following:

• The purpose of a balanced scorecard.
• The types of data which can be tracked using a balanced scorecard.
• The difference between leading and lagging indicators.
• How to set and record student achievement goals.
• A variety of uses for the balanced scorecard throughout the year.
• How to download and begin using the balanced scorecard.
• How to use the balanced scorecard as the centerpiece of a strategic plan.

This session will be held on Saturday, April 9 starting at 4:15. 

Hope to see you there!

NAESP has selected this session to be recorded
and made available to all attendees.

Social Media Revolution

Is social media a fad?

Or is it the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution? You be the judge
This video is produced by the author of Socialnomics.

Handling Social Media

During March, we have taken a fairly basic look at Twitter and Facebook. If you are a newsletter subscriber, the issue you received at the beginning of the month also dealt with social media. If you are not already a newsletter subscriber, you can read that issue here.

To join the subscription list, follow this link. You will receive a set of six introductory newsletters, one each week for six weeks. You will also begin receiving the monthly newsletters.

An Organized Approach to Rigor

If you are like me, the thing that stands between hearing about good practices and implementing them is a step-by-step approach. As long as it's fuzzy, I am going to devote my energy to the many tasks at hand that are clear. My friend Barbara Blackburn is well known for her work on rigor. In this guest post, she provides concrete steps for how a school can begin the journey.


Dr. Blackburn writes:

The question I'm asked most often is, "How can I get teachers to understand what rigor is? How do we move past 'rigor is giving students more work'?"

There are a variety of ways to address this question, but I recommend a five-step approach. You can use this process with your entire faculty, or your site-based leadership committee, or any stakeholder group:

1. Begin by asking your teachers or stakeholders their views on rigor. This can be done through a discussion, but it may be more helpful (and honest) to ask them to answer these questions anonymously.

1. What is rigor?
2. What are teachers doing in a rigorous classroom?
3. What are students doing in a rigorous classroom?

2. Compile all the answers and distribute them to your group. Be sure to keep the answers anonymous. Go ahead and do this now, so there will be time to reflect on and discuss the responses.

3. Work with faculty/stakeholders to review the relevant research on rigor. You can do this by asking small groups to read differing perspectives of rigor, then sharing what they learned with the group. As a starting point, try this chapter from my book, Rigor is NOT a Four-Letter Word that is available online.

4. Either in small groups, or as a whole group, compare the research to the teachers' answers. Discuss which elements are most important, and which are validated by research.

5. At this point, introduce a comprehensive view of rigor. Rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels (Blackburn, 2008). Facilitate a discussion of how the differing elements fit within this definition. Then, come to a consensus as to an appropriate definition of rigor. Feel free to use mine, or adapt it as needed!

The process will take time, but it will also foster a deeper understanding of the true meaning of rigor. After all, just because "rigor" comes between "rigmarole" and "rigor mortis" in the dictionary (a quote from James Beane) doesn't mean we can't use it to help students learn at higher levels.

For more information on Barbara Blackburn and the books she has authored, visit her Eye on Education author page. For further reading on the subject of rigor, visit Barbara's blog.

Facebook for BlackBerry

Part of the fun of Facebook is being able to view it from anywhere. Free apps for your mobile phone make that possible. I use Facebook for BlackBerry. Click the link to visit the site where you can download it. You can download a similar app for the iPhone or one for the Android.

My Facebook app allows me to match my Facebook Friends with their contact in Outlook. The profile picture for the friend then appears in Outlook as well as other information being shared between the two records.

Final Project...Personal Learning Network

Though I am retired from public education, keeping my Alabama administrative licensure alive is a priority. To fulfill the requirements, I am participating in several technology-related online courses. This latest is entitled “Developing and Growing Personal Learning Networks.” The final project for the course is to answer this question on my blog, allowing classmates to comment, while I in turn comment on their responses:

Reflect on how your personal learning network has changed and grown during the course of this workshop. Discuss your plans for how you plan to continue to grow your learning network and how you hope to contribute to the professional learning of your administrative colleagues.

The change in my personal learning network can be summed up in one word…growth. More people are following me on Twitter, I am following more people, more have visited my blog, and I have subscribed to additional blogs. The larger the network, the more valuable the network becomes for all of its members. My recent post on the value of the first fax machine illustrates that concept.

Like a snowball rolling downhill, a PLN gathers momentum and volume. Just before beginning this post, I started following @RickWormeli (and if you have ever heard Rick speak, you know what a leader in the field he is.) How did I even know he was on Twitter? Fellow author and friend @BarbBlackburn retweeted @ToddWhitaker who was letting everyone know about @RickWormeli. So I started following both @RickWormeli and @ToddWhitaker. I look forward to the insight I can gain from both of these giants, and learn while sitting comfortably at home, waiting in line at the grocery store, or awaiting boarding at the airport. Learning can now happen anywhere.

The course has caused me to focus on why I do what I do. In the forum, I have found myself talking about why I blog and why I use Twitter. I also found myself expanding those thoughts into blog posts earlier this month. March has pretty much been social networking month on this blog!

Eye on Education picked up on this thread and posted a reference to three of my blog posts related to Twitter. A retweet of “How Can I View Twitter? Four ways to view/compose content on #Twitter” was one of Eye on Education’s 5 most popular tweets of the week.

Perhaps the most significant new concept for me is a very practical application of QR codes. You will see an example on the right-hand column of this blog…that black and white square that probably makes no sense. What is it? What does it do? Stick around. Those are other posts for other times, but they are coming…

Where do I go from here? Stay the course. Continue to play in the bigger game and do my best to say things worth hearing and hear the things too significant to miss. Come join me!

Facebook Privacy Settings for Teens

In the last post, you heard about a comprehensive guide for parents. This post references the same organization which brought you that guide. This chart provides a chart listing recommended privacy settings for teens.

A Parent's Guide to Facebook

Both Facebook and online safety are hot topics in today's society. This guide, written by Anne Collier and Larry Magid of ConnectSafely.org, ahev written A Parent's Guide to Facebook. Click the link to download this free, 34 page guide. calm your fears by increasing your knowledge.

So Why Do We Have Daylight Saving Time?

CBS News composed this piece giving the history of Daylight Saving Time. The piece also questions whether or not the practice really saves anything.

TED Talk on Twitter

In the year leading up to this talk, the web tool Twitter exploded in size (up 10x during 2008 alone). Co-founder Evan Williams reveals that many of the ideas driving that growth came from unexpected uses invented by the users themselves.

Interview on Eye on Education Blog

I am featured today on the Eye on Education blog. Eye on Education had these questions:

1. When did organization, technology, and education first begin to overlap in your career?
2. As a teacher of the 21st century, do you find digital organization tools or physical organization tools to be more useful? Is there still a need for both?

You can read the interview here.

The interview continues tomorrow, where I answer these questions:

1. What is your new favorite time-saving online tool?
2. At what time in your life were you the most unorganized? Were you ever a procrastinator?
3. Please describe a student who impacted your life as a teacher. Why did he/she have this effect on you?

How Can I View Twitter?

The last post was designed to get the beginner started with Twitter. In this post, we will look at four ways to view and compose material on Twitter:

At the the Twitter Website
Simply go to http://Twitter.com and log into your account. You can view your Twitter account from any computer with Internet access.

From Your iGoogle Page
"TwitterGadget" is free and allows you to read and compose tweets right on your iGoogle page. Click here to see a more detailed description and to add TwitterGadget.

From Your Smartphone
I use a free program called "Ubersocial." The program allows me to compose and read tweets on the go. One feature I especially like is the ability to e-mail a tweet. As I am reading tweets, if I see one which will require a little time, such as viewing a link, I e-mail the tweet to myself an handle it when I return to my desktop computer. Another excellent, free, Twitter client for BlackBerry users is TwitterBerry.

 The Ultimate Tweet Organizer
TweetDeck is a free program that you download to your computer. It is also available for the iPhone and Android. TweetDeck allows you to organize your Tweets into a series of columns.

For example, I have a column of tweets from personal friends, another from people I have designated as "national figures," another for tweets which use the hashtag "#timemanagement," and another for those who use the hashtag"#eyeoneducation." I can create a column for any upcoming conference in order to follow discussions among people who use a hashtag for that conference. One columns holds the direct messages to me. Another one lists all of the tweets where I (@drfrankbuck) am mentioned. I even have a column that brings in my Facebook newsfeed and another with the newsfeed for just my closest friends.

One of the great features about TweetDeck is that you can compose a tweet now and schedule it to post at a particular future day or time. TweetDeck is a favorite with more advanced Twitter users who follow many people, track a variety of topics, and need a tool to organize it all. TweetDeck does a nice job in this arena.

Twitter and the First Fax Machine

What is the most useless invention you can think of? For me, it is the first fax machine. After all, if you are the only one with a fax machine, just who are you going to fax? And who is going to send a fax to you? When the second machine was sold, it had a little more value than the first. There was at least the possibility of  receiving a fax from one other person. Moreover, the second fax machine added value to the first machine by giving it a machine with which it could communicate.

Likewise, the third fax machine added value to both of the first two. And so it goes--every fax machine adds value to all of the others in existence.

So what does that have to do with Twitter? Twitter is dumb, or Twitter is extremely valuable. Which situation rings true for you or me has little to do with the tool itself. It has everything do to with the audience which embraces it.

To illustrate this point, just look at Facebook. When asked if they had a Facebook account as little, as three years ago, most adults would have called it a "teenage waste of time." Now it seems everyone uses it. And everyone uses it because...well, everyone else uses it. Facebook hit the "Tipping Point" somewhere in the last couple of years. Twitter has not, at least not yet.

What's the difference between the two? On the surface, what is striking are the similarities. "Following" someone on Twitter is the equivalent of being a Facebook "friend." You see the list of "tweets" from those you "follow" in the same way you see the "newsfeed" of all of your friends. You can "comment" on Facebook or click "reply" on a tweet. You can click to send a "message" to just one person (which only that person will see) on Facebook, or send a "direct message" (which only the one recipient will see) on Twitter.

With all of the similarities, what are differences? Why would someone have both?

First, to get more familiar with Twitter, here is a a very good introductory video. YouTube is full of similar Twitter videos.



So how is Twitter different from Facebook? To be "friends" with someone, you must send them a request and they must approve it. You are then friends with each other. You see what each other posts. With Twitter, you "follow" whoever you like. You do not need their approval (although they can block you if they like). When you follow someone, they are not necessarily following you.

To me, the biggest difference is the "hashtags" Twitter uses. Hashtags are a way to designate the tweet is for a certain group or about a certain subject. For example, I usually include #GetOrganized! at the end of my tweets. If my tweet relates to a particular conference, such as the ASCD conference later this month, I will include #ASCD2011 at the end of the Tweet.

The advantage of using hashtags is that it allows people interested in a certain subject to find tweets others have written on that subject. It allows people who write about a certain subject to be found by people interested in that subject. People interested in the ASCD conference can search Twitter for #ASCD2011 and find tweets from people who are presenting and learn more about their topics, talk with others who are attending, and share their experiences with people during and after the conference. It's sort of like having a large conference call.

The whole hashtag idea is very informal. There is no formal directory of official hashtags. One gets started, and others simply adopt that. Here is a collection of hashtags commonly being used in the world of education.

As a next step, I would recommend deciding what it is you want to do with Twitter. Do you want to communicate with a certain group, such as the rest of the teachers in your school? On the other hand, are you wanting to use the tool to follow topics of interest?

How will you use Twitter? If Twitter is going to be a tool to communicate with others in your school, the easiest thing would be for everyone to establish a Twitter account one day, exchange user names, and then start following each other the next day. One person "Tweets" and all of the others see it. Used in this way, Twitter would be similar to sending an e-mail to a distribution list. The difference is that instead of you adding people to your e-mail distribution list, they add themselves by following you.

The tweets you send could be announcing that school has been canceled due to weather (replacing the telephone tree many schools used previously), the current score of the basketball game you are attending, or the link to a great article you read that you think your colleagues would like.

In you want to join in the bigger game, you can use hashtags. Create a tweet and include the #edtech hashtag, and others interested in educational technology will likely see it. Create your own hashtag for your school faculty and it will be easy for your colleagues to find tweets related to the school.

Of course the best way to learn about Twitter is to jump in and learn as you go.

In the next post, I will talk about four places you could go to read Twitter.

A Thought to Begin National "Music in Our School Month"

I look forward to an America which will reward achievement in the arts as we reward achievement in business or statecraft. I look forward to an America which will steadily raise the standards of artistic accomplishment and which will steadily enlarge cultural opportunities for all of our citizens. And I look forward to an America which commands respect throughout the world not only for its strength but for its civilization as well.
—John F. Kennedy

A Resolution from the Alabama State Board of Education proclaims March as "Arts Education Month." The Resolution can be read here.

Talladega Chamber Ambassadors

I enjoyed speaking to the Talladega Chamber Ambassadors tonight, a fine group of high school students who are doing great things to make their community a better place to live.

As promised, this post recaps what we talked about:


reQall

1. Set up your free account at www.reqall.com.
2. After telling reQall what phone numbers you would be calling from and giving reQall your e-mail address, put reQall's number (1-888-973-7255)  in your phone as a contact and make it a speed dial.
3. You can get a free reQall app. Click for BlackBerry, iPhone, or Android.

iGoogle
iGoogle is like your own personal dashboard of all of your "stuff" every time you open your browser. You can also log in to your iGoogle page from any computer that has internet access so that you now have access to your tools from anywhere.

How do I get an iGoogle page?

1. Go to www.Google.com
2. In the upper right corner, look for "iGoogle" and "sign-in." Click "sign-in" to sign in to your Google account. If you don't have one, create one. It's free. You have to have a Google account in order to have an iGoogle page.
3. Go back to Google and click the link that says "iGoogle."
4. You are now at your iGoogle page.
5. Look for a link somewhere on the page that talks about making iGoogle your homepage. You will want to click that.
6. Now the fun starts. You get to choose the design for the top of the page and the "gadgets" you will have on your page. Look for "Change theme" and "Add stuff" at the top right.
7. You can get rid of any of the "stuff" by clicking on the "x."
8. You can re-arrange where each window is located by clicking and dragging it somewhere else on the screen.
9. Many of the gadgets have a little down arrow you can click to edit the settings. That way you can get the weather for your specific zip code, driving directions with your home address already filled in as the starting point, etc.  

As a starting point, you might want to just add the things I have on mine. If you click any of the links, it will take you right to the spot where you can click to add that gadget to your iGoogle page. Remember, if you don't like a gadget, you can always get rid of it. Here goes:

Google Bookmarks
Google Reader
Twitter
Facebook
Bit.ly URL Shortener
Weather
CNN.com
CNN Technology
People.com
ESPN.com
MapQuest Driving Directions
Area/Zip Code Lookup
Music
YouTube
Document to PDF
Movies
GoogleDocs
GoogleCalendar
reQall
Google Map Search
Portfolio Monitor
Calculator
Stopwatch
Flight Status
Wolfram/Alpha

If you have more than one computer, be sure to log into your iGoogle page and make it the home page on your other computer. When you are in a library or at some other computer away from home, you can go to Google and log into your iGoogle page. There's all of your stuff just like you were sitting at home!