CPT 30 Wiki - Gearing up for 08/09

I am SOOOO excited about teaching next year. I have moved from teaching physical education to my more current interest, which is technology. I am teaching one course that I am very excited about which is the Communication Production Technology 30 Course. I am planning on incorporating all that I have learned in the past year to this course. My students will blog and I am putting my entire year plan on a wiki. http://cpt-macklin-0809.wikispaces.com/

This wiki will eventually have everything from project explanation and assessment rubrics to showcasing student work.

This wiki is an obvious work in progress.

Up coming additions:
1. Digital Citizenship Introduction page.
2. Student Blog list page.
3. Project page
4. Assessment page
5. Student Work Showcase page
6. Macklin Radio Page

Photography 10 Field Trip

Today was a great day for picture taking. My five Photo 10 students and I picked up pizza and took aff at 1:00. We ate and had a photo scavenger hunt. Beautiful weather and the kids got some great shots.

Here are some of mine.

These are on my old 1.2 megapixel Sony Mavica. My 7.2 megapixel Sony Cybershot is ... well... out of commission.

My del.icio.us Wordle

This is an example of Wordle. I see myself using this as a part of my introduction on a unit or year plans. I am sure administration would love to decifer what I am doing for the year.

Compiling a list of Educational Technology Inspiration

I would like to compile a list of lessons, links, ideas or anything else that people have thought of, done or heard of that will help teachers not familiar with new technology.

I would like to give my staff a technology challenge each week next year. This challenge would be optional, however, those participating in the challenges would increase their knowledge and confidence in technology.

Here are some ideas I have so far:
1. VoiceThread
2. Claymation
3. Photo Challenges
4. Digital editing


Please comment on any suggestions or better yet, links you have.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada - My Privacy, My Choice, My Life

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada - My Privacy, My Choice, My Life

This is a great website to help teach kids how to keep their privacy, a HUGE part of digital citizenship.  Teaching a teenager how to keep their privacy used to be a parenting issue.  With the massive change of information exchange via the www, this is needed by almost all kids.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Why we need to teach technology!

I understand that my staff, along with many other teachers around Saskatchewan, Canada and the world, are unsure why the incredible push for technology integration throughout all courses and grades. This video by Carl Anderson helps to explain some of this need.

Are You Teaching for the Future?

Although this is a promotional video and the second half is all futuristic possibilities, it demonstrates where we need to go. So many possibilities.

Well ... are you ... teaching for the future ... ARE YOU?

Click here to see video.

Video by: celestefenton

My Problems with the "Technology Usage Policiy" in my School

Lately I have been questioned on my school computer use policy, why we block sites and only allow one web browser to be used. I struggle with coming up with a better way to police www. abuse.

My school is behind in general computer use and the staff takes little ownership or police'ing. This is mostly because of ignorance. I have tried to teach the staff how to watch for tricks students use; minimizing, proxy servers, other browsers via thumb drive or as simple as using another students account. Here is my list of problems to solve.

1. Inform the staff to a point of confidence with technology.
2. Pre-teach students the schools expectations according to technology usage in the school.
a. password protection
b. digital citizenship
c. technology usage responsibility
3. Through the staff, teach students digital citizenship to the point that blocking and filtering is barely needed.
a. Students understand and apply the general rule that if it is not educational, don't do it at
school.
b. Create a consequence list stern enough that rule breaking is deterred.
c. Create a flag system that warns staff and students of digital citizenship malpractice.
4. Build the schools technology hardware to a point that students are proud of what they have and what they are doing with technology.
5. Allow students to use browsers designed for their specific needs in respect to digital citizenship.

I believe that many schools and divisions are on the right path. I hope to get my school, staff and students, to a point that they can call themselves, Confident, Empowered and Engaged Digital Citizens.


Any suggestions?



Photo provided by Flickr.