EdTechWeekly #169 

September 26, 2010

Guest Host: Camilla Elliott

Dave and Jen welcome guest host Camilla Elliott, Teacher/Librarian from Melbourne, Australia, to continue the new format for EdTechWeekly that offers a deeper look into a smaller number of topics. This week, the discussion focuses on the following:

• Dave's Link: http://www.change.org/petitions/view/letter_to_nbc_news_protesting_the_one-sided_presentation_of_education_nation
• Jen's Link: There is NO way Jen can pass up speaking with our guest host about e-books in education!!! Here is a post Camilla recently made on her blog ( http://edubeacon.com/ ) sharing a discussion on the topic of e-books see -> http://edubeacon.com/?p=418 Questions for Camilla ... Where are we now vs where should / could we be with regard to e-books and e-publications in education? Are we near an e-publication vs print tipping point? What are the primary road blocks to e-distribution of library content (copyright? DRM / distribution rights? hardware?) Is there a e-delivery model you see as most viable?
• Camilla Elliott: Google Earth is a powerful tool for learning that provides a level of perspective to learning. Google Lit Trips developed by Jerome Burg and Google Lit Expeditions by Thomas Cooper are two sites that extend the use of Google Earth. A page of resources to support the use of these tools is available on my Linking for Learning wiki. For schools where GE is a problem, Dr Alice Christie has created Google Treksusing the simpler Google Maps which offers options for learning across the curriculum from Kindergarten to Adult. Attention is also drawn to the British Youth of Today project: Plugged in, untapped: using digital technologies to help young people learn to lead. This is a project dedicated to enabling and inspiring young people to lead positive social change. Resources for Victorian students and educators is accessible to all - FUSE portal - content is growing rapidly.

Join us for next week's guest Elizabeth Helfant, Instructional Technologist with Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School.

Wiki Agenda

Chat log below

EdTechWeekly #167 

September 12, 2010

Learning Networks: PLEs, Free vs Owned, Google Apps

Ending their summer hiatus, Dave, John, and Jen kick off a new format for EdTechWeekly that offers a deeper look into a smaller number of topics each week. This week, the focus is on learning environments. Dave shares links and insight into the new PLENK2010 MOOC (beginning this week) considering personal learning environments and networks. As a postmortem to the demise of most free Ning accounts, Jen asks the group to consider the implications of teachers using free vs owned online environments. John shares his perspective on using Google Apps in a school setting. 

Wiki Agenda

Chat log below