Voices from the Field
Bob and Bud talk about edtech actually working in the classroom
December 4, 2005

[scott] Hi Bob 
[bob_sprankle] hi scott! 
[bob_sprankle] is this scott lockman? 
[JeffLebow] Hey Guys 
[scott] yes, it is 
[bob_sprankle] great to meet you, scott! 
Bud has joined the chat. 
[Bud] you're big brother, huh? 
[scott] likewise, I'm looking forward to hearing yours and Bud's conversation 
[scott] turn your radios down, ;) 
dave-on-air has joined the chat. 
bobsprankle has joined the chat. 
[scott] what kind of Mac is Jeff Michigan using for webcasts? 
[dave-on-air] a bigger one 
BarbaraGanley has joined the chat. 
[dave-on-air] hi barbara 
[scott] hi Barbara 
[Bud] hi, Barbara 
[Bud] hello to you, too Scott 
[BarbaraGanley] Hi, Everyone--looking forward to the show 
[scott] Hey Bud 
[BarbaraGanley] Bummer--I left my headset at the office, so I'll have to ask my questions from here 
[dave-on-air] no worries 
RickRo has joined the chat. 
[dave-on-air] i've got your back... 
[dave-on-air] geeks!!! 
mknee has joined the chat. 
[Bud] yeah - geek. What can you do? 
bobsprankle has left the chat. 
bob_sprankle has left the chat. 
[BarbaraGanley] How have the podcasts contributed to their reading/writing skills, Bob? 
[dave-on-air] did that answer your Q. barb...? 
[BarbaraGanley] Yes, thanks. Another question for Bob: Are other teachers following suit and using podcasting in your school? 
[scott] It is neet to think about how Bob's students will move on in their education and demand bloging/podcasting in the future. 
[dave-on-air] hate to be their next teacher 
[BarbaraGanley] I agree on both pts. 
[BarbaraGanley] It's tough on kids (even my college students) who want to continue classroom blogging & podcasting! 
[dave-on-air] yeah... waddaya mean you want me to hand in a paper 
[mknee] Bob's kids will need teachers who are willing to be lead by kids 
[Bud] that's hard -- but you're right 
[BarbaraGanley] which is the challenge facing all of us--to bring fellow teachers along with us 
[mknee] it's a mind set change for some but others it is the only way 
[BarbaraGanley] Bud, I love the wiki! 
[Bud] thanks, Barbara 
[mknee] when kids start asking for new tech in the classroom, the teachers have a hard time saying no 
[BarbaraGanley] not necessarily on the college level--teachers hand onto their ways of doing things 
[BarbaraGanley] I mean, hang onto.. 
[mknee] right - I was speaking from my elem. school point of view 
leeb has joined the chat. 
[mknee] there is a real purpose for doing their work 
[mknee] and a responsibility to their audience 
[BarbaraGanley] Great question, dave about MSN language 
[BarbaraGanley] yikes, i dialed in--two different talks? 
[dave-on-air] is someone in the teleconference listening to the webcast? 
[leeb] It may not lose anything if the students are required but the requirements of what is blogged is less restricted 
[Bud] leeb -- i don't quite get you -- can you restate 
[leeb] nothing is lost when a student is required to come to school.... but how you conduct the class can set up for something lost 
[leeb] oh groovin' 
[leeb] If you restrict the direction of the blog too much, it may decrease its value.. 
[Bud] got it -- you're right 
[leeb] Sort of like cutting off a teachable moment. 
[Bud] I can't direct it too much or it gets olst 
[scott] The audio from Jeff sounds fine on the stream 
[dave-on-air] oh really? 
[leeb] Yes.. and the challenge to the teacher is to be able to introduce a thought stream that excites them into the dirction you wish
[leeb] them to go. 
[dave-on-air] well... that was very entertaining 
[Bud] hmm 
[dave-on-air] i wonder where the show went 
[Bud] anyone there? 
[dave-on-air] i'm here 
[scott] twilight zone 
[Bud] what happened 
[Bud] ? 
[dave-on-air] stream is still up 
[Bud] but not the call? 
[leeb] I can hear both of them 
[dave-on-air] just going to have to wait for Jeff. L. to return 
[Bud] weird 
[dave-on-air] he's hosting the webconference 
[Bud] i see 
[JeffLebow] Sorry folks - now we know why they call it Skype Beta 
[JeffLebow] Just crashed 
[dave-on-air] so. nice weather we're having today 
[JeffLebow] Will re-establish communications momentarily 
[Bud] it's cold here -- but snow on the ground 
[mknee] the sounds of silence 
[dave-on-air] still no snow here, strangely 
[dave-on-air] considering we're half way to the arctic 
[scott] this text chat thing is so 2003 
[dave-on-air] scott... do you ever sleep? 
[dave-on-air] or do you have a double in every times zone 
[Bud] that is odd 
[Bud] i don't think he sleeps -- but people used to say that about me, too 
[leeb] yes eeerie 
[leeb] I can't live without my audio. 
[dave-on-air] the silence is quite heavy 
[Barbar_Ganley] it does bring home the power of the talk 
[leeb] I think it could be described as 2 dimensional... 
[leeb] flat not 3d 
[scott] as someone said yesterday, this is why we need the Vulcan Mind Meld brought back 
[dave-on-air] we're back on 
[leeb] yes 
[leeb] and virtual meetings would be to beam us to a locaiton....wishful thinking but who knows 
[scott] ;) 
[scott] It is all Dave's fault! ;> 
[dave-on-air] yes 
[dave-on-air] i agree 
[mknee] yes - collaborate with me 
elderbob has joined the chat. 
[mknee] and my kids would want to tell you about their activ 
[mknee] ites 
[elderbob] What a distinguished group here this morning. 
[dave-on-air] thanks bob... i've been working on my hair all morning... 
[leeb] Bee's students asked my 8th graders if they would be willing to tudor them in English. 
[elderbob] and Dave, you have never looked more lovely. 
[leeb] We had a meeting on Alado with Andy Pincon coordinating 5 classes about Christmas Traditions. 
[leeb] Yes, your hair is divine! 
[dave-on-air] thank you kindly 
coakes has joined the chat. 
[dave-on-air] :p 
[bobsprankle] hey, cheryl! 
[coakes] There may be a chance for Bob's kids to train some High School students in Yarmouth, ME, we are looking into that. 
[Bud] cool 
[dave-on-air] indeed 
[Barbar_Ganley] remarkable 
[mknee] hi cheryl 
[coakes] Hi, Marie 
[Barbar_Ganley] how about teaching my college students? 
[elderbob] or my adult students. 
[coakes] We could would the bus be expensive? 
[Barbar_Ganley] how about the blog bus? 
[elderbob] We are all Bozos on this Blog Bus. 
[coakes] it sounds like a song, bouncing along the blog bus. 
[dave-on-air] the blogs on the bus goes... 
[scott] He can't get his head through the faculty room door ever since the New York Times article 
[scott] ;) 
[leeb] Where is that class on the web? 
[Bud] mine, lee? 
[leeb] I also do all put everything they need to do on the website but would like to see how others are setting thiers up? 
[Bud] it's a moodle course -- not open to the public right now 
[dave-on-air] feel free to jump in barbara! 
[Bud] but send me an e-mail and I'll let you in 
[leeb] Oh... I am starting to transfer my class site to a moodle now as well. 
[coakes] i called and can hear on my phone 
[Barbar_Ganley] will do 
[JeffLebow] great 
[coakes] now if i comment ... how? 
[leeb] I used Dreamweaver last year and so far this year blogger but I am anxious to get the moodle going now. 
[mknee] I think it is less about the technology and more about the teaching philosophy -engaging kids 
[mknee] it is multi-leveled 
[coakes] i got it 
[bobsprankle] hello maria! 
[mknee] hi there 
[dave-on-air] i think until academics start doing real work online... start blogging for real, the university professors will not really 
[dave-on-air] get the blogging going 
[dave-on-air] for their students 
[Barbar_Ganley] i agree--it's just getting going now 
[Barbar_Ganley] there's the tenure fear, too 
[dave-on-air] publish or perish 
[Barbar_Ganley] yup 
[elderbob] IS that fear of academic freedom in the upper levels. 
[elderbob] Still too m uch sage on the stage.....? 
[Barbar_Ganley] that too 
[leeb] In my class, Comp Tech.. learning how to use the computer and do assignments becomes the topic.. questions answered. 
[Barbar_Ganley] very little time goes into teaching college teachers how to learn and how to teach 
[leeb] they like blog for help from each other and not have to come to me and wait for me to get to their answers. 
susanvg has joined the chat. 
[coakes] barb, i remember in college my program had to spend time in local schools and trying out new things have your students reach out 
[coakes] to the community 
[dave-on-air] hi susan 
[susanvg] Hi - my first time here 
[Barbar_Ganley] yes, I do have my students work with fifth-graders 
[dave-on-air] are you listening to the stream? 
[Barbar_Ganley] it's an incredibly powerful connection 
[Bud] hi, susan -- nice to "meet" you 
[coakes] that will help push the technology, with the students having conversations 
[Bud] in real-time, that is 
[leeb] Hello Susan 
[dave-on-air] susan - do you have the stream going? 
[dave-on-air] (just making sure) 
[susanvg] yes - I'm listening 
[scott] could some of the panelists mention how blogging/podcasts used for reflection has affected their views and practice on teaching? 
[dave-on-air] great 
[Bud] good question, scott -- I hope we get there 
[dave-on-air] i love backchannels... 
[scott] baby got back-channels 
[leeb] absolutely 
[mknee] a literature show 
[leeb] skype in 
[leeb] I would as well 
[leeb] A k-12 version of this show 
[susanvg] book talk show 
[mknee] or a "where in the world "show 
[Barbar_Ganley] current events show 
[leeb] Most things at school are smart filtered but not Skype 
[leeb] at my school that is 
[mknee] barbara - what's that site again 
[leeb] think.com 
[Barbar_Ganley] which? 
[mknee] for sharing work at the elem level 
[coakes] a good way to blog with k-12 students is think.com, a closed website. the kids were so engaged , wrote ore and loved to look for 
[coakes] comments from their fans 
[susanvg] Most of us cannot get to conferences very often - I feel as if I can have the benefit of a conference any time I want 
[scott] good answers, thanks everyone 
[coakes] this is great! thanks 
[mknee] thanks cheryl - that's the site 
[Barbar_Ganley] thanks for a fabulous show--and for letting me interrupt away on the teleconference :D 
[Bud] Barbara -- it was an honor to get to speak with you 
[Bud] keep on doing the wonderful things that you do 
[leeb] Thanks for being here Barb 
[Barbar_Ganley] you guys are doing something really important--all of you! 
[bobsprankle] Thanks to everyone, and Scott, so happy your podcasts have returned! 
[mknee] this learning community is so important to me - thanks to all 
Barbar_Ganley has left the chat. 
[scott] This time does not work for the folks in Asia, other than we insomniacs! 
[scott] thx, Bob 
[dave-on-air] cheers scott... 
[scott] Do you dream in text or mp3? 
[dave-on-air] electric sheep baby, i'm old school 
[leeb] I think in part it is personality type....or different types of intelligences... 
[leeb] I havealways done that automatically BUT I have trouble focusing on one thing!!! :) 
[leeb] Its called scattered from one point of view and yet it is perfect for doing all these things at once. 
[leeb] And given a positive tag or name/ 
[mknee] I'd love for my kids to get out into the world 
[elderbob] I'm still working on it. 
[scott] how about radio plays? 
[mknee] sharing art perhaps and book talks 
[leeb] ok, and the radio show is rss of course which the kids get automatically on their feed? 
[scott] who will do the sound effects? 
[leeb] Then they can respond to the show on the radio's blog... 
[elderbob] I'm still working on it. 
[leeb] I once played banjo for NPR ... it was a radio show called "song jumping in my mouth" 
[leeb] My banjo represented the spider on the show.... 
[elderbob] Lee Ann? 
[leeb] Yep 
[elderbob] the banjo gave you away.... 
[leeb] What? 
[leeb] Doesn't everybody play banjo? :o 
[leeb] Yes thats what I think as well 
[elderbob] If everyone played banjo, there would be no need for audio 
[leeb] True. 
susanvg has left the chat. 
[leeb] You mean a virtual or real 
[elderbob] Its all Shakespeare. 
[leeb] Thanks everyone... thank you for being here... 
[leeb] See you all later. 
[elderbob] It was a great chat...I got a ton of good ideas.... 
[Bud] thanks to everyone in the chatroom -- y'all are wicked smart 
[elderbob] bye all.