Gadget Updates

Barnes and Noble announced a way for my to hand over $139 gladly for a new touch screen Nook. Yes, I already have the original Nook and each of the other members of my immediate family have Nook Colors. Why do I need another Nook? The biggest reason is the ability to highlight passages of text with the swipe of my finger. The other day I was reading a book on my original Nook in which I wanted to highlight some passages and take a few notes. While it can be done on my eReader, it is a real pain. I had to use arrows to scroll to the start of the passage, start the highlighting, scroll to the end of the passage using the same arrows. After attempting this a few times I gave up because it was too time consuming! The size (6 inches) and the batter life (up to two months) are appealing as well. This Nook does not have apps but will have all of the magazines in the store. Also, it is a WiFi only device. The eReaders will be due out June 10 although you can pre-order yours now on Barnes and Noble's website.

Another of my favorite devices, Livescribe, announced Livescribe Connect recently. The free Connect Basic allows users to send notes and audio done by the Echo or Pulse pens to MyLivescribe, Facebook, Evernote, and mobile connectors. Connect Premium allows users access to Connect Basic features along with uploading notes and audio to email and Google Docs. 4GB and 8GB Echo users can download Connect Premium for free while all other Livescribe smartpen users can download the service for $14.99. Thank goodness this did not require a new pen to purchase. The ability to send notes and audio to Livescribe and Google Docs can be useful in a variety of ways. However, you probably will not see me sending Livescribe pencasts to Facebook unless there is no other way. If you have ever seen my hand writing you will totally understand why.

Photo of Nook: Barnes and Noble

Photo of Livescribe Pulse Pen: Livescribe

Writing on the Wall?

One of the rights of passage for students was the seemingly endless practice of handwriting skills or cursive writing. All those loops, making j's, q's, z's over and over. Those who have seen my handwriting wonder if I skipped school on the days my class had cursive practice. Earlier this week my principal shared an email from a parent who expressed concern there was no focus cursive writing instruction and her daughter could not do a good job signing her name. This got me thinking, is cursive writing one of time-honored skills that is about to be pushed aside by technology or other forces in education today?

More and more, students complete assignments requiring keyboarding skills. Essays are now written using word processing, presentations are completed using PowerPoint instead of poster board. Even if poster boards are used, information is typed on paper using a word processor then glued on the board. Many students are all thumbs with their writing as they use mobile devices to text, share snippets of their lives on Facebook, or compose a rare email. As more and more computer devices get in the hands of students, it will be keyboards that will rule as text input.

What about pens as in penmanship? Pens are getting smarter too. Smartpens are slowly making their way into classrooms and offices. Livescribe, a leading manufacture of smartpens, just released the Echo to go along with the Pulse. Smartpens can record information written down then transfer it to a computer. After syncing the information, you can use MyScript for Livescribe to turn what you write into editable text you can copy and paste into many other applications such as Word or blogs. While MyScript did convert a sample of cursive writing I did as a test but the results were not as good as when I print. 

Finally, is there just not enough time to teach the art of cursive writing anymore? Teachers are squeezed by the pressures of high stakes testing mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind laws. The main focus is for teachers to devote as much attention to reading and math as they possibly can. Only so much can be done in a school year so instruction like cursive writing instruction is cut back if not eliminated altogether.

Should more emphasis be placed on teaching cursive writing or is it a skill that is no longer necessary in a rapidly changing world? I would like to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Thoughts From SCETV Summer Workshop

This past week I had the pleasure of attending South Carolina Educational Television's Summer Technology Workshop for teachers. Donna Thompson and Debbie Jarrett kept me busy by having me conduct sessions on Digital Portfolios, Social Media in the Classroom, and Using Mobile Phones in the Classroom. It was a great time and it seemed everyone got something useful as they had a great time. Here are some of my thoughts of my time in Columbia.

Edmodo: The more I use Edmodo, the more I like it and can't wait to use it in the classroom. Participants who used it signed up with little trouble. Edmodo allowed everyone to share and collaborate during the session at a level I have never seen. Hopefully, this will work for students too and I will keep you posted on how this works out.

MightyMeeting: Although I planned to only use this app in my sessions on Mobile Phones, I quickly uploaded my other two presentations. It was nice to be able to roam around the room and control the presentation from my iPhone. MightyMeeting allows you to do just that. Also, you may invite others to join in by providing your Room ID number. This allows presentations to be given over distances when used with voice communications such as Skype. A chat room provides a place for back channel discussions which can the iPhone app allows participation. 

Using mobile devices such as phones, iPods, and iPads in the classroom is coming sooner than I thought. Augmented Reality and QR Codes have led me to this conclusion. Tongues started wagging when I covered these topics. Guess what? I was only scratching the surface with what I shared on the possibilities of what mobile devices can do.

Augmented Reality in Education

View more presentations from Karen Hamilton.

After giving presentations on using social networks in education there is still a need to promote cybersafety to education professionals.

It is always to gather with friends and professionals who share the same passion I have regarding education technology. A group of us gather for dinner at the Carolina Ale House. During the gathering, Chris Craft proposed we try something I have read about, an unconference. The idea is intriguing and I think it would be worthy of continued study so it can be tried to see how this would work. The gatherings allow educators to gather for unplanned, unstructured discussions on whatever topics individuals wish to lead discussions on. Participants just pick and choose what they want to participate in.

Livescribe: I keep finding more uses for using my Livescribe Pulse smartpen. This time I used the pen to take notes on my research as I prepared for my presentations. All I had to do was sync my pen to my computer and run Myscript for Livescribe to get text that I copied and pasted into PowerPoint. This became a big time saver.

Finally, South Carolina Educational Television is a valuable for teachers. Imagine trying to teach without OnePlace, Streamline, ITV, and other media resources available to enrich your lessons. Also, SCETV is one of the few networks that provide experts to help work with groups on a variety of topics at no cost. Also, SCETV provides teacher technology workshops in March and July each year. These valuable services and more are at risk of being cut due to budget cutting mood of the South Carolina Legislature. Please contact your legislators often to tell them how much you value SCETV. If you do not know who your legislators are you can find out here. Also, consider either becoming a supporter of SCETV with a financial contribution or volunteer your expertise at a technology workshop. 

A Student's Point of View

One of the things I like to do whenever I visit a classroom is the try and sit as far in the back of the classroom as I can. From this vantage point I can see if a teacher has prepared their Flipcharts with all students. When I go over observations I make a point to tell teachers to always to to farthest point a student would sit and look at whatever was prepared. I sometimes think teachers don't always think about the function for the end user whenever they want students to use technology. The greatest content in the world is no good if a student can't see it or use the tools effectively. 

This past week I got to be a student in a SIOP training course our district is presenting. The presenter/facilitator is doing a great job of keeping everyone engaged. He has the usual laptop/projector/PowerPoint combination and the slides are viewable to everyone. However, I was using one piece of technology that our facilitator did not think of: my Livescribe Pulse smartpen. Of course I am not going to bust him for not thinking of the smartpen because I can count the number of people I know who have one on one hand. The experience of using the pen in a class setting was very enlightening.

The method I tried to use during class was to jot down the main ideas and let the recording of the lecture do the rest. That way all I have to do is tap on the main point I want to review and listen to the lecture at that point. This is how the pen is supposed to function and it did it's job very well. The problem I had was quickly figuring out when he was at an important point, tap the record button, then write down the main point as the facilitator talked about it. What I found out was by the time I got the record button pushed and the idea written down the explanation is halfway done. I could record the entire class but that would waste valuable memory on audio I don't need. What would would have worked better for me and the technology is for the facilitator to have an outline or list of topics to cover on the screen. I could copy these down, leaving space for a few additional notes, then make a mark when the facilitator started on the topic. Even if I have to tap the record button this method would make it quicker. 

This experience gave me some insight to help teachers think more about preparing their lessons to fit the technology they expect students to use. Students will be bringing and using more technology in the the classroom both officially and unofficially. Teachers will have to realize changes and accommodations will need to be made for students to get the full benefit from using technology.

Odds and Ends December 21, 2009

Too big to be a country, too small to be an insane asylum

I am still have a problem believing this story and that it comes from my native state. South Carolina Attorney General (and candidate for Governor) Henry McMaster sent a message to Georgetown County claiming the county’s ban on concealed weapons on school campuses violates South Carolina’s law on concealed weapons. Georgetown banned all concealed weapons on school campuses in an effort to make schools safer. South Carolina state law says concealed weapons can be carried on school campuses as long they are locked in a center console, glove box or trunk of a vehicle.

Okay would someone please tell me how Georgetown’s children are served by having firearms on campus? What floored me even more was people who were interviewed supporting the right to carry firearms on school campuses. There have been incidents of parents being arrested for disturbing schools because they decided to get into a fight at school, and we are not talking a high school sporting event either. Someone will get a gun from their locked trunk and finish one of these fights one day. Once again South Carolina will make national news for all the wrong reasons.

Story from My Lowcountry 3, SCNow.com

I’m trying to cut down

Mashable relayed a New York Times story about teens realizing they are spending too much time on Facebook and are pledging to either cut down or totally give it. This sounds like a positive step by some teens or these are teens who are not getting enough friends. Teens taking part are promising only to login at certain times and “punish” those who break their promises. Let’s see if peer pressure makes a dent in Facebook.

Reality Camera, really?

Tech Crunch announced one of its Tech Crunch 50 favorites, Tonchidot has released it’s iPhone app to a worldwide audience. Tonchidot is an augmented reality application which means people who use the app can leave notes, pictures, or audio recordings at whatever point you are in the earth. Users can also see posts other users have left. This is made possible by the iPhone’s GPS and compass abilities. The education use is students can see what other people have said about about museums, historical places, zoos, etc…. This information could help in completing reports about field trips and other educational outings. Of course this is also another way to see reviews of restaurants as you walk down the street.

Interactive displays go on a diet

LG announced what is billed as the “World’s Thinest” 42-inch LCD panel. This is another step in what I believe where interactive whiteboards are headed. Classrooms of the future will have thin display panels that can be manipulated via touch and/or tablets carried by teachers and students. Of course these displays will be 3-D compatible as well. Source Engadget.

Podcast or Pencast?

Earlier today I decided to give podcasting another try. I have been thinking about this for awhile now and just decided to go for it. The new thing is I used my Livescribe Pulse pen to create this episode of the reborn Teacherbytes Podcast. I jotted down some notes on a my special notepad then tapped the record button. As I talked about topics I made some notations on the pad next to my notes. When I was finished I uploaded the notes to the Livescribe site and set it as a pencast in their community section. Then I exported the audio into Audacity to convert it into an MP3 file then finished uploading all the files to the proper sites to finish my podcast. Look below for the audio and pencast.

Teacherbytes December 21, 2009

Teacherbytes

Teacherbytes 12.21.2009
brought to you by Livescribe

Odds and Ends December 18, 2009

Today marks the day most schools start their holiday break. Two weeks to rest and recharge the batteries for the push till the end of the school year. Hopefully, you will have a restful and happy holiday break.

3-D Heading this way

One of the biggest trends is the production of 3-D movies. While 3-D movies are nothing new, they have been around since the 1950’s, technology has made them easier to view. If you have ever been to Disney’s Philharmonic or The Muppets in 3-D at Disney World you know what I am talking about. The latest big screen version of A Christmas Carol and Avatar are pushing the 3-D viewing pleasure in select theaters this holiday season.

Naturally, the next step to help sell home videos is for home electronics to take advantage of 3-D technology. CNET reported the Blu-ray Disc Association has settled on a standard for Blu-ray devices to use. It will only be a matter of time before 3-D Blu-ray devices will start making their way into schools to add a different perspective to some lessons. Eventually, all kinds of educational titles will feature 3-D. Think how this might effect Science, math, and social studies.

Livescribe glitch

Livescribe CEO Jim Marggraff sent an e-mail out today apologizing for the problems it’s new App Store beta has been causing the whole Pulse system. I blogged about my use of the Live Scribe Pulse Smartpen and I still love using it. The pen works just as advertised recording my notes and syncing audio for playback by touching a point on the notes with the pen. However, the Livescribe Desktop and Livescribe Online have more work to do. I had problems uploading a one-page note with audio to the online site. While on the subject of the online site, it would be nice to access my pencasts without having to go through the desktop app. (CNET)

iTunes U reaches 100 million downloads

One of my goals for 2010 is to better promote iTunes podcasts and iTunes U to the teachers at my school. Apparently, iTunes U is no longer the best kept secret of educational resources. CNET reports iTunes U recently reached 100 million downloads. For those of you who may still not know, iTunes U features lectures, instructional videos, and other educational media from schools, colleges, and universities from around the world. iTunes is just not for listening to music and you don’t have to have an iPod to make it work.

Underwater Volcano Caught on Video

CNET has some incredible video and photos shot from a robotic submarine of an underwater volcano erupting. This is the first time an underwater volcano has been recorded. Geography and Science teachers can probably find lot’s of uses for this media in their lessons. Here is some video from NOAA and CNN.

Your Challenge is Accepted!

In the post Grandson of the Echo Pen. I said I would like to see if MyScript for Livescribe would be able to convert my terrible handwriting into somewhat intelligible text. Well Tim Fahlberg, a representative from Livescribe, heard about my challenge and took me up on it. Tim took my demo note and ran it through MyScript to see what happened. Believe it or not it only got one word wrong and that was because I really messed up that word. Okay Tim, I'm sold. I will be testing out MyScript for Livescribe when I return to school after the holiday break. 

Here is Tim's video of converting my note using MyScript. 

Grandson of the Echo Pen

In my first year of teaching, I had my class market and sell a fictitious product called the Echo Pen as part of Junior Achievement’s Applied Economics. The Echo Pen would recall everything it wrote for it’s user making it a handy little gadget. It did not take long before the Echo Pen became a reality. There have been various pens that recorded what a person wrote but they did not do too well commercially. When I first saw the Pulse by Livescribe at my local Target I thought it would not last long either. That has been a couple of years ago. My interest grew when Best Buy and Staples started carrying the pen. When two administrators at my school purchased the Pluse and raved about them, the pen had my attention. Attention yes, purchase no because I still thought the Pulse was a solution looking for a problem.

The problem came after a couple of meetings which stressed the need for observations to be as low key as possible. In other words, no laptops or netbooks should be taken to a classroom since they can be seen as threatening. Just write a quick note, give it to the teacher and be on your way. Good but I still like to  document my visits. The Pulse records what you write which similar pens also did. The difference the Pulse makes is it can record audio the replays it at the point you write a note by tapping on the note. A special dotted paper, optical camera, and microphone makes this magic happen. I plucked down some hard-earned cash and got my own Pulse. Does it work as advertised? Yes!

I used my Pulse in several classroom observations over the last couple of days. Usually, I don’t record audio during these visits because I am documenting technology use and giving recommendations. At the end of the day I take sync my pen with my computer and transfer my notes to the Livescribe Desktop. Then I copy and paste these notes into the technology integration portfolios I have created for each teacher. If I wished, notes can be uploaded to a website then e-mailed or shared on social networking sites, blogs, or websites. With handwriting recognition software it can convert handwritten notes to editable text. Good luck with my chicken scratch. Today I used the full recording capabilities as I recorded a friend of mine who spoke to a Journalism class. It has really helped me because I don’t have to carry around my laptop and it’s distractions.

Can the Pulse help students? Yes. I could have used this in many lectures when the teacher would speak at a rapid pace. Tape recorders never really worked for me because I really did not want to hear the lecture all over again. While studying, tapping my notes at the point where I have a question and hear that part of the lecture can really help. The Livescribe website has a K-12 section which gives other examples on how the Pulse can help students, teachers, administrators, and parents. As I plan on exploring other uses for the Pulse smartpen Grandpa Echo Pen must be smiling.

Here is a quick demo of what the Pulse smart pen can do. Please forgive my chicken scratch handwriting. You can also click here if you cannot hear the audio.

Teacherbytes Demo
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