Free Wikis for Educators-no advertising!

Wikispaces.com is offering free, no advertising wiki sites to Educators. Click this link to sign up: http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers100K
I have used this site for a few months now. It is easy to use and provides an excellent collaboration tool for your students. One new feature is concurrent editing. Now, more than one student can edit your wiki page at the same time!

Wikispaces goal is to have 100,000 teachers take advantage of this — so tell your educator friends.

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New Free Sites everywhere

It seems that everytime I search I find fun and exciting ways to share information online. The great thing about them is, so far, they are all free! I've used http://www.scrapblog.com with 3rd graders who are scrapblogging the year in 3rd grade. The neat thing about this site is that it is a scrapbook and blog all in one. The blogs can be private or public with comments from those who are invited or available to all. http://camruns.scrapblog.com/school/

Another exciting way to share information is through podcasting, though many might think it is too difficult. Not anymore--try www.gcast.com. On this site, you can use your telephone to podcast! How easy is that? We are having students read books for ESL students to listen to online or you can download the file as MP3's or wav files to play on CD players or other music players. You can hear some young children demonstrating how to count and skip count on this sample podcast. Just click the PLAY triangle to hear it. http://www.gcast.com/u/camruns/students You can embed these in your blogs or wikis and parents can subscribe to the podcasts to hear what's going on in your class!

Next, there are some neat photo sharing sites that offer so much more. Try http://www.pickle.com or http://www.bubbleshare.com. You can see my sample bubbleshare of a school fun run below. I used the "bouncy animation" show. The site offers all kinds of ways you can share and you even can include audio. It is as easy as drag and drop. It is lots of fun! So, get out there and learn how to learn---I know you will have some fun along the way!


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Time Top 50 Coolest Websites

I enjoyed looking over this list and thought you might, too.
http://www.time.com/time/2006/50coolest/index.html
Though not all pertain to education, there are a few that would offer some great benefits. One is Google Spreadsheets which allows for online spreadsheet collaboration. Another is a neat search engine that flags desirable and undesirable sites based on your preferences called Scandoo. I keep other links of interest on our pilot classroom wiki links page here: http://hcsepilot.wikispaces.com/LINKS in additon to my bookmarks page. Tweet

Technology in Schools: Let's Make the World a Better Place

This article was published in the Alabama School Board magazine. http://www.theaasb.org/ Tweet

What if Alabama Led the Way

The Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) executive director, Chris Stephenson, recently posted a blog entry regarding Alabama. See link below:
http://blog.acm.org/csta/ See August 8th entry.

or read it here:

(comments below or by Chris Stephenson, Executive Director CSTA)

August 08, 2006
What if Alabama Led the Way?

Last week I spent a great day at the University of Alabama at Birmingham talking to computer science faculty and local high school computing teachers and administrators about working together to improve K-12 computer science education. During what turned out to be a wide ranging discussion, Alabama Teacher of the Year Cameron McKinley asked some interesting questions:

"What if Alabama decided to lead the country in improving K-12 computer science education? Could this happen? What would it mean for the state and its students?"
Our discussions during the day touched on many so called "local issues". Certification for CS teachers in Alabama is a mess. As Amber Wagner explained, there is no certification for computer science, so computer science teachers have to write the praxis exam in an area that has no computer science content. This is a story I am hearing from CSTA members all across the country.

Jeff Gray of the University of Alabama at Birmingham talked about how student misconceptions
about computer science as a discipline and as a career destination are driving students away from computer science at a time when companies cannot find enough qualified workers to fill the jobs available in the computing field.

And we all admitted that computer scientists in general do a terrible job of explaining our field and why it is so exciting. How many student, for example, really understand that the most exciting breakthroughs in the sciences and even in the humanities require computer science expertise? How many students are even aware that computer science makes the gadgets they love possible? Too few!

What would it take for Alabama to address these and other issues and so become a national leader in K-12 computer science education? First it would take vision and committed leadership at the highest political levels. Fortunately Alabama has "an education governor" so that is a good start. Next it would take the commitment of educators on multiple levels. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Computer Science Department is ready. The folks from the Faculties of Education are getting ready. The teachers I met are very ready.

It would take an unwavering long-term commitment to creating a state-wide computer science curriculum and providing the resources to support it. This would require a plan for on-going professional development for all teachers and a campaign to help students understand the opportunities that are available for them in the computing field. These are things that CSTA would be happy to help with.

Business and industry would have to step up, offering financial and other support. Not just the high tech companies, but the industries that hire 80% of the computer science graduates to keep them up and running, such insurance companies, banks, the auto industry, and the health care industry just to name a few.

Of course, something would have to be done to fix the certification mess. And just maybe, teachers would be paid a livable wage.

What kind of place would Alabama be if it did these things? Alabama would be a place where all students have the opportunity to acquire the computing knowledge and skills required to survive and thrive in this new global economy, Alabama's booming high-tech and medical industry would have access to the skilled workers it needs to drive innovation and economic prosperity. And a world of career opportunities would open up for this and future generations.
Wouldn't it be a great thing? I believe that it is a possible thing.

Chris Stephenson
Executive Director
CSTA Tweet

Top 25 Cities for High Tech Jobs? Montgomery, Alabama!

Forbes.com had some exciting news to report. An August 2006 article reads:

"If you want to find the top-paying jobs in the U.S. tech industry, you may want to look in the obvious places--Montgomery, Ala., Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Fort Smith, Ark., for instance.
Surprised? So were we. But for those looking to make top dollar as programmers, systems engineers and hardware technicians, these seemingly technologically out-of-the-way metros rival better-known high-tech hubs like San Francisco, Boston, New York and Washington D.C., for wages. "

To read the rest of the article, click here: http://www.forbes.com/2006/08/01/technology-careers-jobs_cx_pm_0801techjobs_print.html

Alabama is leading the way in using technology in education with our ACCESS distance learning program, ALEX, Technology in Motion, and many more programs. Visit the Alabama State Department web site for more on our technology initiatives. With the top tech jobs right here at home, we must make sure to continue funding technology in education and supporting innovative initiatives and computer science programs so that we can fill those jobs with Alabama graduates! Tweet

New Teachers-Hoover City Schools-Slides from Speech

I was asked to speak to the new teachers who are joining Hoover City Schools this year. It seems like yesterday that I came to Hoover as a new teacher. In my speech, I stressed the importance of learning to learn. I also promised I would post some of the ideas from the speech. If you go to my web site and click Presentations, you will find a link to a PowerPoint show.
http://www.hoover.k12.al.us/rres/mckinley/mckinleymegabytes.htm
If you did not attend, it might be difficult to follow but you can still use the site links. Tweet

Computer Science Workshop-July 31, 2006

I was pleased to be a part of a Computer Science teachers workshop sponsored by the UAB CIS department. We met Monday, July 31st. The keynote speaker was Chris Stephenson, the Executive Director of The Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). CSTA is a membership organization that supports and promotes the teaching of computer science and other computing disciplines. CSTA provides opportunities for K-12 teachers and students to better understand the computing disciplines and to more successfully prepare themselves to teach and learn. You can read more about CSTA here: http://csta.acm.org/index.html . The number of students entering the Computer Science field is dropping though the job opportunities are growing in this field. We need to make sure students and parents understand the critical need for computer science education. Computer Science is more than just learning office applications, it involves problem solving skills and logic where students can actually be producers of solutions rather than just consumers of information. CSTA has excellent publications available online here: http://csta.acm.org/Publications/Publications.html#dbottom . The results of the UAB workshop will be posted soon on the UAB CIS site: http://www.cis.uab.edu/ . I especially enjoyed seeing the student presentations of the the Alice programming language and the lego robots. My former high school math teacher attended. One of her current students (and my former student) was one of the presenters. It was exciting to see a legacy of lifelong learning continuing. I am also pleased that the students wanted to form a partnership in helping to work with younger students and their teachers over the coming year. It is always rewarding to see students who want to give back and teach others. Tweet

Alabama Education Technology Conference (AETC) Fantastic!

I attended AETC this year and learned so much. The opening session featured internationally known presenter Alan November in addition to remarks from Governor Riley and Dr. Morton, our State Superintendent. Alan November said he didn't know of any other states other than Alabama that had the major political forces in alignment on distance learning! He commented that we had the alignment of leadership and vision from the top down. The governor, the state superintendent, and the head of the Alabama's Office of Technology Initiatives all have the necessary vision to move Alabama forward. It was exciting to hear the Governor talking about the ACCESS distance learning initiative. Alabama is able to offer courses in rural areas that just were not available before. You can read more about the ACCESS program here: http://www.governorpress.alabama.gov/pr/pr-2006-06-28-01-access-photo.asp

I thoroughly enjoyed Alan November's session on Global Learning. He said we must give kids a Global Voice. As teachers, we can't continue to give same types of assignments. We must give innovative, creative and motivating assignments that could not be done without the technology. Technology is not a $2000 pencil. We need to use it to do things that we couldn't do before. Alan gives excellent examples in his presentation and on his site. It isn't even difficult to do. He suggested you give kids job assignments to learn podcasting, blogging, editing, etc. Then you have them teach others and soon you are in business globally communicating and honing the communication skills that will be needed to survive in our global economy. You can find more at Alan's site here: http://www.novemberlearning.com/ or visit his global learning links: here http://www.novemberlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=159&action=cat&lcl=2&parentID=32.

Next, I enjoyed three sessions by Bernajean Porter involving Digital Storytelling. Powerful stuff! She says a lot of the same things I keep saying. The projects need to be real world, and the technology is essential and TRANSFORMING, where kids are producers of useful information not just consumers. This came from Grappling Technology and Learning Spectrum. You can find it here: http://www.bjpconsulting.com/files/MAPPSpectrum.pdf The bottom line of all of this is that it's not about the tech, it’s about the learning. The technology when used properly can accelerate the learning and allow us to give kids a global voice! You can see examples, and find resources for evaluating projects here: http://www.digitales.us/

Podcasting, blogging, RSS Feeds. If you don't know these terms or what they could mean for your students, it's time to show those lifelong learning qualities and dive in. The water is just right!

One final note... I found out that Bernajean Porter, one of the featured presenters I mentioned above, received her masters in instructional technology at Lesley University and was an adjunct professor there, too. I am currently a member of the Lesley cohort for the masters in technology program. It is an excellent face to face program that meets locally in Hoover once a month. If you are interested, please e-mail me at cmckinley@hoover.k12.al.us. Lesley also offers cohorts in Literacy and Integrated Teaching Through the Arts. Tweet

Neighborhood Housing Youth Recognition Luncheon

Today I was honored to be the speaker at the Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham Community Service Youth Recognition Luncheon. The luncheon was to honor those who had just completed a year of service and learning and to recognize those who will participate in the program next year. It was great to see the community and corporate sponsors offering quality education programs for the young people and their families while also making sure the students are involved in giving back to the community. I hope to visit again when school starts to work with a technology and learning program for the students and parents. You can visit the Neighbor Works America site at http://www.nw.org/network/home.asp or find out more about Neighborhood Works Week here: http://www.nw.org/network/neighborworksprogs/nww/default.asp Tweet

Squeak, Alice and UAB Computer and Information Sciences

This past Monday, I visited the Computer Science Department at UAB. I was impressed with the programs they have that reach out to the community, especially to high school students in the local area. They offer computer science camps and competitions in the summer and programs throughout the year are available for elementary and up to show students what computer science is really all about. Dr. Jeff Gray told me that most people, parents included, seem to think that computer science is about using word processing or other office-type products. He wants to get more schools in Alabama to offer the kinds of computer classes that will introduce students to programming and other skills that will help them to be more successful. There are only a handful of schools offering these AP level courses for students in our high schools. Hopefully, we will be able to offer more in the future. If you've read The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman, you know that technological skills, problem solving skills and communication skills are all going to be critical for survival in our world. Programming allows students to develop the skills they will need. There are programming languages like Squeak and Alice that introduce younger students to the exciting world of computer science. We need to get the word out and get more schools and students involved. Contact the UAB Computer Information and Sciences department or read more about these programs at the links below.

Alice: http://www.alice.org/
The focus of the Alice project is now to provide the best possible first exposure to programming for students ranging from middle schoolers to college students.

Squeakland: http://www.squeakland.org/
Squeak is a media authoring tool used to design and create projects. It involves a lot of different skills which include sequencing-like programming commands. On the site you will find many educational uses. There is a great html page showing an excellent introductory project for 9, 10, and 11 year olds. Reading through this project will help you understand what Squeak is all about. Squeak is open source software, created by a body of individuals. You can read more about the significant contributors on the Squeak site. A new book by BJ Allen-Conn and Kim Rose was published in 2003. It is called "Powerful Ideas in the Classroom - Using Squeak to Enhance Math and Science Learning". It tells of exciting projects created in Squeak with 5th and 6th Graders and would be a useful guide for parents and teachers. Tweet

Testing Blog This feature of Picasa with cool aquarium picture

I thought I'd test the Picasa Blog This feature with this cool picture from the kindergarten field trip to our local science museum. This is the aquarium floor. The divers were cleaning the tank and gave us a nice close-up view of the eel. Tweet

Bookmarks back up

My bookmarks are back up and I've added some new ones. You will find a link to my bookmarks on my home page.
http://www.hoover.k12.al.us/rres/mckinley/mckinleymegabytes.htm
On my bookmarks, try the project ideas folder. I've just added links to some 100 days of school projects, an Excel spreadsheet idea for 5th grade and a mapping activity for 2nd graders. Also, don't forget all the excellent e-manipulatives you can use. You'll find them on each grade level page on my lab home page.
That's all for now! Tweet

Been awhile-Bookmarks site is down

Well, I haven't been blogging much because I'm in graduate school and I am posting on discussion boards there quite a bit. I was a big fan of web-based bookmarks because they are so easy to update and you can reach them from anywhere. However, you can only reach them if the site who hosts them is up and running. There is the problem. I have all my bookmarks on Ikeepbookmarks.com. They have been down for the past few days. I am hoping they come back up this week. I have a backup of the sites but it is from September! Also, the backup is not in the same format as the web-based bookmarks and I cannot add to it easily like I can from the bookmark site. If it doesn't come back up by the end of this week, I will find another bookmark site. Until then, I made a temporary link page so everyone can still get to my links. Sorry for the inconvenience. You should find them here: http://www.quia.com/pages/backupbookmarks.html Tweet