Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tips for Using Facebook with Students

Facebook just posted some useful tips for educators who use the popular social networking service to communicate with their students.

These are pretty basic tips that are good reminders for any adults who work with kids as a teacher, scout master or youth pastor. And parents too.

Privacy is important, especially on social networking services like Facebook. Even more so when you're communicating with young adults. Here's another great resource with tips to safeguard your Facebook privacy.

So, once you get their attention, what do you talk about? Good question. Paging Hey Josh....

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Friday, December 26, 2008

Twitter vs Facebook

"Facebook is about people you used to know; Twitter is about people you'd like to know better."

Perfectly stated.

Read more about Teeny Tiny Posts

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Sunday, November 23, 2008

Gen Y, Social Media and Digital Learning Styles

I am pleased to announce that the book chapter that I co-authored with Dr. Mercedes Fisher, "Pedagogical Mashup: Gen Y, Social Media, and Digital Learning Styles," has officially been accepted for publication in the Handbook of Research on New Media Literacy at the K-12 Level: Issues and Challenges, to be published by IGI Global later this year.

Dr. Fisher and I wish to thank the co-editor of the book, Professor Subramaniam at the National Institute of Education at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, for his hard work and direction during the writing and peer-review process.

In addition, we appreciate all the members of the peer-review committee for their feedback, suggestions and collaboration on this chapter. It's been a wonderful experience to work with members of the international education technology/media community.

We've saved the links for all the resources and references cited in the book chapter over on the social bookmarking tool delicious, which you can find here: http://del.icio.us/mashup.edu


Related Publications by Mercedes Fisher & Derek E. Baird

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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Linkage: Meet Pixton, Mobile Films, Xbox Research & Chinese

Meet Pixton For Schools: Last week I attended the Innovative Learning Conference (ILC) in San Jose, California. Like most conferences there was an exhibition hall with lots of vendors touting their goods and services as the latest and greatest learning tool. But what really intrigued me the most was a web-based comic strip generation tool called Pixton.

Microsoft to Fund Video Game Research: Microsoft announced that they would invest $1.5 million dollars in educational video game research. The investment is part of a larger, NYU led initiative to "to find scientific evidence that supports the use of games as a learning tool."

Mobile Filmmaker: Mankind is No Island is a short film created by Jason van Gendren using his mobile phone. This 3 minute film cost $57 to make, was shot in New York and Sydney, and won first place at the New York Tropfest Film Festival.

The Killer 21st Century Skill? Chinese
: Gen Y students who want to be competitive in the global workforce, will need have to have more than just a college degree and technology skills.

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Sunday, July 06, 2008

Linkage: NECC, Web Safety & Gen Y Research

Report on Gen Y, Technology & Learning: A new report from Blackboard and Project Tomorrow provides new insight into the sociological impact of online learning on education.

NECC 2008: Social Media & Education: Check out this transcript of a back channel chat from NECC 2008 where teachers talk about the challenges of using social media in the classroom.

Teachers.tv: Check out this video to learn some common sense classroom activities related to student use of social networks, chat and social media.

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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Call for YPulse Youth Advisory Board

Anastasia Goodstein is an award-winning blogger and expert on how American tweens, teens
and twentysomethings consume technology, new media, social networks and life on the web.

She is also the creative genius behind the Ypulse blog and Ypulse Mashup conferences. She is the author of a book about teens and technology called Totally Wired: What Teens and Tweens are Really Doing Online.

In her book Anastasia explores what Gen Y is doing on the Internet and with social media and mobile technology. She also delves into issues around cyberbullying, MySpace (and other social networks), as well as how all this technology is impacting schools and educators.

Today Anastasia announced that YPulse is forming "a Ypulse Youth Advisory Board made up of 10 young people between the ages of 13 and 24 from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations."

This is an excellent opportunity for teens to share their ideas, insight and feedback on what it means to be a teen in the 21st Century. It's also a big opportunity for college-bound teens to list one of the leading youth media organizations on that college admissions form!

So if you are a teen, or know a teen who's interested in joining the YPluse Youth Advisory Board, send them here for all the details.

Related Resources

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Monday, June 23, 2008

Linkage: Social Media, EdTech4Obama & Mobile Web

Social Media Hits Critical Mass: "Although age is the driving force behind usage patterns of these technologies, it is clear that a fundamental shift has taken place in all of our lives about what it means to communicate in the 21st Century." -Media in Mind (MiM)

Meet Mr. Basler
: Check out my interview with an award winning teacher and expert at integrating social media into the science classroom.

EdTech4Obama: If you're going to NECC, come join us!

Call for Papers:
This year’s conference is scheduled for October 20-24 and October 27-31 of 2008, and will include a pre-conference keynote during the week of October 13. The conference theme for 2008 is "Amplifying Possibilities."

Gen Y & Mobile Internet: ""The children of the mobile internet generation are getting used to being connected – to their music, their videos, their social networking sites – wherever they go. And that means we are all going to have to think hard about how we rewrite the rules."

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Sunday, March 23, 2008

Podcasts and Classroom Use

Task pre-service student teachers to research integrating technology into classroom use and they will produce an overwhelming source of ideas!

To share their ideas for using Podcasts in the Classroom:
Teachers can use podcasting to share lecture information with students. Teachers can have students create podcasts to share information that they gathered. This type of assignment would have students use voice recordings, sound effects, and photos. This will definitely engage students if they are taught how to create one. Students and teachers can also use podcasting and add it to a website or blog. I think I'll do that with mine smile. Teachers and students who use podcasting learn content in a creative way. In addition, they are also learning new communication skills.

I like the idea that students can access information from the web and not have to only read. This could help with auditory learners, students who like to listen to music, and those students who love to use computers.
~Elena

A few examples of how podcasts can be a learning tool for learning are that podcasts make most educational needs accessible, such as lectures and speeches, audio-guides, case studies, audio-notes/feedbacks, music, news and course updates, etc..
~Clare

I looked at Brown University’s website—it was cool how they put up podcast about activities that took place and we can view them with a windows media player, itunes or download it into your iPod.
MY IDEA… This gave me that idea that in your class—you may use this to document special days/presentation in class or in the school and this can be a way to have parents view it at home or when internet access in nearby. It is a new way students may learn how to access information and/or have them create a podcast as a culminating project.

Some other ideas for podcast can be “How-to-do” podcasts- for example, grammar, writing a story or letter, read-aloud, storytelling, step by step completing a science project, making a blog or website, etc…
~Diane

When I was looking through some teacher blogs about podcasting I read about one teacher that uses podcasting for students to record their reading. This way progress can be tracked and teachers or specialists can listen to the podcast to see what areas need to be addressed.

I was thinking that it would be neat to have the students create portfolios that could be accessed by their parents at home. It would work just like engrade.com but lots of other things could be included. Students would also be able to access their recordings at home and work on improving their reading if they wanted to. Just like teacher portfolio or the paper portfolios in the classroom.

I was also thinking that a teacher could use podcasts as part of the weekly or daily routine. At the beginning of the year the teacher and students would/could listen to the same podcast together and learn how to take notes or listen for key words. Since Saipan has so many (mostly) ELL students I would start out with video webcasts so that students could see along with hear but quickly move into the listening only realm. The teacher could easily modify the lesson by providing some with worksheets to fill in as they listen while the higher level students would have a worksheet too but have to take better notes and fill in more information. Students would rather listen to a podcast from a specialist or celebrity than their teacher!

When I was looking through the social studies podcasts I got the idea that it would be fun to have the class do a year-long project about their community. It could be bundled together so that people could listen and learn about Saipan from the students’ perspective. I got the idea from listening to students in a social studies classroom question a guest speaker about his trip to Egypt.

I never realized all of the uses for podcasts in the classroom. Laurence mentioned a lot of great ideas that address multiple intelligence, thinking styles, and learning styles. One of the great things I learned from this assignment is that if done properly podcasts can reach students at their level and where they are at with their background knowledge. Wouldn't it be great to have time on Friday's for students to be able to put podcasts on their ipod to listen to over the weekend! They would not even realize they are learning! State of flow all on their own!

Maybe the new yahoo for teachers website will have podcasts bundled by levels and content so that a teacher could just put it on the computer for the students and not have to look at 50 different places before getting just 3 different leveled podcasts addressing the same content.
~Erin

Podcasts can be created from original material by students and teachers or existing audio files can be downloaded for classroom use. Creating a podcast allows students to share learning experiences. It provides them with a worldwide audience that makes learning meaningful and assessment authentic. Teachers can use the technology to provide extra and modified material to students to download and evaluate at a time that suit them. The flexibility that such time-shifting offers makes podcasting a valuable educational tool.

Podcasts are a great way for using student products to share learning, sharing school news with parents, faculty, community members, and other people, and for teachers to provide professional development with others. By providing students with an authentic audience, teachers increase motivation to write. Students improve fluency and listening skills. Podcasts give students a view of journalism in the making, tutorials, and encourages interactive collaboration with others that is creative, fun and FREE.

Here are some educational techniques we could use podcasts and incorporate them into our classroom and lessons/teachings.

* Talk and music shows
* Interviews with pupils and staff
* Story telling and audio books
* Tutorials and instructions
* Commentaries
* Sharing information with parents and the community
* Providing updates on forthcoming school events
* Sportscasts
~Laurence

Some sites they wanted to share with others looking to incorporate podcasts:

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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Online Communication Tools

Two communication tools we are currently testing in conjunction with Elluminate Live are WiziQ and DimDim for use as online classrooms, faculty office hours and for student conferencing. We are doing our own comparison of how these tools match up for faculty teaching through blended and online delivery methods.

These tools are getting tested by our faculty as a means to reach students through new methods for virtual classes or for additional learning sessions to help students understand a new software or to understand a new concept. DimDim and WiziQ provide a free or very inexpensive alternative to the well know communication tools, Elluminate Live and Adobe Connect. There are many more on the web today.

In distance learning hearing the instructors voice connects the student with the teacher and allows instructors to verbalize instead of just using text-based chat. These virtual classrooms provide a white board for class use, a text chat window, and the opportunity to see the instructor via a web cam and to hear the instructor's voice among many other features. Using these tools for synchronous learning provides a unique learning experience for the student as well as the instructor.

Test them out yourself. You can find one to fit your budget. And be sure to tell us which ones you are using.

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Sunday, January 20, 2008

The Davos Question

Can Social Media lead to a better world?

This year YouTube is joining with the World Economic Forum to answer the Davos Question in hopes that it can.

Think about: "What one thing do you think that countries, companies or individuals must do to make the world a better place in 2008?"

Each year top leaders meet in Davos, Switzerland to discuss ideas of how to make the world a better place to live. Everyone now has the chance to contribute their ideas through a video uploaded to YouTube and the leaders will listen to these voices!

Check out the videos submitted- people have some great ideas. Submit yours.

Discuss the videos with your students....and rank them.

Then take your students to the Davos coverage in Second Life. This is a chance for your digital native students to participate in a world event that definitely will lead to great class discussions.

Social media is participatory media that benefits from the innovative ideas of the collective community....we hope to make a difference - so do your students!

Related Sites:

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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Get the Pulse on Totally Wired Teens

Twtour Anastasia Goodstein is an award-winning blogger and expert on how American tweens, teens and twentysomethings use technology. She is also the creative genius behind the Ypulse blog and Ypulse Mashup conferences (including the Tween Mashup in NYC this month).

Most recently she is the author of a book about teens and technology called Totally Wired: What Teens and Tweens are Really Doing Online.

In her book Anastasia explores what Gen Y is doing on the Internet and with social media and mobile technology. She also delves into issues around cyberbullying, MySpace (and other social networks), as well as how all this technology is impacting schools and educators.

Anasatasia, thanks to the folks over at Proctor & Gamble, is going on a fall book tour. In addition to being incredibly knowledgeable in how teens are using technology, she is also keenly aware of how technology is being (or not) integrated in the classroom to support these burgeoning digital learning styles.

From personal experience, I can tell you that Anastasia is an engaging and interesting speaker who has the ability to explain (in real English, not geek speak!) how teens use technology, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of their total immersion in technology.

If you have the opportunity to hear her speak, please do so! You'll be glad you did.

Related Resources

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Back to School 2007: Get Your Wiki On!

You already know that PBwiki is the easiest and best wiki platform out there. But did you know that Atomic Learning has FREE tutorials on PBwiki?

These tutorials will help you learn step-by-step how to create a PBwiki. Hurry, the tutorials are only available for a short time!

Speaking of wiki's, Yahoo! For Teachers has a new group for educators where they can go to get advice, share experiences and best practices from other teachers who are using wiki's in their classroom.

Whether your a wiki veteran, or just getting started, come share what you know about using wiki's in an educational setting.

Related Resources

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Wednesday, June 06, 2007

It's About Relationships: Yahoo! Teachers Groups

Yahoo! Teachers has set up a Yahoo! Group where you can connect with your colleagues, learn more about Yahoo! Teachers, and discover how other educators are using technology in the classroom.

They’ve even started a Yahoo! Teachers group on Flickr where you can meet other teachers who are using Flickr in their classroom. Yahoo! Teachers will also be posting photographs from all our events this summer on Flickr.

So please join the Yahoo! Teachers groups so you can contribute to the building of this new community for teachers.
  • Yahoo Groups + Yahoo! Teachers:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/yteachers_community/

  • Flickr + Yahoo! Teachers:

http://flickr.com/groups/yahoo-teachers/

Related Resources

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Thursday, May 31, 2007

Are You a Totally Wired Teacher?

This July at the 2007 Y Pulse Mashup in San Francisco, Yahoo! Teachers and the George Lucas Educational Foundation will honor a teacher who has "successfully pioneered the innovative and educational use of social media (blogs, wikis, social networking, photo/video sharing or audio groups) in the classroom.

The award-winner likely had to overcome challenges from parents and administrators in order to use the technology, but because they understand how students use social media outside of school, they persevered with their initiative and worked collaboratively with students, ultimately sharing their insight and knowledge with the larger teaching community." (via)

If you, or a teacher you know is Totally Wired, you can nominate them by sending and email along with why you feel they are deserving to : jdaly@edutopia.org.

Related Resources

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Saturday, April 14, 2007

Yahoo! Safely: Net Safety Resources for Teachers & Parents


How does Yahoo! help keep kids safe online? Find out on the recently launched Yahoo! Safely site! As the most trafficked internet destination in the world, Yahoo! is committed to ensuring that the 30 million children on the internet in the US are exploring it safely.

The new Yahoo! Safely site collects resources, knowledge and expertise from across the Web for children, parents, and educators to raise awareness about the importance of safety, ethics and piracy.

Check out some of the interactive features on Yahoo! Safely that help kids form safe and smart Internet habits early in life:
  • Games and Activities – Play cyber-safety games online
  • Clips and Videos – Watch educational videos that help kids become good cyber-citizens
  • Weekly Poll – Vote on opinions about safe practices
  • Avatar ID Card – Submit Avatars to be featured in the gallery
  • Online Safety Forum for Parents – Join in the discussion about online child safety
  • Tech Advisor Articles – Get expert advice from Yahoo! Tech bloggers

Related Resources

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Monday, March 19, 2007

Clipmarks




Watch the Clipmarks Demo- it explains it all! - a cool new way to clip things off the web to save, to share with others, or send it straight to your blog.

Definitely something you want to check out.

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Monday, March 05, 2007

Congrats on debaird.net blog

With the look of what you have already posted on your new debaird.net blog, you have lots more to share with our readers...so blog away, we will be reading.

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Friday, January 26, 2007

Yackpack Live

Yackpack has introduced a new feature that allows you to talk live to people in your pack! And just like the rest of Yackpack it's easy to use: you push and button and talk, and all folks logged into your pack can hear you!

Pretty cool, eh?

This new Yackpack Live feature is an easy and convenient way to introduce synchronous communication in a distributed learning environment. So why not try using Yackpack in your e-learning back of Web 2.0 tricks?

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