Buffalo City Schools Technology and Learning

During a recent gathering of TISs Bill mentioned the importance of forming "personal learning networks" or "personal learning environments". I found the idea intriguing so I have started looking into the concept more. This is the first of many resources, examples, models, and approaches I will post to the group.

I found this article in the NYSUT magazine and thought about the possibilities for developing critical thinking skills.

This site is devoted to the listening of music. People in the fourth grade and older can find this site manageable and pertinent. Pandora is internet radio that allows the user to customize a "station" based on personal preferences. When a song is presented, the listener may skip it, click "I like this song" or click "I don't like this song". Based on the human input, Pandora will begin to "learn" the users preferences. The next song presented on the radio will be centered on the feedback from the previous song. Students could be presented with a new artist\composer to explore. By using this site they can be exposed to new music and be in control of the direction their tastes take them. The students can make connections between a classical composer and current pop-culture music.

I've been kicking around the idea of having teachers and/or students create and share Pandora stations around composers, favorite artists, genres, etc.

"This is the best time in history to be a teacher-librarian. Major shifts in our information and communication landscapes present new opportunities for librarians to teach and lead in areas that were always considered part of their role, helping learners of all ages effectively use, manage, evaluate, organize and communicate information, and to love reading in its glorious new variety."

"So, what is a "Google-proof question?" It is a question that can not be directly answered via Google (or any other search engine) because it requires, analysis, interpretation, and investigation. Writing such questions can be challenging. A helpful tool is Bloom's Taxonomy. "

This is a cool article. Take time to look at the "new" Bloom's Taxonomy Wheel.

Smart news for smart people Don't miss another great Wired.com headline: Get articles delivered in real time using RSS. Pick a reader and subscribe to your favorite feeds below. Headlines will update automatically as soon as they are published on Wired.com. http://www.wired.com/services/rss

Is The New York Times behind "the times"? This article highlights an iPad app, PULSE (an RSS feed reader) that sparked controversy between Apple The Times. In a letter, The Times requested Apple to remove the app from the iPad app store...read more

Tools for adding a little flare to your web site. Create buttons or widgets that match your school's colors. Check for broken links.

Bring it on!

"The Big Picture is a photo blog for the Boston Globe/boston.com, entries are posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by Alan Taylor. Inspired by publications like Life Magazine (of old), National Geographic, and online experiences like MSNBC.com's Picture Stories galleries and Brian Storm's MediaStorm, The Big Picture is intended to highlight high-quality, amazing imagery - with a focus on current events, lesser-known stories and, well, just about anything that comes across the wire that looks really interesting. "

I think the survey would be a great way to begin a conversation with students about online responsibility. I try to get my teachers to bring their classes to the lab for an intro. covering AUPs, procedures, handling of hardware, etc.. It's a hard sell but I continue to do it anyway.

Ever hear this one? "Aren't you the computer person? Why don't you teach the students how to type?" Be polite and point them to this site.

Might want to try this one too http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

Deb that's pretty cool. I'll have my girls take it for a test drive this weekend.

Video included to further educate us on the uses of wikis and blogs.

I found this site while surfing one night. I thought it was pretty interesting so I subscribed to their RSS feed. I use NetNewsWire as my aggregator [feed reader/organizer]. Anyway, I have been trying to get my teachers to use their blogs to get information out to parents, etc. Maybe this blog post can help as a springboard to that end. Look for more from me on RSS and aggregator.