netTrekker Blog

ISTE Winner – Roderick Hames, Gwinnett County Public Schools

At the ISTE 2010 conference in Denver a couple of weeks ago, there was a lot of excitement in the netTrekker booth.  Booth visitors got  sneak peak at the exciting changes coming to netTrekker for back-to-school. We had a full line-up of great customers presenters sharing their own best practices for using netTrekker in their classrooms.  And we had over 125 educators participate in our Explore a New World of Personalized Learning passport game.  The game required educators to learn about the new enhancements coming to netTrekker, find out how netTrekker helps personalize learning, and attend one of the many customer-presented workshops.

The lucky winner of the passport game was Roderick Hames, Business Education Instructor at Crews Middle School in Gwinnett County Public Schools, in the metro-Atlanta area.  Roderick won the grand prize of a brand new Apple iPad and a one year netTrekker subscription for his school.  We asked Roderick to share a little bit about himself, and it sounds like the netTrekker subscription and the iPad will fit perfectly into what he’s already doing to engage students with technology in his classroom.  He shares some great examples below of how he’s made the print-to-digital transition with digital content and project-based learning activities. Thanks to all who stopped by to see us at ISTE, and congratulations, Roderick!

About Our Winner

My name is Roderick Hames and for the past 19 years I have taught computer applications, keyboarding, programming, entrepreneurship, and web design using both Mac and IBM to middle school students.  I hold an Ed.S degree in Business Education from the University of West Georgia. In addition to my teaching assignments, I also serve as Program Specialist which is a leadership position at the county level to help facilitate staff development and other needs for a group of 25 other middle school computer teachers. 

My website: http://www.crews.org/curriculum/ex/compsci/ is widely regarded as a hub of resources for not only my own students but teachers around the country as innovative and engaging relevant lessons.  I also work after school coaching an intramural sports program.  I have presented at numerous national, regional, state, and local conferences.  This was my third time presenting at ISTE (formerly NECC).

I do not use any text books, my entire curriculum can be found online.  My activities are project based and student centered.  I work my units around a theme for each grade level.  For 6th grade it is city planning and urban development.  For 7th grade students learn about leadership character qualities and for 8th grade students focus on financial literacy and entrepreneurship. I work hard to create my lessons as realistic and engaging as possible.  I also strive to make harder lessons video based so student can learn at their own pace. My passion is to see kids who can successfully use technology as a tool to accomplish a project that would otherwise lack creativity and skill. Since one of my passions is seeing young adults prosper and reach their full potential, using technology is a great tool to bring out hidden talents in children.  I love to see kids who problem solve and can express themselves in creative professional ways using technology.

I am excited about winning the subscription to netTrekker and an Apple iPad.  I fully expect to see kids who would have struggled presenting in class fight to use the iPad to present.

Tags: ISTE2010, NECC, netTrekker, print to digital, Project Based Learning

Learning from Afar

Unfortunately I was unable to attend ISTE2010 this year, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be involved! Even though I have been quite busy with work, I am still checking in on Twitter and Facebook to see what people were talking about, join in on a uStream session, and read blogs coming from the sessions.

Here were some of my favorite tweets from ISTE2010 today:

• web20classroom One of the first things to think about when teaching kids about Critical Thinking is to examine where information comes from.#ISTECT #ISTE10
• oswego98 Favorite quote of the day: Teachers have the right to hide in a cave but they don’t have the right to drag students with them #iste10
• TeachaKidd: Chris Lehmann: “We teach kids, not subjects”
• mtrump :  Technology doesn’t improve education, it changes it……TEACHERS improve education. #ebc10 #ISTE10

If you didn’t have the privilege to attend ISTE 2010 in Denver, it’s not too late! Try backtracking to see if there are any videos available from sessions on ustream.tv. You can search either by #ISTE10 (the official conference hashtag), #ISTE2010 (another popular hashtag), or by the presenter’s last name (such as Chris Lehmann). I have even found a few interesting videos on YouTube! Plus, you can check out blogs about ISTE from those who attended. Some of my favorites include Tim Childers, Vicki Davis, and Jeff Utecht.

Of course, one of the funnest things to do at the conference is visit the exhibit hall. It’s like a candy shop for educators! You can see what’s new, find new potentials, and reconnect with old favorites! If you visited the netTrekker booth, you have probably seen a sneak peak of changes coming in the fall and learned about netTrekker’s new partner, NSTA.

I am so looking forward to next year’s ISTE. Philadelphia, my birthplace, will be the host for a conference that is more than technology – one that reaches all areas of education. I hope I get to see you all there in person!

Tags: ISTE10, ISTE2010, twitter

Check Out What’s Happening at ISTE!

netTrekker will be featuring several workshops presented by educators as well as the netTrekker professionals to talk about how netTrekker can help you access the most relevant digital resources for engaging students in a learning experience that supports their unique needs. Workshops will help users explore netTrekker’s advanced features, hear best practices from other educators, get integration tips and strategies, and more.

See the full schedule at http://www.nettrekker.com/pages/iste-2010

Unable to attend ISTE? Be sure to check out netTrekker Village for workshop highlights, tips, strategies, and more! Find it all at www.nettrekkervillage.com

Be sure to check out all the NEW netTrekker Search features, available for back to school 2010!

Tags: conference, events, iste

Explore a New World of Personalized Learning at ISTE 2010

Are you heading to Denver for the ISTE conference June 27^th – 30^th?  If so, we know that your time there will be jam-packed with workshops and time spent in the exhibit hall exploring all the latest and greatest in educational technology.  We hope you’ll take some time to visit the netTrekker booth #884 to explore new ways that netTrekker can help you personalize learning for your students.

A few of our ISTE highlights include:

• An exploration game that will help you learn more about netTrekker and give you a chance to win an Apple iPad!

• Sneak previews of the new enhancements coming in netTrekker Search for Back-to-School 2010!  Learn how the new enhancements support an even more personalized, productive, and engaging learning experience.

• A full schedule of  workshops presented by netTrekker subscribers that let you explore netTrekker’s advanced features, hear best practices, get integration tips and strategies, and more.

• Demos of the new NSTA Learning Center online science professional development content available in netTrekker.

• Visit our ISTE page for more details and check out our full workshop schedule.

If you’re unable to attend ISTE this year, stay tuned in netTrekker Village for some post-conference highlights.

We’re looking forward to seeing you in Denver at the netTrekker booth #884!

What are you looking forward to most at this year’s ISTE conference?

Tags: integration, Integration Ideas, ISTE2010, netTrekker, netTrekker Village, professional development

And We Have Winners!

One of the hot topics in education is personalizing education. Of course, being a former classroom teacher, technology coach, and now a netTrekker Trainer, I could tell you many ways to use netTrekker to meet the individual needs of your students. However,  we wanted to know how YOU use netTrekker to personalize learning and put it into action, so we made this year’s ISTE Scholarship Contest a video contest where teachers share their story.

It was tough, and the judges spent a lot of time watching each video entry more than once. In the end, we could only choose two for the scholarships. The others will receive nice gifts from our friends at BrainPOP.

Join me in congratulating Jackie Shanti from Clara Barton School, Milwaukee, WI and Andy Losik from Hamilton Schools, Fennville, MI. They will be attending ISTE2010 as our scholarship winners. You can check out their videos, and the other entries, on our scholarship info page.

They will also be sharing their story in the netTrekker Booth at ISTE2010. Come by and say hi, and learn something new from a netTrekker Educator.

Thank you to all who entered and shared your story. They were all fascinating and edutaining!

Tags: BrainPOP, NECC, netTrekker, scholarship

iCan Create an iCon

I splurged yesterday and took the day off to spend with my son and a friend of his at SeaWorld. I let the kids play for a bit in the Happy Harbour, letting the kids get wet and run off their extra energy. While there, I met another teacher from Georgia and we started talking about netTrekker. It happened innocently enough. Her child asked a question about whales, she didn’t know the answer, and I said, “Hey, I can help you look it up.” So there we were, with kids running around splashing and screaming all around us, looking up information about whales on netTrekker using the iPhone and eventually her Droid. (Yep, netTrekker works on the Droid as well!)

How to create a netTrekker shortcut on your iPhone

I mentioned in another post that I have netTrekker as a shortcut on my home screen on my iPhone, and I was asked how to do that.  I made a quick set of instructions, including screen shots of how to do this on the iPhone and turned it into an animation. Did you know that you can take a screen shot of your iPhone by holding the sleep button on top and the round home button on the front, bottom of the screen and then let go. It’s pretty easy to do, and great for making tutorials.

To create the animation, I used an online program called Imator. Pretty easy to use for beginners like myself.  Does someone want to create one for the Droid?

I hope the teacher submits a video entry for the ISTE 2010 scholarship.  I told her she could use the example of her son wanting to learn more about whales at SeaWorld.  She seemed pretty excited when I left her filming her video with his flip camera and him on the Droid explaining how he uses netTrekker at school and now on vacation.

Have you submitted your video yet for the ISTE 2010 Scholarship? Deadline is April 16, and ISTE2010 promises to be fantastic, with plenty of opportunities to learn, connect with your PLN and explore the excellence of technology in education!

Tags: Droid, iPhone, ISTE2010, netTrekker, scholarship

Without Creation, There is no Creativity

The title of this blog is actually borrowed from Wes Fryer’s Keynote Presentation at the Palm Beach County School District’s 2010 Technology Conference. His speech left me with the message not to give into the villian of fear and that “tests are not going to save us”. As one who loves a good story, and a good story often has a villian, I was pleased with the comparison of fear to the bad guy. He’s right. Fear is the only obstacle in integrating technology into your curriculum.  His presentation is available on his blog, including the creative commons images and the videos. One of my favorite videos he shared was from Ocoee Middle School, and I loved how he pointed out that the video was created in December, three months before the state test.

netTrekker had a presence there as well, with a well attended first session and a busy booth. The teachers were looking for integration possibilities and ways that you can connect with students using netTrekker. I shared several possibilities, including a few from Glogster EDU with netTrekker being the research tool and Glogster EDU being the productivity tool. I had one ask where were the standards for the Glogster, and I pointed out the paraphrasing standards and the ISTE Student Technology Standards found in netTrekker’s Standards Search. Of course, we shared about the Video Scholarship and had lots of interest! Creativity was definitely a key topic on everyone’s mind, and the door was open to many possibilities that day after the keynote.

For being the thirteenth largest school district in the United States, as busy as everyone else is with state testing, this was a well attended (3000 registered attendees), well organized “mini conference” that had fantastic sessions, inspiring keynotes, and some wonderful discussions all around.  I encourage you to seek out other blog entries, possible videos (I hear some will be coming after a much deserved Spring Break), and Twitter discussions about this day to connect teachers to technology to foster creativity and achievement.

Tags: creativity, Glogster, Ocoee, Palm Beach County Technology Conference, PBCSDTech, read, Wes Fryer

FBLA: A Reflection

I’m still recuperating from last weekend’s FBLA conference in South Carolina. FBLA is a high school student organization for Future Business Leaders of America that truly prepares the students for the 21st Century Workforce. I’m good friends with one of the state advisors, so I have started coming in each year to assist as needed. Usually this means  judging events and presenting workshops on Saturday for the students, and lots of other stuff in between. Then Sunday we clean up. Now anyone who has ever chaperoned a field trip knows how exhausting the event can be. Add in a few more days, and now you know why I’m wiped out. Where do these kids get their energy from?

I luckily had energy on Saturday, because that was the day I had to present three back to back workshops. My topics were ”Social Networking to Win” which was a game show on social networking skills, “Communicate, Create and Connect” where we shared tools to do all of these on the Internet, and then “The Brand of You”. This was probably my favorite workshop by complete and total accident. (Social Networking was my favorite going in on Saturday.) In the “Brand of You” workshop we looked at how your attitude, appearance, and actions speak louder than any resume. We started off looking at logos from various companies and asking what the students think of when they see that logo and how have the companies changed their images over the years. Then we looked at their image when out in public. Images and stories were shared, and the students started paying more attention.

What amazed me is that one of the younger students asked, “Wait, posting that image or basing your judgement on their behavior away from work is like deflamation of character or something, right?” Well if the image was doctored or you were drugged or forced to act that way, then yes. Otherwise, the person doing the deflamation is the person acting like a fool. More discussion was shared and I believe I saw a few lightbulbs get even brighter that afternoon.

I truly believe in student organizations such as FBLA, and to all of you out there who make those organizations happen, thank you. To all who are teaching our students to be the future, thank you. It’s because of people like you, with your dedication and passion, that education has been branded one of the most noble career paths.

Stay tuned for another reflection tomorrow from Amy Ellisor.

Personalized Learning Made Simple

How do you personalize your classroom and engage your students in the learning process? Do you have a story to share?

How do you keep up with the new trends in education and keep your skills sharp?

Personally, I like finding different technologies that are interesting to use for students to create a final product sharing their knowledge and skills. Research, interactive media, videos, and mixed media are used along the path to the final project. I like attending conferences where I can connect with other educators around the world, to hear their story and share new ideas or twists on old ones.

ISTE, which is in Denver this year,  is one of my favorite places to learn! Educators come from around the world, and there is so much to learn, to soak in, and to take back.

But with budget crunches though, it’s hard to get to such great conferences. We understand this, so we are holding a scholarship contest to help get two educators there. Two lucky winners will receive $1500 towards their expenses for the conference.

What do you have to do? Create a 3-7 minute video sharing how you use netTrekker to personalize and engage students in the learning process. How do you create the video though? What type of technology is involved? Well it’s pretty simple actually. You’ll need visual media, which can be photos or movie clips. To get the photos, etiher use a camera or take screen shots from the computer showcasing the projects and use of netTrekker. Or, grab a regular camera that has movie capabilities and record scenes from your classroom, maybe with you at your interactive white board or in a lab. You can choose to include students or not. Completely up to you and what would be acceptable with your school. You can also use a screen capturing program like Jing Project and share lessons that way.

Connect with other great educators to learn and grow at ISTE 2010.

As for programs, try the free ones on your computer. Mac users, use iMovie. Or, if you want to use still images, try Garage Band and create a video podcast file with your voice. PC users can use PhotoStory for still images and voice overs, while movie clips can be edited and finalized in MovieMaker. Need some more help? Check out netTrekker. Just type in the program name and search. You’ll find some tutorials and great resources to help you get started.

Also, feel free to email me at dabernethy@nettrekker.com. I know how daunting those video projects seem at first, and I’ll be glad to assist. I’m no expert but I am willing to assist, lend an ear, and be there for support.  I’m not a judge, so no need to bribe me with your granny’s secret cookie recipe. I’m just excited that two teachers will have a chance to go to Denver to learn and grow more just for sharing how they personalize and engage their students.

Oh wait! That’s right! Two teachers will win the scholarship, and 5 more will win a BrainPOP classroom subscription and 20 others will win a Moby Hat. You’ll be styling and the envy of your peers.  How cool is that?!

netTrekker Runner-Up for the EdNET Impact Award

Yesterday, netTrekker was recognized as the runner-up for the 2009 EdNET Impact Award. Randy Wilhelm – CEO, Kirsty Wertz – VP Marketing, Steve Nordmark – VP Solutions Management & Development, and Alan Whisman – Director of Business Development, were in attendance to represent netTrekker at the awards ceremony.

Organizations that have made important contributions through their products and programs to the education industry in the past year are recognized each year at EdNETduring the Industry Awards program. The EdNet Impact Award is presented to the organization having made the most significant, positive impact on education through quality educational support and instructional resources.

EdNET 2009, The 21st Annual Educational Networking Conference, took place September 13-15 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Chicago, IL.  EdNET provides the opportunity for those in the business community to immediately connect with top education leaders for the purpose of improving business models, uncovering new market trends, and generating business solutions. 

(From Left to Right) Steve Nordmark - VP Solutions Management & Development, Kirsty Wertz - VP Marketing, Randy Wilhem - CEO, Alan Whisman - Director Business Development

Hanging by a Thread

Last week I promised you a gem from one of the sessions I attended, and told you that you’d have to take a gamble on whether or not I post it. I am so sorry to leave you hanging by a thread, but I’m ready to start sharing. This first gem has become quite popular over the past year or so. It takes presentations and digital storytelling to a completely new level.

VoiceThread is a great tool to share your knowledge and experiences.

I’m talking about VoiceThread, which is a fantastic tool. We used it to wrap up our field trip in Washington DC, to see what they learned about either a monument, netTrekker and how to use it, or about netTrekker Village. Since we were at a very busy, fast paced conference, I was extremely pleased with the number of teachers that responded. I went ahead and paid the $3 for a downloaded version of the field trip and then loaded it to netTrekker Village.

I just mentioned a price, so some would ask if this is a free tool or a subscription tool. It’s actually both. There are some free aspects, and then there are some that are based upon a subscription. You can learn more about the type of accounts they have on their site. You can even see examples of how to use Voice Thread in your own classroom in their library.

Another thought on how to use this goes back to training. What if you took screenshots of your favorite product, such as netTrekker, and asked for the teachers to comment on how they would use that feature, or leave a tip for a best practice, or even post a question on something else they want to learn? You can have the participants in the workshop comment and share, and continue the learning experience from each other.

Let’s give it a shot. Here is a VoiceThread I started on netTrekker. Leave your comments on the different features and share your knowledge and insight with each other. Let’s see how many comments we can get on this thread. All you need to do is sign up for a free account. Then you need to select if you want to leave a written comment or a voice comment. You can also mark up the page while you comment by using the marker to point out a few things or highlight something of interest. Don’t be shy. Have fun with it and experiment. That’s the best way to learn.

Love to Differentiate

Join me this week while I am in Las Vegas for the SDE Differentiation Conference.  I know the saying goes, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, but I just cannot let that happen! I am actually attending the conference to learn more about how differentiation is being used in the classroom in order to add more power to the professional development we offer.   I have signed up for a variety of great sessions, and am excited to share what I learn from them with you!

Do you love to differentiate?

Before the first session, I sat down with a teacher from Texas. She was flipping through her program book and said, “you sure do have to love teaching in order to want to even try differentiating.” She’s exactly right! So, let’s spread the love of differentiation and teaching this week.

A question that came up in one session was “what is differentiation, and what isn’t it?” The answer for “what D.I. is and isn’t” is a great discussion, but let’s look at what it’s not.  It’s not a single program, it’s not hard vs. easy, or even a single answer for all students.

In another session, we looked at how to share what we know with others in PLCs (Personal Learning Communities). This is why I cannot let what I learn in Vegas stay in Vegas!  The presenter, Joni Turville, reminds us that if you are here as a representative from your school or district, you need to make sure that you go back and share that knowledge with your peers. I plan on sharing with my peers through our team lunch and learn sessions and with my fellow netTrekker users and Village members thru the blog, discussions on the Village, and in the professional development I conduct.

Another great question that was discussed was “what do you want out of your PLC and what can you contribute to your PLC?” I want to learn new ideas, tricks, and tips from my PLC. I want to have a core group of other educators that I trust to give me accurate information and great personal opinions on anything dealing with technology in education, or just education. I hope to be able to share those same items with my fellow PLC members, and not be too weak of a link in the learning process.

In her second session, Joni shared with us her favorite web resources for Differentiation. During our “stand up meetings” I heard a teacher several rows back introduce herself from Texas. I’m not sure why this grabbed my attention, but it did. Then on our way out the door, that same teacher said that Joni didn’t share a great resource that covers all of what she did show in one place, and that was netTrekker. WooHoo! I tried to catch up with her so I could get her to write this blog, but no luck. But this is Vegas. Maybe I’ll get lucky today and find her or another one of our great users!

Terms:

PLN: Personal Learning Network

PLC: Personal Learning Communities

DI: Differentiation Instruction