21apples

Things I'm Bringing to NEIT2008 Unconference

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:55:58 EST

My techie packing list for the unconference:

I think that's more than enough nerdiness for tonight. How's your packing list looking?

Tags: NEIT2008, NYSAIS, unconference, hardware, equipment, nerd, travel, Mohonk

NEIT2008 Unconference Planning Guide

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:53:52 EST

I provided a little writeup for the NY techies list to help them get ready for the NEIT2008 Unconference, beginning on Wednesday. I posted the info on, *gulp*, email, so I'm redoing it here, now. We're really excited to have author of SEND, David Shipley and Generation Yes educator, Sylvia Martinez there to help push the conversations.

Q: Is it too late to register?

A: Heck no! http://neit.wikispaces.com

Q: Need a ride to Mohonk?

A: Check the rideshare: http://neit.wikispaces.com/Ride+Board (thanks, Bill!)

Q: What is NEIT?

A: The NYSAIS Education and Information Technology unconference. For you auditory learners, listen to the NEIT2008 preview podcast at EdTechTalk: http://www.edtechtalk.com/21cl_83

Q: What types of tools should I bring with me?

A: Read the how to prepare guide: http://neit.wikispaces.com/How+to+prepare

Q: Who is coming to this thing?

A: So far, over 130 of “us.” But add your info to the who’s coming page (hint: click Edit This Page): http://neit.wikispaces.com/Who%27s+Coming%3F+2008

Q: How can I communicate with people during the unconference?

A: Via Twitter (http://twitter.com). Sign up for a free account, and start following: http://twitter.com/NEIT for unconference info. Oh, and see who else is on Twitter via the who’s coming page: http://neit.wikispaces.com/Who%27s+Coming%3F+2008

Q: How can I share photos during the unconference?

A: Via Flickr (http://flickr.com). Tag all your photos: NEIT2008 and they’ll automatically show up on the unconference wiki slideshow.

Q: Speaking of the unconference wiki, what is that?

A: It’s where you can find the schedule, rides to/from Mohonk, info on how to prepare, the schedule, the notes from breakout groups, photos, blogs posts and more. Oh, and you can edit it to year heart’s content! It’s here: http://neit.wikispaces.com/

Q: How can I contribute before, during, and after the conference?

A: Using blogs, podcasts, wikis, Twitter, and any other web2.0 tools, just tag things: NEIT2008

If you read all of this, nice work! Now that you’re geared up, just get up to the mountain safely. See you Wednesday,

arvind

on behalf of the NEIT2008 planning committee

http://neit.wikispaces.com/Organizers

p.s. what happened to shorter blogging?

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Tags: NEIT2008, NEIT, unconference, Mohonk, NYSAIS, technology, education

Long Blog Posts Overwhelm Me

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 10:04:11 EST

Some people are such good writers, and their blog posts are like micronovels. I love reading them, but sometimes have trouble with reading something so dense, via my screen. Or even worse, via my iPod touch screen. I like blogs that are short, to the point, and easy to digest. When I want to really sink my mind into something for an extended period of time, I pick up a book. Blogs turning into journal articles, and even books, scare me. What do you think?

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Tags: bookswriters blogs culture reading

Using Shopping To Green A Business

Tue, 5 Aug 2008 13:33:09 EDT

A video from Carrotmob on how they use local consumer power to encourage businesses to be more environmentally responsible. By combining their buying power, they managed to find a business willing to use a part of their profits for "greening" their store. One of the best parts of the videos is the thoughtful and playful video they put together explaining the event. Making it spreadable through the video-sharing site Vimeo helps them get even more attention through people like me, who want to see their work passed on. Godspeed Carrotmob, and thanks to Dean Shareski for pointing me to the video. Watch below. Carrotmob Makes It Rain from carrotmob on Vimeo.

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Tags: Carrotmob, DeanShareski, Vimeo, environment, green, consumer, collective, power

NEIT2008 Conference Planning Moving Forward

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:07:00 EDT

Alex and I were working on the NEIT2008 (NYSAIS Education and Information Technology) Conference wiki site. We're trying to determine what sections would be most helpful. Keep in mind that it is an unconference, so we want to keep the structure open as much as possible. Please go edit the page if you'd like, or just leave me suggestions here. Richard asked me yesterday if I was still blogging. I pretty much said no, but I guess I am. It's all about the inspiration, I suppose.ne

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Tags: neit2008, NYSAIS, conference, unconference, "Alex Ragone, "Richard Kassissieh, "NYSAIS Education and Information Technology

Learning to Change

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:27:24 EDT

Recently I have felt like my blog was dying. Joi Ito said it best when he said that Twitter killed his blogging. Mine too. Well, I'm going to blame it on Twitter, anyways. This video brought me back to my blog, because I wanted people who actually look here to see it. "Learning to Change" speaks to the ways in which we must educate our students for the future. 5 minutes very well spent. Just watch it. It's just below

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Tags: videoeducation future learning teachers students networks 21apples "Daniel Pink

Growing up Online - PBS Frontline

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:21:44 EST

PBS Frontline will be airing "Growing up Online" tonight at 9 PM EST. I like Frontline a lot beacuse of their balanced reporting. The fact that danah boyd is featured on the show makes me think they did their homework. I have written here before, and do believe, she is the smartest English-speaking person I've encountered on dealing with kids and the online world. Do not miss this program, or if you do, watch it online at their website starting tomorrow. Here is a trailer for tonight's episode:
Tomorrow on 21st Century Learning, Alex and I will be discussing tonight's show. Hope you tune in to the live chatroom at 12:00pm EST to discuss with us.

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Tags: PBS, Frontline, "danah boyd, "social networking, online, teens, "21st Century Learning, "Alex Ragone, EdTechTalk, education, technology

Initial Thoughts on POCC

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:27:26 EST

Wow, the opening session is in a giant room in the Boston Convention Center. i am overwhelmed by how many people are here, how many sessions there are, and how many possibilities I have to explore.

The keynote Frank Wu was exciting, the energy in the room is palpable, and I can’t wait to get started. Still haven’t decided if I will liveblog more than this.

Technorati Tags: Boston, Frank Wu, NAIS, National Association of Independent Schools, People of Color Conference, pocc, sdlc

NAIS People of Color Conference Opening

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:21:47 EST

NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) POCC (People of Color Conference)
Nov 29-Dec 1, 2007
Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Pat Bassett, president of NAIS opened the conference
3 books that he read before the conference

Difficult Conversations
Courageous Conversations About Race
Fierce Conversations

————-

Gene Batiste – NAIS Vice President
544 Independent Schools represented for POCC

First POCC - First National Conference for Teachers and Administrators of Color in Independent Schools

————-

Liz Fernandez, and Rodney Glasgow

- 100 student leaders were trained this morning on peer facilitation to lead student sessions all week
- regional action planning teams
- affinity groups with adults by gender

————-

Boston City Councilman – Charles C. Yancey
- discussing how many POC activists have come from and through the city of Boston from Malcom X
- official document from City of Boston City Council congratulates the SDLC and it’s organizers for its 14 years of training for indep school students
- Charles C. Yancey, Chuck Turner, Felix Arroyo, Sam Yoon
- 2nd proclamation from City Council to the POCC accepted by Gene Batiste

Fire Marshall just closed the building because too many people are standing in the back. Whoops

————-

Ira Brown (sp?) introducing opening speaker, Frank Wu, Dean of Wayne State University Law School

I’m not obsessed with race, we all are. Even if we’re not actively thinking about it, we still are thinking about it

I don’t wake up in the morning, get ready for work and think, “I’m an Asian American, here I go”

I’ll have an encounter that will remind me that race is important. I’ll be headed down the sidewalk minding my own business. A kid is walking by, he sees me, he smiles, I know what’s coming next. He strikes a karate pose, he says, ching chong, then he laughs and runs off. I could run after him, collar him and call him a bigot. But I wouldn’t, he’s just a kid. He doesn’t realize how hurtful it is to me.

“You speak English so well. To which I reply, gee thanks, so do you.”

“I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired” – Fannie Lou Hamer

Frank Wu does not think the discussion on diversity will ever be over. It’s not a process, but an outcome. Consider democracy, no matter who you vote for next year, to fulfill your citizenship responsibility and the person next year complains about how we voted 2 years ago, when will this thing be over??? You’ll know they missed an important civics lesson. Similarly lies the work of diversity.

”..we will make good on the promise of a diverse democracy.”

————-

The Windsor School small chorus is performing “The Light of Day”

————-

Technorati Tags: Boston, Charles Yancey, city council, education, Frank Wu, Gene Batiste, NAIS, National Association of Independent Schools, People of Color Conference, POCC, Wayne State University

E-Book Reader That Might Be Worth It

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:01:46 EST

Amazon just announced their new e-book reader, the Kindle. It is pricey, $400, but I think the idea is pretty stellar. A super-easy to read screen (not like a laptop screen) that works in any light and is high resolution. Big previous/next page buttons to help you flip through the books. And you can download books anywhere there is cellular service (with no plan needed to buy). Books are a little expensive, from about $8-16, but at least I can feel good not having to buy paper (while feeling bad about adding more poisonous electronics to the world, hmmm).

I can imagine myself on the subway, on a flight, on my sofa or at my desk reading Love in the Time of Cholera (what I'm reading right now) with the lightweight, simple e-book reader. Some people think it's terrible, but I think they're not focused on what the product is for. It is not a laptop, not meant to be a laptop. Laptops are good at other things, but not for reading books on.

If I had to wish for a use in schools? Well, every student would have a Kindle with all of their textbooks on it. Then, that's all they'd have to carry around, and it is lighter than the average paperback. I would consider one feature - the ability to take notes/highlight digitally on the Kindle. The other feature I'd like to see personally is the ability to send (and lose access to) an e-book I'm finished with to a friend. You could even charge me a buck or two, but passing on/receiving books is one of my favorite past times.

Keep it up Amazon, we're getting there...

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Tags: KindleAmazon e-book reader education product hardware electronics