My New Avatar

This avatar site was quick and easy to use. I might have my students use it in the beginning of the school year to introduce themselves to the class. A page on a class wiki could be devoted to the introductions or they could embed the avatar onto their blog. The only draw back I saw initially was the need to register with the site to get the embed information.

Express Yourself with Gizmoz Video Clips

Have You been Tagged by the SEVEN THINGS Meme?

Have you been tagged?


I was just tagged by JoNelle Gardner in the meme going around the education blog circles called “Seven Things”.


Here are the rules:


* Link your original tagger(s), and list these rules on your blog.

* Share seven facts about yourself in the post - some random, some weird.

* Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.

* Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs and/or Twitter and/or Plurk.



1. I'm a mom of 2 (almost 3) amazing children. Michael is 6 and Jack is 4. Baby #3 will be here in a few weeks!

2. Singing was a huge part of my life. In college, I used to sing the national anthem at some of the Suny Oneonta basketball games and was 1 of 4 people in a cover band singing Indigo Girls music. I wish I could be P!ink in my next life!

3. The first car I ever purchased was a used 1987 Nissan Pulsar. It was black and had T-tops. I thought I was really cool!

4. As a kid, I suffered from uncontrollable laughing fits. I haven't had one in years, but the worst used to happen to my mom and I in the middle of Sunday mass services at our church. My dad wasn't too pleased with us....

5. Yellowtail Shiraz is my favorite wine! (Can't wait for this baby to come!)

6. I am the youngest of three girls.

7. All of the computer equipment I've ever owned have been HP products. The only thing that isn't is my digital camera and my all-in-one printer. (How's that for a random or weird fact?!)

I'd like to know more about the following people: Tag...You're it!
Karen Kliegman
Anne Brusca
Adam Dugger
Jane Lowe
Sharon Woronoff
Linda Zwillick
Danielle Parlatore

Introductions....

Dear Blog,

Let me re-introduce myself. My name is Noel Forte and up to this point, I haven't really cared for you very much. I don't mean to hurt your feelings but I've only viewed you as a "requirement" for a class. You don't reflect my personality....no connection to what I really feel. I've feared for a long time that I would be judged negatively by the things I might reveal about myself. After all, I'm a tech integrator, I should know about the latest and greatest Web 2.0 tools and wikis should fly from my fingertips. But you know what? They don't. And you know what else? That's ok. I am a learner...

I am very lucky to have a few friends who have such passion for technology integration that they devote a tremendous amount of time to learning more and networking with others who share their passions...it exceeds the school day and becomes part of who they are. But blog, that's not where I am in life right now. And you know what? That's ok. I am a wife, mother, home owner, friend....On my lunch hour, I like to go to the faculty room to talk to my colleagues or go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Lately, I've been taking a nap in my van! You see, blog, I need some "me time," too! At home, the 3 men in my life deserve my attention. Once they're asleep, I do my homework for grad school.

So blog, I need the cliff notes. I need to feel that I can ask, "How'd you do that? Would you show me how? What was the process you took to get you from A to B? What's the prep time?" I appreciate the amount of time it takes folks to become effective at what they do. I, however, need the condensed version. And that's ok. After all, what's our purpose? My purpose is to help teachers to integrate technology into their school lives, to help them see the benefits for themselves, but most importantly, how it can improve the learning experiences of their students. The students, after all, are the ones who will be using these new technologies in the future.

Once I learn something, I'm off to the races. Once I see how it can be beneficial, I can show others how it can be beneficial. I'm pretty proud of the direction we are going in at my school. It is a slow process, but it is a thoughtful one.

So, blog, I am now looking at you in a new light. I am a learner and this is my process. It's nice to meet you.

Gabcast Podcast

Gabcast! Leaf Walk Project #7 - Cell Phones Are Not Just for Phone Calls Anymore

Leaf Walk Vodcast

Click here to get your own player.

The Now, the Near and the Distant

Recently, Karen Kliegman (Library Media/Technology Specialist) and I were discussing our joint research program and some of the web 2.0 tools we have been using over the past year. As excited as we were over the free access to incredible collaborative/expressionary tools, we also began to see how the "free" access to these tools may soon change. As these tools become more popular, we fear that they will become fee-based and accessibility will then be limited to those who can pay. We've seen it happen with sites like United Streaming or Brain Pop. These once free sites are now charging for services that are beneficial and support learning. I've read how open source/freeware programs can level the playing field between districts of different socio-economic levels, no matter if budgets are tight or endless. If the popularity of web 2.0 tools increases, will the desire to charge for access increase?

In the article "Which Technologies Will Shape Education in 2008?"
by Dave Nagel, (Dave Nagel, "Which Technologies Will Shape Education in 2008?," T.H.E. Journal, 2/4/2008, http://www.thejournal.com/articles/21972) he states that there are 6 technologies are or will impact the learning community. Those 6 technologies are divided into time periods in which they will be present: the near term, mid term and down the road.

The near term technologies, such as grassroots video and collaborative Web Technologies have made expression and endless possibility. Right now, one is only limited by their imagination. Mid term technologies such as mobile broadband and mashups allow for easy access to web based technology and an integration of tools to create something that never existed. Down the road technologies, like collective intelligences and social operating systems, have yet to be developed, but their future seems promising.

My questions over accessibilty still overshadow the excitement of embrascing these new technologies. While we have it at our fingertips, we should use it to the best of its abilities when it is educationally and philosophically beneficial to our students. But for how long will it be available to all?

Connecting....SKYPE Style.

Last week, Adam Dugger, (a colleague and TEAM-mate) Karen Kliegman (my research co-teacher and one of our TEAM mentors) and I had an incredible experience using SKYPE to connect with a class in South Carolina. Adam's 4th grade class is involved with a Native American research project that has participants from across the country. I took this opportunity to use SKYPE to connect with one of the other classes participating in the project. The ultimate use of SKYPE is to have a vehicle for our students to share what they learned with another class and then to compare how the Native Americans in our region may be similar or different to the Native Americans in another region. We decided to test it out before hand with a little "meet and greet" for the students on both ends.

Prior to the video conference, JoNelle, the computer teacher of the other school, and I spoke several times, making sure the equipment worked. All that was necessary was a webcam, microphone and a computer with Internet access. Karen and I prepped the students by having them brainstorm what they wanted to know about the other students. We also discussed video conferencing etiquette, such as keeping their bodies calm and their voices quiet, unless they were asking or answering a question.

At last, the morning arrived and with the exception of a video delay on their side, all went fabulously! I am looking forward to creating more opportunities for the students in my school to connect with others, whether it be in the school down road or across the world. The possibilities are endless!