week 15: "Procrastination is the Art of Keeping up with Yesterday"

I have finally found a scientific explanation for procrastination. . .I meant to find this last semester but. . .


This is officially the last evening of class click here and press button. . .As I mentioned last week, I want to meet with everyone individually to ensure that TaskStream narratives are in, there are two artifacts for each NETS, and your Blog link is appropriately described. I also have a checklist for the Emerging Technology Assignment that I want you to use to ensure that you have all of the elements on your blog that need to be there. . .If you want to see some good peer samples, look at Shannon or Kathleen's blogs

We also have to do evaluations tonight: As this is a technology class, the evaluations will be completed online. Everyone should have already received an email with a link to fill out the evaluation. I will create some space in class for this to be accomplished.

I have graded EVERYTHING that was submitted. . .there is still a bit too much unfinished work floating in webCT. . .please check your grades and let me know if you have any questions. I have also posted the last assignment, "Attendance and Participation". There is a small reflection that you will need to complete. . .

Final Question: What was your favorite assignment in the course and why?

Week 14: Is the End Really Near?

I hope everyone had a great Turkey Day. . .I spent the week driving around the state of Arizona. . .But it was a welcome break from the average. . .and I did get a weekend of snowboarding in @ Mammoth!!

I went to TaskStream today to review the NETS 1 narratives and there were a few of you who didn't have them posted. . .I had asked that that be completed the last week we met :-(

Tonight, I want to ensure you all feel comfortable navigating Google Earth. . .I will demo how to add a folder, put in a placemark and customize the image, and add a path. . .you will also save these projects as .kmz files to be submitted. We may have to upload the Kmz file to TaskStream and take a snapshot of our project for our blogs.
I also want to discuss the rest of your narratives for TaskStream and ensure that everyone understands what is left to complete.

I will finish all grading this week . . .iPromise ;-)

For next week, I expect that your TaskStream narratives are completed. I will take time in class to meet with each of you individually to check your TaskStream and then I will release you. If your narratives are not finished, that is what you will be doing in class. . .finish them and there is a great chance you can leave very early!!

This week's Question: What is your favorite family (or other) tradition? It could be traditional (pun intended) or non-traditional. . .

Week 12: If I Google Earth, Will it Google Me Back?

If you thought iMovie was cool (and you should because it is), wait until you see Google Earth. . .I really want you to play inside of the program to see how you might actually use in your classroom or your life!!

Today, you should be finishing up your iMovie projects. I am going to show you how to do a picture in picture effect that looks really awesome. You should have your checklists printed and ready to submit. . .

Also, I really want you to submit your first narrative for TPE 14. You should have looked over my suggestions and revised the narrative so that it is ready to submit. When you receive my thumbs up, I would like you to submit in TaskStream and request feedback on NETS I! (I would like this completed by tomorrow)

I will also go over some basics of Google Earth and discuss what I expect you to do for the project.


You should be finished with your wiki page and Excel crossword puzzle, and be fairly far into the journal articles 6-10!!

Remember that we are not having class next Tuesday - Furlough - so you should have more than enough time to catch up on any assignment that you have not completed. . .

This week's question: If this class were pass/fail, would you try just as hard in your work? (you can be honest ;-)

Week 11: iCreate iMovie: iKnow iCan iWi!!

I must admit that when I knew I would be teaching the new iMovie format, I was a bit nervous. . .The iMovie 08 and iMovie 09 interfaces are soooo much different than the iMovie that I have been working with for the past . . .oh. . .12 years. However, I dove in and am now officially ready to lead you through editing on the new iMovie. If you haven't worked with the old iMovie, this should be a much easier process for you to make a movie. . .if you have worked with the older version. . .this is a VERY different experience. So, I may make a few mistakes, but I'm sure we can make our way through this!
Here are some tutorials: iMovie 08, iMovie 09, from Apple



I have graded many of the assignments that were past due. . .I will also give feedback on your narrative for NETS I. . .so I hope you have been editing. . .

You should be working on the Excel assignment, wiki, and the Journal 6-10 assignment

Hope you brought headphones. . .you can also bring your own music for the sample.

This Week's Question: What is your favorite movie that was based on a book you read? I would have to say "The Great Gatsby," with Robert Redford & Mia Farrow

Week 10: Learning to Juggle

PHEW. . .I am amazed as to how much work you have all accomplished in less than 10 weeks. . .the good news is that you are almost finished with all of the assignments. . .the bad news is that you are almost finished with all of your assignments. . .right?


Juggling: you should have finished Inspiration, Copyright, and Classroom 2.0. You are still working on Journals 6-10, Excel Crossword Puzzles, adding artifacts to your blog, and the Wiki.

Tonight: I want to get everyone thinking about TaskStream and how to write the narratives. . .we will use your Inspiration projects to discuss what artifacts meet what NETS. . .there is not only one right answer. . .there are many as long as you can explain yourself and use the artifact to drive the narrative. I expect that we can come up with a sample narrative for NETS I.

We only have a few assignments left: iMovie, Google Earth, and your TaskStream Narratives. . .I really want to ensure that everyone understands how to write the narratives!

Grading (or lack of): my bronchitis and overall poor health has me behind in some grading. . .I will catch up by next Tuesday. I promise.

This Week's Question: What is your favorite food? This can be a dish or a specific type of ethnic food (and yes, all food is ethnic to someone, even hamburgers ;-)

Week 9: Wiki Don't Lose That Number. . .

Gosh, it feels like we haven't met in a few weeks. Hey, we haven't met in a few weeks. I hope that everyone used the time wisely to catch up on any missing work, or anything else that may have been neglected in your schooling haze. We have only a few weeks left of school and a few more assignments to work on.
I want to thank everyone for using twitter to let me know you received the message about class. . .only a few people didn't post.

This week: I will first answer questions about any current assignments that you are juggling (Inspiration, Classroom 2.0, etc.). Tonight, we will get a first-hand look into the CSUSM Web 2.0 Tools for Education Wiki and discuss the page that you will create! I would also like to see if there are any questions as to how to embed assignments into your blog. . .Don't forget that each assignment/artifact that is posted on your blog should have an appropriate, descriptive title and the NETS that it is addressing (also in the title). You will also give a brief description of what the artifact is in the body of the post.



Please note: the comments after each blog while fun, are also part of your attendance/participation grade for the class. It seems that there are a few people who are not posting comments. . .

Journals 9 & 10: I want you to use articles from the newest L&L, which hit the Net this weekend, for journals 9 & 10. Remember to use proper citation for the post. . .also, journal 10 is extra credit!

This week's Question: Do you think teachers should receive merit pay? If so, how do you propose it be accomplished? (There is a current gubernatorial candidate who is proposing merit pay for teachers)

Week 8: Just Breathe!

Attention: no class October 20! Please leave a tweet on #ed422 on Twitter that you received this message

I mentioned last week in class that I have a meeting tomorrow that would make me late to class. As I look over what is left, what you still have in progress, and the looks on your faces as I introduced two new assignments, I realize that you could all probably use a break to catch up.

What is currently due/in progress: Copyright collaborative assignment was due Oct 16. Please let me know if there are any questions (If you had Lupita in your group; she has some personal issues that required her to drop the course, so your group of 3 is now a two). There are also the journal 6-10 assignment, the Inspiration assignment, and the Classroom 2.0/Journal 7 assignment.
Emerging Technology: this is an ongoing attempt to embed all assignments in your blog. I will help you all periodically throughout the semester.

If you are a glutton for punishment, I have released the Spreadsheet/Excel assignment. I will discuss it next week, so you need not do anything. . .or you can go ahead and try and complete the assignment on your own. . .

Journal 8: "Have You Tweeted Today," which is also the Blogger's Beat on page 38 of the latest issue of L&L. It is only a one-page article; however, I would like you to also read one of the three resource articles at the bottom of the page and report out on that as well (if you access the online version, the links should take you right to the articles).

This Week's Question: What is your current or all-time favorite teacher movie and why?