For those of you who use the AdWords API, we are happy to announce the launch of the latest version of the API, v2009. This version offers more speed, scale, and flexibility to developers, at a lower cost. Since v2009 is a production beta, developers can sign up for access and will be whitelisted on a rolling basis. For full details on what you'll find in v2009 and how to get started, visit the AdWords API blog.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Closing Up Tuesday at NECC
Yawn.
That wasn't a bored yawn. That was an exhausted yawn.
More like: YAAWWWNNNN...
Day 3 of my Tour-du-NECC and I'm blogging from the remains of the student showcase area. Me and a security guard and a few straggling bloggers.
Before I forget, here are the Tweeple of the Day: first up is @JDPennington, a teacher from NJ; he's going 1:1 in the fall and wants to have all his Spanish students using Diigo. Next up is @dragonsinger57 who taught me the difference between 'vortices' and 'vertices'.
Most of the action this afternoon, at least here in the convention center, was over on the 140s wing and in the Bloggers' Cafe. ISTE came around Ustreaming from the cafe and they've uploaded that here. You may want to stop the video short lest toward the end, during the interview of some weird bearded blogger dude who goes by the name of TechPepperless or something like that, yr video card be disrupted; don't have any idea who that guy is, but man is he... blurry.
As for the showcase area, SETSIG hosted a workshop on Universal Design for Learning. In fact, I'm sitting in the wasteland of what only hours ago was that workshop space. The first step in Universal Design, after all, should be experiencing complete lack of it.
I have to say that today was really just overwhelming. At least I'm not the only one who looks overwhelmed. One of the greeters upstairs in the games area was joking that next year she's going to make her set-up less comfortable to chat in because she spent all day long talking and talking and talking to folks pouring through.
But those crowds are steadily streaming out of the convention center. Off into the chaos of Chinatown; leaving one hyper-experience for another.
And with that, I'm off for the day.
from NECC,
Shelly
That wasn't a bored yawn. That was an exhausted yawn.
More like: YAAWWWNNNN...
Day 3 of my Tour-du-NECC and I'm blogging from the remains of the student showcase area. Me and a security guard and a few straggling bloggers.
Before I forget, here are the Tweeple of the Day: first up is @JDPennington, a teacher from NJ; he's going 1:1 in the fall and wants to have all his Spanish students using Diigo. Next up is @dragonsinger57 who taught me the difference between 'vortices' and 'vertices'.
Most of the action this afternoon, at least here in the convention center, was over on the 140s wing and in the Bloggers' Cafe. ISTE came around Ustreaming from the cafe and they've uploaded that here. You may want to stop the video short lest toward the end, during the interview of some weird bearded blogger dude who goes by the name of TechPepperless or something like that, yr video card be disrupted; don't have any idea who that guy is, but man is he... blurry.
As for the showcase area, SETSIG hosted a workshop on Universal Design for Learning. In fact, I'm sitting in the wasteland of what only hours ago was that workshop space. The first step in Universal Design, after all, should be experiencing complete lack of it.
I have to say that today was really just overwhelming. At least I'm not the only one who looks overwhelmed. One of the greeters upstairs in the games area was joking that next year she's going to make her set-up less comfortable to chat in because she spent all day long talking and talking and talking to folks pouring through.
But those crowds are steadily streaming out of the convention center. Off into the chaos of Chinatown; leaving one hyper-experience for another.
And with that, I'm off for the day.
from NECC,
Shelly
Updates to Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook
When we announced Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook a few weeks ago, we committed to improving it over time to make the Outlook experience on Apps as similar to the experience on Exchange as possible. We first focused on making mail, contacts, and calendar work really well, because those are the features that the more than one hundred companies who tested Apps Sync before launch asked for. Today we wanted to share a couple of updates on our progress in improving compatibility.
We worked closely with Microsoft to address two issues that we shared recently, and we appreciate their help. The Windows Desktop Search feature now works, so you can choose between the native Outlook search, which has been available since launch, and Windows Desktop Search to find information in Outlook. We've also worked with them to add support for accessing Windows Live Hotmail via the Microsoft Office Outlook Connector plug-in.
We also added an option to allow users to enable or disable autoarchive during installation, improved the two-way synchronization of notes in contacts, and improved our installation to make it more clear where data in other Outlook accounts is located. To access these additional features and fixes, current users are being updated automatically to the latest version, and it's available immediately to new users here. As always, you can find more detailed information about Apps Sync in our help center, and we're going to continue to add more advanced features in the coming months.
Since the release of this tool, many businesses have asked us for more information about switching from Microsoft Exchange, so we've pulled together a Google Apps resource site that centralizes information for businesses coming from an Exchange environment. It has information about Google Apps, answers to your due diligence questions, customer feedback from those who have switched before you, and more.
Posted by Chris Vander Mey, Senior Product Manager, Google Apps
Get timely updates on new features in Google Apps by subscribing to our RSS feed or email alerts.
Vortices
"Yeats explained that the 'fundamental symbol' of A Vision is 'a double cone or vortex' (also called a gyre) that describes the 'Great Wheel' of history."
from 'Modernism and the ideology of history' by Louise Blakeney Williams (2002)
Thinking about vortices.
I know, I know... I probably just need lunch. But I've been thinking about vortices.
You know a vortex when you see one. They start little and start spinning until they get bigger and bigger and bigger. Then, expanding as far as they will allow themselves, they will begin to contract and get smaller and smaller and smaller.
Then they turn around and do it all again.
I've been thinking about 'em all day.
Sitting in the audience for a NECC session on 21st century tech and literacy with Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach and Will Richardson. Here are some of the phrases that have been floating over the room:
Feedback.
Connecting and Community.
Learning from the Wisdom of the Crowd.
Picking your Mentors.
Exploring Virtual Learning Communities.
Developing Personal Learning Networks.
Merging local community and global community.
And here I am thinking about vortices.
And I'm thinking about this morning's debate over the future of bricks-and-mortar schools.
And I'm thinking about the school building not as a place to be taught, but as a homebase to return to to disseminate what you've learned.
Vortices.
I see the 'school year' of the future:
I see a school year where students will begin their learning experience in a small building filled with a caring local community. They will then plug in and become aware of the world. They will plug into networks and discover the breadth of humanity. They will meet strangers and develop teams and tribes with them. They will then leave the building and go out into the world. They will exist in the world and learn things. They will share those things with their teams and tribes. Their experiences will be shared among strangers and family alike. Their family back home in the local community will learn from their shared experiences and they will synthesize their community foundations with what they've found in the world. They will plug into and come to know themselves. They will return to the small building. And they will share their experience with everyone there.
And they will Grow Big. They will all Grow Big.
That's the vortex I'm talking about. That's the school year I want to see happen. Whether it's going out into a foreign country or into a neighboring community or into a different learning environment.
We're talking about rearranging the set-pieces of what we have too long held essential as the fundamentals of education: the enclosure of the school building and the nature of the school year.
And when I'm talking vorex, I'm not talking silly novelty metaphor. We're not talking novelty. We're talking necessity. We're talking a way of thinking about how we need to engage our students, engage the world, and make something happen in education that reflects the needs of the times we are living in.
Grow small. > Share. > Go big.
Grow big.
Go small. > Share. > Grow small.
Grow big.
Shared growth. A complex, but elegant vortextual/vortextural understanding of the flux between local and distant. A re-purposing of time and place. A breaking through the 'essentialist' mechanic and philosophy that tells us just exactly what THE PROGRAM is and HOW IT'S ALL SUPPOSED TO WORK.
I've been thinking about the change that's coming. I've been thinking about vortices.
What's a School Day?
In a session on ‘Engaging the Digital Generation’, Vicki Davis brought up a really interesting point about global connections that I hadn’t thought about.
And it’s not some big conceptual thing and it’s not some little touchy-feely thing; it’s a practical thing.
A practical thing with rather profound implications:
Logistics.
A true real-time global classroom can’t expect to work on a North American school-day schedule.
You want your kids to understand what ‘global’ means?
Have them participate in a real-time session with students in Australia… during the Australian kids’ regular school day.
And it’s not some big conceptual thing and it’s not some little touchy-feely thing; it’s a practical thing.
A practical thing with rather profound implications:
Logistics.
A true real-time global classroom can’t expect to work on a North American school-day schedule.
You want your kids to understand what ‘global’ means?
Have them participate in a real-time session with students in Australia… during the Australian kids’ regular school day.
AdWords click measurements accredited by MRC
We're pleased to announce today that the click measurement systems in Google AdWords has now been accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC). MRC accreditation certifies that Google's click measurement technology adheres to the industry standards for counting interactive advertising clicks and that its processes supporting this technology are accurate.
The industry guidelines were developed over the past three years in an effort coordinated by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the MRC. We're proud to be one of the founding members of this group, which established the first ever industry guidelines governing how interactive advertising clicks are counted and how invalid clicks are detected and handled. The audit against these guidelines was conducted by a CPA firm engaged by the MRC to perform the audit. You can view the IAB / MRC Click Measurement Guidelines here.
We look forward to continuing to work with the rest of the industry in promoting rigorous standards and practices in click measurement and analysis. As ever, our Ad Traffic Quality team continues to work hard on protecting advertiser ROI. To read more about our work in this area, please visit our Ad Traffic Quality Resource Center.
The industry guidelines were developed over the past three years in an effort coordinated by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the MRC. We're proud to be one of the founding members of this group, which established the first ever industry guidelines governing how interactive advertising clicks are counted and how invalid clicks are detected and handled. The audit against these guidelines was conducted by a CPA firm engaged by the MRC to perform the audit. You can view the IAB / MRC Click Measurement Guidelines here.
We look forward to continuing to work with the rest of the industry in promoting rigorous standards and practices in click measurement and analysis. As ever, our Ad Traffic Quality team continues to work hard on protecting advertiser ROI. To read more about our work in this area, please visit our Ad Traffic Quality Resource Center.
Homebases of Learning
After the Oxford Debate formally finished this morning, the assembled took three questions -- two from the audience and one from online.
Richardson has a great observation about Jupp's inability to answer one of the questions and what it implies about his understanding of what's really going on in ed tech.
It would be enough to write the guy off. After all, buildings? As 'houses of learning'?
But, it's funny: despite the fact that I'm surrounded by all of this technology and it allows me to work beyond or even without the walls of that old school building, I'm still in favor of having a building, a homebase, some physical space where your own mind rather than your digital device can develop memory and love and pride.
That's not to say that you can't develop those things on-the-go, but I'm still a sucker for having a 'homebase'.
A 'homebase' is a safe place you can always return to. The doors are not locked. And they swing both in and out. A 'homebase' is a place where you don't always feel like a tourist.
I guess the bigger point related to so many of our schools is that they are not 'homebases'.
I see a future where we treat the school building as a community headquarters.
Students and teachers do not always have to be together in the building; and world travel, virtual learning, and global networking are encouraged. But the building still remains the place where we can gather as a local community with our neighbors and families. It's the place where members of our community who have been off on wild travels can return to tell us what they found out there. It's the place where we can gather to share something you can't share online: real smiles, real laughter, real hugs, and high-fives.
Because that's important stuff; it's stuff that teaches us how to live with one another.
If we really wanted to walk the walk and not just blame the talk, we'd sit down and rearrange how we organize our streets. Our neighborhoods. Our cities, suburbs, and farms. Because how we are spatially, geographically, and architecturally organized directly effects how we teach. And how we learn.
Buildings are important. I agree with Jupp that a school-building can be a 'house to learning'. But not if we don't take the broader implications of architecture and urban planning seriously.
I went to a high school situated on a campus. We had six main buildings. Underclass, Upperclass, Cafe, Performing Arts, Field House, and an old tower.
My sisters went to a school where everything was stuck in one fortified brutal building.
I have deep feelings and memories of places on my campus. They still inspire my memory.
What does that fortified brutal high school my sisters went to inspire?
As we talk about the integration of technology into the learning experience, we also need to talk about the re-examination of school architecture. Let's take what Jupp calls those 'houses of learning' and make them 'homebases of learning'.
Richardson has a great observation about Jupp's inability to answer one of the questions and what it implies about his understanding of what's really going on in ed tech.
It would be enough to write the guy off. After all, buildings? As 'houses of learning'?
But, it's funny: despite the fact that I'm surrounded by all of this technology and it allows me to work beyond or even without the walls of that old school building, I'm still in favor of having a building, a homebase, some physical space where your own mind rather than your digital device can develop memory and love and pride.
That's not to say that you can't develop those things on-the-go, but I'm still a sucker for having a 'homebase'.
A 'homebase' is a safe place you can always return to. The doors are not locked. And they swing both in and out. A 'homebase' is a place where you don't always feel like a tourist.
I guess the bigger point related to so many of our schools is that they are not 'homebases'.
I see a future where we treat the school building as a community headquarters.
Students and teachers do not always have to be together in the building; and world travel, virtual learning, and global networking are encouraged. But the building still remains the place where we can gather as a local community with our neighbors and families. It's the place where members of our community who have been off on wild travels can return to tell us what they found out there. It's the place where we can gather to share something you can't share online: real smiles, real laughter, real hugs, and high-fives.
Because that's important stuff; it's stuff that teaches us how to live with one another.
If we really wanted to walk the walk and not just blame the talk, we'd sit down and rearrange how we organize our streets. Our neighborhoods. Our cities, suburbs, and farms. Because how we are spatially, geographically, and architecturally organized directly effects how we teach. And how we learn.
Buildings are important. I agree with Jupp that a school-building can be a 'house to learning'. But not if we don't take the broader implications of architecture and urban planning seriously.
I went to a high school situated on a campus. We had six main buildings. Underclass, Upperclass, Cafe, Performing Arts, Field House, and an old tower.
My sisters went to a school where everything was stuck in one fortified brutal building.
I have deep feelings and memories of places on my campus. They still inspire my memory.
What does that fortified brutal high school my sisters went to inspire?
As we talk about the integration of technology into the learning experience, we also need to talk about the re-examination of school architecture. Let's take what Jupp calls those 'houses of learning' and make them 'homebases of learning'.
NECC 2009: The Oxford Debate
It is too early for Michael Jackson.
Unfortunately that’s been the music-of-choice throughout the conference. Bearable two nights ago. Grating this morning.
But I digress.
It’s 8:26AM and the convention center ballroom is just about full. This morning’s event is an ‘Oxford Style Debate’ on the topic: Are brick and mortar schools detrimental to the future of education.
The event begins with news about today’s ‘international competitiveness in education’ event over at the Press Club. And an ISTE volunteer just reminded the guy sitting next to me about the ISTE-led march down to Capitol Hill later in the morning. About 500 members are scheduled to meet with reps on the hill to advocate for ed tech. Looks like the big goal is for increased funding for classroom technology. Lot’s of policy stuff. Will keep you posted (in the most obviously least wonky of ways).
Lot’s of talk about ‘Digital Citizenship’ this morning. This has to do with the new NETS-A standards. According to ISTE, it’s about students learning how to use technological communication in safe, responsible, and appropriate ways.
Fair enough, though ‘appropriate’ wouldn’t make my list. If we teachers had been using tech ‘appropriately’ -- that is, according to the rules of the technology and the tech traditions in our schools -- we’d never be at the point we are now. ‘Appropriate’ is not one of the ingredients in Innovation.
***
The leadership of ISTE is now glowing hagiographic re: integration of ISTE goals and etc around the world. Celebrating the admins, mentors, and teachers who have been working hard in ed tech. Also celebrating the ‘corporate relationships’ that make this possible.
That’s exactly the thing that gives me pause. I completely understand that the folks down there on the convention floor are paying the rent for the rest of us to meet here at the Washington Convention Center. But, in what they’ve actually presented downstairs, I see a lot of maneuvering room for a non-profit to step in and actually handle a lot of what they are doing.
Consider Netbooks. You could pay $400 for a new book. Or have a non-profit that strips and retrofits old Mac iBooks for $200. I’ll tell you this: my souped up iBook G4 totally rocks the Acer netbooks I bought for my sons.
The non-profit sector has to be part of the equation.
***
Now, we’re on to the 2009 Awards Presentation.
Strange, strange atmosphere in the ballroom. The lights have gone down and we’re watching what was described as a ‘multimedia presentation’. Actually, it’s a flashy PowerPoint. At least they didn’t use ‘Thriller’ as their background music.
I say it’s strange because no one is actually receiving an award (physically). Rather, we are all sitting in rows watching this fancy automated PowerPoint on three big screens. I’m sitting in the front row, so I can look back into the crowd and what I see is not unlike rows upon rows of ninth graders watching a video describing photosynthesis.
Minutes pass.
Suddenly all the award winners magically appear on the side stage. Wow. Nice to see them. Though I would have preferred the award winners to have flown in on wires in a blaze of pyrotechnics and fog. Maybe it’s just all the Michael Jackson getting to me.
One way or the other, congratulations to the award winners for your hard work, and I was certainly relieved to see you in human form rather than just on the screen. (Hey ISTE, next year let’s get some video going on in that ‘multimedia’; it’d be a nice touch).
***
Oxford Debate
Finally. This is the main event. Horn and Stager vs. Jupp and Lemke. The sledgehammer wielding demo dream team vs. the touchy-feely old-fashioned ‘human’ types.
First up is Michael Horn, co-author of ‘Disrupting Class’. First thing I notice is that he is using notecards. I think notecards are detrimental to the future of education. His argument is that bricks-and-mortar schools don’t meet the variety of needs of students. He’s in favor of online-learning. Whatever that means. Because he doesn’t explain.
This is my beef: we still haven’t defined what ‘online learning’ is. I’ve looked at two major companies running online courses recently and what I’ve seen is that their version of ‘online learning’ is a rebuild of ‘textbook learning’. How is that any different than what we’ve got? Horn talks a lot about how bricks-and-mortar schools ‘confine’ students -- well, so do textbooks. And online courses can just as easily fall into the ‘textbook mentality’.
Next up is Brad Jupp from Colorado. He’s talking about bringing technology into the schools as opposed to closing down schools and sending kids into technology. “Schools are the vessles of the wishes of our democracy”. He’s got me. Talking about schools as the community centers where we can meet face-to-face and learn. They are anchors of democracy and they are the places where peers form important bonds.
Jupp describes the school building in sacred terms as the ‘house of learning’. It’s a powerful icon, not easily replaced by a computer screen.
Next up is Gary Stager from the Constructivist Consortium. His opening salvo is about the silliness in using technology to meet NCLB goals. Stager rips on the state of most online learning, comparing it to mailorder correspondence classes. He’s getting applause and laughs. Stager talks about quality online learning “mirroring” quality classroom learning. Getting beyond the bells and whistles. And then a slam on whiteboards!
Gary, despite his rather bombastic styule, is presenting a much more nuanced view of online learning. I see his role on his side of the debate as to redefine what we’re talking about in terms of ‘online learning’. He’s arguing that brick-and-mortar schools as they exist are detrimental, but that to be meaningful, online learning has to get beyond the status quo.
On the other side is Cheryl Lemke. She immediately plays against the dualism presupposed in the debate question itself: “It’s not black and white. It’s not one or the other. It’s a combination.” She’s playing to the same themes as Jupp: We don’t need to get rid of schools. We need to redefine how schools relate to their communities. But she stresses the recent research demonstrating that hybrid-learning being the most successful. And, when it comes down to it, that’s what really makes sense. Our kids have physical AND virtual lives. And we need to educate them for BOTH.
Marshall Thompson, a high school student from Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda takes the first rebuttal on behalf of the tear-‘em-down team. Argues about the ‘limits’ of classrooms. Talks about ‘international’ living. “Why am I limited to get together to learn with those around me?”
But then he undermines his point via an anecdote. He tells us that he has lived around the world and saw devastation left in Sri Lanka by the Tsunami. Well, isn’t the point that he was ‘there’ in a physical space? He didn’t just get the images on YouTube. His argument actually is more about getting beyond the school walls and getting out into the world; he’s bypassed online learning altogether.
Rebutting on behalf of school buildings is Erik Bakke from West Springfield High School in Springfield, VA. Rushes into the ‘how’ and ‘with whom’ argument. Argues that connection to the local community is a good thing. Stresses the importance of groups and teams to learning. Hmm. I’d argue that anyone with a PLN would argue that ‘groups’ and ‘teams’ aren’t limited to the folks you share a room with. One thing that really does come through in his rebuttal, however is a sense of pride in one’s school. Can you have the same sort of ‘pride’ in an online class?
We’re up to the summaries.
Stager’s up. Slams teachers for not being about to understand student culture. Slams clickers and whiteboards and traditional classroom mentality. Raises hoots, eyebrows, and the rhetoric of the dialogue saying: “The blame lies in the bankruptcy of our imaginations”.
Lemke gets the last word: “It’s time for us to remember that we don’t want our fathers’ schools; we want our children’s schools.” She presents a compelling argument for engagement with the local AND global communities.
***
The final result? Well, at the start of the debate, 37% of audience members said bricks-and-mortar schools WERE detrimental, 64% WERE NOT detrimental. By the end of the debate, 26% said bricks-and-mortar schools WERE detrimental, and 74% said they WERE NOT.
Go figure, looks like teachers actually like their classrooms.
Cue the Michael Jackson.
Unfortunately that’s been the music-of-choice throughout the conference. Bearable two nights ago. Grating this morning.
But I digress.
It’s 8:26AM and the convention center ballroom is just about full. This morning’s event is an ‘Oxford Style Debate’ on the topic: Are brick and mortar schools detrimental to the future of education.
The event begins with news about today’s ‘international competitiveness in education’ event over at the Press Club. And an ISTE volunteer just reminded the guy sitting next to me about the ISTE-led march down to Capitol Hill later in the morning. About 500 members are scheduled to meet with reps on the hill to advocate for ed tech. Looks like the big goal is for increased funding for classroom technology. Lot’s of policy stuff. Will keep you posted (in the most obviously least wonky of ways).
Lot’s of talk about ‘Digital Citizenship’ this morning. This has to do with the new NETS-A standards. According to ISTE, it’s about students learning how to use technological communication in safe, responsible, and appropriate ways.
Fair enough, though ‘appropriate’ wouldn’t make my list. If we teachers had been using tech ‘appropriately’ -- that is, according to the rules of the technology and the tech traditions in our schools -- we’d never be at the point we are now. ‘Appropriate’ is not one of the ingredients in Innovation.
***
The leadership of ISTE is now glowing hagiographic re: integration of ISTE goals and etc around the world. Celebrating the admins, mentors, and teachers who have been working hard in ed tech. Also celebrating the ‘corporate relationships’ that make this possible.
That’s exactly the thing that gives me pause. I completely understand that the folks down there on the convention floor are paying the rent for the rest of us to meet here at the Washington Convention Center. But, in what they’ve actually presented downstairs, I see a lot of maneuvering room for a non-profit to step in and actually handle a lot of what they are doing.
Consider Netbooks. You could pay $400 for a new book. Or have a non-profit that strips and retrofits old Mac iBooks for $200. I’ll tell you this: my souped up iBook G4 totally rocks the Acer netbooks I bought for my sons.
The non-profit sector has to be part of the equation.
***
Now, we’re on to the 2009 Awards Presentation.
Strange, strange atmosphere in the ballroom. The lights have gone down and we’re watching what was described as a ‘multimedia presentation’. Actually, it’s a flashy PowerPoint. At least they didn’t use ‘Thriller’ as their background music.
I say it’s strange because no one is actually receiving an award (physically). Rather, we are all sitting in rows watching this fancy automated PowerPoint on three big screens. I’m sitting in the front row, so I can look back into the crowd and what I see is not unlike rows upon rows of ninth graders watching a video describing photosynthesis.
Minutes pass.
Suddenly all the award winners magically appear on the side stage. Wow. Nice to see them. Though I would have preferred the award winners to have flown in on wires in a blaze of pyrotechnics and fog. Maybe it’s just all the Michael Jackson getting to me.
One way or the other, congratulations to the award winners for your hard work, and I was certainly relieved to see you in human form rather than just on the screen. (Hey ISTE, next year let’s get some video going on in that ‘multimedia’; it’d be a nice touch).
***
Oxford Debate
Finally. This is the main event. Horn and Stager vs. Jupp and Lemke. The sledgehammer wielding demo dream team vs. the touchy-feely old-fashioned ‘human’ types.
First up is Michael Horn, co-author of ‘Disrupting Class’. First thing I notice is that he is using notecards. I think notecards are detrimental to the future of education. His argument is that bricks-and-mortar schools don’t meet the variety of needs of students. He’s in favor of online-learning. Whatever that means. Because he doesn’t explain.
This is my beef: we still haven’t defined what ‘online learning’ is. I’ve looked at two major companies running online courses recently and what I’ve seen is that their version of ‘online learning’ is a rebuild of ‘textbook learning’. How is that any different than what we’ve got? Horn talks a lot about how bricks-and-mortar schools ‘confine’ students -- well, so do textbooks. And online courses can just as easily fall into the ‘textbook mentality’.
Next up is Brad Jupp from Colorado. He’s talking about bringing technology into the schools as opposed to closing down schools and sending kids into technology. “Schools are the vessles of the wishes of our democracy”. He’s got me. Talking about schools as the community centers where we can meet face-to-face and learn. They are anchors of democracy and they are the places where peers form important bonds.
Jupp describes the school building in sacred terms as the ‘house of learning’. It’s a powerful icon, not easily replaced by a computer screen.
Next up is Gary Stager from the Constructivist Consortium. His opening salvo is about the silliness in using technology to meet NCLB goals. Stager rips on the state of most online learning, comparing it to mailorder correspondence classes. He’s getting applause and laughs. Stager talks about quality online learning “mirroring” quality classroom learning. Getting beyond the bells and whistles. And then a slam on whiteboards!
Gary, despite his rather bombastic styule, is presenting a much more nuanced view of online learning. I see his role on his side of the debate as to redefine what we’re talking about in terms of ‘online learning’. He’s arguing that brick-and-mortar schools as they exist are detrimental, but that to be meaningful, online learning has to get beyond the status quo.
On the other side is Cheryl Lemke. She immediately plays against the dualism presupposed in the debate question itself: “It’s not black and white. It’s not one or the other. It’s a combination.” She’s playing to the same themes as Jupp: We don’t need to get rid of schools. We need to redefine how schools relate to their communities. But she stresses the recent research demonstrating that hybrid-learning being the most successful. And, when it comes down to it, that’s what really makes sense. Our kids have physical AND virtual lives. And we need to educate them for BOTH.
Marshall Thompson, a high school student from Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda takes the first rebuttal on behalf of the tear-‘em-down team. Argues about the ‘limits’ of classrooms. Talks about ‘international’ living. “Why am I limited to get together to learn with those around me?”
But then he undermines his point via an anecdote. He tells us that he has lived around the world and saw devastation left in Sri Lanka by the Tsunami. Well, isn’t the point that he was ‘there’ in a physical space? He didn’t just get the images on YouTube. His argument actually is more about getting beyond the school walls and getting out into the world; he’s bypassed online learning altogether.
Rebutting on behalf of school buildings is Erik Bakke from West Springfield High School in Springfield, VA. Rushes into the ‘how’ and ‘with whom’ argument. Argues that connection to the local community is a good thing. Stresses the importance of groups and teams to learning. Hmm. I’d argue that anyone with a PLN would argue that ‘groups’ and ‘teams’ aren’t limited to the folks you share a room with. One thing that really does come through in his rebuttal, however is a sense of pride in one’s school. Can you have the same sort of ‘pride’ in an online class?
We’re up to the summaries.
Stager’s up. Slams teachers for not being about to understand student culture. Slams clickers and whiteboards and traditional classroom mentality. Raises hoots, eyebrows, and the rhetoric of the dialogue saying: “The blame lies in the bankruptcy of our imaginations”.
Lemke gets the last word: “It’s time for us to remember that we don’t want our fathers’ schools; we want our children’s schools.” She presents a compelling argument for engagement with the local AND global communities.
***
The final result? Well, at the start of the debate, 37% of audience members said bricks-and-mortar schools WERE detrimental, 64% WERE NOT detrimental. By the end of the debate, 26% said bricks-and-mortar schools WERE detrimental, and 74% said they WERE NOT.
Go figure, looks like teachers actually like their classrooms.
Cue the Michael Jackson.
Rakhi Sawants Swayamvar has been aired on NDTV imagine, yesterday 29th june
Photo courtesy: movies.ndtv.com
Finally the wait is over and thousands of Rakhi Sawants fans got to watch the dancing drama queen in a different avatar as she launged her show on NDTV Imagine last night. The show began with Rakhi waiting for the arrival of her 16 princes of whom she will chose a husband in the finale. She sizzled in a red and green embroidered outfit with matching diamond jewelery. All 16 potential grooms to be enter into the show in valor bringing with them gifts worth for a princess. One brought with them a beautiful white wedding gown and described it worth for a fairy who he has seen in Rakhi.. her face glows as she receives each ones gift with grace as they attempt to woo her in their best of mannerisms. 3 of them are picked by her as the ones she likes the best( they say "first impression is the last impression") so i guess she figures it out that way and pins on a brooch onto them(i thought it matched her jewelery)
The 16 finalists were short listed from the applicants around the globe. A NRI was also spotted amongst the 16 of them. Rakhi herself had planned out the concept, and for the rest of the weeks we get to watch them all under one roof where they will be put through a series of challenges, competing to win the hand of Rakhi but keeping in mind a criteria set by the dancing queen herself.
The reality show spots a contrasted Rakhi where she seems to have shed of that outspoken image and has projected herself as the perfect bride-to-be.
The show has Ram Kapoor as the host, who portrays a staunch business man and husband to bani in the soap Kasam Se.. His comedy skills or rather the clownish version of him was seen the show Jhalak Diklaja(a dance show) where he was a participant despite his bulky physique but a real sporting guy.. i was amused watching him throughout! hehe
Her not so blood related brother Ravi Kishan will also flock into the reality show to help his sister with her decisions as he puts all 16 to test, and every week one of them gets eliminated. So its going to be quite entertaining with some bittersweet episodes of the lot.
The show 'Rakhi ka swayamvar' will be telecast every Monday-Friday at 9 p.m. on NDTV Imagine
Monday, June 29, 2009
How Am I Doing?
To start, here are your Tweeple of the day: @teacherman79 and @nashworld.
Second thing, so I've been doing this NECC thing now for two days. I've seen grown men dressed as data-storage and I've watched dedicated educators make hand-made Tech Anarchist garb. I've been screamed at by the cast of the new PBS Electric Company 2.0 and I've been cursed at by various well-meaning Australians. I've learned how to avoid coffee and food lines and I've become an expert at sneaking into closed sessions. I've managed to get my principal to start a Twitter account and I've managed to lose a party of VR gamers in ChinaTown (not my intention).
So I'd like to know, in terms of my blog posts and Tweets: how am I doing?
Don't hold back. I'm sure I will have gotten harsher criticism from my students, and I expect nothing less from my readers.
Just remember: this ain't Ed Week. They're pros. I'm just a loose cannon with a souped-up iBook G4.
All I've tried to do is mind-send my thoughts, observations, hyperboles, confessions, and occasional provocations out there to all of you whether you are at NECC or at rest comfy in your own homes.
I hope this is working.
And for the record, I fully realize that I am not a journalist... but that doesn't stop me from scoffing up their pastries in the press room.
Thanks again ISTE Connects for the chance to cover the conference. Tomorrow I turn up the heat.
Second thing, so I've been doing this NECC thing now for two days. I've seen grown men dressed as data-storage and I've watched dedicated educators make hand-made Tech Anarchist garb. I've been screamed at by the cast of the new PBS Electric Company 2.0 and I've been cursed at by various well-meaning Australians. I've learned how to avoid coffee and food lines and I've become an expert at sneaking into closed sessions. I've managed to get my principal to start a Twitter account and I've managed to lose a party of VR gamers in ChinaTown (not my intention).
So I'd like to know, in terms of my blog posts and Tweets: how am I doing?
Don't hold back. I'm sure I will have gotten harsher criticism from my students, and I expect nothing less from my readers.
Just remember: this ain't Ed Week. They're pros. I'm just a loose cannon with a souped-up iBook G4.
All I've tried to do is mind-send my thoughts, observations, hyperboles, confessions, and occasional provocations out there to all of you whether you are at NECC or at rest comfy in your own homes.
I hope this is working.
And for the record, I fully realize that I am not a journalist... but that doesn't stop me from scoffing up their pastries in the press room.
Thanks again ISTE Connects for the chance to cover the conference. Tomorrow I turn up the heat.
What to do if your domain name is already taken
I wished i could sometime in my life own a domain name and of course it's not a great thing to own one, it costs very less and almost everyone can own one. The fear of building my sites links from start is what stops me... I own a free domain right now but someday i will buy my own for my existing blog site, or maybe when i initiate my own business :-)
Here i've found great tips to help those in confusion of how to choose their domains names and some solutions if the names are unavailable.
Most business site use .com, and most of the names have been taken away but one can still own the same name with a .net, .org etc... But then again, as .com is mostly associated with commercial reasons i guess most people would prefer the .com. from .net or .org
What to do if your domain name is already taken
On the Internet, it’s been years and year’s websites have been built and domain names are being registered. One wonders, if suppose all the domain names be used up, what would we do. Well its not the case of domain names ending, but just like the series of number of vehicles and mobiles, domains names can be constructed attempting different variations, for e.g. If your name 'something.com' is not available, you still have the option to add a extra alphabet to the name like 'sommething.com' to own it, however, names that seem very similar may result in trademark infringement the violation of someone's trademark rights. You can still experiment with various minor changes to find a suitable choice yours and buy it, for e.g like 'somethingstrange.com'.. :-)
Here i've found great tips to help those in confusion of how to choose their domains names and some solutions if the names are unavailable.
Most business site use .com, and most of the names have been taken away but one can still own the same name with a .net, .org etc... But then again, as .com is mostly associated with commercial reasons i guess most people would prefer the .com. from .net or .org
What to do if your domain name is already taken
On the Internet, it’s been years and year’s websites have been built and domain names are being registered. One wonders, if suppose all the domain names be used up, what would we do. Well its not the case of domain names ending, but just like the series of number of vehicles and mobiles, domains names can be constructed attempting different variations, for e.g. If your name 'something.com' is not available, you still have the option to add a extra alphabet to the name like 'sommething.com' to own it, however, names that seem very similar may result in trademark infringement the violation of someone's trademark rights. You can still experiment with various minor changes to find a suitable choice yours and buy it, for e.g like 'somethingstrange.com'.. :-)
Quest Atlantis at NECC: Using Virtual Worlds to Teach Net Citizenship
Comment came from the panel at the Quest Atlantis session this afternoon with regard to something that came up during one of the leadership sessions at NECC 2009.
One of the members there suggested that we just get beyond fear.
Start acting like educators and stop being afraid of making mistakes.
Allow mistakes to produce innovation.
And that's so right on. Maybe we should ask the folks who demand we live by the rules of their fear exactly what it is that they've innovated recently.
None of us want kids to be put in harms' way. I've got three elementary aged kids of my own. I want them to be safe online.
But in the same way that you need to go through the somewhat dangerous practice of driver's ed in order to teach a kid how to drive safely, you need to teach kids how to exist in the virtual realm in order to teach them how to be a responsible Web citizen.
Quest Atlantis is exactly the type of virtual world to allow this sense of play and learning about virtual worlds among schoolkids.
***
In the same session, the question of strangers and meeting people online came up.
Quest Atlantis itself is a very safe virtual environment for kids. Second Life it is not. It's more of a practice world where students get to take in all different sorts of lessons.
But there's really an even bigger reason we need kids to learn to manage their online lives as young people. Because, the world that they will enter into as young adults will be a world where they can NOT hide from strangers and the unknown. It is a world in which -- if they are going to be successful -- they will have to be prepared to ENGAGE strangers and the unknown.
Rather than hide from strangers, the panel threw down the real gauntlet:
What it comes down to is this: we need to teach kids how to become citizens of the world. This doesn't mean we want to throw them into some imaginary nest of Internet perverts in a Second Life whorehouse. It means we want them to understand that 'being connected' means being connected to everyone; and that with connection comes responsibility.
And - most of all -- it means that you are not the center of, but rather a vital part of that world. You and billions of other people.
Student-centered virtual worlds such as Quest Atlantis are precisely the type of place where this education in digital citizenship can start.
***
Get beyond fear.
No fear of technology. No fear of one another.
Idealistic? Yes.
Necessary? Absolutely.
Possible? If you want it.
One of the members there suggested that we just get beyond fear.
Start acting like educators and stop being afraid of making mistakes.
Allow mistakes to produce innovation.
And that's so right on. Maybe we should ask the folks who demand we live by the rules of their fear exactly what it is that they've innovated recently.
None of us want kids to be put in harms' way. I've got three elementary aged kids of my own. I want them to be safe online.
But in the same way that you need to go through the somewhat dangerous practice of driver's ed in order to teach a kid how to drive safely, you need to teach kids how to exist in the virtual realm in order to teach them how to be a responsible Web citizen.
Quest Atlantis is exactly the type of virtual world to allow this sense of play and learning about virtual worlds among schoolkids.
***
In the same session, the question of strangers and meeting people online came up.
Quest Atlantis itself is a very safe virtual environment for kids. Second Life it is not. It's more of a practice world where students get to take in all different sorts of lessons.
But there's really an even bigger reason we need kids to learn to manage their online lives as young people. Because, the world that they will enter into as young adults will be a world where they can NOT hide from strangers and the unknown. It is a world in which -- if they are going to be successful -- they will have to be prepared to ENGAGE strangers and the unknown.
Rather than hide from strangers, the panel threw down the real gauntlet:
"We should be TRYING to meet other people".
What it comes down to is this: we need to teach kids how to become citizens of the world. This doesn't mean we want to throw them into some imaginary nest of Internet perverts in a Second Life whorehouse. It means we want them to understand that 'being connected' means being connected to everyone; and that with connection comes responsibility.
And - most of all -- it means that you are not the center of, but rather a vital part of that world. You and billions of other people.
Student-centered virtual worlds such as Quest Atlantis are precisely the type of place where this education in digital citizenship can start.
***
Get beyond fear.
No fear of technology. No fear of one another.
Idealistic? Yes.
Necessary? Absolutely.
Possible? If you want it.
2019
2019
That’s the year Scott McLeod says we’re without a paddle.
Here’s the equation from his NECC session this afternoon:
Looking at the exponential curve with regards to technology and personalization in education, McLeod predicts half of high school courses will be online by 2019.
Another way of thinking about it is like this: in ten years time, most of the basics of how we’ve thought about servicing education will be toast.
We'd be wise to review Dewey: "Communication is shared experience". And while we're at it, let's update Dewey: "Communication is shared experience is education. And immediate, global, connected shared experience is communication".
Ten years.
That’s the year Scott McLeod says we’re without a paddle.
Here’s the equation from his NECC session this afternoon:
K-12 education is facing disruptive innovation. It’s [called] personalized learning.
The existing educational model is not a given.
All of this is going to sneak up on educational organizations.
Looking at the exponential curve with regards to technology and personalization in education, McLeod predicts half of high school courses will be online by 2019.
Another way of thinking about it is like this: in ten years time, most of the basics of how we’ve thought about servicing education will be toast.
We'd be wise to review Dewey: "Communication is shared experience". And while we're at it, let's update Dewey: "Communication is shared experience is education. And immediate, global, connected shared experience is communication".
Ten years.
Generate revenue from mobile applications
If you develop iPhone or Android applications, we're happy to let you know about the beta launch of AdSense for mobile applications. Participants in the beta will be able to display text and image ads in their mobile applications to earn revenue. We've seen positive results in our trials, and we're excited to roll this out to new developers to continue supporting the growth of mobile applications.
You can visit our new microsite to learn more about AdSense for mobile applications, see our beta requirements, or sign up. If you're selected to participate in the beta, we'll be in touch with you shortly with next steps for getting started.
You can also learn more about the program by watching the video below, in which Howard Steinberg, Director of Business Development at Urbanspoon, describes how he tested AdSense for mobile applications:
You can visit our new microsite to learn more about AdSense for mobile applications, see our beta requirements, or sign up. If you're selected to participate in the beta, we'll be in touch with you shortly with next steps for getting started.
You can also learn more about the program by watching the video below, in which Howard Steinberg, Director of Business Development at Urbanspoon, describes how he tested AdSense for mobile applications:
Increased Productivity Due to Telecommuting
In the global networked economy, work is performed everywhere, at any time and any place. That said, what are the operational benefits? Cisco set out to evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts associated with allowing and actively enabling employees to telecommute.
Cisco announced the findings of its Teleworker Survey, an in-depth study of almost 2,000 company employees. The study, conducted to evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts associated with telecommuting at Cisco, revealed that a majority of respondents experienced a significant increase in work-life flexibility, productivity and overall satisfaction as a result of their ability to work remotely.
Create a Sound Telecommuting Strategy
As the modern workforce continues to evolve and globalize, more companies are evaluating a telecommuting strategy to save costs and lower carbon emissions as well as to retain top talent.
For these companies, Cisco's survey highlights the gains that a sound telecommuting strategy provides for employees and employers alike.
Cisco is achieving new levels of efficiency and effectiveness by enabling people to work together no matter where they are located. In fact, according to Cisco's Internet Business Services Group, the company's global strategic consulting arm, the company has generated an estimated annual savings of $277 million in productivity by allowing employees to telecommute and telework.
Examples of Connectivity Solution Adoption
In addition, with the steady adoption of enterprise-class remote connectivity solutions like Cisco Virtual Office, the recently announced Cisco OfficeExtend, and virtual collaboration tools like Cisco WebEx, Cisco anticipates that employees and employers will continue to see a rise in the benefits associated with telecommuting.
Highlights from the study include the following:
- Approximately 69 percent of the employees surveyed cited higher productivity when working remote, and 75 percent of those surveyed said the timeliness of their work improved.
- By telecommuting, 83 percent of employees said their ability to communicate and collaborate with co-workers was the same as, if not better than, it was when working on-site.
- 67 percent of survey respondents said their overall work quality improved when telecommuting.
- An improved quality of life through telecommuting was cited by 80 percent of survey respondents.
- Telecommuting can also lead to a higher employee retention rate, as more than 91 percent of respondents say telecommuting is somewhat or very important to their overall satisfaction.
You Wanna Know What's Going on in Ed Tech? Ask the teachers and students.
Finally found what I came here for.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, in room dedicated to the student showcase.
No corporate spokespeople. No flashy commercial displays. Just real kids and real teachers showing what they are doing integrating technology into their classrooms.
When it comes down to the brass tacks, this is what NECC is all about.
Because without those kids and those teachers actually having the audacity to engage with tech in their learning environments, all is for naught.
Without that connection being made, without that learning taking place, it's all a carnival.
Among my favorites was a project taken on by Antonio Lenoyr and his students at the Cedros school using Google SketchUp to visualize concepts in geometry and architecture in a unit on 'Architecture and Urbanism'. Another was a presentation on 'Virtual Pioneers' by a teacher named Andrew Wheelock and his middle-school students. And then there was the digital portfolio program from Rhode Island public schools.
In the center of the room is a '21st century Media Center' where teachers and librarians are helping each other learn how to navigate Second Life, create digital storyboards, edit Wikis, and create their own blogs. It's hands-on learning at its best.
As I'm sitting here blogging in the center of all of this activity, I can't help but think: this is what it's all about. It's about giving the tools to students and teachers so that they can make connections. And who are we to say what those connections will or will not be.
Our task as educators is to confirm in our students' hearts and minds that they have both the right and capability to think, make, and do. Our task is to give them the support via content, tools, and skills to think, make, and do. But our task is not to teach them what to think, make, and do.
The big difference between this room of teachers and students and a lot of what was going on downstairs in the big convention room full of tech and software companies lies in that distinction.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, in room dedicated to the student showcase.
No corporate spokespeople. No flashy commercial displays. Just real kids and real teachers showing what they are doing integrating technology into their classrooms.
When it comes down to the brass tacks, this is what NECC is all about.
Because without those kids and those teachers actually having the audacity to engage with tech in their learning environments, all is for naught.
Without that connection being made, without that learning taking place, it's all a carnival.
Among my favorites was a project taken on by Antonio Lenoyr and his students at the Cedros school using Google SketchUp to visualize concepts in geometry and architecture in a unit on 'Architecture and Urbanism'. Another was a presentation on 'Virtual Pioneers' by a teacher named Andrew Wheelock and his middle-school students. And then there was the digital portfolio program from Rhode Island public schools.
In the center of the room is a '21st century Media Center' where teachers and librarians are helping each other learn how to navigate Second Life, create digital storyboards, edit Wikis, and create their own blogs. It's hands-on learning at its best.
As I'm sitting here blogging in the center of all of this activity, I can't help but think: this is what it's all about. It's about giving the tools to students and teachers so that they can make connections. And who are we to say what those connections will or will not be.
Our task as educators is to confirm in our students' hearts and minds that they have both the right and capability to think, make, and do. Our task is to give them the support via content, tools, and skills to think, make, and do. But our task is not to teach them what to think, make, and do.
The big difference between this room of teachers and students and a lot of what was going on downstairs in the big convention room full of tech and software companies lies in that distinction.
Wi-Fi Fail at NECC 2009
The Washington Convention Center had better get working on its Wi-Fi problem; there are dozens of bloggers ready to pounce (that is, if they could just get connected).
McLeod blogs livid.
As reported earlier, folks have been complaining about the intermittent service. But now, things have taken a turn for the worse. I am hearing that there is now no service in the Bloggers' Cafe. I've been moving around the building (I'm currently in Ballroom A waiting for a presentation from the worldwide SCRATCH community) and I've had spotty access at best.
Let's get it fixed, folks.
McLeod blogs livid.
As reported earlier, folks have been complaining about the intermittent service. But now, things have taken a turn for the worse. I am hearing that there is now no service in the Bloggers' Cafe. I've been moving around the building (I'm currently in Ballroom A waiting for a presentation from the worldwide SCRATCH community) and I've had spotty access at best.
Let's get it fixed, folks.
The Disconnect: the Two NECCs
The smiles are held half as strong.
Today is Monday at NECC and the first chance to get on the exhibit floor. The place sort of resembles a Best Buy on methamphetamine.
Fueled by coffee and battlelust, I wander past the kind of stuff that I find fundamentally useless and make my way to the booths celebrating (er... that is selling) blocking software.
My goal is to get to the BLOXX table. They're a Web filtering company and this year's theme is: blocking anonymous proxies (wonder if they've been in contact with the government of Iran recently).
The greeter meets me at the table and launches into quite a spiel. The only thing I really notice is that she says the word 'porn' three times in less than twenty seconds.
She explains that the new software her company is developing is filtering software that attacks proxies. I ask her why. She repeats the word 'porn'.
I ask her if the filter can tell the difference between a proxy that I might use say to shorten a url or to feed an RSS through a blog. She doesn't understand what I am asking.
I ask whether the filter blocks all anonymous proxies or whether it follows the proxy and then blocks the masked site. She thinks the latter.
So, we should just be able to double-mask the proxy to a 'real' site to get around the filter, says the teenaged hacker voice in my mind.
Let alone the fact that mobile Wi-Fi makes the whole system useless.
Hmm.
I wonder how many tens of thousands of ed tech dollars are going to be wasted on filtering and blocking software like this. I wonder how many kids are going to be asking for smartphones for Christmas.
The greeter hands me a press release. Coffee's wearing off. Or something.
***
I wander the aisles a bit. Take in a conversation with a guy from Roland.
Warning -- paraphrase ahead:
DP is the pro Mac app I run for the kids in my audio production classes; Sonar is a cheap PC imitation.
We stare at one another.
Moving on, I try to break my habit of constantly looking at people's chests to read their name-badges. It's gonna give me a sullied reputation.
***
I stand amidst the strange competing glows hovering over the side-by-side Microsoft and Dell stations.
I score a sweet orange bag and someone at some point thrusts a pre-packaged headset into my hands, gives me some sort of full body scan, and sends me in the direction of a 'free' laptop.
My eyes wander about the room. I notice a heart hovering in space. Finally: something with meat on its bones (pardon the obviously mixed metaphor).
Reach Out Interactives is demonstrating it's 3D rendering software. As in: here, wear these funky glasses and watch the scientific models float into your personal space.
I'm a sucker for 3D. I am looking forward to a world where Wolf Blitzer is not the only person on Earth allowed to hang out with 3D hologram humans. It's just one of those quirks I've got; probably directly related to the hundreds of hours I spent in my youth watching Star Wars and Star Trek movies on VHS.
One way or another, these folks swear that you can bring real 3D directly into your classroom. I am especially excited by the notion that you could make Google Earth projections appear in 3D. Well, that and the opportunity to stand in front of a class of kids all wearing funny glasses.
***
I've got to get outta here.
I've now crossed the length of the convention floor twice. My orange bag is full of... well... stuff. I don't really know what it is because I've barely had a chance to take anything in. All around me, the commercial version ed tech world is spinning. I'm in a zone of complete obsolescence and all about me I hear words and phrases like: what IT departments are most scared of... security... like having your personal school Internet... and whiteboard, whiteboard, endless whiteboard.
I stumble to the escalator and make my way upstairs to an 11AM session on gaming.
***
Up here, things are different.
I've heard folks complaining about the quality of the Wi-Fi. I've heard presenters complain about the idea that they would be expected to present via PowerPoint (as opposed to live online resources). The Bloggers' Cafe is buzzing and Twitter has been all-#NECC09-all-day.
For the most part, it seems like the educators here are mostly interested in access, connection, and sharing info via Web 2.0.
I didn't find a single booth downstairs that talked about any of those things.
Granted, I only rushed through the endless displays on a hobbled knee; and to be honest, the whole thing was so overstimulating that I could have certainly missed some non-profit organization's innovative presentation on universal access to cloud computing. But under the glow of Big Tech, any and all of that was lost.
I should say that I met a TeachPaperless subscriber on the convention floor. And she said it better than I ever could when she told me that she needed to get online to sort it all out and get a little peace.
And that's why I say that it's like there are two NECCs going on. One is an NECC comprised of folks absorbed by social media, free access, and Web 2.0 participation. The other NECC is folks absorbed by building the better corkscrew.
I'm going to keep an open mind. I'm here for two more days and there is a ton left to see. But walking around with my bag full of free crap, I can't help but feel like I'm at a carnival.
Today is Monday at NECC and the first chance to get on the exhibit floor. The place sort of resembles a Best Buy on methamphetamine.
Fueled by coffee and battlelust, I wander past the kind of stuff that I find fundamentally useless and make my way to the booths celebrating (er... that is selling) blocking software.
My goal is to get to the BLOXX table. They're a Web filtering company and this year's theme is: blocking anonymous proxies (wonder if they've been in contact with the government of Iran recently).
The greeter meets me at the table and launches into quite a spiel. The only thing I really notice is that she says the word 'porn' three times in less than twenty seconds.
She explains that the new software her company is developing is filtering software that attacks proxies. I ask her why. She repeats the word 'porn'.
I ask her if the filter can tell the difference between a proxy that I might use say to shorten a url or to feed an RSS through a blog. She doesn't understand what I am asking.
I ask whether the filter blocks all anonymous proxies or whether it follows the proxy and then blocks the masked site. She thinks the latter.
So, we should just be able to double-mask the proxy to a 'real' site to get around the filter, says the teenaged hacker voice in my mind.
Let alone the fact that mobile Wi-Fi makes the whole system useless.
Hmm.
I wonder how many tens of thousands of ed tech dollars are going to be wasted on filtering and blocking software like this. I wonder how many kids are going to be asking for smartphones for Christmas.
The greeter hands me a press release. Coffee's wearing off. Or something.
***
I wander the aisles a bit. Take in a conversation with a guy from Roland.
Warning -- paraphrase ahead:
Q. "Why would I want to buy your Sonar software?"
A. "It's cheaper than Digital Performer."
DP is the pro Mac app I run for the kids in my audio production classes; Sonar is a cheap PC imitation.
We stare at one another.
Moving on, I try to break my habit of constantly looking at people's chests to read their name-badges. It's gonna give me a sullied reputation.
***
I stand amidst the strange competing glows hovering over the side-by-side Microsoft and Dell stations.
I score a sweet orange bag and someone at some point thrusts a pre-packaged headset into my hands, gives me some sort of full body scan, and sends me in the direction of a 'free' laptop.
My eyes wander about the room. I notice a heart hovering in space. Finally: something with meat on its bones (pardon the obviously mixed metaphor).
Reach Out Interactives is demonstrating it's 3D rendering software. As in: here, wear these funky glasses and watch the scientific models float into your personal space.
I'm a sucker for 3D. I am looking forward to a world where Wolf Blitzer is not the only person on Earth allowed to hang out with 3D hologram humans. It's just one of those quirks I've got; probably directly related to the hundreds of hours I spent in my youth watching Star Wars and Star Trek movies on VHS.
One way or another, these folks swear that you can bring real 3D directly into your classroom. I am especially excited by the notion that you could make Google Earth projections appear in 3D. Well, that and the opportunity to stand in front of a class of kids all wearing funny glasses.
***
I've got to get outta here.
I've now crossed the length of the convention floor twice. My orange bag is full of... well... stuff. I don't really know what it is because I've barely had a chance to take anything in. All around me, the commercial version ed tech world is spinning. I'm in a zone of complete obsolescence and all about me I hear words and phrases like: what IT departments are most scared of... security... like having your personal school Internet... and whiteboard, whiteboard, endless whiteboard.
I stumble to the escalator and make my way upstairs to an 11AM session on gaming.
***
Up here, things are different.
I've heard folks complaining about the quality of the Wi-Fi. I've heard presenters complain about the idea that they would be expected to present via PowerPoint (as opposed to live online resources). The Bloggers' Cafe is buzzing and Twitter has been all-#NECC09-all-day.
For the most part, it seems like the educators here are mostly interested in access, connection, and sharing info via Web 2.0.
I didn't find a single booth downstairs that talked about any of those things.
Granted, I only rushed through the endless displays on a hobbled knee; and to be honest, the whole thing was so overstimulating that I could have certainly missed some non-profit organization's innovative presentation on universal access to cloud computing. But under the glow of Big Tech, any and all of that was lost.
I should say that I met a TeachPaperless subscriber on the convention floor. And she said it better than I ever could when she told me that she needed to get online to sort it all out and get a little peace.
And that's why I say that it's like there are two NECCs going on. One is an NECC comprised of folks absorbed by social media, free access, and Web 2.0 participation. The other NECC is folks absorbed by building the better corkscrew.
I'm going to keep an open mind. I'm here for two more days and there is a ton left to see. But walking around with my bag full of free crap, I can't help but feel like I'm at a carnival.
Morning Update from NECC 09
Educational Insanity has a nice argument against Malcolm Gladwell's form of inductive reasoning right here.
And McLeod has links to four separate liveblogs written last night during the keynote.
I had a terrible nightmare last night in which Mr. Gladwell pummeled me with a rolled up copy of the New Yorker whilst recounting the day-by-day antics of Mick Fleetwood and company circa 1969.
Back to reality.
Starbucks' line is now 50+ deep. I scored a free cup of joe behind-the-scenes. When it comes to coffee, I don't stand in line; see me for tricks of the trade.
I'm headed down to the exhibition floor. Will be blogging throughout the day. Let the games begin!
And McLeod has links to four separate liveblogs written last night during the keynote.
I had a terrible nightmare last night in which Mr. Gladwell pummeled me with a rolled up copy of the New Yorker whilst recounting the day-by-day antics of Mick Fleetwood and company circa 1969.
Back to reality.
Starbucks' line is now 50+ deep. I scored a free cup of joe behind-the-scenes. When it comes to coffee, I don't stand in line; see me for tricks of the trade.
I'm headed down to the exhibition floor. Will be blogging throughout the day. Let the games begin!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
First Impressions: NECC 2009
First thoughts about NECC. This is my first time attending, and I'm pretty impressed.
Structurally: This thing is a monster. There is so much going on. I'm in awe of the catering and event staff. I watched them fix a downed monitor, reset a Wi-Fi deadzone, and manage to score extra bottles of champagne for the gala (on a Sunday in DC). These folks are beasts.
As for the attendees: I've noticed, in loose anthropological terms, three types of people.
First are the educators. You notice them quickly. Because they are the folks who are smiling huge ridiculous smiles. They are smiling because (anomalous to many of their ed conference experiences) they are actually attending a conference that they WANT to attend. They are also meeting people they are mostly used to seeing only in itsy-bitsy Twitter profile photos. It's quite invigorating to talk to these folks.
Second are the leaders in ISTE and the various committees. They are somewhat similar to the general educator rabble, except in that few if any of them are wearing a bookbag. And in general, they have nicer haircuts. And they all seem to know the proper way to hold a champagne glass. I bet they go back to the hotel to play Bridge.
Finally are the sales/demonstration/booth folk. Booth folk. I like that. They are the professionals. I saw a guy work out an on-the-fly problem regarding a full-sized monster suit and a missing badge. These people are pros. And they are also sort of like tech carnies. And I can't wait to get on the floor with them tomorrow.
'Til then. Good night (once you close down Twitter).
Structurally: This thing is a monster. There is so much going on. I'm in awe of the catering and event staff. I watched them fix a downed monitor, reset a Wi-Fi deadzone, and manage to score extra bottles of champagne for the gala (on a Sunday in DC). These folks are beasts.
As for the attendees: I've noticed, in loose anthropological terms, three types of people.
First are the educators. You notice them quickly. Because they are the folks who are smiling huge ridiculous smiles. They are smiling because (anomalous to many of their ed conference experiences) they are actually attending a conference that they WANT to attend. They are also meeting people they are mostly used to seeing only in itsy-bitsy Twitter profile photos. It's quite invigorating to talk to these folks.
Second are the leaders in ISTE and the various committees. They are somewhat similar to the general educator rabble, except in that few if any of them are wearing a bookbag. And in general, they have nicer haircuts. And they all seem to know the proper way to hold a champagne glass. I bet they go back to the hotel to play Bridge.
Finally are the sales/demonstration/booth folk. Booth folk. I like that. They are the professionals. I saw a guy work out an on-the-fly problem regarding a full-sized monster suit and a missing badge. These people are pros. And they are also sort of like tech carnies. And I can't wait to get on the floor with them tomorrow.
'Til then. Good night (once you close down Twitter).
Real Tweeple
Every Friday on Twitter, folks pass around links to the Tweet feeds of folks they enjoy following. I'm gonna be posting my favorites throughout NECC right here.
First this evening is @jenwagner who got the Re-Fleetwooding story source; second is @deangroom who makes me laugh with his no b.s. Tweets, and third today is @AndrewBWatt who has a ton of great ideas.
Tweet away!
First this evening is @jenwagner who got the Re-Fleetwooding story source; second is @deangroom who makes me laugh with his no b.s. Tweets, and third today is @AndrewBWatt who has a ton of great ideas.
Tweet away!
Good Japan market stats from iMedia Asia hide unfortunate market challenges
Andy Radovic of Outrider has a nice high level piece over at iMedia Asia on the Japanese search market. Called "Searching for travel, the Japan way", it is the BOOT Recommended Read of the week. Paints a very positive picture of online travel in Japan - which is fair and true. When discussing Japan it is important to know that the success of online travel in Japan is despite the fact that the online travel market has not one but two hands tied behind its back.Firstly the two main airlines - ANA and JAL - still make it virtually impossible to conduct a search query that includes results for both carriers on domestic routes. This has crippled any efforts by intermediaries to sell air in Japan and led to the focus by the major online intermediaries (Jalan/Recruit and Rakuten) on accommodation.
Secondly I have been reliably informed that there are very strict laws on the requirements for disclosure to consumers about the cancellation policies on package sales. When I last investigated this the cancellation policy for a package tour had to be explained to a customer. That is that it had to happen over the phone or face to face rather than a consent online. If this law is still in effect, then it eliminates the "hands free" sale of group tours online. That is the sale of group tours/travel without the intervention of a sales person.
[above assumes my knowledge of JP market is still up to date - please let me know if I am out of the loop]
thanks to Hyougushi over a flickr for the photo
BOOT in Business Week Business Exchange
I feel like I have lost a bit of control over the syndication of the BOOT across the InterToobs but cant complain when one of the unknown feed results is to end up on a BusinessWeek page. Image below
Faux Gladwell: The NECC 2009 Keynote Fail
Lot's of dissension on the Gladwell keynote at NECC. Here's a link to the RSS of the liveblog I posted during the speech.
My biggest beef with the presentation was that it was an ongoing string of generalities about famous people. Had absolutely nothing to do with teaching kids. And throughout, I felt like the whole thing just sounded canned.
Little did I or anyone else know that Mr. Gladwell just gave a 'strikingly' similar speech a few weeks ago: to the United Way.
The blogger at the Eagle Blog goes on to describe exactly how Mr. Gladwell related the history of Fleetwood Mac to the work of the United Way.
And guess what?
Looks like it was mostly the same speech he just gave to NECC.
I find this to be the ultimate in pandering. Given the opportunity to give a keynote to the biggest ed tech conference in the world, at least do us the honor of giving a unique speech.
At least something we can't already find on Google.
My biggest beef with the presentation was that it was an ongoing string of generalities about famous people. Had absolutely nothing to do with teaching kids. And throughout, I felt like the whole thing just sounded canned.
Little did I or anyone else know that Mr. Gladwell just gave a 'strikingly' similar speech a few weeks ago: to the United Way.
It is impressive to hear someone like Gladwell talk. He didn't use notes and he was able to recite facts and statistics from memory that always tends to blow my mind. In an effort to do something a little different last night he decided to give three lessons to be learned from the story of Fleetwood Mac. One of the hallmarks of a great speaker for me is their ability to entertain, to get their messages across and if they can surprise you at the same time then its a huge bonus! Gladwell delivered ... Fleetwood Mac as a topic for the United Way major donors!
The blogger at the Eagle Blog goes on to describe exactly how Mr. Gladwell related the history of Fleetwood Mac to the work of the United Way.
And guess what?
Looks like it was mostly the same speech he just gave to NECC.
I find this to be the ultimate in pandering. Given the opportunity to give a keynote to the biggest ed tech conference in the world, at least do us the honor of giving a unique speech.
At least something we can't already find on Google.
Music Monday - You are not alone (a tribute to Michael Jackson)
This is the video Michael Jackson featured with his wife Liza Presley Marie (the original vid is right below), the daughter of Elvis Presley. Prefect blends of passion, love, and traces of isolation which topped the charts and was the recipient of Grammy and American Music Award nominations. I grew up idolizing him and his music always played on our lips and minds even as kids and teens. His unique vocal style, dress style, dance style and behavior.. Everything kept us admiring the pop star more and more. The impact he has on his fans couldn't be compared and never will. He was a special soul sent to earth to live amongst us but unfortunately his image was tarnished by some. I never believed, no matter what they had said, and never will. His music and his humbleness always stood ahead of whatever.. and Michael is irreplaceable.
Having said the above, i still cant get over the sad demise of the original moon walker, and every time am listening to his music or watching his video's, i cant hold my tears back realizing the fact that he's no more.
His loss is heart breaking no doubt but he will be immortalized through his music, so
we should all celebrate his contribution to the world which remains with us forever!:-)
Lyrics | Michael Jackson lyrics
Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.
Having said the above, i still cant get over the sad demise of the original moon walker, and every time am listening to his music or watching his video's, i cant hold my tears back realizing the fact that he's no more.
His loss is heart breaking no doubt but he will be immortalized through his music, so
we should all celebrate his contribution to the world which remains with us forever!:-)
Lyrics | Michael Jackson lyrics
A Tale of Two Conferences
I am realizing very quickly that NECC is really two conferences.
In one conference, educators explain how they are pushing the boundaries of technology. Discussions take place. Thinking occurs.
In the other conference, corporations pitch their wares to the folks who make big money ed tech decisions. Deals take place. Sales occur.
In and of itself, this is not necessarily a bad thing.
But it is a thing.
And it is something that I've got to be aware of as I blog the next few days.
In one conference, educators explain how they are pushing the boundaries of technology. Discussions take place. Thinking occurs.
In the other conference, corporations pitch their wares to the folks who make big money ed tech decisions. Deals take place. Sales occur.
In and of itself, this is not necessarily a bad thing.
But it is a thing.
And it is something that I've got to be aware of as I blog the next few days.
A Very Delicate Procedure
I realize that I am a fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants idealist.
I especially realize this as soon as I step onto the ledge overlooking the exhibitors' hall.
AT&T, Texas Instruments, and several other names which have surfed the choppy waters of modern American capitalism peer up from the floor as if to say: told ya' we'd still be here.
Nowhere at NECC is the tenacious balance between ideas and commerce so self-aware as on the exhibition floor.
This is where hundreds of companies will tell you that their product and/or proprietary method is what you need. This, when we all realize that what we need is true open source cloud computing.
What we need is simple and universal access via simple and universal devices.
Yeah, exactly buddy... I got one of them right here for a good price.
Alas, the exhibition floor.
This is where teachers getting paid morsels to prepare the intellects of future generations get to be eyed by sales reps from the world's biggest corporations.
Depending on your point of view, it's either the best of the future or the worst of the future. It's either testimony to innovation and collaboration between corporate and educational America, or it's a testament to that basic premise of business which will never change.
I somehow see it as precious. Delicate, perhaps.
In the same way that walking on the edge of a knife is a very delicate procedure.
***
I'm sitting downstairs outside the exhibition hall in a little secluded alcove. No one else is here. Just me and a handful of nicely proportioned modern leather chairs.
On the wall hang three art assemblages. They are three abacuses made of wood and old rubber balls. The sign says that they are the work of one Greg Hannan of Washington, D.C.
I sit here looking at the three pieces and I can't help but wonder. Who needed that original abacus more: the guy who ran out of fingers to count on or the guy who came up with a way to put that wood piled up in the backyard to some entrepreneurial use?
I especially realize this as soon as I step onto the ledge overlooking the exhibitors' hall.
AT&T, Texas Instruments, and several other names which have surfed the choppy waters of modern American capitalism peer up from the floor as if to say: told ya' we'd still be here.
Nowhere at NECC is the tenacious balance between ideas and commerce so self-aware as on the exhibition floor.
This is where hundreds of companies will tell you that their product and/or proprietary method is what you need. This, when we all realize that what we need is true open source cloud computing.
What we need is simple and universal access via simple and universal devices.
Yeah, exactly buddy... I got one of them right here for a good price.
Alas, the exhibition floor.
This is where teachers getting paid morsels to prepare the intellects of future generations get to be eyed by sales reps from the world's biggest corporations.
Depending on your point of view, it's either the best of the future or the worst of the future. It's either testimony to innovation and collaboration between corporate and educational America, or it's a testament to that basic premise of business which will never change.
I somehow see it as precious. Delicate, perhaps.
In the same way that walking on the edge of a knife is a very delicate procedure.
***
I'm sitting downstairs outside the exhibition hall in a little secluded alcove. No one else is here. Just me and a handful of nicely proportioned modern leather chairs.
On the wall hang three art assemblages. They are three abacuses made of wood and old rubber balls. The sign says that they are the work of one Greg Hannan of Washington, D.C.
I sit here looking at the three pieces and I can't help but wonder. Who needed that original abacus more: the guy who ran out of fingers to count on or the guy who came up with a way to put that wood piled up in the backyard to some entrepreneurial use?
Relics of the Past
I am sitting in a hallway on the third floor of the Washington Convention Center. I'm at the 30th annual meeting of the NECC along with a few thousand of my best friends.
The opening salvo -- the orientation presentation -- actually became an SRO affair, adding yet one more acronym to this NECC/ISTE ed tech mélange.
In this long hallway there's an exhibition I took in over a few spare minutes. It's a collection of old computers and techware; everything from a sweet old Apple SE to a how-to guide for managing a Windows NE server to an Atari 400 that my own kids would still just about die for.
The not-to-discreet title of the exhibit is: Relics of the Past.
It's funny because I was thinking of exactly this sort of thing on the way into town today. But not in terms of old hardware.
I was thinking in terms of the relics of an old way of thinking. An old way of going about business. An old way of thinking about and using technology.
It's that old top-down approach. That us vs. them approach.
It's been around from time in memorial, but to some degree, I think we really have bowed to it in recent years in ways not seen since the time of the British Empire. And before that, Rome.
And look where it's gotten us: financial crisis, housing collapse, a completely whacked-out environment, continuous war, and a degradation of the entire concept of what education should be all about.
And folks are sick of it.
So they are taking things into their own hands.
Here in the US, we hired this guy to be president much on this notion that what we desperately needed was CHANGE. Even bankers and car company execs are admitting that we need CHANGE. Not to mention the scientists telling us we need CHANGE to deal with climate CHANGE.
And, though undervalued and crucially underestimated, we've got teachers and students saying we need CHANGE. They're dying to kick the vestiges of the past to the proverbial curb (but more responsibly being willing to stuff 'em into the recycling bin of history).
The old top-down methods of management and the us vs. them philosophy of fear have only helped to lead our public school system -- particularly in the most vital yet vulnerable areas of our country -- into failure. We've got school districts that look like failed states. We've got kids in teachers' classrooms for only a limited amount of time, and yet we watch as teachers are forced to waste weeks of learning time teaching kids how to take bubble tests. We tell kids that they aren't intelligent because they can't regurgitate information.
It's all about failure.
But this time, it's the old system that has failed.
Here in the excitement of NECC -- a conference whose most intrinsic qualities are its exuberance and audacity -- we need to push the final remnants of that way of thinking out the door.
Scratch that.
Don't push it out the door. Just put it in one of those display cases with the other relics of the past.
The opening salvo -- the orientation presentation -- actually became an SRO affair, adding yet one more acronym to this NECC/ISTE ed tech mélange.
In this long hallway there's an exhibition I took in over a few spare minutes. It's a collection of old computers and techware; everything from a sweet old Apple SE to a how-to guide for managing a Windows NE server to an Atari 400 that my own kids would still just about die for.
The not-to-discreet title of the exhibit is: Relics of the Past.
It's funny because I was thinking of exactly this sort of thing on the way into town today. But not in terms of old hardware.
I was thinking in terms of the relics of an old way of thinking. An old way of going about business. An old way of thinking about and using technology.
It's that old top-down approach. That us vs. them approach.
It's been around from time in memorial, but to some degree, I think we really have bowed to it in recent years in ways not seen since the time of the British Empire. And before that, Rome.
And look where it's gotten us: financial crisis, housing collapse, a completely whacked-out environment, continuous war, and a degradation of the entire concept of what education should be all about.
And folks are sick of it.
So they are taking things into their own hands.
Here in the US, we hired this guy to be president much on this notion that what we desperately needed was CHANGE. Even bankers and car company execs are admitting that we need CHANGE. Not to mention the scientists telling us we need CHANGE to deal with climate CHANGE.
And, though undervalued and crucially underestimated, we've got teachers and students saying we need CHANGE. They're dying to kick the vestiges of the past to the proverbial curb (but more responsibly being willing to stuff 'em into the recycling bin of history).
The old top-down methods of management and the us vs. them philosophy of fear have only helped to lead our public school system -- particularly in the most vital yet vulnerable areas of our country -- into failure. We've got school districts that look like failed states. We've got kids in teachers' classrooms for only a limited amount of time, and yet we watch as teachers are forced to waste weeks of learning time teaching kids how to take bubble tests. We tell kids that they aren't intelligent because they can't regurgitate information.
It's all about failure.
But this time, it's the old system that has failed.
Here in the excitement of NECC -- a conference whose most intrinsic qualities are its exuberance and audacity -- we need to push the final remnants of that way of thinking out the door.
Scratch that.
Don't push it out the door. Just put it in one of those display cases with the other relics of the past.
Free Network Marketing Information-The Two Most Powerful Words
Today's free network marketing information tips has to do with one powerful marketing strategy.
One of the best people to go to for mlm marketing business tips, business marketing mlm tips, mlm internet business tips, mlm internet business, and other business building tips is Mark Davis. I recently attended a Mark "Google Superman" Davis's workshop about a month and a half ago. In the workshop, Mark shared one of the top mlm marketing business tips you should be using whether you are working online or offline. In fact, this tip is one everyone in any type of business should be using.
Enjoy the video and feel free to contact me if you need help or have more questions!
Click here to see the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxlvbutQS6M
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371
Be A Mentor With A Servant's Heart
P.S. Most people who read "Success In Ten Steps" find out why their lack of success is not their fault, but some don't.Blogger: Free Network Marketing Information|Free MLM Tools| Plus More - Create Post
Some people would rather waste their time surfing the internet, or joining some money or time-wasting affiliate programs.
To download "Success In 10 Steps", visit
http://mentormonique.bigmlmtruths.com/?mad=9091
One of the best people to go to for mlm marketing business tips, business marketing mlm tips, mlm internet business tips, mlm internet business, and other business building tips is Mark Davis. I recently attended a Mark "Google Superman" Davis's workshop about a month and a half ago. In the workshop, Mark shared one of the top mlm marketing business tips you should be using whether you are working online or offline. In fact, this tip is one everyone in any type of business should be using.
Enjoy the video and feel free to contact me if you need help or have more questions!
Click here to see the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxlvbutQS6M
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371
Be A Mentor With A Servant's Heart
P.S. Most people who read "Success In Ten Steps" find out why their lack of success is not their fault, but some don't.Blogger: Free Network Marketing Information|Free MLM Tools| Plus More - Create Post
Some people would rather waste their time surfing the internet, or joining some money or time-wasting affiliate programs.
To download "Success In 10 Steps", visit
http://mentormonique.bigmlmtruths.com/?mad=9091
Web Wholesaler - New Product & Merchandise Sources
Web Wholesaler is the leading B2B publication for e-Tailers, Dropshippers, Online Marketplace Sellers, Store Owners/Buyers and Wholesalers.
Web Wholesaler offers the latest in new products and merchandise sources, ideas and statistics on what is selling online NOW, as well as up to the minute news and information on industry trends, e-business growth and management strategies, and methods for increasing your revenues.
Web Wholesaler offers the latest in new products and merchandise sources, ideas and statistics on what is selling online NOW, as well as up to the minute news and information on industry trends, e-business growth and management strategies, and methods for increasing your revenues.
- Web Wholesaler is complimentary to qualified professionals
- Geographic Eligibility: USA
- The publisher determines qualification and reserves the right to limit the number of free subscriptions
- Offered Free by: Sumner Communications
Saturday, June 27, 2009
NECC 2009
Thanks to a press pass award from ISTE, I'll be reporting and blogging live from NECC 2009 over the next few days.
Look for TeachPaperless.com to be your best (or at least your most obsessive) resource for information coming out of the conference. And please give your feedback and tell me where you want my eyes and ears to be.
Here's a link to the official conference site.
Next post will be from DC.
- Shelly
Look for TeachPaperless.com to be your best (or at least your most obsessive) resource for information coming out of the conference. And please give your feedback and tell me where you want my eyes and ears to be.
Here's a link to the official conference site.
Next post will be from DC.
- Shelly
Metrics & Velocity
I have received a few comments, both recently and in the past, that tell me some people are uncomfortable measuring velocity. And they are uncomfortable measuring the Team.They are usually not that clear why they are uncomfortable.
Let me state my position, which I believe is also close to the position of Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber.
First, as a memory device, I say: "Velocity: Don't leave home without it."
Second, any decent Team wants to know if they are really successful.
Third, the Team must measure velocity and it must aggressively be trying to improve it. Doubling velocity in the first 6 months should be a goal. In Scrum, the larger goal is to get the Team to be 5x - 10x more productive than the average Team. (Good data tell us that the average is about 2 Function Points per man-month.) Scrum does not guarantee that every team will get to 5x-10x. But none will if they don't go for it.
Improving velocity means removing the top impediment, one at a time. It does NOT mean working harder. In fact, often one of the top impediments is that we are already working too many hours per week. (To some, this will seem a paradox. Explanation another time.)
How do we use velocity? Many ways, but I will emphasize three. (1) In planning, to plan the release, for example. (2) To push back with a pattern of numbers when magical-thinking managers ask the Team to double their velocity in one Sprint. (3) To challenge ourselves, as a Team, to get impediments removed so we can enjoy some real success around here. (And often we have to ask managers and even senor management to get involved with the impediment removal.)
What are the push-backs that I hear?
Several. This post is getting long enough that I won't state them all hear.
But the cartoon represents one of the major ones, I think. People are concerned that we are putting human lives in the hands of some stupid bean counter (as we say in the South "bless his little heart"). Certainly not a happy thought.
So, a few assertions about metrics (not time here to discuss them):
* the Team does the metrics themselves, honestly because they want to use the numbers
* there should be no "managing from behind the desk" (as Lean would say)
* velocity does not reflect one single factor, but the result of all factors
* when the Team evaluates velocity, they use human judgment (Ex: "the velocity dip last Sprint was mainly due to Vikas being out sick 4 days; he's fine now")
* people want to see clearly and show that they are successful
* velocity is not supposed to be a tool for Dilbert managers to beat up the Team with
* while every metric will eventually be gamed (eg, due to Dilbert managers), these issues are part of the larger imperative of honesty and transparency in Scrum. Occasional gaming is not a reason to never do any metrics
* Velocity is not the only important metric
Friday, June 26, 2009
3 new fun games launched by Triviala, the free to play Trivia game
How many of us love playing games and quizzes around the web, i'm sure almost every user wouldn't think twice or be tempted into competing with players worldwide. We all want to show of our playing skills right? So don't worry, if you're feeling tired of the games you've played over and over again, come here to this new fast paced free Trivia Game called Triviala.
There are three new games launched by the site, Face-off being the first one. This multiplayer Fun trivia gives you the chance to show of your trivia knowledge on an international stage and can be played simply for fun or for 'trivia crowns' which is a choice of your own.
Triviala ‘Coin A Word’ game is the second game where you can use your wording skills to spell a 3-6 letter words from the 6 letters provided as fast as you can. Now how many of you can do that? Collect 40 crowns when you spell TRIVIALA, which helps accumulate crowns faster in order to enter in for the cash draws. Remember the more words, the more coins!
last but not the least is the Trivia quiz mania which a player can enjoy challenges to and from his/her friends, family and other triviala users.
There are three new games launched by the site, Face-off being the first one. This multiplayer Fun trivia gives you the chance to show of your trivia knowledge on an international stage and can be played simply for fun or for 'trivia crowns' which is a choice of your own.
Triviala ‘Coin A Word’ game is the second game where you can use your wording skills to spell a 3-6 letter words from the 6 letters provided as fast as you can. Now how many of you can do that? Collect 40 crowns when you spell TRIVIALA, which helps accumulate crowns faster in order to enter in for the cash draws. Remember the more words, the more coins!
last but not the least is the Trivia quiz mania which a player can enjoy challenges to and from his/her friends, family and other triviala users.
The stats prove that Michael Jackson was always a subject of curiosity
I cant believe that my stats have jumped by a great amount of unique hits since yesterday and the searches have just what i had expected, Michael Jackson of course.. though i was more ready for 'Michael Jackson's dies' but what surprised me was that the keyword searches proved that people were still curious to know what happened and what was wrong with his surgery that made his transformation prominent day by day. They still searched for 'Michael Jackson's nose surgery'!!, along with his death info.
Actually, the post on my blog which has the title 'What went wrong with Michael Jackson's nose surgery' was one of my initial posts when i started on this blog. I was always curious myself and after some googling i put down the article though i dint write every sentence in my own words, i couldn't justify that ever. But this article/post has bought me the maximum amount of hits like almost daily since that day and the most comments too(from my unique readers)!! On his death yesterday, it still wasn't a surprise to see maximum people had searched for him but it's just that i expected people to search for information on his death but infact curiosity about his thorough life was searched for. I mean to say, it was him daily and i guess its going to be forever!
His death news was all over TV, and people continued to praise the pop star for his dancing and singing skills but it's over the net where one can get satisfactory information regarding almost anything! and it's here that they put forward their curiosity and they shall be provided with that :-)
Photos Courtesy:Foxnews.com
The true costs of wearing contacts versus having LASIK
What if your kids or someone you know lands up spending more than they can afford on just contact lenses? I think every loved one has the love, concern and the responsibility to guide their counterparts. As it's said that a 25 year old wearing extended wear contacts will spend upwards of $20,000? so ilasik can invest in vision and help save money, so if you you lend your advice to the younger generation, then LASIK, also known as ilasik can help them save money in the long run and they aren't going to lose but benefit satisfactorily. Even the Americans are looking at modern ILasik in trustful way taking into consideration their visions and specially when every penny matters these days.
The iLASIK procedure, combines Wavefront mapping technology with two lasers for a safe and completely tailor-made procedure. It is covered by most health savings accounts, offering a tax deductible way to pay for better vision.
"For me, iLASIK will pay for itself in seven years by eliminating the ongoing cost of glasses, contact lenses and solutions," said Stefanie Fujinami, who had the iLASIK procedure this year with Los Angeles-based ophthalmologist Dr. Robert Maloney. "The next morning I had 20/20 vision -- I could even read the fine print on the toothpaste!"
The iLASIK procedure, combines Wavefront mapping technology with two lasers for a safe and completely tailor-made procedure. It is covered by most health savings accounts, offering a tax deductible way to pay for better vision.
"For me, iLASIK will pay for itself in seven years by eliminating the ongoing cost of glasses, contact lenses and solutions," said Stefanie Fujinami, who had the iLASIK procedure this year with Los Angeles-based ophthalmologist Dr. Robert Maloney. "The next morning I had 20/20 vision -- I could even read the fine print on the toothpaste!"
Does Arne Get It?
Digital Education reports on a new report released by US Dept of Ed which suggests that 'blended learning' is more effective than strictly face-to-face or strictly online learning.
Despite the fact that, as Dig Ed notes, little to none of the research looked specifically at K-12 learning, I'm willing to barter that the gist of it is right. 'Blended' or 'Hybrid' learning merging digital and f2f has been my go-to for the last two years and I couldn't imagine running a successful paperless classroom any other way.
But that's not the end of the story.
Because also in the article hangs a bit of low-lying fruit in the form of a response to the report by Arne Duncan:
Problem is: it doesn't seem like the Secretary of Education has any clue what he's talking about.
Teachers don't need to incorporate 'digital content' into anything. You don't teach 'digital content' in a paperless English class; you teach 'English language and literature content' via digital alternatives to paper. You don't teach 'digital content' in a paperless art history class; you teach the content of art history via digital means.
Via the integration of technology, students learn vital networking, communication, and participatory media skills; but this isn't the content of the course.
If anything, in a fully integrated Web 2.0 classroom, it is the students who are creating 'digital content'.
Furthermore, 'open-source' learning doesn't require any management system. You don't need to spend any money on a management system. Nor do you need to spend any money on textbooks. Rather, just spend your money on smart teachers who are savvy enough to know how to put together the content of an authentic course by compiling open-source materials, creating engaged and vigorous lesson plans, and integrating a sophisticated use of social media tools.
Get it?
[Add 6:40PM - My original title for this post was 'Is Arne Duncan a Luddite?' but I decided to pull that. Because Arne obviously is not a Luddite. It's not that he doesn't like or dislike technology. It's that he doesn't understand what's going on. He just doesn't get it. -- Shelly]
Despite the fact that, as Dig Ed notes, little to none of the research looked specifically at K-12 learning, I'm willing to barter that the gist of it is right. 'Blended' or 'Hybrid' learning merging digital and f2f has been my go-to for the last two years and I couldn't imagine running a successful paperless classroom any other way.
But that's not the end of the story.
Because also in the article hangs a bit of low-lying fruit in the form of a response to the report by Arne Duncan:
“This new report reinforces that effective teachers need to incorporate digital content into everyday classes and consider open-source learning management systems, which have proven cost effective in school districts and colleges nationwide.”
Problem is: it doesn't seem like the Secretary of Education has any clue what he's talking about.
Teachers don't need to incorporate 'digital content' into anything. You don't teach 'digital content' in a paperless English class; you teach 'English language and literature content' via digital alternatives to paper. You don't teach 'digital content' in a paperless art history class; you teach the content of art history via digital means.
Via the integration of technology, students learn vital networking, communication, and participatory media skills; but this isn't the content of the course.
If anything, in a fully integrated Web 2.0 classroom, it is the students who are creating 'digital content'.
Furthermore, 'open-source' learning doesn't require any management system. You don't need to spend any money on a management system. Nor do you need to spend any money on textbooks. Rather, just spend your money on smart teachers who are savvy enough to know how to put together the content of an authentic course by compiling open-source materials, creating engaged and vigorous lesson plans, and integrating a sophisticated use of social media tools.
Get it?
[Add 6:40PM - My original title for this post was 'Is Arne Duncan a Luddite?' but I decided to pull that. Because Arne obviously is not a Luddite. It's not that he doesn't like or dislike technology. It's that he doesn't understand what's going on. He just doesn't get it. -- Shelly]
Masigasig Magazine: A Free Mag for Entrepreneurs
Globe has been very intuitive in its rage to help businesses especially to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Thus borne its essential division dedicated to give services to all businesses. With its commitment to aid and further SMEs Globe Business played a great role in the establishment of many SMEs and made it big in the industry. And one of the manifestation of such commitment is the Masigasig Magazine. Masigasig is a monthly special publication produced by Globe for SMEs. Masigasig means determined, persistent or motivated, with strong sense of direction in terms of goals to be achieved as defined by Globe. It is a very ministrant mag that gives practical yet profitable tips, fresh and brisk business ideas and savvy features among others. One of its best portion is the featuring of entrepreneurs from SMEs to inspire people in the industry and to entice those who are yet to taste the pie of entrepreneurship.Since I've known of this magazine, I always make it a point to drop off at Globe Business Centers where I can get a free copy of it every month. Masigasig comes also as a complement when you buy an Entrepreneur Philippines mag. And I've posted some articles from the magazine into this blog to share it to other people who are searching for those practical industry tips from the experts of Masigasig. Not to mention its hip cover features and chic look inside, it is also a very informative mag for a business savvy and aspiring entrepreneur. (Photo Courtesy: http://mb.com.ph)
Semantic Search
ReadWriteWeb today with a post on what semantic search is (not):
'Semantic Search' may or may not be the way with which we relate to information on the Web in the future.
Are you ready to talk with your students about a deconstruction web? The underlying existing arche-Web that no one yet knows how to tap into?
Because we use language within the Web, the information bound up within it is full of nuance and what could be referred to as hermeneutic and allusory data -- that is data comprised of interpretations and references with a context separate from the data itself.
There's a simple way to think about this. Consider that in any broadcast of a football game, you've got a play-by-play announcer and a color commentator. The play-by-play announcer gives a direct account of the action on the field and the color commentator brings in the interpretations and references to history, anecdotes, and personal stories. Now, using only a transcript of the color commentary, could you reconstruct the game play-by-play?
That mind-bender is sort of the issue at hand with semantic search.
Organized information is not semantic information.
'Semantic Search' may or may not be the way with which we relate to information on the Web in the future.
Are you ready to talk with your students about a deconstruction web? The underlying existing arche-Web that no one yet knows how to tap into?
Because we use language within the Web, the information bound up within it is full of nuance and what could be referred to as hermeneutic and allusory data -- that is data comprised of interpretations and references with a context separate from the data itself.
There's a simple way to think about this. Consider that in any broadcast of a football game, you've got a play-by-play announcer and a color commentator. The play-by-play announcer gives a direct account of the action on the field and the color commentator brings in the interpretations and references to history, anecdotes, and personal stories. Now, using only a transcript of the color commentary, could you reconstruct the game play-by-play?
That mind-bender is sort of the issue at hand with semantic search.
Free Network Marketing Information-Keyword Research Tips
As someone who is looking to build their business on the internet, the first crucial step is always to figure out what people are looking for. This is done with proper keyword research.
Today's free network marketing information tips is on how to choose the right keywords for website success.
So, you have a new terrific looking Website. You've gone to great lengths to make sure it is Search Engine Friendly, you have great content and you are sure that you are what the Search Engines have been waiting for! Your big launch date comes and goes, and nothing. But it takes time to show up on the generic Search Engine results, you might say. So you try an aggressive marketing campaign, and still, your sales are almost non-existent.
What is happening? Your keywords are the fundamental building blocks of your online success. Because the competition is so great, choosing general or broad keywords is almost a guarantee that either you will not show up on the Search Engine results, or if you do, your target audience will not be looking for what you have to offer. Your keywords need to be as specific as possible to get you the results you are looking for. In other words, shoppers ready to buy your product or services are your target and the ones who will immediately find you. Not only that, but the greater the specificity of your keyword, the less competition you will face.
Choosing the right keywords when your Website is new can be tricky as well as time consuming. There are a few ways to go about it:
1. You might not think objectively. Ask your clients, family members, or friends what they would look for if searching for your product. You might be surprised at what insights they can give you.
2. Get personal with your keywords. Take the obvious general keywords that come to mind, for this example we will use "toys", and try narrowing it down. Try "toy trucks" or "infant toys" or "water toys". Now go even deeper in your category and try "infant rattle toys" or "baby teething toys". You see how you are now targeting exactly what someone might be searching for?
3. Do a manual search for the keywords you choose, and see who your competition is. Is that your target? Also look on the upper right hand corner of your search results. Typically, Search Engines will display the number of found results. The more specific the keyword, the less results displayed, the better your chances of obtaining results for that keyword.
So now you have all these great keywords, what do you do with them? Knowing what your keywords are is not enough, you need to keep a few critical points in mind:
1. Continually evaluate your keywords, keeping in mind that trends come and go, and what is "HOT" today may not be what people are looking for tomorrow.
2. Keep track of where your visitors found you. If you are doing a paid campaign, this is easy to do, but if you are looking at generic results, you can use a tracking software to show you what your best resulting keyword searches are. Google Analytics is an example of a free service, and one of the best to track your traffic, visitors' keywords and behavior.
3. Your visitors should never have to find what they are looking for on your Website. This applies mainly to your PPC programs. Point them directly to where they need to be. Whether it is the page where they can purchase your product, fill out a form or subscribe to a service, land them directly to that page. If you simply send them to your home page, you will lose that visitor because they did not immediately find what they were looking for.
4. Lastly, optimize your pages to your keywords. Take time to carefully write your meta-tags. Properly written Titles can make the difference if your generic result is clicked on or not. Edit the individual pages to have a keyword rich description. This does not mean stuff your keywords anywhere you can find space for them. Read it over, and make sure it makes sense to you. Keep in mind that you not only want to score a lot of points with the Search Engines so that they deem you content "valuable" to their users, you also want to make your visitors keep coming back to your Website .
All this may sound like a lot of work - and it is! But to put it bluntly, "what you put in to it, is what you get out of it". If you put the time and effort into your keywords, you will eventually be rewarded with the results you are seeking.
I hope you found this free network marketing information tip beneficial. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371
Be A Mentor With A Servant's Heart
P.S. Most people who read "Success In Ten Steps" find out why their lack of success is not their fault, but some don't.
Some people would rather waste their time surfing the internet, or joining some money or time-wasting affiliate programs.
To download "Success In 10 Steps", visit
http://mentormonique.bigmlmtruths.com/?mad=9091
Today's free network marketing information tips is on how to choose the right keywords for website success.
So, you have a new terrific looking Website. You've gone to great lengths to make sure it is Search Engine Friendly, you have great content and you are sure that you are what the Search Engines have been waiting for! Your big launch date comes and goes, and nothing. But it takes time to show up on the generic Search Engine results, you might say. So you try an aggressive marketing campaign, and still, your sales are almost non-existent.
What is happening? Your keywords are the fundamental building blocks of your online success. Because the competition is so great, choosing general or broad keywords is almost a guarantee that either you will not show up on the Search Engine results, or if you do, your target audience will not be looking for what you have to offer. Your keywords need to be as specific as possible to get you the results you are looking for. In other words, shoppers ready to buy your product or services are your target and the ones who will immediately find you. Not only that, but the greater the specificity of your keyword, the less competition you will face.
Choosing the right keywords when your Website is new can be tricky as well as time consuming. There are a few ways to go about it:
1. You might not think objectively. Ask your clients, family members, or friends what they would look for if searching for your product. You might be surprised at what insights they can give you.
2. Get personal with your keywords. Take the obvious general keywords that come to mind, for this example we will use "toys", and try narrowing it down. Try "toy trucks" or "infant toys" or "water toys". Now go even deeper in your category and try "infant rattle toys" or "baby teething toys". You see how you are now targeting exactly what someone might be searching for?
3. Do a manual search for the keywords you choose, and see who your competition is. Is that your target? Also look on the upper right hand corner of your search results. Typically, Search Engines will display the number of found results. The more specific the keyword, the less results displayed, the better your chances of obtaining results for that keyword.
So now you have all these great keywords, what do you do with them? Knowing what your keywords are is not enough, you need to keep a few critical points in mind:
1. Continually evaluate your keywords, keeping in mind that trends come and go, and what is "HOT" today may not be what people are looking for tomorrow.
2. Keep track of where your visitors found you. If you are doing a paid campaign, this is easy to do, but if you are looking at generic results, you can use a tracking software to show you what your best resulting keyword searches are. Google Analytics is an example of a free service, and one of the best to track your traffic, visitors' keywords and behavior.
3. Your visitors should never have to find what they are looking for on your Website. This applies mainly to your PPC programs. Point them directly to where they need to be. Whether it is the page where they can purchase your product, fill out a form or subscribe to a service, land them directly to that page. If you simply send them to your home page, you will lose that visitor because they did not immediately find what they were looking for.
4. Lastly, optimize your pages to your keywords. Take time to carefully write your meta-tags. Properly written Titles can make the difference if your generic result is clicked on or not. Edit the individual pages to have a keyword rich description. This does not mean stuff your keywords anywhere you can find space for them. Read it over, and make sure it makes sense to you. Keep in mind that you not only want to score a lot of points with the Search Engines so that they deem you content "valuable" to their users, you also want to make your visitors keep coming back to your Website .
All this may sound like a lot of work - and it is! But to put it bluntly, "what you put in to it, is what you get out of it". If you put the time and effort into your keywords, you will eventually be rewarded with the results you are seeking.
I hope you found this free network marketing information tip beneficial. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371
Be A Mentor With A Servant's Heart
P.S. Most people who read "Success In Ten Steps" find out why their lack of success is not their fault, but some don't.
Some people would rather waste their time surfing the internet, or joining some money or time-wasting affiliate programs.
To download "Success In 10 Steps", visit
http://mentormonique.bigmlmtruths.com/?mad=9091
BOOT on MJ bandwagon
I am 37 years old so you are going to have to indulge me. I don't vere away from the business of online travel often. It happens sometimes on Fridays. Most recently I did so for dung beetles, to say I am sorry and to watch in amazement at the battle between a lion, a buffalo and crocodile (ok...and for some muppets over Christmas). I am a child of the 70s and 80s so here is the best live performance I can find of that strange, odd and potentially dangerous man that had a musical talent the likes of which we will never see again. Here he is singing Billie Jean, dancing his magic and a wearing a pre-Frankenstein make over body. Farewell Michael
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Kayak is not that flattered by Bing imitation (Wired Mag)
Quick post for the BOOT recommended read of the week. Wired is reporting that Kayak sent Microsoft a "legal letter" along the lines of accusing Microsoft's Bing Travel of copying Kayak's look and feel and therefore misleading Kayak customers. No more details than that. Anyone out there is the Michael Jackson obsessed InterWebs know any more?
Full Article "Kayak to Bing: Stop Copying Us!"
hat tip to whodeani where I saw the story first
Full Article "Kayak to Bing: Stop Copying Us!"
hat tip to whodeani where I saw the story first
New Interface Thursday: Exploring campaign settings
A few of the changes we've made in the new AdWords interface improve how you manage your campaign settings. In today's post, we'll cover these changes.
Simply select all four campaigns, click Edit, then use the copy-down button to copy the setting across all selected campaigns.
The Audience section contains settings to specify the audience you want to reach. Language, location, and demographic targeting for the Google Content Network are now grouped together in this section.
New Interface Webinars
Edit Settings for Multiple Campaigns
Have you ever wanted to quickly see which of your campaigns are running on the Google Content Network? Or compare ad scheduling settings for multiple campaigns at once?
Now you can, using the new account-level Settings tab. On the All Online Campaigns page, click the Settings tab to see the primary settings for all your campaigns in a single table.
Some settings, like campaign name or daily budget, can be changed directly in the table using in-line editing. To edit advanced settings such as location targeting and ad scheduling, simply click on the setting you'd like to change and you'll be taken directly to the Settings tab for that particular campaign.
Some settings, like campaign name or daily budget, can be changed directly in the table using in-line editing. To edit advanced settings such as location targeting and ad scheduling, simply click on the setting you'd like to change and you'll be taken directly to the Settings tab for that particular campaign.
You can also use bulk editing to change settings for multiple campaigns at once. Say, for example, you'd like to copy the Networks & Devices settings from one campaign to three others.
Simply select all four campaigns, click Edit, then use the copy-down button to copy the setting across all selected campaigns.
Better Organized Settings
We've also changed how campaign settings are grouped together within the campaign-level Settings tabs for easier navigation.
The Audience section contains settings to specify the audience you want to reach. Language, location, and demographic targeting for the Google Content Network are now grouped together in this section.
The Bidding and Budget section now contains advanced settings such as position preference and delivery method in addition to campaign mainstays like daily budget and bidding option.
Finally, you'll notice a new campaign setting in the Advanced Settings section: frequency capping, which lets you limit the number of times your ad is shown to the same unique user on the Google Content Network.
New Interface Webinars
If you want more help learning the new interface, we're holding two free webinars in the next week to help you get up to speed. During the 1-hour sessions, we'll walk you through the new interface, show you the new features, and answer your questions.
The first webinar is tomorrow, Friday, June 26th at 11 AM PDT. Following that, the next one is on July 1st at 9:30 AM PDT. You can register on our new interface webinars page.
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