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Showing posts from November, 2011

Google Fusion Tables

Google Fusion Tables is a modern data management and publishing web application that makes it easy to host, manage, collaborate on, visualize, and publish data tables online. It is a very powerful tool and I am still trying to plug in data to see how this could be used for our programs.  The one thing I did find beneficial is that you can collaborate or merge other pieces of data with what you have loaded. This now can be found in your Google Documents menu.  Try it out and to discover how this could work for some of the things we do.

Wacom Inkling

Posted on behalf of Kelly Shishido: "Wacom Inkling you can sketch on a paper pad and hooking up a special device you can automatically load that into your computer import it to Illustrator or Photoshop. Your thickness of   lines will vary like drawing with a ball point pen. Wow" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m1SVC1B8KQ

Challenge Based Learning Webinar

This Apple Seminar was about Challenge Based Learning, using technology to create solutions to a meaningful problem. Students in K-12 and college classes were given iPads or MacBooks and a "big idea" challenge to solve. They worked in teams and found solutions not always anticipated by teachers and the school. Some ways they used technology to solve their problem were: using organization apps to get started and make assignments, sharing docs online, interviews on an iPhone with simultaneous recording on iPad, or sharing a phone conversation with a group using the speaker feature on the phone, and creating and sharing stories, images and videos on website mobile galleries, online communities and blogs. Not surprisingly important teacher skills included: good at digital media and internet use strong subject knowledge good CBL knowledge and an ability to manage a classroom where students were working on all kinds of projects and levels at once. video editing, audio and

Think Insights with Google

Something interesting that was just release by Google called Think Instights with Google.  Think Insights with Google is a relatively new Google service aimed at providing businesses with information about current trends in consumer behavior. Think Insights provides tools for discovering trends, monitoring trends, and it provides a public research library. Users can refine their searches in Think Insights according to industry, target audience, media platform, and marketing objectives. The research studies can be downloaded as PDFs or read online. Some of the research studies are accompanied by videos of analysts discussing the meaning and implications of the research. I found a really interesting article called Following Generation Z .   As an educator, it was fascinating to read about how the behaviors of the next generation of web users are going to look vastly different from today’s as Ed Chi, a member of Google’s in-house research team, shares.

Virtual School Symposium 2011

From November 9-11, I attended the Virtual School Symposium (VSS) this year virtually.  It was a very informative conference even at a distance and not being there (only participated Nov. 10 and 11).  They setup a wiki space for people to add to what was presented as well - VSS 2011 Wiki Space Here are some of the highlights. iNACOL - The recently completed a Competency- Based Pathway research.  Many of the documents publish had valuable information that could be used for the tri-campus initiative for online learning.  http://www.inacol.org./research/competency/index.php#cracking_the_code Digital Learning Now - This site provided 10 elements of high-quality digital learning.  http://digitallearningnow.com/ EdWeek reports that blended learning is on the rise. EdWeek - Blended Learning Augmented Reality for learning -  

Voice Thread Mobile for iOS

I do remember when there was an idea of a 'radio road show' collecting all the stories from people.  As the Hawaiian community is very cautious as to how stories are documented, this would provide a viable way to collect contributions in a 'talk story' environment rather than more formal. VoiceThread Mobile s a free app for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Through the app users can create and comment on the go. Now you can snap a photo or capture a video with your iOS device and immediately start a VoiceThread project around that item. Or you could add that picture or video to an existing VoiceThread project. VoiceThread Mobile could be a great app for recording and reflecting on the sights and sounds of field trip. Take individuals on a walking tour of a historical district in a city and have them capture images that they then string together and discuss in a VoiceThread project that starts in the field and is finished back where they started.

Pauahi’s Land Legacy Huakaʻi

On Friday, October 28, 2011, I attended Pauahi’s Land Legacy huakaʻi in Paʻalaʻa, Waialua. We were fairly warned . . . Trail conditions include : slippery stream crossings, loose gravel, slick mud, and cliffy sections. This trail has an elevation gain of 200ft. thus all hikers must be able to traverse up and downhill sections. This trail is not suitable for the elderly or people with: hip and/or knee ailments; vertigo; or an extreme fear of heights. This trail has many stream crossings - YOU WILL GET WET. And yes, we did get wet.  We crossed the stream a total of six times; at one point it was almost hip deep.  The amazing opportunity helped me gain a deeper understanding of how KS is changing from an absentee land-owner to one that is active and participatory.  Currently the 10,000 acres of agriculture land is devoted largely to seed-crops, but plans are underway to start food crop production.  Located up mauka, an additional 13,000 acres is conservation land, as wild as

Get busy and doodle!

This post is courtesy of The Old Lady of ISC, with the intent that it may provide you with a short moment to sit back, exhale, and doodle. Replenishing our creative spirits, both as individuals and as a group, is paramount to our success in scaling the mountains of our divisional transition challenges. Depending on our personality types, how we do this takes divergent forms. For some, it may be performing 200 jumping-jacks in two minutes. For others, it may be lounging on the couch to quietly contemplate their navel. For yet others, they may have an inborn need to party 'til the cows come home. And for one or two, this may entail reading every book in the library about Africa (don't laugh, my mom read the entire inventory of 80+ such books that exists at the Hilo library). However, I digress. Moving on . . . Because of our many different and sometimes conflicting personalities and work styles, to move forward as a cohesive, happy, and productive group takes a collective effor