EdTechWeekly #140

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EdTechWeekly #140
October 25, 2009

In the absense of Jeff and Jen, Dave and John break format this week to geek out on a number of different topics. Listeners could ask questions on just about any topic, and our fearless hosts took a stab at answering them. The conversation drifted through Drupal through Google Docs, the value of free software, Moodle, Google Wave, video problems, the role of textbooks, Sugar and OLPC, Android, and when to use Comic Sans.

Chat Log Below

  JohnS: Hello, everyone. Thanks for coming.    
atlteacher: What's the topic tonight?    
Gary: Apparently questions and answers.    
JohnS: Dave's working on audio.    
JohnS: So here's the plan for tonight: it's just Dave and Me. So we're going    to take questions from you guys and make up answers to them.
jan_smith: Worked for me on most tests I ever wrote. Sounds good.    
JohnS: It's your opportunity to geek out with us, or to just get our twisted    perspectives on stuff, or to just fill in some of the things you've been wondering about with this whole educational technology world we're living in.
JenW: I hear nothing -- please guide me    
Gary: @JohnS - Anything in particular?    
jan_smith: is the sound on a or b?    
JohnS: Dave's still working on audio streaming. Something about this cat not    being compatible with something or other.
JohnS: @Gary it's a community. It's whatever you make it.    
JenW: okay -- will save my question until I can hear your sarcasm    :)    g    rins
matt montagne: hey all    
PeggyG: Hi everyone    
jan_smith: Hi Peggy    
Larry R: Hello    
PeggyG: where are you streaming today? only ETT-A?    
PeggyG: I'm hearing the music on iTunes  :-)  Love it!!    
jan_smith: hear sound! for a second play more!    
JohnS: Just ETT-A, and probably ustream.    
PeggyG: why does my itunes say "David Cormier's Broadcast" ??    
JenW: not usually the music I listen to --    
PeggyG: Virginia String Band  :-)    
techp: What music    
JenW: but whistling along    
JenW: @techp - I am listening on EdTechTalk A -- first icon    
PeggyG: good to have a varied diet with music preferences  :-)  This is grea    t oldtime folk music!
cyndidannerkuhn: crazy oldtime music, very cool    
PeggyG: and besides we can play along with our iphone band  :-)  what fun!!    
JenW: sudden quiet    
jan_smith: That's because Lisa's in the house and we are in awe.  :)    
Lisa Parisi: Hello all.  I came just in time for the sound to cut out?    
JenW: I think you tripped on the wire and unplugged it    
PeggyG: Hi Lisa! you missed a great tune  :-)    
Lisa W: Its the opening trick tech question    
jan_smith: Lisa broke the internet. Way to go.    
Lisa Parisi: @davec We had lots of your students in our show this morning.    
PeggyG: this should make you feel good Lisa--these things don't just happen    on your shows!!
Lisa Parisi: LOL Peggy    
PeggyG: it was really fun to have the preservice teachers in Conversations t    oday! They were great participants
cyndidannerkuhn: could be a long show with no sound!!    
PeggyG: it really wants to play sound  :-)    
PeggyG: saw the title of the song streaming across the page but no music    
sroseman: aha no sound    
Lisa Parisi: Echo...    
PeggyG: there it is!!!    
JenW: you sound spookey    
JenW: but fitting for pre-Halloween    
cyndidannerkuhn: very spookey!!    
PeggyG: that sounds really spooky!    
JohnS: Dave always sounds spooky.    
Lisa Parisi: Now no sound again.    
jan_smith: that is very much like the sound when you talk into a vacuum hose    
Lisa Parisi: There it is...you sound like you are in a cave    
techyturner: I was wondering if was me!    
JenW: you sound like you are in an air tunnel    
JenW: it is tin sounding    
dave: hi    
PeggyG: Hi techyturner! Hope all is well with you!    
JenW: but not in a bad way    
jan_smith: someone has said welcome--twice --is that a good sign?    
JenW: and then POOF he is gone    
techyturner: It is going.    
PeggyG: you're so funny jan!!    
PeggyG: any sound is a good sign  :-)    
cyndidannerkuhn: nice to know even the expertc have issues sometimes, makes    me feel better :D
JenW: broke the monotony of same old Dave each week   :)    
sroseman: Hallowe'en show    
DaveC: I am just playing with windows 7, and took forever to get sound to wo    rk, I thought it was me...hhahaha.  Well this is the halloween show.
PeggyG: did any of you make it to the DEN Virtual Conference yesterday? It w    as fantastic!! up to 400 participants at different times
JenW: we streamed it while at the T.E.L.L. conference    
dave: i wonder if this is a snow leopard issue    
PeggyG: Excellent JenW!!    
DaveC: @Peggy, no I was out all day, rainy up here so we did a lot of errand    s.
JenW: snow leopard and windows 7???   my my my    ;)    
cyndidannerkuhn: I streamed my class last week and I am using Snow Leopard,    so doubt that is the issue
PeggyG: I think he's confused...    
DaveC: Is there any sound now, or is it me?    
JenW: there is NO sound    
PeggyG: no sound right now    
Lisa Parisi: I have no sound.    
dave: 2 min    
JenW: music    
DaveC: ok.  Then I'm calling another student  :-)    
dave: we're just bringing in some help    
Lisa Parisi: I can stream but do I need to skype    
JenW: loud and clear music    
DaveC: music?    
DaveC: I'm not getting anything.    
JenW: yes, classical    
mollymcginn: nothing here    
JenW: lots of strings    
Lisa Parisi: me neither    
DaveC: oops, now winamp is saying service unavail.    
sheila: my itunes is rebuffering    
JenW: LOL -- ahhh never mind    
Cathy E: @Jen are you hearing things?    
PeggyG: I'm pretending I'm hearing the music but I'm not    
JenW: no -- I bounced over to free play music    
mollymcginn: Jen is it coming from inside your head or outside?    
sroseman: "rebuffering stream"    
Lisa Parisi: Let me know if you want me to stream    
JenW: and yes, I probably AM hearing things    
PeggyG: I'm watching Il Divo on my DVD  :-)  nice interlude while I wait    
dave: hi lisa... we tried to call you    
cyndidannerkuhn: mine is rebuffering too    
Lisa Parisi: I will turn on skype    
dave: you guys are the nicest people ever    
PeggyG: Sheila can you stream it?    
Lisa Parisi: I'm on    
dave: my ustream crashed 4 times    
PeggyG: yeah Lisa!!    
dave: mmm...    
dave: not sure what's going on    
sheila: I can ustream if you want    
dave: woohoo    
jackiegerstein: Where are we tonight?    
JenW: nothing here yet    
jackiegerstein: lol    
PeggyG: Hi Jackie--working on streaming issues    
Lisa Parisi: ETTA is streaming    
dave: should be up now    
jackiegerstein: always go looking through the streams    
PeggyG: hearing ETT-A now Yeah!    
jackiegerstein: Ustream or A or B or itunes or realtime player    
Lisa Parisi: Yes    
PeggyG: ETT-A    
JenW: EdTechTalkA -- first icon    
JenW: no one teased you    
sendkathy: and I thought it was me    
jackiegerstein: Found it - being late had its advantage tonight - perfect ti    ming
PeggyG: we understand!! it has happened to all of us!!    
JenW: we can hear you now    
sroseman: we are listening    
jackiegerstein: yes    
Gary: Listening    
sendkathy: yes    
PeggyG: yes hearing you    
sheila: ustream too!   :)    
jackiegerstein: lag is a drag    
sendkathy: no more folk muzak    
sheila: Ustream is very clear! Sounds great!    
JenW: but there is background noises -- trying to decide is it TV??  or just    conversation
alicemercer: Hi all    
PeggyG: yes to ustream!!    
Lisa Parisi: My house    
alicemercer: I twittered my question    
jackiegerstein: ustream is fine - no backgroung noise = had to switch off my    itunes
JenW: yepppp   no background in ustream...Thanks Jackie    
jackiegerstein: : )    
PeggyG: this is really interesting to hear!! Dave is definitely the "drupal    guy"
techyturner: What is the topic for today?    
JenW: they are taking our questions    
matt montagne: Dave, question...is Drupal useful for a high school student n    ewspaper??
JenW: after they ask each other questions    
alicemercer: threaded comments, right?    
alicemercer: Advantage over most blog platforms, more flexible    
alicemercer: I want to start my own blog? Should I use drupal?    
alicemercer: :p    
matt montagne: or, unless you want to force yourself to use/learn drupal    
PeggyG: drupal has a huge learning curve!!    
matt montagne: where is Jeff today??    
cyndidannerkuhn: Yeah, good sound in Manhattan KS    
alicemercer: I have enough on my plate with sugar and linux lately    
JenW: WOW2 was a drupal for about 8 months -- I enjoyed the ETT tutoring --    but thought web design was easier
alicemercer: Clear    
alicemercer: very clear    
JenW: when it broke -- it was hard to fix    
matt montagne: http://voice.paly.net/ this award winning student newspaper i    s done in drupal
JenW: and was very very easy to mess things up    
cyndidannerkuhn: I am listening on A    
alicemercer: I know I get threaded comment plug in with edublogs, is that av    ailable throughout WP?
alicemercer: Cause threaded really makes it better    
matt montagne: http://www.catlin.edu/ probably the best K12 school drupal si    te that I've ever seen
JenW: but it had power like no other program I used    
alicemercer: And I can get it with drupal    
alicemercer: YES!    
alicemercer: "Official" district site uses dreamweaver...    
Lisa Parisi: Yes...love google docs    
PeggyG: we have started doing our AzTEA website on Drupal--learning lots!    
matt montagne: fyi, ustream player should b streaming    
JenW: nice site @Matt -- thank you    
alicemercer: I use google docs for newspaper    
Cathy E: My staff is rolling with Google Docs YEA    
Lisa Parisi: I use google docs for all project planning.    
alicemercer: I HATE google docs for multipage docs or multi sectioned    
matt montagne: with bookmarks and hyperlinks within a google doc, you can do    some creative things
jan_smith: Still have questions around accounts for kids under 13 for g docs    .
alicemercer: School newspaper is MUCH better    
cyndidannerkuhn: Is sound  for Ed Tech Weekly on A?    
JenW: @jan -- yes, I agree    
jackiegerstein: A HUGE YES - I have been asking my graduate students to swit    ch from Microsoft to Google Docs for (1) accessibility or all, (2) students don't loose their files
sendkathy: Now that google docs has shared folders it makes it easier to sha    re lots of pages
Lisa Parisi: jan, we have one login for all teachers    
alicemercer: @jan_smith, if you have a signed permission/AUP    
cyndidannerkuhn: Or is this WOW3    
PeggyG: sound today is both on ETT-A and ustream    
Lisa Parisi: Yes, Cyndi    
jackiegerstein: @ Jan - use Google Apps for schhols too    
alicemercer: I also have a gradelevel acct    
JenW: Cyndi -- wow3 will be back I believe on 11/7    
matt montagne: the probblem with google docs enterprise is that you can get    google doc fatigured FAST...so one way to address this is to work within one doc, use bookmarks, and hyperlinks
PeggyG: yes WOW3 is first and third Sundays    
matt montagne: Google Docs Enterprise does not have 13 year old TOS    
alicemercer: God forbid!    
alicemercer: Wave is not a replecement    
alicemercer: Yes you do have replacement, use gears    
Allan: Is there any reason to choose Zoho over Google Apps? Anyone can compa    re the two?
kcaise: you can access your google docs offline    
alicemercer: I haven't used Zoho is so long    
PeggyG: next WOW3 is Nov. 1 at 8:30Eastern    
matt montagne: @allan...GE chose Zoho over Google Docs    
jan_smith: @jackie does Google apps give access to full suite or limited?    
matt montagne: Zoho cost money for schools...google docs doesn't    
Lisa Parisi: REally Kim? Do you have to download first?    
jan_smith: Drop box?    
matt montagne: acually, I've found just the opposite Dave...people are afrai    d of free
matt montagne: if is is free, it must not be very good    
matt montagne: I've run up against the wall with the concept of free    
JenW: @matt -- I agree-- but not good part -- but since it does not have a K    NOWN name -- we cannot use it
jan_smith: @matt or not protected, or there is a catch    
jackiegerstein: not sure Jan    
alicemercer: teachers like free...    
kcaise: you can use google gears and it provides desktop access and you don'    t have to be online
JenW: they are wary of anything that does not carry the name Microsoft or Ad    obe
alicemercer: IT wants safe/control    
alicemercer: and management loves to waste money    
sroseman: Has edtech weekly moved to a new time and date    
JenW: @alice -- sometimes, but not always    
dave: @sroseman nope. two people missing    
sroseman: aha    
PeggyG: John Kuglin gave a great presentation this week at the FETC Virtual    Conference on the cloud and just this topic.
matt montagne: Paid software can be a case of the emperors new clothes...and    that can b tough to move away from...there are many, many articles written on the topic of why people are afraid of free software
alicemercer: Well, you're at private, which can have a diff dynamic    
Allan: the good thing about paid is that you have accountability. You have s    omeone to get go to (i.e yell at) when something doesn't work
jackiegerstein: I have undergrads who just can't afford Microsoft office sui    tes - I have become sensitive to the costs of software
dave: so we're doing a 'back to basics' episode    
cyndidannerkuhn: Network Nazi's want total control. I just did a staff devel    opment in a district that had no wireless, no nothin basically and the internet was so locked down it was pointless
alicemercer: IT head is getting jaded on win platform and ms suite    
alicemercer: and open office is looking MORE and MORE attractive    
matt montagne: Many people simply don't get it...    
alicemercer: Hey, how is open office    
cyndidannerkuhn: Open Office and Neo Office for Mac are both very good    
cyndidannerkuhn: Moddle is EXCELLENT    
cyndidannerkuhn: Moodle!  sorry    
alicemercer: WordPress has one, Tom Hoffman had a post on it    
jan_smith: ours attracted tons of spam.    
matt montagne: Why People Don't use free software... http://www.linux-magazi    ne.com/Online/Blogs/Off-the-Beat-Bruce-Byfield-s-Blog/Why-people-don-t-use-free-software
matt montagne: killer article there    
alicemercer: Cause the Assoc and Super don't believe software exists outside    of PowerPOint, Excel, and Word
Scott Shelhart: Tnx Matt. Tagged it for later    
matt montagne: here is the big problem with moodle...stuff tends to get "loc    ked up" there...course archiving is tricky
Lisa Parisi: The biggest problem I have with free is when it goes away.    
PeggyG: @cyndi--that's so frustrating to try to do PD with everything locked    down!! but then there's probably no point in sharing how to use them if they can't get into the tools
jackiegerstein: Interesting    
matt montagne: np, scott...a great read    
jackiegerstein: wondering what Moodle 2.0 will be like    
cyndidannerkuhn: Peggy, exactly, kinda hard to get them excited about stuff    they cannot do!!
cyndidannerkuhn: But did succed it getting them talking at least    
PeggyG: Moodle is definitely easy for teachers to use!! very user friendly!    
matt montagne: @Jackie...that is the million dollar question re: moodle 2.0    ... don't hold breath and bank on it too much
matt montagne: moodle greadebook is HORRIBLE    
sroseman: http://knowschools.ca/ is Moodle based.    
alicemercer: :D    
PeggyG: have you tried the gradebook recently Matt? some people are saying i    ts much better now
matt montagne: one thing that separates moodle from many other spaces are th    e teacher centric tools like the gradebook...but the gradebook is really, really bad
matt montagne: @peggy...yes, I support teachers who use it (luckily only a f    ew are useing it)...
alicemercer: Wait, you can see individual edits on a wiki can't you?    
jackiegerstein: Moodle gradebook is horrible - and  I find it difficult to c    reate all my content - slow to upload, embed, and create my instructional activities
alicemercer: I don't think much of it...    
jan_smith: Takes real skill to create learning experience in Moodle that doe    sn't mirror a factory model. That said, folks need to start somewhere. Agree re gradebook
Gary: Our district decided to move from Moodle to WebCT and expected the on-    line teachers to do the conversion.  They don't have an on-line presence anymore.
alicemercer: Hey, are you all going to answer the questions we sent in?    
Lisa Parisi: I haven't tried it yet.  Waiting for time.  I have the invite.    
PeggyG: would love to hear more conversation about Google Wave--just startin    g to learn!!
matt montagne: @Jan...that is a good point about moodle    
alicemercer: WTH would I want to do that?    
matt montagne: don't get me wroing, I really do like moodle...but I wouldn't    recommend it for everyone...
alicemercer: I want to embed a chat...an rss feed...a podcast    
PeggyG: I'm still trying to find specific waves to join    
alicemercer: video, but SUDOKU?    
alicemercer: roflol    
alicemercer: I can see doing that because chat is blocked in my district    
PeggyG: do you have to be invited to join a specific wave or can you search    for it and choose to join?
alicemercer: so MUCH    
Cathy E: still no invite for me  :(    
matt montagne: the platform itself is open source    
matt montagne: and you'll be able to install it on your own LAN    
alicemercer: Seems a little clunky    
matt montagne: Google was smart to distribute Wave to the LANs    
PeggyG: there's some great content growing in the wave called " Google Wave    as a collaborative learning tool"
alicemercer: If I use it with a class, you want I should share?    
alicemercer: I'm going to be using chat for note taking on videos in a bit w    ith the 12 yos
matt montagne: I do like the idea that Wave is intended to be email if we co    uld whitelist email as we've known it and start over
cyndidannerkuhn: If I had an invite, I might have an opinion!!  am I alone i    n not having access?
matt montagne: email is a 40 year old technology...    
matt montagne: There certainly is a tyranny to email as we currently know it    ...
alicemercer: the whole intro thing is strange.    
PeggyG: I agree Alice!    
alicemercer: If I'm on a wave, can I invite folks to it with their google id    ?
matt montagne: I haven't used wave in a couple of weeks...don't have a use f    or it yet
PeggyG: think you can just drag them into the wave from your contacts    
kcaise: correct john    
alicemercer: Yeah, I don't    
DaveC: I'm still waiting for my invite  :-(    
PeggyG: I didn't get any invites to share when I joined    
alicemercer: And Adina gave me mine    
matt montagne: I think you can add people to your contacts and then they'll    eventually get an invite
PeggyG: and even those who have received invites are waiting to get their of    ficial invitation from Google--very delayed
matt montagne: we do have a worldbridges wave going    
cyndidannerkuhn: Seems pretty exclusive!!    
alicemercer: So I'm looking for sugar resources...    
matt montagne: I struggle with video as well Dave    
alicemercer: sugar os    
matt montagne: archiving and storing video on the LAN    
alicemercer: You know what I struggle with is codecs    
alicemercer: YES!!!!    
DaveC: I have students in my edtech class and teachers from my school who ar    e fairly new and my not know how to do some of this yet.
Lisa Parisi: I have paid for switch to change codecs    
alicemercer: Share our favorite codecs sites    
Lisa Parisi: change format    
alicemercer: YES, sucks    
alicemercer: big time    
matt montagne: good point, Dave    
jan_smith: Challenge then for teachers trying to create video to show what t    hey know and to be creative.
matt montagne: in camera editing...good idea    
alicemercer: I use Drop.io a lot    
Lisa Parisi: I paid lots of money for an expensive camera...I use my flip ca    m all the time...so much easier
cyndidannerkuhn: conversion programs, Zamzar works great  www.zamzar.com    
alicemercer: then take a class, and learn    
matt montagne: time-cost benefit isn't there...I would agree    
jan_smith: * for teachers helping kids create video    
alicemercer: @cyndi I use that one a lot    
alicemercer: MM Convert is a nice cheap alternative    
alicemercer: hahahaha    
alicemercer: absolutely NO relationship    
jan_smith: good point    
matt montagne: I see this with class projects as well...I think moving video    is great, but it is a monster, takes a lot of time, and takes ALOT of practice to make an effective video
PeggyG: the video is just the tool to share/learn from--doesn't have to be "    professional"
alicemercer: Hey, you all have high standards at ETT    
DaveC: quality and viral-ability aren't related at all.  numa-numa is a good    example of that  ;)
alicemercer: there are points when you have to edit in narrative    
alicemercer: you'll have to do some editing    
alicemercer: You are preaching to the choir. I HATE doing it    
alicemercer: I'm dying to hand off the editing to others in what I do for dh    ...
matt montagne: By the way...a plug for the "peace dot" project we're working    on: http://twitter.com/peacedot
alicemercer: I hate doing it, lol    
DaveC: Your vision is never what you'll end up with.    
matt montagne: even voicethread is a way to simplify the digital storytellin    g process
dave: http://www.youtube.com/uofpei#p/a    
jan_smith: so working with images is the way to go. then edit together in WM    M for example
alicemercer: http://drop.io/deterding    
matt montagne: great questions    
jackiegerstein: They are by my definition    
alicemercer: they have been...but no one in charge realized it yet    
Lisa Parisi: They are not obsolete until districts provide an alternative.    
PeggyG: there were a couple of great sessions at FETC on Beyond Textbooks--t    he teacher panel was really informative
matt montagne: Open Source Textbook project out of Palo Alto... http://ck12.    org/flexr/ Lots of math and science texts
jackiegerstein: they take too long to publish and really have the biased vie    wed of only a few authors
jackiegerstein: Textbooks and books are two very different things!    
alicemercer: Hey anyone teaching during Math their way, and Word their way?    
alicemercer: And lit units, etc?    
alicemercer: words their way    
Lisa Parisi: I've used math their way    
alicemercer: NOw, there is an expensive way to pay when you get the article    based text.
alicemercer: no text, right?    
matt montagne: I like John S's thinking on how we can pay teachers to create    their own texts...and then share them
alicemercer: @parisi no text right?    
sroseman: I have used Math Their Way    
alicemercer: Still NOT answering my question on Sugar OS resources [foot tap    ping]
matt montagne: Kids do only tend to read 25% of a text...if that    
PeggyG: that's exactly what I liked about the beyond Textbook approach they    are using in Vail AZ--creating their own online curriculum!
alicemercer: (foot tapping)    
alicemercer: No, we are paying folks to find something that won't offend tx    and won't offend ca, and
alicemercer: but it's not bland and even    
jackiegerstein: with the internet you can take the bits yourself to create y    our learning resources for your students - textbooks created via Diigo links!
matt montagne: institutional momentum...makes it tought to move away from th    e existing paradigm
alicemercer: and we don't like everything that another teacher comes up with    
jackiegerstein: LOL Alice    
alicemercer: it just doesn't fit, so we monkey around with the text we're gi    ven
DaveC: I would love to get an electronic version of a text book, localize it    and change the order to meet other things we're doing (such as reading about Paul Revere in April would make more sense than November) and using a print-on-demand to create them.
alicemercer: @jackie, it's true!    
jackiegerstein: I was LOL at your foot tapping    
Lisa Parisi: For me they just take up space I could use for something else.    
alicemercer: Texts are dead and have been dead, we just haven't admitted it    yet. like franco
Lisa Parisi: But as a new teachr, I liked knowing what to do    
jackiegerstein: Always hated textbooks even as a kid    
jan_smith: build your text in a wki with the students.    
PeggyG: maybe they don't know about Sugar OS  :-)    
matt montagne: It is cool how the CK-12 Flexbooks were updated last week to    reflect NASA's finding of water molecules on the moon...that is cool
DaveC: The "nook" was announced this week to compete with the Kindle.    
alicemercer: I think so, j'accuse! I come here for information, and do I get    help?
jackiegerstein: Why then do college students run to the bookstore at the end    of the semester to sell them back if they were valuable resources?
DaveC: Nook is from Barnes & Nobel.    
Lisa Parisi: I think I am leanign toward a Nook, DaveC    
DaveC: I like that the nook uses epub and should be able to work with some l    ibrary loaned books.
PeggyG: there is an entire curriculum with teaching resources available to t    he new teachers in Vail and teachers are updating it with resources all the time
DaveC: The screen isn't in color though, I think the announcmeent was mislea    ding.
alicemercer: Then they tried NON-sequential    
alicemercer: with a lot of math texts like Saxon, which used "spiraling"    
kyteacher: @jan_smith I'm hoping to build text online with students.  Still    trying to work out the details...
alicemercer: and it just goes by to fast for the ELs    
DaveC: Most subjects are spiral or cyclic, or people would be done learning    reading in grade 2.
matt montagne: many of our students carry not just one, but two backpacks: h    ttp://www.flickr.com/photos/mjmonty/4044804866/
kyteacher: Yes    
alicemercer: it's the east Dave, not the midwest, lol more upper south    
kyteacher: Hopefully...I'm going to experiment with one class to start with.    
PeggyG: http://beyondtextbooks.org/ This is the site that explains what they    are doing in Vail AZ to create the curriculum for their 1:1 laptop programs
kyteacher: Depends on who you ask.    
alicemercer: Always the critic    
PeggyG: Vail uses very few textbooks in their curriculum    
kyteacher: Most here call it the South.    
alicemercer: :p    
jan_smith: Not quite--you dip into the passion/direction of the group and th    en from their build common understanding
alicemercer: @peggy, why am I not surprised? Is it upper income?    
jan_smith: Collaboration is the thing they are learnig Dave    
alicemercer: Sugar, sugar, sugar?    
PeggyG: not at all Alice--lower income public schools    
alicemercer: I'm so evil    
kyteacher: Current plan - let them start by hyperlinking notes, etc. then ad    d new tools to get them to dig deeper.
matt montagne: did you see it used in Africa John??    
alicemercer: PC Jr    
PeggyG: they put their money into laptops instead of textbook adoptions    
jan_smith: Bah Bah Bah bah bah  --ah honey honey ...you are my...    
alicemercer: yep    
jan_smith: David Cassidy?    
alicemercer: but are there support groups?    
alicemercer: @jan_smith the archies    
jan_smith: ooh right!    
alicemercer: I don't care if anyone else uses it, I'm looking for support ne    twork
alicemercer: is this the concept show?    
alicemercer: YES!    
alicemercer: Of course I don't make sense    
kyteacher: :D    
alicemercer: I think you have a narrow view of literacy    
alicemercer: in this sense...    
alicemercer: the OS actually looks really good for language learners    
PeggyG: http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Welcome_to_the_Sugar_Labs_wiki    
matt montagne: with Linux and many other powerful, free operating systems (G    oogle Chrome is coming), I don't see the point of Sugar in K12
jackiegerstein: @Peggy - did you see the Vail presentation from FETC?    
PeggyG: http://www.sugarlabs.org/    
alicemercer: Hi Peggy thanks    
PeggyG: yes I watched both the keynote and the panel at FETC    
alicemercer: Yeah, I'm not picturing using it Africa, and lord knows I've ha    d my criticism of OLPC
matt montagne: I'd rather kids develop for Android    
Lisa Parisi: I have an android phone    
jackiegerstein: @Peggy - why did I even ask - of course you did ; )    
matt montagne: the Barnes and Noble reader will run on Android    
alicemercer: BUT I think it might be a really great tool for some of the par    ents learning English at early stage
alicemercer: since it's more graphical    
matt montagne: I'm quitting the iPhone in February...    
PeggyG: I loved the entire FETC virtual conference!! great learning experien    ce!
matt montagne: I'm excited about the number of Android handsets coming to ma    rket
jan_smith: Close your eyes for one minute and a whole new language and genre    of apps bursts on the scene. Makes you  want to bunker down.
Lisa Parisi: Love my android and like the tmobile service MUCH better than A    TT
jackiegerstein: The FETC vritual conference interface was incredible    
alicemercer: Matt, is android a platform beyond phone?    
JohnS: http://i.imgur.com/W6zzI.jpg    
alicemercer: I've annoyed enough    
PeggyG: I think FETC provides a very good model for virtual conferences  :-)    
dave: @alicemercer i hope i was doing the annoying  :)    
matt montagne: @alice...android is being run on all sorts of devices, includ    ing computers (the Nook eReader from Barnes and Noble will run on it)
alicemercer: I have used Comic Sans, with 7 year olds    
matt montagne: Great show all    
matt montagne: fun stuff    
jackiegerstein: fun    
PeggyG: another really interesting virtual conference is VTC being run on Mo    odle!
matt montagne: @PEggyG...will check that out    
alicemercer: No worries @dave    
PeggyG: http://moodle.esc11.net/vtc/    
DaveC: oh, that's not confusing  :-)    
alicemercer: silly    
PeggyG: great conversation tonight!! wheels are spinning!!    
sroseman: FETC was unique. Sort of resembled second life without the movemen    t
kyteacher: Joined at the last minute, but great conversation.  Always enjoy    when I remember...
PeggyG: it was a really interesting way to interact with the exhibitors! mad    e some great contacts throughout the conference
alicemercer: Hey anyone see Durff, Jose, or Maria Knee?    
PeggyG: lots of very good links and ideas were shared in the chat throughout    the day at FETC
alicemercer: ALL CAPS IN COMMENTS WORKS    
alicemercer: Peggy, what was your favorite part?    
PeggyG: the K12online conveners meet every Tuesday night--why Alice?    
alicemercer: Football?    
JohnS: http://www.u2.com/news/title/live-on-youtube-this-sunday    
matt montagne: 8:30 pacific    
matt montagne: looking forward to U2 tonight    
alicemercer: Oh, we've got a show tomorrow, I think...    
PeggyG: I loved Chris Dede and also the Math fluency presentation! But also    loved the final cloud presentation by John Kuglin
matt montagne: lot of fun everyone    
alicemercer: There have been a lot of last minute cancellations    
alicemercer: Also, calling out Dave C    
alicemercer: I like Chris Dede    
PeggyG: good luck Alice!    
alicemercer: Yeah, geocities gone    
alicemercer: If you don't pay    
alicemercer: I had a bunch of stuff up there    
sroseman: Thanks all    
PeggyG: I love Chris Dede and he made an outstanding case for mobile phones    in learning in that presentation
alicemercer: I have to find all the picks    
alicemercer: Hey, it got me started    
alicemercer: Yeah, it was a place to do that    
alicemercer: My first class web pages were geocities    
PeggyG: not sure about angelfire--all of my bookmarked sites seems to be gone
PeggyG: night everyone!    
kyteacher: Night.    
 

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