ETBS.2009.03.26
This week we're joined by Sharon Peters and John Schinker and learn more about their upcoming trip to Africa with Teachers Without Borders - Canada. It was a great show with a lively discussion on a number of topics, and the audio from the post-show is also attached. Thanks to all who joined us!
Chat:
20:52:18 JohnS -> Hi, everyone.
20:52:34 sheila -> Hi John!
20:53:16 JohnS -> I feel all out of sorts. I'm hardly ever here on Thursday.
20:53:36 sheila -> Doesn't feel like Sunday?
20:53:38 matt montagne -> Hey y'all
20:54:01 sheila -> Hey Matt!
20:54:06 JohnS -> No. I'm usually prepared on Sundays... :-)
20:54:06 matt montagne -> hey sheila and js
20:54:14 JohnS -> Hi Matt.
20:55:41 sheila -> Matt - We are learning about acid rain in class. For a review we are creating a visual. Decided to make them into placemats and we are going to distribute them to local eateries for Earth day.
20:56:03 matt montagne -> good for u sheila...what a great project!
20:56:04 sheila -> Kids are psyched!
20:56:13 matt montagne -> I bet they r
20:56:29 sheila -> We are weighing the pros and cons of laminating them.
20:56:43 matt montagne -> well, that is a good discussion for certain
20:56:53 matt montagne -> I'm wondering if u can laminate w/recycled materials???
20:57:13 sheila -> Hmm?
20:57:17 JohnS -> First, flatten out the water bottles...
20:57:23 sheila -> :)
20:57:27 sheila -> Love it!
20:57:49 sheila -> I'm going to tell them that John! But some will try it!
20:57:55 sheila -> BEt
20:58:01 JohnS -> might need a rolling pin
21:01:18 JohnS -> Hmm... did Doug do a reboot?
21:01:31 matt montagne -> ds on
21:02:43 matt montagne -> he is back
21:03:22 matt montagne -> hey dan
21:03:52 Dan -> hi
21:04:21 sharonp -> Hi folks
21:04:29 sharonp -> I guess we are not streaming yet?
21:04:34 matt montagne -> hey sharon
21:04:37 matt montagne -> not yet
21:04:41 matt montagne -> ds is getting it going
21:05:14 matt montagne -> looking forward to this chat
21:06:24 Dan -> is this seedlings?
21:06:47 sheila -> No, seedlings was at 7:30 EDT
21:07:12 sheila -> This is EdTech Brainstorm
21:08:17 sheila -> Sound is good
21:12:06 Dan -> That is fabulous
21:14:05 matt montagne -> sharon, I'm interested in the concept of the digital learning manipulatives/software on flash drives...that is great...
21:14:41 sheila -> What is the connectivity like in most places?
21:17:05 sheila -> Ohh, John all good ideas! I'm taking notes for my Belize trip next year!
21:18:02 sheila -> @SharonP -do you have to pay duty on the equipment you bring into the country?
21:20:06 Dan -> flashdrives and netbooks would make a great combination
21:20:42 JohnS -> Yes. Also working on infrastructure stuff -- server on a stick for thing like web caches, firewalls, moodle, wordpress, etc.
21:21:09 matt montagne -> js...do u care about OS??
21:21:15 matt montagne -> win XP??
21:21:35 JohnS -> potentially. they use MS a lot, though I would prefer linux.
21:21:56 JohnS -> http://www.widernet.org/digitallibrary/
21:22:31 alexr -> Howdy Folks.
21:22:47 matt montagne -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjmonty/3324986398/ a FOSS Disc that we created...
21:22:53 Dan -> is dsl possible sharon?
21:22:54 sheila -> Hi there!
21:23:06 matt montagne -> hey alexr
21:23:28 alexr -> Hi Matt. How are you?
21:23:42 alexr -> Love the photo.
21:24:00 matt montagne -> good alex...how r u?
21:24:14 matt montagne -> that has been a helpful little disc to have on hand
21:25:22 Dan -> that's what I was referring to
21:26:00 sheila -> Entering a culture respectfully . . .
21:27:12 alexr -> A friend of mine spend a year in Nigeria. They just moved to cell phones and texting.
21:28:04 alexr -> Yeah, I meant spent.
21:30:16 dougsymington -> welcome back Dan :)
21:30:33 Dan -> thankks
21:33:17 sheila -> What are some of the other major obstacles in the areas you have visited? besideselectricity and connectivity.
21:33:53 James Sigler -> Hi everybody. Just finished Barbie Christmas Carol with the kids
21:34:07 sheila -> :)
21:34:33 Dan -> ooooo Barbie
21:34:40 dougsymington -> sounds like fun
21:34:57 James Sigler -> Nice clean movies, good stories
21:35:08 JohnS -> Wow, you're REALLY in a different time zone.
21:35:16 Dan -> my girl is too young yet
21:35:25 sheila -> I've run into monopolies that squash some of the connectivity.
21:35:49 James Sigler -> IS broadband mostly over cell and dish?
21:36:46 Dan -> satellites have internet capability though slow
21:37:51 James Sigler -> Edubuntu is a great distro with good edu Open Source software
21:38:27 matt montagne -> http://castillejatech.wikispaces.com/Casti+FOSS+Disc that lists titles on our FOSS disc
21:38:28 James Sigler -> I'm running it on my desktop now
21:39:09 matt montagne -> very cool, james...I looked at it a year ago and really liked all the added software
21:40:02 matt montagne -> headphones, mics, speakers, Wii mote...
21:40:03 James Sigler -> Even better, thin client server comes with it ready to go
21:40:39 sheila -> @SharonP - I'd love to get a copy of your list when it's created too! Book list.
21:40:47 James Sigler -> I have one
21:41:55 James Sigler -> http://penteractive.us/ now sells IR pens to go with the Wiimote so you don't have to make your own
21:43:43 sheila -> @JohnS and SharonP - Are you in communication now with the teachers you will be meeting? How much pre-trip work is there?
21:43:59 JohnS -> We will be, but not yet.
21:44:16 JohnS -> We actually hope to get the SA teachers, at least, into a Moodle beforehand.
21:44:44 sheila -> Nice!
21:45:16 alexr -> Yeah, but the smartboards are teacher centric.
21:45:47 alexr -> Sarcasm aleart.
21:45:52 alexr -> alert.
21:45:53 James Sigler -> Linux does have touchscreen apps, but not sure how it would work with Wiiboard
21:45:59 alexr -> spelling problems today.
21:46:57 alexr -> Depends on how you use them. Point conceded, Doug.
21:46:58 James Sigler -> The Smartboard interactive software is super, would like to know OS alternative
21:47:20 sheila -> keyboarding! Ha!
21:47:36 matt montagne -> I was a bit bummed with smarts decision to require a license key for their software this year
21:47:41 matt montagne -> that has been a support headache
21:47:58 JohnS -> yes, Matt. Very frustrating for us as well.
21:48:28 JohnS -> The smart 10 service pack that came out about 2 weeks before school started also caused a lot of problems for us.
21:48:41 James Sigler -> I saw you included Alice. Edusim wil soon be ready for prime time. http://edusim3d.com/
21:48:53 sheila -> citizen to citizen diplomacy!
21:49:02 matt montagne -> @js...not sure why they did that, at all...
21:49:27 JohnS -> They did the licensing thing b/c lots of schools were using other boards with the Smart software.
21:49:55 Dan -> next week's discussion is already set. smartboards yea or nay
21:50:21 alexr -> Sounds like ETT.
21:50:26 matt montagne -> @js...ahh...again, another policy that makes it more difficult for the people who play by the rules (although I can't say I have a solution)
21:50:31 alexr -> A place for educators around the world to collaborate.
21:51:57 James Sigler -> Would internet access help replace need for textbooks?
21:51:58 JohnS -> http://twbcanada.ning.com/
21:52:42 Dan -> so sharon does that mean that theoretically you could update the Net in a box each year?
21:52:56 sharonp -> Any time
21:53:26 sharonp -> http://www.safaricom.co.ke/index.php?id=597
21:53:50 alexr -> You can use twitter via text, right?
21:53:56 JohnS -> @Dan also strongly considering this: http://www.httrack.com/
21:53:56 alexr -> Or is that US centric?
21:54:17 JohnS -> not sure twitter via SMS works outside NA
21:54:51 sheila -> This has been very helpful for me.
21:55:49 Dan -> Great idea!
21:56:13 Dan -> What about a satellite phone?
21:56:15 sheila -> I've run a teacher program for 19 years and can now add a technology dimension. You have given me several ideas.
21:56:22 alexr -> That's the problem with being too big!
21:56:34 alexr -> We love Canadians!
21:56:41 alexr -> :)
21:57:14 James Sigler -> What about adding Wikipedia on CD? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_CD_Selection
21:57:33 alexr -> What about the beer?
21:57:33 JL -> How is John going to skype in to EdTechWeekly?
21:57:35 Dan -> That doesn't mean they work entirely john
21:58:03 Dan -> Dfunkt!
21:58:23 JohnS -> @JL when are you leaving NA?
21:58:37 JL -> aiming for July or August
21:58:50 Dan -> It's really a club med
21:58:54 JL -> anybody looking to buy a home in lovely Bow, NH?
21:59:11 JL -> Matt, any plans for Earthcast rehearsals?
21:59:20 matt montagne -> knock on wood, JL, our house in Milwaukee sells tomorrow
21:59:29 matt montagne -> @JL...yes, this Sunday
21:59:42 JL -> great
21:59:45 Dan -> Give them canadian beer...they won't care about connectivity
21:59:47 matt montagne -> @JL...u around this weekend??
22:00:14 JohnS -> We have better beer than the Canadian stuff, but getting it through Customs might be a problem.
22:00:17 JL -> yep - will plan to be around for earthrehearsals
22:00:19 matt montagne -> @JL...perhaps would like to do setup of earthbridges.net for earthcast as well...eg, embed player, chat piece, etc
22:00:21 JohnS -> It's the 640 oz cans they have a problem with.
22:00:27 JL -> can do
22:00:41 matt montagne -> cool...
22:00:47 Dan -> \John your beer is like water
22:01:11 JohnS -> 1.083 today.
22:01:18 JL -> those sound like fighting words Dan - who's up for a post-show drink-off?
22:01:38 Dan -> Thank you for the invite I'll book my flight
22:02:23 Dan -> Sharon, John I really appreciate the wonderful things you are doing abroad
22:02:39 sharonp -> thanks Dan!
22:03:21 Dan -> You both embody the nobility of the profession
22:03:39 James Sigler -> Will you deliver?
22:03:40 JL -> took the words out of my mouth John
22:04:33 sheila -> I can check on it from time to time . . . I'm about 1 hour away!
22:04:52 Dan -> Got to get the kids to bed thanks for the great experience....I'll be sure to return.
22:05:02 matt montagne -> nite all
22:05:07 JohnS -> we put Dan's kids to sleep?
22:05:09 JL -> nite Matt
22:05:10 James Sigler -> Yeah, Jeff!
22:05:14 JL -> what time Sunday?
22:05:21 sheila -> 1 pm?
22:05:27 Dan -> If only
22:05:32 JL -> roger that
22:05:49 JL -> skype me ahead of time if you want to start tweaking EB.net
22:08:51 matt montagne -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjmonty/2947980852/in/photostream/ mini projector
22:08:54 matt montagne -> $299
22:08:58 matt montagne -> USD
22:10:20 James Sigler -> Much easier to integrate tech into classroom if the computers are in the classroom
22:11:44 sheila -> Going to head out. Thanks so much! This has been helpful. Would love to follow up to find out what you ended up bringing/doing on the upcoming trip.
22:11:46 James Sigler -> so with small projector, you could use 1:4 computer:student ratio working in groups
22:12:28 matt montagne -> @james...potentially, yes...interesting...
22:14:02 James Sigler -> XO laptop changed the paradigm of 1:1. Actually doable
22:14:25 James Sigler -> I have grade cards to finish
22:14:32 James Sigler -> night
22:14:49 JohnS -> Good night. Thanks, James
22:24:25 JL -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_by_area
22:24:36 alexr -> My network admin got married out there last spring.
22:27:41 alexr -> Great to hang guys!
22:27:50 alexr -> Night.
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ETBS.2009.03.26.ps_.mp3 | 12.21 MB |
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