Teachers Teaching Teachers #245 - Meet the New Youth Voices - An open meeting where we talk about the recent upgrade - 4.27.11
On this episode of Teachers Teaching Teachers, a group of us who are in the process of launching a new version of Youth Voices met to continue the process of building the technology and the pedegogy of our work together.
Youth Voices is a school-based social network that was started in 2003 by a group of National Writing Project teachers. We merged several earlier blogging projects, preferring to bring our students together in one site that would live beyond any particular class, where it would be easier for individual students to connect with other students, comment on each others work, and create multimedia posts for each other. Further we thought it made sense for us to pool our knowledge about curriculum and digital literacies. If being part of such a community makes sense to you, we invite you to join us too. We work to embrace any teacher who is interested to have their students publish online and participate in the give and take of a social network like Youth Voices.
Youth Voices is much more than a website or a social network. It is also a welcoming community of teachers who have been planning curriculum together for many years. In addition to being active members in our local Writing Projects and the National Writing Project, many of us also count ourselves as member of the World Bridges community, and we meet regularly via Skype on a weekly webcast/podcast, Teachers Teaching Teachers, which has been going live every Wednesday evening at EdTechTalk since 2006.
All of this collaboration and talk, these years of building curriculum and working on the web together have led to to consider: What do the Youth Voices/Teachers Teaching Teachers teachers love about this work? And why do we think any kindergarten - college teacher might also find to love there too? What we think you and your students will find on Youth Voices, what we keeps us coming back, what we strive to engender, what we will never give up on (even in a school) is involving our students in “authentic conversation.”
Over the years the teachers who have been working together to grow Youth Voices have learned that as important 
as it is to have students publish multi-media, well-crafted products, it is at least as important to nurture, guide, and allow time for students to write comments and to develop conversations about each others discussion posts. Our mission at Youth Voices is to be a place online where students from across the nation (and globally, when possible) can engage other young people in conversations about real topics that they see happening in the world. We want our students to be immersed in lively, voiced give-and-take with their peers.
20:51:43 Paul Allison: Tonight, we're talking about http://youthvoices.net/
20:52:09 Paul Allison: I should say, the new http://Youth Voices.net
20:53:45 SusanEttenheim: hihelen!
20:53:58 HiHelen18: Hi Susan
20:57:53 Chris Sloan: Hello
20:58:32 Chris Sloan: @DrThomasHo, where are you and what do you do?
20:59:59 @DrThomasHo: Orlando, florida: "retired" computer science professor helping with http://s.hofamily.me/iconnectma
21:01:01 Chris Sloan: Looks like you're doing iPads in the classroom. how's that going?
21:01:51 @DrThomasHo: starts next fall, but I'll be trying something similar to what I've done previously in my own college classes: http://netvibes.com/learnstream
21:05:28 Renee: Good evening everyone.
21:05:36 Gail Desler: Hello Renee
21:05:37 SusanEttenheim: hi DrThomasHo!
21:05:44 Gail Desler: Hi Susan
21:05:55 Gail Desler: Is audio on yet?
21:05:57 SusanEttenheim: hi gail - trying to call you
21:06:00 SusanEttenheim: yes
21:06:09 SusanEttenheim: but I'll skype you but which name this time?
21:06:32 SusanEttenheim: hi renee welcome!
21:06:36 Gail Desler: gail_desler
21:06:42 Renee: What's tonight's topic?
21:06:49 Renee: Hi Susan.
21:07:02 SusanEttenheim: the new Youth Voices!
21:07:13 SusanEttenheim: Renee - you've joined us before, haven't you?
21:07:17 Renee: ok.
21:07:21 Renee: Yes. I have.
21:07:36 SusanEttenheim: please remind us where and what you teach?
21:08:08 Renee: I teach 5th grade at Family Life Academy Charter School in the Bronx.
21:08:48 SusanEttenheim: oh right!
21:08:51 SusanEttenheim: welcome!
21:08:54 Renee: Is the audio working now?
21:08:59 SusanEttenheim: yes can you hear?
21:09:03 Renee: Thank you.
21:09:04 SusanEttenheim: click on edtechtalk A
21:09:10 Chris Sloan: @DrThomasHo. Looks interesting. "What can social media aggregation contribute to teaching and learning?" I notice that you were paying attention to how their learning continued after the course. What did you find out?
21:09:10 SusanEttenheim: do you use skype?
21:09:32 SusanEttenheim: ahh Dr. Ho - I grew up in Orlando!
21:09:41 Renee: Yes. I am logged in right now.
21:09:42 SusanEttenheim: and we are using iPads at our school - high school, NYC
21:09:52 @DrThomasHo: students STOPPED using the tools after the course ended! :-(
21:09:53 SusanEttenheim: can you hear now?
21:10:06 Renee: No.
21:10:24 SusanEttenheim: Renee what is your skype user name and do you have earbuds?
21:10:33 @DrThomasHo: I can hear...what do I need to do to speak?
21:10:40 Chris Sloan: not unusual, DrThomasHo.
21:10:49 Renee: Yes. Neonlotus10.
21:10:55 SusanEttenheim: just let me know when you would like to speak :)
21:11:00 SusanEttenheim: do you use skype?
21:11:04 @DrThomasHo: yes
21:11:23 SusanEttenheim: do you have headsets so we don't get the feedback on the broadcast?
21:11:34 @DrThomasHo: I have headset
21:13:17 SusanEttenheim: renee - what user name comes up on skype?
21:13:41 Renee: Neonlotus10 @ Susan
21:13:50 Renee: Now I can hear.
21:14:12 SusanEttenheim: humm so if I call you , you'll need to turn off the stream
21:14:25 Renee: ok.
21:15:06 SusanEttenheim: Dr Ho - have you and Renee seen the site youthvoices.net
21:15:22 @DrThomasHo: no
21:15:33 SusanEttenheim: check it out! and tell us what you think
21:16:50 Renee: No. I will.
21:18:36 Renee: It's great to hear how this sites has grown and developed.
21:18:45 Renee: How did it start?
21:19:57 Renee: Site looks great.
21:20:30 Renee: Checking out gaming and new media.
21:20:49 @DrThomasHo: trying to register on Youth Voices but CAPTCHA question doesN'T display on Firefox 4
21:21:05 SusanEttenheim: great renee - why did you choose that channel? Is it something that you are doing in your class?
21:21:23 SusanEttenheim: do you have another browser?
21:21:35 @DrThomasHo: I'll try Chrome
21:22:28 Renee: I am interested in it a medium for learning and actually developing games because that all kids talk about. I would love to develop games and have my students do the same.
21:23:18 @DrThomasHo: CAPTCHA question doesn't display in Chrome either
21:23:23 Gail Desler: @DrThomasHo - Me too - no CAPTCHA. Do we need to head to IE?
21:25:10 SusanEttenheim: dr ho can you email us and we'll follow up with you?
21:25:26 SusanEttenheim: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
21:31:38 SusanEttenheim: hi peggy welcome!
21:31:47 PeggyG: Hi everyone! So sorry I'm late!! Too much going on!!!
21:31:51 SusanEttenheim: we're looking at youth voices
21:31:59 PeggyG: audio is coming through great and I'm so sorry I missed the beginning!
21:32:20 PeggyG: which link are you going to on YouthVoices?
21:33:45 PeggyG: the site looks really crisp and organized :-)
21:34:06 PeggyG: I have that album by Etta James :-)
21:34:57 Gail Desler: Hi Peggy
21:35:00 SusanEttenheim: peggy - and everyone - what do you think of pictures of students?
21:35:18 PeggyG: I'm not seeing the student pics either.
21:35:42 PeggyG: it's probably better not to use photos with names
21:35:42 SusanEttenheim: peggy click on a post and her image/icon will be on the left
21:35:47 SusanEttenheim: as part of the profile
21:36:26 PeggyG: they are taking so many wonderful photographs it would be better to use one of those unless your AUP allows their names and photos to be online
21:37:31 PeggyG: was it talia's picture you were commenting on?
21:37:56 PeggyG: apart from using her first name and photo I think the photo is a bit suggestive for a school blog
21:38:12 PeggyG: maybe I'm just "old school"
21:39:03 PeggyG: awesome testimonial!!
21:40:02 PeggyG: that makes sense to me
21:40:22 SusanEttenheim: welcome back hihelen
21:41:05 SusanEttenheim: all ok - can you hear?
21:41:16 PeggyG: she may have a fantastic eportfolio but that image wouldn't get her the interview or job...
21:41:19 PeggyG: hearing great!
21:41:38 SusanEttenheim: can you hear too hihelen?
21:42:35 Chris Sloan: PeggyG, interesting point about geting the interview or job
21:42:37 PeggyG: did you see the email notification that Delicious has a new owner?
21:43:44 Renee: They can create vokis.
21:43:52 PeggyG: Delicious was acquired by the founders of YouTube and you have to agree to transfer all of your bookmarks to the new company (AVOS) to continue using it
21:46:44 Renee: Would you be able to tell me the topic for next week. I am going to sya good night.
21:47:45 SusanEttenheim: ah I don't think we're sure yet renee!
21:47:47 PeggyG: do you have "required" parts of the profile that they can't continue without completing them? (like on a Ning?)
21:47:58 SusanEttenheim: good question!
21:48:01 Chris Sloan: any suggestions renee?
21:49:20 SusanEttenheim: yes, I think so Peggy - just looking at a profile...
21:51:31 PeggyG: email address is only thing required on first page (even picture is optional)
21:51:54 Renee: ok. For the future you should try to invite Neil Stephenson the Cigar Box Projects. I just attended his webinar today. Great insight on inquiry. Maybe you can have an extension related to youth voices for elementray educators and how they can implement youth voices.
21:52:07 PeggyG: wasn't his webinar great!!!!????
21:52:17 Chris Sloan: great idea Renee!
21:52:37 PeggyG: he also was the guest on the K12 Online Echo show on Monday night talking about the Cigar Box Projects. They are wonderful!
21:52:41 Chris Sloan: Kevin H can speak to that Rnee
21:52:43 Renee: Yes. I want to attend the second part. I think his blog is amazing.
21:52:55 PeggyG: me too Renee
21:53:05 PeggyG: Is Kevin Honeycutt part of YouthVoices?
21:53:23 SusanEttenheim: I was just listening to the k12 echo today!
21:53:40 PeggyG: Just discovering I don't have anything on my profile (bio) but I could have sworn I entered it when I joined. Guess I need to fix that.
21:53:56 Chris Sloan: Kevin Hodgson
21:54:07 PeggyG: aha! thanks
21:54:32 PeggyG: the bio/profile questions are really geared to the students :-)
21:54:56 PeggyG: School is required so if we don't have a school should we put n/a???
21:56:01 PeggyG: my image is the only thing that carried over
21:56:21 PeggyG: works for me :-)
21:56:25 PeggyG: the world is my school
21:56:40 PeggyG: ok I won't feel insulted
21:57:47 PeggyG: that's so sad!!! NWP and YouthVoices without funding!!
21:57:50 SusanEttenheim: dr ho I'm looking for you now..
21:57:54 SusanEttenheim: in the site
21:58:12 PeggyG: I'm in...
22:01:29 Renee: Good night. See you next week.
22:01:55 PeggyG: I'll work on updating my profile :-)
22:02:27 Gail Desler: Good night, Renee
22:04:53 SusanEttenheim: yes that's what we were talking about
22:05:13 SusanEttenheim: so we are not going to post photographic images
22:09:38 PeggyG: is that what you decided?
22:09:52 PeggyG: I thought it was no personal photos of themselves
22:10:15 PeggyG: it really is a beautiful site!! very attractive and well organized
22:10:23 Chris Sloan: yes, my students will post icons/avatars of themselves
22:10:34 Chris Sloan: not profile pics
22:10:44 PeggyG: that makes sense to me. Thanks Chris
22:10:50 PeggyG: good night everyone
22:10:55 Chris Sloan: night
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