jesse.wisnouse's blog

Some teachers don't know it, but they can easily post content on their school web page that goes beyond text and pictures. 

Posting audio files is a great way for teachers to share class messages with parents and students.  Some student activity prompts can also be posted online.  Students can listen to the file and then perform the appropriate task. 

To get started, use an audio recording program like Audacity.  Convert the file to a .mp3 file, which is a more universal file format and compressed, so it downloads or streams quickly.  Upload it to your server when logged into your site, and create a link to it. 

Voila!  Now your site visitors can hear your voice as well as reading your text.

All secondary schools have Vision Classroom Management software installed.  On Monday, many teachers, tech coordinators and other school personnel took part in a training for this title.  Participants got a chance to see how Vision can be used to manage all computers in a classroom or computer lab.  For more info on Vision, check out the TRT Vision page at http://sites.fcps.org/trt/vision.

The file attachments at the bottom of the page have some excellent information to help one get started with Vision.  Check them out today to see how this program can transform your teaching practices!

Have you ever used Delicious?  Delicious is a social bookmarking tool, which means that users can sign into a web-based account and save their Internet bookmarks online.  This is beneficial because:

• bookmarks are no longer tied to one computer
• they are easier to search in this format
• the website works with all computer platforms and browsers

I worked with secondary science teachers the last few days.  We created Delicious accounts and then browsed through others' bookmarks to save the ones we liked.  Some users had time to save their own bookmarks that they used to keep in email or in a Word document on their flashdrive.  The introductory presentation I shared with these teachers is attached below.

Are you already an accomplished Delicious user?  Check out the new features!  TRT Aimee Martin likes the new feature that allows you to tweet your newly-found sites: you can save the site on Delicious and also send a link to your Twitter page that lists the name of the site.  I really like the "send" feature which allows you to send a link to another Delicious user.  Some people complained that they did not know other Delicious usernames, but the best part of this feature is that you can simply enter an email address in the field to directly email the site link to that person.  What a great resource for teachers!

Welcome back to a new school year!

This year looks to be a great year for FCPS teachers.  Our system was able to purchase newer desktop machines to replace older desktops that were not able to adequately handle the demanding processes that today's multimedia programs require.  Try to use one of the new machines: watch how well streamed videos play and how much faster programs like Pixie and Photoshop are able to load! 

MICCA was held a couple weeks ago at the Baltimore Convention Center.  It is an annual technology conference for Maryland educators and administrators.  Many vendors presented their newest products and many presenters shared their knowledge and experiences with educational software and hardware. 

My favorite session was presented by Doug Johnson.  Doug's session dealt with how schools should view new web 2.0 sites and their own policies for access and use.  He is a technology integration advocate and speaker, and is an IT Director for a school system in Minnesota.  Here is his website.  He presented many great ideas about the use of web 2.0 tools and argued that whatever tools are available for student use, teaching appropriate and responsible use is the most important thing we can do for our students. 

A few FCPS TRTs also presented at the conference- and some worked with teachers at their schools as co-presenters.  I presented on the use of Web-based forms and the Mozilla Firefox web browser.  Click here to access handouts from my presentations. 

When was the last time that you backed up your flash drive?  If you left your flash drive in a computer at work, would someone know who to return it to?  How about if a student accessed your drive: are your files password protected?

Flash drives are a wonderful tool.  They allow you to store large amounts of data on something that conveniently fits in your pocket.  I actually had one that made it through the wash unscathed, though I would not recommend this practice!  Flash drives are relatively cheap as well.  You can pick one up for less than $10 at most stores, and it will hold lots of data for you.  I prefer using a Sandisk model- here's a picture of mine:

So, how can you protect your drive?  Follow these simple steps to ensure that your data is kept private and secure:

1. Enable password protection- most drives allow this option.  Go to your drive's web support site and see if it says how to do this.  Every time you plug in your drive, it will ask you for a password.
2. Write your name on it- write it in permanent silver marker, or write it on a small piece of paper and tape it to the back of your drive.  Others will then know how to get it back to you.
3. Back it up- This is one of the most commonly overlooked things to do with your flash drive.  Get into a routine that allows you to back it up, at least once per month.  I keep a folder on my home computer called "flash backups" and overwrite the folder once per month.  For example, on March 30 I will take it home, copy all the files into a folder called "work flash march 09," then put that folder on my home computer.  I can then delete the "work flash feb 09" folder that I created last month.  Those with advanced skills can use some backup utilities built into their operating system or that are out there on the web for free. 

Remember, these useful tools are a great way to transfer work or fun projects from work to home- but if you lose some important data, it can be very time consuming, frustrating or even embarrassing if you didn't follow some basic backup and security procedures!

Much attention is being paid to energy conservation nowadays.  You see information on commercials and online about hybrid cars, fuel efficient SUVs, energy-saving lightbulbs and double-paned, argon-insulated windows.  Those measures can be effective, but expensive at the same time.  What are some ways you can conserve energy in your work place or classroom?

• Turn off your computer monitor when not in use.  Not for five minutes, but during your planning period if you are not using it. 
• Turn off your data projector if it is not being used.  Again, not for two minutes between teaching activities, but definitely during lunch and during planning.  The average bulb lasts about 2,000 hours- and in our current financial state, we cannot afford to lose precious hours!
• Clean your data projector filter.  Most are located under the projection lens on newer models- see your owner's manual or ask your tech coordinator for help.  A clogged filter makes the fan run at a higher speed to cool down the unit- which consumes more energy and more heat generated from the bulb means a shorter life span.
• Unplug your classroom technology cart each night.  Even if each device is turned off or in standby mode, electricity is still being sent to each device.  They consume a small amount of electricity during this time.  Turning off your power strip and unplugging the cord from the wall can save energy. 

None of these changes will make a significant difference if you do it for one day... but imagine the impact if a couple thousand teachers did this for 100-120 days per school year!

Remember that appropriate technology integration is important for our students to create meaning or enhance their understanding of a topic.  Here is a humorous example by Don McMillan: how integrating technology can go wrong when not used properly.  This video requires flash player to view it.

MICCA is a technology conference for Maryland educators.  It is held at the Baltimore Convention Center every April.  You must purchase a year-long membership to MICCA to attend the conference.  One benefit of this membership is the ability to submit a grant proposal to the MICCA board- which gives out grants up to $700.00 for educational technology.  Contact your TRT or visit http://miccaonline.org/membership/membership.html for more information.

This is my first blog on our new site.  Check back often, as I will be posting tech tips and success stories from my schools.