Hurray for Western Maine!

by Richard Byrne

The official 2008 Edublog Awards nominees were announced last night. Four people from Western Maine were nominated. Jim Burke was nominated in the category of Best Educational Wiki 2008 for the Learning in Maine wiki. Jeff and Dan at Wicked Decent Learning were nominated for Best Educational Use of Audio. My blog Free Technology for Teachers was nominated for Best Resource Sharing Blog.

The voting is open now. You can see the full list of nominees and place your votes here.

Google Docs

Google Docs Training

Tutorial

Open an Account

Leaders Empower Others

The Art of Possibility at Amazon

On Being Joyful

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Live Laugh Learn Lead

TelstarToo: Creating and Using Movies

Crescent Park School 3:30 - 7:30, Monday, December 1. All are welcome!

LINK

Teaching & Learning at iTunes U

Olga LaPlante's Podcasts at iTunes U . . .

Social Networking
Algebraic Skills
Fun with Physics

Jeff & Dan's Wicked Decent Learning podcasts at iTunes (note the opportunity to subscribe)

Maine Tech Integrators List

A list is being compiled of Maine educators involved in using technology in schools. Please help by adding/updating your information as well as that of others your know. Also think about adding areas that you have expertise in and would be willing to share with others. Roles/titles are not important . . . only that individuals are promoting the use of technology in education in some way and are willing to share.

Edit List Here
Photo Credit

Gratitude

A "thank you" to Michael Richards of Notes from Millie D for introducing me to iSpeech.

Laptops in the Classroom?

Why do some teachers/professors ban laptops, etc. from their classrooms? This wiki collects comments, responses, and reasoning on this issue.

"Search Millions of Historic Photos"

LIFE has teamed up with Google to provide a wonderful archive of historic photos. What a great resource for all!


Other Historical Photo Resources:

Picturing Modern America 1880 - 1920
Picture Collections
Historial Photographs
Digital History: Images
Historial Picture Collections
Maine Memory Network

21st Century English Framework

The Partnership for 21st Skills and National Council of Teachers of English have created a new framework for teaching 21st Century skills in English classes.

PDF for English Class Download

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Lemonade

Maine school budgets are being curtailed. Superintendents are scrambling to find ways to balance their spreadsheets. In many cases, this is going to have to involve reducing or eliminating professional development days and travel, among many other cuts.

Question: We know the downside, but what are the opportunities?

Poster Generators

Lemonade Stand (Cool Math)
Lemonade Stand (ClassBrain)
Lemonade Stand (PrimaryGames)
Lemonade Stand (4WebGames)

Photo Credit

Time Spent Online

Digital Youth Research: Kids' Informal Learning with Digital Media

Weblogg-ed Post on the MacArthur Study

New York Times Article (free account available): "Teenagers' Internet Socializing Not a Bad Thing."

Wicked Decent Learning: Episode 46

Jeff & Dan are on the road in Western Maine discussing what they value in school administrators in "Administrator II Judgement Day".

Additional Resources

American Association of School Administrators
EducationWorld: Administrators Channel
National Association of Elementary School Principals
National Association of Secondary School Principals
Principal Professional Development (MiddleWeb)
What Makes a Great Principal: An Audio Slideshow

Recession Hits Maine Education

Governor Baldacci details budget curtailment.

Village Soup
Bangor Daily News
The Ellsworth American

Maine Bureau of the Budget
Education Informational Letter 41
Essential Programs & Services Funding
FY09 Curtailment by District

Evaluating Information

Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Library - 5:30 - 8:30 - "Current Events Class"



Essential Question: Should the U.S. Government provide universal health care for its citizens?

Agenda Link

Chris Lehmann & Others on Change

Thanks to Nathaniel Porter of View from the Corner Room I've been pointed to the direction of a couple of Chris Lehmann presentations.

K12 Online Conference (Lehmann bio and slower presentation)
Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach: 21st Century Collaborative

Dimensions Of Change

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: maineducation08)

Essential Question: How do we go about making change?

"What I Want for My Children"

ASCD's The Whole Child


NCREL: Meaningful, Engaged Learning

Essential Question: What do we want for our children?

TelstarToo Session: K-6 Technology Integration

Essential Questions: How can technology be used with younger learners? Should it be?

Today's Agenda Link

Wisdom

“Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

Wisdom Quotes
ThinkExist: Wisdom Quotes
BrainyQuote: Wisdom Quotes

"Where ever you are, be there totally." ~ Eckhart Tolle

Amazon: The Wisdom of Crowds
Wikipedia: The Wisdom of Crowds
Wikipedia: Crowd Psychology

Question: Are crowds wise . . . . or merely smart? Or neither?