Dr. Thomas Johnson | ict-design.org | education | technology | ai & NOT A.I. | design

Downloading Youtube Videos: How to

Attention:

Everyone wants to know, “How can I download videos from Youtube?” Well, it’s never been easier.

Proof:

The fact that I get asked at least once a week about how to download Youtube videos should be proof enough that people are asking this question.

However, the fact that there are 2,220,000 hits in Google when you search, “Download Youtube videos” added to the fact that there are tonne of programs and ways to do this compounds my evidence that we can and should be able to do it pretty easily.

Strategy:

In my short video below, I explain how to download videos from Youtube through Firefox.

1 Comment

Posted by Dr. Thomas Johnson | ict-design.org on September 12, 2011 in Education, Technology

Tags: Browsers, Downloading, Firefox, Mozilla Firefox, Youtube

Gone are keyboards: Surface Computing

07 Sep

Attention:

Schools are eager to become 1:1 with laptop programs, but they are wrong with this kind of thinking. Gone will be the days of mice and keyboards. The 5:1 and 4:1 classrooms are those of the future for tech-heavy, well-endowed and ‘lucky’ schools. What do these programs consist of? Let’s look:

Projector / with Mimio, Smartboard, or Promethian – no keyboards
Wacom Tablets and All-in-one Multitouch Computers – no keyboards
Surface Computers, like Windows / Samsung Surface Computers – no keyboards
Tablets, like iPads, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Asus Eee Pad, Motorolla Xoom (My choice) – no keyboards
Smart phones using Swype technology– no keyboards

And maybe a notebook here and there with a keyboard for my grandma. But let’s be done with the rows and rows of computer desktop classrooms.

Proof:

I am hoping that provocative questions like these are proof enough:

How many phones are there that are switching from touch-pads to multi-touch?
How many kids 4 and under are better at turning on and using an iPad than a keyboard and mouse? (http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150260787791089)
How come the fastest text typers are using something called Swype with Android, rather than keypads?
Why is the the tablet rising in sales versus the laptop? (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/06/business/la-fi-tablet-era-20110506)
Why is Windows 8 made completely for multi-touch capabilities?

Strategy:

What does this mean for schools and educators? This means:

Different ideas for the budget.
Continued training for teachers about how to use these devices.
Technology Integration Specialists, instead of classroom technology teachers
Allowing students to bring their devices to school
Supporting student devices, both physically, through networking and academically, with authentic connections to lessons
Everyone needs New ways of thinking.

Technology Integration: A six-pronged approach

02 Sep

Attention:

Your school needs technology integration specialists, if it doesn’t already have them. Gone are the days that tech teaching is left to tech teachers in discreet technology classes. Everyone, especially teachers, needs to understand how tech is an integral tool to the education process. They need to understand that technology should be emphasizing, rather than working perpendicular to classroom objectives and projects. This blog post looks at how technology can and should be implemented by a Technology Integration Specialist.

First, we need to look at whether technology should be used and why, as well as how it should be thought of.

Proof:

Should technology be used?

Harold Wenglinsky’s study, “Does it Compute: The Relationship between Educational Technology and Student Achievement in Mathematics,” concluded that for 4th and 8th graders technology has “positive benefits” on achievement as measured in NAEP’s mathematics test. But it is critical to note Wenglinsky’s caveat to this conclusion. He argues that not all uses of technology were beneficial. Wenglinksky found using computers to teach low order thinking skills, “…[W]as negatively related to academic achievement….” Put another way, this type of computer use was worse than doing nothing. (http://home.blarg.net/~building/strategies/technology/foltos.htm)

The answer seems to be yes and no. The Atlantic says these are the Important Skills for the 21st Century Learner and lists them from most important to least important:

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Questioning
Accessing, Analyzing, and Synthesizing Information
Communication
Innovation, Creativity, Curiosity, Imagination
Ethical Decision-Making
Agility, Adaptability, Flexibility
Global Citizenship, Social and Cross-Cultural Interaction
Collaboration
Initiative, Self-Direction, Entreneurialism, Resourcefulness
Productivity and Accountability
Leardership
Other
Multi-Disciplinary Decision-Makings

Referring back to this list, we, as educators, need to consider how to properly implement technology to cater to the highest skills authentically.

Larry Cuban has been quick to note that his surveys suggest that fewer than 20% of teachers use technology several times a week, and up to half of all teachers didn’t use technology at all. (Cuban, et al., Winter 2001; Cuban, August 1999) Even if teachers used the technology, Cuban concluded, few employed these tools in ways that would improve teaching and learning. “[M]ore often than not,” he noted, “their use sustained rather than altered existing patterns of teaching practice” (Cuban, et al., Winter 2001). (http://home.blarg.net/~building/strategies/technology/foltos.htm)

Strategy:

What does this mean?

I am coming from an IB perspective. With this guise, the skills critical to ICT are: Investigating, Creating, Communicating, Collaborating, Organizing, and Becoming responsible digital citizens. For each of the six Programmes of Inquiry (POI) units, they might have this focus. With that focus, the best tools (See:Edorigami list of Web 2.0 tools, Edorigami ICT Tools & Online Collaborative Tools) can be used to enable the work of students.

In deciding the best tools, the Technology Integration Specialist, along with the classroom teachers needs to discern whether technology should actually be used. The question: WHY? and TO WHAT END? should be posed alongside any decision to implement the use of technology

Along with deciding the best tools to use with the skills for each POI, the approaches the Technology Integration Specialist takes are as follows:

School meeting integration –

Technology should be showcased at each meeting. There is so much new hardware, software, online and off that is developed every day, if there isn’t a glimpse of it every week or so, everyone is getting left behind.
Tech integration specialist should be doing their homework, finding solutions, collating and deciding which are the best available to showing other educators.

In-class push-ins –

TIS can be Leading – Class is lead by the TIS
Supportive – Class is co-hosted by the TIS
Reflective – Class is observed and reflected upon by the TIS
One-on-one* – Classroom teachers may want prior teaching about technologies in order to present these ideas as their own to their classes

Individual meetings with educators –

The primary focus for teachers follows these guidelines from John D’Arcy of CDNIS

“there is no rush”
pragmatic and compassionate (have expectations of teachers, they have to be on the journey)
curriculum and pedagogy
teachers and students first

If a school has a PYP/MYP/DP coordinator, TIS should be sitting down with their perspective coordinators and with the classroom teachers. This should occur before each unit and ideally weekly or bi-weekly to reflect upon best approaches.

Organization of technology groups –

The IBO states this about the the ICT committee: “Different stakeholders in the school community could be members of an ICT committee. However, it is essential that the pedagogical leaders of the school are members of this committee as they are responsible for the effective management of resources (people, time, equipment and money).”
The TIS might also structure mixed high-level/low-level groups with team leaders to help disseminate learning and obtain feedback from staff

Online presence –

To reiterate, backup, and showcase all things tech a TIS should have a major presence online. This would be through, but is not limited to:

Blogs – like this one
Websites
Prezis
Scribd
LinkedIn
Dropbox
Facebook
Google+, Docs & Calendars
Forums
the IBO OCC
Voicethread
Youtube
Netvibes
Twitter

Professional Development –

The TIS should search out technology professional development opportunities that are applicable to all stakeholders. They might post these on a common calendars, email them, or even talk to educators directly.
They ensure that development is taking place at the school. It could be through traditional approaches or online. Check these out.
They do PD themselves and then come back to present the ideas and reflections during meetings

*This idea was presented to me by a classroom teacher as a way I could support them.

As a technology integrator, I made this presentation to a school to describe what a TIS was versus a traditional technology teacher.

View this document on Scribd

Further reading about technology in education can be read through links found here and here

9 Comments

Posted by Dr. Thomas Johnson | ict-design.org on September 2, 2011 in Education, Technology

Tags: 21st century, Critical thinking, Education, K through 12, Problem Solving, Professional Development, Teacher, Technology, Technology integration

Google to teach speaking

25 Aug

Attention:

You might not sound as smart as you think, especially if you consider how you sound in a foreign country. Maybe you think your pronunciation is great, but you can’t understand why no one gets what you are trying to say. There are things that you can do to practice. One of the best sources I have recently been referred on to was Rosetta Stone (RS). The reason I like it is because the software ensures reading, writing, connecting thoughts, listening AND SPEAKING!

It does not translate words for you. At first I thought this was a silly way of learning, but after going through the RS system for a while I realized that building upon reference ideas and then repeating them was a great way to learn. The drawback, however, is the cost. (£149.00) In that case, I have a workaround answer for you, but I will get to that after I have shown you proof that the RS system works.

Proof:

While researching for proof that Rosetta Stone was the best way to learn online or off out on the market, I found some contrasting evidence. Some people spoke very highly of the product, such as these reviews:

Without a doubt the highest praise went to the ease with which reviewers were learning. Courses were described as being instinctive and natural, even though many had been skeptical about there being no English on the Rosetta Stone software. A lot of learners said that their children were also following their course and were enjoying the quizzes and games. Rosetta Stone seems to be engaging for any age group. The pace seemed to be appropriate, and many users liked a feature of the CD-ROM where it automatically started each session with a quick review of what was previously studied. (http://www.therosettastonereviews.com/)

Rosetta Stone helps you learn 31 various languages spoken all round the world. It dishes some different and interesting techniques to get accomplish to the languages you want in your armory. People who want to study languages difficult to understand for fun or individuals who loves incomprehensible languages, should also give Rosetta Stone a try. (http://judgesreviews.com/software/rosetta-stone-reviews)

However, this review was only a partial glimpse:

Some people will get benefit out of Rosetta Stone. I can see how it would happen. I did indeed learn something from this program, including having my first ever conversation in Dutch, which gave me an enormous boost of confidence.(http://www.fluentin3months.com/rosetta-stone-review/)

A further read of this same reviewing would show you this review as well:

Injecting this confidence is something that Rosetta Stone does very well but to be honest the time would have been much better spent on other tasks. (http://www.fluentin3months.com/rosetta-stone-review/)

With that said, I have to personally say that I can see the benefit and enjoyment factor present with the RS method. If you have time, it is worth giving it a try to see if the slightly expensive system is worth it to you. If not, read on and maybe I have some alternative solutions.

Strategy:

There are many free websites to learn another language. A good example of an English site for this is learn-english-online.org Like most, it allows you to read, to write and sometimes even listen, but the sites do not include speaking.

Along comes Google!

I figured this out when my wife, who is not a native English speaker was trying to use the Google VoiceSearch found when you are using Chrome as your browser.

She was having the toughest time. It was a little funny, especially when I heard what she was trying to say and what was coming up on Google. For example, she might try to say, “Samui, Thailand” and it comes up, “Simile Highland”. It takes some practice. Sometimes it is even necessary for me, as a native English speaker to hear what she is saying and tell her to say the word(s) with more enunciation or inflection on a certain part. How Google works well, is it confirms automatically where I might say to her, as her teacher, that she is saying something incorrectly, but she doesn’t hear it herself. She might insist she is saying it correctly, but I have no proof.

Well, now I do.

This Google App is available on iPhones, iPads and I am sure lots of other devices. Because of this, it means teachers can carry it around for students who are trying to pronounce something for immediate confirmation about whether what they are saying is said correctly or not.

All-in-all, I love the idea. I hope to apply it through technology integration in classrooms, by carrying around a smart phone and pulling it out when the need is there.

Who says we should ban phones in schools? With enough ingenuity there are plenty of authentic applications for them. Now, if I can justify spending $15,000 for Microsoft’s MS Surface Table to the school, that would be neat.