Chasing Ah Ha! » Uncategorized http://jeffflynn.com Notes on wondering in a world of learning Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:09:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 © Jeff@voyageurlearning.com () Jeff@voyageurlearning.com() Notes on wondering in a world of learning Jeff@voyageurlearning.com No no http://jeffflynn.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg Chasing Ah Ha! http://jeffflynn.com 144 144 Jason Ohler http://jeffflynn.com/2008/04/14/jason-ohler/ http://jeffflynn.com/2008/04/14/jason-ohler/#comments Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:09:24 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/2008/04/14/jason-ohler/
During the MACUL conference of 2008, I worked on gaming similations and how the work in the classroom. More and more of our student’s are becoming gamers, thus increasing the visual literacy skills. To ignore this development would be done at our peril, thus I am looking at ways that we can use this strategy to help our students look smarter.

]]> http://jeffflynn.com/2008/04/14/jason-ohler/feed/ 1 Google Docs and ReQal http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/17/google-docs-and-reqal/ http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/17/google-docs-and-reqal/#comments Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:16:31 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/17/google-docs-and-reqal/ In my work with special education students, I have found two tools that have been of great interest and help. They are free and while I don’t have a lot of data to support my impressions, I do have a number of students and families using Google Docs and ReQal.

Google Docs give me students one stop storage for their materials. For students on the autism spectrum or others how like order and predictability, having the same interface at home, at school and with any other Internet connect computer is of great benefit.

The number one dream out there for students who struggle with writing is the Holy Grail of “speech to text” software. Dragon Naturally Speaking is quite expensive and when I give students a chance to use it, 90% of them find the minutia of correcting details more trouble than it is worth. In many of my schools, SOLO Co:Writer, word predication software, is a credible alternative but again quite expensive. ReQall is a free web service where one registers a phone and an email address. After that 60 seconds of dictation on a registered phone can be transcribed and sent to the registered email address. It’s recognition is very good and I use it to had to my to do or great thoughts list as I drive.

I will continue to discuss these issues as I find students working through these tools.

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]]> http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/17/google-docs-and-reqal/feed/ 0 Mobile Phone in Education http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/06/mobile-phone-in-education/ http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/06/mobile-phone-in-education/#comments Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:36:20 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/06/mobile-phone-in-education/
Vacuum – Edward Vielmetti in Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104: Elliot Soloway on the Scoble Show

]]> http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/06/mobile-phone-in-education/feed/ 0 Time to Go to MACUL http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/05/time-to-go-to-macul/ http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/05/time-to-go-to-macul/#comments Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:21:21 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/05/time-to-go-to-macul/ It has snowed better than 5″ here and all the schools are closed. Nevertheless I expect by colleague, Michael Smith to arrive soon and off we will go to Rockford for today’s preconference workshop on gaming.

]]> http://jeffflynn.com/2008/03/05/time-to-go-to-macul/feed/ 0 MITS lessons http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/21/mits-lessons/ http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/21/mits-lessons/#comments Thu, 21 Jun 2007 18:38:38 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/21/mits-lessons/ This is a test of WordPressDash

]]> http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/21/mits-lessons/feed/ 1 Snowclones http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/04/snowclones/ http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/04/snowclones/#comments Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:07:05 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/04/snowclones/ Dave, I can see the connecting of disposable artifacts and I appreciated the chance to participate in this presentation.

When I tried to start eluminate, I became confused between it’s asking for a name for me with a name for the session. That “duh?” was on me.

20 mins. into the session, my audio went out. I got an ellumniate java message telling me there was backed up audio waiting to me played.

I do belive I have a screencast of this effort, that will be the gem of this if it does continue.
Thanks Dave for all of this.

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]]> http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/04/snowclones/feed/ 1 Participating in Education of the Future http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/04/participating-in-education-of-the-future/ http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/04/participating-in-education-of-the-future/#comments Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:40:48 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/04/participating-in-education-of-the-future/ I am looking forwarding to learning more about online collaboration working with the Future of Education Online Conference.

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]]> http://jeffflynn.com/2007/06/04/participating-in-education-of-the-future/feed/ 1 Will Richardson and the Skype network. http://jeffflynn.com/2006/03/10/will-richardson-and-the-skype-network/ http://jeffflynn.com/2006/03/10/will-richardson-and-the-skype-network/#comments Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:44:40 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/?p=5 I am having a blast listening to Will Richardson.  He is giving quite the series of talks today.  I love his work and following it.  Being an early el teacher makes for a different perspective but it inspires me.

Through Dave Cormier, I found that Will was going to skype him for a demo.  So I audio skyped Dave so he could hear Will’s talk.  When Will called him, Dave was tuned and ready to comment in the flow of the talk.  He was able to reference a comment about being in the bedroom which the audience found very funny. This is an amazing way to connect, communcate and share.

My own learning at this minute is being a multitasking author.  I have Dave on my audio listening to Will, I am text messaging Dave and Anne Ottenbreit-Leftwich, and blogging. In a fit of further glee, I snap a picture of Will and send the file to Dave. I am realizing I need to write light and fast and loose some baggage in order to better this join the web 2.0 world.  The Read, Write, Audio and Collaborate Web.

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]]> http://jeffflynn.com/2006/03/10/will-richardson-and-the-skype-network/feed/ 3 Presenting at MACUL with my Skype colleagues http://jeffflynn.com/2006/03/10/presenting-at-macul-with-my-skype-colleagues/ http://jeffflynn.com/2006/03/10/presenting-at-macul-with-my-skype-colleagues/#comments Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:44:27 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/?p=4 Yesterday afternoon I had fun presenting at the Michigan Association of Computer User’s in Learning (MACUL) conference in Grand Rapids, MI. I created a wiki to support my discussion of Embracing Community and Reflection through
Online Digital Portfolios. I appreciated the chance to organize and share some of the experiences of the past 8 months. AAPS has spent over $15 million dollars on computing which has been very exciting but the curricular possibilities lagged. So with a Bluehost account I took my chance to break out and teach more boldly.

What led me to stepping up to a greater online instruction was the experiences I have had with Jeff Lebow and Dave Cormier of Worldbridges and EdTechTalk. They have been an awesome support with vision and encouragement. What was really exciting for me with this presentation was when Jeff asked about webcasting the presentation. I agreed and we webcasted and used skype to draw in Jeff and Dave and their expertise. The settup work nearly flawlessly. The participants responded well to all of the lively energy this gave out.
I described our moodle experiences at the elementary and high school level. Dr. Chris Curtis, of Stone HS, has made the strongest use of this resource with his senior seminar. Chris also skyped in from Ann Arbor to speak to his experiences with moodle. Pete Pasque, another AAPS teacher using moodle, skyped in just after the presentation. We had hoped to have him participate but his school duties got in the way.

I also talked about the Elgg, podcasts and wikis. The discussion and ideas flowed well. But the amazing quality, ease and free cost of Skype made the afternoon a special connecting collaboration. Earlier in the day, David Pogue, of the NY Times, talked of the new technologies of the 2010 student. Skype was on his list and today confirmed it’s selection.

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]]> http://jeffflynn.com/2006/03/10/presenting-at-macul-with-my-skype-colleagues/feed/ 0 A Voyageur Birth http://jeffflynn.com/2005/10/20/a-voyageur-birth/ http://jeffflynn.com/2005/10/20/a-voyageur-birth/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:43:06 +0000 Jeff http://jeffflynn.com/?p=3 Today is my 52nd birthday. It has been a quiet uneventful one. Coffee, smoothy, a trip to the gym, pool, sauna and off to the classroom. During the day I continue to be thankful for my wife and family. I am enjoying my instruction in the computer labs. What is different, is that I have committed to step up and have a web presence. Voyaguer Learning will be one more arena, where I can explore new media and practice what I rant about.

I would not be here with out the generous connection of Jeff Labow and Dave Cormier of worldbridges.com and edtechtalk.com. Our relationship represents so of the great new discoveries one finds in the new world of podcasting, skype and chats.

My goals for Voyageur Learning is to use new media, putting to the test in my classrooms. Rather than live at the pace my school district, I am stepping out to find my own rhythm of exploration and discovery. This is easier than I thought it would be and yet it continues to consume a great deal of time. This post is written just so I can have it done on this day. I will continue to learn and explore other aspects of web resources.

While I may get frustrated with some aspects of working within the Ann Arbor Public Schools, I do have to celebrate the rich opportunity I experience there every school day. I teach in computer labs with the latest equipment. I get to formulate and test learning experiences for children in kindergarten through fourth grade. There are fine people working with me. Michael Smith keeps me grounded yet challanged.

So I am lifting a toast tonight, to good times and Happy Trails.

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