Monday, July 31, 2006

Great Quote

"The secret, I don't know... I guess you've just gotta find something you love to do and then... do it for the rest of your life. For me, it's going to Rushmore." (from the Bill Murray movie, Rushmore).

Well, maybe not great. It might be one you want to avoid if you are a best man giving a toast at a wedding.

No kidding.

posted by dan at 12:06 AM | 2 comments  

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Free eBooks

1000's of free eBooks at the Worldbookfair.com in celebration of Project Gutenberg's 35th birthday. It is sponsored by Project Gutenberg , World eBook Library Consortia, DPP Store , Baen Books, QOOP, and Ask.com.

I just downloaded a few dozen "classics" - looks like many of the books are in the public domain.

Blogged with Flock

posted by dan at 7:09 AM | 0 comments  

Friday, July 28, 2006

Identity Crisis

When I first started this blog almost two years ago, I really didn't know what I was doing. I figured I would post a couple entries and never go back to it. While I haven't been the most active blogger, I am up to 160 posts. I've hit topics about my students, classroom management, technology projects, union issues, and random stories about my kids. While I haven't publized this blog (it is not linked from my homepage), I have posted my name and a simple search turns it up. I never wanted to be too specific about students or co-workers. No doubt some of my students have found it, but only one ever made a passing reference to it - so far. I understand the desire for some not to reveal their name (and have at times wished I could be more blunt), but that just wasn't for me.

With the evolution of this blog I have decided that I need some sort of name change. I am still a history teacher, but I am also an educational technologist. Now that my district's labor issues have been resolved, I see myself writing more and more about technology integration into the classroom. All the other topics are still far game, but this is the direction I have been going.

So far I have come up with:

  • a technology-using history teacher
  • a history teacher and an educational technologist

OK, so the my choices aren't great. Any suggestions?

I'm also hoping to do switch over to wordpress once I figure this name thing out.


Blogged with Flock

posted by dan at 11:03 PM | 7 comments  

Why Moodle Matters Even More

With the passage of HR5319, the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA), by the House and probable passage by the Senate, it looks like the federal government will do its best to try and regulate emerging technologies. In a nutshell, this bill will require schools and libraries to block social networking sites or risk losing federal money.


Like many things the federal government has done in the last few years, the fear factor is central. We must fight those online predators - where ever they are hiding. As a father, I agree it is a bit scary. I also know my kids will go to a park without my wife or myself sometime in the future (they are 3 and 5 now). We have been teaching them not to talk to strangers since they could talk so they will be able to explore the world a bit without mommy and daddy (or Big Brother) looking over their shoulders. We now have more to teach our kids, don't talk to strangers at the park AND online. Simple. We can teach this lesson at home AND we can teach them at school.

As a blogger and a teacher who has used Web 2.0 apps with my students, I also know there is a big difference between what I have done with wikis and the students' personal use of MySpace. However, this bill could place both of those uses in the same category. Essentially DOPA outlines criteria for sites that should be blocked by schools and libraries, if it

1) is offered by a commercial entity 2) has online profiles 3) has journal or blogging features 4) elicits personal information and 5) enables communication among users. (from Firewheel Design).

In addition to MySpace, it looks like many forms of public Web 2.0 apps could be included - Blogger (Blogspot sites), wikis (PB Wiki, Wikispaces), Flickr, YouTube, and even Amazon. Pretty much everything new. In education we are already struggling to get cutting edge technology into the hands of students. Between lack of resources, lack of professional development, reluctant teachers, reluctant adminstrators, the massive emphasis on standards, and the test-driven educational system, integration of these new technologies already faces an uphill battle. Yet, most of our students are online often and the evolving American/global job market is placing a greater emphasis on technology and information management.

Who is teaching them how to act out there? DOPA doesn't include any measures to educate only to block access. Of course, most students probably chat and update their MySpace at home, so this measure is ineffective to begin with.

So that brings us to Moodle. It is not a commercial undertaking. It does have online profiles, blogging, asks for personal info, and enables communication among users.  But, it does it in a closed network. It can be easily set to block access or, at least, block contributions from non-members. Students can learn responsible online behavior in the safety of a classroom. It is an amazing tool, but it also not the same as blogger or pbwiki or youtube.

Is this ideal? No. It is ridiculous that the legislators, whom are mostly digital immigrants - at best, are passing laws and judgement on technology without fully understanding the implications or consulting with actual librarians and teachers. If you missed Senator Steven's (the committee chair in charge of Internet regulation) comments on the Internet, you can view it here. Be afraid, very afraid. In the end, we still have the responsibility to try and prepare students for the real world. Today's real world includes social software and Web 2.0.

More information on DOPA can be found at:


technorati tags:, ,

Blogged with Flock

posted by dan at 10:44 PM | 4 comments  

Monday, July 24, 2006

10 Years - Part 2

Here are the final five years of my ten year teaching career.

Year 6: United States History and World History.

This year is a blur. Don't quite remember any details. This is when my love of United States history began to decline.

Year 7: World History and Humanities.
When I was in high school I did not have separate history and English classes, I had two-hour Humanities classes. An English teacher (who had attended the same high school) and I decided to do a similar program. We integrated the English and world history classes into a single class. We team taught the class - sometimes jamming 70 kids into one classroom. I loved having a chance to have the students for two hours at a time. We made a great team and had another great year. My second son was born at the end of the year.

Year 8: World History and Humanities.
Unfortunately, Humanities only filled a single block. That meant I had to have three other classes to fill out my load. For the first time, I took on an Applied Arts world history. This was a lower level class with a variety of students - some with legitimate learning disabilities, others as English language learners, and, to spice up the class, a decent chunk of behavior problems and lazy students. It was overall a tough year - my youngest didn't sleep through the night and someone in the house was sick for much of the year.

Year 9: United States History and World History.
My Humanities teaching partner left the school and I decided that I didn't want to try and bring another English teacher into the mix. For the first time, I tried taking on a 6/5 schedule - which meant no prep period (and more money). It nearly killed me. Second semester, I had a student teacher teach two of the world history classes. While I liked my U.S. History classes, especially the maturity difference between 10th and 11th graders, I really continued to connect more and more to world history.

Year 10: AP World History and World History.
Officially gave up United States History (except for summer school!). Took on AP World History. What a challenge. Probably the best teaching year of my career - right in the midst of a serious labor conflict and finishing my MA. Can't wait to repeat this schedule next year. A lot of new tricks up my sleeve.

Reflections, insights, suggestions for new teachers, etc.

  • It takes a few years to discover your comfort zone. Experiment, don't be afraid to be push the limit. If it doesn't work, make it work or do something different.
  • Classroom management is everything. If you don't have control, you won't get anywhere. However, you have to relax. Don't have too much control. A little (or a lot) of controlled chaos can go a long way and let your students relax as well.
  • Academically, be tough, but fair. Challenge them, don't beat them down.
  • Relax. Smile. Have fun. Laugh at your students - they are funny, even when they don't mean to be. Laugh with your students, especially when they make fun of you.
  • Be flexible. No lesson is more important then a teachable moment. How much of the Origins of Democratic Thought are they actually going to remember anyways. Let's not take ourselves too seriously now.
  • Change. Don't get stuck with stale curriculum. New lessons, projects, etc. will keep you invested in the curriculum - that investment will transfer to the students.
  • Don't take your students actions personally. They are young. They won't appreciate the time you put into a lesson or project. They won't say thank you (except for a few, of course). Sometimes they just don't care, its not you. It is the fact they are children and maybe human beings.
  • Read The World is Flat (yes I know some of his points are simplistic or a little off, but the gist of the book is very real) and then start teaching different. Use technology. Teach in a way that makes your students from your community have a chance in the global economy. Think how much different the world was ten years ago, how much different will be in ten more.
  • If you are a new teacher read Okay, rookie, we're gonna put you in by Ms. Cornelius over at a Shrewdness of Apes.
  • Break away from you being the absolute center of the class, even if you enjoy it. They are the center, you need to help guide (and sometimes shove) them in the right direction.
It has been a great ten years. My favorite number is 11, this one should be a good year.

Blogged with Flock

posted by dan at 10:48 PM | 4 comments  

Thursday, July 20, 2006

10 Years

This year I celebrate two ten year anniversaries. The more important of the two, of course, is my marriage (which was on July 6th). My wife and I have been an amazing team, both supporting each other through two masters degrees, two kids, two home buying experiences, and a million other events. I could not imagine my life without her.

The second anniversary is teaching. In 1996, I received my teaching credential and was hired on at West Hills High School. It has been a long, and at times, strange trip, but overall it has been great. I would have never guessed my career would look like it does.

For my own sake, I have tried to recapture those ten years. It will come in two installments.

The First Five...

Year 1: Technology Fundamentals - 3/5's - taught one section on LCII Macs and two sections on 286 PCs - in 1996, I was teaching Word Perfect 5.1. The program I typed my reports on in 1984. Good times.

Year 2: Geography and Journalism. Hired into the social studies department - sort of. Actually, I was appointed. There were three positions, the department hired their two student teachers, I was hired by the principal. I found out a few years later that was sort of forced upon them. Great. I guess I worked out ok in the long run. This principal tried to micromanage the school, by year 4 the staff would drive her out.

Geography was far, far away from my ideal class. Freshmen. Enough said.

I had pursued photojournalism in college and almost went in that direction after I graduated from college. I was the third journalism teacher in three years, it was an interesting transition, especially because the teacher who it was taken away from two years before was in my department. Teaching this class helped me totally transition from that career choice. My first journalism class is one of my most memorable.

Year 3: World History and Journalism. I was desperate to get rid of geography. Didn't like the curriculum and I knew teaching freshmen would drive me from teaching. My major had been U.S. History, but world history was better then geography. Anything, but geography. In a modern world history class, I barely got to WWII. I remember the two days I taught about the Holocaust, were days that there were bomb threats at my school only a month after Columbine - almost a 50% absent rate. That year my journalism staff won all sorts of awards, was probably the peak of the paper at the school (to this day).

Year 4: World History and Journalism. Started working closely with my good friend Scott. We would spend the next two years collaborating on the world history curriculum. The foundation that we set in those two years still drive both of our curriculums. This year was an amazing journalism class. I had weeded out the deadweight, found funding for new computers, and really connected with the staff.

Year 5: United States History and World History.

I was planning on starting graduate school and starting a family so I gave up journalism - one of the toughest decisions of my career. In return I was able to get a section of U.S. History. When I decided to be a teacher, I envisioned myself teaching United States History - it was my major after all. I only had one section, but it was a great class. I threw myself into the curriculum and had a great year. My oldest son was born in December.

Years 6-10 coming soon...

Blogged with Flock

posted by dan at 9:05 PM | 1 comments  

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

The Podcast is Up!

I guess the powers-that-be of NECC went back and salvaged the podcast from my NECC presentation. Click here for all of the NECC 2006 Podcasts (my presentation is about halfway down the page). The web page for the presentation, can be here.

technorati tags:, , ,

Blogged with Flock

posted by dan at 11:19 AM | 0 comments  

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Review of My NECC Presentation

In my initial post about my presentation at NECC, I included a three links from people who attended the session and blogged about it. David Jakes over at The Strength of Weak Ties blogged about it yesterday and made some critical assessments that I wanted to address. I will probably sound a little defensive, but I am going to look at several of his major complaints. You may want to read his post before going on.

Point #1 - I implied technology should be used only when convenient.

Let me explain some of my technology integration background. I have been working at a school built in 1987 that has received new technology for student use outside of the computer classes once. Between 1999 and 2001, we received money from the California Digital High School program to purchase an open lab and several computer carts. In 2002, teachers in my district were all given a laptop. There was a special program before that for teachers to acquire a laptop if they attended a summer workshop without pay.

Other then a handful of teachers, integration of technology into the curriculum was, and still is limited. There are more teachers with projectors that use PowerPoints to deliver lectures, but most teachers at my school teach the same way they were taught. I came out of my student teaching experience with notion that computers were an essential part of education. I am now known as the history teacher who always uses technology. My casual comment about bringing "some technology into the classroom" did not reflect my feeling that IT IS "mission critical." I have made it my mission and obsession to always bring technology into my classroom. I have also made it my mission to share those experiences at a couple dozen workshops and presentations in the last 10 years.

Point #2 - I said wikis were a tool that allowed anyone to make web pages.

I really think that as educators, especially those of us with limited resources, we should look at every tool as a tool. I know the spirit of wikis, I understand and believe in it, but I also know it is a tool that allows my students to publish their work on the Internet - something I could not have done in my history classes five years ago. The ability for students to collaborate is an important part and I do include it in most of the wiki projects.

Point #3 - I said kids know this technology and all technology.

I did not say that students knew about wikis, I said students knew how to use this type of technology - specifically blogs, MySpace, LiveJournal, and DeadJournal. These types of skills are easily transferable to wikis. I am also basing my comments on my personal experiences. Like I mentioned in my presentation, I spent 10 minutes teaching them how to use the wiki. If I tried that with a class of teachers, it would take longer - it has taken longer. I was more talking about the environment of the web, not the specific application.

Point #4 - I said I wouldn't want them to build their own wikis.

For my projects (the Holocaust Wiki Project, WWI Battles, and a directed AP World History review) I would not want to give up the control that would come with students creating their own wikis. This also creates a community of users that would not exist in the same area if students all created their. Each year I have about 160-200 students. Doing these sorts of projects can be a logistical nightmare. Yes, I want some control, they are 15 years old. I also work in a conservative community that is very protective of its students and is not afraid to make complaints. I would rather be a bit more conservative so I can keep doing these sorts of projects - and what ever the next thing I want to do the coming years.

If students want to build their own wikis, all the power to them.

Point #5 - Design patterns are limiting.

The purpose of the EduWiki Design Patterns and the WebQuest Design Patterns (both were authored by SDSU Professor Bernie Dodge) are to give teachers ways to incorporate these types of projects into their classrooms without trying to reinvent the wheel. They provide options and direction. Students are not going to just magically create "collaborative content in response to an educational need or learning objective," they need direction, a specific task, and a creative approach. The design patterns help provide models and to inspire teachers to be more creative then they might otherwise have been. They are not the only way to use wikis or WebQuests, nor do they claim to be. They are just some ways to use them. Maybe an anti-pattern needs to be added.

We need to remember that for many teachers (both old and young) doing these types of projects are tough to envision and create. Design patterns may just get a few more to cross that divide.

I also take a little offense at the comment "perhaps this is an attempt to force wikis into a familiar and comfortable teacher zone..." I have always pushed the limit. When I look out at the web for examples of K-12 teachers using wikis, I am one of the leaders and have some of the more creative uses. These projects are time consuming in their development and their actual implementation. It would certainly be easier for me to lecture and give a few worksheets. These projects look a little different. These patterns do not reflect standard teaching practices.

Final thoughts...

Again, I apologize for being defensive. I appreciate David's comments and understand his points from a theoritical standpoint. I just feel the reality and practicality is not always in line with the ideal. I have spent many hours planning these projects out and actually using them in my classroom. I also know that after 10 years of teaching, these have been some of my most successful projects for a variety of reasons.

I am a big believer in the Internet as community. Through Moodle and the wiki projects, I have successfully foster a sense of community in individual classes and across all of my classes. But, I also know the reality that I teach in a lower-middle class suburban high school in California. I have standards I must address. I have students with varied amounts of motivation. I think that exposing them to a variety of technologies, even in a somewhat limiting form, is better then not and better then not giving them some sort of structure.

posted by dan at 9:01 AM | 4 comments  

Friday, July 07, 2006

NECC Has Left the City

NECC has left the city. For the last three days, the National Education Computing Conference, put on my ISTE and sponsored by CUE visited my city of San Diego. I have wanted to go for the last few years, but a variety of circumstances got in the way. This was year. As a first timer, I was amazed with the great diversity of sessions, the famous faces of the ed tech world, and the massive number of venders.

One of the major ongoing themes of the conference was the importance of Web 2.0, the read/write web. There were dozens of sessions on blogging, a number on podcasts, and a handful (mine included) on wikis. They covered logistics, specific implementations, generalized applications, and pitfalls of these new technologies. The message was clear; this is the new toolset we need to utilize. Our students are growing up in this environment, we can't ignore that fact.

In the vender area I was surprised to see the shear number of online community services available to individual teachers and school districts. I also saw two Moodle service companies that do installations, customization, and support. What a brilliant idea. The software is free and the support from Moodle.org is free, so the only costs you have involve server space and transportation for training. Not bad. Hmmm.

I went into this conference with the idea that I might be job hunting (I even threw together a resume). As much as I love the classroom, I seem to want something more. However, after I wandered the hall for a couple hours, I realized that the corporate world, both big and small is so cut throat and so desperate for business. People were being bribed with t-shirts or the chance to win an iPod to sit through a ten-minute presentation about one product or another. As a presenter, I received about ten e-mails prior to the conference from venders wanting me to plug their product during my session. I also realized as I wandered from session to session, that the exhibitors were mostly stuck down in purgatory that was the vender hall. I ran into a few people I had known earlier in my masters program, both of them in the corporate world - they said they knew what the new ideas were, but they had no experience with it. They weren't the ones expanding their experiences through cutting edge sessions and then applying it to their classrooms or schools or districts.

As I drove that 23 miles home today from NECC, it became clear that I would not become a corporate shill - not that there's anything wrong with it :). If I leave the classroom, it will have to be in a way that still touches teachers and students directly.

posted by dan at 5:51 PM | 1 comments  

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Choose Your Own Wiki Adventure - NECC 2006

I've given a number of presentations and workshops in the last ten years, but today was the most significant. As I waited in the front of rom 31 B/C for my session to begin, I wondered how many of the 337 seats would be filled. As 12:30 approached, I was becoming hopeful that it would be a good-sized crowd. When I finally began the presentation, I was shocked to see people standing the back and sitting in the aisle (not quite every seat was taken, but it was close). My usual groups are around 20-30 people. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I once did a presentation to four people. It was a lot of work for four people. Once I got started the jitters I initially felt disapated.

I spent the next hour discussing the use of wikis in the K-12 classroom. I called the session Choose Your Own Wiki Adventure because the largest part of the session focused on the Holocaust Wiki Project. This project has students create a branching simulation about the Holocaust. I also reviewed Wiki basics, drew from Bernie Dodge's EduWiki Design Patterns, and showed my other two Wiki projects, Strategies of WWI Wiki WebQuest and AP World History Review Project.

Overall, I was pleased - it was probably one of my best presentations. I felt like I connected with the audience and most people stayed throughout the whole session (I know leaving a session part way through is a conference habit). I didn't leave enough time for questions, but a number of people stayed after to discuss some specific elements of the projects. It was supposed to be podcast, but there was a microphone problem and apparently it wasn't salvageable.

There were three people in attendance who blogged about the main elements of the session at the Tech Savvy Teacher, Educational Technology and Life (he also took the picture), and Ed Tech: The Blog. Thanks guys for the reviews!

I posted the PowerPoint and important links here.

I don't think I'll make Atlanta for next year's NECC, but maybe in 2008!

posted by dan at 8:32 PM | 1 comments