Clif’s Notes

Newsletter on Educational Technology

Throughout the years many of the preservice and in-service teachers in my classes, workshops, and presentations have requested that I start an email newsletter. They indicate that in addition to this blog they would like to receive occasional emails sharing rich resources related to technology integration. I’m excited to announce that I have answered these requests.

Clif’s Newsletter on Educational Technology focuses on the effective integration of technology with teaching and learning. Subscribers of this free service will receive occasional emails providing valuable resources and information about lesson plans, activities, technologies, research, etc., related to educational technology.

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MANAGING SUBSCRIPTIONS
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A Default Setting of Love

This brief message is too important not to share. Enjoy!

From Mike’s Blog:

A couple weeks ago I visited with a woman from our church whose memory is fading. We sat in her living room, and she mostly listened to the conversation around her.

But four times — four! — in half an hour, she looked at me and told me how much she loved me. It was clear that she’d forgotten that she had just told me that a few minutes before. But, strangely enough, it didn’t matter. Each time it meant something special.

Here’s my question: How do you become a person who, even with a fog descending on the brain, speaks words of love and affirmation? How do you get to the point where those are the words that come out by default.

I know this: Before all this happened, that’s the kind of person she was. I never knew her to scold, frown, or discourage. For the seventeen years I’ve known her she has been a source of refreshment to all around her.

I think I have some work to do.

photo credit: maria mono

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1 Thing

I’ve added a new feature to Clif’s Notes called 1 Thing. This special section is an area where guest bloggers can communicate “1 thing” they would like to share, suggest, say, demonstrate, etc. about a particular topic. This section will forever be a work in progress, so feel free to suggest guest bloggers and topics anytime. You can easily access this section by clicking on the 1 Thing link in the main menu.

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Being a Friend to the Widowed

Meriam Neff writes, “…there are many ways individuals can encourage widows on their journey. But it’s often hard to know what to say, for fear of making things worse. So let me offer some “Please do” as well as some “Please do not” suggestions.” This 2 minute read is pointed, honest and informative.

Consider also reading Neff’s article The Widow’s Might in which she states, “My husband’s death force me to change in ways that I never wanted to.”

Hat tip to my friend, Mike Cope, for this information.

Teaching and Learning with Squidoo

*DISCLAIMER: I’ve hesitated to share this resource because of the advertising and economics tied to it. I have given it a quick test and think that all of that stuff remains invisible. I’m sharing this resource because, in the right context, I see true potential in its integration with teaching and learning.

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Have you seen Squidoo? I would roughly describe it as a means of mashing up information from a variety of resources into a lens (as in the eye of a giant squid; fancy word for webpage). This is accomplished through customization and pulling together a good number of RSS feeds, favorites, bookmarks, page rankings/voting, etc. Lenses are ranked, money is given to daily winners, etc.* You can actually earn money for charity or for yourself just by using the service.* I have browsed through many of the existing lenses and been impressed by their quality. I am guessing that the whole free market competition model encourages quality effort as those with lenses with the highest use and approval are rewarded. Most of the ones I reviewed were by doctors, therapists, professors, etc. and all seemed well-credentialed. It is likely that you will find some lenses that you can use in your own classroom.

I haven’t completely made up my mind about what I think of Squidoo (I found it very, very late last night) but it has certainly given me some things to consider. Ideas for integrating it with learning and instruction have flooded my mind. In the right context it would be an interesting tool for teachers and learners to use for webquests, research, scavenger hunts, presentations, cooperative learning, online classes, a Web 2.0 activity, etc. Additional ideas and strategies are very end of this post.

There is also a section called Hey Monkey Brain where students can pick, research and debate a topic. Again, in the right context this feature has several positive educational implications.

I joined and threw together my own lens on the topic of educational technology. Take a look…

• My Squidoo Profile: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/clifsnotes
• My Ed Tech Lens: http://www.squidoo.com/clifsnotes

You can setup your own free account using here.

Integrating Squidoo

I thought it might be helpful to all of us if we brainstormed ways to integrate the use of Squidoo with teaching and learning. Here are some of the ideas (classes, lesson topics, activities) that came to me.

• Business
• Economics
• Research
• Writing and editing
• Information design
• Current events
• Math/ science/ health news and research
• Travel planning/ virtual field trip scenarios
• Marketing
• Student designed and developed webquests
• Homework helper
• Tips for parents
• Book reviews
• Debate/ critical thinking/ persuasive writing
• Newsletters
• Service learning/ moral education
• Instructional design/ lesson planning
• Online/ web-enhanced learning
• Focus on composers, painters, or sculptors
• Communicate information and resources to teachers about particular special needsMuch of the above can be modified for use in foreign language classes

Did You Change the World Today?

Gadberry asks the important question, “Did you change the world today?” So many teachers go into the profession with the genuine intention to positively impact the world. Unfortunately, many of us allow lesson planning, grading, IEP meetings, curriculum standards, meetings, sports, tv, errands, etc. to fill the bulk of our schedules and crowd out any possibility of changing the world. You know exactly what I mean, so I won’t insult you by pontificating on the obvious.

I haven’t positively changed the world today, but I still have about 7.5 hours to work on it. I assure you I will.

Now it’s your turn. Did you change the world today? (Please share in your the Comments below.)

Related Resources

• The Challenge
• Links and Information

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6.3 Earthquake in Nevada

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 shook Northeastern Nevada this morning at 6:16 AM. The quake was reported to have been felt in California, Nevada and Utah. Full details are available here.

Consider integrating this current event into your class. Off the top of my head there are good math, science, research, writing and service activities related to this event.

Classroom Resources

• U. S. Geological Survey’s educational resources
• Disaster News Network reports about disasters AND recovery efforts.
• Center for Earthquake Research and Information
• PBS’ Savage Earth
• TeacherTube videos

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Service Opportunity

The following comes from an email message that one of my students sent me. I’m posting portions of that message with permission.

Wanted to let you know that Hands On Disaster Response is deploying volunteers for three weeks to Gassville, AR to help with relief efforts there. Here is the website for more info: http://hodr.org.

This is the group [we] traveled to Peru with. Some of the most hard working (and hard playing) folks you will ever meet. If this is something you would be interested in, let me know. I am going to organize a trip over for a weekend. (about a 4 hour drive…leave on a Friday, return on a Sunday)

Since we worked so hard with some of these folks in Peru, it is really touching to have them head this way when needed. Hopefully we can have a big turn out of Memphis folks to welcome them!!

Feed the Hungry

Free Rice is a fun and educational way to feed the hungry. It’s simplicity is genius.

I checked the legitimacy of the website’s claims. Snopes states that the claims are indeed true

.

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Clif’s Blogroll

• A Day in the Life
• Among the Wildflowers
• And Yet It Moves
• Around the Corner
• AT Cubed: Assistive Technology Tools, Tricks, and Tips
• Be a Techie - Using Music and Technology Together In Education
• Beth’s Thoughts on Technology in the Classroom
• Bit by Bit
• The Blue Skunk Blog
• Changing High Schools
• Classroom 2.0
• Classroom Blogging
• Cloudy Tag Thoughts
• Common Craft
• The Connected Classroom
• Daddy Brain
• Dangerously Irrelevant
• Designed to Inspire
• dy/dan
• edtech VISION
• EdTech Workshop
• EdTechRoundUp
• EduTechie
• Effective Design.org
• The Elementary Teacher
• The Fischbowl
• The Four Eyed Technologist
• From Toy to Tool: Cell Phones in Schools
• Geek of the Week: Tools for Teachers
• Have a Good Life
• H I T
• ICT in My Classroom
• Ideas and Thoughts
• Infinite Thinking Machine
• Injenuity
• Innovative Educator 2.0
• International Edubloggers Directory
• John Connell
• KidCast
• Learning Is Change
• Learning Is Messy
• Light in the Woods
• Moving at the Speed of Creativity
• Moving Forward
• My State of Flux
• The Open Classroom
• Open Thinking & Digital Pedagogy
• Opening Doors to Digital Learning
• Parents As Partners
• The Playground
• Random Ramblings
• Rick West
• Spotlight Blog
• Stephen’s Untold Stories
• Steve Hargadon
• The Strength of Weak Ties
• Successful Teaching
• Teach42
• TeacherJay
• Teachers Teaching Teachers
• TechChickTips
• Tech Learning
• Virtual High School Meanderings
• Weblogg-ed

Random Notes from Clif

Joe Namath graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in interdisciplinary studies today, 42 years after leaving Alabama to go pro. Great story!!!

Have you ever seen The Human Clock? Be sure to also check out The Human Calendar!

I don’t think that I’ve ever mentioned Modest Needs. It’s another good source to get involved with charity work/ service education. The slogan, “Small Change. A World of Difference.” says it all.

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More about OLPC

This video nicely overviews the One Laptop Per Child initiative. Watch it and consider making a donation or purchase.

Several more good videos about OLPC are available from the BBC.

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THE CHALLENGE to All Educators

I recently wrote a post encouraging educators to get students actively involved in service education. In it I provided my rationale for implementing service activities in the classroom and suggested some resources to help you get started.

Your feedback has caused me to decide to take this a step further. Now, rather than simply encouraging teachers (in general) to do this I’m now challenging you (specifically you) to start a service activity in your classroom. The holiday season is upon us, so I think it’s a perfect time to talk about service and initiate a project with your students.

Here’s THE CHALLENGE.

1. Kick-off a service activity in your classroom.
2. Make us, the readers of this blog (there are hundreds of visitors on a daily basis), aware of your project before you begin. I’ve dedicated a new section of the blog to this activity and added a permanent link titled The Challenge to the main menu. This allows us to to share information, provide links to personal/ class blogs, wikis, websites, etc. where we can learn about each other’s projects and share resources and ideas. You can post your information by a) leaving it in the comments in The Challenge area, b) emailing me a link to your project blog, wiki, site, etc. that I’ll add to The Challenge area, or c) emailing me your information, files, links, etc. that I’ll post in The Challenge area.
3. Keep working on your project and enjoy all the wonderful things that will surely come from it.
4. Share. Share. Share. Let’s provide updates by which we (including our students) can all follow each other’s progress. Again, you can do this by clicking on The Challenge link in the menu, or by emailing me links, information, files, photos, etc. that I can post on Clif’s Notes for you.

Let’s make the world a better place. I CHALLENGE YOU!!!

Resources

Here are some great resources to help you get started.

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Kiva.org

I recently learned about an online non-profit organization that is trying to alleviate poverty all around the world. Kiva allows you to lend money “to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world–empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty.” It has received great reviews and endorsements from notable organizations and individuals that lead me to believe that this is a trustworthy cause.This would be a very easy way to get students involved in service. It requires minimum effort to get started and provides the opportunity for you and your class to keep up with your grantee’s progress.

We’d all enjoy hearing your ideas and experiences related to this topic.

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