tn – Clif Mims

Highlights from Last Night’s Thunderstorm

We had a big thunderstorm come through the region last evening. This electrical storm footage was shot in Arlington, TN, a suburb of Memphis. Our son, Zeb, edited it into this short highlight clip.

Solar Eclipse: Arlington, TN

The video above was shot just before the peak eclipse point on August 21, 2017. Below, the geese and hummingbirds grew confused and acted strangely.

Wonderful #EdTech Job Opportunity

Here’s a great job opportunity in an excellent school district working with wonderful people.

Curriculum Technology Teacher (CTT)
Arlington Community Schools
Arlington, TN

#edtech #mlearning #edchat

Video Footage from Electric Substation Explosion

An electrical explosion in the Arlington – Lakeland area outside of Memphis.

A fire started around 12:30 AM on July 11, 2016, at the substation on Highway 70 near Saffron Springs Drive. This video was filmed less than a mile from the event.

Seeking Participants for Exercise Study

The Department of Health and Sport Sciences at The University of Memphis invites your participation in an exercise study.

“Come and join us as we explore the effects of two exercise modes on balance. The study will include repeated balance tests on a computerized test system in the pre-, middle, and post-training phases. It’s free and fun for everyone!

The study will start in February, 2013. Financial compensation and campus parking are provided” (Source).

Download flyer for full details.

Interviewed by Wes Fryer

I had the privilege of being interviewed by Wes Fryer for his Speed of Creativity Podcast back in October. We discussed the mission of the Martin Institute for Teaching Excellence, experiences and lessons learned from our inaugural conference, rethinking professional development, and my appreciation for educators throughout the Midsouth. Listen to the podcast by clicking on the play button below the photo.

Wes Fryer and Clif Mims

Show Notes

The Martin Institute
The Martin Institute Conference Wiki (with links to presentation resources)
Video: About the Martin Institute

Waze for Smart Phones: The Wisdom of the Crowd for Driving

Waze provides “real-time maps and traffic information based on the wisdom of the crowd.”

Here are a few items of note from the Waze website. (Source)

At waze, our vision is to work in cooperation with drivers worldwide to create the world’s first live driving map, providing users with the real-time road intelligence they need for better everyday driving.
Waze is a social mobile application providing free turn-by-turn navigation based on the live conditions of the road. 100% powered by users, the more you drive, the better it gets. Join the community of drivers in your area today!
Waze is a social mobile application that enables drivers to build and use real-time road intelligence. The service includes constantly-updated road maps, alerts on traffic and accidents, and data providing users with the fastest route to get to wherever they need to go.

(Hat Tip to Wes Fryer for bringing Waze to my attention.)

Educational Uses

Waze could be integrated with geography, driver’s education, and social studies.

Data generated by Waze (collected from the live maps) could be used in math and science classrooms.

Please share additional educational uses in the comments.

Waze Combines Crowdsourced GPS And Pac-Man (wired.com)
Waze: “Wikipedia for Drivers” Leverages Social To Recommend Routes (socialtimes.com)
Bits: Waze, a Social Driving App, Raises $25 Million (bits.blogs.nytimes.com)
Real-Time Traffic App Waze Raises $25M in New Funding (mashable.com)

Upcoming Opportunities for Professional Development

TeachMeet Nashville
April 1-2, 2010
An event organized by teachers, for teachers, at no cost.
Event Website

DEN Summer Institute Applications Due
April 12, 2010
“Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with fellow STAR Discovery Educators from all over during an exclusive, intensive, week-long networking and professional development event.”
Learn More

EdCamp Philly
May 22, 2010
“An unconference devoted to K-12 issues and ideas!”
Event Website

EduBloggerCon
June 26, 2010
“EduBloggerCons are about conversations that teach. Questions are asked, problems posed, experiences shared, and everyone learns.”
Event Website

ISTE Conference (Formerly NECC)
June 27-30, 2010
The premiere event for educational technology professionals.
Conference Website

Podstock
July 16-17
“It’s a conference. It’s a conversation. It’s family.”
Conference Website

Laptop Institute
July 18-20, 2010
“An international think tank for schools using or considering laptops or tablets as tools for learning.”
Institute Website

Remembering Dr. King

I’ve visited the National Civil Rights Museum several times recently as we’ve had friends and colleagues come through Memphis. Standing near the place where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated never ceases to move me. Although many will spotlight Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech (which I’ve also done in the past) this MLK Day, I have decided this year to spotlight his final speech referred to as I’ve Been to the Mountaintop (View full text). It was actually given at the Mason Temple here in Memphis the night before his death. I created the below Wordle of this speech to present the major topics from this passionate dream of a new day.

“While the untimely death of Dr. King was the end of an era, it also marked the beginning of a movement – to take the lessons we learned from his vision and transform our future.” (Source)

Suggested Resources

Biography from Nobel Prize

A View from the Mountaintop: MLK in Memphis

MLK Online

Videos and Slide Shows available at YouTube, TeacherTube, and SlideShare

More about Civil Rights