Beach bum!

I headed out to Myrtle this week for fun, sun, and tennis with the family.  In this virtual world, you don't get (nor do you really want) a break from teaching and learning.  I was able to catch up with the blogs I follow using my Google Reader app and my Android phone.  I used the wireless internet to complete and submit a reflection to my online EdS course.  I even cracked open Water for Elephants using the Barnes and Noble Nook Android app for my phone.  In fact, I drafted this blog post using the Blogger app on my phone.  What an amazing time that we live in!

Want to stay productive (or not so much...)?  Here are ten FREE apps to take to the beach with you:

1. Google Reader -collects your RSS feeds to your phone
2. Google Docs -mobile apps let's you read and edit documents.  Using Word?  You can easily upload your document to Google Docs and use your phone to edit and share.
3. Blogger -allows you to compose and edit your Blogger posts.
4. Hootsuite -collects all your social media to one interface.  I can read and post to multiple Twitter and Facebook accounts from one place.
5. Pandora -stream digital radio and music to your phone for free
6. The Weather Channel -check the weather and forecast anytime, anywhere
7. Nook -read your e-books on your phone
8. Google Voice -have voicemail sent as text to your phone.  Then listen or text replies.  Can even forward calls from any nimber to your cell or Google Voicemail.  Did I mentions it's free?
9. Google Maps -use the places feature to find top rated local restaurants and other activities.  Read user ratings to find the best of the beach!  We used this app to find Dagwood's Deli in downtown Myrtle.  What a find!
10. Wordle -spelling and reading game that the entire family can play together at the pool, in the restaurant or in the car.  Great way to build vocabulary.  Comes in international versions in other languages.

Way to Think

@Professional Development

During the summer PLS for Georgia Virtual School, the key note speaker, Byron Garrett, spoke about how we needed to change schools.  I asked him, pointedly, what his vision of the ideal classroom is.  He said that he would need to think about it.

I'm amazed at how quickly reformers will jump to criticize, but no one puts forth any suggestions or vision.  I found an interesting presentation by Sir Ken Robinson via twitter on divergent thinking.  I want to further investigate this line of reform.

It's difficult to imagine what this new paradigm is.  How do teachers who were educated in the old, industrial age format teach with these new tools and methods?   

I've heard a lot about project based teaching and learning.  I have spent some time reading about designing project based lessons.  I'm even attending a workshop on project based education at Discovery.com.  

I don't really detect anything revolutionary about this line of instruction.  I see the value in simulating "real world" situations, but I think many educators are missing an opportunity to teach higher order thinking.  Integrating Bloom's Digital Taxonomy into these lessons may more fully align with Sir Ken Robinson's vision of a new educational system.  It's not just WHAT we do in our classrooms; it's HOW we teach in our classrooms that will lead to real change.

@Learning

In my Atomic Learning class at Valdosta State University, I finished the Atomic Learning workshop on using Blogger.  As reflected in the changes to my blog.  I learned a lot about Google's blogger tools.  Here's my reflection:

Reflection on Blogging Workshop

One of my uses for this blog is to reflect on what I am learning and store ideas for future reference.  I found a Prezi that presents some reflective questions based on Bloom's Revised Taxonomy that I will use.  See:

The Reflective School by Peter Pappas on Prezi

Next, I'm learning how to use Adobe Connect.  Adobe Connect is a meeting software that the Georgia Virtual School will be using in the Spring of 2012.  In the past, I've used Elluminate to conduct live, on-line lessons with my students.  Adobe Connect is superior to Elluminate in that it offers tools that are slightly easier to use and the pod interface gives users more choice in how they interact with the meeting content.  For example, students can participate in the chat or watch a video.  It's their choice, depending which pods the host or presenter has offered.  As far as the white board presentation pod is concerned, I don't see much of a difference between the two products.  I understand that there may be some advantages to how Adobe Connect meetings are recorded and stored, but I haven't finished the training just yet.  Look for more updates next week.

@Home

We've almost finished the blessed playground project.  We put on the clubhouse roof and mounted the swing beam.  We've even hung the swings.  Davin and I ran into a little trouble with the glider.  The metal brackets for the glider have one whole in the bottom of the bracket.  We need to insert the hook and screw on the bolt INSIDE the bracket.  We've not had any luck so far, but I found a pointed nose (terminology?) wrench that I think will hold the bolt in place so that we can tighten it.  We also need to place the pole for the slide, dig a whole, and cement in the pole.  I'm beyond nervous about the cement.  I've never worked with it before.

@Athletics

I'm feeling like a "fatty, fatty, bumble-atty."  All of my workouts have been limited to tennis.  I have started a singles league.  I lost my first match 1-6, 6-4, 6-10.  I played well but am having a lot of trouble seeing the ball at the net.  I don't know if this is a matter of focus or some physical limitation.  I'm really going to focus on watching the ball leave my opponents racket and hit the strings (hopefully) of mine.

I'm desperately trying to "dig deep" and find some inspiration to get my bottom out of bed early enough to beat the heat and get in a run.  Mornings are just tough for me.  I'm not much use until I get some java in my system.  I've set my night stand app to sound the bird singing alarm at 6:30 am, but so far, all I've done is hit snooze.  I need some motivation.