MAC blog wk. Reading: The art of possibility

Once again, the Zanders excell with their "practices" in the chapters that were in the reading for this week.  Using the "one buttock" technique was funny, but it had a message:  play, work or do life with full attention to the important "stuff."  The cello player that didn't get one job because he played the first way, but got a better job when he played the second way (one buttock) for more pay drove the point home.
Also, doing things that are important, in person, does make a difference.  I weigh whether to make a phone call or see a person face to face.  Sometimes, it does make a difference.
The adage, "bloom where you are planted" came to mind when Ben talked about his experiences as a young conductor.  He has made all the difference where he is placed.  On a white piece of paper, he has fit the chord of life in proper sequence.  This class has been blessed with musicians this month.  A great group of people to work with!  I have enjoyed the class.

MAC blog wk. 4 Comment to Bruce

Thomas Moore says:

May 27, 2011 at 12:46 pm

@ Bruce,

I agree that the thing that stands between me and accomplishing the ideal job, etc. is…ME! There is no “I” in TEAM, but there is ME! Selfish, jealous, and stubborn could describe me, in the past! However, working with other class members, in groups, has helped me see that no one stands alone. We need each other.
I enjoy my present job, helping other students succeed with their difficulties. We are blessed to live where we do — in America. Perfect, by no means, but free.

MAC blog wk. 4 Comment to Josh

Thomas Moore says:

May 27, 2011 at 12:37 pm

@ Josh Tolar,

With your talent, make the guitar training online, people will purchase or subscribe to it, make money, pay the house off. Then, pursue the your dreams. Do it while you are young to enjoy it! The economy sucks right now. But, things will improve. Hang in there!

MAC blog wk. 4 Comment to Debra

Thomas Moore says:

May 27, 2011 at 12:29 pm

@ Debra

As a teacher and former administrator (retired), I hear what you are saying. Research has shown that student learning is tied to teacher/student ratio. Less students, more individual time the teacher can spend with each student. This, in turn, raises the proficiency levels on Standardized tests.
Money and politics, however, enter in and not much can be done presently. Ideally, you have a great thought!

MAC blog wk. 4 #1 Ideal classroom

Thomas Moore says:

May 27, 2011 at 12:25 pm

My ideal classroom would be equipped with new MacBook Pro laptops, iPads and software loaded on them. A Smart/Whiteboard with projector would also be included in my ideal classroom.
The class room would have TI Internet connections to handle the computers (w/o crashing). Also, Teacher Tube would be accessible, along with other video sites.

Action Research Leadership/Publishing Where I would like to present my AR

Introduction
Digital storytelling is a form used with technology (software, digital images) that has engaged students in the classroom. Digital storytelling (DS) being used with middle school students may improve their attendance or stay consistent.  Attendance is a student issue that has affected many capable students.  Gilniek and Greaves  (2010) stated that technology provided for students to work and learn at their own pace helped student to accomplish more than teachers thought possible.  This type of engagement with technology will have students’ use higher thinking, problem solving and efficient writing skills.  Students who work together on long-term projects, such as digital storytelling, are less likely to be absent (Potter, 2010).  Also, the benefit of using the technology affects the students that are involved in the projects, much like researchers, developing the stories.  According to Potter, the students develop cooperation and communication skills, along with the fore mentioned critical-thinking skills and problem-solving skills.  In addition to these skills, the students are encouraged to write and to work at becoming better writers (Potter, 2010).

I desire to do a presentation to a Local Board of Administration, to show what can be done with technology.  Also:
  Local District staff training in August
Ohio Technology Conference

MAC Leadership/Publishing

Abstract
Technology, such as digital storytelling, is used with middle age students, the technology might be used to affect their attendance.  The action research was conducted with twenty-four (24) sixth grade computer lab students. Cycle I was held over two and a half weeks.  Cycle 2 ran two weeks, no schedule interruptions like Cycle I had with the weather.
The first cycle had sporadic attendance with school delays and cancellations.
The students used MS Storytelling 2 software to use 3 illustrations or pictures to help tell their story.  Students saved their DS to their virtual hard drives, allowing the tech supervisor to copy the stories to a DVD-R for the students to take home.
The learning about digital storytelling and creating stories did help maintain attendance.

MAC blog wk. 3 Wimba Session

This week's Wimba session introduced the Leadership/Publishing paper concerning the AR project.  What I gleaned from the session is that the paper is a summary of the AR project/introduction, Cycle I, Cycle II, Summary, and Conclusions.  This is a continuation of preparing for Month 12.
Also, the Art of Possibility with the Zanders continues to be similar to the TED video that Ben Zander did.  He led through the different practices and chapters.  Whatever state we are in, we are to be content.  Most of the time, I am in the state of confusion...  But, I work with what I have, keeping the eye on the goal.  I enjoyed the readings this month.

MAC blog wk. 3 The Art of Possibility

"The Art of Possibility" may be called the the Art of Compromise.  In the chapter in our reading, Mr. Zander negotiated between a younger executive and an older executive about running a company.  It could have been comprising between the younger generation vs. the older generation.  New money vs. old money.  How ironic that communicating between the two "saved" the agreement.  Communication is the key in any organization.  Simply understanding each others' viewpoints helped reach an agreement. 

MAC blog wk. 3

Thomas Moore says:

May 16, 2011 at 9:45 am

@ Jim

I understand that there are some administrators who do not embrace or know anything about the current technology. However, the “new” generation of administrators know more about technology.
Bill Gates and his foundation provided training AND laptop computers to administrators who would complete a four-day training program. This helped quite a few administrators embrace the technology changes. Other new tech items, such as the “Smart board,” hand held answer response systems and common communication technologies were also introduced.
Did this change everything overnight? No, but it was a start. Programs such as this would be a tremendous help to administrators. Teachers, who did not use technology, have mostly retired. Not all, but quite a few. Perhaps, administrators will too.

MAC blog wk. 3 Using Video in Lessons

Thomas Moore says:

May 16, 2011 at 9:33 am

From the website:
GuitarJamz.com
Marty Schwartz
There are free apps:
GJ Tuner; Epic Chromatic Tuner (with meter)
Free Songs: Beginner Guitar Songs
Free Lessons: Blues Guitar Lessons; Solo Guitar Lessons; Blues Jam Tracks; Country Jam Tracks.
All of these apps or Podcasts are free and would be used to teach guitar class.
Visual learners would be helped greatly by these videos.
Auditory learners could learn to tune the guitars, and hear the Podcasts, even on their SmartPhones.

MAC blog wk. 3

Thomas Moore says:

May 16, 2011 at 8:13 am

As a “former administrator,” I hear what you are saying teachers. But, change comes S L O W. The elementary school where I was principal got a federal grant for a reading program to boost scores on the state-wide test. The training went well and we started that fall. What I failed to see is that some teachers thought that I didn’t think they knew how to teach reading. Where were the spelling tests? Where is the grammar? These stories are too easy. These stories are too hard. You get the idea?…
While some enjoyed the program, the complaints grew louder. No matter what I or the facilitator did, it did not please them. Frustration grew and spread. I finally had to mandate that the program was followed to the tee, and that was not what I had envisioned. Our scores went up the first year, which helped the cause. We ran it three years, superintendent changed, and it was pulled, although many of the ideas and strategies that our school used was “borrowed” by the district.
Was I sad that we tried and it didn’t go well? No. For our students, it was the right thing to do. Was it easy? No. But, change never is easy.

MAC blog wk. 2 Reading The art of possibility

The Zanders make and interesting point about copyrighting and how it may be stifling the educational process.  The feeling that I receive from the reading is that there needs to be a common sense approach to the matter.  However, as someone as stated, sense is is not very common today.
Think of how students had used the Napster sharing site to "bootleg" free copies of music for the MP3 files.  No one used common sense or discipline when it came to this site, causing major music companies to strike swiftly and making the Napster site change its format and business.  Copyrighting was out the window in a heart beat while young people boasted and gloated that they did pay for their music.

The Zanders want to free up the copyright situation when it concerns education and its presentations.  But, one must be careful or the same mass copying will occur again.

MAC blog wk.2 Song that impacted/CDs came out

Thomas Moore says:

May 15, 2011 at 10:33 pm

For me, it was The Beatles and “Yesterday.” The mood of the song, Paul McCartney singing, all got under my skin to my heart.

I remember LPs, OK? CDs came out, rather expensive, but they eventually replaced cassettes. Then, the MP3 craze and iTunes have almost replaced them. You can still back-up your iTunes songs to CD. But, not have to carry or load the CDs is convenience for all. And, MP3 files do not scratch or wear out.

MAC blog wk.2 Podcasts in Education

Thomas Moore says:

May 15, 2011 at 10:25 pm

If I was teaching guitar again, besides Josh Tolar’s instructional videos, I would use this site:
http://www.guitarjamz.com/members/beginner-bundle/beginner-lesson-1.html
There are iPod/iPad/iPhone tuners, videos, etc. to help teach beginning guitar. I tried it out with one of my middle school students on my iPhone the other day. It worked perfectly. The iPodcasts go in sequence with the lessons. I wish this was available when I started playing guitar…

MAC blog wk.2

Thomas Moore says:

May 13, 2011 at 10:09 am

I used to collect cassette tapes, then CDs. I have storage units full of them. I need to transfer the cassettes to CD. I was impressed with the quality of the CD format and how you could repeat or find a song easily. Then, when CD recorders became available, it was heaven! You could create your own CD with the songs/music that you enjoyed.

Reading - MAC

The idea of copyright and how it can affect education is interesting to me.  Never before has so much information, material, music, video and presentations been available to everyone with a computer connected to the Internet.
How we use this availability will impact future generations.  If we stick our heads in the sand, and plead not knowing, we will lose the valuable tool before us.  Abuse it and lose it would be a fair statement for fair use.

MAC extra wk 1 blog Wimba session

I viewed the Wimba archive and found that the Literature Review and Action Research will be finalized this month.  Joe, and Jason, are having up "fine tune" everything this month 11 for next month 12.  Also, we will be posting to the FSO and our created blog sites, communicating with our class mates.

The Wimba sessions held the last week will be interesting, as we present our AR during a scheduled session.  This would be similar to present a thesis paper in most Master's programs.  A technological way of doing this will be interesting.

MAC blog wk. 1

Thomas Moore says:

May 6, 2011 at 9:00 am

@ Patrica,
It sounds like your school is similar to my school. 6 or 7 would be the rating, with Smart Boards, portable laptop labs, etc. for my school. With the budget restraints, this does not seem too bad. Each math and science room has a projector and board for presentations. The library has a computer lab and there is a separate lab also.
With grant monies, Pod casts, iTunes University will be available for next year in some classes. Could we do more? Sure, and we need to.

MAC blog wk. 1

 Topic 1 reading MAC
Thomas Moore says:

May 5, 2011 at 9:50 am

The current solution in our school to blocked videos, etc. is to use TeacherTube. These videos are educational and can be accessed in classrooms.
Also, if you contact your tech director with the video, URL, etc. that you want to use in class, he/she may allow that one to be accessed in class.
GoogleDocs is a way to use documents from home or outside that may be blocked by the Net Nanny.
Schoology is another option to use in classrooms. A great tool for all!

@ Randy
Thomas Moore says:

May 5, 2011 at 9:59 am

Good idea, Randy. Our school still uses VHS tapes, but we have the dual player for DVD. School budgets are taking a hit, but hopefully tech budgets are not.
Our school has the capability of broadcasting from the media/library center DVDs or tapes to the rooms. If the science classes have a program to watch (Bill Nye the Sci guy) then, it can be broadcast to the rooms.