Welcome to Beijing Learning Summit 2009 and to my presentation “21st Century Teaching: Where’s Your Portfolio?”

I flew in from Japan last night really excited to be here. I’m passing around my information so that you can take look at how I have spent the last 2.5 years working with ICT and Yokohama International School. I currently work as the Elementary ICT Facilitator and work closely with the IB PYP Curriculum Coordinator, teachers, and students. Please feel free to see my Job Description and Resume on this blog.

My presentation today will focus on how you as an educator can create and maintain a presence online.

“Educators often help students prepare portfolios for goal-setting and to record progression in learning. But who is helping the teachers do the same? Are teacher portfolios a necessary part of teaching? For educators in international schools, a teacher portfolio may be the best way to consolidate teaching materials and reflect on their work as they travel the world. In this presentation we will relate and discuss student to teacher portfolios, how to get started or make your teacher porfolio better, and what things to be conscious of when sharing your work with an audience that extends beyond the classroom.

“More than a presenter, I would like to think myself as a facilitator so I would like to hear your feedback and discussion points throughout the session. I do not know much about working in China but I would like to know more about what social media or Web 2.0 can be used in the schools. Please share as much as you can and I will too. We have 1.5 hours together so I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone

Grade 2 went a zoo called Zoorasia in Yokohama. Photos were taken during the day and an MP3 recorder was used to record the children’s voices. I helped combine ICT skills for the classroom teacher by first joining the Grade 2 on field trips, recording voices, and using photos taken by classroom teachers during the day and then producing a video, photos, and audio clip in Animoto for the class. From that experience and 1:1 training sessions with the teacher, the classroom teacher produced the following podcast & Animoto on her own!

Gr2Zoos

Assistant, homeroom, single-subject teachers are invited to attend this workshop on Thursday, September 24 from 3:15-4:00 in KG (Kindergarten classroom).

If you cannot make it, please be sure to have at least one person from your grade level or subject area to attend. If no one can attend from your grade level or subject area, please get in touch with the Elementary ICT Facilitator.

There will be 4 topics addressed in 45 minutes. This blog post is to provide reading to prepare for the session and/or use this post to update you about ICT in the elementary. The session will be hands-on, so please bring your laptop.

Topics covered on Thursday, September 24

1. New IT Support ticketing system

Some of you may already know of the new online ticketing system the IT Department is using. This change took place this summer and we are encouraging all staff and students who have a FirstClass email account to use this system. We have also have parents using our system.

Prior to this online ticketing system we were using emails that went into a shared online work space using FirstClass. This system did not allow us to delegate tasks effectively in our department and did not allow us to gain any statistics about our response record nor allow us to track repeated queries about IT troubleshooting issues to improve our service.

We are hoping that this system will help record and delegate support queries effectively within our department and help track queries so they will be promptly answered via email or in person. The only way to improve the system, like many online services, is that the end user (ie. staff, students, parents) use our system.

2. Color Printing and File Size

If you are printing graphic filled documents from Microsoft Word or Pages, it is important that you check the file size before sending the print job to a printer. If you are at home sending a file that is 1MB or more you will notice right away because you are likely to get a printer error. Sending large print jobs to school color printers seem less obvious that a printer error occurred but, unfortunately, school printers are not invincible. Also, by trying to print a large file from an alternate printer will only jam another printer.

There are several ways to check the file size. The easiest way is to select the file that is saved on your computer then go to the File Menu and select Get Info (ie. Apple + I). Files more than 1MB are huge.

So what is going on in your document that is making your file so large? Text never takes that much room on a file, but pictures do. There are a few things to be conscious of and consider before inserting a picture into your document:

• When taking a photo is your resolution optimal for yearbook photo quality or for something to insert in a document? In other words, have you changed the settings on your camera so that it is the optimal resolution to use in a document?
• When downloading an image from a web site check the file size.
• After checking all the file sizes of the images from iPhoto or using ‘Get Info’, do they add up to less than 1MB?

If your photo is already in iPhoto, you simply go to the File Menu and select Export. You change the settings so that it is between 250 pixels, which is the optimal size to upload to a web page, or up to 450 pixels, which is an optimal size for a Powerpoint or Keynote slide. If you are more familiar with Adobe Photoshop, there is also an option to change the file size there.

3. Text Edit: Alternative application to Microsoft Word

Waiting more than a few minutes for Microsoft Word to open? Microsoft Word takes some time to load and so does Pages. If you are looking for a word-processing application and you are losing precious time waiting for Word or Pages to open, use Text Edit as an alternative. Granted, Text Edit is not a fancy application and does not replace Word or Pages as layout gurus. Text Edit is a simpler word-processing application that takes 10 seconds to open. During the PD days on Monday and Tuesday, I put a Text Edit shortcut on the left side of Microsoft Word on the dock of each iBook used in the elementary. The original application comes with every Mac OS X and can be found in the Applications folder.

4. Register for Vimeo as a grade-level or subject area & register for Animoto for an individual educator account.

Currently, teachers and parents are having trouble accessing the media on the classroom portals. Vimeo, similar to YouTube, and Animoto, similar to creating a slideshow using iPhoto or iMovie, have been used by teachers and accessed by parents at YIS. Teachers and parents have been able to access Vimeo and Animoto videos easily that the school is encouraging you to use these two free Web 2.0 services. Note: Free Vimeo accounts have advertisements and free Animoto educator accounts do not.

Vimeo accounts exist in the ELC, Grade 1, and Grade 2 as shared accounts. Please share these accounts with you classroom assistants if you have not already. Click here to register for a Vimeo account for your grade level or subject area. You will need to pick an email address of one person in your team who would be willing to touch base with you about successful video uploads and updates from Vimeo. Note on choosing a name: ELC has picked ‘yiselc’ and Grade 1 something like ‘yisgr1′ or ‘yisgrade1′ for their accounts.

We will also be applying for the Animoto educator account will give you the option to create full-length videos rather than the 30-second limit that comes with regular free accounts. Click here to begin the application for the Animoto educator account. They may accept your application immediately but it took 3 tries for me, but well worth it!

Shohei and I will be following up with your grade level and subject areas to ensure that you were successful in registering for Vimeo accounts as a grade-level or subject area, and individually for Animoto accounts.

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As you can see below I have outlined in detail what we will be going through. Ideally, I would like to get through all but realistically we will go through the items below depending on the pace of the group. What will help everyone is if you take some time before Monday, August 10 to look through the schedule below.

I will meet you in the Staff Room (M214) on Monday, August 10 at 10:00am. The plan is to end at 3:00pm, with lunch in-between. See you soon

Nick (Summer Tech Assistant) and I will also be following up with you between August 17-20 in your classrooms to see if you have any follow-up questions regarding technologies at YIS.

Christine.

Morning (10:00am-12:00pm)

Introductions: Who we are

• Name & last school(s)
• Favorite online tool(s) used in the classroom
• Book(s)/stuff you are reading right now or want to read

Housekeeping & Policies: Sharing responsibility

• Each full-time teacher is loaned a New Macbook (9 full-time teachers)
• Each part-time/substitute teacher is loaned an iBook (2 part-time/substitute teachers)
• Place a label with number + mark up number under battery + ’side’ of computer
• Sign Hardware Acceptance Form
• Go through Acceptable Use Policies (General & Student)

Standards: YIS learning goals

• AERO Standards
• Librarians wiki Project

YIS Instructional Technology Basics

• Set up a wireless connection on the laptop computer
• Change your password on the Server & log onto the Server
  [NOTE: Type & add 'Server' for campus use and 'server.yismail.com' for off-campus use. Or open this page in Safari & click Server tab to connect to the Server.]
• Be familiar with System Preferences to customize your laptop
• Run Software Updates regularly
• For more advanced users: Run Disk Permissions Repair & Repair Disk through Disk Utility on your Startup Disk. And some Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts.

[IMPORTANT: Printer, Server, Portal, Teacher Access use the SAME username + password. Use the SAME username for FirstClass but you must change your password separately. Please change your passwords frequently. Some password security tips.]

Getting Tech Help: Some tips
How to get Technology Help at school both Technical and Pedagogical

• All requests go through the YIS Help Desk
• Technical Inquiries
  - Brian Instructional Technology Director (Oversees YIS IT Department. Supervisor to Genki & Christine)
  - Genki Network Administrator (Troubleshooting: Data Server, Mail Server, and/or Printer issues)
  - A/V Equipment (All requests for VCR/DVD, speakers, microphone, night/weekend audio teacher or student events go through YIS Help Desk)
• Pedagogical Inquiries
  - Christine Elementary ICT Facilitator
  - Colin Middle School Curriculum Coordinator
  - Stephen High School Curriculum and IB Coordinator
  - Brian assists Middle/High School teachers/students
  - Genki assists Middle/High School teachers/students
• During Class
  Teaching Assistants & Christine (Elementary)
  Student Tech Team (Middle/High)
• Online
  Atomic Learning
  Apple Discussions
  ‘Google it’
• Outside YIS
  Apple Retail Store one to one
  Christine’s Saturday workshops September 26-December 5
• Other Instructional Technology Tutorials can be found on the Server > Faculty Resources > Shared > IT Resources

Where things are

• Maps of printers, copy machines, computers, scanners
• How to print & scan
• Projectors & Display Preferences
• Classroom & building technology list

Lunch (12:00pm-1:00pm)

Afternoon (1:00pm-3:00pm)

1. Connect to the Server > Go to Faculty Resources > Shared > IT Resources > Software 2008-2010 > New Teachers 09-10
2. Download + Install + Setup FirstClass Client + Login
   [NOTE: To Setup FirstClass Server click Advanced and Type 'www.yismail.com']
3. From the Server Download + Install + Open Firefox
4. Log into FirstClass Online using Firefox or Safari
5. Log into Portal using Firefox
   - Update Profile
   - Group Work: Practice uploading resources & media to portal
6. From the Server Drag FileMaker Pro 9 to Applications folder + Drag Teacher Access Shortcut to Documents folder + Login using Teacher Access Shortcut
7. From the Server Download + Install + Open OpenOffice
8. From the Server Download + Custom Install + Open Microsoft Office (Both Mac versions 2004 & 2008 are available.)
9. From the Server Download + Install + Open iWork (iWork 08 is available to all users & is required for Elementary & recommended for all users.)
10. From the Server Download + Install Undercover
11. Run Software Updates

YIS Technology Integrated Projects: Putting an edge to your teaching

• New Teachers: Sharing ideas for teaching with technology
• Introduce EduTech Projects & Blogs 2008-2009 + Middle School Learning Hub
• Web 2.0 YIS uses
  Edublogs Teachers
  Edublogs Campus Learning Hub
  Voicethread
  YouTube
  Vimeo HD
  Livestream
  Flickr
  Facebook
  Twitter
  Wiki
  Google Apps
• EduTech Events 2009-2010
  21 Century Learning Conference September 17-19, 2009 at Hong Kong International School
  Bridging the Gap Conference November 19-21, 2009 at Yokohama International School
  Japan ASCD Try I.T. On Monday Workshops April 2010 at Nishimachi International School

What kind of writing do you do in your daily life?

Hear their responses below.

Student Responses

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There are many Operating Systems Apple, Windows, Linux and there are many browsers Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Opera. But lately, it doesn’t matter because of the online tools that educators, executives, and learners call Web 2.0 can operate with any computer and any browser.

Of course, some Web 2.0 tools work better with certain computers. And some browsers and network connection speeds make your computer sssslllloooooowwwww or stops your computer while using certain Web 2.0 tools The only way to find out what works for you and your hardware is…you need to keep signing up for new tools, trying them out, and share them with others!

My inspirations on all things education and technology:

Michael Wesch

Alan November

Common Craft Show

TED

Where I put YouTube videos that inspire me or that I’ve created:

My EduTechJapan Infinite Playlist.

Library things Sakura Medal Description, LibraryThing, blog, Voicethread

My things Professional Learning Networks + Ning

Yokohama International School things homepage, The Learning Hub, Google Apps, wiki, YouTube, Vimeo, Livestream, Flickr, Voicethread, Student Tech Team, Educational Technology Help Desk

Fun & Easy things to get you started on Library 2.0

Animoto for Education
Yokohama International School
Grade 2 IB Primary Years Programme
“Technology Can Connect People” Unit of Inquiry

Wordle

Use a Flip Camera & Upload to Vimeo

Great education videos on 100 Best YouTube Videos For Teachers, TeacherTube, Edublogs Videos, Nibipedia, Edutopia, TED.

Blogging platforms I like:
Blogger Easy, just use your Google/Gmail Account
Edublogs Intermediate, need to sign up & great for teachers and students to use
Wordpress Advanced, it’s a great platform & fully customizable

If you don’t want to blog why don’t you glog?

Suggested library-related websites via my delicious tags libraryblogs, booklists, uwlibrarycert, literacy

Guests and their online presence Marcoux, Gustafson, Younker, Leaf, Kilcup, Parsons

To Tie Everything Together…

Here’s a screen shot of but one site that shows a sliver of the tools available online:

Each icon represents a social networking site. And there’s even more! There’s just way too much out there for me to catch up. So I don’t. I just try out ‘things’ that come by way, put it into categories of ‘maybe use’ or ‘rarely use’, and always share it with someone else. And I may never go back to that site until I delete my account and/or unsubscribe to marketing emails, and that’s okay because there’s going to be a whole lot more that I discover tomorrow. The best I can do with information coming at me is I don’t try to fight it, but I hesitate to embrace it, and then sometimes (now and then) I find a real gem of an online tool and use it frequently.

One of them is called Learning to Change-Changing to Learn which features Stephen Heppell & Daniel Pink.

Yokohama International School had the opportunity to hear Dr. Heppell a few years ago at our annual Bridging the Gap Conference.

Daniel Pink’s book The Adventures of Johnny Bunko should be given at every graduation either at the high school or higher education level. What an eye-opener for teachers and graduates.

Yokohama International School had the opportunity to have Hakone-sensei from American School in Japan, Chofu Campus visit last week. The reason for the invitation was to set up collaborate on projects between Japanese Language teachers and students at YIS and ASIJ using audio and visual media to comment on each other’s productions on Voicethread.

Last week went great and I’m so thankful for our Japanese Language Teachers at YIS and the ASIJ Team. In the coming months, we will possibly be doing a collaborative project between YIS and ASIJ Grade 9 student on traveling to Yokohama, because 2009 marks the 150th Anniversary of the opening of the port of Yokohama – Summary & Details. The other project will be between YIS and ASIJ Grade 11 students who will role play in making a speech for a scholarship to study abroad.

Hakone-sensei from ASIJ and two teachers from YIS may be able to present at this JASCD Try I.T. On Monday Workshops event.

Here are some thoughts from Taira-sensei from YIS:
“I was thinking about what Christine mentioned to us. If it is ok with Hakone-sensei, I would be honored and happy to talk about our project at JASCD session on April. It would be a good example (case study?) of how two schools could collaborate and interact using ICT. Students will learn from one another. We could invite Orihara-sensei as well.”

I am hoping this is just the beginning of collaboration between YIS and other schools using online learning networks and tools in order to stretch teacher and student learning.