Android Tablets

I can always count on Rushton Hurley to have a great presentation, this time he did not disappoint. It was a small workshop, but a nice mix of folks familiar with Android, folks who knew iOS, and a bunch who had experience with both. Everyone was excited by the possibilities, and we quickly dug into apps (which you can get to from the link on the sub-heading above). I’ll be doing a short 20 minute session on Android Tablets at ACSA this Friday.

Bernie Dodge’s Dodgepodge

This is a cool tools type session, that was nice because it had an organizing focus on four areas: The World and Other Worlds, Organizing Thoughts and Actions, Collaborating Across Distance and Time, and Tools for Creativity. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in a session like that with so many tools. I usually have one or two get me thinking of possibilities, and I concentrate on those. He shared a nifty little screen-sharing program, Quick Screen Share, that got me thinking about the homework help I used to do with Vyew, and maybe reviving that process.

Wireless Revolution: From Implementation to Integration – One School’s Story

I sat in a bit on the session before mine from an LAUSD teacher about a wireless roll out at his school, and the many contradictions that followed. He did manage to internet coworkers in his portfolio about action research he was doing for his Masters when he asked them to look at it, and started spontaneously commenting on it. Because I was in and out that session, I didn’t get an overall “takeaway”, but he was a witty presenter and made good points.

E-mail Enhanced Google Forms for Walkthroughs/ Quickvisit

I started in one preso that was about taking your class online, which seemed really good, but I wasn’t feeling (sorry to presenters). It wasn’t them, it was me. Instead I went up to presentation on using Google forms to create a walk-through record AND how to use scripts to automatically send out email notices. I may look into using this for reports about students that I’m individually typing, and sending out to some parents.

Closing Keynote with Tammy Worcester

Tammy works with the fine folks at ESSDACK (Kevin Honeycutt). Her keynote was about Web 2.0. She started by saying it was having a larger effect, faster on classroom practice than prior innovations (radio, tv, telephone, film, etc.). I’ll go with faster implementation of Web 2.0, but I’m not seeing it changing things all the much in most classrooms. Frankly, tv/video, and even reel-to-reel had better penetration at their height than Web 2.0 does now, they just built up slower.

But the thrust of the presentation wasn’t an analysis of technology implementation in schools. Instead, it was about how to manage technology in our own lives. She ran through a list of apps and sites to help with that organized together under the titles Better Searching & Filtering, Use Multi-Purpose Tools, and Bring the Information to You! She didn’t get to the last part but has it up on her Website, which you can get to by clicking on the linked header above.

On the whole, she is a polished presenter, picked her tools well, and showed uses that were, well, useful. I think the idea behind her preso is needed, as I constantly hear folks at conferences talk about information overload.

My secret? I know I will hear about many of these tools again. Probably more than once. I don’t worry about “missing” something crucial, because usually, if the tool is any good, and doesn’t become vapor-ware, I’ll hear about it again. What I look for is something that “clicks” — where when I hear about it, I immediately think of  a way I can use it. I focus on those tools, and move on. Also, I do posts like this AFTER I leave and come down from my conference jag, so thanks for being part of that process. I hope some of  this helps you too.