Saturday | 10.15.11

Morning Greetings and Refreshments Founder's Hall, Room 202

Overview of the Day (Nicolette)

Tech Project Status (Nicolette)
In small groups of 3-4, please discuss the progress you've made with your Modest Tech Project (MTP).

Exploring Possibilities:

A Preview of Today's Nuts, Bolts, and Preliminary Proclamations (Tracy)

• Workshop Venues
• Workshop Alternatives and Their Venues
• Coaching: Giving and Receiving
• RWP Protocols: Timelines and Payments

Considering Audience, Purpose, and Design:
A Writing and Talking Cycle

• Individual Writing: Consider recent professional-development sessions you have attended (conferences, workshops, buy-back-day activities, etc.). What did you most and least appreciate about the way these PD experiences were delivered? What were the key elements of the experiences? What would you have adjusted or changed? (Catherine)
  
• Group Discussion: Key Elements of Successful Professional Development
  What do adults most and least value in professional-development experiences? How do we identify an audience for our workshop? What are the possibilities and considerations? (Catherine)
  
• Individual Writing: Who do I imagine as the audience for my workshop? What prior knowledge or interests am I assuming my audience will have? How will I create a context for my material? (Nicolette)
  
• Group Discussion: What is the purpose or goal of a tech-based or -focused workshop? How are purpose / goal the same for a non-tech workshop? How different? (Nicolette)
  
• Individual Writing: What is the goal of my workshop? my point? What do I want people to gain as a result of attending / participating? Hint: Try phrasing your goal as an outcome: At the end of this experience, participants will be able to... How will I know if I’ve met my goal? (Tracy)
  
• Group Discussion:  Realistically, what session lengths can be expected? Whole day? half day? 75-minute session? multiple-session stretch? How do different PD-event types affect session lengths? (Tracy)
  
• Individual Writing: What time frame do I anticipate? Realistically, what can I expect to accomplish in that allotted time? What kinds of activities--show and tell, hands on, read/discuss--should I include, and what can I realistically expect to include within this time frame? (Catherine)
  
• Group Discussion: How do I create an agenda? How do I best use my time to meet the goals of the workshop and include the “key elements”? How much information should be on the agenda? Should it include times? references? (Catherine)
  
• Individual Writing:  Create a rough agenda for your workshop that identifies both key elements--workshop content--and key time frames (pacing, time allotments, structure). (Nicolette)
  
• Group Discussion:  What are my technology logistics? Will I need a lab, a projector, helpers?  Will I need special access codes, permissions, software?  What do I need my participants to bring to the workshop? (Nicolette)
  
• Individual Writing: What kind of support will I need? What will I need to create, post, or set up ahead of time? What challenges do I anticipate? (Tracy)

Individual Work Time:
Revising Our Workshop Agenda  (Catherine)

Small-Group Discussions:
Sharing Our Workshop Overviews and Agendas  (Nicolette)

What’s Next?
Scheduling, Preparing, and Coaching  (Tracy)

Tuesday | 08.09.11

Refreshments / Settling In (9:00-9:15)

Please log in to your computer using the Mac platform. You'll thank us later.

Working through WikiSpaces

• Log on to ATI2011 Wiki
• Use the guidelines on the Home Page to respond in triads to the writing of two colleagues.

And now for an entirely new approach to ATI agendas. . . .

Jing--and the Worth of a Picture I

• Locate and activate Jing
• If you are new to Jing, register; if you are old to Jing, log in. (Passbook! Passbook!)
• Capture an image.
• Use Jing's tools to "enhance" your image.
  (Don't spend too much time here because Jing's enhancements are small potatoes compared to Word's capabilities. Word.)
• Save your Jing-enhanced image to your jumpdrive.
• Capture a different image. This time, eschew Jing's enhancements.  Leave it naked.
• Save your second, naked image to your jumpdrive.
• Open a Word document.
  (If you're a PC, you may switch platforms now--but please know that if you want to Jing, you'll have to switch back to Mac since Jing has been loaded only on the Mac side. Your call. But if you're really good at Word and you're an inveterate PC, switching may be worth the hassle.)
• Insert your Jing images into your new Word document.
• Embellish your naked Jinged image using Word's features.
  Start with "Shapes" options (available via "Insert"). Once your image is selected, have more fun through the "Format" features available under "Drawing Tools" and "Picture Tools." The "Arrange" menu items are especially useful, as is making your shapes transparent. You'll see.
• Finally (for now), cement your Word-embellished image by first selecting all its parts (original image, stuff you put on top of it) and then by grouping these parts ("Group" in "Arrange" menu). Now leave this alone while we play with GooDocs. I mean it.

Diving in to GoogleDocs

• Follow the pretty printed directions to create and name a document.
• Insert your Word-enhanced image into your document.
• In this self-same document, please answer the following questions for yourself. (Warning! You will share this document with your colleagues. Try not to swear. Too much.)

Classroom Considerations: Jing
Would you consider using Jing in your classroom? How? For which projects? Why? (Just to make Tracy happy, make a quick list of how-to documents that could benefit from Jinging.  Thank you.  Now back to our regularly scheduled prompts.)  What other platform might achieve the same purpose?

• Follow the pretty printed directions to share your document with us ATI techsters. (Friendly reminder: our ATI email addresses are available from a left-hand link on our blog.)
• Once you've shared your document, go read and respond to others' documents. (Another friendly reminder: you are one of many who will respond, so please find a way to differentiate your pearls from others': different font type and/or color, insert-comment function. Please also include your name.  We want attributed pearls only.)

Jing--and the Worth of a Picture II

• Now, please use Jing and Word to craft an instructional handout: a short set of instructions that include both pictures and words. (See how good you're getting?)  Pick your audience (students, teachers, administrators, parents, spouse, progeny, housesitter) and your goal (how to use Jing, how to operate your home's security system, how to post family reunion pictures to Picasa or the Smith Family Blog, how to post meeting agendas and minutes to the school-site blog). Ready? Set? Go!
• Once you've drafted your directions, relocate them to a new GooDoc. Several options exist for this step, some messier than others. Flag us down if you'd like some support with this step. (Hey! Maybe one of you GooDoc-savvies could write directions for this process!)
• Share your GooDoc with the ATI techsters.
• Check out others' directions and help them improve their products by offering some constructive insights, suggestions, questions. Again, please remember to "claim" your comments via font and/or color choices or through the insert-comment function. And sign your name.  It's the law.

Back to GoogleDocs: Hints for Organizing with Folders, Collections, Stars, and Colors

Classroom Considerations: Google Docs
What types of collaborative writing do you currently use? what types of written responses (reading responses)? How do you currently pull off this feat?  How might you use Google Docs for collaborative writing and/or response? How might you frame/introduce this platform?

Preview of Coming Attractions and of Homework

Homework

1. Save images and/or documents to flashdrive to use for a blog. Consider possible topics, purposes, audiences for blog building.
2. Read pages 61-114 in Because Digital Writing Matters. Post a response to the atiWiki. Respond to colleague posts as time permits.
3. Peruse the Web Resources listed on pages 167-181 in BDWM. Please be prepared to share a brief summary of one or two of the resources you found the most helpful.

Tuesday | 08.16.11

Blog Parade

• Please add Catherine (canarnold@gmail.com) as an author to your blog by choosing settings/permissions/add author. This step will facilitate load time. You will revoke this privilege after we've shared by removing her name from your blog author list.
• Share your blog with the whole group using the overhead projector. In which ways were you successful? Do you have plans for your next steps? Do you have questions?

Digital Citizenship: Asking Important Questions About Technology in the Classroom

• What questions or concerns do you have about the following topics? Type your questions to your Wiki page. Then questions will be shared with group (notes in GoogleDoc).
• Fair Use/Copyright
• Privacy
• Logistics and Access 
• Etiquette and Guidelines

Finding Answers: Identifying Our Best Resources

• Search for answers at your school/district website, in school documents, in the web resources listed on pages 167-181 of BDWN, in any other pages in BDWM, or using any other credible source (library sites, etc.).
• When you find a resource that you feel addresses your personal questions or those of the group, please post the following to your personal Wiki page: the name of the source, a link, a brief annotation noting which questions/topics this source addresses, and a recommendation about its usefulness.
• We will share and discuss the most helpful resources for each topic as time permits. The ATI Team will also compile the results of our group search on the general Wiki resources page and/or in the ATI2011 Blog.

Open Work Time 

•  Use this time to play, experiment, prepare, catch up on reading responses, or ask questions.
  

 Reflection, Goals, and Planning Next (Small) Steps

• Individual Writing:  So, what is your "Tech Project"? What are your objectives? What standards or course learning outcomes would the project address? What practical or logistical needs would this project simplify? What is the next step? What is your timeline? What type of support will you need?

Next Meeting: September 17 (9am-3pm)

• Share progress, successes, and challenges.
• Discuss options for Tech Project. Brainstorm ideas for topics/workshops.
• Form support groups/work teams
  

  • Discuss purpose of groups.
  • Meet with group members to discuss goals and ways to support one another.

ATI2011 Feedback Form

Saturday | 09.17.11

. . . all times approximate . . .

Refreshments & Reintroductions in Founders Hall 202  (0900-0920)

Individual Writing  (0920-0935)
Now that your school year has begun and you met your students, have how have your notions of using technology in the classroom developed?  What projects are you considering? In what ways can we help with these ideas? 

Pair Share  (0935-0945)
Discuss your written response with a partner--preferably someone with whom you've yet to work / discuss / share. 

Participant Contract Review  (0945-0955)

(More) Individual Writing  (0955-1010)
So, what is your "Tech Project"? What are your objectives? What standards or course learning outcomes will the project address? What practical or logistical needs will this project simplify? What is the next step? What is your timeline? What type of support will you need?  (If time remains, please also consider how you will determine or measure your project's success.) 

Everybody Share: Our MTPs  (1010-1045) 

Break  (1045-1100) 

Introduction to Tech Project Work Groups  (1100-1110)
Who and Why 

Group Work Time  (1110-1200)
Preliminary Pre-Coaching 

Lunch  (1200-1245) 

Individual Work Time  (1245-0230) 
If you have not yet done so, please complete the Feedback for August Sessions form.  We won't let you leave until you do.  Thank you.


Progress Reports + Next Steps  (0230-0300)

• Anne
• Armeda
• August
• Cherie
• Kara
• Kaycee
• Kendra
• Laurie: Actively Empty Nesting
• Nancy
• Mary Ann: Face-Case Care
• Mo: Sick (and Tired :)
• Shannon

Tuesday | 08.16.11

agenda goes here

Monday | 08.15.11

1. Google Docs: Collaborative Writing Tool

Tips for Using the Commenting Features on Google Docs  (Nicolette)

Possible Uses for Google Docs  (Catherine + Group) 

Classroom Considerations: Google Docs
In pairs, please consider the following three items.  A whole-group discussion will ensue, with ideas and applications recorded to GooDocs.

• Share the ways in which you've used Google Docs as a collaborative writing tool in your personal and professional life (with students and/or with colleagues)
• Identify advantages and challenges you've experienced using Google Docs
• Consider ways you might use Google Docs in the future
  

Tips for Organizing Google Docs  (Tracy) 

• Collections
• Colors
• Stars
• Views
• Searches

 2. Blogger Workshop (Tracy)  

• Blogs vs. Wikis vs. Websites vs. GooDocs
• Blog Show and Tell
• Nicolette's: Student and Teacher Bloggers
• Tracy's Blogger Dashboard 
• Follow the Leader: Building a Blog

Homework

Bring content standards for your grade level (link, hardcopy, whatever), any policies or guidelines for Fair Use, and your school’s Tech Policy.  HSU CompFolks can bring various outcomes statements: FYC, infoLiteracy, etc. 

Monday | 08.08.11

Introductions, Overview, and Contract (9:00-9:30)

• Refreshments
• Presents
• Overview of contract and timeline for the year

To the Computers and Firefox (9:30-9:45)

• Tabbed browsing
• Creating (or accessing) a Google account, including a gmail account that is NOT your HSU gmail account. Hitching into Google is imperative as doing so will make our lives much, much easier in the future. Plus it's the law.
• Tech Inventory (starring Google Forms): "Platforms in Your Life"

VoiceThread (9:45-11:45)

• Use Voicethread Directions to create and share your Voicethread with group (9:45-10:30)
• Break (10:30-10:45)
• Respond to your colleagues' VoiceThreads (10:45-11:15)

Classroom Considerations #1: VoiceThread Would you consider using VoiceThread? How? For which projects? Why? What other platform might achieve the same purpose? (11:15-11:45) Partner Share / Group Share

Lunch (11:45-12:30)

WikiSpaces (12:30-2:30)

• (Follow this link to WikiSpaces directions.)
• Create a Wiki account
• Make a “Table of Contents” page
• Make a “Writing Responses” page
• Post your homework/photo

Classroom Considerations #2: Wikis Would you consider using a wiki? How? Why? What other platform might achieve this same purpose? (2:30-2:45)

Homework Preview & Morning Food Sign-Up: (2:45-3:00)

• Homework: Revisit your readings from pages 1-59 of Because Digital Writing Matters. Identify a quotation you found thought provoking. Write a 250-400 word response to the quote, including the reasons you chose it and any questions or concerns arising from it.
• Follow this link to claim the day on which you will bring refreshments to share with the group.