Saturday, May 5, 2012

International Focus on Teen Culture

We are the World!Today's crew...exchange students, SEPHS moderators of Q/A session, guest student blogger, teacher librarianOk! Everyone focus!Our mission?Focused on global connectionsInternational Focus on Teen Culture
A Taste of the NationsExchange studentsHappy Exchange StudentsSwitzerladn, Thailand, Germany, China and ArmeniaA Taste of the Nations!Pretzels - a German treat
Bangladesh vegetable soup!Chinese DumplingsThailand SatayA Taste of the NationArmenian, Italian, and Brazilian desertsLots happening: tweets, bloggers, active listening!
Tweeting allowed!Germany exchange studentWelcome students from Baxter High SchoolGreat students from China, Bangladesh, Armenia, and Iowa!Italy?International Focus on Teen Culture

A wonderful day of sharing with an international audience in a high school library!

May 3, 2012

Monday, April 16, 2012

Paper Tweets - charged and powerful

Here's my presentation on ethical participation in research and project development given today at the Iowa Association of School Librarians' Conference today in Des Moines, Gourmet Guide to Ethics.

During the presentation, I asked for the audience to reflect on ethics, either by tweeting or by using these paper tweets. Here are a few paper tweets:

Copyright can empower our students! Teach them how it benefits them instead of hinders them!

Creative Commons: Good point to allow students to modify your pictures! Love the idea to have students paint your pictures!

Civic assignment: Allow students to pull pictures to describe the Bill of Rights!

It is our responsibility to keep reminding students to cite where they get their pictures and sounds.

Noodle Tools - great scaffolding of ethical use, learning.

(April 16, 2012)

Friday, October 14, 2011

To students and teachers


To our students and teachers….

How technology will help you….
Computers and mobile devices are making their way into every nook and cranny of the world. When you grow up and pursue jobs, employers will look at your tech skills and talents.

Just as a good books have a way of hooking readers on page one, a good tech tool has a way of hooking one’s interest, too! If an educational activity involves the use of technology, the learner is excited and will feel success; the learner will probably go forth and build on these experiences, applying the same skills in their personal lives. It’s like playing “21st C ball.” A newly learned tech skill will bounce around and be used again and again. Pass the ball to one another! Pass the skill on! Build on it!

Technology encourages team spirit, connects people with important others in their lives, builds confidence and self-drive. Technology enhances learning in face-to-face (f2f) human interactions as well as in social media circles like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Flickr, Tumblr. People can work together and learn from one another. Doing so allows for greater gains in community growth and global improvement.
(Image made at Wordle.net)

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Iowa State Fair 2011

Ready for the EntertainmentConcourse ViewingFair lights and action at nightReba's doneGotta love the farmersFair still rocking by night
The Amazing Blaine LarsenTen days of working...still smiling!In the middle of it allEnergy to Jump the Cage FencesAhhh.....babysittingHappy Family
Great student staffArgh, wathcing pirate treasuresFair treasuresWake up!Bob and girlsSounds of the sweet Sling family
Blowing milk bubblesArtistic cow at Cultual CenterA sand sculptureSand crafted mama and babyGuessing GameMy space

Iowa State Fair 2011, a set on Flickr.

The year of the butter cow, sculpture designing, bag tossing, wine stomping, corn eating, music rocking, flower growing, fireworks shooting, animal raising, people watching, weather enjoying, gourmet fair food eating, attendance building, money spending, and having fun!