Slide2Learn Ustream Session

I had the opportunity to present "Creating Podcasts and Narrated Slideshows in Your Hand" to educators attending the Slide2Learn Mobile Learning Event in Shepparton, Victoria, Australia. I was 8,000 miles away in Phoenix, so I spoke to the conference-goers through Ustream. Check out the 45 minute recording.

Description: Pod touch and iPad and their vast  library of apps make it possible for teachers and students to create compelling audio and video podcasts. Learn how educators and learners can plan, record, edit, and publish audio podcasts without the need for a desktop or laptop computer. Furthermore, explore the possibilities  when multiple apps can be used to create narrated slideshows where students can interact with content and show their learning in a multi-sensory way. The slideshows they create can be shared on the web and viewed on other devices. Learning is in hand when you create and share media on an iPod touch or iPad!

The recording starts with a few technical issues, but we get past them. While watching, see if you can spot my cat Dewey. Just like in past broadcasts, he loves to try to be a part of of the show.

iOS Apps Mentioned:

• Idea Sketch: Free mind-mapping and outlining.
• Voice Memos: Built-in app for recording. Microphone required.
• Photos: Built-in app where photos are saved and where they can be imported into other apps.
• iDoodleIt: Free drawing app.
• Glow Draw!: Draw with glowing colors on a black canvas.
• Color Magic: Color parts of a black and white photo.
• Comic Touch: Add speech bubbles to an image.
• Pixter: Combine photos into a scrapbook-type image.
• Photoshop Mobile: Crop, color, and enhance photos.
• SonicPics: Record a narration over a series of images.

Websites Mentioned:

• QuickieQ: Online student and audience response system.
• Todaysmeet: Free and simple chat room that works well on a handheld.
• TonyVincent.info: Tony's audio podcast recorded and posted from his iPod touch.
• Posterous.com: "Dead simple" way of posting blogs and podcasts by email.
• Learning in Hand Podcast #21: Episode about podcasting from iPod touch.
• Learning in Hand Podcast #14: Episode about voice recording from an iPod.
• #edapp: Read about the Twitter hastag.

Upcoming on Ustream: Podcast Picks

Please join me on Wednesday, September 30th for Podcast Picks! This free online workshop is in partnership with SIGML and will be similar to Picks from the App Store recorded live in April. Here's the description:

So many podcasts, so little time! With tens of thousands of podcasts and millions of episodes it can be hard to find the very best ones for teaching and learning. Tony Vincent shares some of his favorite podcasts on Wednesday, September 30th at 3PM Pacific/6PM Eastern on Ustream.tv. Tony will present his podcast picks for teachers and students for part of the hour. The other part of the hour is reserved for participants to share their own picks and to ask questions. You can participate by calling in your picks via Skype. This is also a great time to promote your own educational podcast or your class’ podcast. View the live workshop and join the chat room at ustream.tv/channel/tony-vincent.

Before the beginning of the workshop, sign up for a free Ustream account so that you can pick out a username for the chat. To create a new account, simply click Sign Up, which is located in the top-left of each Ustream.tv page.

Participants are encouraged to have microphones and Skype ready so they can talk about their own podcast picks and so they can ask questions. While the workshop will be recorded and archived, I really hope you can join us live.

Professional Development: Teachers & Students Learn Together

As you know, I'm in the business of helping students learn. Most times that means training teachers in workshops. While I think workshops are valuable and necessary, I'd like to tell you about how nearly a dozen teachers in Fort Smith, Arkansas learned about integrating handhelds into their classrooms.

Tilles Elementary School was the lucky recipient of a grant to purchase Palm TX handhelds for each of their fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. I had worked with students and teachers in Fort Smith's school district before and they were kind enough to invite me back. George Lieux, Fort Smith Public Schools' Technology Academy Specialist and I worked on a plan to train teachers and students. Instead of teachers getting a subs and spending a day in a room with me, we did something different. Teachers and students learned at the same time! The first day involved other handheld-using instructors and seven 35-minute rotation sessions. Each class rotated to each instructor with their teacher to learn about care, operation, software, and rationale for their brand new Palm TX handhelds. My rotation period was all about MathAce. Others were about using keyboards, Graffiti, Memos, and beaming. All of this was preceded by an opening assembly I gave to all students to psyche them up about handheld computing (as if they needed to be any more excited).

George developed a schedule with 7 rotation sessions to orient teachers and students to the Palm TX.

The second and third days in the school expanded upon the first day's orientation with real curriculum-based activities. I did 45 minute lessons for math and language arts in each of the grades (10 different lessons in all). Teachers had subs and were able to join all of the classes I conducted. So, instead of me talking, demonstrating, or simulating lessons with teachers in a workshop, they saw it in action with Tilles' students. During their hour-long debriefing, teachers said they really liked this approach. Not only did they learn the technology, they saw it clearly integrated and they picked up essential classroom management techniques. Moreover, it was fulfilling for me. My strength is teaching kids and I enjoyed every second of it.

I did short write-ups of the ten lessons I conducted at Tilles. Additionally, you can read about the project in the short article Education Students Assist in Tilles Schools Project published in the UA Fort Smith News.

Currently I'm in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands working with two schools to integrate handheld computers. I'm taking the same approach as in Fort Smith: teaching students directly. It's great because I get to coach teachers, empower students, and continue to put into practice all that stuff I say about education and technology. And, it's so much fun!

Attend Handheld Learning 2007

I want to encourage you to attend Handheld Learning 2007. The conference and exhibition is October 10-12, 2007 at Central Hall Westminster, London. As part of the steering group, I'd like to invite educators from all over the globe to attend.

I blogged about Day One and Day Two of Handheld Learning 2006 last year. I learned a lot in those two days and I look forward to learning much more this year.

I'll be presenting about innovative uses for iPods in learning. The preliminary program is online. A detailed program will be published shortly. Here are some other great sessions, workshops, and seminars:

• Learning While Gaming
• Technologies for Learning 2012
• Reflections on Pedagogy
• Creating Content for Mobile
• Science, Math, and Mobile
• Mobile Application Showcase

I've set up a Twitter group for the conference. If you are attending, please follow these directions to join in. If you would like to read Twitter updates from those attending the conference, this is the page for you.

If you are planning to register, please contact me and I'll provide you a code to save £70 ($140). Last year the conference filled to capacity--early registration is a must. I know, I know: It won't be easy to convince the-powers-that-be to fund your trip to the U.K., but it will really be worth it!

007 Video

I repeated the "Make Marvelous Movies" workshop here at the Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE) conference in Spokane, Washington. Just like in Minneapolis, I showed participants ways to film and edit video to make movies better. With just over an hour of work time, one of the groups of four educators created the video below. Although they used only one digital camcorder, they stopped, repositioned the camera, and then continued recording to give the illusion of multiple cameras. The theme of this year's NCCE conference is 007: Agents of Change and the theme inspired the teachers. Check out the two-minute video via YouTube:

Making Technology Work for You Workshop

I spent today at Wisconsin's CESA #4 with about 30 school administrators in a workshop called Making Technology Work for You, the Administrative Leader. Here's the description:

As a classroom teacher and technology specialist, Tony Vincent propelled his school, Willowdale Elementary, to a leadership role in educational technology. Tony has valuable tips and advice for administrators for encouraging the use of technology for teaching and learning. Experience the latest technologies like handheld computing, blogging, podcasting, and RSS. Find out how administrators can use these new tools to do their jobs and to set an example for teachers and students. Discover practical, doable, and engaging ways these new technologies and method of communication are being used in classrooms. You'll leave with solid examples to inspire teachers! Bring your laptop and Palm handheld if you got one because there will be hands-on activities!

It was a pleasure to sharing my favorite tools: handheld computers, iPods, blogs, RSS, social bookmarks, and podcasting. If you would like to see more of what I covered in the workshop, check out the links we used today and/or download the handout. I like to make my handouts so that workshop participants have room to take their own notes, although I've already filled in some notes, specifically web addresses.

One look at the agenda and you can see that it was a fast-paced day. The 30 administrators have a lot to digest. In fact, as a reflection activity, participants are writing comments to this post to share what they have learned and what they plan to do about it.