// Langwitches Blog

Just a few days ago, Andrea Hernandez (edtechworkshop) and I had a  conversation about our Personal Learning Network.
A “working definition” by David Warlick says that a Personal or Professional Learning Network:
involves an individual’s topic oriented goal, a set of practices or techniques aimed at attracting or organizing a variety of relevant content sources, selected for [...]

Almost two years ago, I wrote a post titled Collaboration Projects-Doomed to Fail? I wondered:
How much can you spoon feed other teachers? Do you write their lesson plans for them? Do you keep nagging and begging for participation? How do you find collaboration partners who are equally invested in a project? How do you motivate [...]

Why do we so often encounter defensiveness among teachers?
Defensiveness

about the way they have been teaching for years the same subject, the same book, the same curriculum, the same tests, the same way…
towards someone who is willing and ready to help them plan, co-teach, model, mentor, coach…
about “doing” computers
when listening to the difference between computers [...]

Steven Kimmi, on his blog Experiments in Technology posted Taught Versus Learn, A Distinguishing Factor
Again,  it was a small sentence that caught my eye and I was not able to let it go. Just as Kim Cofino’s quote about “ Using Technology Integration in the classroom is a Mindset, not a skill set“, I [...]

Six schools in six countries in one hour? Is it possible?
Over 100 participants in 23 countries have shown desire to connect with other schools and left their contact information.
Time zones issues seem to be the biggest hurdle in connecting our students with schools from the Eastern Hemisphere during school hours.
I invited the students in my [...]

Mike Artell, illustrator, cartoonist and author of several children’s books, has contacted me because he read (on Langwitches) about the fantastic connections my school is making via Skype.
He offered to “visit” us as well, via Skype:
I’m very interested in seeing how we might be able to work-in some drawing instructions when I visit with the [...]

Digital Copyright: How to be Compliant in a Digital World
Presenter: Lisa Scherer

Description: Music, movies, graphics and Internet content are essential tools to technology, but how to you make full use of digital content and not break the law? This presentation will explain how.

Illegal music sharing sites:

Limewire
Kazaa
Morpheist
Grogster

Peer to Peer Sharing sites ARE ILLEGAL
If you have any of [...]

I was asked by my principal to think BIG. What would a technology rich school look like?  My first thought was to correct the title of the assignment. Not a “technology rich”, but a technology integration rich” school. I wanted the emphasis shifted from technology (which is often set equal to hardware) to integration and [...]

Inspired by Kim Cofino’s post Making an Impact , I was encouraged to make my own list and “checking it twice” of the things that I was able to accomplish professionally in 2008. Around New Year, there is usually a frenzy to make resolutions and lists on what to do next year, but it seems [...]

I am in the process of applying to become an Apple Distinguished Educator for the class of 2009.
I don’t know if it is appropriate to publish my video clip since the application process is still open until January 31st.
But…
… it feels odd not to share my work, so in the spirit of transparency and documenting [...]