I am putting the finishing touches on two of our NECC presentations this evening. Tomorrow, we have to start packing Shane’s gear (hats, earrings, jackets, cameras, guitar, etc) for his IVC Showcase: Two MCUs and a Sense of Humor. I have also created the discussion area in the NING so be sure to come to the session then leave some comments for Shane here!
As I was preparing for NECC, I joined the NING community and created a 123VC Group so that we can connect with others who are interested in IVC/Videoconferencing. Join the group and add to the conversation there. I get a bit confused about where the discussions are and where the comments go, but I think this is what our participants in JAZZ keep asking for…a way to know each other and connect after the training.
Don’t know if I will be blogging much…probably more Twittering (roxanneglaser) and posting in the NING site.
This set-up would be great in our classrooms. The only part I want to be better would be the quality of the audio/video. This is a good start, though.
I found this on David Warlick’s blog and had to laugh at his comment about his “crusty fuddy-duddy resistance is slowly being chipped away”. I always say that I was the biggest skeptic when I was given my current assignment to develop and champion video conferencing content on our network. Now I see the power of the technology for students and teachers.
How else could we use this setup for our projects?
I have become quite interested in creativity lately and watched Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk upon a recommendation of a friend. It is well worth the 20 minutes.
My favorite quotes from his speech:
“If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.”
“Children are born artists. We grow OUT of creativity.”
“Creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value.”
He lays out an argument for how our educational system was created to produce workers for the industrial systems. Preschool children are creative and inventive in their rhymes, art, and movement. Then, the worksheets begin. A 100 written at the top of a worksheet…for a 4 year old?!?!? Seriously, a grade on a WORKSHEET?
So schools are focused on training good students, but we really need creative learners to be successful in life. Now, as soon as I finish the JAZZ handbook, I think I am going to doodle with my favorite markers!
Today 300 students in our service area (11 classes) connected to our Let Freedom Ring: Veterans’ Stories. It was an amazing walk through history for me moderating each session. The student questions were well-prepared and asked.
The topic came up in each session about how we can honor our veterans. There was consensus from our panelists that if you see someone in uniform THANK THEM for their service to our country. In our final session, we asked Jay how we could support our deployed troops and he said that care packages and cards and letters are two of the best ways.
Students from Moody and Rosebud-Lott ISD joined our first session with two Pearl Harbor survivors and an ex-POW. J.C. Alston (survivor USS California), Leroy Wilson (ex-POW), and Frank Curre (survivor USS Tennesse) shared their amazing stories and answered questions such as “Did you have a personal weapon?”, “Where did you sleep and what did you eat?”, and “What did you do for entertainment?” As the men answered each question, they would weave in the history of the events. I also would put pictures and maps on the screen to show the students what was being described.
In our Korean War session, Billy Linthicum shared his experiences on the USS Grapple which was a salvage ship supporting our troups in Korea. Mr. Wilson stayed and shared his experiences in the Korean War where he flew 161 missions in 73 days delivering supplies and removing wounded soldiers. He did answer a few questions relating to his 3.5 years as a POW at Cabanatuan. His story of the guard nicknamed “Donald Duck” caused some laughter.
Gary Mittendorf (Marines) and Pike Anderson (Army) fielded questions for 45 minutes from Brookhaven and East Ward Elementary schools in Killeen. Questions in this session focused on how they felt leaving their families, what they ate, what the jungle was like, and if they would serve again. At the end of this session, the students at East Ward all walked in front of the camera with the THANK YOU posters that they had made and it was a great moment in videoconferencing to see the reactions from our panelists.
Norm Hungerford shared his 26-year career in the Navy with students from Moody High School. The questions ranged from “Have you ever been in a typhoon?” to “How did the assassination of JFK affect you?” to “What is the most interesting place in the world you have visited?” As we learned about sonar and radar, he taught us how to handle “Man Overboard” on an aircraft carrier!
Jay Fondren answered 30 questions related to his service in Iraq from students in Bynum, Covington, Hico, and Temple ISD. The participating students were in grades 2-7. Questions ranged from “What was the environment like?” to “How long do you think we will have a military presence in Iraq?” The questions from the middle school students really dealt with some of the tough issues facing our leaders today and Jay handled them with honesty and grace.
Have you thank a soldier today? What are your plans for Memorial Day?
June 25, 2008 
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