Tech Recess

iTunes U is a service originating at Higher Ed that has since trickled down to K-12 schools.  Once I started playing around with the services, I found the mechanisms we already have in place work very well for building a content creation and sharing environment. I was really excited to see iTunes U and build [...]

This past weekend I had the chance to be a guest speaker for my Graduate Alma Mater Program preparing educators for leadership roles in K-12 Schools.  The program itself delivers the educational component of the Type 75 Certificate for IL.  The class was “Technology in Education” Now, this was the third time I’ve been asked [...]

A few weeks ago there was a meeting of Chicagoland area school district technology members with a focus on iPads. This included sharing curricular use stories, utilizing iPads along with Google Docs for electronic board packets, tech tips, educational app review communities, and a few vendors sharing their tools for device management and successful deployment. [...]

I’ve always hated having meetings for the sake of having meetings.  When unstructured, they can be deadly in relation to productivity.  In their worst case, I think they can reflect the post image. BUT, they have great power.  I’m throwing around the idea of a weekly, no more than 30 minute meeting, for our department [...]

As week number two of the 2010-2011 school year starts to wind down, I spent some time thinking about resources; where I turn to ask questions, find answers, and seek insight.  A myriad of responses came across my mind; the mass of information found via Google, Technical books, PDFs, Guides, Mailing Lists, Discussion Boards, oh [...]

As I sit down and think of the number of hours in the past few weeks I’ve spent at work outside of the normal work day, one thing becomes apparent to me.  EVERYONE is using technology in our school district a lot more than before.  When I ask a teacher about how they see technology [...]

I am finally glad I can write something that hopefully crosses both the “tech” and the “education” sphere of this page.  I’ve been using the iPad for about a month now and from that I’ve seen the the great ways it can be used and the ways individuals can be let down by the device.  [...]

Quick sharing of how web-based single-sign on can be used to make 3rd party apps play nicer together.