Register today: LiveWorkDetroit! is focused on connecting college students & Detroit employers.
http://ping.fm/T6PaT

Unwanted Skype Caller. How to Block: http://ping.fm/yhPZs

YouTube adds Teacher's Channel. Should be Teacher/Parent Channel. http://ping.fm/6QRBJ

Webinar: 9/29@2pm. Align ECM with Institutional Strategy and Departmental Goals
http://tinyurl.com/3khldop

Opportunity for Female HS students in MI to demonstrate their creativity & programming skills. Recognition and Monetary Awards. http://ping.fm/zHYsU

MCWT Technology Career Summit: Connect, Lead, Succeed. Sat, 9/17, Oakland Community College, http://tinyurl.com/63quusx

TONIGHT: Hear from Mktg. & Social Media Expert, Beverly Cornell, as she tells us how Networking is just like Dating...who knew? http://tinyurl.com/3ludgbl

Contains 2 Chapters from this gal! Developing Technology-Rich Teacher Education Programs: Key Issues. http://tinyurl.com/3lsezqt

Witnessing your learners implement & succeed with knowledge & skills you taught them is an indescribable feeling :-) Happy Monday!

Looking for Detroit-metro school/university or other site with a computer lab(s) to host hands-on social media workshops in Nov. Any leads?

Google’s “search anthropologist” in charge of Search Quality & User Happiness gives 12 Search tips you may not have known: http://ping.fm/2rgls

Now on MSNBC and at 1 & 2: A Stronger America, Making the Grade: http://ping.fm/ei8tq​975518/ns/msnbc_tv/t/msnbc-pre​sent-second-annual-making-grad​e-special-part-its-stronger-am​erica-initiative/

MCWT wishes former President Marcy Klevorn the best in her new IT role in Europe! Thanks for your commitment! http://ping.fm/WEt6C–-an-amazing-opportunity/

MCWT hosts: Non-Profits and YOU! Personally & Professionally Assess the Benefits of being Involved
http://tinyurl.com/3pc9jsp

Ford Motor Company Fund joins partnership for 21st Century Skills: http://ping.fm/aFUJQ

Ford says social media use raising brand's profile

http://ping.fm/G7mWv’s-profile#ixzz1RW4rlMRGhttp://ping.fm/4GdNe

When you hear the term "Digital Worker," what comes to mind?

on to the next one...

Merging multiple PPTs to keep the formatting: http://ping.fm/afwJu

Can you have multiple users in a Google Video Chat?

Educating Entrepreneurs

It's been quite awhile since I have blogged and feel that I needed a little more space than 140 characters for this allowed in my social networks.

On Friday evening I listened to Dr. Yong Zhao during a webinar hosted by the Save Our Schools March. Save Our Schools is an organization of educators who are looking to put the PUBLIC BACK INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

A few things that I took away from the Friday night event included:

1. Not all schools have the same strengths and weaknesses, so how could we possibly expect for them all to function the same. Just as any business, not all employees are the same. So why not focus on the strengths of the community (parents, industry, teachers, community members, and students) to make each school as strong as it can be by focusing on it's strengths and needs instead of focusing on making students robotic test takers. For example, the schools, students, and teachers in Detroit, MI do not have the same environment, values, or experiences, that the schools in Tower City, PA have so why would we expect the same exact results being produced from the children in these schools?
   
   
2. Dr. Zhao brought a concept that I am involved with in my career as an academic to the forefront in a way that I have never thought of before....grant writing and funding. Government funding programs, currently, Race to the Top, are not programs of education reform that support the weakest performing schools in order to make them succeed, they reward good grant writing skills. Whoever has the best team and the most eloquent writers gets the money. So instead of providing for the children in need, they reward good grant writing.
   
   
3. Zhao states that we need to prepare children to become entrepreneurs. Instead of preparing them to be able to find jobs; prepare them for creating jobs. The three traits of an entrepreneur that we can equip children with are: Confidence, Creativity, and Social Skills.
   
   Confidence: I didn't catch the name of the study or studies he referenced, but he said that studies have been conducted that show adults who are successful are confident. It didn't matter how these adults performed in high schools on math and science tests, but instead they had the confidence to succeed; to push forward; to push for their ideas when people said they wouldn't work. Confidence is a better predictor of success than grades.
   
   Creativity: Preparing students to be able to create instead of just copying ideas. Granted, most ideas are copied ideas just expanded or altered in some way, but we need to prepare kids to be able to think and re-think. Unfortunately, many of the programs geared to increasing creativity in children: Art, Music, Extra Curricular activities, are being disregarded in schools.
   
   Social: In order for children to be successful they have to be able to communicate their ideas and connect and network with the right people to make their ideas come to life. We need to stop looking at other countries as competitors and embrace our place in the global market and see them as collaborators, partners, and potential customers.
   
   Unfortunately, US Schools are willing to sacrifice these skills in order for students to pass tests.
   
   Zhao claims that "a good teacher is an entrepreneur." They must be confident in their ability to teach and for students to learn, creative in the delivery of their instructional content through effective strategies, and socially prepared to transmit their instruction to their students and be willing to stand and be a voice for the education of their students.
   
   
4. I'm curious as to how many of my teacher friends, after reading this post do the right thing and try to become involved with an organized group in order to make the necessary steps toward changes for the children they teach?
   

Students and Cell Phones During School: http://ping.fm/r84Ig

Buick Achievers Scholarship Program: http://ping.fm/bPyEu

Looking for access to the LoTi questionnaire. Can anyone help?

Did you change the world today?

Post on Clif Mim's Blog:

Gadberry asks the important question, “Did you change the world today?” So many teachers go into the profession with the genuine intention to positively impact the world. Unfortunately, many of us allow lesson planning, grading, IEP meetings, curriculum standards, meetings, sports, tv, errands, etc. to fill the bulk of our schedules and crowd out any possibility of changing the world. You know exactly what I mean, so I won’t insult you by pontificating on the obvious.

I haven’t positively changed the world today, but I still have about 7.5 hours to work on it. I assure you I will.

Now it’s your turn. Did you change the world today? (Please share in your the Comments below.)

Nvivo

I just installed a full 30 day trial of Nvivo software for qualitative research. Can anyone give me any thoughts about your experience with it? Any pointers?

http://www.qsrinternational.com/products_nvivo.aspx

Detroit 2020

http://detroit2020.com/

Detroit local news Channel 7 WXYZ has kicked off the new year with a new initiative that I'm THRILLED about, Detroit 2020. I'm looking forward to becoming involved in this project in some way. Please take a few minutes to visit the site, and watch some of the clips. I suggest that you start on Page 2 with the first video post (December 8, 2010). Watching all of the clips may be time consuming, so I suggest watching 1 or 2 videos a day. If you are a Metro-Detroiter I highly encourage you to find a way to become involved in the rebuilding of your city.

http://detroit2020.com/

Waiting for Superman, MIAECT Responds

Have you ever heard news reports about US children falling behind other industrialized nations? How about a teacher complaining about their students and school? Do you believe there should be a national standardized test to measure student achievement? Do you question the difference between charter and public schools? Are you a parent or grandparent concerned about the future success of your child? Are you a business owner concerned about the competence of your future workforce? Should teachers be unionized? How are schools being held accountable? What are parents doing to ensure the success of their children in school? If you have any of these questions or any others related to the current status of the US public education system, then you need to participate in this event.

The MIAECT Chapter invites you to a viewing of the controversial 2010 educational documentary, Waiting for Superman, at the Royal Oak Landmark Main Theatre on Wednesday, February 9, 2010 (please see attached document for details and ticket information). The movie is no longer showing in the Detroit Metro area, so the MIAECT Chapter wants to bring it to you! The movie showing begins promptly at 4pm and will be followed by a discussion from 6-7pm.

You've heard all the buzz...now it's time to join the discussion and take action. Join others from the Detroit Metro area and become active in the education of our children.

Purchase your ticket today: http://miaect.ticketleap.com/waitingforsuperman/
Ticket Price: $8.00

The panelists for the evening include:

Lisa Toenigus - CEO Innovative Training Solutions

Nancy Maxwell - Executive Director - Sweet Dreamzzz, Inc.

Julia Putnam - Educator, co-founder of The Boggs Educational Center

Glenn Maleyko - Principal, Duvall Elementary, Dearborn Public Schools

Barry Schumer - Social Worker, Dearborn Public Schools; Author

For more information on MIAECT, please visit: http://aect.org/michapter/

Anyone know a system for selling tickets online? I have an event Feb. 9 & would like to sell tickets online. Thoughts?