Tech Tools & Professional Development – July 14-20 (Tweeting a Workshop)
Note: Back on June 11 I blogged about a goal of developing a new technology skill on an average of once each week. And I’ve been trying to blog about keeping up with that goal. So…
On June 15th I attended a workshop in Charleston on WebTop (which I’ve talked about in some detail here and here).
The workshop was actually a five-in-one set of hour-long mini-workshops. We were introduced to a tool for creating electronic portfolios (ePearl) and a virtual classroom (Manhattan). We got a look at developments in the evolution of our state’s student records system, WVEIS (and we were cautioned, on pain of death, that we could no longer call it “Wee-vus,” but had to say the letters – “dubya-vee-ee-eye-es”). We were given an introduction to Google Sites (which is embedded as a tool on the new virtual desktop). And we got to see how the desktop and its accompanying social network, WebTop Communities, works.
I tweeted.
Now, I know there will be some of you thinking, “What does that mean?” It means I used Twitter to record my thoughts and experiences as the workshops progressed. Twitter is a microblogging tool that allows users to publish statements of up to 140 characters in length. And I live tweeted the workshop – publishing about 30 Twitter posts (or “tweets”) as the day progressed.
Twitter uses something they call a hashtag to track topics. So I put the hashtag #WVDE in my posts, but that only works for a week. You can find things I’ve posted to Twitter at my Twitter page: http://twitter.com/gregcruey.
Live tweeting is quickly replacing live blogging of conferences and events.
Below is a list of tweets I posted during the workshops. I’ve arranged them in chronological order, even though almost any Twitter client tool would present them with the most recent post first.
- Tweeting from a workshop in Charleston WV 2day ay Capital HS. Workshop on WebTop, the new virtual desktop. #WVDE #WebTop
7:46am Jul 15thStarting with a tool called ePearl. We’re in small groups in computer labs and we are on the same keyboard all day. Nice… #WVDE #WebTop
8:27am Jul 15thPresenter for ePearl: Donna Landen http://wvde.state.wv.us/dir… eLearnign Coordinator #WVDE #ePearl #WebTop
8:32am Jul 15thToying with customizing the appearance of ePearl. Students can pick images and color themes they like. #WVDE #ePearl #WebTop
8:53am Jul 15thePearl is open source. Nice. #WVDE #ePearl #WebTop
8:54am Jul 15thNaming/color coding folders. Students can color code folders to show level of completeness – so teacher can assess it. #WVDE #ePearl #WebTop
9:10am Jul 15thDiscussing how ePearl could be interfaced with other software – like techSteps and Writing Roadmap. #WVDE #ePearl #WebTop
9:12am Jul 15thLooking at example of student portfolio. Teacher has included a rubric. Includes a box where teacher types comments. #WVDE #ePearl #WebTop
9:16am Jul 15thePortfolios provide a way to fix Pontius Pilate Syndrome: “What I have written, I have written.” Get kids to edit. #WVDE #ePearl #WebTop
9:22am Jul 15thResource section for ePearl includes both text and video based tutorials. #WVDE #ePearl #WebTop
9:23am Jul 15thNext up, Fernando Ibanez on Manhattan Virtual Classroom http://wvde.state.wv.us/dir… #WVDE #PBL #WebTop
9:58am Jul 15thManhattan is intended to facilitate project based learning for Teach 21 wvde.state.wv.us/tea… #WVDE #PBL #WebTop
9:59am Jul 15thCreating a class on Manhattan. WVDE has given 500 mg of space to students for their ePearl portfolios #ePearl #WVDE #PBL #WebTop
10:10am Jul 15thLooking at modules available within Manhattan course. 17 different module formats that can be used in combination. #WVDE #PBL #WebTop
10:20am Jul 15thDiscussing the possibility of interfacing Manhattan & Writing Road Map. #WVDE #PBL #WebTop #WRM2
10:34am Jul 15th
I received this tweet from… ladyvolhoops@gregcruey 17 modules for what
10:43am JUL 15thI received this tweet from… ladyvolhoops@gregcruey i am sitting in a conference with people doing pbl globally. listening to how it is done in italy
10:43am JUL 15thI received this tweet from… ladyvolhoops@gregcruey r they looking at eports for how many years. 5oo mgs would not be enough if done correctly for 9-1210:44am Jul 15th
@ladyvolhoops Modules that can be used in structuring a class for Manhattan Virtual Classroom -open source, in WebTop #PBL
10:45am Jul 15thAdding students to Manhattan classroom. Searchable list of candidates based on people in the WVDE WebTop System #WVDE #PBL #WebTop
10:46am Jul 15th@ladyvolhoops epearl in WebTop for ePorts. Can be uped to 1 gig on request. ePearl can be passed on 2 next grade #ePearl
10:49am Jul 15th
I received this tweet from… ladyvolhoops@gregcruey y would you want a virtual classroom? what r they saying is the purpose?
10:50am Jul 15th
@ladyvolhoops Fernando says it helps manage the interaction between face-to-face teaching and online tools. #PBL #WebTop #WVDE
10:53am Jul 15thDiscussing how teach21 can be used inside Manhattan Virtual Classroom. #WVDE #Teach21 #PBL #WebTop
10:54am Jul 15th
I received this tweet from… ladyvolhoops@gregcruey don’t mean to be a pain, but what is fernando basing this on? we already do this in our school without a virtual class
10:55am Jul 15th
@ladyvolhoops No pain…I suppose it’s just an alternative format. It’s a free open source tool. But, bout to break for lunch…
10:59am Jul 15thSession 3 is on WVEIS. Presenter Richard Pullin http://wvde.state.wv.us/dir… #WVDE #WVEIS
11:39am Jul 15th
I received this tweet from…jonbecker@gregcruey I worked with lots of OIS folks a while ago when WVEIS was a system way ahead of its time. Made for great research databases
11:42am Jul15th
@jonbecker We’re basically getting a run down of what WVEIS can do. FERPA prevents much hands on work in a workshop. #WVDE #WVEIS
11:55am Jul 15thWVEIS (our student records) has gone from a tedious DOS-sorta application to being web based. Much nicer, more user friendly. #WVDE #WVEIS
11:59am Jul 15thPresenter: Jeff Takarsh on Google Sites #WVDE #GoogleSites #WebTop http://wvde.state.wv.us/dir…
12:57pm Jul 15thThe WebTop virtual desktop uses Google Sites as a tool and links from that virtual desktop. #WVDE #GoogleSites #WebTop
12:58pm Jul 15thCreating a new Google Site – practice, basically. #WVDE #GoogleSites #WebTop
1:05pm Jul 15thAll normal Google Sites stuff. But the account comes thru the Department of Ed. Keeps personal things separate. #WVDE #GoogleSites #WebTop
1:39pm Jul 15thPresenter: Chris Casto http://wvde.state.wv.us/dir… on WebTop Communities #WVDE #WebTop
1:55pm Jul 15thWebTop Communities is a closed social network (much like Facebook) for WV educators and (eventually) students #WVDE #WebTop
1:56pm Jul 15thWV’s WebTop Communities page is available in 28 (twenty-eight) langauges, from Arabic to Vietnamese… #WVDE #WebTop
2:11pm Jul 15thHadn’t noticed the bookmarking feature in WebTop Communities before. I can share bookmarks with WebTop friends. #WVDE #WebTop
2:20pm Jul 15thWebTop Communities gives me a gig of storage space separate from the gig I have at the WebTop desktop. #WVDE #WebTop
2:21pm Jul 15thLooking at creating communities in WebTop Communities. Any WebTop user can create communities. #WVDE #WebTop
2:30pm Jul 15th“Any WebTop user can create communities.” Check that: students will NOT be able to create communities. #WVDE #WebTop
2:34pm Jul 15thWell, headed home…
2:45pm Jul 15th
