Tapped In Newsletter: January 2010
...On the Tapis
January 2010
Issue 146
In This Issue
[1] Member Perspective: Eric Grove
[2] U.S. DOE Grant Program for secondary Science & Math teachers
[3] From the Archives: What did you say?
[4] Tapped In Technology Tip
[5] Tips and Comments from the Experts
[6] About ...On the Tapis
Quote of the Month: "Be in charge of your own destiny, or someone else will." - Jack Welch
[1] Member Perspective: Eric Grove
Eric has been teaching for 35 years. Although trained to be an English teacher, he extended his courses at UVM so he could begin his career as an Industrial Arts teacher. For his first 15 years he taught courses in drafting, furniture construction, machine shop, welding, sheet metal fabrication, and precision sheet metal in Massachusetts public and vocational schools.
When the Macintosh LC came out, he fell in love with it. He was teaching Mechanical Drawing at the time and talked his supervisor into letting him into the proposed new Mac Lab to teach drafting using a program called MacDraft.
Later he taught grad courses in technology integration to other teachers in the evenings and on the weekends. The first course he developed was based upon HyperCard. "Quelle program!", he says. He has taught over 100 graduate level courses from Introduction to the Web, Web Development, Research Methods Using the Computer, to Development of Reusable Learning Objects Using Flash and Producing Podcasts for Educators.
The second half of his career was devoted entirely to network supervision, teaching computers and their applications, and technology integration at the high school and college levels. He joined TI in May of 1998 and has used it on a regular basis with the teachers in his courses since then.
Eric's Perspective
Sometime in 1998 I received an email tease about an ASO meeting for Science and Math teachers-ASO, what the heck is that? As computer coordinator in a school system, I thought that that might be a promising resource for teachers of those subjects in my building. The problem was I had no clue what ASO meant and I can remember asking my AV coordinator to see if he could record it off the satellite for me... imagine?
I did, through a mental process I liken to driving a blunt 2 by 4 into frozen earth with a sledgehammer, teach myself enough to join TI, and enter an ASO session. That first time, I felt like I was standing blindfolded in the middle of a busy intersection, buffeted by swiftly moving 10 wheelers brushing by me and nearly knocking me over-one way and then the other. The ASO facilitator was from The Math Forum and he was great [The facilitator was TI member David Weksler]. Most everyone there was "very hip", unlike me. He even called me a couple of weeks later at work and offered to do a free workshop for the math teachers at my school underwritten by The Math Forum. Wow, that increased my trust factor "big time".
Read all of Eric's Perspective here.
[2] U.S. DOE Grant Program for secondary Science & Math teachers
Fermilab will start reviewing applications Feb. 15 for their summer 2010 cohort. The program includes participating in research project(s) at a national laboratory, implementing inquiry with students, educational leadership, and online meetings for follow-up support. Click here for details and/or come to an After School Online Q&A session Thursday, January 14, 5pm PST in the Fermilab 1 group room.
[3] From the Archives: What did you say?
This gem is from the January 2001 Tapis - lis-ten-ing n (1996): "the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken and/or nonverbal messages". One of the most important factors in learning is the ability to listen. When we value what others say and take the time to listen attentively, not only are we learning, we are also teaching the speaker that we value their ideas. One of the most important reasons that Tapped In members feel valued is because the community listens to what each person has to contribute, whether it's leading a discussion or quietly lurking. To learn more about listening visit http://www.listen.org/.
[4] Tapped In Technology Tip
ASO Discussion Proposal
If you have an idea for a discussion that you would like posted to the Tapped In calendar of events, or would like to lead an After School Online series of sessions on a topic you feel would benefit the TI community, please contact us. We will contact you via email (please include your current and correct email!) to discuss your idea. If you are applying to lead a session we will give you more information on how to prepare and how we can support you during your presentation.
[5] Tips and Comments from the Experts
During Eric Grove's research for his perspective in this issue of the Tapis, he found a booklet from Fitchburg State (he saves everything!) where he was listed as a facilitator for two sessions of the same presentation entitled: Tapped In: Professional Development For Teachers Through Virtual Online Educational Communities. The Conference was called "Best Practices V Diversity on Common Ground." It was given on March 17, 2000. Eric gave the same presentation, Best Practices IV in 1999, as well. This makes Eric one of the very early adapters of the Tapped In community! Are you one of those TI Pioneers? Let the community know who you are and what you're doing now by sending an email to BJ at bjb@tappedin.org
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TI members Roger Goodson and George Klemic are planning a paper particularly focusing on the 'evaluation' of online learning effectiveness. They hope to have some forum 'meetings' in the Online Teaching and Learning group room in TI in 2010.
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"Thanks a lot! I have learned more in the past 30 minutes in browsing this site than I have in weeks! Lots of great links to wonderful rich 21st century resources here:) I will be back many times!" Thank you, TI member Maria Shaheen!
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If you have a comment or experience to share with the Tapped In community, please submit the information to BJ Berquist at bjb@tappedin.org or post your comment here.
[6] About ...On the Tapis
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