Welcome to the Early Release technology workshop. Today's session is intended to give you an overview of several technology initiatives that the school has in place and to let you make the decision as to which one(s) you would like to follow.

Please click on the following link and sign in to the workshop.

Workshop sign-in form

We've gone over a lot of material these first two classes. Next week's plan is to slow down, take a breather and go step by step on the topics most important to you so far. Please bring a digital camera to class if you have one. If you decide to take the plunge and splurge on a card reader, bring that too.

Looking forward to the next class this coming Monday, we will review everything we've learned so far and move right into the topic of using a digital camera in a classroom. We will also discuss some photo sharing sites, what is and what is not acceptable to put online and also some online tools to manipulate and improve images. If you have a digital camera and a card reader, bring it with you.

We covered a lot of material at our first session. Here's a recap of where all participants should be;

1) Created Google account.

2) Created a Gmail account.

3) Send me an email to balbedd@gmail.com using your gmail account.

4) Created a log in account with Delicious

5) Created a basic blog.

Had the first class for using Multimedia in the classroom. The course will be centered around using Google apps and especially Google docs. All of the participants created a Google account, opened an account with Delicious and started a very basic and simple Blog using Blogger. Homework will be to email me using their gmail account so I can create a contact list to share documents and resources for the class.

This week I started working with students in the computer lab and showing them how to practice their math skills, in particular multiplication. The links are on the Lake Forest home page and can be accessed from any computer with Internet access.

Have you ever wondered why teachers don't use technology more in their classrooms? It's not because they don't want to. I think it has more to do with them not knowing how to get started. Some schools are very limited in the technology that they have. Others have interactive whiteboards in every classroom. Whichever one you're in, there is technology; we just have to find how best to use it.