Classroom Toolkit Newsletter Comments

Stuart: Feature Article

nospam@example.com (Stuart) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:09:05 -0700

Technology in schools is, in the main, a vastly expensive and misguided irrelevance.

Where people have thought through the objectives of schools IT and set measurable outcomes, the implementation could just as well be Microsoft, Open Source or goat cheese soufflée. There is no attribute of Microsoft (or goat cheese soufflée) that sets it apart from or above Open Source. There are some very unfortunate instances where IT materials have been tied to a restricted operating system, with predictably disastrous results.

But in those cases where schools IT does work, it can be a phenomenally effective (and resource-efficient) teaching and learning medium.

Ken Task: Open Source for Education

nospam@example.com (Ken Task) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:53:59 -0700

Just a few comments ..
The chart and graph in comparing K12 to Higher Education is based upon what data?

It's reasoned well (by the author to support the message of the article), but makes no reference to true data collected in any research that compares teaching in K12 to that of Higher Ed.

"Moodle is the problem" with it's "database backend-handcuffing".
No "global search and replace".

Moodle does have global search and replace where needed - just not what the author appears to be accustomed to ... DreamWeaver like. How many teachers can actually use a DreamWeaver-like product and it's FTP button to provide:
forums and discussion boards, quizzes, and individual student Journals to name a few Moodle tools.

No "checkout".
NOT needed.

Restricted to uploading files one at a time.
Simply NOT true. A student assignment, for example, can allow multiple file upload.
A Teacher could learn to use ZIP to create an archive of all files desired to upload, upload the zip, then un-zip it. That's not a hard process for any Teacher or Student to learn (and should learn a "time saving" skill which the author seems to tout so much).

Check out NOT needed.

Course update
There is a process for course updating, true. Hmmm, to prepare a course for next
semester, it's a very simple process ... which follows this basic outline:
backup current course with user data
download the backup for archival purposes
In the admin menu of course, click the "Reset" link and choose what items to clear from the course (users and files, assignments, etc.).
Done!
Course is now ready for new student enrollments.

I find your evaluation of Moodle, biased and lacking in knowledge of the tool and therefore invalid. Your readers (if they read this at all) should also be allowed to read this comment and encouraged to seek advice and do research else where.

Elementary science: Professional Self-Development

nospam@example.com (Elementary science) — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:30:28 -0700

Really enjoyed reading this article. I teach science and the biggest challenge is to make it simple and fun while tapping the inherent curiosity that all kids have. We all have different ways, but I have used short educational videos to my advantage. Anyone who is interested may use my collection of elementary science videos and lessons at NeoK12.com website.

Joel: Teacher Survival Strategies

nospam@example.com (Joel) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 16:13:12 -0700

Outstanding thoughts! I too have come to this conclusion. I recently wrote about this idea on So You Want To Teach?. Check out You Better Smile Before Christmas!

Shulamis Ashkanazy: Teacher Resources

nospam@example.com (Shulamis Ashkanazy) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:57:42 -0700

Fabulous!!!

I love the debunking of common myths. I was told that it was also a myth that Thanksgiving has been celebrated since the "original." Someone told me that it was Roosvelt who first made Thanksgiving a national holiday on the last Thursday of November. Is this also a myth or is there some truth to it? I'd love to know.

Thanks

Carol Polo: Open Source for Education

nospam@example.com (Carol Polo) — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 11:44:12 -0700

Please, please, please do NOT stop writing about open source for education! The information that you provide is the only reason I go to your website. There may be more educators like me out there. Do not assume that because we have not voiced our opinion that we are not appreciative of all of your efforts. We are so busy gathering insights from your site that it is difficult to find the time to write back.

Thank you for all of your effort and time.

Sincerely,
Carol Polo

Jane: Open Source for Education

nospam@example.com (Jane) — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 07:53:47 -0700

I think you are cutting away to early. With most technology, teachers take awhile to warm up to it. As school district tighten their budgets, I think teachers will turnto open source more as will tech departments. I am an Instructional Facilitator here and just went to a Web 2.0 workshop at Region 20 and want to know more about open source. I am just being to show some of this to teachers (especially the online ones) and think it's time will come. I hope you do occasionally run articles on open source for teachers.

Les Richardson: Open Source for Education

nospam@example.com (Les Richardson) — Thu, 03 May 2007 22:30:46 -0700

Hi. Thanks for the article. I'm not sure what you mean about the 'Lesson Plan module'. You mean the Online Daybook? Agreed. It is weak, and I don't even have any docs created on that yet... More planning tools are on the way, including a planning interface and weekly daybook printed output.

The SIF requirement may be a 'requirement' in the US, but the SIF is just a way to keep small vendors out of the lucrative US market, IMO. The argument may be 'interoperability', but if you look at the specs, they are half baked at best in many areas. I suspect once the specs get better, Open Admin may also be at the point that SIF might make sense, but I doubt it.

There are so many other features required for OA, that it will be at least a couple of years before we take a look at that, I believe. LDAP functionality will be much higher in priority, I believe. (but we'll see...)

OA is still changing to better support teachers in schools, particularly high schools. I will continue to do the best that I can to help teachers and schools solve the admin problems more easily, so they can focus on the core goal: Teaching Students.

Les Richardson
Open Admin for Schools

sandy sowa: Short Article

nospam@example.com (sandy sowa) — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 12:34:10 -0700

This was me at the beginning of the year. I was a very squeaky wheel, got counseling, mentoring and got diagnosed with situational depression. I found that teaching BD/LD, the powers that be are just happy if the behavior is under conrol... I struggle to find ways to teach them daily.

Sharon McCreary: Feature Article

nospam@example.com (Sharon McCreary) — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 07:31:42 -0700

I totally agree that some professional development has become "energy sapping - seat rut". This week is the week before my school starts here in Cincinnati, I am working at a charter school for the first time and I will be going to an inservice in Michigan.

I know how important PD is but it seems that too many times it is taken away from preparation time for our students and time with our students.

sjm

Jim McNamara: Open Source for Education

nospam@example.com (Jim McNamara) — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 15:48:53 -0700

Thorough discussion of critical issues associated with implementing Open Source technology. While I'm willing to grant that teachers need to be included, it's not clear exactly how teachers are going to impact on the implementation issues. I still need definitions of "open source" and a framework of inquiry to teachers that will glean their "needs" on the implementation issues. I believe that the article was written to direct attention to these needs. However, it "chicken walks" abit away from this central notion and the concluding paragraphs don't rescue the diversion. It would help to get a feel for what teachers would add to the implementation process that's currently missing. What is the vision for open source technology and learning (note that I did NOT say teaching)? Although I believe the article was intended to coopt teachers into central decision making role regarding open source, I don't think it achieved this goal. I'll continue to read the open source articles because it seems to be a technology the writer favors but not at the expense of teacher input. So, keep writin' and I'll keep readin'.

Jim McNamara: Site Strategy

nospam@example.com (Jim McNamara) — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 15:31:10 -0700

Great news about the development of the website. Honest remarks about the shortcomings. So pleased to see that the software was able to be modified to generate this newsletter. Good things are happening at this web site and your growing number of hits suggests that you've created an interesting, perhaps needed, resource to educators. Keep it up!

Jim McNamara: Top Tips

nospam@example.com (Jim McNamara) — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 15:26:16 -0700

Joe...

Nice article to show folks how satire and parody can function to instruct learners on the issues. Definitions of satire and parody might be beneficial in future articles. The other issue that emerged as I read this is the question of who's creating the satires/parodies. Addressing these two items plus the rich content of your article would provide a rich source for developing lesson plans that use satire/parody for shaping and motivating learning.

Again, nice job!