I love what the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s Migrant Education Program has done here. The picture is getting brighter here in Haines City, as many more of our Latino students coming into Boone Middle School are children of parents who have decided to remain here in the city rather than continue their migrant work. These students are becoming more digitally aware through computer usage at home and through “take home PC” programs offered by our school. However, we still have students who miss a great deal of school due to having to relocate with their migrant parents. Programs like the one at CCIU are surely worth replicating at schools like mine, and I am now in the process of trying to secure grant money for a one to one laptop program that will allow students to sign out laptops for use at home as well as in the classroom.

Technorati Tags: digital divide, migrant students

As I reported earlier this month, more and more colleges and universities are using podcasts and other Web 2.0 technologies to increase their visibility and student “market share.” I love it. Taking a page from MIT’s OpenCourseWare initiative, UA is making its courses, faculty lectures, and other programming open to the public. Most notably, users now have free and open access to lectures from the UA College of Science’s prestigious Evolution: Our World Ourselves and Global Climate Change lecture series.

I think we are going to see a rush of these services hit the web as more and more colleges and universities begin to use the iTunes U channel as a means to bolster student enrollment. What better way to showcase your academic talent than by broadcasting information from your top level departments to iTunes users! AU is by no means alone. I’ve mentioned MIT’s initiative. Here is a list of other colleges and universities offering content via the iTunes U service:

Arizona State University
Bowdoin College
Broome Community College
Concordia Seminary
DePaul University
Duke
Michigan Tech University
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology)
Otis College of Art and Design
Pennsylvania State University
Queen’s University
Reformed Theological Seminary
Seattle Pacific University
Stanford
Texas A&M University
UC Berkeley
UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)
University of South Florida
Vanderbilt University

Technorati Tags: iTunes U, podcasts

His post reads as follows:

Podcasts, or more generically, downloaded media, run the gamut from network TV shows to grade school class projects. In most instances, no one knows for sure how many people listen to any particular podcast. There are also issues like royalties, advertising, ratings and professional conduct that are cropping up as the relatively new medium finds its legs. Now, to help chart the new territory, two associations of podcasters are forming. One, the Association of Downloadable Media requires individual dues of $150 and corporate dues of $1,000. It’s guided by people from Apple and National Public Radio, among others. Another group formed as an answer to ADM under the working name, the Association of Podcasters and Online Media Producers and hopes to charge no annual dues.

Scott Bourne, president of Podango Productions in California is on the steering committee to build the APOMP according to members’ ideas. Organizers plan to conduct an online survey to gauge members’ interests and priorities.

Now I’m sorry. Did I catch that right? Apple and National Public Radio teaming up to protect the interest of podcasters? Some pretty big guns from this listener’s point of view. Will be interesting to see how the APOMP folks stand up against the ADM group.

One: Podcasting stands today as one of the last bastions of audio broadcasting delivered to mass audiences via free or nearly free channels. How will podcasters who hold true to this ideal react to these two groups and their calls for representation?

Two: Assume for an instant that one, if not both of these organizations attracts podcasters to represent. I would have to assume that from a basic monetary basis, some folks are going to side with the Apple/NPR group (ADM) and others with the APOMP folks. Will money be the only deciding factor in their selection? What other issues may come into play?

Three: To those of you who function primarily as ‘educational podcasters’ – that is, the majority if not all of your podcasts deal with topics in education: Would you consider collecting advertising dollars and royalties for your podcasts, or do you consider them to be more valuable as freely accessed educational tools? Is there a fine line one might walk between these two camps?

I have yet to record a podcast, so I cannot speak to these issues from experience. If you are an active podcaster, please consider responding to these issues. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Technorati Tags: podcast, NPR, Apple, representation

Top Educational Blog Sites for August 2007

Classroom 2.0: Get here and join…. now! This is the social networking site for those interested in using computer technology (especially Web 2.0) in the classroom. This was the first online teaching community I joined, and I firmly believe it to be one of the most comfortable and effective networking sites for those to to this subject. How often have you felt alone in your struggles to improve education through technology and innovative teaching practices? Well, stop it! Get over to the Classroom 2.0 site now and join. When you get there, add me as a friend so that we can start planning that joint classroom blogging or podcast project!

Education/Technology: Tim Lauer is the principal at Lewis Elementary School in Portland, Oregon. I enjoy his site because I can see what he and those in his circle are doing with technology and reflect on ways I can incorporate similar practices into my classroom.

Teaching Generation Z: Graham Wegner, author of this blog, is an Australian educator who uses Web 2.0 technologies to teach technology leadership. This blog never fails to provide updates on breaking news in our field. I have really come to value this blog. Graham provides consistent insight into what it means to ‘look over the shoulder’ of teachers who are well-versed and expert in using collaborative technology to instruct and excite their students.

Durff’s Blog: Lisa Durff is an avid podcaster and webcaster. I first met her through Classroom 2.0, and it is through her that I first became aware of the Webcast Academy project – a hands on, collaborative training center for anyone interested in learning about how to create and produce webcasts. Lisa is also an active member of the EdTechTalk information portal, and her blog is definitely one to watch.

Kevin Honeycutt’s ESSDACK Site Central: Kevin Honeycutt is perhaps one of the most energized people I have come across in the Web 2.0 education world. His Driving Questions in Education video podcasts never fail to get my mind going, and I look forward to listening to them regularly. Very good stuff.

Speed of Creativity: Wes Fryer offers up thought provoking and meaningful topics for discussion that really give you something to mull over. Do your self a favor, get over to his site and subscribe to the article and podcast feeds. You won’t be sorry.

Cool Cat Teacher Blog: Vicki Davis is a very well-established educator, blog author, and webcast talk show host. She is a founding member of Women of Web 2.0 and a contributor to the Tech Learning blog. Please be sure to subscribe to the Cool Cat Teacher feed to learn more about creating improved student performance and excitement through the use of such cutting edge tools as blogs, wikis, podcasts, digital storytelling (video making), and other Web 2.0 tools.

Thoughts from a Technospud: Author Jennifer Wagner works with Pre K through 6th grade teachers – providing ways for them to effectively use technology in the classroom. Her tips for teachers and stories of what it is like to be the go to educational technology resource contact are fantastic. Along with Lisa Durff, Jennifer is also an active member of the EdTechTalk information portal.

Jason Hando’s Clever Learning Blog: Jason is a head teacher in the technology faculty at an independent school in Sydney, Australia. His blog provides a collection of thoughts, resources, and ramblings on the topic of clever learning from the perspective of students, teachers, administrators, and parents.

TipLine – Gates’ Computer Tips: Last but most certainly not least we have Mr. Jim Gates’ TipLine Computer Tips blog. I met Jim through a Moodle class I took through GlobalClassrooms, and he never fails to provide insights into issues I find perplexing. His jovial demeanor, caring spirit, and knowledge regarding the use of Web 2.0 technology in the classroom are unmatched in the field.