Google Sky

Keeping up with technology is definitely a collaborative effort. So I'm out there looking at what others are doing. Today Mark Wagner's blog mentioned that all his teacher "participants came in excited about the release of Google Sky". It looks like a great tool to integrate technology into 3rd grade science. To read more about it check out the Google Sky News Story.
What was really exciting "blog communication" was that K. Lysenko, the director of Sky-Map, who read Mark's blog, commented "what Google just announced already exits in web-based version for about a year". You can check out that site at Sky-Map.org

Educators in Space

Yes, it's summer and who will read this? One never knows. Just it case you are reading this, did you see the shuttle launch Weds. evening? I of course missed it, even though I wrote it on my calendar. Thanks to my son in law, Mark, who did watch it on NASA TV, I was reminded that it's not to late to get involved, thus the post. This is a historic mission because teacher Barbara Morgan, who was the alternate for Christa McAuliffe, is among the crew. Finally, after twenty-one years, there is a teacher in space. Of course, NASA has provided a page of online educator resources related to the mission.

If you want to get involved you can sign up for a hour session with NASA educators at set times. It costs $25. Come on guys this is an opportunity you don't get everyday. You can even purchase seeds from the plants on the space station. The sessions end August 17 and you have to sign up 3 days before a session. Please check it out!
click for times

NECC 2007

This year's National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) was held in Atlanta, Georgia, June 24-27, 2007. The most popular sessions were the BYOL (Bring your own laptop) and anything about blogging or podcasting. We (my husband, Darrel and I) went early for a two day Digital Camera preconference session and learned how to use our new camera, a Nikkon D40x. We went in a bus to various sights around Atlanta and learned how to take pictures without auto on. That was a challenge especially when it got dark. We took two cameras and traded off. We took one of the student cameras, a Kodak Easy Share V803 (hopefully, you will use these this year!) and the bigger Nikon.

One of the advantages of podcasting is the ability to watch speakers at a conference you can't physically attend. Using your own computer where ever you are as long as you have Internet access you can participate through webcasts, podcasts, blogs and something new twitter. The keynote speaker, Andrew Zolli, talked about what we can expect for education's future. click here to see a podcast of Zolli's presentation.

Here are a links to other recorded sessions.
They also have a links to handouts if you care to check out something that interests you.
Anyone interested in attending next year's conference, check out NECC 2008. It will be in San Antonio, Texas (June 29th-July 2nd).