Learning Side by Side

I have a new goal. I want to earn a badge from the National Park Service.

I was at a pop-up session on March 6, 2008 at the 2008 Computer-Using Educators Conference to see what the National Park Service was doing that merited them presenting at this learning event. Lo and behold, they have a wealth of resources at their WebRangers web site.

Let’s recap what I have done so far. First of all, I had to register (just as students would). The next thing I know, I have to pick out my own park ranger station and print out my own official National Park Service Ranger ID Card.

Now I was given access to lots of activities to help me become a better park ranger.  For example, I could go through an interactive tutorial on how to tell time with tree rings (dendrochronology).  Or I could choose to go through an activity to help me read maps.  After completing a number of activities, I can then request a badge be sent to me by NPS. I will be bringing this back to some teachers to look at.  Tell me what you think about the activities.

I was able to make it to EduBloggerCon “West” 08 for some timely professional enrichment and finally meeting face-to-face several people that are part of my personal learning network (via Twitter, EdTechTalk, Classroom 2.0, etc.).  The informality and fluidity of the day was a nice alternative to the more structured feel of the main 2008 CUE Conference that goes into full swing today.

Image Credit: Photograph by Sylvia Martinez, http://www.flickr.com/photos/sylviamartinez/2312165071/

Here are links to some of the resources mentioned at some of the presentations, discussions, and lightning rounds:

• CAST – Teaching Every Student: http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent
• Diigo – Social Annotation: http://www.diigo.com
• FREEPATH – Show Your Stuff: http://www.freepath.com
• Gabcast – Record by Phone: http://www.gabcast.com
• Glogster – Poster Yourself – http://www.glogster.com
• Google’s Tools (iGoogle, Google Docs Forms, Google Docs LookUp): http://www.google.com/ig
• Jott: http://jott.com
• MeBeam Video Chat Rooms: http://www.mebeam.com
• My Tweet Map: http://www.mytweetmap.com
• Ning – Create Your Own Social Networks!: http://www.ning.com
• Pageflakes – Get It Together: http://www.pageflakes.com
• PicLens – Immersive Slide Shows Across the Web: http://www.piclens.com
• PNN – The Personal News Network: http://pnn.com
• Portrait Illustration Maker: http://illustmaker.abi-station.com/index_en.shtml
• Tweet Scan: http://tweetscan.com
• Twitter: http://twitter.com
• Ustream: http://ustream.tv
• VoiceThread: http://voicethread.com
• Web 2.0 Animation for Social Skills: http://www.edubloggercon.com/Bruce%27s+Interests

It was wonderful to also have others not at Palm Springs, California join through the live video stream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/edtechlive.  I find it wonderful that I can now access archived clips from one of the session rooms in EdubloggerCon “West” 08 by visiting the Edtechlive Ustream channel.

We ended the day with a discussion about the viability of holding events such as this in the future.  One of the issues brought up included how it has transformed from a gathering of edubloggers (writers and readers) into more of a gathering of educators advocating for change in how we should facilitate learning.  Is the EduBloggerCon name misleading?  I found it interesting that one fellow colleague at this event mentioned his apprehensions of attending because he thought that much of this would be focused primarily on blogging.  Others may argue that the name is already becoming familiar to those that have participated in the initial iteration of EduBloggerCon.  Nevertheless, the consensus was that this was a valuable day and should be held again in the future.  Of course, those going to NECC 2008 in San Antonio, Texas will have that opportunity.  If anyone is heading to San Antonio, Texas early enough on Saturday, June 28, 2008 and is interested in attending EduBloggercon 2008, go to the wiki at http://www.edubloggercon.com/NECC+2008.