Video Request: Getting The Most Out of Technology

Question: How do YOU and YOUR STUDENTS get the most out of the technology you have?

I would love to hear your answers to that question in a short video clip that I can edit and stitch together for my Middle Level Essentials Conference Sessions in April.  My strand is titled “Getting the Most Out of the Technology You Already Have”. I will be doing three sessions and want to thank you for your comments and suggestions already.  Here are the array of topics I’ll be discussing:

Session 1: Getting the Most Out of Hardware Tools: This session will focus on best uses of hardware tools like Interactive Whiteboards, Document Cameras, Flip Video Cameras, Digital Still Cameras, Response Systems, and other hardware tools. Many schools have gone to great lengths to purchase these tools, but are finding out they aren’t silver bullets in and of themselves. I want to focus on some strategies for really getting the most out of these tools since in many cases the money has been spent already.

Session 2: Creation, Collaboration, Communication: Getting the Most out of Your Students with Technology:  This one will be focused on the best uses of technology by students.  I want to focus on a number of things in this session, but will specifically look at the things technology enables students to do more easily than not using technology.  I will probably also throw in some information about the network building and verifying information in the digital world.

Session 3: Getting the Most out of Free, Web-Based Tools: This session will focus on several web-based, cross-platform tools that allow students to create, collaborate, and communicate. I fully expect to focus on some of the simple tools for creation (XtraNormal, online comic creation tools, Animoto), communication (Edmodo, Chatzy, Edublogs, Skype, RSS), and collaboration (Google Docs, wikis, social bookmarking).  A primary focus will be to help folks recognize that the tools in particular aren’t as important as what they allow students to do which is otherwise impossible or more difficult.

So here’s what I’m looking for from you all…I would love to put together a short video clip of some of my PLN members talking about getting the most out of any of the things mentioned above.  If you have strategies for using the tools above, website suggestions, or information about student networking/content creation, please record a short clip of you talking about your thoughts.  I will be taking these clips and editing them together for inclusion in my presentation.

Many thanks, and look for updates along the way between now and April!