Just read David Nagel's The Journal article regarding Bb's MobileEdu application:
"MobilEdu is a standalone tool that lets users connect with professors, receive news updates, browse course catalogs, e-mail other users, receive schedule updates, view a map of their campus (with GPS support), and engage in other forms of communication. Uses can also access iTunes U and YouTube through the software and view video content, such as course lectures. And it offers open APIs to allow institutions to customize their interfaces for use with MobilEdu."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Post Bb Conference Thoughts
Nancy Pang, Eileen Chang, Patrick O'Hara, Lettie Weinmann and Darlene Feldstein attended the BbWorld09 Conference in Washington D.C. 7/13-7/16/09. As a result of the conference's spotlight on collabortion tools, I've been inspired to use Blogger.com to record notes, initiate discussion, and practice blogging.
There were nearly 2,000 attendees at the conference. The conference sessions were grouped:
While PAUSD may not experience as complicated a roll-over to version 9, PAUSD's growing number of related online applications introduces complexity. Gunn's mission critical online apps include:
One of the coming year's challenges will be to troubleshoot, interface, train staff and assign site staff responsibility for the growing list of online mission-critical applications.
It was reassuring to hear Bb staff acknowledge that InClass Bb-version 8 is dated. "It is so 1998". Many spoke about how students "power down when they go to school and power up when they leave school." Lots of talk about the need to enable students to "turn on in school". In recognition of ubiquitous teen cell phones, Vers 9 Bb has a free Bb app (created by a couple of Stanford students), downloadable from iTunes, enabling access to course announcements and homework. Mobile Education–the InClass cell phone access, will be available to PAUSD students this fall.
The keynote speaker spoke of the power of online communication tools to congregate groups (or tribes) of people together to create change. Groups or teams are joined by people around the world. Learning is different when the entire world can communicate and work together. While this may be uncharted territory, learning is very powerful when teachers enter the class as a learner with students.
The failure of the Kindle is in large part due to its lack of social connectivity.
Every class is an online class. Students are online even if their teachers are not.
Version 9 will have 508 compliance (easy access for all), connections to YouTube and NBC Learn, aligned with State Standards, enhanced collaboration tools, and a more user-friendly interface.
This Bb conference was not just about online learning. It was a catalyst for discussions about our philosophy of learning.
There were nearly 2,000 attendees at the conference. The conference sessions were grouped:
- Faculty & Teachers
- Project Leaders, Program Managers & Directors
- Instructional Designers & Curriculum Coordinators
- System Administrators & Developers
- Training & Support Leads
- Focus on K-12
- Angel (Company newly acquired by Bb)
While PAUSD may not experience as complicated a roll-over to version 9, PAUSD's growing number of related online applications introduces complexity. Gunn's mission critical online apps include:
- SASIxp
- InClass
- Infosnap
- Cruncher
- Outlook/Entourage
- Textbook Tracker
- SirsiDynix (Library)
- Connect-Ed
- PAUSD HelpDesk
- Site web page
- Site online work orders
- Bluebear Student Activity accounting software
- EasyGradePro
- SurveyMonkey
- Google Docs
One of the coming year's challenges will be to troubleshoot, interface, train staff and assign site staff responsibility for the growing list of online mission-critical applications.
It was reassuring to hear Bb staff acknowledge that InClass Bb-version 8 is dated. "It is so 1998". Many spoke about how students "power down when they go to school and power up when they leave school." Lots of talk about the need to enable students to "turn on in school". In recognition of ubiquitous teen cell phones, Vers 9 Bb has a free Bb app (created by a couple of Stanford students), downloadable from iTunes, enabling access to course announcements and homework. Mobile Education–the InClass cell phone access, will be available to PAUSD students this fall.
The keynote speaker spoke of the power of online communication tools to congregate groups (or tribes) of people together to create change. Groups or teams are joined by people around the world. Learning is different when the entire world can communicate and work together. While this may be uncharted territory, learning is very powerful when teachers enter the class as a learner with students.
The failure of the Kindle is in large part due to its lack of social connectivity.
Every class is an online class. Students are online even if their teachers are not.
Version 9 will have 508 compliance (easy access for all), connections to YouTube and NBC Learn, aligned with State Standards, enhanced collaboration tools, and a more user-friendly interface.
This Bb conference was not just about online learning. It was a catalyst for discussions about our philosophy of learning.
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