UCET conference presentation upcomming

I received word that I will be presenting four sessions on Google Apps in the Classroom at the upcoming UCET conference at Taylorsville High School, Feb 29 and March 1. This will give me an opportunity to organize my thoughts on using Google Apps.

This will be a challenge in that the classroom for the presentation is a math lab and has only a single network connection for the presenter. I heard from one Granite teacher that the district blocks gmail (uncomfirmed). I wlll attempt to determine ahead of time if I will access to the learning domain I use at http:\\partnerpage.google.com\pcnet.jatc-sandy.org. In any event I will create a presentation in PowerPoint first and then upload that as a presentation on Google Docs.

Pioneers Must Blaze New Trails

My research this week shifted from concepts and techniques used in the Google Apps in the classroom to specific instances of educators using them. It seems this is so new, there are no cases of teachers using Google Apps in the classroom that can be documented.

I researched Google Groups relative to education. It appears that Google has an employee in charge of sending a bimonthly news letter to educators about the possibilities of using Google and some of their products. There are some postings but nothing specific to using Google Apps or Docs in the classroom.

I had left a posting some months ago about Wikispaces vs. PBWiki. Having used both in the classroom, I indicated my preference for Wikispaces. There have been no replies or even additional entries in that thread.

Hoping to generate some dialog on the subject specifically, I sent a message to the topic owner. Additionally, I created a Google Group entitled "Google Apps in the Classroom." No response as of the first week.

I have volunteered to present the concept of Google Apps in the classroom at a statewide conference of public educators called UCET, Utah Coalition for Educational Technology. I haven't received word of acceptance as yet, which may be an indication that there are a lot of other good things out there, or there is little interest in the topic on the part of the planners for the conference.

Back from Winter Break

After a wonderful winter break, I'm ready to get back after this process.

I have made an observation that one may intuitively understand with out a great deal of analysis. If I am diligent with updating the announcement document everyday, even if it states the obvious, the students are more likely to take a minute at the beginning of each class to read it. There has also emerged some peer tutoring events when those who have read the announcement document have important information that those who do not read do not. The students can be heard to say, "... if you would just read the announcements..."

I need to take another look at the usability survey presented to the students; I hope to reuse the survey as a formative evaluation tool as well as an indicator of student observations of the Google Apps project.