Seriously, you really SHOULD go do this yourself. But, if you don’t have the time, here are the ideas for the first ten days of Steve’s challenge:

Day 1 – Your “About” Page – who are you and what is the purpose of your blog

Day 2 – Taking a look at your blog statistics

Day 3 – Thank another blogger

Day 4 – License your work, establish a Creative Common license

Day 5 – Clustermaps AND creating a way to translate your blog into other languages

Day 6 – Get another person’s perspective on your blog

Day 7 – Invite someone else to post on your blog

Day 8 – Comment, Comment, Comment

Day 9 – Upgrade your RSS to Feedburner

Day 10 – Check out what your blog looks like using other browsers and operating systems

30d2bbb image by Jason Robertshaw is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License

http://www.labnol.org/internet/free-microsoft-onenote-2007-for-teachers/5300
Microsoft is hosting a webinar tomorrow (November 11) for teachers on how they can incorporate Microsoft Office OneNote 2007 in the classroom.

Anyone can view this Microsoft OneNote webcast but if you are a teacher or faculty member at any of the educational institutions in US, you’ll also get a free copy of Microsoft OneNote 2007.
The process is simple – watch the webinar, send proof that you are a
teacher to teachtec@microsoft.com and Microsoft will ship you the OneNote 2007 box.
Sign-up at Teach Tech Tuesdays (http://www.educationwebcasts.com/Webcast.aspx?i=3688 ). The webinar will be presented by Mike Tholfsen of the OneNote team at Microsoft. Teachers may also want to check this video demo on OneNote 2007 for education. http://www.microsoft.com/education/OneNote2007/Demos/app.swf

30 Days to being a Better Blogger – Steve Dembo had a great idea. Actually, Steve has a lot of great ideas AND, btw, he’s a Featured Speaker at the MACUL 2009 Conference in Detroit.

So, Steve has launched a project on his Teach42 blog to help us in the education blogging world that he is calling 30 Days to being a Better Blogger – 30D2BBB. I decided to participate and am already a few days behind.

My goal is to actually catch up and participate in a timely manner – and SHARE. More on that topic later.

Check out Steve’s blog at http://www.teach42.com.

This is a fantastic opportunity to help your teachers become more skilled at using educational technology and it’s FREE! Last year we had two teams from our area in the program. They are currently in their second year. I’d like to see even more of our districts represented this year.

The Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) has received a grant from the Michigan Department of Education to train 90 teams at the school building level. In the MI-Champions program, teams of 3-5 educators attend the annual MACUL conference (one of the largest in the Midwest) in 2009 and 2010, receive two days of training in the summer of 2009, receive onsite coaching expertise, and a wealth of resources. MACUL conference registration, as well as lodging and substitute teacher stipends are provided each MI-Champion participant.

Some of the feedback from MI-Champion participants, as reported in the evaluation study from Eastern Michigan University:

Conference Feedback:
“The conference provided me new ideas about how to use technology in the classroom.”

“I had never used some of the technologies that we were exposed to at this conference (netcasts, blogs, etc.) and I feel more confident in using them both for my own enjoyment and to assist students in learning content. It was definitely a worthwhile experience for me.”

Summer Two Day Workshop Feedback:
” I enjoyed the wide variety of resources that I was provided with today. It was amazing how much I have learned in 2 short days.”

Overall Program Feedback:
“This is the best thing I have ever been a part of!”

“Thank you for treating us like professionals (lunch, stipend, paying for the MACUL conference, etc.). Being so “appreciated” makes us want to work even harder to make learning accessible to all children!”

For more information and to apply for the MI-Champions program for your school team, link to www.macul.org. Application deadline is November 10.

Today I’m working in the offices of Google in Chicago for a FULL day of training to become a Google Certified Teacher. There are 50 educators here from 17 different states learning and sharing everything Google. We’re only 1/2 way through and my brain is swimming! I’ll share when I get back.

Since 2004, Best Buy has awarded nearly $17 million to over 6,000 K-12 schools. Best Buy is proud to support K-12 schools who have integrated interactive technology into the curriculum to engage students and make learning fun. This year, teachers may apply for funding between $1,000 and $5,000.
The Best Buy Teach Award program recognizes creative uses of interactive technology in K-12 classrooms. Winning programs focus on kids using technology to learn standards-based curriculum, rather than on teaching students to use technology or educators using technology that children aren’t able to use hands-on. The purpose of the Best Buy Teach Award program is to reward schools for the successful interactive programs they have launched using available technology. Please do not be discouraged from applying if your school does not have the most current equipment.

Here is what they’re looking for:

• Evidence that integrating technology into the curriculum is engaging to students and makes learning fun.
• Hands-on, interactive components that engage students.
• Creative ways of enhancing the core curriculum with technology.
• Creating or maximizing classroom activities.
• Creating opportunities for cross-disciplinary teaching.
• A clear vision of how this program can grow or evolve.
• Evidence of school, parent and/or community commitment to the program.
• Detailed budget.

All awards are issued in the form of Best Buy Gift Cards to enable school to purchase the additional technology needed to expand or enhance their current programs. You must submit your application online by October 15, awards will be announced in March 2009. For more information, or to apply, go to http://www.bestbuy.com/teach.

I have seen some incredible projects integrating technology in classrooms throughout Muskegon County. Why not get rewarded for your hard work? I know this is a busy time of the year but DON’T PROCRASTINATE!!! Get your application in and get some tools to support your projects.

Another year of ‘making a difference’ for students is underway! As a parent, I appreciate all the preparation you have made for this new venture for students all across this area. I’m looking forward to sharing more thoughts about effective ways to integrate technology in the coming school year.

This summer, I have been busy in my district removing 760 desktop computers and replacing them with new units. In the process, I lost 15 pounds. It is not every day that you can lose that much weight and get paid while doing it. However, that is enough for me. I’m ready for ‘routine’ type of work.

 Again, I’m looking forward to a great year. If you have any topics you wish for Diane or I to address, feel free to email us.

My favorite part of the week was the time we spent at the Discovery production studios. We went over in small groups and got to spend an hour or so in the Green Screen room learning all about lighting, etc. while filming for the green screen effect.

My roommate for the week turned out to be fantastic. We got along great!

I learned so much at the Institute that I have enough “stuff” to post for a month or so.
Discovery Headquarters is incredible. It’s on the red metro line about 30 minutes out of DC in Silver Spring, Maryland which apparently was a pretty sleepy place until Discovery built its headquarters there. When it was built, an agreement was made that they wouldn’t have an employee cafeteria so that people would go out into the neighborhood for lunch. As a result, they have great restaurants surrounding the building. Next week (July 27 – 31) is Shark Week and the whole place was shark crazy. They had a large shark head on one side of the building and a shark tail coming out the other side but they had to take it down because of the traffic problems it caused.

Now they’ve quieted things down to what you see when you’re in the building…everywhere you look. You can even give yourself shark’s teeth – http://www.sharkyourself.com .

Am I learning a new language? Have I been typing with my hands in the wrong position on the keyboard?

Neither.

These were tools that my DEN Star colleagues were discussing as we were riding from the airport to Discovery Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. I wanted to believe that the confusion about the terms was only due to the fact that I had left for the airport at 5:00 a.m. Who was I kidding? I had no clue what they were talking about.

I was headed to the Discovery Educators’ Network Institute for STAR Educators for a week long session and I was already lost. Not cool.

And…I was rooming with someone I’ve never met. What did I get myself into?