On September 24 I attended the Google Teacher Academy in Chicago. The agenda speaks to the scope of the experience. Of course there were a lot of things that were noteworthy, but here are some things that stand out now that I've reflected on the event.
As a teacher who still incorporates both digital tools and traditional language arts tools (like books, pens, and paper), I was intrigued by the search function of the Books project. For example, suppose I can't quite locate a quote from the book, 1984, by George Orwell; I remember that there was a part where the character Syme is predicting the imminent demise of books, but I can't find the quote when I need it. I do a quick book search, and within seconds I've got it:
Whoever thought up the idea for the Books project has definitely done Orwell proud.... There are a lot of noble digital endeavors devoted to the book these days, like Project Gutenberg and Shelfari to name a couple, but as of this writing no one does book search better than Google.
Another area of interest is Google Forms, which I've only been using for a little while. I'd like to know how other teachers are using them. Certainly Thomas Barrett is someone who's doing some amazing things with that application now.
Suggestions for future GTA's? I could have spent a lot more time learning about advanced searches, and also how I can turn better manage the wealth (glut?) of information that can appear in my Reader on a daily basis.
3 comments:
Hi Chris:
It was nice to meet you at GTA Chicago. One of the things I find invaluable with Google Reader is the development of the following folders:
1. Daily Reads
This is where I keep my Top 10 resources. This is set as my default upon opening my Reader, so I always see these first. The great thing about this is that my list is always moving -- I rarely have someone in there for very long because it adjusts based upon my interests at the time. When I remove someone from this list, they just go to their original category (Admin, edtech, etc.) so they don't entirely leave my reader.
2. Skim Folder
There are a lot of resources that post A LOT -- some nearly 15 a day. These, no matter how good, stay in my skim folder. When I access these, I know I'm skimming subject lines for possible stories of interest. If I find something, I either read it right there or tag it "needtoread". This allows me to quickly sort through these posting machines without stressing.
Finally, I never worry about clicking "Mark All as Read". I am a firm believer that if something is good, it will come back around to me usually in a different blog OR through my Google Reader Friends. At least, this is what I tell myself :-)
I am so jealous that you went to this training. I have wanted to go, but it's always at the wrong time. I'd love to talk to you more about your experience. Please call or shoot me an email sometime.
Appreciate this bblog post
Post a Comment