Podcast #33 - Opening Night of NECC 2006 - A Global Event

Hello from San Diego. I just got back from the opening night of NECC and wow is it great to be here. Our school district has sent seven teachers and administrators to NECC to learn more about using web 2.0 tools, video, podcasting, blogging, distance learning, software, hardware, etc. Tonight we took a shuttle over the convention center, got registered and then walked over to the Gas Lamp district for a little food and conversation. We then headed back to the convention center to grab a seat to watch the fireworks over the harbor - I know, this conference stuff is hard work! I couldn't miss out on a golden opportunity to podcast so I started walking around and randomly asking people what they were excited to see at NECC this week. I soon discovered just how global this conference really is - in a manner of minutes I had visited with participants from Canada, Louisiana, Japan, Illinois and Oklahoma. It was pretty cool. The other thing I noticed was the fact that when I mentioned that I wanted to ask them a question for a podcast - not a single person asked me what a podcast is! Last year almost everyone would have first asked what a podcast is before answering any questions. That is real progress. I hope to do quite a few interviews with NECC participants to give you a feel for what is happening in San Diego this week. I have also included some pictures from walking around today. San Diego is a beautiful city and I can tell this will be an amazing week. All aboard.....


















Direct link to listen to Podcast #33 - Opening Night of NECC 2006- A Global Event - MP3 Format - 9:10 minutes

If you have any questions or comments please send them my way at speakingofhistory@gmail.com
Technorati Tags: necc necc06 necc06prep

The picture of the ship is of the Star of India in the harbor at San Diego - we saw it on our walk back to the hotel after fireworks.

Podcast #32 - Getting Ready for NECC 2006

Just a couple of days until NECC starts in San Diego. The NECC site has a great online conference planner and I've been checking out which sessions sound best for me. If you're planning on attending NECC please consider blogging/podcasting about it and using the tag "necc06" so that everyone can share in your efforts. Check out the links below to help you prepare. You can also leave a comment about what you are really excited to see this year in San Diego.

Direct link to listen to Podcast #32 - Getting Ready for NECC 2006 - MP3 Format (12:30 minutes)

Show Notes for Podcast #32:

• NECC (National Educational Computing Conference) official site
• David Warlick's Hitchhikr page for NECC 2006 - a collection of blog posts, podcasts and images for NECC 2006
• help in creating a Technorati tag to add to your NECC posts
• Information on the edublogger meet up at NECC on July 6th at Rock Bottom
  

Technorati Tags: necc necc06 necc06prep

Podcast #31 - The Spirit of Louisiana Steam Engine in Liberty

This spring the community of Liberty hosted a wonderful visitor from New Orleans - the Spirit of Louisiana steam engine. During the months of May and June the steam train was visited by thousands of people. The train then moved on to Kearney, Missouri for their 150th birthday celebration. I was able to visit the train on two occasions - during our Spring Festival and then later in June before they left. This episode contains some interviews during the Spring Festival. Be sure to check out the show notes as well. The Kansas City Star newspaper did a great video on the train while it was in Liberty and you can stay in touch with the travels of the train after its stay in the Liberty area. It was such a great experience to see an authentic part of American history.


If you have any comments or questions please contact me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com or leave a comment of this post.

Direct link to listen to Speaking of History Podcast #31 - The Spirit of Louisiana Steam Engine in Liberty - MP3 Format - (12:30 minutes)

Show Notes for Podcast #31:

• LASTA - Louisiana Steam Train Association Official Site
• LASTA Gallery - great pictures of the train
• The History of Engine 745
• Kansas City Star Video and Interview about The Spirit of Louisiana

DEN Midwest Summer Institute Links on Audacity

Hello from Chicago and welcome Discovery Educator Network Midwest Institute participants. I will be doing some podcasting from the institute as well as doing some brief - 30 minute - workshops on using Audacity to edit sound for movies and podcasts. Audacity is the application that I use to edit the "Speaking of History" podcast.

Here are some helpful links for getting started with Audacity:


Audacity - free software application which works with Mac or PC

Audacity Wiki Page - a ton of extra information on Audacity including a forum

Audacity Tutorial - one of many online tutorials on how to use the application for editing sound

Lame MP3 Encoder - a free program which allows you to create an MP3 file from a WAV file, can be added to Audacity as an add-on

River Past MP3 Converter - a free program which allows you to create an MP3 file from a Wav file or an MP3 file to a WAV file

Wesley Fryer Podcast Help Links Page - a great collection of links for anyone who wants to learn more about podcasting from the producer of the podcast "Moving at the Speed of Creativity"


These are just a few of the great resources available to edit sound files. If you have a resource you'd like to share please include a link in the comments below. Thanks.

Podcast #30 - Will Richardson on Web 2.0 at the Discovery Educator Network Midwest Regional Summer Institute

Welcome to day 2 at the Discovery Educator Network Midwest Regional Summer Institute. Today we are exploring the world of Web 2.0 tools and our tour guide is none other than Will Richardson. Will showed us some great examples of these tools being used in education, discussed some of the social aspects of our students using social networks and some thoughts about how these tools are changing the face of education - or rather, how they SHOULD be changing the current face of education.


Thoughts from Will about Education and Web 2.0

1. Schools are closed but should be open and accessible

2. Change from individual learning spaces to collaborative learning networks

3. From "just in case learning" to "just in time learning"

4. Change from text to multimedia

5. Change from working alone for an audience of one to working together for an audience of many

6. Students performing as teachers

Direct link to Podcast #30 - Will Richardson on Web 2.0 at the Discovery Educator Network Midwest Summer Institute in Chicago - MP3 Format - (90:00 minutes)

You can also listen to The Speaking of History podcast through My Odeo Channel

Podcast #30 Show Notes:

• Will Richardson
• Will Richardson presentation wiki
• One Red Paper Clip Blog
• Flickr
• MIT Open Course Ware
• South African Wiki Curriculum
• Think Free - free web space
• 43 Things
• Bering Strait Student Podcast from Alaska

Technorati Tags: denri denri06

Snapshots of the 2006 Discovery Educator Network Midwest Regional Institute in Chicago

Hello. Having a great time in the Windy City again today. Will Richardson shared his views on the role and potential of Web 2.0 tools in education today. The picture to the left is a collection of crazy educational bloggers and podcasters - Steve Dembo, Will Richardson and myself.

This evening our group went to Giordano's for their famous Chicago style stuffed pizza. Several of us then walked over to the Sears Tower for some sightseeing. We actually got there at the perfect time - no crowd at all and when we reached the observation deck we had time to view the city in the remaining moments of daylight and then witnessed the sun setting over the western edge of the city. I've been taking pictures throughout some of the activities and since Will showed us some cool features of Flickr today I thought I would post some of the ones I really like from the last couple of days. Nothing like sharing all your vacation pictures!

Link to view my picture from the DEN Midwest Regional Institute using Flickr.

Technorati Tags: denri denri06

Podcast #29 - DEN Midwest Regional Summer Institute - Digital Storytelling with Hall Davidson - Part A and B

The Discovery Educator Network Midwest Summer Institute in Chicago got off to a bang with a presentation by Hall Davidson on digital storytelling. Hall set the tone for the week of creating media by showing us some great examples of how we can help empower our students to become active producers of media rather than just passive consumers. The presentation has been divided into two podcasts for the case of length - part A and part B.

Participants were treated to a great Chicago style BBQ and we all became more aquainted with the other great teachers we will be working with for the next several days. The excitement level is high, the facility here at the University Center is tremendous and the buzz in the room tells me that we will be doing some amazing things.

I edited this podcast on Sunday night as a thunderstorm rolled into the Chicago area. It was quite a sight as the sky lit up around the downtown skyline and the outline of the majestic buildings. I still can't get over the view from my window. I grew up in a small Nebraska town of around 600 people so the sight of Sears Tower, which I visited once on vacation as a child, is still pretty cool.

Time to get to bed and get ready for day two. Stay tuned for more from Chicago.

Direct link to Podcast #29A - Hall Davidson - Digital Storytelling - Discovery Educator Midwest Regional Summer Institute - MP3 format - 42:20 minutes

Direct link to Podcast #29B - Hall Davidson - Digital Storytelling - Discovery Educator Midwest Regional Summer Institute - MP3 format - 66:30 minutes

You can also listen to The Speaking of History podcast through My Odeo Channel

Podcast #29 Shownotes:

• Hall Davidson Site - handouts and more information
• Discovery Educator Network
  
  Technorati Tags: denri denri06

Discovery Educator Network - Midwest Institute in Chicago Starts

Hello from downtown Chicago. Just checked into University Center in Chicago for the DEN Midwest Institute where about 50 educators and DEN coordinators will be exploring various types of new media and web 2.0 tools - podcasting, video editing, audio editing, blogging, etc. It should be an AWESOME time and own of my goals for the next couple of days is to capture as much of the excitement as possible in the form of pictures, podcasts and blog entries.

I just got settled into my room and we'll start introductions and the night's activities later, wanted to share the view from my room - the Sears Tower with a little cloud cover. What a view! Check back often the in next couple of days for posts and details. Tonight we have Hall Davidson giving a presentation on digital storytelling and I can't wait to meet him in person for the first time.


Technorati Tags: denri denri06

Podcast #28 - Random Thoughts - Cable's Leaders in Learning Awards, NECC, Grad Class and Travel

Hello. Hard to believe that it is almost the end of June! Many of my most recent podcasts have been theme based - an interview, a project, etc. This podcast is an informal update on some of the things I've been doing this summer. The sound quality is not the best since it was recorded in the car but I hope you can hear it. I discuss the recent Cable's Leaders in Learning Awards, upcoming DEN Regional Institute in Chicago, NECC in San Diego and a couple of graduate classes that I am currently teaching.

If you would like to share your summer plans or are attending any of the same events that I will be and would like to say hello please drop me a line at speakingofhistory@gmail.com or leave a comment.

Direct link to Speaking of History Podcast #28 - Random Thoughts, Cable's Leaders in Learning Awards, NECC 2006, Grad Classes and Travel - MP3 Format (23:45 minutes)

Podcast #28 Show Notes:

• Cable's Leaders in Learning Awards
• NECC 2006 Convention in San Diego
• Discovery Education Network - Missouri and Kansas Blog
• GEON - Geographic Educators of Nebraska

Podcast #27 - History Hits the Road - Tips for Visiting Washington DC

Hello from our nation's capital. Today's podcast is recorded at a hotel just a couple of blocks from the Capitol in Washington DC. My wife and I are in DC on vacation, along with a little business, and tonight we discuss some tips for making your stay in this wonderful city enjoyable. This podcast is special because my supportive wife joins the podcast for the first time as we share our tips. We have been recording various interviews on our stay in the Washington DC area and will publish these in future episodes.

If you have any questions or comments please e-mail us at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Direct link to Podcast #27 - Tips for Planning Your Visit to Washington DC - MP3 Format (17 minutes)

My Odeo Channel (odeo/10be1ce8d12b1cda)