Do You Want to Be Part of History?

Anthony @mrcapps needs 9 book trailers done by February 14 for Black History Month. This is a part of our effort to get the schools in Mobile County using technology.

Here's how you can help:
1. Volunteer to do a trailer.
2. Select one of the books in your Google Docs (and listed below) and indicate you are willing to do a trailer for it or leave a comment here saying which one you want to do.

Jerry Pinkney Back Home
Jerry Pinkney The Nightingale
Donald Crews Big Mama's
Christopher Paul Curtis Bud, Not Buddy
Willie Perdomo Visiting Langston
Marie Bradby More Than Anything Else
Patricia McKissack Porch Lies
Faith Ringgold Tar Beach
Mildred D. Taylor Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

3. Leave a comment agreeing to take a book or fill in the box on Google Docs. Be sure to specify which one if you leave a comment.
4. Watch the instructions for doing a trailer. Trailers are a lot of fun and they are easy to do in iMovie.
5. Watch a few of the trailers done last semester.
6. Read the book. I have ordered all of them except one and they will be in the lab on Wednesday for checkout.
7. Plan your trailer.
8. Come to the lab and you will get help if you need it in doing it.
9. Be a part of history. It will be used at St. Elmo School to increase the reading of the books designated for reading in Black History Month. And the teachers there will see how powerful technology is in getting kids to read.
10. The trailer will count as your Project #11. That means you can mark Project#11, which is due March 6, as completed 3 weeks early. The trailer will be due February 13.
11. Project 9 will be changed for you. You will be thanked by reducing Project #9 to a one part project (any of the parts you want to do). And your part of Project#9 will be due February 27. The part of Project #9 due February 20 will be eliminated.

Help get technology into Mobile County Schools! Call, email, SMS or Tweet if you have any questions.

RSS Feeds and How to Use Them

Watch this video: How to Manage Your RSS Feeds with Google Reader (4:48)
Then read this post: How to Follow 100 Art Ed Blogs and Stay Sane by Jessica Balsley.

You can use this technique for any type of blogs (or set of blogs), not just art.

Thanks to Dr. Paige Baggett for locating this lesson.

Clarification

In your Checklist the first item due is listed 1 Blog Post #2 (Wordle). IGNORE THE (WORDLE). That is incorrect. Even though it is to be posted on your Blog, It is actually Project #2 and described in line 6 Project #2. The Blog Post Assignment #2 due this Sunday (Tue for MW class) AND your Wordle (Project #2) should also be posted in your Blog by this Sunday. The Blog Assignment has 5parts. It is described in the Blog Post assignments.

Special Assignment #1

Are your reading the Class Blog regularly? You should be! this is the first Special Assignment that will be added to EDM310 in part to make sure you read the Class Blog regularly but also to link you with new places/new ideas.

Read and watch (1:48) A light bulb moment. The post is by Dina Tillman. The video is by The Fun Theory.com. Who is Dina Tillman? Who sponsors the Fun Theory web site? Where did this post get published?

Leave a comment on the post. What was your reaction? What do you think as a result of watching the video and reading the post?

Google Docs: A Quick Overview

Watch this 3:56 (3 minutes 56 seconds. You will see this method of indicating the length of a video very often in EDM310) presentation on Google Docs: An Overview.

Problems With Checklists

There are LOTS of problems with the way you have named your checklists.
These are correct:










In the example above the title of the Checklist is correctly shown as Last Name, First Name Student Checklist Master Spring 2011. AND the student's name is in Cell A2 in the same format.










In the example above the title of the Checklist is correctly shown as Last Name, First Name Checklist Master Spring 2011. Even though the word "Master" is included in the Title it is correct. Moreover the student's name is in Cell A2 in the same format.


There are NOT correct:











In this example there are TWO mistakes. the name in the Title is NOT Last Name, First Name as required. Instead it is First Name Last Name. IN ADDITION the student's name is NOT in Cell A2. These errors must be corrected.














Although the Title contains the Last Name, First Name it should also have at a minimum Student Checklist Spring 2011. IN ADDITION the student's name is NOT in Cell A2. These errors must be corrected.











In this example we find no student name at all Just Copy of... We do have a FIRST NAME only in Cell A2. It should contain Last Name, First Name

So What Do You Do?
My guess is that over 1/3 of the Checklists are not correct. Here is what you must do:
1. Go to your Google Docs and click on YOUR checklist. Is the Title in the form it should be? If not, click on the Title and Change it to Last Name, First Name Student Checklist Spring 2011.

Is your name in Cell A2 in this form: Last Name, First Name? If not, click in the cell A2 and correct it.

Once you have made the corrections they will AUTOMATICALLY appear in my Google Docs (actually in edm310checklists's Google Docs).

ONE LAST THING. While your checklist is open, click on Share. Make sure that edm310checklists is in the list of people you are sharing with. If not, add edm310checklists@gmail.com. ALSO be sure that the privilege is set TO EDIT. If it is set to TO VIEW, change and save changes.

MW4 has not yet done the Checklists. Learn from these examples and avoid these mistakes!

Links to Pictures

I know there are some mistakes. Perhaps lots of them. Send me a gmail (strange.john@gmail.com) and tell me the name under your picture and your name. Make sure I can tell which is which (name under picture and your name). Thanks.

TT11
TT2
MW4
M6

New Developments and Modified Tasks

This post is here in large part to see whether you are regularly reading the Class Blog. You MUST do so.

A change:
1. The first C4T assignments will not be posted (in your Google Docs) until Monday and should be completed by next Sunday. Since the MW Class met only once this week, it seemed prudent to make that change. You do not have to change the Checklist, but you can if you want. If you have read and commented on the first C4T assignment by Sunday midnight 1/30 (MW Class Tuesday 2/1) then you can color it green.

Some tasks
1. When someone leaves a comment on your blog, you should get a gmail and edm310comments should get a gmail. We need to check that that is happening. Go to your first blog post. Leave yourself a comment. See whether you get a gmail notifying you of that event. I will also check to see that edm310comments got an email. If it is not working, go to your Dashboard, go to Settings. Go to Comments (the small tab). Scroll all the way down. Make sure your gmail address is in the last box and that edm310comments@gmail.com is there as well. If you make any changes, Save Settings.
2. You need a picture to add to your profile. Your pictures will be posted later today (by noon). I will add another post to the blog which will appear just above this one providing links to the pictures for each of the four sections of EDM310. Make sure I have the correct name on your picture. If I do not, please send me an email telling me the name under your picture and your name as well.
3. You must notify me if I have your name wrong. You can download the picture using the down arrow key. You can use it in your Blogger profile. If you do not like my picture (You don't like the picture I took of you? How can that be?), you can use your own as long as it meets these three criteria:

1. It is a closeup picture of your face, not a full length picture of you at 100 yards


2. It looks like you


3. It does not contain the picture of any other human being

4. Later today (hopefully by noon), there will be a new link on the Class Blog for Student Blogs 2011. When that link appears, click on it. Find your name. Click on your name. It should take you to your blog. If it does not (there are many reasons why it might not work), send me a gmail to strange.john@gmail.com and tell me what is happening.
5. If you want you name listed differently than I have it, send me a gmail about that as well.
6. Later today or early tomorrow I will post a list of students whose checklist I cannot access. Check the Class Blog later today or tomorrow. See whether your name is on that list. If it is on that list then your checklist has not been shared properly or it did not work. Instructions about what to do if your name is on the list will be contained in that blog.
7. Note the Archives portion of the list of items on the right of the blog. This is an easy way to find older posts.
8. Notice the search box in the upper left corner of the Class Blog (actually all Blogger blogs including yours). Use this to search for a word or a phrase in the blog your are visiting.
9. Need help? Email, SMS Text, call, Tweet (if you have started with Twitter) or Skype (probably too early to be doing that yet. But you can try. We are here to help. Ask early and often!

Missing Gmail addresses

I still need Gmail addresses for the following students. I sent you an email (to your University email address) outlining what you must do. Please DO IT NOW! If you have already sent it, SEND IT AGAIN to edm310new@gmail.com. Also send a copy to strange.john@gmail.com
MW4
Charles Boykin

Welcome Spring 2011 EDM310 Class

The Syllabus and Instruction Manual links are on the right under Essential Materials for Students and Visitors.

In the Instruction Manual you will find links to the other important documents for the class.

I will take your picture during the first class meeting.

Bring your portable computer or iPad with you if you have one.

You will soon receive a questionnaire. Fill it out and click the SUBMIT button only once.

If you have not created a Google account, do so. See the instructions I mailed to your University email account. Send me your Gmail address. This should be done BEFORE classes start!

I am looking forward to meeting all of you.