Pushing Forward

 To start the winter semester 2010 for my university students, I'd like you to blog about your reactions to this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmoc9F6fceQ&feature=player_embedded 

 

Mark

Heh Gang!

Voila un blog (http://blog.profnoel.com/index.php/logiciels-libres-en-education ) qui présent un dvd pour windows ou mac qui installe (ou permet l'utilisation à partir du dvd je crois) une grosse groupe de logiciels open source.

Profitez-en pour en essayer quelques-uns. Je les reconnais tous sauf 7  et tous mes préférés quand je roulait encore en Windows- liste#1 et liste#2 - sont là!   

Mark

Here are a couple of great videos...one on the limits of books nowadays and the other about learning a new system.

Draw your own conclusions...Enjoy!

http://betch.edublogs.org/2009/03/16/420/ - This textbook is broken!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ - Medieval Helpdesk

 

Mark

 

 

 On a previous post I mentioned KompoZer as a webpage creation and editing tool. It has come to my attention that the download of this software is not an installation package (click install and say ''ok'' a few times...) as with most commercial software.  Below I have written some instructions to help anyone who'd like to install this software.

I must say, that Kompozer is easily as complete as Dreamweaver and Frontpage and you can't beat the price!

The installation:

I have tried to be as clear as possible, but your success may depend on how comfortable you are at installing software.

*It's a good idea to save the .zip from Kompozer.net on your ''Desktop''(bureau), it's easier to find.)

Once you have downloaded the .zip:
1. First, create a folder '' Kompozer'' in C:/program Files   (C:/programmes in French Windows)
2. Extract ALL files from the .zip folder to your your new folder C:/program files/Kompozer
3. Once everything is extracted, you will probably want to include Kompozer in your START(DEMARRER) menu of Windows so you don't have to run Kompozer everytime from C:/program files/Kompozer/kompozer.exe.

To add Kompozer to your START menu:
    1. Right-click on C:/program files/Kompozer/kompozer.exe
    2. Select ''Create a shortcut''(creer un raccourci), when Windows refuses to create the shortcut(raccourci) in the Kompozer folder, put it on the desktop(Bureau).
    3. You may now click and drag this new shortcut icon from the Desktop to the desired place in you START menu

In the past, I had problems installing the localisation files(language packs). My unversity students should stick to the English version anyway.

Mark

I stumbled upon a blog article that mentioned a few Free Wiki hosting websites:

I have already used Wetpaint.com and find it quite nice, the others are:

Wikispaces  and PBwiki

Give it a try!

Mark

 

 

Ok, so the re-install went as smoothly as I expected. Partioning problems fixed. All software and preferences are back. 

For the curious, I will highlight some of the positives:

The whole process took about 3 hours and I wasn't sitting in front of the screen for any more than half of that time, as you will see. I played with my kids while the dvd was copying and installing...I did the dishes while the software packages I chose (all of them at once - 5 or 6) downloaded and installed themselves... I copied all my documents and files from my backup - while watching football ...and set things up on the desktop, software and menus so everything was back the way I like it. 

When I had backed-up my email, ftp, and browser software (Thunderbird, Filezilla, and Firefox respectively) I actually made copies of the client files.  Once the software was re-installed, I just copied these files and docs back into place (replacing the virgin ones) and when I opened the software it was like I had never left. This is particularly pratical with email: I didn't have to re-do all the account set-up stuff nor did I lose any mail or have to copy it all somewhere manually. The last thing I did was import the address book back into Thunderbird and import my feedlist back into Liferea(my feedreader).

So it was pretty anti-climactic. That's a good thing.

Mark 

 

 

 

I promised a while ago that I was going to make the switch. I did so at the beginning of July on my laptop. Completely hassel free. I slipped in the dvd, chose to install only Ubuntu (not dual boot: Windows and Ubuntu in parallel on the computer). All told, I was up running and functional in two evenings. To be exact, I was up and running after the first evening. The second evenng I was ''shopping for software'' using Synaptic Package Manager (part of the base package). 

The package manager is, in essence, a catalogue of ALL -and I mean ALL- the software available and approved for Ubuntu. So, you search the catalogue by keyword, select what you want and then install. It downloads it, installs it and in a matter of minutes you are using what you've chosen. You don't even interact with the install process. This is more than a pleasurable tool. I consider this a luxury that makes windows obsolete. No unzipping. No set-up process. No finding the download. No compatability issues!

Near the end of August, my laptop was replaced. Yes! Faster machine! Bigger screen! The install was easy the first time, so this time it was a breeze. Backing up my docs was not comlicated. The only thing I didn't know was that partitioning my hard drive is very useful for the hiberation and sleep functions instead of completely shutting down the computer. SO....I am about to re-install Ubuntu for the third time and I'm actually looking forward to it. Having those two functions is well worth the investment of time involved in installing everything again.

Here's a quick list of what I am making copies of before my DO-OVER:

• mozilla thunderbird (email client) files - actual copy of system files
  
• mozilla firefox  -  bookmarks and preferences - actual copy of system files
• liferea (linux feedreader) archives - export feed, that's it!
• my home folder (all my docs)
• export my address book
• filezilla (ftp client)- actual copy of system files
• make a few notes on paper about my desktop/system preferences

I'll blog about the results in a day or so :)

Mark

 

 

Will Richardson has a phenomenal blog about technology and education. I love this one line post that resumes our situation in Quebec(reform), as well as in our programme and for me in my own  teaching approach. Teachers, take the time to read the discussion in the comments section of his post.  

http://weblogg-ed.com/2008/when-are-we-going-to-stop-giving-kids-tests-that-they-can-cheat-on/#comment-49968

The discussion reminds me of a proverb,

Give someone a fish, you feed them for a day. Teach someone to fish and you feed them for a lifetime.

Mark 

 

Over the last two weeks I have been perfecting my skills administrating forums. More specifically, phpBB forums. I have had a great time installing and setting up the latest sytem (phpBB 3.0) on our servers - 3 different forums, no less - for three different groups of users.

For someone less interested in playing around on a server and stuff, there are a multitude of forum hosting websites that offer free forums where everything is set-up for you and you just manage the discussions. Search Google for free forums or free PHPBB forums and you'll find loads.

PHPBB is an open-source application. In my opinion it is THE forum tool for the simple reason that it has(is) a virtual monopoly. If you surf forums at all on the web, you are already familiar with the interface and structure of phpBB or at least you may have noticed that all forums look the same...In recent memory, I can't remember having come across an online forum that is powered by something else.

So, over the last two weeks I have been reflecting on the pedagogical applications of forums. There is nothing earth shattering or genius about what I have realised, but until last week I had not given this a whole lot of of thought. At the root of its structure, a forum is designed to follow a question+answer or progressive discussion type format. Each new question is usually created as a new topic and the ensuing replies or discussion are organised chronologically on the same page(s). I see this structure as quite efficient for a student looking for an answer to a question others have asked or to a problem others have thought about and/or solved. The community gradually accumulates knowledge based on what everyone leaves traces of. And that's the beauty and efficiency of it. Asking the question online, means that lots of people(the community) can answer, and after the fact other students(the community, again!) can benefit from what has been left. What exactly is left? The whole discussion, in order and organised by category or topic. And as if that wasn't enough, there is a search tool too!

I have been imagining all kinds of applications for my classroom communities in ELA. Vocabulary for common reading assignments, discussions about literature and literary analysis, news and current events to name but three. A colleague of mine had a ''Mur de lamentation''(wall of complaints) where students could complain or discuss the goings-on of their community. What a great idea! He got feedback on his projects and teaching, created a ''forum'' for discussion with his students and he also could guide their reflections and growth as people. All in one place!

I also imagine that in a few years, students will be using 3 years worth of disussions, answers and decisions to help them. Talk about a sense of community! And if that is problematic; like exam answers being shared or the objective of an activity is for the students to ''work through something for themselves'',  then one can simply take that discussion offline for a while and have the students start their own discussion.

In general, a forum has similar pedagogical advantages to Wiki and Blog insofar as the students can create and construct as they go. The specific advantages to forum, in my opinion, are its ease of use for the administrator and users, it takes only 10 mins to get a forum online, its categorization/organization, its integrated search tool and the fact that the whole community benefits, creates and constructs as they need to.

Nothing earth shattering, like I said, but loads of potential!

Mark

 

 

 

Check out this article in the L'INFObourg about blogging and more specifically what's happening in PROTIC 3.

Mark

______________________________ 

updated: March 31st

2nd article on PROTIC   

Mark