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--------------1CE914262E0FB75FC4A9E510 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Fellas: Thanks to Monica and Peter for their thoughtful replies. Sometimes I feel that we are, as they say, "preaching to the choir" as we post to one another: we are, after all, among the small number of educators committed to using the internet and new media in our work. The problem, I truly believe, is not with us. As I wrote my original post a day or two ago outlining my short list of best practices, it occurred to me that most or all of us are probably following those dicta already -- that we already know about AUPs, about how to set up, use, and control a computer room, and so on. So how do we disseminate this knowledge among our colleagues locally? I'm curious as to how other teachers' school districts are handling this problem of teacher training. In Worcester I am often hired by the school system to do development for various teacher groups. Usually the objective is to teach some kind of software or internet material: spreadsheet, Front Page, or How to Use the Internet to Teach [Science/Math/History/Music/Art or all-of-the-above]. But in these workshops I try to squeeze in as much "best practices" stuff as I can, and I tell the teachers that they aren't going to teach any content until and unless they're running the computer room properly. In my 10th period class I have 30-35 students, all freshmen, all jumpy, half of them asking to go to the bathroom, none of them potential Fulbright scholars -- and I don't need to tell you that it's an adventure bringing them into the 20-station computer lab. I bring them there regularly anyway: almost every day in the month of January: Martin Luther King material, then impeachment, then for a terrific (if I do say so myself) online lesson on Islam. They enjoyed these very much, learned a lot from each, I think, and I've been happy with the results. But sometimes it seems that one teacher is simply not enough. Needless to say again, I have been quick and firm with discipline, and that policy has had a salutary effect with this class especially. Thanks again, Monica and Peter, for your replies. Monica, as for your question: > what sort of parent education are your schools/districts doing? The answer here is simple: none. It's good to see that in your district they have at least addressed the questions dealing with chat rooms, email, security, etc. We have not gone even that far. If I can change the subject for a moment, please: since I am an alumnus, like all of us, of the LoC summer institute, I read with longing the current announcements for the coming summer's workshop, almost wishing that there were an opportunity to participate a 2nd time, or perhaps to have an "old-timer's" gig. Since that is not to be, however, I am looking for other high-quality workshops during the summer. Does anyone know of any, especially ones emphasizing the internet and the new media? If you feel that it's inappropriate to discuss this on this forum, you could send me information by private email at [log in to unmask] Thanks. Arnold --------------1CE914262E0FB75FC4A9E510 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML> Fellas: <P>Thanks to Monica and Peter for their thoughtful replies. Sometimes I feel that we are, as they say, "preaching to the choir" as we post to one another: we are, after all, among the small number of educators committed to using the internet and new media in our work. The problem, I truly believe, is not with us. As I wrote my original post a day or two ago outlining my short list of best practices, it occurred to me that most or all of us are probably following those dicta already -- that we <I>already</I> know about AUPs, about how to set up, use, and control a computer room, and so on. So how do we disseminate this knowledge among our colleagues locally? <P>I'm curious as to how other teachers' school districts are handling this problem of teacher training. In Worcester I am often hired by the school system to do development for various teacher groups. Usually the objective is to teach some kind of software or internet material: spreadsheet, Front Page, or How to Use the Internet to Teach [Science/Math/History/Music/Art or all-of-the-above]. But in these workshops I try to squeeze in as much "best practices" stuff as I can, and I tell the teachers that they aren't going to teach any content until and unless they're running the computer room properly. <P>In my 10th period class I have 30-35 students, all freshmen, all jumpy, half of them asking to go to the bathroom, none of them potential Fulbright scholars -- and I don't need to tell you that it's an adventure bringing them into the 20-station computer lab. I bring them there regularly anyway: almost every day in the month of January: Martin Luther King material, then impeachment, then for a terrific (if I do say so myself) online lesson on Islam. They enjoyed these very much, learned a lot from each, I think, and I've been happy with the results. But sometimes it seems that one teacher is simply not enough. Needless to say again, I have been quick and firm with discipline, and that policy has had a salutary effect with this class especially. <P>Thanks again, Monica and Peter, for your replies. Monica, as for your question: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>what sort of parent education are your schools/districts doing?</BLOCKQUOTE> The answer here is simple: none. It's good to see that in your district they have at least addressed the questions dealing with chat rooms, email, security, etc. We have not gone even that far. <P>If I can change the subject for a moment, please: since I am an alumnus, like all of us, of the LoC summer institute, I read with longing the current announcements for the coming summer's workshop, almost wishing that there were an opportunity to participate a 2nd time, or perhaps to have an "old-timer's" gig. Since that is not to be, however, I am looking for other high-quality workshops during the summer. Does anyone know of any, especially ones emphasizing the internet and the new media? If you feel that it's inappropriate to discuss this on this forum, you could send me information by private email at [log in to unmask] Thanks. <P>Arnold</HTML> --------------1CE914262E0FB75FC4A9E510--