uStream and the classroom

uStream.tv is a powerful tool for the classroom, it can allow the Community to connect with the STUDENTS, (capitalization is intentional.) This allows parents to see their children in action, it allows the community to see their tax dollars in action. In return the students get to see that others not only care about what they do in school, it gives them ownership outside of the physical school walls. Another benefit for students is that they learn how to act appropriately in an online environment.

I did not learn about uStream.tv on my own. A colleague of mine from Wisconsin, soon to be of Northern California, uses the site and I was intrigued by the thought of using it. I could also plug Eduwikius and my Twitter network here and the help they offer me, but I go back to my initial intent.

Another benefit of uStream is that it is free. Being a teacher in a public school, that is a major benefit. I am finding out that the free service works better with good equipment, along with user knowledge. This were I run into trouble…user knowledge. The concept is rather easy to get your brain around, broadcast a product or idea out over the Internet for others to watch.

Hopefully during the upcoming 2008/2009 school year I will be commenting about some neat projects oour students have created using this tool.

Breaking the Paradigm

Talking with many people that I know, the general consensus is that they do not have time to blog. I usually can agree with that statement. I have several posts that are saved, but unfinished and unpublished. I believe it comes from how I was taught to write.

As a child growing up in the 1970’s and high school in the early 1980’s, the process was drawn out as: rough draft, edit, good, copy, edit, turn in. That mindset does not allow for short quickly written notes or posts to be published on the Internet. I write this as my post is growing longer than I expected and hoped it would be.

If we can realize that is no longer the necessary process, maybe some of us can contribute more in the future…not that that will be a good thing. It just will be…