SEMTEC - Techspo - Web 2.0 - a roundtable discussion: What is it and how is it working in your schools?

This session started with the Machine is Us/ing Us video by Mike Wesch. Most of those in attendance are tech coordinators from area schools (9 people total), two of us deal specifically with instructional technology.

Jen shared with us her del.icio.us account.

We then watched Lee Lefever's, RSS in Plain English.

Thunderbird will aggregate RSS feeds as well as handle email.

Discussed blogging.

Looked at Ning. -You can have a private network.

SEMTEC - Techspo - Video Conferencing witin SEMNET

Today I am attending the first annual SEMTEC Techspo at Stewartville HS in Stewartville, MN. Today I will be posting 5-6 entries about this event. The following are my notes from the first session I attended on Video Conferencing within SEMNET by Jen Hegna (tech coordinator) from Byron, MN (my own comments in italics):

• This technology allows classrooms to connect with other classrooms via digital video.
• It allows you to share not only video from a camera but also computer or video screens.
• It appears you connect via phone calls much like Skype
• ASL so far has been the fastest growing and most popular video classes.
• Professional development - teachers can take classes from UofM or St. Cloud State in the evenings
• Socrates started in 1984 - Socrates is a network of video conferencing schools that began in northern MN.
• 4 schools can share an account
• They are looking at integrating streaming technology so it can be used on screen in a lab setting.
• SEMNET has not yet started offering classes
• Could be hooked up to LCD projector and viewed on the SMARTboard. Very mobile, unlike ITV.
• Contact OET to hook up.
• I don't see the advantage to this as opposed to using a free service like Skype other than the ability to share VHS or DVD.
• I think this technology is best left to other districts to develop before Goodhue jumps on board. I don't think it is cost effective for us right now.
• More info: http://www.mnet.state.mn.us/
• The advantage to this over Skype is quality of service. Skype can be slow if the network bandwidth is bogged down.
• The technology is the easy part - the hard part is making the connections and establishing the collaborations.