Showing posts with label analog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label analog. Show all posts

27 July 2018

#UTedChat Book List from July 18th - The Power of Reading #Read4Fun



I love Twitter chats and most especially #UTedChat which happens every Wednesday @ 9pm Mountain Time during the school year and occasionally during the summer as well. I was lucky enough to moderate on Wednesday, July 18th on the topic of The Power of Reading, which I admit was a little selfish with my new job as the Library Media Coordinator and Digital Learning Coach at Tonaquint Intermediate School in Washington County School District, more on that change coming up. I have always been a reader and I discovered many of the regular #UTedChat participants are as well as we had an amazing discussion on reading, authors, and books in general. In fact, we had so many excellent books being shared out that I offered to compile them all into a single list to share out, again a bit selfishly since I wanted the list anyways, but it was well worth it. Well, after 3+ hours of combing through the Wakelet archive of the chat and another 5+ hours finding all the links to the books everyone mentioned, I finally finished it and will include it here in this post. I did want to point out a couple of things though:
  1. This list is sorted based on the person who shared the resource.
  2. There are repeats because different people mentioned the same authors and/or books, so I listed them each time they were mentioned by someone different.
  3. All of the people and authors are linked to either their Twitter accounts or web pages.
  4. Many of the books are linked directly to Amazon via an Amazon Affiliate Link which if you purchase directly from that link you will help support this website. If you don't like the idea of using an affiliate link, no worries, just don't purchase directly from the provided link. 
Okay, enough chit-chat, let's get on to the list. I hope you enjoy this little labor of love I compiled from the amazing #UTedChat participants. Thanks so much for sharing your excellent book choices. I am not responsible for y'all spending WAY too much at Amazon purchasing books for the next little bit so consider yourself warned! 😜
























Posted by Derek Larson at 2:42 PM 0 comments
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25 May 2017

Talks and Panels on Video - #30DayProject - Day 04

DigCitSummit @ Twitter HQ

I have had some pretty amazing things happen in the last couple of years and I just realized I haven't posted about a couple of them here. Back in October 2016 I was invited to attend the DigCitSummit @ Twitter Headquarters and speak on a panel of amazing educators on the topic of How Can We Think Outside The Box Regarding Teaching and Spreading Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy? It was a lot of fun and I learned a ton from my fellow panelists as well as the rest of the presenters and other panels that day. Below is the video from that panel discussion for your viewing pleasure, so please enjoy.


And yes, that was in fact my lovely wife calling me to check in and see how the conference was going. Ad yes, I forgot to turn my computer on Do Not Disturb mode so everyone was able to hear the ringing. But at least we were able to laugh it off and show that it's not the end of the world when something like that happens during your presentation. The other member of the panel included the following:

Panel Moderator: Alan Katzman (@SocialAssurity)
Panelists: Jaime Donally (@jaimedonally) 
Derek Larson (@lars3eb) 
Casper Pieters (@DCSOOCed) 
Chris Priebe (@chrispriebe) 
Erin Reilly (@ebreilly) 
Kristin Ziemke (@Kristinziemke)

UCET 2017

The other cool thing I wanted to share with you is the video footage of my first ever Ignite Talk that I gave at the UCET 2017 Conference at the University of Utah on March 17, 2017. The topic was Connecting Globally and Locally as Educators and it was the most challenging talk I've ever given. If you're not familiar with the Ignite Talk format it is 20 slides that automatically change every 15 seconds for a total of a 5-minute presentation! It was exhilarating and challenging and I can't wait for my chance to do another one. The filming started a little late so you actually miss my first two slides, but I think you still end up with a pretty good idea of how the talk turned out.


Have you had a presentation, talk, or panel recorded before? How did you feel when you finally found out it was available to watch online? I know I was both nervous and excited to watch. I hope you enjoy the above videos. Let me know your thoughts and how you think I could improve my method. 

Thanks for reading and watching!

Posted by Derek Larson at 5:00 AM 0 comments
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06 July 2016

Quiet Time - #100DayProject - Day 097

I am the kind of person who loves to sit quietly and think. I usually say "sit and do nothing," but I don't think that's an accurate statement because can you really do nothing? Maybe you can, but I can't because my mind tends to wander anyways so I might as well let it and then it becomes thinking about stuff. So, I am a person who likes to sit and think. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I enjoy driving so much. There is very little to "do" besides drive and think. I realize you can listen to audio entertainment (music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc.) or talk with people, but I often drive places alone and actually enjoy the silence when not enjoying some level of audio entertainment.
Image Source: Pixabay.com

In the last 48 hours, I have spent close to five hours driving in a car by myself and enjoying the silence and time to think. While I did listen to a few podcasts (thanks, Chris Nesi for another excellent episode of the #HouseOfEdTech) and some audiobooks, I actually spent some time in quiet solitude to consider all that I've been blessed to do this year so far and to wonder a bit about where I'm headed in the future. And do you know what? It was an incredibly relaxing time in the car.

While spending some time on Twitter tonight, I came across a tweet that was retweeted by the Best Keynote group that really struck a cord with me. The tweet is below.



How often do we allow ourselves to just sit quietly and reflect and think, especially while waiting for an appointment? I agree with Connor and also enjoy my time while waiting. And yet, sometimes still pull out my pocket computer and mess around. Why do we feel the need to constantly be connected to our phones instead of letting ourselves let go? I don't have an answer and am still working on unplugging more often in the spare moments we have throughout the day.

I hope we can all find ways to unplug and learn to enjoy the quiet in our lives. Because life has so few of those moments left, it'd be a shame to waste them all playing games or messing around on social media all the time. Here's to unplugging a little more and thinking about life.

Posted by Derek Larson at 11:37 PM 0 comments
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01 July 2016

Memory Lane - #100DayProject - Day 092

I decided to take a stroll down memory lane tonight and watch one of my favorite superhero movies, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. And it was not only a walk down memory lane because this version of Batman came out in 1993, but because I was watching the actual VHS tape I watched when I was a kid back in 1993. And just in case you forgot what a VHS tape is, here's a link to a Wikipedia article about VHS.
Image Source: Wikipedia.org

Why would I pick an animated version of Batman over many of the other versions available? Because I think the animated version from the early 90s was one of the best produced, not too dark and not too cartoony, even though it was animated. I loved the storylines as well animation style because again, it was a little more realistic than other cartoons. But I also chose Mask of the Phantasm because sometimes nothing beats the older versions of items, even if they lack more modern touches and sometimes it's because of that lack.

Just like my movie selection, I often choose learning tools that are not as modern or digital. I love taking notes with pens/pencils and paper, working out rough drafts on paper as opposed to digital tools, and often prefer to read paper books over ebooks. I also enjoy allowing my students the same option of using either high- or low-tech for projects based on their personal preferences. While there are some assignments I have my students use specific tools, others are totally up to them. And what I love to see is regularly some students will just choose their analog tools over the digital while others always pick digital. I think it's important we allow for choice in tools whenever possible because it shows students it's more about the project or results over the specific tool used. We need to always keep that in mind and never create an assignment merely to use a specific high-tech tool unless the outcome is to help students better learn how that tool works.

Maybe take your own stroll down memory lane and watch a movie or read a book from your past that helps you remember the way things used to be. Then open up to the idea of doing the same in your class next year. Nothing wrong with using a great analog tool every now and then.

Posted by Derek Larson at 11:36 PM 0 comments
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30 June 2016

#ISTE2016 Flooding - #100DayProject - Day 091

Image Source: Pixabay.com
I live in a desert and in order to survive, like everywhere else, we depend on the rain. However, different to other climates, deserts have a love-hate relationship with the rain. We desperately need it but we often don't get the best form of rain for our environment. So what happens? We usually get too much in a single storm that causes flash floods and we often end up having damage done in the process of receiving the needed moisture.

Look no further than this report by CBS News on some of the flooding that happened today in Las Vegas, just a short two hours Southwest from me. In fact, Investigative Reporter Vanessa Murphy from CBS Channel 8 shared the following tweet showing just one of many washes in Vegas that are normally dry.


Kind of makes you realize how important it is to be safe out there in the rain. But another area we need to be careful with is information and knowledge. The excellent #ISTE2016 just wrapped up today and it seemed to be a great success! While I was #NotAtISTE2016 this year, it seemed that my social networks were flooded with wonderful information about how to better myself and hopefully create a better learning environment for my students.

Even though the information was good and helpful, it was still a deluge of knowledge that will definitely leave me gasping for air for next little bit. And just like after a physical flood things have to dry out a little, we need to be sure and allow ourselves to "dry out" a little from all the knowledge collected. Now's the time to sit back and reflect on the good, bad, and ugly of the week and see what exactly is worthwhile and what was more hype and excitement. Let's all take a couple of days and let the new knowledge percolate a little so we can better utilize it because just like the excess rain can't all be absorbed into the dry ground, we can't possibly absorb all of the new information. By taking the time to see what fits best for us we will better be able to maximize our learning.

So take some time the next couple of days and allows yourself to reflect and maybe even disconnect a little to see what exactly is the best use of the new tools acquired at #ISTE2016.

Posted by Derek Larson at 10:17 PM 0 comments
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26 June 2016

Still Here - #100DayProject - Day 087

So I think I had some of you worried that I was about to cut out all social media and unplug from the 'Net after my last post coupled with the fact that I hadn't posted yet for the day. Don't worry, I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere, yet. Besides, do you really think I'd leave without saying Good Bye? I'm not that kind of a person. Rest assured that if I ever do leave, I'll leave this site up with a proper farewell note.

Now, don't go taking this some morbid way, I'm not suicidal or anything, but I have thought about taking some major time off from the online world and focusing on the physical one instead. My most read piece still is my article called Analog Love where I share my love of all things analog and how I actually like unplugging occasionally to recharge. In fact, if you were one of the lucky folks to attend #EdCampUT back in October of 2015 or #DigCitSummitUK in January 2016, you were able to hear me speak a little more on the NEED to unplug and recharge ourselves.

I think it's important that we all take some time to get back in touch with our analog selves and see what we really need and want to connect with. As much as I love all the Voxer groups, Twitter chats, and other online connection forums, sometimes I worry that I'm getting lost in the online world and forgetting that I have people here in my home that need me more.

I realize that part of this desire to unplug for me is that there is an overload of great things being shared due to #ISTE2016 happening now as well as the #NotAtISTE2016 group sharing what they are learning from their PLN in attendance. I think I just need to take a breather and realize this is a perfect opportunity to adjust my notifications on my social network apps so I'm not getting inundated non-stop but can instead choose when I want to look into the great resources being shared.

Thanks for letting me share some of these thoughts that cross my mind more and more frequently these days. Maybe it's just the Universe's way of telling me it's time to step back a little and cut out a few of my possibly excessive commitments I've set up. Whatever it is, I've gotta figure it out so I can better take care of myself.

Posted by Derek Larson at 11:46 PM 0 comments
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11 May 2016

Global Connections - #100DayProject - Day 041

Image Source: Pixabay.com
I am incredibly lucky to be able to connect with awesome educators from across the globe who help push my thinking and help me become a better and more successful educator. And while I LOVE face-to-face and analog connections, I am very grateful for the digital tools and Internet that allows me to connect even more wide range. Just today, I responded to a tweet of my friend Craig Kemp, who is currently teaching in Singapore, about the need to connect with another educator, and new friend, David Carruthers who is based in London, Ontario, Canada for a #MysteryGHO.


So, to clear things up, I am in Utah, United States. I responded to a tweet from a friend in Singapore about connecting with a new friend in London, Ontario, Canada. We just connected three countries and two continents in a matter of hours and it was awesome!

What did we do? My 5th-grade students taught a bunch of teachers in Canada how the idea of #MysterySkype, or in our case, #MysteryGHO works and they had a lot of fun doing it! We were able to guess their country, the first time we have done an international #MysteryClassroom call, their providence, and even their city before they guessed our state! My kids did great and they loved the chance to be the shining stars teaching teachers.

If you aren't connected with Craig or David, please connect with them because they are great educators doing amazing things with schools. Also, if you aren't connected with me on Twitter, please find me at @lars3eb and connect and maybe the next time we do a #MysteryClassroom event you'll be on the other end!

Posted by Derek Larson at 12:50 PM 1 comments
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04 May 2016

To Tech Or Not To Tech - #100DayProject - Day 034

I am a fan of all things tech and try to get my students involved in as much of it as possible. I tell my students on the first day of school, I'm hoping to turn them into little Nerds or Geeks (they can pick their title) by the end of the year. I also try to convince them these title aren't bad, but actually good. Even still, I have some who aren't so sure, but most come around to the idea by the end of the year.

I'm also a supporter of good analog tools and taking time to unplug. Tonight on #UTedChat we were having an excellent discussion all about #MayThe4thBeWithYou (like I said, nerd alert!) and an excellent question was posed by one of our moderaters, Michael Hakkarinen (don't try to pronounce it, you might hurt yourself!):


What an awesome, thought-povoking question! And yet, how would you answer? What are your thoughts on the idea of kids learning robotics? 

My answers (yes there were a few of them), were:



 Other than the fact that I nerded out a little with that last one, I stand by the idea that students need to have a well-rounded academic career. I think all students should learn a little coding, but they don't have to take advanced classes in it, but they should know a little bit. Why do we have all students take a Life Science and a Physical Science if they aren't going to all become scientists? Having that background knowledge of how Science works is very helpful for their lives. So then is having a background knowledge in coding and Computer Science. We live in a digital world and the better our students understand that, the less likely they are to believe what some can do with computers is magic and more that it's just lines of code placed in the correct order.

Having just returned from #Picademy and being immersed with Raspberry Pi and Python programming, I am even more sure of the above statements. I'm not a professional-grade programmer, but I better understand what some of my professional programming friends are doing. I am better rounded (and I don't just mean my belly after the amazing food!) and able to understand what is happening behind the screen.

We need to remember that it's okay to teach Computer Science to ALL students but we also need to realize it's equally okay to teach more of the analog skills as well. That's part of why I still support teaching and using cursive handwriting and handwriting in general. And it's totally okay for students to choose their mode of technology for assignments, whether high- or low-tech, it should be about the project and not the tool.

So let's get our tech on and help our students to do the same, but don't forget the pencil and paper in this high-tech world we're moving into!

Posted by Derek Larson at 11:20 PM 0 comments
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28 April 2016

Analog Tools - #100DayProject - Day 028

I realize I have already shared one of John Spencer's great Sketchy Video for this #100DayProject, but he's gone and created another one that resonates with me so fully that I have to share it. Don't worry, you'll thank me after watching it.

This one is called Kids Need Vintage Tools and is all about the need to allow kids to use analog tools and NOT just the amazing digital ones. Those long-time readers of ETB will know that the idea of analog tools and taking time to recharge away from digital tools is something I feel very strongly about. Things like taking time at conferences to have discussions, or making room for cursive and handwriting in general. To this day, my most popular post here at ETB is when I wrote about my love of all things analog back in 2014 and the fact that I like going off-grid at times. So, of course, I wold fall in love with this Sketchy Video. I encourage you take some time and watch this excellent video and then, take some time to see if there are ways you can help bring back some analog love to your classroom!


As if the theme of the video wasn't enough, John has infused his sense of humor into the video from the very first line, "I was born in the Ice age," clear to the end. Please watch this video and take it to heart and then share it with everyone you know, especially teachers. Like John, I love all the digital tools, but I still want kids to have a love for analog tools. I hope by the time you finish the Sketchy Video, you too, will be a lover of analog tools for student learning.

Posted by Derek Larson at 6:30 AM 0 comments
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26 April 2016

Nimble, The 1 Finger Wonder Tool - #100DayProject - Day 026

I have just come across a new product that looks great and may even keep packaging nightmares at a minimum. While floating around Facebook, I found out about Nimble, The 1 Finger Wonder Tool! Wath the video below and tell me this doesn't look like the most amazing product of the week, if not year.



Now that you are totally in love with this product, go to its Kickstarter page and back it. One thing to keep in mind, this is a UK product, so the price of one Nimble being 7 Pounds is actually closer to $10 here in the USA. And if you want more than one, there is an option to buy three Nimbles for about $27, so go crazy.

If you are new to Kickstarter, realize this, these products aren't always available because they need to meet their production goals first and then they only have a certain number of days to make the project work or else it doesn't happen. With that said, it looks like the Nimble will be okay because it's already hit its goal.

How does this apply to schools and education? Do you not get mail at school? Do you not open packages and other products? I think having a Nimble would be great to help me open mail, but also to cut out things in magazines (yes I still have paper magazine subscriptions, leave me alone!) or even cutting out laminated items. I know teachers LOVE laminating items so they'll last better, so why not order a Nimble and see if it doesn't make your life easier with these tasks.

So get out there and help support indy creators by backing and sharing their projects.

Posted by Derek Larson at 6:30 AM 0 comments
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20 April 2016

The Pen Addict Turns 200 - #100DayProject - Day 020

Image Source: Relay.fm/PenAddict
One of my favorite forms of both entertainment and education is podcasts. I have been listening to them for years (even being lucky enough to appear as a guest on a couple) and yet, I keep finding more and more to listen to and love. I wrote about my love of podcasts a while ago so maybe at some point, I'll update my list of current subscriptions, but today is not that day. Today I want to spotlight one of my favorites, The Pen Addict Podcast!

The last time I wrote about TPA it was a part of the 70Decibels podcast network, way back in 2012. Since then, it's moved to the 5by5 network and now lives as part of Relay.fm, my favorite podcast network.

Something pretty amazing recently happened for Brad Dowdy and Myke Hurley, they recorded Episode 200 Live from the Atlanta Pen Show! I am so excited for these fellas because they create what is possibly my favorite podcast ever and they are so fun to listen to. When I started listening to TPA four years ago, I wasn't even a pen addict yet, but I certainly am one now!

For this live show, just like last year, the fellas decided to have it both audio and video recorded and I'm so excited to SEE this episode! I have already listened and it was great. Now I just need to have the video finished with the edits to fully enjoy the show. Stephen Hackett, 512 Pixels author and Relay.fm co-founder, was there to help with the recording and wrote an excellent post about it, which you should totally go read even if you have never heard of TPA because it's an excellent post.

My favorite line from Stephen's post:
"Obviously, the setup for this was more complicated than what we normally use to record a show like this, so I thought it would be fun to share how we did it."
If you want to listen to an incredibly geeky show with two buddies who thoroughly enjoy what they do, then I can't recommend The Pen Addict Podcast highly enough! Although listener beware, you may find yourself suddenly buying an excessive amount of analog tools, but that's just part of the experience of becoming a Pen Addict. Congrats Brad and Myke on another excellent show and here's to another 100+ more.
Posted by Derek Larson at 6:30 AM 0 comments
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27 November 2015

Giving Thanks for Writing via #EdSurge

My amazing Mom & beautiful daughter on the Dumbo ride at Disneyland January 2014.

I was recently invited by Mary Jo Madda from EdSurge to share some thoughts on who taught me to write in an article posted yesterday as part of their Thanksgiving Day celebrations. I was so happy to write about my amazing Mom Diana because she is the best. She is a former elementary teacher turned entrepreneur who has led a successful business with my father since 1978. I am very grateful for her pushing me to be better in all that I do and for helping me to always reach for my dreams.

I was one of many contributors to the article including some of my EdTech buddies like Rodney Turner, Kayla Delzer, Mary Jo Madda, Jin-Soo Huh, Kyle Pace, and many others! You should definitely go take a look and while there check out a number of the other great EdSurge stories. I love my affiliation with EdSurge and the friendships I have made because of it.

I'll let you head over to EdSurge.com for the full article, but wanted to share it here as well.

Thanks Mom for all the help and support. I Love You!

Posted by Derek Larson at 3:44 PM 0 comments
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28 August 2014

#EdSurge50 Project


EdSurge.com
I am so excited to announce that I have been honored to have my first article published to EdSurge.com today as part of their Fifty States Project or #EdSurge50. The #EdSurge50 Project is an,
"initiative to publish articles by educators in each of the 50 states and U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and so on) by the end of 2014."
I was lucky enough to be chosen to represent Utah and I wrote about the need for continued teaching of handwriting skills in this technology driven society. Part of the inspiration for the article came from my own article Need For Cursive which I posted back in May 2013. I felt very strongly about making sure my students learned and used cursive writing then and I still feel just as strong, if not more so, that they really work on their handwriting skills.

I would love for you to go and read the article on EedSurge.com and then if you enjoy it, share it out with your PLN and everyone else! Then feel free to comment on it and let me know your thoughts on the subject of handwriting in this digital age.
Posted by Derek Larson at 11:21 AM 0 comments
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16 June 2014

Analog Love


There is something very nice about being able to “unplug” from technology and return to nature. One of my family’s favorite traditions is to go up to my in-laws’ cabin and get away for a weekend or two each Summer. We love it so much, we always try for 2-3 visits per year, if not more. Now this isn’t a cabin that is more house-like with all the major amenities like satellite T.V., Internet connectivity, paved roads, etc., this is a rugged cabin where yes there is power and plumbing, but that’s about it. We have to travel up a bumpy dirty trail, I guess it is a road but it’s not frequently graded by the city or county so it feels more trail like, and then we finally arrive to this, a wonderful relaxing break from all things “connected” for the duration of our stay. 

Petty Family cabin

One of my favorite parts of coming to the cabin is the chance to truly unplug and not worry about my email, current RSS subscriptions I haven’t had a chance to read, other online planning for events I’m involved with, but take an opportunity to sit back and enjoy some family time. My daughter knows she can’t play iPad, which usually means watching a few episodes of her favorite PBS Kids shows, and she is perfectly fine with it because she gets to explore some awesome nature! We hike, throw rocks in the creek that flows by the cabin, pick wild flowers, and play card games (after little brother goes to bed so he doesn’t try to eat/destroy the cards). We have a blast and I really miss it all once we head back down the mountain to civilization. 

The amazing John Spencer recently wrote about something similar on his site Education Rethink about not having an app for that. He mentioned that his family has designated off-screen times and that it forces them to interact with the “real world” and not just the online fun that we create for ourselves. And what is his reason for being so hard on his family and not allowing them the freedom to be creative in a digital manner, “I want them to know that the world is round.” What? Can’t you learn that from Wikipedia or a Google search or looking at online pictures? Yes, all of those things can help one to learn about the world, but here’s an even better way to learn about the world, GO LIVE IN IT! Go explore. Go outside and play. 


No, not like that. Go outside and play with others and learn what the world “feels” like, what it “smells” like, what it “tastes” like (I do not condone the act of eating things that will either make you sick or kill you, but a little dirt or grass here or there is good for you, right?) enjoy the “real world” and not just through pictures. 

John goes on to talk about the fact that his kids play pretend and even get into sibling fights over nothing important, but the typical sibling fights. But one of the absolute best lines in the entire post (you really should go and read the entire thing, after you finish reading this post first, duh) is his last line, “it was augmented reality in a way that you can’t find on a screen.” I love technology and all the amazing things it can do you us and education, but it can’t show us the real-world things of this world better than actually going outside and living can. 

With all of this said, I think I want to add a new tag to ETB, Analog, to help us all remember some of the great things in this life that aren’t digital. I love a lot of analog tools, in fact I was recently asked to speak to a group of educators about some of my favorite tools I use on a daily basis and I couldn’t help but talk about my favorite index cards (yes I have a favorite) and one of my favorite pens (yes you read that right, pens as in multiple favorites, I blame Myke and Brad of the Pen Addict Podcast for this one, go listen and you’ll see why). Many of those in attendance seemed a little confused because I was here to talk to them about some of my favorite tools and I am the “tech guy” and yet I’m talking about analog stuff? Yep and I can’t help it. Some of my most used tools are in fact analog and I LOVE it! So I will be taking some time to review and write about some of these items and I hope you’ll be willing to read along and maybe even go out and give them a try, you never know, some of these analog tools may become some of your favorite tools too!

Posted by Derek Larson at 7:30 PM 0 comments
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