August 12, 2008–The Lodi DEN held its first event of the 2008-09 school year. With the help of an otterpop and DE Streaming videos about icebergs, Lodi educators took a respite from the San Joaquin Valley heat at Ronald E. McNair High School in Stockton, California. Returning STARs, including Heidi Burri from Lodi Middle School, helped first timers join the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) and move straight onto becoming a STAR. The vehicle we used to help attendees through the process of learning about the DEN and becoming a STAR member was a newly created DE Streaming assignment, “Icebergs For Educators.” Attendees were looking to share their experience at their school sites during Common Planning Time (CPT) the next day. Our next event is September 15th at Lodi Middle School, 3:30-5:30.
If you’d like a copy of “Icebergs for Educators” prior to its posting in Media Share, please contact me.
What’s a NIng? By Wikipedia definition, a Ning “is an online platform for users to create their own social websites and social networks, launched in October 2004. Ning was co-founded by Marc Andreessen and Gina Bianchini.” For school, the unique features of a Ning help educators take advantage of using web-based tools that our students, digital natives, already know outside of school. Ning use allows educators to create their own secure custom “academic” network for a particular classroom, school, or district instructional need. Nings have been used by educators world-wide with great success. My first introduction to ning use was through my participation in CUE, ISTE, and Discovery Educator Network (DEN). Ning features were customized so that participants can easily upload multiple formats, Including .doc, .ppt, .xls, and .pdf. Additionally, instructional materials and student developed projects that include picture and video file formats may be used. Uisng a Ning in conjunction with DE Streaming and other DEN resources provide educators with even more possibilities.
Here’s an article about the how 21st Century tools–including blogs, wikis, and nings–address NCLB.
http://www.nea.org/esea/21stcenturynclb.html
