This post is two weeks late in happening. A LOT has been going on, and I dropped almost all of my blogging, commenting, reading habits the last three weeks or so in order to focus on work, MACUL, and a host of other tasks that have been piling up. Suffice it to say, you’ve probably already heard this episode if you’re following the Tech Director Chat podcast via other means. If not….enjoy! Click here to listen to this week’s Tech Director Chat (or listen below) Click here to subscribe via iTunes (Mac and iOS) Click here to subscribe via Stitcher (Android and iOS) Timestamps for this week’s questions: 1:00 What has Pete been up to? 1:35 How is Pete doing with his ongoing chats with teachers? 2:30 Pete is repairing iPads? 4:45 Nancy wants to know, are there any technology grants out there to apply for? 8:00 Ben finally gets around to answering Nancy’s question about technology grants from MPEF, Meemic, and Donors Choose. 10:03 JW asks if we can improve the speed of our next teacher laptop purchases. 10:55 JW also asks if we can entertain the idea of MacBook Airs for teachers? 13:00 Andrew wants to know, what can teachers do to make technology run smoothly? 15:00 Ben asks Pete to narrow down his advice to one thing to help technology run smoothly. 17:40 Ben shares his big tip for making technology run smoothly in the classroom. 20:00 Stump Pete! 20:35 Who or what is the next big thing in music? Tech Director Chat - Making Technology Run Smoothly in the Classroom

Every once and awhile, you need some time off. Time off from a busy work schedule, a few months of bitter cold temperatures and snow, or maybe just a week off from tech questions. Apparently, our listeners at school decided this was a week for more personal questions than tech-related. This week’s episode delves into my Tech Director’s personal life, from jamming with Big Head Todd & the Monsters on his vacation, to his former life an an athletic trainer for the Chicago Blackhawks. The podcast was actually a blast to record, and it was now of our best….until iCloud ate the media file and we had to re-record. Hopefully we kept our energy up, and were able to usher in Spring Break on a casual, fun-filled note. Here’s a special bonus; Pete jamming with his rock idols on vacation: Click here to listen to this week’s Tech Director Chat (or listen below) Click here to subscribe via iTunes (Mac and iOS) Click here to subscribe via Stitcher (Android and iOS) Timestamps for this week’s questions: :52 Yes, Ben accidentally lost the first recording of the podcast this week. 2:03 What has Pete been up to today? 2:13 What is the morning Tech Dept. meeting all about? 4:35 JW wants to know, what’s the best thing Pete did on his vacation? 5:11 Why does Pete call "Big Head Todd & the Monsters" his favorite band? 7:00 Cheryl wants to know, when are you getting married?! 8:13 Dr. Bird wants to know, did you use computers when you worked with the Chicago Blackhawks? 9:55 Were there any big technology tools that you used in your former life as an athletic trainer? 10:40 Todd wants to know, who do you have winning your NCAA bracket? 12:00 Todd was curious about anything exciting that came out of the MACUL conference. 12:50 Ben has a growing Google Presentation with all MACUL attendees thoughts shared on it. 15:25 Stump Pete! 16:25 Which Beach Boy declined an invitation from "Uncle Sam" to join the army in 1967? Tech Director Chat - Spring Break!

Conversation around my dinner table isn’t always what most families would consider to be normal…or polite for that matter. My wife and I are both educators, and we encourage our children to be curious. So much so we will wind up following lengthy tangents of "why" questions far beyond what "normal" parents might endure. Which is how a simple question about what snakes eat eventually led to whether they actually poop or not (we were done with dinner at this point). My past life working in a children’s book store quickly reminded me that Everyone Poops, but my children and I were curious as to "how" it actually happened. My wife was thoroughly put off by the conversation at that point, so we headed over to the computer and did a search on Youtube without her. Yes, snakes do poop. For those of you still reading this post, the point isn’t about whether serpents defecate. The point is about finding time to honor curiosity that doesn’t always fit into our pre-planned, pre-scheduled routines; there were at least a dozen other videos about snake poop on the first page of search results, and it gave rise to a host of other questions. My son (age five) immediately wanted to know what the inside of a snake looked like. After a quick search or two for "snake anatomy," I found a student produced video about the anatomy of a snake: Not satisfied with a simple drawing, my kids wondered what a snake’s heart and insides actually looked like, so I guided them through a bit more searching and we found an actual rattlesnake dissection video. Was it disgusting? For some, yes. But it was also an authentic inquiry based on a small conversation born out of curiosity. The reality that you can learn just about anything you want using Youtube or a search engine isn’t new; it’s not going to turn heads like Khan Academy has, and it’s certainly not going to be buzzing around circles of educational technology veterans. But it did make me wonder just how many opportunities we still miss to satisfy genuine moments of curiosity. The time my children and I spent invested in our "snake poop" inquiry took all of five minutes, and we became much more well versed in the inner workings and biology of serpents; at least knowledgeable enough to ask better questions about a snake’s anatomy (why do they have two lungs, and not one? If they have actual spines and ribs, how are they able to bend so much?). I wonder how often we find time to honor those questions in the classroom. How many educators would be willing to allow some "bite sized" moments of informal learning with teacher-guided exploration of questions each week, or even each day? What if you had an "ask anything" box in your classroom where students could drop curiosities on slips of paper, with one or two questions being explored each week? What if you tasked students with sharing their own discoveries with you and their classmates. Not as a full blown "20 time" project; but a more communal way to explore small curiosities together. Plenty of classrooms are doing "Genius Hour" and "20 time" as full blown projects throughout the year, but I know that can be incredibly daunting for many. What if we started small? What if we had "Genius Snacks" or "Genius Moments" as a way to ease into the more informal learning that takes place all the time outside of the classroom?

Full warning to any regular readers of the blog, this post is Michigan-centric! Sorry. Every year thousands of teachers need to renew their teaching certificate in the state of Michigan, and have to negotiate a labyrinthine system of websites, databases, and logins to make sure they have all of their professional development hours properly inputted. In the last few years, Disitrct Provided Professional Development Hours (DPPD) have played an increasingly important role in helping teachers receive their teaching certificate renewals, but in many school districts budget cuts have left no one in central office to help teachers navigate the process. After a lot of questions from teachers, I decided to create a simple screencast walking someone through the process of inputting DPPD to the Michigan Online Educator Certification System, to ensure that you have all of your hours properly recorded before it comes time to renew your teaching certificate. It’s not terribly witty, goofy, or fun; just practical. If you’re in Michigan and have teachers in need of this, please share!

This week’s episode focused on some more practical issues of web browsers, operating system upgrades, and hinted at Pete’s upcoming involvement in helping the Village of Mattawan get some truly high speed internet as opposed to the slow speeds residents currently have. There still plenty of smaller rural communities that big telecom companies don’t want to invest in as there’s not a clear return on their investment. We also addressed a good question about Google Chrome vs. Firefox, but discovered after we recorded this that not all recommendations are good, as we learned the hard that our student information system is bet not used with Google Chrome at the elementary level for many crucial functions. Firefox is the go-to to make sure everything works as well as advertised. Outside of the browser issues, we chat about new teacher laptops, the hype around the Apple Watch, and Pete gets stumped! Click here to listen to this week’s Tech Director Chat (or listen below) Click here to subscribe via iTunes (Mac and iOS) Click here to subscribe via Stitcher (Android and iOS) Timestamps for this week’s questions: 1:03 What has Pete been up to today? 2:40 Is Pete helping the Village of Mattawan get "real" high speed internet? 5:25 Someone would like an explanation for using Google Chrome instead of Safari. 6:45 Ben thinks there are probably one of two reasons that people want to use Chrome. 9:35 Someone wants to know, what’s going on with Safari Montage? 13:20 Todd wants to know, will you be purchasing the Apple Watch? 16:20 Pete struggles with putting his phone on silent. 18:46 What’s up with Mac OS X Yosemite, will we have it soon? 19:00 We’re getting new teacher laptops for the staff! 20:32 Stump Pete! 22:05 Which musician, in 1994, recorded and played all of the instruments for his band’s debut album? Tech Director Chat - Apple Watches & New Laptops

This week we answer ALL the questions! Well, just about all of them, and what a varied bunch of questions they were. From blended learning and basic tech help, to some deeper questions about evaluating IT and what to do as we look at the future of DVDs, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in this episode. Pete has a moment of silence as he contemplates an interesting question from Jeremy on Twitter about how the Technology Department can be more connected to the classroom and get better feedback, I talk about how he’s embraced the cloud when it comes to video, and we even touch upon some ways to safely dispose of older technology (hint, the Michigan DEQ has a database of locations in each county to call for Hazardous or eWaste collections or more information). Pete also gets to share his favorite acoustic guitar maker, Volbrecht, as he catches a break from last week’s near guess. Click here to listen to this week’s Tech Director Chat (or listen below) Click here to subscribe via iTunes (Mac and iOS) Click here to subscribe via Stitcher (Android and iOS) Timestamps for this week’s questions: 1:09 What has Pete been up to today? 1:42 Is "borked" a professional IT term? 2:21 What do we do with old outdated equipment that’s collecting dust? 5:13 Brian from Twitter wants to know, how can we get certain filetypes unblocked for school computers? 7:35 Kevin is curious to know, what should I do with all the instructional DVDs that I have when we upgrade to new computers without DVD drives? 10:15 Ben has embraced the cloud, and uses Vimeo, Youtube, and Google Drive for videos. 11:30 Nancy wants to know, what’s the best way to remove apps from an iPad so they don’t come back when you sync it with your computer? 13:42 Jeremy from Twitter wants to know how the technology can team be more connected to classroom teachers for evaluation and feedback? 18:33 When it comes to Blended Learning, what would be a good online environment to use? 21:56 Stump Pete! 22:12 Pete screwed up last week. 23:21 Nancy wants to know, in your your opinion, who makes the best acoustic guitars? Tech Director Chat - The Death of DVDs?

This week’s episode gave Pete and I a chance to delve into a topic that was mentioned in last week’s podcast, and it’s one that certainly deserves not just one good conversation, but many. Web filters can be both a teacher’s bane and blessing while navigating the internet with students. Yes, they are often heavy handed in what they block (most web filters pull from pre-built lists of "block sites" that are updated constantly via computer algorithms), but they also provide safe comfortable boundaries for teachers that want to ensure certain areas of the web stay dark for students. It’s a constant struggle trying to find the happy medium between providing a secure walled garden for students, yet poking enough holes through the walls for learners to explore beyond the walls. We repeatedly come back to issues, conversations, and arguments about what we allow through our school filters, and I’m glad that we do; as the social web continues to evolve, web sites that were once branded as educationally irrelevant  (YouTube, Twitter, Forums, etc.) have begun to poke their way into the classroom in many meaningful ways. Videos, tweets, and dedicated discussion forums are all a part of many classrooms, especially blended learning environments, and the default "we must block these spaces because anything could be going on there" sentiment is falling away to a much more digital and social media savvy culture. Whether it helps move the line of what gets blocked in the short term, I would urge all teachers, administrators, and tech directors to have regular conversations about what gets blocked and why; not from the standpoint of complaining and nagging either. The conversations should be educational, aspirational, and above all sense moderated with a good dose of reasonable expectations and some common sense classroom management structures in place for dealing with a more "open" web at school. To be clear, there are many areas of the web that will always be blocked at school, and I will always say "no" to certain segments of social media and the web (I’m looking at you Tumblr). We certainly didn’t get into that much detail in the podcast, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on control over the web filters, and what sort of balancing act should be in place for managing it. Click here to listen to this week’s Tech Director Chat (or listen below) Click here to subscribe via iTunes (Mac and iOS) Click here to subscribe via Stitcher (Android and iOS) Timestamps for this week’s questions: 1:00 What has Pete been up to today? 2:47 Wanda from Twitter wants to know, can teachers have access to the web filter? 4:29 Could you see a special group of individuals that have the same web filter rights as the Tech Director? 7:10 Will teachers have the option to purchase their old laptops that are being replaced? 9:24 Elvis wants to know, is Pete moving because he just got married? 10:45 Jason from Twitter wanted to know, what should the bare minimum device be for a student to be successful in a 21st century classroom? 13:50 Is Chrome OS a real Operating System? 15:17 Stump Pete! 15:52 Does Ben censor Pete? 16:20 Elvis wants to know, what’s the hardest song you’ve ever tried to play? 18:35 Wait, Ben doesn’t listen to music? Tech Director Chat - Who Controls the Web Filter?

If you’re a parent with children of gaming age, or a teacher that hasn’t been hiding in a bubble of luddite ideals, Minecraft is huge! So much so that LEGO has gone on record as wishing they had built it and Microsoft bought it for a cool 2.5 billion dollars late last year; yes, that’s billion. It’s a juggernaut, and while I’ve played with it off and on for a few years alongside my daughter and DS106 folks, I haven’t really dipped into the Minecraft EDU waters; a special version of Minecraft made just for classrooms. For those that have explored Minecraft in the classroom already, these ideas may not be terribly new, innovative, or informative; it’s just a place for me to gather some good starting points as I begin to explore the world of Minecraft beyond  the playful building I’ve experienced. If you want a quick idea of what Minecraft EDU is all about, the PBS Idea Channel did a great short piece with the Joel Levin, the man behind it! Special thanks to Marnie Diem (@getteaching) for sharing the following thoughts, tips, and experiences she’s had this year with Minecraft in her classroom. I was fortunate to sit in on her session at EdCamp Detroit this weekend. Have students mine various ores, minerals, and materials then sort them based on various classifications and properties Recreate historical events and places with a collaborative class build Challenge students to build their school (in scale) to talk about measurement, proportions, etc. Help teach students how to code using the Minecraft mod, "Learn to Mod" Practice cooperative learning by sharing devices and establishing student roles (navigator, builder, etc.) Engage students in expository writing by having them write reflectively about their Minecraft building experiences Students can explore economic concepts and develop entrepreneurial skills by creating their own businesses within Minecraft to sell services or goods Introduce concepts of electricity and simple circuity through the use of redstone circuits Rent your own Minecraft Realm or server for students to create a world online accessible at school and home Play with science concepts like heredity through the breeding of animals The growth of playful learning and virtual worlds that encourage exploration and discovery makes me jealous of my colleagues that are still in the classroom. I’m often asked if I wish I still had students, and the truth is that there are days when I’m tempted to leave my desk in the technology office to go back into the classroom; perhaps I can find a classroom to adopt me for next school year.

If you’re a science teacher that values inquiry, harbors feelings of nostalgia for Mr. Wizard, or just likes to provide your students with curiosity-filled discrepant events like the one below, then you owe it to yourself to subscribe to the Smarter Everyday channel on Youtube. I love the way that Destin, the channel’s creator, walks viewers through the explanation of scientific phenomena with energy and passion. His ability to describe how the Prince Rupert’s Drop, a glass sculpture created by dropping molten glass into cold water, doesn’t actual shatter from the force of a hammer blow, but the subsequent vibration in the tip of the tail is fascinating! At first glance, the glass appears to explode when stricken with a hammer, but the slow motion video reveals that it survives the blow easily; it’s the vibration in the tip of the drop milliseconds later that causes the glass to shatter. It makes me wonder how engaging it would be to challenge students to find or explain their own discrepant events using Youtube. I know the majority of educators that use Youtube see it mostly as a vehicle for consumption, with students watching content. It would be interesting to see teachers pushing students to the point of analyzing and then creating their own science videos as a form of performance assessment. I’m sure many exist out there; the trouble is having the time to search for them all. I found the following URN Student Science Youtube playlist which appears to be a part of the University of Nottingham’s Student-run radio station. The production value is higher than average, which is to be expected by a college level production. It’s actually a bit exciting to see a project at the university level embrace the more casual and playful nature of the web to help educate others and provide some real world projects (creating the videos) for the college students involved. I’m tempted to see if I could convince a teacher I work with to create a unit in which their science students are given the same task.

It’s late, I know, I know! Insert "end of the year, far too busy excuse" here. Thankfully, it’s only a week off, and with the final podcast being recorded later this week, that will make 26 conversations revolving around technology and education that Pete and I have had this year…well 26 conversations that we’ve actually documented. I’ve got some ideas on where to take this for next year, as well as incorporating more voices from learners and teachers, but for now, enjoy! Our teachers are getting new laptops this summer, and there’s a lot of concern over the lose of DVD drives (we’re going to MacBook Airs), and we address those concerns with some optimism about moving to online video. We talk about how certain technology purchases are made, and thanks to Todd Bloch and Michael Medvinsky, we also answer some "big" questions about trying to put learning first when it comes to technology. Click here to listen to this week’s Tech Director Chat (or listen below) Click here to subscribe via iTunes (Mac and iOS) Click here to subscribe via Stitcher (Android and iOS) Timestamps for this week’s questions: 0:51 What has Pete been up to today? 2:47 Todd from Twitter wants to know, what is the most important thing for teachers to know about technology? 3:55 So the most important thing about technology is to ask for help? 5:30 So what does Ben think about Todd’s question? 6:54 Michael from Twitter wants to know, how are we ensuring that thinking and learning drive our use of technology? 10:20 What does Pete think about Michael’s question? 13:00 Wait, are we really getting new laptops? 14:00 Will the new laptops be in before the end of the school year? 15:42 Why didn’t we order the laptops earlier in the year? 16:40 So, what are the specs on the new laptops? Are Macbook Airs slower? 18:26 Stump Pete! 18:43 The "Artist" wants to know who is Ronnie Tutt? 20:13 Pete wins some glitter flowers! Tech Director Chat - Putting Learning First