The following are my notes from Jeffrey P. Carpenter's (@doccarpenter) and Daniel G. Krutka's (@dankrutka) study, How and Why Educators Use Twitter: A Survey of the Field, published in JRTE Vol. 46, No. 4.MyNotesAs of July 2013, there were approximately 200 million users of Twitter, including approximately 18% of online adults in the United States (Duggan & Smith, 2013).Various scholars have noted that Web 2.0 sites such as Twitter afford users numerous benefits, and Jenkins and colleagues (2009) went as far as to say that the "new participatory cultures" afforded by such sites may "represent ideal learning environments" (p. 10). These tools reduce spatial and temporal constraints on communication and allow users to collaborate around topics of interest. The "affinity spaces" facilitated by such media encourage sharing and peer-to-peer learning that enable participants to benefit from collective intelligence (Gee, 2004). Junco and colleagues (2011) have argued that Twitter in particular may be the "social networking platform most amenable to ongoing, public dialogue" (p. 1). Its brevity, immediacy, and openness can empower educators and students to interact with a variety of people in new ways.Microblogging can be used for one-way sharing from an official school account to keep a school community informed of events, deadlines, or policy changes (e.g., Porterfield & Carnes, 2011). Kurtz (2009) utilized Twitter to share the work of his first and second graders, thus providing parents "windows into their children’s days" (p. 2). Twitter can also provide many-to-many communication among administrators, teachers, students, and other stakeholders through the use of a common hashtag or interactions between accounts (e.g., Ferriter, Ramsden, & Sheninger, 2012).Domizi’s (2013) coding of tweets found not only that students in her graduate course benefited from her reminders about class assignments and deadlines, but also that Twitter helped students communicate with each other professionally and socially, even providing each other encouragement. Chen and Chen (2012) reported that Twitter facilitated communication between university students who were otherwise too inhibited to speak directly to the instructor.University-level students in a number of studies have cited Twitter for increasing involvement in and satisfaction with courses (e.g., Krutka, 2014; Rinaldo, Tapp, & Laverie, 2011). For example, after surveying marketing students in several classes over two semesters, analyzing instructor tweets, and conducting focus groups, Rinaldo and colleagues concluded that Twitter has the "potential to engage students with the emerging technology, increase the interaction between professor and students and broaden access to information related to course material" (p. 202)Krutka and his 20 preservice social studies teachers both used and studied pedagogical possibilities for social media use in middle and high school classrooms (Krutka, 2014).Surveys, reflective journals, and field notes indicated that Twitter was the most beneficial of several social media services utilized in the class because of its diverse uses. Class participants indicated that the use of social media fostered a community feeling and enhanced students’ relationships with the instructor, each other, and practicing educators who used Twitter.Research suggests Twitter has the potential to encourage concise writing (e.g., Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2009), and Kurtz (2009) further found that his elementary students were excited to co-construct tweets and analyze language appropriate for the authentic audience of their family members.Twitter appears able to facilitate educators’ professional development in a number of ways. Through synchronous chats or asynchronous tweeting, educators contribute and discuss ideas, as well as sharing and acquiring resources by tweeting links to education-related articles, blogs, wikis, and other websites (Brown, 2012; Lu, 2011). A handful of studies suggest that Twitter can function as a professional development tool for teachers. Microblogging can offer educators grass-roots professional development that boosts networking and fulfills a "bridging function" as teachers use it "as a way of importing new ideas into their local communities of practice from distant peers" (Forte, Humphreys, & Park, 2012, p. 106)....Others shared how the service enabled them to escape philosophical or methodological isolation within their schools. For example, one math teacher explained, "As the only teacher in my district who is flipping the classroom, Twitter is an invaluable source for working/collaborating with others who are doing the same."Districts and building-level administrators should consider ways in which they can recognize, tap into, and learn from teacher professional activity in online settings such as Twitter. PD via Twitter could potentially count toward some of the hours of professional development typically required of teachers, and/or be included in formalized professional development plans or processes. School leaders might also explore ways that other forms of PD might embrace the qualities of Twitter PD that our respondents valued, such as immediacy, personalization, differentiation, community, and positivity. If provided opportunities to do so, tweeting teachers may also be able to share with their colleagues at their school site some of what they learn via Twitter (e.g., Forte, Humphreys, & Park, 2012).Image Sourcehttp://goo.gl/G3mna4 available online.Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

The Frozen Sky series by Jeff CarlsonAre you reading non-fiction via Twitter, Flipboard, and a million other social media outlets? Every day, a new app pops up and demands your attention (e.g. Voxer with audio, Periscope with video)...how do you decide what will win the competition for your attention?  There are so many "leadership" and "self-help" books out there, not to mention blogs, podcasts, videos, that if you're an educator, you can be assured you'll never be bored. That said, for me, it's pretty easy--I began my love affair with reading when I was a youngster, andFiction Book Pick: Looking for an action-packed thriller? You'll want to peer into Chandler McGrew's Cold Heart*. The book by Chandler McGrew (@chandlermcgrew), caught my attention from the get-go. Though I seldom do it anymore, I read the book straight through in one sitting. Imagine telling a fiction story using Periscope, or delivering a serial audio book via Voxer. Ah well, won't be long. After all, folks are telling stories via Instagram.Since I've spent a lot of time on the road, solutions like Podiobooks.com provide ample content to listen to...I usually put the audio files--you can get them as podcasts. Rather than rely on the iPad's Podcast app (which I hate), I rely on the Downcast app ($2.99) which works beautifully--on my iPad or save them to a USB flash drive to plug into the USB port in my Nissan Juke.Be sure to listen to Nathan Lowell's entire Trader Tales series and be sureto check out his Shaman TalesPodiobooks has a nice collection of Nathan Lowell's awesome Trader Tales, a five volume audiobook series that is engaging. I started listening and couldn't stop. Scott Sigler, an awesomely frightening author, introduced me to Podiobooks.com unintentionally, when he advised another Facebook follower to check out his content on it.My favorite fiction this summer...and, I also re-acquainted myself with my Goodreads account.Jonathan Moeller (@moellerjonathan) - Get started with some free ebooks | Buy his books via Smashwords!The Frostborn - This series is phenomenal and includes some of Jonathan's best work!Tower of Endless Worlds - I'm re-reading this series from the start...greatCheck out his books on GoodreadsNathan Lowell (@nlowell)Trader Tales...it's all great reading, I'm sure, but I've only encountered it via Podiobooks.com.Shaman Tales...on this one, I've only heard a bit of it, but I'm already hooked!Check out his books on GoodreadsScott Sigler (@scottsigler)The Ancestor - I picked up a copy of this book and read it, but it's also available as an audiobook you can listen to. And, of course, you have to read his Infected trilogy.Check out his books on GoodreadseREADER TO USEI definitely recommend you buy your books through Smashwords, since they come without digital rights management, making it easier to read your books on multiple devices. And, you can easily upload your ebooks (epub/PDF format) to Google Play Books (read tutorial), which makes it readily available on all your devices. Non-Fiction Book Pick: Check out Doug "Blue Skunk" Johnson's Teaching Outside the Lines: Developing Creativity in Every Learner*. What I liked the most about this book was the exploration of what constitutes creativity. Doug's humor is definitely in evidence throughout the text. I mention this non-fiction book in the midst of fiction because I'm sure Doug won't mind too much...after all, he's an avid reader, too! :-)If you'd rather not put your content into Google Play Books, then consider using Aldiko ereader (free) on Android, Readdle Documents on iOS devices, FBReader on GNU/Linux, and well, for Mac, you're almost bound to read ebooks with iBooks (but you can also use Calibre or Sigil).Next on my list to Read:Toby Downton's Solarversia* - This is an intriguing book I just started reading for review purposes. "Solarversia is the story of an epic year-long game played by 100 million people inside a virtual world modelled on the real world Solar System."Jonathan Moeller's Frostborn: The Broken Mage and Bound to the Eye.William Brinkley's The Last Ship - My family and I have been enchanted by the plague version of the story on television, so I'm hoping to enjoy the book with its nuclear apocalypse focus.Sara King's The Legend of Zero - This is a fascinating account of aliens who have captured children to serve in an alien war. I admit I peeked under the cover and have already started reading it.Jonathan Maberry's Code Zero - I was first introduced to Maberry when I read his book, Patient Zero, and that was terrific! I've tried to keep up with his work.Jeff Carlson's Plague YearLarry Correia's Monster Hunter Nemesis - This is an absolutely hilarious, jammed with action series that's worth reading from the start. Nemesis is the latest in the series.*Note: Starred "*" items were provided as review copies by the authors or publishers. That said, if I think the book stinks, I won't review it or mention it. Fortunately, I've read enough of these that they continue to hold my interest...and, it's not like there isn't a lot to read!Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

Find out moreLooking for an easy way to encrypt your emails to family and friends? Then look no further than Whiteout Mailbox Personal edition, which was recently released at no-cost for personal use:So today we are happy to announce that we are offering Whiteout Mailbox Personal Edition with 2GB storage for free, starting today. The product is still in beta, but you can sign up today, no invite code needed. And tell your friends!...The Whiteout Mail client for use with your existing mailbox is of course also available for free.You can find my previous blog entries recommending Whiteout here and here.Source: WhiteOut Mail client for iOSEverything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

Student data privacy is a topic that's grown in interest over the last few years, and I suspect that CoSN has also been advocating on this topic, too. Keith Krueger, in an interview with One Idea With, makes several interesting points. These are my notes on the interview; you can listen to it in full here.Visit web siteMyNotesThis is a growing concern for parents.Cloud computing, mobile data, and apps are the big drivers in this area for student data privacy."Free apps"--run by businesses that are collecting data--are collecting student data that they can use.3 buckets of issues:Comply with federal laws. Very few school districts have a chief privacy officer. Those in Technology are being asked to protect student data. CoSN has a few resources. If you're just complying, this doesn't inspire confidence for parents. Aspirational Practices [professional development]Communication - Keep communication transparent and clear. Why are we collecting data? Clarify fundamental beliefs the school district has?ResourcesStudentDataPrinciples.org web siteProtecting Privacy web site at CoSNNot created by CoSN, but that I think is related:Top 10 Security Tips for Educators - This is a short list of items I put together after chatting with different folks, as well as reflecting on my own practices.Nine Simple Steps to Safeguarding Sensitive Data - An overview of steps for educators; this is adapted from the work of a school district.3 Steps to Encrypting/Decrypting - A quick tutorial of several simple tools you can use to encrypt/decrypt emails, files, and folders across mobile devices and your computer. This obviously isn't the same thing as the student data privacy (which requires an enterprise level conversation), but is a key component.Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

One of my favorite expressions, "He was taken up to heaven right away; he was in a state of grace." If we thought of school systems as people on their death beds, how many would be "taken up to heaven in a state of grace?" Sometimes, I wonder if we haven't taken a conservative, law-enforcer approach to getting school systems ready to achieve perfection. You know, one that is always on the look-out to spy what's gone wrong rather than what's working.When a technology director requires strict adherence to district procedures, to the rules, he causes problems because he isn't in the moment, able to listen and change to meet the needs of those he serves. It was only a few years ago that many bemoaned the issues of blocking social media and Youtube, but now, many, have transcended that debate...and access has been granted. It is less an issue of technology lock-downs and more of nurturing global citizens.As a long-time educator focused on transforming teaching, learning and leading with technology, I find myself struggling with those that do little than "exist" or "survive" in "broken" systems. Instead of simply adhering to the rules, I have to push myself to do more than exist or survive.Meredith Allen (@msmeredithallen) refers to this brokeness, expressing her frustration with a SAMR cheer, in her blog entry, Broke:Our educational leadership system is broken. I used to think that the majority of schools have supportive, thoughtful administrators that communicate with staff in a humane, decent way.  If you were a school without that support, you were rare. Right?Wrong.  It’s a systemic problem that needs to be addressed and fixed.  Like, now.For Meredith, it appears that educational leadership requires, at minimum, the following to NOT be broken...to be honest, that's pretty much all leadership, isn't it?SupportThoughtfulnessCommunicationHumane interactionsThe SAMR cheer--I suspect it could have been a cheer about anything--was problematic because it suggests that "cheerleader" type behavior is sufficient to transforming education, not only of fixing brokenness or complying with the status quo, but leaving things better than you found them. In fact, for a leader to transform a broken system, that is exactly what is needed--to move education in a particular situation forward from where it was before. The SAMR cheer simply fits into how we have tried to change schools before. The cheer is disconnected from the reason for real change and is ineffective.Think about what this means for schools today. We are often fighting to fix "broken" systems. These systems are broken, not because we don't want something wonderful to happen as individuals, but rather, that we are compelled, carried downstream towards the turbulent falls that symbolize defeat and destruction, because in spite of our best efforts, we are forced to engage in actions that perpetuate broken-ness. Is it as simple as changing what we do every day to see the kinds of change? I don't think so, but that could be a starting point. Each of us, as we try to fix our respective "broken" systems, have to seek grace rather than allow ourselves to dwell in brokenness. Some ideas for achieving "grace" in the midst of a broken educational system:Let go of the negative influences in your work environment, allowing yourself to focus on the aspects that re-affirm your life and efforts on behalf of others. It's so easy to get on a merry-go-round of sadness and despair in schools.Nurture others around you, transparently sharing your positive intentions for yourself and them.Serve others with no expectation of remuneration or payback. A source of anger is that we often do things with the intent "I scratch your back, you'll scratch mine...or else!" You can achieve peace when you are willing to do what you can. When you can't, simply explain why you are unable to at this time or what circumstances prevent you. Avoid anticipating negativity.Be grateful for what others do, what they say, even when it isn't affirming...rather, it is a learning opportunity.Expect the best from everyone, and decline to be disappointed when others aren't what you hoped or desired...allow them to be themselves.While this is not an exhaustive list, it is a list that would address 90% of the aggravation I hear folks share who are working in systems that fail to nurture. In the end, we can only be the change we wish to see in the world.Will the obstacles we encounter fall short of the grace we allow to inhabit us?By the way, you might find this worth reading, too: 5 Leadership Lessons Fig Trees Can Teach UsEverything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

Communication apps are transforming how we interact, keeping us in touch, helping us share learning and ideas as they happen, as well as engage safeguarding communications from governments and others. At the bottom of this blog post, you will also find a chart created by Texas Area 13 school districts that shared their insights into what tools they use for communication.Get the no-cost Telegram app (@telegram) for your computer or mobile deviceOne app that I've embraced, both for family communications as well as at work for emergency communications, is Telegram. If you're not familiar with Telegram, it's a cross-platform app that allows for audio/text group chats, broadcast messages, as well as one to one encrypted communications. In my family, we use the no-cost Telegram as an alternative to WhatsApp and SMS messaging. And, when secure communications are needed, Telegram gets the job done, too.In one school district, here's how I've advocated its use:Thank you for your attention to this information. As you know, the District occasionally suffers both phone and Internet outages for a variety of reasons. During these times, District communications are knocked offline, potentially disrupting ongoing activities, communications, and/or instruction. Recognizing there is a need for a communication venue independent of District phone, network, and Internet systems, please take these steps:Install the advertisement free, no-cost Telegram app. This app will work on iPhone, Android phones as well as iOS/Android tablets and web sites.Go into the Settings of the Telegram app and enter a username.**NOTE** If you need help, please submit a work order and a Technology Department team member can help you with this.In the event of an outage, please be aware that you will receive either an audio/text message via Telegram notifying you of the outage. Of course, it will require that your phone be able to receive updates via 4G/LTE service. If you have used WhatsApp, then consider this a free, no-cost alternative.To that end, I've prepared a tutorial:TUTORIAL BELOWIf you need to get a quick overview of Telegram (quite similar to WhatsApp if you have used that), you'll find the tutorial below that addresses these components:About TelegramGet and Install TelegramSMS Activation and RegistrationAdd a Username via SettingsAdd a New ContactSending an Audio/Text Message via TelegramCreate a New GroupStart a New Chat1. About TelegramTelegram is a messaging app--that works with Android and iOS devices--with a focus on speed and security. It’s no-cost, ad-free, and allows you to send audio/text messages easily. With Telegram, you can create group chats with up to 200 people so you can stay connected with everyone at once. You can also share videos up to 1GB, send multiple photos from the web, and forward any media you receive in an instant. All your messages are in the cloud, so you can easily access them from any of your devices.Secret, end to end encrypted Chats are also available and ensure that a message can only be read by its intended recipient. 2. Get and Install TelegramTelegram messenger is available for the following (e.g. click the links on your phone to open the Google Play or iTunes App store):Telegram for AndroidTelegram for iPhone/iPadTelegram for Windows PhoneTelegram for WebTelegram for Mac OS XTelegram for Windows/PC/Mac/Linux3. SMS activation and registrationWhen you launch the Telegram app after installing it, you will see the window showing Start Messaging button. Tap (touch and leave) the Start Messaging button.Tap Start Messaging button in Telegram for AndroidIn the next displayed screen, Telegram will ask you to select your country and to enter your phone number. After selecting your country and entering your phone number, tap Done at the top-right, Telegram will send an activation code via SMS to this phone number.Select country and phone numberEnter the code which you received in your SMS from Telegram.Enter activation codeAfter verification, Telegram will take you to its registration screen where it will ask you to enter your name. Enter your name then tap Done.Enter your name in Telegram for Android.4. Add a Username in SettingsAdd a username in settings; this can later be used for others to contact you via convenient web site:telegram.me/mguhlin5. Add a new ContactIf you are using your phone number for the first time in Telegram and you don’t have any contacts and chat records associated with this number in Telegram, you will need to add new contacts to start messaging.Telegram looks for phone numbers in the contacts list of your phone and if any number is associated with a Telegram account, you can see those contacts in Telegram and start messaging them. So if you want to chat with your friend using Telegram, you can ask your friends to register with Telegram and make sure you have their phone numbers in your phone’s contacts list.Alternatively, you can also invite your friends from other apps like WhatsApp in Telegram. To do this, tap on the menu button of your Android device, select Contacts, tap on Invite Friends, and then select the app from which you want to invite your friends.6. Sending an Audio/Text Message using TelegramUnlike most instant messaging clients, Telegram messenger lets you send normal text messages and any type of files. These messages are stored in the cloud. Since normal messages are stored in the cloud, you can synchronize them to all of your devices including your desktops. To start a chat in Telegram, tap the new message icon at the top-right, and then select the contact with whom you want to chat. Note that you can also create a group or a broadcast list. The group allows group members to interact with each other, with all their communications being shared among them. The broadcast list allows you to send out information but doesn't allow people to interact.7. Create a New GroupTo create a new group, click on the 3 horizontal bars/lines that appear in the blue bar to the left of the word Telegram. This will let you see the following:From this screen, you can Invite Friends as well as create a new ways to connect with others, including the following:New Group - You can use this to have a group conversation--text AND audio--with others. Note that everyone in the group has access to participate and engage in the conversation.New Secret Chat - enables an encrypted chat with another individual that can be set to expire at a future date.New Broadcast List - This allows you to send out a "broadcast" message (audio or text) to others but they have no ability to interact with anyone else you broadcast to.8. Start a New ChatTo start a new chat, tap on the pencil in the bottom right hand corner...looks like this:You will see the following:Notice that you can simply start typing or insert an emoticon, tap the paperclip to attach a file, or press and hold on the microphone to quickly record and send an audio message.TCEA Area 13 Districts ShareToolCostUseAdvantageFacebookFreeSeguin ISD: District, departments, campuses and classrooms use to share events, links, videos, news.New Braunfels ISD, Comal ISD(Campus News)Ease of use, variety of media, patron proximity (It’s where they already are.)TwitterFreeNew Braunfels ISD- district newsSeguin ISD--districts news, some teachers/programsManor ISD- External communication and Internal celebrations; Monthly Twitter Chat (3rd Tuesday, #ManorISD) for teacher PD credit. Del Valle ISD - district account (district announcements, events, etc.), Instructional Tech dept account (tech news, training announcements, etc.)Comal ISD(district and campus announcements)SchoolwayFreeFree, push notification, scalableEdlio$6000Navarro ISDpost on website and Tweet at the same timeSchool MessengerDel Valle ISDLiberty Hill ISDRound Rock ISDSeguinNew Braunfels ISDcall, email, tweet, and post to site at the same timeYour VoiceFreeGoogle SitesFreeshare with everyoneRound Rock ISDnot limited by platformGoogle CommunitiesFreeRRISD:  Multiple communities that have become the basis for learning community chatter and sharingManor ISD- Leadership Team and Novice teacher programmust be a GAFE district, but is easy to use and attractiveRemind.comFreeSeguin: Teachers, coaches use to send reminders, news, etc.Comal ISD: Used in the high schoolsK12 Alerts$3000Navarro ISD text, email, and voice messagingCall, email, tweet and at the same timeWordpress?RRISD: Transitioning all sites above teacher sites to a robust WordpressComal ISD: many teachers have transitioned to Wordpress from IWeb. Can populate content across multiple sites and our Comm dept can control style and improve info flow.ZoomGoogle HangoutFreeManor ISD-Video Conferencing Zoom is part of ESC 13 serviceshttps://www.zoom.us/ Face to face conferencing across district without rushing around to meetings.Google HangoutFreeTelegram AppFreeThis app can be loaded on staff phones (iOS/Android/Win) and can run parallel to District network when Voice/Internet communications are out.Here is a brief tutorial of how ECISD uses it - tinyurl.com/ectelegrams ParentLink AppCost $$$Enables an app to be share info with parents, students, etc. that is flowing from RSS feeds across district. Loads specific calendars, etc.ParentLink also provides for a phone/SMS text messaging system for contacting parents. Resources:Develop a Strong School District Communication Strategy- http://goo.gl/5RFK07 Inform...Listen...Engage- http://goo.gl/FXLaj2 Dunlap Community Unit School Communication Plan- http://goo.gl/0ze0ll Round Rock ISD Communications- https://roundrockisd.org/departments/community-relations/communications/Georgetown ISD Communications- http://www.georgetownisd.org/Page/331 Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

Over at Assorted Stuff blog, Tim Stahmer (@timstahmer) shares a real story--Chipping Away at the IT Barriers--about how IT staff--led by the CIO--didn't want to support a particular mobile device. However, this time, the leaders in charge didn't take "No!" for an answer and did an end-run around the entire Technology Department, obtaining support to buy the equipment.A small group of principals here in the overly-large school district decided to bypass the usual bureaucratic channels, along with all the IT denials, and took their case for Chromebooks to directly our Deputy Superintendent (with a great deal of support and encouragement from our little cheering section).To our surprise, he approved their proposal to purchase a limited number of the Google-based devices to test in their schools. The initiative only involves a few classrooms in five six schools so we certainly aren’t talking about any major shifts in thinking. But potentially it does represents a big crack in the IT barriers.Of course, nothing is ever simple in our world. As you might imagine, our CIO1 is not happy.The "Nonstandard Computer Exception Request" she signed (required by regulations) includes this pissy little declaration: "No requests for hardware or software support associated with these devices will be made to IT personnel." It also forbids the schools from using the standard Google administrative dashboard to manage the Chromebooks, conveying the message: this is our sandbox, keep your crappy toys out.Wow, that story sounded familiar! I ran into colleagues from a large urban district I worked in who complained about the exact same issue. In Tim's scenario, the mobile devices were Chromebooks, while in that of my nearby colleagues', it was iPads.As a technology director, this is pure foolishness! Some key tenets that I keep in mind:Build your infrastructure (e.g. network, internet) to enable ANY device.Identify instructional needs FIRST, then match the device.Support stakeholders, guiding them in their efforts rather than trying to roadblock them and stall them at every turn.The CIOs in these two districts may be separated by a lot of miles, but they have the same mindsets--that their comfort is of primary importance rather than the needs of the teachers, learners and leaders they serve.Update: Comment from David PhillipsComment: I don't know that I would  use the term "conservative" to refer to tech leaders who refuse to consider devices other than the ones they are prejudiced for.  Seems to me they are primarily possessive and inflexible--usually to avoid any complications that might (or in the case of Chromebooks might not) be involved in supporting different devices.  I was very grateful to work with a tech director who was always open and who would do anything to support the education process that he could get funding for.  Others are not so fortunate.Response: Thanks David, I adjusted the blog title!Image SourceHammer & chisel. Available online at http://goo.gl/bM3jxGEverything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

In a series of tweets in response to my post--Not Alone: Inflexible CIOs = Failure-- yesterday about Tim Stahmer's entry about CIOs and Technology Departments blocking curriculum educators from using Chromebooks yesterday, these two statements were made:Tim Stahmer @timstahmer@jeannereed1 For whatever reason, we tend to forget students when discussing many parts of education, tech included.Jeanne Reed @jeannereed1@mguhlin @timstahmer Does over-worked, under paid IT staff lead to forgetting about helping students? Crazy.To speak to Jeanne's question first, Are over-worked, under-paid IT really the problem in the scenarios described in Not Alone? When you consider Tim's scenario, it's not about Chromebooks, how easy they are to manage. Rather, it's an issue of control. The CIO and Tech Department aren't refusing to support Chromebooks because they are difficult (I don't know any CTOs who would argue that Chromebooks are difficult to manage), but rather, because they allow a level of freedom to the end-user not possible under Microsoft Windows. I suspect that Tim's district also locks down the internet browser they allow end-users, implements Active Directory policies that don't allow people to install software, etc. Simply, they have implemented policies that require people to speak to them before they can do anything substantial with technology.The fear in the old days was that end-users would do something to their computers and that would require someone wasting their time to fix the user's error. But these days, Chromebooks are even less onerous to manage than Windows and iOS devices. For $20 per unit, you get a management license and that makes life so easy. Chromebooks can also be "power-washed," reset to factory settings...again, it's so easy the end-user can do it.I don't think it's about forgetting to help students, but rather, control and ensuring that IT folks don't have to learn anything new. And, in regards to control, Audrey Watters make some excellent points in her talk and subsequent blog entry, Is It Time to Give Up on Computers?, an excerpt which is shared below:Computers are implicated in the systematic de-funding and dismantling of a public school system and a devaluation of human labor. They involve the consolidation of corporate and governmental power. They involve scientific management. They are designed by white men for white men. They re-inscribe inequality.And so I think it’s time now to recognize that if we want education that is more just and more equitable and more sustainable, that we need to get the ideologies that are hardwired into computers out of the classroom.Of course, Audrey has some choice words for Google, too. It's a trade-off, isn't it? I give you some data about me, you make my life easier. Somewhere down the line, we sold ourselves to get devices that help us, make our lives easier, but also, enable others to violate our privacy and sell who we are to the highest bidder.The answer to Audrey's question, a colleague insists after pondering privacy issues, is "Yes, it is time to give up on computers." Of course, it's not going to happen. Update: When I woke up the day after writing this post, I realized that, of course, the answer is "No!" The problem isn't the technology, but the people. What we need to do is start over with a fresh perspective. See? That wasn't so hard! ;-)Being connected to a vibrant PLN, I couldn't imagine losing access to them. Simply, if we're going to gripe about privacy, about control, then we must step and claim your virtual space.Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

Objective: Securely encrypt your private and confidential files or whole folders. Wiping (secure delete) feature is included for computer and Android versions.Step 1 - Get Secret Space Encryption (SSE) for Your DeviceMac/Windows/Linux computer? Get the cross-platform version of Secret Space Encryptor (SSE).Android device? Get Secret Space Encryptor (SSE) for Android from Google Play store.Note that Secret Space Encryptor isn't available for iOS (e.g. iPhone/iPad) devices, so you'll need to take that into consideration.Step 2 - Encrypt and Decrypt Files with SSETo encrypt files--that you add or attach to email or store on various media (e.g. hard drive of computer, external USB drive, network backup), you can use the Secret Space Encryptor (SSE). You can choose to encrypt files individually or drop them all into a folder and encrypt them all at once as ONE file.All encrypted files have the filename extension of enc so you will know when they are encrypted.When you launch Secret Space Encryptor (SSE), you will see this:Essentially, you type in your password then drag the file you want to encrypt into the SSE window (as indicated by instructions, Drag and Drop File(s) or Folder(s) into the Red Bordered Area). Once the file is encrypted, it will appear in the same place as the original un-encrypted file:Remember, you can drop an entire folder onto SSE and it will encrypt the whole folder...it works exactly the same way. To decrypt, simply drop the "enc" file into the SSE red bordered area and it will decrypt the encrypted file.You can do the same thing in Android, making this an ideal, cross-platform tool for file/folder encryption. iOS is the only unsupported platform.Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

Objective: Securely encrypt your email message content and/or information in GoogleDocs word processing, or text messages. This works on your Windows, Mac, Linux, Android or iOS devices.Step 1 - Get Text Encryption (PTE) Tool  for Your DeviceGet the iOS (iPad/iPhone) version of PTEGet the Android version of PTE (built-into SSE)Get the Mac/Windows/Linux version of PTEEncrypting text is pretty easy. You can type it up in a word processor, email window, or text editor, then copy-n-paste it into the PTE window (the top one, as shown below, with decrypted text). Tip: You wouldn't want to type up your secret to-be-encrypted text in any cloud service since it's automatically saved on cloud servers. This is true for Evernote, Gmail, GoogleDrive, etc.Step 2 - Launch PTE and begin Encryption ProcessTo accomplish the encryption, click on ENCRYPT and you'll get the encrypted text. Note that although there are various choices for encryption algorithm, I'm going to use AES (256 bit) for the purposes of this example. Copy-n-paste the encrypted text where you want it to go, such as an email window or a word processor file (e.g. GoogleDocs, LibreOffice, MS Word):To decrypt, open up your text where you saved your work (for example, here's what the web version of Evernote looks like) and paste it in:To decrypt, paste your encrypted text in the bottom half of the PTE window then, after entering your top secret password, click DECRYPT button:Note: that throughout this, I've chosen to "show" my password. You can actually choose to "hide" the password and it's gone when you quit PTE.iOS DeviceIf you are on an iOS device, here's what it looks like decrypting:a) Open up PTE on your iOS device. You'll be prompted for a password, so enter the one you used to encrypt text earlier:Click SET and PTE is ready to go (it will go to the more familiar split screen for encrypting/decrypting text)b) Copy-n-paste text from your Evernote app windows, as shown below:c) Paste encrypted text into the bottom window, then tap on the Decrypt button. That will show you the decrypted text in the top window.This process looks a bit different on Android...here's an older screenshot:Message Encryptor ScreenThe Android version also includes a Password Vault, as well as the SSE feature. I have encrypted files on my computer, transferred them to my phone for portability, decrypted them on my phone, and vice versa. The ability to do that provides another layer of security for mobile devices.Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin's blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure