Open Source software does not always stay Open Source, and many of the products I’ve reviewed in the past either disappeared, were devoured by other products, were acquired by companies, or simply stopped the updates (rendering many fairly unusable). So, I’ve put together a quick list of Open Source Webinar / Web-Conferencing software. They can be downloaded, and you can customize the look and

WizIQ has developed a solution that brings together synchronous web conferencing in a "live classroom" skin, with built-in utilities and tool sets that provide a robust learning experience, with assessment as well as additional course content. Instead of just two streaming windows, there can be up to 6 live video streams. Chat, whiteboard, breakout sessions, and on-the-fly uploading of

Earlier this week, I posted my reflections to Seth Godin’s new education manifesto: Stop Stealing Dreams. I am excited to take the conversation farther with my friend and colleague, Steve Hargadon. He will be hosting a panel that includes Patrick Ferenga, Lisa Nielsen, Lisa Cooley, Lisa Nalbone, and Nikhil Goyal, asking them to share their thoughts around the topics addressed in the book including K - 12 and higher education reform, home schooling, and what parents, students, and school boards can do to affect change. (More about the panel members here) Steve addresses the importance of the conversation on his blog today: With a growing sense that something has to change, Seth Godin’s manifesto addresses the need to update outdated teaching practice. He explains, "School was invented to create a constant stream of compliant factory workers to the growing businesses of the 1900s. It continues to do an excellent job at achieving this goal, but it’s not a goal we need to achieve any longer." In his 30,000 word manifesto (information on free download and discussion options here), Seth Godin imagines a different set of goals. He warns that one thing is certain: if we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’ve been getting. I hope you can join us for what promises to be a passion-driven conversation: Date: Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 Time: 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern / 00 (next day) GMT (international times here) Duration: 1 hour Location: In Blackboard Collaborate (formerly Elluminate). Log in at http://futureofed.info. The Blackboard Collaborate room will be open up to 30 minutes before the event if you want to come in early. To make sure that your computer is configured for Blackboard Collaborate, please visit the support and configuration page. Recordings: The full Blackboard Collaborate and an .mp3 recording and will be available here within 48 hours of the broadcast. Related articles True, Stop Stealing Dreams, but Keep up the Foundations, too! 42 Quotes from "Stop Stealing Dreams" #manifesto by Seth Godin Stop stealing dreams. New Seth Godin Education EBook: "Stop Stealing Dreams" Stop Stealing Dreams

Thanks to improvements in access and bandwidth management, massive open online courses (MOOCs) are rapidly gaining in popularity. Two different types of MOOCs have emerged: the first, the x-MOOC, emphasizes content mastery and incorporates self-grading activities; the second, the c-MOOC, emphasizes learning through collaboration and incorporates connectivist learning theory. The x-MOOCs are

We’ve all experienced stress before, and I’m sure most of you would love some ways to deal with it. Here are some of Candace Webb’s great thoughts on stress that can benefit everyone! Enjoy! When problems exist, anxiety increases; leaders direct the focus of anxiety upon themselves to enable those around them to prosper. Unfortunately, when leaders cannot direct anxiety, anxiety influences them and impairs their cognitive state. Followers find it is hard to work in this state. This can come out in many ways, such as watching people too closely, directing anger, messing up things or ineffectively using resources at hand. When we think of intelligence, we think "smart", yet smart is very subjective. If one were measured by school achievement, they could appear intelligent in a broad range of theories, but relatively impaired when asked to do a specialized task. If someone were specialized in one task, we could look at them with disdain if we needed them for the same broad range. However, when we see someone effectively do one thing, it is easier to stand behind that person, so long as the task is related to it. This implies that people are usually effective leaders when they are capable of voiding the stress of those underneath them; simply by making something look easier, morale increases. So how do we decide what stress is for those underneath us? This is the hardest part of leadership assessment. People underneath their leaders have different concepts of stress. Some may not be able to use equipment effectively, while others excel. Others may communicate effectively while others don’t. Situations are also not clear-cut and stress is inevitable for anyone. So, if becoming an effective leader means voiding stress and stress is inevitable, what does that mean? Leaders will attempt to speak, understand and do. It is a leader’s role to make sure that they are alleviating the stress of their team, in the best way they can, at the time of the challenge. They essentially have to do two jobs: make work easier for themselves and their team. The way to make those lives underneath you easier can be done by understanding how stress is compromising them. Appearing at the core of the stress can help the team in more ways than one. People naturally fill voids when stress occurs. They mutter words or "um" when they speak, they lash out when they are angry, cry when they are overtaken, and undermine others if they feel threatened. They become less productive when they are overworked and productive when they can interact with things and get things done. Coordinate efforts at the beginning and end of the day, understand where your team is at and plug any project gaps. If you believe you are incapable of fixing something, encourage your followers to explain what they need to complete a task and take it into account. At times, they may be held back by not knowing what your limitations are and what they can do. Weigh their method to yours and define your boundaries. Doing so will ease the burden of second-guessing. It is important to foster a non-judgmental appearance; otherwise you effectively cut off true communication. Candice Webb is a leading social media expert with 10 years of experience in human resource management.  She is a major collaborator in the site Degree Jungle, a resource for college bound students. Related articles Managing Stress (californiaarbitrationassociate.wordpress.com) Stress, Anxiety, Life… What’s your FIX? (drjeffreymaehara.com) Stress: The Demon of Adaptation (saneamidthederanged.wordpress.com)

Worth Ave. Group has sent me this post that beautifully sums up digital literacy and why it is important. You might find it useful in your day to day work! _________________________________________________________________________________________ Literacy in the Digital Age Historically, literacy has been defined as having the ability to read and write. Schools were designed to ensure that students could become active, productive participants in society by helping them attain basic literacy and numeracy skills. Schools focused their efforts largely on what became known as the "three Rs" of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Today, as technology becomes more and more embedded in society and in workplaces of all kinds, I believe the age-old definition of literacy is no longer sufficient. To ensure that our students can become active, productive participants in today’s society, we must teach them not only basic literacy and numeracy skills, but we must also teach them digital literacy. I believe that digital literacy is comprised primarily of three main skills: finding information using technology, evaluating the validity of online information (and the merit of various online sources), and writing for a digital audience. The following paragraphs will examine each of these skills in more detail and point out how schools can help students to attain them. Finding Information Using Technology The single most important digital literacy skill is the ability to find information on the Internet. Elementary students should be taught how to use search engines effectively. Secondary students should be able to choose effective keywords for any search; they should also know how to use more advanced searching techniques, such as searching for information posted within a certain timeframe, using quotes to find exact phrase matches, using the subtraction sign to remove search results with an unwanted word, and so on. In today’s digital society, individuals who cannot effectively locate information on the Internet are, in many ways, functionally illiterate. Evaluating the Validity of Online Information Simply being able to locate information on the Internet is not enough; students must also be able to critique and evaluate the merit of the online material they discover. Students should be taught at an early age to use multiple sources for verification when searching for important information on the Internet. We must also teach our students how to recognize telltale signs of websites that cannot be trusted: abundant pop-up ads, masked URLs, biased organizations touting their own goods or services, and so on. (A sizable number of spoof/hoax websites also exist specifically for the purpose of teaching young students not to immediately believe everything they read on the Internet.) By the secondary grades, students’ abilities to evaluate website validity should become even more sophisticated. Secondary students should understand how to conduct a WHOIS search to determine what individual or organization owns a website and for how long that website has been running. To avoid becoming a victim of phishing or identity theft, older students must also understand the importance of HTTP Secure (HTTPS), encryption, and password security, and they should also be aware of common email scams. This type of digital literacy should be systematically and intentionally embedded within the classroom instruction of secondary schools everywhere. Writing for a Digital Audience A final, important part of digital literacy involves writing for a digital audience. Digital writing does not simply mean keyboarding on a computer rather writing on paper. Instead, students should be taught how to use hyperlinks and basic HTML tags to enhance their online writing. When writing in an interactive online space, such as a blog or wiki, students should be taught to engage the reader and pose questions that will lead to lively comments. Secondary students should be taught how to comment intelligently and appropriately on everything from Twitter to a local website’s latest news article. Older students should also understand the prevalence of "troll" behavior on the Internet, and logical fallacies (such as straw men and other red herrings) commonly found in online debates should be brought to light in classroom discussions. The Vision: Creating Digitally Literate Citizens Schools have always had the goal of developing literate, productive, empowered citizens who can lead their country into the next generation. Today, simply teaching students to read, write, and understand basic mathematics is not enough to accomplish this goal. Students must be digitally literate as well. It is critical that we find ways to get technology into students’ hands as much as possible (ideally through 1:1 classrooms), then intentionally teach them the skills I’ve described here to ensure that all of our students gain the digital literacy they will need throughout their lives. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Mark Pullen has been an elementary teacher for 13 years, currently teaching third grade in East Grand Rapids, MI. He’s a 1:1 classroom teacher writing on behalf of Worth Ave Group. Worth Ave Group provides laptop, tablet computer, and iPad insurance to schools and universities. They have been insuring schools since 1971. Related articles Digital literacy metaphors we live by (deftoer3.wordpress.com) Developing Digital Literacies (digitalliteracyuow.wordpress.com) In full bloom: Digital literacy and creative learners (deftoer3.wordpress.com)

We could be on the verge of a new Industrial Revolution -- a Fourth Industrial Revolution -- and it will be one that will use new technologies to restore and revitalize earth resources, and it will start with water. I believe that the Fourth Industrial Revolution will be an outgrowth of planetary exigency rather than human convenience or greed, although we will most certainly witness the earlier

One of the things I love most about being around young children, is their passionate and fierce sense of curiosity. It defines their genius. Why is the sky blue? Who discovered the world? How did the sun get so hot? Where did toothpaste come from? And my favorite: Are we there yet? I’m not sure exactly when it happens, but somewhere between grade school and grad school we stop relishing in the question and start celebrating answers. I never want children (or adults) to underestimate the power questions hold; especially when asked of the right people at the right time. One of my favorite lessons to teach, is the "The Art of Asking Genius Questions"; taken right from the playbook of my curiosity mentor and coach, Albert Einstein. The goal of the lesson is to help students; big and small, understand that genius is not determined by the questions you are able to answer but rather the questions you are courageous enough to ask of yourselves and of the others you lead and serve. I have found the following 12 Questions Most Important. They are the questions commonly asked by genius learners, genius leaders, genius teams and organizations, and with a little practice an be a part of your genius too. These questions come in no particular order, but each will flex your "question-asking muscles" in a way that promises to grow your strength and courage in pursuing solutions to those you lead and serve. 1. How can we make it /each other better? 2. How do we know this to be so? 3. Is this what is needed most? 4. What is it we hope to accomplish and what’s stopping us? 5. What are we most proud of? 6. What is possible? 7. When can we start? 8. How will we prevent failure? 9. Who/how can we make this happen? 10. What do we regret most? 11. How can we make the best use of…? 12. What if we…(Dream big!) If it has been a while, since your classroom or boardroom has been filled with conversations beginning this way, there are experts in our midst ready and willing to show us how it’s done: You are on the brink of brilliance, but like every great innovator, inventor, ideator and initiator…you must practice your genius. Your homework this week will be to give each of these questions a try. Don’t be afraid to ask new questions, and more importantly don’t be afraid to surround yourself with individuals brave enough put the answers to use. The possibilities are endless. Happy Wondering! This was originally posted on 12most.com

In the quest to put the puzzle pieces together to help convert the saltwater (brine) that is coproduced with gas and oil into a usable product, and help solve the problem of water shortages, polluted surface and ground water, and and a host of other issues, we are featuring interviews and technology profiles that relate to questions raised by our earlier post, Getting Started in Purifying

Image via Wikipedia After two decades, the World-Wide-Web is really starting to deliver on the promise of readily available, high-quality content for nearly every subject imaginable. Nearly all of this content is free, and is therefore "open content" ready to be used, modified, and shared again. With such a vast repository of content available, we need to come up with ways to index and share it that are meaningful to educators and address their specific goals. If these needs can be met, schools can leave expensive textbooks behind and move towards the future of Open Content. In two days, I will be joining a group of educators and industry thought leaders as a participant to Discovery Education’s Beyond the Textbook Forum to explore the implications of this Open Content Revolution.  I feel quite honored and excited to join my friends colleagues to discuss the future possibiliteis of learning that extend beyond the textbook. I want to invite you to participate virtually and share your ideas with the team  as it relates to the future of textbooks or the future of reference materials. Here are some questions to consider posting or tweeting about at using the #BeyondtheTextbook  Hashtag What materials are you currently using? Are they adequate and representative of the knowledge and expereince you want to enagage your students in? What are your thoughts about open source courseware and materials? Where is your number one place to turn, when you seek information that is beyond the scope of your textbook and curriculum materials? This week I explored this topic in  a presentation panel at the SXSW Interactive Conference in Austin, Texas. I was joined by Matt Federoff, Principal in Vail Arizona.   In 2005, he led the opening of Empire High School, called the first textbook-free school in the United States. As part of Empire’s initiative, all students are issued laptops, and technology helps form the core of their learning experience, much of which is self-directed. He was named the 2005 Arizona Technology Director of the Year and is currently involved in the Beyond Textbooks Initiative, extending the Empire methodology across all grade levels. In the following video clip, Matt shares how the New Content Revolution we are experiencing can be an opportunity for students and teachers: I look forward to your comments here and on Twitter. I will be sure to share our discoveries in a follow up post! Related Posts: David Warlick- Beyond the Textbook Richard Byrne- Beyond the Textbook Textbooks, Wikipedia, and Primary Sources Comparison Bookboon - More Than 500 Free eTextbooks Temple Project Ditches Textbooks for Homemade Digital Alternatives Is there a Future for e-textbooks in Online Courses? How to create your own textbook - with or without Apple The No-textbook Challenge: Using web resources to replace the College Text