The group at Henrietta’s Table
Originally uploaded by AlleyesonJenny

In the midst of Octoberfest in Harvard Square on Sunday, 6 bloggers, including yours truly, met up for brunch at Henrietta’s Table in the Charles Hotel. Many thanks to John Wall of the M Show for arranging it! In my quest for new endeavors and new ideas in education and technology, it was the perfect launching pad. I indeed did pass out my new business cards, and while doing so made the humble “I’m in the process of updating my sites…(grumble, grumble)” comment, and promptly went home with lists of links to check out (LinkedIn, Twitter), new blogs to read (Jeremiah, C.C., Len), events to attend (Blogtoberfest, PodCamp), and old friends to reconnect with (Big Red Blog, All Eyes on Jenny, Ronin Marketeer). There’s a great group picture on Jenny’s blog!

Great conversation over eggs benedict and fresh fruit beats text messagin any day, I say!

I just registered for Podcamp Boston : http://www.PodCampBoston.org

I am super excited. Last year was the first of its kind and I was unable to attend. I am teaching a podcast class this year which hasn’t officially started yet, so I am eager to learn about the possibilities.

I am also engaging in the MIT media lab’s Youth and Civic Media focus group (C4FCM). The group is exploring ways to engage youth in civic participation with and through technology. The Media Lab hosts some very interesting conferences and forums, one of which on November 8 discusses the effects of gaming on civic engagement.

Lots going on…hence I spent the weekend making new business cards and planning for an update to my site(s), WHILE still searching for a new home. To keep the stress in perspective, 2 students at my school lost their home and everything in it last week after a terrible fire. I am lucky to have someplace to go.

Happy Case of the Mondays! GO PATS tonight.

 Students watched the final PSA’s completed by the Junior level Media Seminar students today! The students used Adobe Premiere to edit their digital videos about such topics as teen violence, drug abuse, teen pregnancy, suicide, and online predators.

Today, Microsoft revealed more than 100 of its research projects at the annual Microsoft Research TechFest 2007. Among some of the innovations are ways to get kids as early as the age of 4 into programming, turning your PC into a telescope, and mapping the structure of a web site like constellations in the galaxy.

http://research.microsoft.com/

I am wrapping up here at the Staples HQ in Framingham. (I’ve been sick so at this time of the day, I tend to spiral downward, head-heavy!) Just spent the day listening to a number of great speakers about the education of our nation’s future IT professionals. Today’s IT industry assumes that its entry-level employees have basic computer skills such as word processing, data entry, and email and address book management. Essentially, tech skills are not enough to land job’s in the technology industry! Our emerging workforce needs employability skills above all, which allows young people to forge new careers with longevity, and not just jump from help desk to help desk. This is not really a ground-breaking revelation. What is new at this year’s forum are the statistics and studies that finally back up these claims. Now more than ever, our high schools and commnunity colleges need to change their technology curriculum to integrate and re-inforce employability skills such as teamwork, creative problem-solving, oral & written communication, listening, time and task prioritization, and adaptability in the face of unfamiliar problems. Too much of our focus has been on HOW to use an application, or HOW to get the right answer on a test. We need to measure the social and soft skills today’s employees need in order to compete in the technology industry.

“Technical skills get you the interview, but soft skills get you the job!”

I was able to procure a few gems as well today :

• I finally figured out how to set up my own wiki space, where my seniors can collaboratively edit each other’s essays for their portfolios.
• I was tipped off that Apple has grants to support podcasting in schools, something I have been trying to get off the ground at my own school.
• I was reaffirmed by BzzzAgent about the power of social media - why and how YOU (me) WE are influencing and controlling marketing message by word-of-mouth (online).
• And I got a walk through of the new features of Windows Vista. Cool stuff! It runs off the video card now instead of the CPU so it is much smoother and faster. Slick 3d views and live previews with a far more effective search engine so you can toggle between all types of apps and docs on your desktop.

The Consumer Electronics Association kicked off its annual conference in Las Vegas yesterday! The big idea is “convergence” - imagine ONE wireless remote to control and connect your tv, stereo, dvd, gaming station, computer, and more to each other…New audio, video, gaming, wireless, mobile, and digital imaging gadgets and applications were revealed from over 300 major consumer electronics companies…AND it is all taking place in Las Vegas…even MORE fun times for gadget geeks!!

Wish I was there…

BlogON 2005 Social Media Summit took place on Oct 17 and 18 in New York.

I would’ve loved to have been there, but alas, I got that teaching gig going on.Traditionally, blogs have been thought of as only online journals, personal diaries, and fun photo albums to share with friends and family. But blogs have also served as political forums, propaganda, business tools, educational communities, and news feeds that have and can sway public opinion and consumption, and ease communication within a community.

Blogging continues to evolve as one of the hottest communication and marketing tools online. At BlogON this year the focus was on how businesses can incorporate blogging into their communication and marketing strategies.

Check out the podcasts, blogs, and resources available at the blogonevent web site to learn more.

Related Links :
http://www.blogonevent.com/blogon2005/
look especially at the list of sponsors for a who’s who in blogging

I spent the week in Philadelphia at the NECC (National Educational Computing Conference). It was my first time there and I loved it! NECC gathers teachers from all over the country to share and show best practices and products for technologies in education. I went to demos of Adobe and Macromedia video products, investigated eportfolios and dekstop monitoring, found out what podcasting is, and ate a LOT of great food! I went with 3 colleagues and 4 students. The students did and incredible job presenting for the Microsoft Small Schools Project session - they made us so proud! The kids emphasized that the staff is what makes TBA such an awesome school. Awww!