Frank Beddor

They both made worlds for their books, and to do that well, Frank said it took him two years to build his world, and as he wrote the narrative sometimes wholes filled into his world. It took him two years before he even began writing the first book. PJ’s books are sci-fi so he has to use more science for his book, and he has volumes of journals of science. He used that information for the background information. PJ hopes his book is a stepping stone towards science fiction for kids.

Editors don’t understand social networking and multimedia. Many times the authors who know those things were working in the classrooms, and the publishers weren’t listening. The publishers wouldn’t even put PJ’s website on his first book. PJ had so much tension with his publisher that he met with the president. The publishers only think about making books, but they don’t think beyond that. Publishers don’t contribute money to books but just to funds, and there is a disconnect between publishers and sellers. The publishers don’t have any control where books are placed in bookstores, even.

PJ Haarsma

Kids aren’t getting excited by the titles presented to them. When these authors go into schools and make kids excited about reading, then they read more. PJ even started a non-profit called http://www.kidsneedtoread.org/ to promote exciting kids about reading. Authors like Frank and PJ are changing the way students read, and someways include graphic novels, video games, chunking book text into the games, ereaders, and other ideas that they’ve not shared.

Frank said he understood and tried to nail down the structure in the Alyss books, and as he became more confident in book 2 and book 3 he moved away from the structure and became more confident in his writing. The first book took five years, but the second and third one only took 18 months each.

Science Fiction is difficult to get into, and PJ’s purpose with The Softwire Series was to make a jumping point towards heavier sci-fi. He clearly kept the names simple instead of using more difficult name. After The Softwire PJ recommends moving towards Asimov, Hienlen, and Card, as a pathway to heavier sic-fi, like Cyberpunk.

Someone asked about how to make archetypes work within the literature. PJ said you should first nail down the story first and then massage the characters into the narrative, while Frank focuses on the characters first and through them the stories emerge.

They went on to answer more questions and then thanked everyone before leaving the stage.

We’re reviewing the ADE recommendations, “Transforming Education: Enabling Learning for All Arizona Students, The AZ Long-Range Strategic Educational Technology Plan”, for long term tech use in AZ schools. This can be frustrating with schools who don’t respond to technology needs in schools. As Wayne Gretzy said, we need to skate to where the puck will be, rather than where it was. For me, the puck feels like it’s far up the ice from where many of our schools are now.

According to Tapscott (1998) the difference between today’s students and our generation is that they: want freedom in expression, want to customize and personalize their lives, want to scrutinize everything, look for openness when deciding where to buy and work, want to be entertained in their education, want speed, and want to be the innovators. But in a recent Speak Up study by Project Tomorrow, the three most frustrating comments about technology obstacles from 9-12 students in Arizona are: 1)”School filters or firewalls block websites I need to use.” 2) “Teachers limit our technology use.” 3) “There are rules against using technology at my school.” Schools in Arizona can increase funding while staying in E-rates compliant, but many IT personnel hide behind this funding. This report discusses how to increase technology use and implementation while staying in compliance. Many times that’s just a smoke screen excuse to not have to work harder for the class of 2010 (the year our current kindergartners will graduate from high school).

(cc) image posted on Flick by Kirklau.

Scenario:
Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1958 – Crowd gathers. Mark wins.
Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2008 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark.
Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it

Scenario:
Jeffrey won’t be still in class, disrupts other students.
1958 – Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal.
Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2008 – Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie.
Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state
because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario:
Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car
and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1958 – Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal,
goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2008 – Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse.
Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang.
State psychologist tells Billy’s sister that she remembers
being abused herself and their dad goes to prison.
Billy’s mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario:
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1958 – Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2008 – Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations.
Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario:
Pedro fails high school English.
1958 – Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.
2008 – Pedro’s cause is taken up by state.
Newspaper articles appear nationally
explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist.
ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system
and Pedro’s English teacher. English banned from core curriculum.
Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up
mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario:
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July,
puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1958 – Ants die.
2008 – BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called.
Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents,
siblings removed from home, computers confiscated,
Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list
and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario:
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee.
He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1958 – In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2008 – Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job.
She faces 3 years in State Prison.
Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

Gmail Video Chat, originally uploaded by nooccar.

Yesterday I received a message that Gmail now had video and audio chat. I immediately told everyone about it, and I was completely excited. The videos all say to just open a chat through Gmail and click on Video & More, but you know what? You gotta install a small add-on. After I googled this, I got it installed and away I went. Of course no one else I knew had installed this yet so when Joe Abbruscato rang me up (much like Skype does) I was ecstatic.

Joe and I spoke for a few minutes to get a feel for the new software. The resolution was really good, and as a regular user of Skype that was always a complaint I had there.

My students both at Basha & MCC both are pretty much required to have gmail addresses, so I can now do video directly through here. This rocks.

The only two problems I have right now are 1) the window doesn’t float so if I navigate away from the gmail tab I can’t see my video buddy (but I can still hear them! I am talking to my wife on Gmail video chat right now!) 2) um… I can’t think of a two right now, so something must be working!

podcampaz panel, originally uploaded by nooccar.

For some reason my connection keeps dropping, hence the reason I am not Covering It Live. Sorry. Looks like this is gonna be a panel session with iJustine, Iboughtamac (Brent), Clintus & Chris Pirillo.

They just opened up questions. A 13 yr old is here, and he’s asking questions. Everyone’s humoring him. Now the questions are getting silly. “What’s your favorite treat?” iJustine said her favorite treat is junior mints. Chris said something I can’t post here. Brent said chocolate and Clintus like ice cream.

The panels tells us to not jump onto every bandwagon. Pick and chose your social networks. They said they hate plurk.com, and I’ve been there. Yuck. Clintus said he uses it for a comedic purposes. The colors for each verb is funny to him. He said to use the one that you’re into most or where your friends are. He said atleast sign up so people can’t squat on your username. This does happen more and more now.

Chris Pirillo streams daily, and it looks like he doesn’t have any reason to do so. http://live.pirillo.com. If he weren’t online he doesn’t have any idea what he’d do. He has a degree in English Ed, but he thinks that would make him unhappy to teach. Too bad. He’s funny. Clintus would be a house father if it weren’t for the Internet. iJustine said if it weren’t for the internet then she’d still be doing what she does. Brent is the only guy at the table who has no degree. Didn’t go to college at all, and he’d be in a world of hurt without the internet.

How do you get started in internet obsession (?). Chris says to find some focus. If you’re a strong writer, start there. If you talk too much, then video blog. Brent threw some dude an “iboughtamac” shirt. Damn, I wish I had one! Yes, Brent, want free advertising. How ’bout an XXL or XL?

There’re probably 50 people here in the theatre listening to these four, and there’s a balance of what they’re saying. Chris and Brent have been bantering about truth and perception online and off. Chris said he toots his own horn, and Brent is always the same. Justine talks about different experiences and asks her audience to respond to her. This begins a dialogue and it gets bigger and bigger.

Brent brought up the idea of monetizing. Justine said sometimes people will send her products to give away and pays her to do it, but this is rare. People always swear they work for different companies, but they don’t. Clintus said the Internet is his playground and he’s all over the place. His RL friends think he’s a big dork because they just don’t understand. This is like last night at 12:30AM when my own wife demanded to know who was tweeting me on my phone. No one was. I was just checking in at home through BrightKite.

Clintus doesn’t watch tv anymore. He doesn’t go out really. Most of his “Spare time” now goes to the Internet. Someone’s computer just started beeping and all our panelists just stopped and stared at it. Someone made a joke about them all being ADD (kinda like this post!).

iJustine said she’s always wanted to be an astronaut. Virgin Galactic then called her to cover their work in the desert and she’s gotten cool opportunities from that. Chris also has some experiences with being utterly weightless, too.

How do you see the Web in 10 years? someone asked. Brent wants it in his head. Chris said it will be more persuasive. iJustine would love to have the ‘Net in her head. Chris said the iPhone has redefined the web, so he’s sure that will as well.

Someone just dropped a MacBook on the floor. You could hear the entire room gasp collectively. Bummer.

iJustine just talked more about watching posting sensitive information, like ATM pins and Brent talked about how he once posted his entire password. Haha.

Now they’re talking iPhone apps. We’re almost done here. Wrapping up. Sorry this is so disjointed.

IMG_4767, originally uploaded by nooccar.

In Austin Baker’s session about how Social Media can change our lives. He, like me, has a “real job” cause we have kids and need to support them. He’s talking about how he’s used Social Media and the opportunities that have befell him. Kind of an interesting story. My daughter and his are the same age, and we seem to have similar philosophies about living transparent lives online and not worry about privacy. He asked us what the end all is of social media tools and someone said that once you meet the person IRL that the online aspect of the relationship disappears, but most people pounced on this comment and rejected it. Austin said we use social media to build relationships and to strengthen relationships. When twittering he said to not just tweet to tweet. You need to be moderately interesting or you will lose your audience. “The internet shows your lameness to the world.”

When blogging, try to be a professional in that area. You don’t need to be a genuis to do it, but just get out there and do your best. People will begin to connect and then network out. An audience builds around your blog if you keep it focused.

We’ve been having a great discussion about Friday night coffees, and Austin mentioned that the internet is “this big” and held up two fingers about an inch apart. It truly is connectivity and freaks us all out. Kinda like last night having dinner with some lady named Heather who I didn’t know until she s

IMG_4758, originally uploaded by nooccar.

Yesterday my friends all went to an “unconference” called PodCampAZ, but I really didn’t know what this was all about. I’m an idiot. So here I am today. First session iJustine.tv. Very cool, but where was the mic? At first we couldn’t hear her, but then it got better (I think my ears just adjusted). For six months she life blogged, and, in some circles, she’s a bit of a celebrity. She got up there and just did a Q&A, and it was funny for me to sit behind her minion. Interesting information about product placement (she doesn’t do it) and about privacy versus public living.

For my high school students, they have to remember that their lives online will NEVER go away. It’s all archived and we can all access it always. They tend to disregard this all of the time.

Michael Wesch spoke last year at MaricopaTech, and our visions of what “students” means mesh nicely. I, obviously, struggle on a smaller level what he struggles to accomplish on a grander level.