Good Week!!

I feel that I have had a good week in my new job. I have learned lots and begun to trouble-shoot some technology problems pretty well, especially related to the ActivBoard. :) People have signed up to come work on projects and assessments in the laptop lab (where my desk is located). People email me with questions about their ActivBoards. I have even helped some other learn different things to try when they think their board is not working.
I am looking foward to the things that come from the Year-Long Staff Technology Training (I sense excitement and interest in many teachers about trying new things).
While it is true that document camera have been my downfall so far, I will continue to try to figure out what to do with those pieces of equipment because there are lots of things that have worked well including:
• I’ve been made the webmaster of the school site and learned some things to try to make it more interesting/appealing
• I’ve successfully loaded SRI and SRC (reading tests) on the laptops in my room, and I have learned (after several calls with customer service) how to use SAM
• I got 4 ActivBoards to work yesterday (even had to reinstall a driver on one) with help via Skype!!
• I was able to find answers to questions teachers had rather quickly (ActivInspire, SAM, SchoolCenter, SRI . . . )
• I talked with Cortez, Rothwell, and Voigt about class blogs. I sent information to some and hope to get them started next week so we can work on projects!
• I posted a request for information about digital penpals (teacher request) on twitter, and was directed to a link to OnlineProjects4Teachers Ning where I found a neat project to do with 4th grade students when they learn about the Native Americans in NC (involves a wiki)
• I have a teacher interested in some type of Stockmarket game (that I need to find out more about)
• I have several teachers doing About Me powerpoints with students at the beginning of the year (one is going to upload the projects from his class through MovieMaker so they can make movies)
• I have a teacher interested in learning more about Podcasting (me too) and still wants to know if/how document cameras can be used as webcams