Election Websites

This year is passing by so quickly! I am sorry that I have been ignoring my blog! However, I have run across some website links (probably a little late in the game...but oh well!) that you can use for Election Issues. So I thought that I would share them with you....

Real Clear Politics
Select a Candidate
Polling Report: Election 2008
Vote Smart
Elections: The American Way
USA Elections in Brief
270 to Win.Com
US Electoral College
Electoral College Calculator
Election Statistics
Election 2008
On the Issues
Telling America's Story
Pro/Con.org
Compare the Candidates
2008 Election Issues: Candidate Positions
Campaign Finance: OpenSecrets
FactCheck
Declare Yourself
Beyond Red vs. Blue: Where do you Fit?
YouthRadio: Election 2008
Scholastic's Connect to Campaign 2008
WBUR: Vote by Issues Quiz

I hope you enjoy these! If you have any ideas for my blog, please let me know!

Gretchen

What a Great Year....Do You Believe?

Hi! For those of you that have not met me yet, I am Gretchen Marshburn, your new Instructional Technology Facilitator (except for Morton Elem. where I have been for the past three years, and am lucky to serve again this year)!

Periodically (usually about once a month) I post to my Technology Blog, about topics important to education and technology. Whatever strikes my fancy at that moment is what I blog on. So for my first blog of the 2008-2009 school year, and first blog for my new schools, here goes...

What a great year it is going to be, I feel it in my bones. There is so much excitement in the teachers that I have talked to at my schools. The technology is really becoming a reality in our schools. We are in our second year of our "Tier One" Initiative, and those teachers just received their laptops! Promethean Boards, SmartBoards, and Mimios are popping up everywhere I turn! Yeah! Anyway, as I was saying "I BELIEVE" that it is going to be a great year for our students and for us! And to really hammer that subject in, I want you to view a video that I first saw on The North Carolina Discover Educator's Network Blog, hosted by our lovely Nicole Gray, OCS Media and Instructional Technology Coordinator. Please enjoy the school year and remember to believe in yourself, and your students because we can all achieve!

New School Assignments for 2008-2009

I want to start by thanking you all for the opportunity to serve as your Instructional Technology Facilitator for the past three years. We have collaborated on some wonderful technology projects and professional development. Thank you for everything that you have done! I have enjoyed working with all of you!

This year you will have a new Instructional Technology Facilitator, (Ross Friebel – WOHS, Beth Dail – HCES and Jackie Wood - HCMS). I hope you will continue to strive toward 21st Century Goals for yourself and in your classroom! My new school assignments will be Northside High School, Jacksonville Commons Middle School and Carolina Forest Elementary. I will continue at Morton Elementary as their ITF.

I look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming Professional Development Opportunities provided by the County. If you need anything, please to not hesitate to contact me! You are more than welcome to keep reading my technology blog and post your comments! In fact, I look forward to hearing from you!

NECC 2008

Hey all! I am currently sitting in a conference session at NECC (National Education Computing Conference) in San Antonio. My current session on is on Moodle, very similar to Blackboard, but FREE!!! So...you probably know what is running through my mind. Yup, you guessed it Profesional Development for my teachers using Moodle. I am going to try to think up a class that I could teach you guys online, using Moodle. Let me know what you think, and any ideas you have...see you guys soon!

Gretchen

Summer Break!

This is just a quick Blog for the summer to let my teachers know that I am available to help them this summer. If you need help learning a new software, creating a lesson using technology, etc, I am here to help! Let me know!

We have a Wii!!!!!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I finally got my Wii! I purchased it at the new Wal-Mart! They had six left at lunch time if you want to try to get one for yourself! The electronics girl said they have been getting them in on a regular basis for the past couple of weeks. It comes with 5 games, and I purchased the extra controller that comes with 9 extra games. So I expect to be "Wii-ing" tonight!!!

Digital Learners

I am sure that I have seen this video before, but I ran across it again on YouTube. So I thought I would share it with you all. I just really love the message that this video is sending to teachers....it is something to think about.




There is also this video that I thought was really cute! It is also about Digital Learners, but focuses on getting girls involved in learning about Technology! D-I-G-I-T-A-L!

Physical Activity and the Wii

For some reason, I just can't get enough of the Wii, and I STILL don't have one! Don't get me wrong, I want one, I just can't find one! Once I finally get one, I am going to try all geeky techie things that you can do with the Wii. Until then, I will just keep reading about the great things the Wii can do.

I ran across an article at jdnews.com today about seniors and physical fitness. As I read, I just imagined Physical Education classes throughout Onslow County utilizing the Wii. Please read this article and give me your thoughts. http://www.jdnews.com/news/wii_55661___article.html/one_bowling.html

Thanks,

Gretchen

New Blog Feed and Video

Hey just wanted to let you all know that I have added Tony Vincent's "Learning In Hand" Blog to my blog. This is a great blog if you want to learn how to use iPods and Podcasting! I also have added a new video on learning to integrate technology into your curriculum! If you have any new ideas for my blog, give me a quick email or comment!

What are Wii to Do?

As some of you may know from my last blog. I am really interested in the Nintendo Wii Video Game System. (When I might get one is another question, as I refuse to pay the over inflated Internet prices, and the local stores are always sold out). My last blog showed a video on how to use the Wiimote and turn it into an interactive whiteboard...very cool (I will be trying it!) But I ran across a cool link to The Wii Owner’s Toolbox: 100 Cool Things to do With Your System . This website really has some interesting (and a few not-so-interesting) ideas for using your Wii! (And I bet your students who are lucky enough to own one have already tried most of these!) So...I want to hear from you if you have a Wii, if you have tried any of these "cool" tricks, or if you have tried any other cool trick! Happy Gaming everyone!

Growing Up Online...

With Internet Safety a big concern for our kids (and ourselves), I thought that the following television program would be of interest to you. On January 22, 2008, PBS will be airing a Frontline report, "Growing Up Online". This link http://www.pbs.org/frontline/kidsonline is a trailer for the program. Please watch and decide to view the program...Enjoy!

Gretchen