Cathy Nelson’s Professional Thoughts

The SLJ All Together Now version of 23 Things is now in its 2nd week, and “thing 3″ calls for us to subscribe to a podcast or two and tell why we like it. Yesterday I wrote about Bob Sprankle’s Bit by Bit. Today I thought I’d plug the upcoming K12 Online Conference, which starts its 3rd annual event October 13, 2008 (with an introductory keynote) followed by two weeks of forty presentations (October 20-31, 2008.) I have participated in the last two years, and plan to be there for the 3rd annual conference too. Best, it is ALL online, so I don’t have to go “anywhere” in particular, and even better, it’s totally FREE. It has been promoted as free, flexible and forward thinking. This is last year’s logo, but it really speaks to what the K12Online Conference is all about. Free is self explanatory–it doesn’t cost you a dime in travel, hotels, lodging or any of the other amenities we commonly associate with attending a typical conference. Flexible describes it well, because participants choose when and where they partake of “most” of the offerings–there are a few events that are live, but most of those are even archived. Forward Thinking (Progressive & Practical) is also used in describing the K12Online Conference too, as participants can capture a true vision for forward thinking from great presenters who share fabulous and usefull tried and true tips for engaging learners using 21st century skills. (Gee I sound like a commercial.) But its true! There is something for everyone here, from the true novice beginner to the professional keynoter who alredy knows it all. This year’s theme is “amplifying possibilities.”

I know I will blog about this again nearer to the actual dates of the conference, but for those out there who have decided to participate in “All Together Now” 23 Things, here is a wonderful podcast series that you can go ahead and take advantage of now. Subscribe to the K12 Online Conference and GRAB learning on the go that will NOT disappoint you. Yes, it will be last year’s content, but the content is still wonderful. I think this picture from a set in lynetter’s photostream says it all. This is true especially for podcasts, no matter when, where, or even how we consume them.

Where are the K12 Online feeds? Here

Image Attributions:

“Online Things Can Live Forever.” 1 February 2007. lynetter’s photostream (set “interesting Snippets”). July 29, 2008. <http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/376632696_3f4d7a3755.jpg?v=0>

K12 Onlince Conference Banner 2008
http://k12online.ning.com/

K12 Online Conference 2007 Image
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/1520649674_db1606ee7d_o.jpg

I’m sort of late–not really–in actuality I’m way ahead of the All Together Now School Library Journal’s 23 Things. I already have a blog and use an RSS feed aggregator, so I’ll just pick up in the game here. Today’s assignment is to pick a feed and add it to your aggregator or podcatcher like iTunes.

I will share a pod feed that is one of my absolute favorites and tell you why I like it so much!

Bob Sprankle, a Technology Integrator in Maine, has a blog/podcast that is titled “Bit by Bit.” The premise is that we learn new material, bit by bit. How often have you ever felt like you were on information overload? When you realize how broad the 21st Century skills are, it is easy to be overwhelmed. Many just opt out of the podcast material, thinking “I don’t own an ipod, and since there is so much more this can slide. Bob Sprankle’s “Bit by Bit” is a wonderful podcast series you will not want to miss.

Frequently his podcasts are recordings of workshops, sessions, or keynotes he has asked permission to capture and drop into a podcast feed. Only this week I am enjoying several podcasts he published from a wonderful conference, Alan November’s Building Learning Communities, which took place in the last ten days or so. I have not had the chance to attend this wonderful conference (actually it is a goal and a dream I have someday) but I can learn form the presenters there, all because Bob Sprankle. He generously requested permission to audio record, and then published sessions after the conference.

I am in the middle of listening to the BLC sessions and/or keynotes including:

• John Davitt’s Keynote at BLC08
  “Setting Learning Free: The Difference Engine Runs Again”
• Dr. Joyce Valenza at BLC08
  “Web 2.0 Meets Information Fluency: Designing Projects for 21st Century Learners”
• Dr. Pedro Noguera’s Keynote at BLC08
  “Changing the Culture of Schools: Creating Conditions that Promote Student Achievement”
• Clarence Fisher and Darren Kuropatwa at BLC08
  “Everything New is Old Again

The feed updates each time I open my iTunes, so if I haven’t already listened to it, I have to go back and manually download. Arggg. So when I know a podcast series is going to be heavy in updating daily (like Sprankle releasing these podcasts over a four day period, or the K12Online Conference posts), and I know I do not have time to listen to each one, I create a play list, and add them there.

From iTunes, as I note a new podcast from Bit By Bit, I drag it to a “playlist” I created. The playlist feature is a great tool in iTunes, allowing you to put music or recordings for continuous play, either in exact order or random order. I created a playlist called “1daysdrive” to place podcasts like this. It is so named so that onmy iPod, I can click music–>playlists (which is automatically first)–>1daysdrive. It is the first playlist there because of the 1.

That playlist allows me to start it and listen continuously when I travel. I usually listen to the playlist on my way back and forth to work (roughly a 25 minute drive on good traffic days) or when I take longer trips. I even listen when I’m on vacation, like sitting out on the beach. (But do note that you can listen right from your computer–no iPod is really necessary.)

These snippets or bits that I listen to throughout a week feed my mind and give me the greatest professional development free! Best, I can stop, go back, relisten, and then even share with others, like my principal. I can burn a cd straight form my playlist to share with anyone I feel could benefit from it.

Don’t dismiss the power of learning and professional development you can get from podcasts. There are MANY out there available, and I’ve only highlighted one here.

I have blogged about other podcasts I like or have listened to here, here, and here (this last one titled “Favorite Podcasts”). These posts may also give you some podcasts to add to your feeds. Feel free to ask me anything–I will gladly help.

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