EVERYONE: Take the badges survey - And congrats to our Citizenship Badge winners!

First and foremost, EVERYONE, take this survey about the badging this semester.  I didn't know we were supposed to do it in class on Tuesday and the researcher has a deadline.  It must be be complete by TUESDAY, APRIL 12.

Click here to take the survey:
https://fsu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bNGpuQ65uM7iLfT

The researcher left a bag of chocolates for us as a thank you, which we will enjoy at our last class.

And announcing...  our Citizenship Badge winners.

Tech Helper - Ben

"Just during the last weeks class alone, I noticed how helped others when they were struggling with Excel."

"I have worked with and sat next to Ben for the whole semester and it was only beneficial for me. During the PowerPoint Interaction, I was really struggling with using buttons as the concept was new to me, not only did Ben teach and show me how to use the buttons, but he really made it easier for me to work on the PowerPoint."

Community Builder - A TIE!  (Its not just about the number of votes.  I bet you can guess what stands out about these two winners).

Lindsey

"She always comments on my assignments and blog posts with encouraging words and is always a text away when I need help with something! "

"She always provides constructive comments on my blog posts every week "

"Lindsey is always there to help me with assignments that involve programs that I am not extremely comfortable with. She and I FaceTime often to get homework done as well as to work on group projects if we cannot get together to work."


Ciara

"She is always there for me when I text her about assignments and during class when I'm confused."

"Ciara always provides positive responses to blogs and helps out in class when needed. Shows knowledge of course material by winning the podcast game."

"Ciara pretty consistently comments on my blog posts. I like to see her comments because she actually says more than just "I agree!"

Excel Survey

https://fsu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0NA3cZSc6L5ipnv

Tech Conferences: FETC, ISTE, and DigiTech

DigiTech was unlike any technology conference I have attended.  Usually, companies line the vendor halls and show you their latest-greatest products, handing out swag.  Break out sessions feature colleagues sharing tips and projects they do with their students.  If you ever get a chance to attend a tech conference, go!  It is so much fun.

FETC is the biggest tech conference in Florida.  Be sure to click on the gallery tab:
http://fetc.org/index.html

This link shows the presentations from 2016.  Note that each session has a pdf or power point from the session:

If you are so lucky, (and I have never been so lucky), you could go to the ISTE national conference.  I hear its amazing.  Check it out.

https://conference.iste.org/2016/

Palm Beach County, my home, is a big county.  We are lucky enough to have a great district-wide technology conference that is surprisingly sophisticated.  It is usually held on a teacher work day so many teachers opt to stay on campus.  If your county hosts a technology conference, I urge you to go!  You will learn so many practical tips.  And again... its fun!  I started presenting at my local tech conference my 2nd or 3rd year in the classroom.  This is a great way to formalize your thoughts, to refine your speaking and Power Point skills, and to build your resume.

So what makes DigiTech different?  Instead of sessions and vendors, the hall is all students who are displaying (excitedly) their inventions and innovations.  For example, one pair of students made an app to be launched Jan 2017 which I anxiously await.  It's sort of like Uber but for tourism.  If you have traveled much, you know that knowing a local makes the experience so much better, steering you away from the tourist traps and leading you to the best restaurants, events, stores, and "fun stuff."  With this app, you are matched with locals who will show you around, for a very low price.  Cool, huh?!?!

Here are some pictures from DigiTech

Remote-control plane that takes off vertically and the flies like a typical plane.

Combining Occulus Rift with Leap technology, you use the controller to move your character around through the scene (an Asian village), and can see your hands in front of you, with which you can touch, move, and pick up things in your environment.

I don't know the name of this tech, (its a demo, not a student project).  The swiveling base allows the ipad to capture high quality audio and video as you move around the room.  Think: videoing your lessons as you talk to various students.  COE uses this during teacher training so maybe you will get to check it out.

Maybe called a lightscribe?  Pen that records audio and any writing on the special paper into a collapsed video file so that you can hear group discussions AS the students are brainstorming on the paper.