Workflow

Here is my problem.  Its not really a problem (I can use pencil and paper) but I really want to solve this.

I have a class set of iPads.  In every class but choir students are 1-1.  However, the ipads are shared between classes.

I would like to:

1. Put music theory notebooks on the iPad.

2. Put audio recordings on the iPad and send to cloud.

3. Put my music library on iPad.  I'd like the music folder to be digital.

Questions:

1. On forscore can a student log-in to their account?  That way annotations, music, etc...will be theirs.

2. Soundcloud works great, but has 120 minute limit.  What would be the best place to archive and aggregate and publish student recordings?  It must be simple for me and student to use.  I also would have to have easy log-out of apps since we are sharing.

3. What is the best way to take notes in music theory?  Staff paper is the issue.  They aren't typing, they are drawing.

Ideas needed.

Beck's new album

I have spent the morning trying to figure out Beck's new album.  Its not an "album" its a collection of songs published as sheet music.  Is it a book?  Will he perform these songs in concert?

Look for it to be published in December.

Hip-Hop

I am starting a Hip-Hop class in the Spring. This is basically set up to be a music appreciation class with some dance/art/literature thrown in.  If anyone has syllabus, assignments, ideas, etc...please send them on.  I really don't want to reinvent the wheel.

140edu Reflection

I have returned from the 140edu conference in New York City.  This conference is led by Jeff Pulver who is generous to make it happen for $1.40 per educator.

Some reflections:
1. Everyone is on twitter.  This is becoming the default position.  There was little talk about facebook or google+.
2. It was really nice to meet f2f some of my internet colleagues including Dean Shareski, Steve Dembo, and Chris Lehmann.
3. There is a sense of moving from talk to action.  Stop talking about sites being blocked and do something about it.  We need to tell our stories better.
4.  It is really nice and powerful to be in the room with these people.
5. Everyone has an iPad or laptop open during the talks.
6. Paradigms in different schools are VERY different.  Some schools are very closed off, some are very open and innovative.
7.  I like the one room, ten minute per talk concept.

Some questions:
1. Teach for America (Im an alum) works hard to support moving alumni to be board members, legislators, administrators, etc... Does the edutwitter space have an effective/similar way to get people in positions of power?
2. Is twitter effective for this change?
3. How can we do this in our schools?

Bear with me, having trouble writing lately (stroke issues...).

140edu notes

How to share with peop,e that aren't connected?

Eric sheninger. Being connected has saved me a substantial amount of time. Information is waiting for me, the network does the work.

Education can be a lonely place for innovators.
Makes the world a smaller place.

Tom Whitby. Collaboration is changing. helps to decide what's good and what real.

Jenn Swanson. I'm unconvinced that we are communicating any better. Majority of students have not considered how they communicate. How to answer the phone, how to take a message. Social smarts. People who succeed in life can play well with others.

Adam bellow. School, sucks the love out of learning.
Find video for this.

Brian Marnix. Must establish trust in the classroom. Give real input to students. Teacher must surrender all that makes you comfortable.

Dean shareski. The opportunity for deep learning wasn't there. Isolation. Blogging allowed deep reflection with trusted colleagues. Lesson planning and blogging should become tangled up-Dan Meyer. As educators we get caught up in finished product. We aren't magicians. We need to do a better job of explaining our craft. I've yet to hear anyone frame the word accountability in positive terms, distrust is an expensive vice.

If we create cultures of trust accountability is built in. Sometimes we forget about teacher inquiry. Only obligation should be sharing. We have an obligation to extend that beyond local. Where do you make time for deep reflection? How do leaders honors teacher sense of responsibility?

Eric sheninger. Anywhere anytime learning. We've all been a part of bad professional developement. Like herding cattle. Everyone in same direction learning same thing. Or herding cats, we don't really know what we are doing. Being forced to learn what other haven determined is important. What about what I feel has value?

Money drives professional development. Time is one of the biggest excuses for not getting better. Summer provides one of the best times for learning. Why do some instructions rely on one size fits all that puts us to sleep?

Have to have passion for professional development. I have wthe ability to learn what I want when I want. Professional development powered by you. The way we do that is through social media. What about differentiated learning for educators?

We should be modeling life long learning through our social networks. Information flow becomes two way.

140edu

I'm 1/4 of the way through the 140edu conference. A few observations:

1. There is a lot of mental firepower in the room.
2. The emphasis seems to be moving towards personalization of professional development. Something we do not have in many schools.
3. I would love to have the chance to work some of these people. No question that they take chances.

140edu

I'm at 140edu conference which seems to have every one who is in my twitter feed in one room. I'm pretty excited to see how well these folks present.

I'm also excited to have some food and try the pod51 hotel.