HTML5 is Making Video Easier, at Least a Little

By RR | August 31, 2010

If you haven’t been keeping tabs on HTML5, the new version of HTML currently underdevelopment, you might be interested in this cool project created by Google and Arcade Fire (my new favorite band). The project is called The Wilderness Downtown and is meant to show off HTML5′s new video tag. Just enter your zip code and sit back for a pretty cool ride.

The problem with video in the past has been its multiple formats–essentially, there are dozens of ways of compressing video data (big) into video for the web (small). So, companies like Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft have all developed their own particular formats–and their own web browser plugins to play their video format. The result is a sort of mish-mash of formats; you’re never quite sure if your browser will be able to play the video on a given site.

HTML5 tries to get around this by making a simple video tag which will automatically allow all HTML5-compliant browsers to play video without a plugin, no matter the format. At least, this is the goal. Right now, not all browsers support HTML5 (I’m looking at you, IE8), and HTML5 currently works with only MPEG-4 formats. I am dying to try it out, though, so here goes. The following clip is of Josephine Tucker, the subject of a new book I am working on during my sabbatical. In this clip, Josephine remembers a story that her grandmother used to tell her. You’ll need Google Chrome to view it.

Categories: Multimedia | Tags: , | 1 Comment »

Sabbatical Starts Today

By RR | August 30, 2010

Today is the first day of my sabbatical. Don’t be fooled by the title of this post: I will not update this blog daily. Especially since most updates would be mind-numbing: read. wrote. thought. But I am posting today to indicate the kind of work I’ll do this semester–and to illustrate how technology has become inseparable from this work, though for once, I am not writing about technology itself.

Many readers of this blog (and students in my class) know that I am working on a new book. The subject is a family from Sierra Leone, who came to Grand Rapids in 2005, after surviving the decade-long civil war in their country. Right now, I am chiefly researching–that is, conducting interviews with the family and reading all I can on the conflict. Technology is playing a key role in this stage, obviously. Most of all, I have located resources that exist only online–such as the video collection by Journeyman Pictures, the Truth and Reconciliation Report at the Sierra Leone Web, and the terrific blog on the trial of Charles Taylor. I’m using del.icio.us to keep track of all these online resources. You can see my del.icio.us list here.

I’m also using the web to find and read traditional print media. You can see my bookshelf on Sierra Leone at Google Books, for instance. I have been using one feature of Google Books heavily–locate a nearby library. Just provide your zip code, and Google finds the book in the closest library. Then, thanks to GVSU’s document delivery system, I can order the book with just a few clicks. Amazing, really. And then there are the databases–full text and otherwise–that I’ve been digging into.

Beyond this kind of research, I’m using social media to connect to participants and scholars and to stream video. I’m struck by how flexible a tool the web can be. No single app is ever go to replace all if this; the web is just too good at finding and retrieving information. Reports of the death of the web? Largely exaggerated.

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Is the Web Getting Thinner?

By RR | August 18, 2010

Wired just ran a terrific article on the death of the web. Not to worry–the web is not going away anytime soon. Chris Anderson was suggesting, though, that a number of trends have changed the way people are using the Internet. The web browser, according to Anderson, is losing ground to other Internet-utilizing software and hardware. So, more people are using smart phone apps to do many of the things–check email, read the news, find an address, etc.–that they used to do on their laptops or desktops (now the desktop is indeed dead).

Anderson notes a a couple of other things slowing web traffic, including one that I have written about here: the movement away from free online services, as the 2.0 movement matures and begins actually turning a profit. Ning certainly is a prime example of this free to freemium trend. Syndication moving to subscription means that less content will be available via RSS, and more will be available through subscription apps. The chart included in the article sums things up nicely.

I might add that the dominance of Facebook is thinning out the web, as users spend more time on this single site–and as Facebook eats up more and more web territory. Of course, as PC World points out, other technologies have been written off before.

Categories: News | Tags: | 1 Comment »

Google Wave Goes Belly Up

By RR | August 5, 2010

Google just announced that it is no longer actively developing Google Wave–the web-based communication app that was supposed to revolutionize the way we interact online. I was a fairly early user of Wave, but I never really got into it. It was a little strange, a little clunky, and, most significantly, quite unnecessary. In other words, it tried to fill a gap that was never really there to being with.

Our asynchronous means of online collaboration–email–works pretty well, despite inherent issues such as replying to all/one, endless email spam, and information overload. We’re pretty good at sending email, after nearly two decades of popular use. When I encounter someone who does not have an email address, I am admittedly suspicious: what, I think, you can’t use a computer?

As for synchronous communication, most web users are a least a little familar with tools such as instant messenging and chat. Texting is the IM and chat killer, of course, and we’re getting better at that all the time. We have established ways of sending short bits of information in rapid succession, though texting between multiple users is still challenging.

So, there was nothing Google Wave needed to do. No itch it needed to scratch. Worse still, its interface was decidedly unsexy and not very user friendly. The iPad, by contrast, also does nothing that we couldn’t do before, but the thing is so sleek we buy it anyway.

Google will no doubt learn lessons from the burnout of Wave. Ambitious failures are common at Google Labs. The lesson I am drawing is that no amount of hype can ever secure a niche for a new technology–unless that technology supplies users with something they needed or are deeply drawn to. As educators, we need to sort out what is pure hype hype from what is potentially interesting. I fell pretty hard for Second Life, but that too, seems to have seen its better days. My prediction, based on the Google Wave flame out, is that Second Life will join the dead pool in two years, essentially replaced by Facebook and other social networking services.

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So, Would You Buy This MCTE T-Shirt?

By RR | July 30, 2010

After sounding off about Ning a couple of posts ago, I have had a few days of more sober reflection. And instead of searching for a new home for the MCTE network, I have decided to absorb the cost of a plus plan. There are a few benefits for doing so: Ning allows for domain mapping, which means the MCTE network now displays http://mcte.info in the address bar, and that all permalinks begin with the http://mcte.info domain. That was a bit of a trick to figure out, but the Ning support helped.

Another reason for staying with Ning, despite its pricey upgrade, is the continual development of applications. One such application is the integrated Eventbee registration tool, which we’re using for the upcoming MCTE Autumn Assembly. Another admittedly cool tool is the Cafepress application, which lets you design and sell merchandise such as t-shirts, coffee mugs, and more for your organization. I used Cafepress to create the t-shirt shown here. It uses a high-resolution, public domain image of Ernest Hemingway that I found on Wikimedia Commons. The picture is actually taken in Cuba, but no one has to know that.

I think Cafepress would sell this t-shirt for around $22.00, with a small percentage of profits going toward maintaining the MCTE Ning. Oh–the dotted line is not actually on the shirt. If you like the design, let me know. Or, if you’re feeling inspired, send me your ideas for a cool MCTE t-shirt.

Categories: Cloud Computing, Web 2.0 | Tags: | No Comments »

Michigan Cut from Race to Top (Again)

By RR | July 28, 2010

It looks like Michigan has not made the cut for the second round of Race to the Top funding. A few more details below:

Michigan out of running for U.S. education grant
Detroit Free Press
July 27, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Michigan failed to make the cut in the second round of competition for federal “Race to the Top” education reform dollars, despite increased support from its largest teachers union, the Detroit Free Press reported. The state had hoped to win up to $400 million to improve public education.

Mike Flanagan, state schools superintendent, said that the Michigan Department of Education would analyze feedback from the federal grant reviewers before discussing reasons for the rejection, according to the Free Press.

Doug Pratt, Michigan Education Association spokesman, told the Free Press that while the group was “just as disappointed as everybody else, it’s important to keep in mind this $400 million would have helped but it wasn’t going to solve our financial problems.”

Public school districts still will have to adhere to reforms that the state adopted in preparation for the “Race” competition, such as a higher dropout age and a cyber school initiative, Brad Biladeau, associate executive director of the Michigan Association of School Administrators, told the Free Press.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm said the state presented a strong application and that she was disappointed it was not approved, the Free Press reported.

Second-round finalists are Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and South Carolina. Winners will be announced in September.

Just one question: if we are not getting the money, why do we still have to adopt the common core assessments?

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Ning Blows

By RR | July 24, 2010

I like free stuff. Blame it on my Dutch heritage if you like (just don’t say anything about the World Cup) or my philosophy about the way the web should work. When I can’t get the stuff I want for free, I get a little cranky.

That’s why I have titled this post “Ning Blows,” despite years of recommending the social networking site to educators. Search this site for entries on Ning and you’ll see: I was all about the Ning. But this past spring, Ning decided to do away with its free plans. Educators were outraged and panicky. Ning was swamped with emails and petitions to keep its services free for teachers. So, Ning struck a deal with Pearson, one of the industry giants of educational publishing.

I signed up for the deal, thinking I could keep all of the free services on several of the Nings I have developed.

Not so fast. Turns out, Pearson and Ning are just a little stingy. Not blaming them for that (I mentioned my heritage), but come on! Ning is only offering the “mini-plan” for free. Among its very limited features are a cap of 100 members, no applications, and no groups, events, or chat. Hey teachers across America–you can afford $19.95 a month, right? How about $49.95 a month?

For some reason, I just put this all together tonight. I guess I am a little slow on the draw.

Ning should do the right thing and keep its premium services free for educators. It should also give out small grants to fund original/effective uses of Nings in the classroom. It should run workshops at intermediate school districts. Give out totebags. Pens. It should funnel at least a small portion of its profits to urban schools, where technological know-how is low.

Get a heart, Ning. Or a social conscience. Teachers deserve much, much better than a mini-plan.

Categories: Cloud Computing, Web 2.0 | Tags: , | No Comments »

Facebook Fatigue Setting In

By RR | July 1, 2010

Let’s face it: when it comes to social networking, Facebook is the only game in town. MySpace and other early networks are a speck in its rear view mirror. Everyone is on Facebook: your friends, your ex-girlfriend, your mom and dad, the people you went to high school with and never want to see again, and just about everybody else in the world. Official membership is somewhere over the 300 million mark, roughly the population of the United States.

Facebook wants to be more than just one of the top destinations of the web–sometimes even beating out Google. It wants to be the web, with everything coming into and out of your Facebook account. This includes using Word, for instance, and I’ll bet that Facebook will put out a sophisticated search tool sometime soon.

The problem is, interest in Facebook is waning. Not plummeting (like, say, the interest in Second Life), but slowly eroding. One sure indication of this gradual erosion: teen users are getting fed up. The recent Teens and Social Network Study by roiworld shows that teenagers are getting sick of Facebook. Money quote:

Online teens in the US report they typically spend 2 hrs on the internet a day. On average, 80% of that time is spent on a social network. Is Facebook the new MySpace? Most online teens belong to a social net, and Facebook is still by far their #1 social network. But, a significant amount of teens report “Facebook Fatigue.” Among those teens who have created a profile, roughly one-in-five (19%) claim “they no longer visit Facebook” or “are using it less than they did a year ago.”

Teens who quit Facebook or lessen their use do so because too many adults have joined (like parents and teachers) and because of fears of privacy violation. Here is one provocative chart from the report:

Categories: Cloud Computing, News, Web 2.0 | Tags: | 1 Comment »

Odeo Back From the Dead?

By RR | June 27, 2010

Will wonders never cease: it appears that Odeo, the media-hosting site that has been d.o.a. for months, is up and running again. Odeo hosts YA! Cast, which is published via iTunes. When Odeo died a few months ago, there was nothing I could do to change my RSS feed into iTunes. So, I used free PHP software called Loud Blog to temporarily host YA! Cast on this site (see this link). Loud Blog is a pretty cool solution, if you have server space and a little PHP knowledge.

So, now that Odeo is back (though loading very s-l-o-w-l-y), I’ve been able to add a couple of new podcasts from the past two semesters. The return of Odeo is a relief, but also an indication of the fly-by-night nature of quite a few 2.0 startups. Ning is no fly-by-night, but did nearly leave educators in the lurch a few months ago. What would happen if Wikispaces went under? Or even WordPress? Quite a few teachers and professors would be in trouble. . .

Categories: Cloud Computing, Multimedia, Web 2.0 | Tags: | 1 Comment »

More Paranoia out of Arizona; NCTE Responds

By RR | June 8, 2010

First there was the legislation that allowed Arizona police to ask for the papers of anyone they suspected of being illegal. Then, there was the equally idiotic law barring ethnic studies in Arizona public schools. Now, the Arizona Department of Education is prohibiting teachers “with heavy accents” from teaching English language learners. In other words, if your first language is Spanish and you speak English with an accent, you may no longer teach English learners.

This is so ill-informed and so egregious that words fail me. Fortunately, NCTE has responded with a statement that condemns the new policy. I am including it here in its entirety.

NCTE Statement on the Removal of Designated Teachers from ELL Classrooms in Arizona

The effects of a new Arizona Department of Education policy are reverberating in the literacy education community. According to numerous reports, the Department has told school districts that teachers whose spoken English it deems to be heavily accented or ungrammatical must be removed from classes for students still learning English.

This edict is dangerously misguided. Confirmed by research and by policy positions adopted by the National Council of Teachers of English, what matters most in teaching non-native ELLs is not elocution or adherence to a single dialect or speech pattern. What matters most is understanding students and the dynamics of language learning.

Teachers who have deep roots in the culture and linguistic experiences of their students are well equipped for success in teaching English, regardless of their spoken dialect or accent. A recent NCTE position paper on “The Role of English Teachers in Educating English Language Learners (ELLs)” emphasizes the importance of empathy, connections to ELL students’ families and culture, and innovative teaching methods:
Knowledge of the students is key to good teaching. Because teachers relate to students both as learners and as children or adolescents, teachers must establish how they will address two types of relationships, what they need to know about their students, and how they will acquire this knowledge. The teacher-learner relationship implies involvement between teachers and students around subject matter and language and literacy proficiency in both languages. Adult-child relationships are more personal and should include the family. Focusing on both types of relationships bridges the gap between school and the world outside it, a gap that is especially important for many bilingual students whose world differs greatly from school.

The NCTE position paper further asserts that all teachers of ELL students in all content-area subjects must provide effective instruction for students developing academic proficiency in English by:

  • Recognizing that second language acquisition is a gradual developmental process and is built on students’ knowledge and skill in their native language;
  • Providing authentic opportunities to use language in a nonthreatening environment;
  • Teaching key vocabulary connected with the topic of the lesson;
  • Teaching academic oral language in the context of various content areas;
  • Teaching text- and sentence-level grammar in context to help students understand the structure and style of the English language;
  • Teaching the specific features of language students need to communicate in social as well as academic contexts.

Teaching English language learners well is difficult. The urgent need for more highly-adept teachers to meet the demand is what makes the Arizona ban so invidious: teachers who may best understand the cultural and family dynamics of their ELL students, who are living the gradual developmental process that characterizes second language acquisition, are barred from the classrooms where they are needed most.

We would have a different problem had the Arizona guideline directed re-assignment of teachers of ELL students

  • who are unsuccessful at teaching academic oral content in math, science, social studies, or the arts;
  • who fail to teach key vocabulary or grammar in the context of helping students understand English for school or other purposes;
  • who are unable to provide authentic challenges for applying language to solve problems in the lives of students or their families.

There would still be fewer ELL teachers in Arizona classrooms, but those missing wouldn’t be identified by their accents. We would be focusing on the real problem: competence.

If the Arizona Department of Education wants to upgrade the quality of instruction for English language learners, it could heed the need for professional knowledge among all teachers about how to serve ELL students. Based on research, NCTE’s policy states that:

The majority of ELLs are in mainstream classrooms taught by teachers with little or no formal professional development in teaching ELL students (Barron & Menken, 2002; Kindler, 2002). Many teachers are not adequately prepared to work with a linguistically diverse student population (American Federation of Teachers, 2004; Fillmore & Snow, 2002; Gándara, Rumberger, Maxwell-Jolly, & Callahan, 2003; Menken & Antunez, 2001; Nieto, 2003).

NCTE encourages English teachers to collaborate and work closely with ESL and bilingual teaching professionals who can offer classroom support, instructional advice, and general insights into second language acquisition. School administrators should support and encourage teachers to attend workshops and professional conferences on bilingual learners, particularly in the areas of reading and writing.

It’s time to put sound educational principles ahead of misguided cultural assumptions. We have real work to do unlocking the miraculous potential of a generation of ELL students. Let’s use what educators know about language learning to make decisions about fostering the literacy skills of all students.

Kent Williamson, Executive Director
National Council of Teachers of English

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