Friday - technology and education

Reflections
collage
e. schoettler

Woke up to snow on the ground - soft, white, fluffy - beautiful.
More than a dusting as predicted on tv last night - "the snow will pass us by"
but not so much to tie things up.

Yesterday the Patti Digh teleseminar CHOICE POINTS gave me a lot to think about. Pattis says,
"we are always in choice no matter what the situation."

Using the web is more than just googling when you are looking for something . Its great for education experiences. I love the new names for classes:

teleseminars - meaning its on muted phone lines with 400 other people worldwide and they don't know that I am in my favorite flannel nightgown drinking a diet coke and did not comb my hair or do my face. Free - unless - it is password protected and there is a fee to the instructors. You print the hand-outs which are emailed to you.

webinars - still wearing whatever - you hear the person talking through the computer. You talk back through by typing your questions to a chat room - and a moderator speaks the questions - so only two voices. Its hands-free, so its possible you could multi-task while you listen and learn.

teleconferences - people call in a central number and you can talk together. (whoever has the barking dogs at their feet has to mute their phone lines.) The conference is usually free but you pay for your side of the call. Check the costs on that. Storyteller and coach Doug Lipman recently had a review of calling costs on his blog, Ask the Storyteller Coach.

PODcast - a recording that you can listen to from the computer or download and listen later through your computer or through your iPod. Most conferences or seminars are recorded and then posted as a Podcast so you can listen later. Or hear it if you missed being there.

TIP: If you are on a conference and they tell you its being recorded monitor your blurts. Everything lasts for a long time on the web.

SKYPE: skype is a free download you use to connect with people world wide through your computer camera or a webcam. It is easy to use.