More thoughts on information literacy and technology

Several things I would like to ramble on about briefly


Tuesday, November 6 (Election Day)



Several weeks ago I was asked to be the building coordinator of the on-line version of Kids Voting (check out http://www.vote.spps.org/) this year at Como Park. From the get-go I had the sense that most staff were probably not to enthused as to bring their students to vote in our computer lab at Como Park Senior on Election Day. Non Social Studies teachers (unfortunately) really don't make connections with their classes and the need for Civic involvement and responsibility in many cases in my opinion. It is like me not getting all worked up about "green" stuff like Global Warming, etc. in my classes and Advisory.



After about one or two weeks I decided to move participation into the relm of Social Studies teachers. I requested that they send their students to the computer lab during their respective classes. I received no opposition to this at all in the days since my request was made. Well come right before Election Day (a day or two before) sure enough, there were several reasons why my Social Studies colleagues could not bring students to the lab to vote. So I "let go" and brought my students. A few other colleagues did as well. It seems that Como Park's participation mirred that of other high schools. See below:



'Kids Voting St. Paul' mock election has its lowest turnout ever

Pioneer Press

Article Last Updated: 11/07/2007 12:36:24 AM CST
First-time candidate Keith Hardy got the most votes for school board, and fellow newcomer Kevin Riach edged incumbent Tom Conlon in the Kids Voting St. Paul mock election Tuesday. Melvin Carter was the top vote-getter among City Council candidates.
A bit more than 3,000 secondary students in district and charter middle and high schools participated Tuesday. The voting was done online at school sites.
This year's turnout - about 17 percent - was the lowest ever for Kids Voting St. Paul, executive director Roger Barr said. It's hard to generate interest among students - or their parents - in a year where there are only local races and no mayoral contest, he said. "I think our turnout is going to mirror the city turnout."
Kids Voting St. Paul, which was formed in 2000, is a chapter of Kids Voting USA, which seeks to educate K-12 students about the electoral process and allows them to vote in simulated elections.
The students' picks for the board were Hardy (2,089 votes), incumbent Kazoua Kong-Thao (1,835), incumbent Anne Carroll (1,493) and Riach (1,098). The four not making the cut were Conlon (1,045 votes), David Peterson (936), Jennette Gudgel (831) and Bernard Ruppert (790).
The City Council results were as follows:
Ward 1: Melvin Carter, 431; Debbie Montgomery, 69
Ward 2: Bill Hosko, 286; Dave Thune, 140
Ward 3: Pat Harris, 340; Gerald Mischke, 107
Ward 4: Russ Stark, 190; Terrance Bushard, 60
Ward 5: Lee Helgen, 208; David Haas,





So the bottom line is that I will try to market Kids Voting more in advance next year. I do think I will run it again through the Social Studies classes. Additionally, I am well aware that there will be much more excitement furing a next year's election because it is a "Presidential" year.





The last few items briefly:



Friday, November 9 (Staff Development Day)



I took crash courses on how to create a Power Point (I have lots to learn) and how to create a Podcast (sorry I had to leave early Leslie). Then I showed interested staff how to put music onto a computer from a cd and then transfer it from the computer library and load onto an IPod. This was a bit challenging because I have loved owning an IPod but much of my musica was initially put onto the machine by a former student. My participation Friday reinforced my skills in how to do this.



Friday evening I purchased a Microsoft LifeCamVX-6000 camera for my computer AND A Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router. Now I can see my friends "real time" that I correspond with in Vietnam on my desktop computer AND I can go wireless with the MacBook all over my condo. Very cool toys/accomodations. . .expensive but cool.



Whew! This has been the week of technology!



Bye for now!