Richard Kassissieh has done a lot in this regard, and now a group is forming in New York City/on the web calling itself Open Blackbaud. Adam Gerson, myself, and others have already joined, and if you have any interest in trying to figure out how to share data housed by your Blackbaud system into your other systems, you should join our group. We hope to share strategies and assist each other in these efforts.

Blackbaud is a huge company and as such has to move their development at a certain pace. I hope that this small group can be fast, elegant, and get a little creative.

We watched the video, “Do You Know 4.0″

The Pew Internet and American Life Project did a study called Generational differences in online activities which summarizes the different things that different age groups do online – from e-mail to social networking, and everything in between.

David Pogue has a well-written article in the New York Times titled, How Dangerous Is The Internet For Children where he breaks down the myths and truths regarding children online. In that article is a link to the PBS Frontline documentary Growing Up Online, which is well worth your time to watch. You can watch it online for free.

We discussed a New York Times article titled, Sorry, Boys, This Is Our Domain, which discusses how women and girls actually produce the majority of image/video driven content on the web, breaking some of the myths of boys/girls and technology.

We discussed how the biggest threat to our children is bullying and sexual harassment and looked at an article about students and parents resorting to “Facebook sabotage” and sending colleges “dirt” on prospective students.

If you and/or your daughter are using Facebook, do read the article 5 Easy Steps to Stay Safe (and Private!) on Facebook.

We looked at a tremendous parent online safety guide created by Wes Fryer that includes resources/articles/lessons on: filtering, limits, social networking, instant messaging, parent resources and more.

From your questions

A number of you asked wonderful questions, and we told you that we’d include links to resources on regarding those questions. Here they are:

Creating family guidelines

We discussed creating guidelines for your family that are clear for your child and you. NetSmartz has a great age-based list of guidelines that you may want to consider.

Multitasking and brain development

The Dana Foundation has a good primer called Brain Development in a Hyper-Tech World which tells us that little is yet known about the effects of all the technology in our children’s lives. We do know however that “multitasking,” or fast attention switching makes learning much less productive than focused work. The article also discusses social development in the age of Facebook.

Questions about spelling

Research shows that text message speak does not harm spelling skills. Article from the Telegraph.

The Curriculum, Technology, and Education Reform master’s program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a good summary of some of the research regarding using computers for writing, including critiques of and benefits of using spell check software.

Filtering your home computer

We don’t recommend any particular brand of filters for home. That being said, many families find it helpful to block out objectionable content or block certain websites/applications at certain times. GetNetWise has a section that highlights popular filtering tools.

PC Magazine has an article on Child-Safe Browers.

Misinterpreting e-mail

50% of all e-mail is misinterpreted, even that written by the best writers. Know that when you are sending and reading e-mail, and discuss this with your children.

My friend and colleague Amy Bowllan tagged me (along with Malcom Gladwell!) to blog about 7 things people may or may not know about me. I teach my students about being careful with what they post online, so I’ll try to follow my own advice while doing this. Here we go!

1. I spell my name in all lower case. Like this: arvind s. grover. As far as I can remember, I started experimenting with this in 4th grade. I’ve always been a little obsessed with fonts, and I liked the way some a’s were drawn (see image to the right). Ms. MacDonald used to take points off, but I think that made it more attractive to me than less. Then, I learned that others like e.e. cummings and bell hooks and most recently, danah boyd, all preferred it that way, and I felt like I was in good company.

2. I’m addicted to learning. I love learning new things. I love getting better, picking up random knowledge, talking to smart people, reading brilliant writing, listening to wise words. The evolving Internet feels designed to fit my love of learning, and I’m a better person for figuring out how to wield it. I’ve had tons of help, and that’s what makes it great. Some key examples: the Digital Photography School Blog has made me a better photographer by ten fold, and the Flickr community is a close second. My Twitter educators network continually gives to me, and I try to give back. TED.com’s free videos have expanded my mind in ways that are powerful and real, and I’ve shared them with many people. 21st Century Learning (my webcast), EdTechTalk (our show’s network), and Alex Ragone (my cohost/recruiter) have pushed me immeasurably to be better. Just better.

3. I am vegetarian. It’s been a decade since I stopped eating meat. I don’t eat any animals, marine or otherwise. I’m not quite a vegan, but I don’t eat eggs or drink cow’s milk (I recommend Silk soy milk). I was a serious omnivore 10 years ago, but over lunch, I was bet that I couldn’t go two weeks as a vegetarian. I “won” the best, and have never looked back. When people ask me why I’m a vegetarian now, my standard response is, “because I know it’s the right thing to do.” I feel like I am living a nonviolent, healthy, environmentally-friendly, and most-of-all, ethical life. I strongly recommend you do the same, and am happy to help you adjust. Believe me, I ate more meat than anyone before, and if I can do it, anyone can. 101Cookbooks has been one of the best sources of great food for me lately, so I highly recommend starting there for beautiful food and photos (try the brussel sprouts and caramelized tofu, you’ll never look at tofu the same way again). If you need more encouragement, just check out some of the things I’ve been eating lately.

4. I’m an atheist. My mother was raised Hindu, and my father raised Sikh. They were both born in India, a place where religion is old, just a part of your identity, and recently, part of serious sectarian politics and violence. I was raised in Pittsburgh going to both a Hindu temple and a Sikh gurdwara. At first I found them interesting, but as I watched adults in charge, I became disenchanted. Shooshing kids was then, and is now, one of my pet peeves. I feel like both temples constantly were scolding, and chasing out kids who were making the slightest of noise; strike 1.

At the same time, my family made yearly trips to India to visit the extended family. In the mid-80’s in Punjab (state in India where my dad’s family lives), Sikh terrorists had basically seized control of the state. They wanted an independent Punjab, and were taking hostages, killing opponents, and generally terrorizing an entire state. I’ve had a family friend kidnapped and held for ransom, a kid I grew up with taken hostage on a plane, and my family’s business shot up with AK-47 bullets for one of their employees talking back to a terrorist. Some highlights from my childhood: the Indian Army stormed the most-sacred Sikh temple where the Sikh terrorists were holed up; Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation; right-wing Hindu zealots incite mob violence and slaughter thousands of Sikhs in New Delhi. These were the times in which I was raised, watching Sikhs kill Hindus and Muslims, Hindus kill Sikhs and Muslims, and later Muslims kills Hindus and Sikhs. Religion lost all relevance to me, and in fact, became repugnant.

That gives you the lack of interest in religion. God may have still been around, but Russian author and philosopher, Dostoevsky put that in its place for me when he wrote an article about two parents who tortured their baby in unthinkable ways. His argument was basically that if evil like that exists in the world, than there is either no god, or no god worth believing it. Philosophers refer to this problem as the “problem of evil,” and for me, if there’s evil, I can’t see what kind of god there is. Hmm, this blog post may be getting too deep!

5. I’m a feminist. I am a radical and a progressive, too. As hokey as it might sound, but I do believe all people are equal, yet different. I am sad that we live in a time where 1 in 4 women are victims of domestic abuse; women earn 75 cents on the dollar to men, for equivalent work; most American law (and it’s new “hopeful” president) does not allow all people to marry, regardless of sexual orientation; the world is entrenched in wars and violence; quality of schooling in the U.S. (and most of the world) depends mostly on how much money your family has; the news, and seemingly the world, are only focused on money instead of people; and I could go on and on.

Feminism gives me an intellectual framework to understand systems of oppression, patriarchy, and how they work against all people. I think that it is a responsibility of people with privilege to stand up for the rights of all people. Feminism is my tool and my ally in this responsibility.

6.  I’m a person of color. For those who don’t live in the United States (or don’t know the term), a person of color for my purposes is a person who is not white. I realize that you have to know what white means to understand that definition, but person of color generally refers to black, Latino, native American, Middle Eastern or Asian people. Being a person of color is something I learned I was when I was young; it was about being a minority, about not fitting in, about being different (in the bad way). Through high-school and college, I began associating and organizing with people of color groups, and I learned about framing my race, my ethnicity, in a positive framework, rather than a deficit model, and a new me was born. I’m now part of the Asian Educators Alliance, the People of Color in Independent Schools – New York, and have been a member of the Students of Color Coalition in Ann Arbor, just to name a few.

7. I don’t know much. But I know what I don’t know. I think I’m pretty good at most things I take on, be they work or personal. But it’s for the sole reason that people out there have experienced it before me, have shared their knowledge with me, and pushed me to develop my own understandings.

My “teachers” come in many forms, from actual school teachers and professors, to family members, to friends, to blog/book/article/podcast/video/radio authors, to those in my personal learning networks (PLN’s). Whenever I’m taking on a new endeavor, small or large, I turn to those who know more than me. Those people always exist, and I’m smart enough to be humble enough to know that. Those who don’t do their due-diligence research are doing themselves, and their causes, a disservice. If you’re not part of a personal learning network, you’ve got to go looking. I’m happy to point you in positive directions, so just leave a message below, or come talk to me on Twitter (one of my PLN’s). Knowing what you don’t know makes life a whole lot easier, especially when there are almost always people out there willing to help you figure it out.

Example to the right, I didn’t know how to take night photography, so I read about it, here.

If this were 8 things you may or may not know about be, I’d include #8, I talk a lot. But heck, I’m sure you figured that out from this blog post! Amy, thanks for tagging me in this, I’ve spent all day thinking and writing, and it’s been a moving experience to start off 2009! I thought this was going to be simple!

Now, for the people I’m tagging. Sorry to give you more work, everyone!

• Alex Ragone
• Richard Kassissieh
• Dave Cormier

Technorati Tags:
meme, 7 things you may or may not know about me, Alex Ragone, Amy Bowllan, Dave Cormier, EdTechTalk, Flickr, Twitter, learning, lower case, vegetarian, atheist, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, terrorism, feminism, people of color, knowledge, Richard Kassissieh

Look for new posts soon!

I had my camera around my shoulder because I wanted to pick up a tripod, and needed to test it out with my camera. While taking a break in the food court with my two brothers, mom and dad, I ordered a veggie gyro at Flamers (which was delicious, by the way). The young man making my gyro struck up a conversation, and was intrigued that I taught digital photography in New York City, so I offered to take his photo. He enthusiastically agreed, and I took the photo (left), and gave him my Moo card so that he’d be able to get the copy from my Flickr set, later. I then went and sat with my family while we ate. After we were done, we took some cheezy, mall family shots at the food court tables!

Then, we walked around the mall some more. As we were walking, I was approached my a mall security guard. He told me that taking photos in the mall or of the mall was against mall policy. He told me that I would need to delete the photos while he watched.

As I teach a digital media course, I’m familiar with photographers’ rights (resource 1, resource 2, resource 3, resource 4).I explained that I would not delete the photos, but that I would leave the mall immediately. I asked if this was ok. The guard (Maurice) explained again that it was against policy, and that I needed to delete the photos. I repeated that I would not delete them, but I would leave. He relented, and said that he would need to follow me out. He did so. When nearing the door with my shocked family, it occurred to me that I wasn’t done shopping! I asked Maurice if I could put my camera in the car, and return to do my shopping. He said that I was violating mall policy, and could not do that. I asked to speak to the manager, if it was possible. He said that it was.

The uniformed  manager arrived, spoke with Maurice, and then returned to me. He repeated the policy violation, and I repeated my request. I added that my mom would leave with the camera, and I would continue to shop if that was ok. I added that I just need to finish my Christmas shopping! (gotta tug at the heart strings a bit) He said, let’s make a deal, you delete the photos, keep the camera, and then keep shopping. I said that I couldn’t delete them, but I’d gladly remove the camera from the premises. He said that he didn’t want me to leave, and appreciated that I wasn’t being hostile, and he wanted us both to have a happy holiday. While his words were nice, he was still very stern, and talking very close to my face. I was really itching to take his photo at that moment, but didn’t think it would go well.
b
I really couldn’t understand what they wanted. I knew that they couldn’t make me delete the shots from my own camera. But I also knew that they could ask me to leave, and that I’d have to (private property, and then I’d be trespassing if I didn’t leave), but lastly, and most importantly, I needed my gifts! In the end, after three mall security guards were around us, and one Ross Township police officer was standing just nearby, he agreed to let me take the camera out of the mall, and return to my shopping.

I’ve never felt so out of place in the United States, let alone my hometown mall! People are discussing this issue all over, from NPR, to Flickr New York City members, to the NYCLU vs the NYPD. It’s incredible to think about how many security/police resources were directed at me, the gyro-photographer while I actually heard their radios going off over a car accident in the parking lot! But to them, policy became security. And perhaps, in some way I can’t possibly understand, the photo to the right is some sort of security breach/threat to the mall.

I’m sort of writing this blog post stream-of-thought, and a somewhat fired-up-stream-of-thought, so I hope that it makes sense. I’d love to hear some simple responses on whether this is reasonable, whether I was unreasonable, or whether the laws are clear/unclear. Any input from photographers, mall goers, gyro eaters, and community members, would be much appreciated.

An exasperated, but Christmas-present—mission accomplished arvind. Happy holidays all!

• this is the second biggest conference in the 21-year history
• there are 1,905 adults here from 560 different schools from around the world
• there are 1,211 students here for the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, from 260 different schools

I had the privilege of being a presenter with three other teachers at independent schools in New York City; one from the Brooklyn Friends School, one from The Town School, and one from the Trevor Day School. We presented a workshop for people of color who went to independent schools, and now teach in independent schools. We had a great turnout, and a great discussion on making that transition from student, to teacher.

The People of Color Conference is a powerful experience, and my second conference has been a phenomenal one, thus far. I have found that many educators don’t know about the conference, so if you are interested in learning more, please read NAIS’s writeup about the conference.

The conference has an amazing online program, so do take a look at that to get more info on all that’s offered.

My school is making efforts to be more fiscally conservative during these uncertain times, so I had to pay for my conference registration ($600!), travel, food, etc personally, but it might be one of the best investments in myself that I’ve ever made.

If you’re a person of color working in independent schools, do yourself a favor and get yourself to the 2009 conference. You won’t regret it!

Happy to answer questions via email, or comments, so get in touch!

Tags: POCC, NAIS, People of Color, conference, 2008, professional development, New Orleans

Now, Flip came out with the Flip HD, and David Pogue put up a great video review. Do yourself a favor, get one of these for the holidays for a few hundred dollars (or less for the cheaper ones), and forget about all that klunky old video hardware.

Tags: video, David Pogue, camera, Flip, HD, robots, robotics, class, blog, education, sharing, caring

• Canon EOS 40D camera
• Canon 430EX Speedlite flash
• Sigma 10-20mm lens
• Canon EF 70-300mm lens
• Sigma 50mm f/1.4 lens
• Libec MP-66DV monopod
• Fujitsu LifeBook T2010 Tablet PC
• USB memory card reader
• FLIP video camera
• the book, Learning Processing
• the book, Disrupting Class

I think that’s more than enough nerdiness for tonight. How’s your packing list looking?

Tags: NEIT2008, NYSAIS, unconference, hardware, equipment, nerd, travel, Mohonk

Q: Is it too late to register?

A: Heck no! http://neit.wikispaces.com

Q: Need a ride to Mohonk?

A: Check the rideshare: http://neit.wikispaces.com/Ride+Board (thanks, Bill!)

Q: What is NEIT?

A: The NYSAIS Education and Information Technology unconference. For you auditory learners, listen to the NEIT2008 preview podcast at EdTechTalk: http://www.edtechtalk.com/21cl_83

Q: What types of tools should I bring with me?

A: Read the how to prepare guide: http://neit.wikispaces.com/How+to+prepare

Q: Who is coming to this thing?

A: So far, over 130 of “us.” But add your info to the who’s coming page (hint: click Edit This Page): http://neit.wikispaces.com/Who%27s+Coming%3F+2008

Q: How can I communicate with people during the unconference?

A: Via Twitter (http://twitter.com). Sign up for a free account, and start following: http://twitter.com/NEIT for unconference info. Oh, and see who else is on Twitter via the who’s coming page: http://neit.wikispaces.com/Who%27s+Coming%3F+2008
 

Q: How can I share photos during the unconference?

A: Via Flickr (http://flickr.com). Tag all your photos: NEIT2008 and they’ll automatically show up on the unconference wiki slideshow.

 
Q: Speaking of the unconference wiki, what is that?

A: It’s where you can find the schedule, rides to/from Mohonk, info on how to prepare, the schedule, the notes from breakout groups, photos, blogs posts and more. Oh, and you can edit it to year heart’s content! It’s here: http://neit.wikispaces.com/

 
Q: How can I contribute before, during, and after the conference?

A: Using blogs, podcasts, wikis, Twitter, and any other web2.0 tools, just tag things: NEIT2008
 

If you read all of this, nice work! Now that you’re geared up, just get up to the mountain safely. See you Wednesday,
 

arvind

on behalf of the NEIT2008 planning committee

http://neit.wikispaces.com/Organizers

p.s. what happened to shorter blogging?

Tags: NEIT2008, NEIT, unconference, Mohonk, NYSAIS, technology, education

Blogs turning into journal articles, and even books, scare me. What do you think?

Tags: bookswriters blogs culture reading