Poll Everywhere

I recently learned about a new Web 2.0 tool called Poll Everywhere. I'm planning on integrating it into one of my online classes...so started playing with it a bit! Teachers could actually have their students answer a question via text messaging with their cell phone. Instantly, a bar graph will appear to show the results. This could also be a great way to engage adult learners and high school students.

Could you help me test this out? Basically you will text a message to 99503. Then in the message, you will type the number that correlates with the response you want to choose. Please help me out by answering this question via your phone!

Creating Your Own Blog

Blogger is Google’s tool for creating blogs. The word blog comes from web + log = blog. A blog is a website that is usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. (Wiki-pedia).

Creating your own blog using Blogger is something you can do...trust me! Click on the links below for video tutorials and resources.

Great info on creating a Blog. You will need to scroll down a bit for Blogger directions.

Blogs in Plain English--YouTube Tutorial

What is a blog? Why do people have blogs?

Creating a Blog Using Blogger-YouTube Tutorial

The Google Story by David A. Vise and Mark Malseed

For the past 3 days, I've been absorbed in "The Google Story", by David A. Vise and Mark Malseed. Learning the details of how these two Stanford doctoral students met, found one another obnoxious at first, and then developed a friendship based on common interests and the desire to debate. Being a Google nut, there were a few things I already knew about Google, Inc. However, what was not evident to me previously was the strong commitment Sergey Brin and Larry Page had to develop a powerful search engine. It was not about the money or becoming a public company on the Stock Exchange. Sergey and Larry believed that first you develop something that of high quality, such as the most powerful search engine and money and opportunities will follow. Money was not their number one concern.

Brin and Page were dedicated to a mission and would not let anything or anyone stop them. A major part of the Google development concept initially took place on the Standford Campus, Gates 360. Yes, the concept of Google actually evolved in a beautiful building funded by Microsoft's Bill Gates, with hope of winning over some of the bright computer science and math students at Standford.

Many of you many choose to read this story yourself, so I don't want to give away all of the interesting surprises I learned about Google. However, if you've been amazed with Google's accomplishments these past 10 years, I think you will be AMAZED to learn where they are headed involving biological and genetic research.

As I read this story, I kept thinking about our own young boys and how I want them to know "The Google Story", as it teaches many valuable lessons relating to perseverance, intelligence, solving problems, and fully committing oneself to something you are passionate about. As an educator, I think our high school and college students are lacking motivation as a result of not having long term goals or vision. Which in turn, makes me look at our education system and what we need to change.

In the Fall of 2008, Boise State University had their freshman read the book "3 Cups of Tea", by Greg Mortenson, as this book is also one of vision and perseverance. In the future, when I receive high school graduation announcements, it is my plan to give them a copy of "The Google Story", with hopes that it will inspire them to accomplish great things!


Click here to view an Interview with the author, David A. Vise.

Exciting News from Google--Video Chat

The Life of all Googlers has just gotten even better! This past week, Google added a Video Chat option to Gmail (free email service). Now, right within your Gmail you can choose to have a video chat with a friend or colleague. Just yesterday, a friend of ours that recently moved to Duluth, Minnesoate invited me to a Gmail Video Chat. The video chat came across great without any delays or feedback.
To get started with Gmail's Video Chat feature, you must first have a Gmail account. To sign up for a Gmail account, go to www.gmail.com and click on the Sign up for Gmail link. Take the time to go through the tour if you want to know a bit more about how to use Gmail.
In order to use the Video Chat feature you need to download the video chat plugin. The plug-in is compatible with both PCs and Macs and is simple to install.


Installing the Video Chat Plug-In
To add the Video Chat feature to your Gmail account:

1. Go to www.gmail.com/videochat
   
2. Then, click on the Install Voice and Video Chat button and go through the installation process.
   
3. You will then be prompted to restart your browser. After doing so, you need to log into your Gmail account.
   
4. You will now have the option to do a video chat.
5. View the following video about the Video Chat by clicking on the play button.
   

What equipment will I need?
In order to do a Video Chat you need a webcam. This webcam can be internal or external. Most laptops come with a built in webcam that you can see above the monitor of the laptop. If you do not have a built in webcam, you can purchase an external webcam to hook up to your computer.

Basics of Video Chatting
Once you've installed the plug-in and have your webcam and/or microphone hooked up, it's time to contact a friend or colleague and start communicating! In the Chat section of your Gmail, you need to select the contact you want to call. If they have a camera icon next to their contact name, you can make a voice or video call to them by clicking on Video and more.


If you aren't ready to enter the video chat world, perhaps you want to simply do a "voice chat" using Video Chat. If so, you simply need to have a built in microphone or an external microphone that plugs into your microphone jack.

Let's say that you and I have a Video Chat. I have a webcam and you have a microphone. I would be able to hear you, and you would see the video of me on your end! Make Sense? (I think voice chat is a fabulous option as sometimes, quite honestly, I'd rather not be SEEN...early morning, no makeup, hair amuss!)

Alrighty, so now I'm hoping all my friends and family get signed up for Video Chat. It would be a great way for our families to catch up with one another!

iGoogle Gets a Face Lift

On October 16-17, I did a workshop for educators entitled "Google Tools for Educators: Communication, Organization, and Productivity". I had a fabulous group of 27 educators that dove right into the Google Tools such as Calendar, iGoogle, Google Bookmarks, and Blogger.

About 1/2 hour before I was introducing how to create a personalized iGoogle page, it was drawn to my attention that there were no longer tabs for each page within iGoogle, but rather now there were expandable links in the left hand pane. Fortunately, having enough experience with technology....I simply laughed about the timing of all of this. :-)

I must say, I can be a creature of habit, so I went ahead and immediately investigaged to see if you could choose between having your iGoogle pages in tabs or in the left-hand frame. Unfortunately, there is no option to switch it back to tabs. However, after getting used to the left-hand frame links, it's really quite fine.

Don't you find it interesting that Microsoft, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and other applications have switched to organizing content in tabs....and now Google switched to another format. Technology is definitely ever-changing! Please feel free to comment on this if you have any thoughts! :-)

Adding iGoogle to a Mobile Phone

I recently was teaching an iGoogle class, when one of my participants asked about putting iGoogle on her mobile phone. So of course, once she had her iGoogle page set up we went ahead and tested out this feature. The process was smooth and painless....which isn't always the case when it comes to technology!

1. After signing into your iGoogle Page, click on My Account in the upper right hand corner.
2. Under the "My Products List", click on the Settings link next to iGoogle.
3. Under the Mobile section, select "Add Gadgets".
4. You will then see a list of all of the gadgets that make up your iGoogle page. Checkmark those that you want to include on your mobile phone.
5. Click on "View on Phone".
   
6. Click on "Send Link to Your Phone". Enter your phone number.

After you read your text message, you will be asked to click on the link provided in the text message to begin Google Services.

iGoogle: Part 3 Adding Tabs to Organize Gadgets

In the previous posting, I explained how to add gadgets to your iGoogle page. If you've already created your iGoogle page and added gadgets, I'm certain you are amazed at the number of gadgets out there! You've probably turned into a Gadget-oholic since the last time I posted!

A few summers ago, I taught a Google class to educators. Prior to breaking for lunch, they had learned about gadgets and they had added a ton of gadgets to their iGoogle homepage. Many were scrollllllllllling for quite awhile to view all of the gadgets they had added. We were having WAY too much fun! However, in the world of web design, too much scrolling is not efficient navigation. So....I contimplated this problem during the lunch hour. Only to realize that there are tabs. BINGO!

As you look at your iGoogle Page, notice that to the right of your iGoogle home page you have a link that says "Add a Tab". Click on this. A box appears and you simply need to give this tab a name. So for example, maybe you want a Cooking/Recipes tab. If you leave the checkmark next to "feeling lucky", then it will automatically add gadgets that relate to cooking. You decide on this one, just realize that gadgets are 1 click away (clicking the X in the corner of the gadget) from being deleted.

Once you have a tab, you simply click on the "Add Stuff" link to choose more gadgets. You can have several tabs within your iGoogle page. I recommend including the gadgets you use most frequently on your iGoogle homepage, the first tab. This has worked well for me!

It is easy to rename and edit your iGoogle tabs. Select a tab by clicking on it. Click on the down-pointing arrow to the right of the tab name. You have 3 choices: edit this tab, share this tab, delete this tab.

• Edit this tab: This option allows you to rename your tab, share gadgets, add gadgets, change the language, change the theme and layout, and even make iGoogle mobile if you have the feature on your phone.
• Share this tab: This allows you to share some or all of the gadgets found on this tab.
• Delete this tab: Allows you delete the entire tab.