Where Good Ideas Come From

Steven Johnson's Where Good Ideas Come From is really an interesting book about the environments most conducive to the development of good ideas. In the world of Google's 20 percent time and Microsoft's Building 99, it's no surprise that Johnson proposes that ideas will nurture and grow in an open environment. What surprised me about the book was the finding that more R&D discoveries are made in the conference room than in the laboratory. I know I should have realized it, but somehow I have this idealistic views of scientists and researchers with their eyes glued to microscopes and computer screens puzzling over some unsolvable problem, when in fact a game of softball or a quick drink with coworkers could provide more inspiration than the most elaborate research lab (not to diminish the importance of data and experimentation). I apologize that my video does not nearly do the book justice.

Why Google Apps for Education?

Wiki vs. Blog - what's the difference?

As I am learning more about wikis and blogs, I am becoming just a little more confused. Is there a clear-cut explanation that helps the creator choose which application is best for his (or in my case, her) needs? From what I am experiencing so far - this is a blog - basically an online journal in which I can rant or rave and anyone or no one can read it, and comment if they so desire. But their comments would not change my original rant, they would just add to it with their own comments. If this were a wiki, however, followers are also contributers who can actually edit my rant or rave - essentially changing my words. Of course I could go in and change them back (boy could that become an exercise in futility?) but then you would have to track changes to actually see the exchange taking place. I guess my immediate understanding is that a blog invites commentary, whereas a wiki invites collaboration.

Can your school use Google search and Google Chrome?

Chrome, Google's leap into the browser pool, is not without controversy. With Chrome you can choose to search in cognito. After your browsing session ends, all traces of your searches are removed. It does not simply delete your browsing history, it deletes any trace that you've searched at all. In order for schools to receive eRate funding, they are required to be CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act) compliant. Part of this includes retaining the ability to block unfavorable sites and filter out undesirable search results. Google Chrome's in cognito searches are not blocked by traditional filtering. A recent eSchoolNews article states that some schools have been forced to block Google completely - not just searching, but Google apps, docs, and other widely used educational tools.

I know Google isn't the end-all and be-all of Internet browsing, but so many of my applications are Google-based. From my website, to my email, to this blog. If Google wasn't so darn good at coming up with new tools, it wouldn't be such a big deal, but those people in the Google Lab just can't help themselves. I remember a time when I was one of the last hold-ons using Netscape. I loved Netscape - I so didn't want to switch to Yahoo. And then one day Google just showed up (yeah, I know it wasn't that quickly, but still...) And I survived the transition, but Google? - they are a part of my life and my curriculum. Fear not, the people at Google are working on this problem even as we speak - they certainly don't want schools blocking them. I am confident that Google will come through with a compromise.

Stansbury, Meris. "Google's encrypted search poses problems for schools." 14 June 2010. eSchool News. 16 July 2010 http://www.eschoolnews.com.

Use Caution with Sample Forms

As I was working my way through the website, I came across an interesting, and somewhat disturbing feature - the fill-in forms, such as the Contact Form. If you have ever created a form in Google docs, you know that you have the option to share the form with other users, either as viewers or collaborators. Well apparently my Contact Form has been shared with other collaborators since November 2009. I can view the comments submitted by other people who tried to use the form, along with their email addresses. Until I create my own form and link it to the website, I am keeping the original form up, but I caution users not to fill it in - or at least not with information that you don't want public.

Working with Google sites

So, I am trying to create this webpage for a project for school. I decided to try Google sites. Actually getting the site was really easy. I just basically came up with a name and bam! the site was created. Trying to get it to look decent is posing more of a challenge. I chose an education template, which I thought would work out well, but it includes many areas that I am not interested in keeping on my site. My fear is that once I delete them though, I may need them later and not quite know how to put them back. I am trying to stay in the "purple" theme that my school has on its website, but I want it to look "cooler." That's why I picked the purple on black swirly background for this site; and I liked it so much I copied it over to Google sites and made it the background image of the website. I would eventually like to link to it through Edline, but for now, it's just a "work in progress." Check it out at: http://sites.google.com/site/hfatechcenter/

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