Welcome to episode 28 of the EdTech Situation Room from November 9, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) briefly discussed the historic and surprising (to many) U.S. Presidential election result, but spent the majority of the show talking about “Digital Citizenship in the Surveillance State.” Wes and Jason have submitted a proposal for ISTE 2017 on this topic (www.edtechSR.com/nsa) and Wes will be sharing a TEDx talk on this subject in Enid, Oklahoma, on November 19th. This week’s discussions served, in part, as brainstorming and preparation time for both of those presentations. In addition to the “related resources” available at the bottom of www.edtechSR.com/nsa, check out the “Guiding Questions” we used for the show on our shownotes page at www.edtechSR.com/links. Some of the questions we addressed in this show included: What personal stories can you share which highlight the importance of this discussion about surveillance? What is the current state of surveillance in the United States and why does it matter? Where do you draw the line between reasonable awareness / concern about surveillance and paranoia / unreasonable fear? How can people best stay up to date on surveillance issues? Geeks of the week included “Google Home” (Jason) and “CMRA for Apple Watch” (Wes). Check out past episode shownotes on https://edtechsr.com/links and be sure to follow @edtechSR for updates on Twitter http://twitter.com/edtechsr as well as on Facebook. If you listen to the show, please submit our listener survey using the shortened link http://wfryer.me/edtechsr which forwards to a Google Form. Your feedback and suggestions on the show are appreciated!
Welcome to episode 27 of the EdTech Situation Room from November 2, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed a variety of announcements from both Microsoft and Apple from recent PR events. Topics included Microsoft’s Surface Studio, Apple’s refreshed MacBook Pro, AppleTV updates, and the changing identities as well as customer niche foci of Microsoft and Apple. Jason and Wes discussed the wisdom or folly of Apple going “all in” for the USB-C port in new MacBooks, and the possibility that laptop innovation has plateaued across platforms today. They also talked about the massive and unprecedented cybertattacks from two weeks ago, the role of hacked IoT (Internet of Things) devices in the attack, and the implications of this hostile cyber-environment for consumers as well as schools. Wes gave a big shout out to Brian Krebs, his security blog, and 2014 book “Spam Nation – The Inside Story of Organized Cybercrime-from Global Epidemic to Your Front Door.” Geeks of the week included the WorkFrom App for iOS (from Jason) and political messaging games on GOParcade.com (from Wes). Check out past episode shownotes on https://edtechsr.com/links and be sure to follow @edtechSR for updates on Twitter http://twitter.com/edtechsr as well as on Facebook. If you listen to the show, please submit our listener survey using the shortened link http://wfryer.me/edtechsr which forwards to a Google Form. Your feedback and suggestions on the show are appreciated!
A Seedlings podcast mini-reunion! Welcome to episode 26 of the EdTech Situation Room from October 19, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) was again out on assignment, so Wes Fryer (@wfryer) joined Alice Barr (@alicebarr) and Cheryl Oakes (@cheryloakes50) for a discussion about recent technology news affecting the world of education. Alice and Cheryl have been educational podcasters for MANY years, and are two of Wes’ personal “podparents” (if such a thing is a thing…) “Seedlings Forever!” Alice, Cheryl and Wes talked about new study statistics showing teens significantly prefer Snapchat and Instagram over Facebook for social media interaction, and how many kids (even older ones who are pre-service teachers) have difficulty viewing and using Twitter for professional networking. They discussed the recent name change of “Google Apps” by Google to the “G Suite,” and both Alice and Cheryl shared a few of their takeaways from last summer’s Google Geo Institute in Mountain View, California. Show participants also discussed the recent Vox interview article with Andy Stern (@AndyStern_DC), author of “Raising the Floor: How a Universal Basic Income Can Renew Our Economy and Rebuild the American Dream.” The title of the Vox article was, “Why we need to plan for a future without jobs.” Geeks of the week included Rewordify.com, “Time Saving Tips from GSuite for Education,” TubeBuddy for YouTube, the GAFE Admins Podcast (@gafeadm1ns), and the Providence Day School Digital Citizenship website. Thanks to our live viewers Jamie Camp (@connect2jamie) and Peggy George (@pgeorge) who persevered with us despite some technical difficulties! Cheryl ended up joining via iPhone speakerphone, so that is why there is a sync issue with her video and her audio quality wasn’t stellar. We were and are THRILLED that this YouTube Live Google Hangout could take place, however, and hope you’ll share feedback with all of us if you listen and enjoy the show. Please also take a moment to respond to our listener survey, which is linked in our shownotes. All links from this and past shows are available on https://edtechsr.com/links and you can follow us on Twitter @edtechSR to stay up to date for future shows. Next week we anticipate being back at our “normal time” (10 pm Eastern / 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain / 7 pm Pacific) and will feature yet another guest. Thanks for tuning into the EdTech Situation Room!
Welcome to episode 25 of the EdTech Situation Room from October 12, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) was out on assignment, so Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) joined Miguel Guhlin (@mguhlin) for a lively conversation about the positive power of Internet technologies to connect us to information as well as each other. Discussion also focused on Google’s new Duo videoconferencing and collaboration platform/app, the implications of AI (artificial intelligence) for our lives and our classrooms, and a recent anti-tech rant by educational policy wonk Diane Ravitch. Wes shared a shout-out to the new “Voices of DARPA” podcast, and Miguel reflected on how the outbreak of “predatory academic journals” reminds of the mid-2000’s as blogs exploded and many pundits heralded the end of information trust and credible sources. Miguel’s Geeks of the Week included the OneNote app and OneNote for Teachers, The Microsoft Selfie app (no that’s not a joke, it’s a real app) and Google Duo. Wes’ Geeks of the Week included the free “Simple Footnotes WordPress Plugin” and the amazing “Interactive Current Earth Wind Map” shared last week during landfall of Hurricane Matthew by @thekidshouldsee. Check out past episode shownotes on https://edtechsr.com/links and be sure to follow @edtechSR for updates on Twitter http://twitter.com/edtechsr as well as on Facebook. If you listen to the show, please submit our listener survey using the shortened link http://wfryer.me/edtechsr which forwards to a Google Form. Thanks to our live viewers who joined us for this show! Next week we’re likely to feature some special guests from Maine, and will be moving the show to start two hours earlier at 8 pm Eastern / 7 pm Central / 6 pm Mountain / 5 pm Pacific. Please join us live if you can, give us a shout out if you listen or watch later!
Welcome to episode 24 of the EdTech Situation Room from October 5, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the challenges of teaching civics in a heated election season and the affordances of social media during election debates. They also discussed some highlights from Google’s Pixel Phone event this week, including the Pixel phone, new wifi routers, a new Google Home device, and the role of AI (artificial intelligence) in Google’s corporate products and services evolution. The rumor of an October 27th MacBook laptop refresh was also discussed, along with some iPhone/Android phone comparisons. Wes shared an endorsement for the new movie “Snowden” and gave a shout out to ProPublica’s new article series, “BREAKING THE BLACK BOX: What Facebook Knows About You.” Jason and Wes also discussed their ISTE 2017 submitted proposal for a session titled, “Digital Citizenship in Our Surveillance State.” Geeks of the week included the importance of ordering OEM certified computer chargers and the free iOS composition apps, “MusiQuest – Music & Beat Maker” and “Sketch-a-Song Kids.” Check out past episode shownotes on https://edtechsr.com/links and be sure to follow @edtechSR for updates on Twitter http://twitter.com/edtechsr as well as on Facebook. If you listen to the show, please submit our listener survey using the shortened link http://wfryer.me/edtechsr which forwards to a Google Form. Your feedback and suggestions on the show are appreciated!
Welcome to episode 23 of the EdTech Situation Room from September 28, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Martin Horejsi hosted the show and dived into a variety of technology related topics. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) was out on assignment this week and was not able to join live. Topics for episode 23 with Jason and Martin included the recently released Horizon Report (K12 Edition) and a great discussion about classroom learning spaces. They also discussed Elon Musk’s recently updated vision for Mars colonization, and the uses of technology to both fact check and distract viewers Monday night during the first U.S. Presidential candidate debate. Martin’s geek of the week was the TI-Innovator Hub, and Jason’s was the Flash Forward Podcast. Check out the episode shownotes for links to referenced articles and geeks of the week. Check out past episode shownotes on https://edtechsr.com/links and be sure to follow @edtechSR for updates on Twitter http://twitter.com/edtechsr as well as on Facebook. If you listen to the show, please submit our listener survey using the shortened link http://wfryer.me/edtechsr which forwards to a Google Form. Your feedback and suggestions on the show are appreciated!
Welcome to episode 22 of the EdTech Situation Room from September 14, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) had a special show. Rather than discuss a variety of recent technology news headlines, episode 22 focused exclusively on Dr. Nicholas Kardaras’ August 31, 2016 article for TIME Magazine, “Screens In Schools Are a $60 Billion Hoax.” The article highlights many of the key points in Kardaras’ newly published book, “Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction is Hijacking Our Kids—and How to Break the Trance.” Jason and Wes highlighted several of the valid points from the article regarding screentime, the powerful physiological influence of digital screens, and digital addictions. They also acknowledged misdirected educational technology movements, like the interactive whiteboard craze of the 2000’s and the race for educational technology companies to move standardized student assessments onto digital screens. Jason and Wes took issue, however, with Kardaras’ assertion that students in schools are better served with completely screen-free learning experiences. Referencing Neil Postman, John Seely Brown and other authors, they discussed how part of our obligation as educators it to prepare students to navigate the maze of digital distractions and information flows which characterize our modern age. Wes discussed the transformative benefits which digital technology can bring in differentiating reading experiences for students, and highlighted the example of his wife’s 3rd and 4th grade classroom in Oklahoma City which serves homeless students and families. Shelly Fryer (@sfryer) has taught in a 1:1 iPad classroom for the past 3 years, and uses apps like News-O-Matic to provide developmentally appropriate reading articles for students. Her students also use their technology tools to make and create, showing and sharing their learning and their developing skills. Jason took on the question, “If everything Kardaras’ argues is true, then what for schools?” He pointed out we can’t “un-invent” digital screens, so it’s important to help students become more saavy, intentional, and constructive users of digital screens to support learning and healthy living. Geeks of the week included amazing and affordable headphones from Monoprice (via Jason) and the free coding app for young kids, PBS Scratch Jr (from Wes). Check out past episode shownotes on https://edtechsr.com/links and be sure to follow @edtechSR for updates on Twitter http://twitter.com/edtechsr as well as on Facebook. If you listen to the show, please submit our listener survey using the shortened link http://wfryer.me/edtechsr which forwards to a Google Form. Your feedback and suggestions on the show are appreciated!
Welcome to episode 21 of the EdTech Situation Room from September 7, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the much-heralded Apple Event from earlier today which featured the announcement of the iPhone 7. Jason and Wes, in classic “Yayyyyy! …. or Mehhhhhhh…” analysis, broke down the major elements of the Apple Event. This included the iPhone 7 camera, the death of the headphone jack, newly announced AirPods, The Apple Watch Series 2, and iWork real-time collaboration. They also discussed missing announcements from the event, which included updates to the MacBook lineup, MacPro updates, iMac updates, or iPad/iPad Mini updates. They briefly discussed the Time Magazine article from August 31st, “Screens In Schools Are a $60 Billion Hoax,” and agreed to dedicate next week’s show entirely to analysis and responses to the varied (and slippery) arguments put forth by Nicholas Kardaras in the piece. Geeks of the week included the the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide (from Jason) and two outstanding videos to watch (from Wes) by Travor Muir and National Geographic. Check out the episode shownotes for links to referenced articles and resources. Also be sure to view our Google Doc with archived links from every show on edtechSR.com/links. Remember to follow us on Twitter @edtechSR and complete our listener/viewer survey, linked first this week in the shownotes! Your feedback counts and we love to hear from our fans around the world! (Note: About 18:45 of the show, we had some bandwidth hiccups in the Google Hangout… and we didn’t edit out that dead space from the show, so please persevere through this minor glitch. Overall given our tech constraints tonight, we’re thrilled with the audio and video quality!)
Shout out to Hall Davidson (@HallDavidson) & his legendary stories of recording audio tracks for his teen daughter’s iPad & changing meta info to masquerade as Miley Cyrus (back when she was cool with parents)
Welcome to episode 20 of the EdTech Situation Room from August 24, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the ascendency of smartphones as the primary media consumptive screen in U.S. households, NASA’s recent announcement to make all its research openly accessible, Google’s decision to discontinue Chrome apps for Mac and Windows, and Verizon’s continuing metamorphosis from a “baby bell” telco to a global corporate player in digital media. The November 2015 article in the Atlantic by Walter Kirn, “If You’re Not Paranoid, You’re Crazy” was also a catalyst for reflections in the show, as well as NASA’s press release about it’s newly installed docking portal in the International Space Station for commercial space vehicles from SpaceX, Boeing, and other companies. Check out all our podcast shownotes on https://edtechsr.com/links and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/edtechSR. Please submit our short (6 question) listener survey using this link: http://wfryer.me/edtechsr
Welcome to episode 19 of the EdTech Situation Room from August 17, 2016, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wesley Fryer (@wfryer) discussed a heartwarming story from the Rio Olympics, the role (or non-role) of videoconferencing and live streaming in many K12 classrooms, the shutdown of Blab and the migration of Google Hangouts from Google+ to YouTube Live. Additional topics included the DMCA and “safe harbor” in the recording industry’s latest efforts to increase their take of streaming music revenues from YouTube, Verizon’s efforts to become a media company, the imminent arrival of Android apps to a Chromebook near you, and the effects of both social media and mobile screens on young minds. Geeks of the week included Remind.com and playposit.com. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR to stay up to date upcoming live shows. Please reach out to us via Twitter and let us what you liked about the show and what you’d like to hear about in future episodes! Check out our shownotes on https://edtechsr.com/links.
