Chris Trudeau’s blog

There are wonderful advantages to the internet and all our new technology but I look at some of the horrors that can come along with it, and I'm glad that I'm not a teenager these days! Teasing and bullying have always been around, in some way, shape or form. But teenagers, who have to deal with daily teasing in school, don't have an escape now. Cyber bullying and teasing can "attack" them anywhere: their cell phones (texts & pictures), their email accounts, and their Facebook or MySpacebook pages. There's just nowhere for these tormented children to hide anymore.

My daughter was a victim. She went with someone I'll call, Todd, a month after he had broken off with his girlfriend. Well, his "Ex" started sending nasty text messages and emails to my daughter (and to anyone who would listen)  and was also writing on her Myspace page (and my daughter's page, too) saying what a whore,slut, etc., my daughter was and began spreading rumors about her.  This went on for almost two weeks before I caught my daughter crying and asked what was wrong. But, it's a double-edged sword; you live with it or you're a tattle tale. My daughter and I decided to wait another week and if it didn't stop, I would step in. We were lucky! That girl got another boyfriend and got bored with the whole torture thing.

These kiddos weren't so lucky; some even committed suicide. This is just another thing to watch out for with your children. Yes, there are the dangers of child predators but another problem, that's just as real, may be living right next door...

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/27/more-teens-victimized-by-cyber-bullies/

http://poverty.suite101.com/article.cfm/cyber_bullying_can_kill

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/03/internet.suicide/

http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/frail-egos-caught-in-killer-net/2007/11/30/1196394672124.html

Hi. I'm Chris Trudeau's daughter, Kate. I can't believe that my mom is making me do this! I'm a freshman at Temple. I came home for Thanksgiving and she showed me all the things she's done in class. I told her that I was impressed and she said that she wanted that in writing because my sister and I always make fun of her lack of computer skills. And this is what she made me do. OK mom, I did it!  Kate

These two articles have some good information in them. (*Keep the one for future reference if/when you think that your iPod has died!!)

1. http://www.switched.com/2007/07/12/five-website-you-should-avoid/

2. http://www.switched.com/2007/11/10/can-your-broken-ipod-be-fixed/

We were all impressed with Google Docs and what it has to offer. But now Google's getting involved in the cell phone market! No, they're not making phones...(Well at least not yet, but who knows!)

They're adding on a free software package, called "Android", that is scheduled to hit the market during the second half of next year. The system is designed to unify the developers of mobile applications around a common platform that makes it easier and more enticing to surf the Web on cell phones.

"Google announced that it was working with 30 companies, including some of the world's biggest handset makers and wireless service providers, such as U.S. phone makers Motorola (NYSE: MOT) and Qualcomm, Taiwan's High Tech Computer, and German carrier T-Mobile."

Google is looking to expand the range of Internet services it now offers through computer browsers to the far larger mobile phone market. Google's hoping Android opens another lucrative channel for peddling ads and services to people when they're away from their personal computers. (What's next???)

http://www.informationweek.com/management/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=4VRRSJYSVINFGQSNDLRCKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=202802500

There's a new book written by Stephen Kosslyn, who is Chair of the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. It's called, Clear and to the Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Compelling PowerPoint Presentations  (Oxford Univeristy Press, 2007).

Why in the world would a psychiatrist write about PowerPoint, you may ask? Well, it just so happens that Stephen Kosslyn is a leading authority on the nature of visual mental imagery and visual communication. He has received numerous honors for his work in this field. In his new book, he has given *8* psychological principles to help you make your presentations more effective. Clive Shepard reviewed the book and broke down the *8* points into simplier terms. These are his interpretations, which I feel compliment Dr. Penny's suggestions for PowerPoint presentations:

"1. Present neither too little nor too much.

2. Build on your audience's prior knowledge.

3. Make sure the most important points stand out and that unimportant things don't.

4. Make differences clearly distinguishable.

5. Make clear what should be grouped together and what separated.

6. Where possible, make the form of an object compatible with its meaning.

7. If you vary properties, such as colour, size, font, transition, etc., do it to convey something meaningful.

8. Take account of your audience's limited capacity for remembering and processing information."

   *Plus, Sheperd added his opinions and criticisms of the book. So, if you're interested, here's his website:

                         http://clive-shepherd.blogspot.com/2007/10/clear-and-to-point.html

**And if you want to learn more about the author, Stephen Kosslyn:

                         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Kosslyn

**AND, if you're really intrigued, you can buy the book at:

                                   http://Amazon.com

Here's some sites that list available grants for technology:

1. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/edgrants.html

2. http://teachersnetwork.org/grants/grants_technology.htm

3. http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2comptec.htm

4. http://www.cpsb.org/Scripts/abshire/grants.asp

5. http://www.techlearning.com/resources/grants.php

6. http://www.eds.com/about/community/grants/

7. http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/grants/us/programs/tech_teaching/

8. http://www.eschoolnews.com/tsc/index.php?sid=739731918&t=index#FUNDING

9. http://www.fundsnetservices.com/computers.htm

10. http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/business/grants.html

***http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-index-by-type/educational-technology-grants.html (It costs $35. for an electric copy.)

While visiting friends in Connecticut this weekend, my friend gave me an article she had saved from The Hartford Courant that she thought would interest me titled, The Rewards of Research. It's about two UCONN education professors, Joseph Renzulli and his wife, Sally Reis and their educational software. (You may recognize the name Joseph Renzulli as being very involved in the area of gifted education, starting back in the 1970's. He always believed that "giftedness" was more than just a measure of IQ.)

Their software company is called, Renzulli Learning Systems. Renzulli Learning is a Web based learning system that enables teachers to use differentiated curriculum in the classroom by creating individualized assessment of each child’s interests and preferred methods of learning: independent study, in small groups or participating in a hands-on project. It also delivers customized learning experiences to help them think and learn based on their personal strengths.

"The interactive program, which takes about 45 minutes to complete, has students answer a series of questions concerning their interests as well as their likes and dislikes when it comes to learning, classes and topics. Once the survey is completed, the program creates a written profile, available to students, parents and teachers. The program also allows students to access a database of educational Internet sites that provide everything from suggested learning projects to virtual Internet tours of museums and historical sites."

With so much emphasis being put on differentiation, this software looks like a great resource. It is expensive with a $5,000. site cost per year. BUT, in schools that have used it, test scores have gone up! Looks like a win-win situation. Want to learn more? Here are the websites:

1. http://www.renzullilearning.com/

2.  http://www.courant.com/business/hc-cornershop0919.artsep19,0,7482824.storyhttp://www.renzullilearning.com

*P.S.--> I HAD to add this, too. (Laughing Baby...)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMuGAVMaSv8

Well, we're supposed to let each other learn more about us. So, these two examples show just what a sick puppy I am and how it reflects in my sense of humor...

*You can enjoy them or "Boo!!"

1. SNL Delco Cat Toys

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=2057087

2. Panda Baby

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2978801

Ok, now podcasts... I hate to admit it...but...I don't own an iPod. (Hi! My name is Chris and I'm not an iPod user. There! I feel better already!)

Anyhoo, with this in mind, my just going to apple.com and downloading the program was a big step for me. Then when I got to all the things you can download-I was in overload! It took me awhile but I muddled my way through it all and even subscribed to a few podcasts.

As far as using podcasts in the classroom, I think they'd be great! How motivating would it be for kiddos to make individual, small group or even whole class projects that could be done as a podcast to have on the web! You can share it with other classes or schools and even keep the grandparents up to date. I'm all for anything that will get the students involved with and using technology.