Apple Podcasting Seminar Notes

www.apple.com/education/podcasting/podcastguides

homepage.mac.com/podcasting1

Apple Learning Exchange>Leadership and Professional Growth>Audio Education

How/why to use audio with students

• tapping into multiple intelligences/different learning styles when using audio files
• improve student reading and fluency (Shakespeare)
• listen to audiobooks
• provides individualized learning for students (ie. ELL)
• www.flocabulary .com
  
• audible.com - listen to audiobooks

• Vocabulary - find a picture on Internet, put text on top in iMovie, download to video iPod
• audiofiles - listen to historic speeches
• field trips: download audioguides (ie. Millennium Park)
  

Tips and How To

• .m4a is the extension to make an audio file compatible with iTunes
• Make metadata for the podcast with information, links, and images (use 400x400 jpg)
• plug-in the microphones first, then open GarageBand
• new track>vocals>no effect
• Preferences> to check if settings are correct for the microphone
• Controls>turn off metronome
• file is created as an AIF file (very large)
• save and export to iTunes>Get Info>add metadata
• Advanced Menu>convert selection to AAC ).m4a

Google Features "Dump"

• Use the ~ in front of a word to include its synonyms: ~painting should also return sites for art

• Put "or" in capital letters to have Google search either of 2 words: dogs OR poodles

• Square Root: sqrt and the number: sqrt 144 will offer the result 12. See Google Calculator for more info.

• Definitions: type the word definition and the word you want to define

• To find an address: type first name, last name, and city to find the person's address and phone #

• Type in a street address to get links to Yahoo Map and MapQuest

Manta Free Zone

Here we are on the Big Island, having a wonderful time on an all expenses paid trip. Free Hawaii -- it doesn't get much better than this until I tell you we are at the Four Seasons Resort -- sweet! Each day we get an activity fully paid and yesterday we chose the night manta dive.

We are both scuba divers and have been for 10+ years. A few years ago, we were here also and did this dive. We saw no mantas. So we figured our odds would be good to see them this time. Wrong. We got pimped by those mantas again! One person equated it to sending someone snipe hunting; we're starting to question their existence at all.

Managing Expectations

So, here I am in paradise; a least my version of it. Sun, beach, good food, sleeping in, spending much needed time with my husband. Clearly everyone has their own version of the perfect vacation.

What is the best way to manage the expectations of people of differing ages, interests, and ideas of why we are on this trip without killing someone's buzz? It is Spring Break and many other families had the same idea we did: to travel to Florida. The crowded airports, delayed flights, lines at the restaurants, lack of chairs at the pool, to me they all go along with the territory.

As families grow older, do most families become more alike or are they more diverse given their own daily lives? Do they plan a family vacation in hopes of reconnecting or recreating some idyllic events of the past while creating "perfect" moments for reminiscing in the future? The reality I see and hear is parents yelling at their young kids, kids whining and crying about being hungry or tired or bored, and people just generally being miserable. Luckily for me, my family vacation has not included any of this, but I wish we had "sat down" and learned what this vacation was all about. It seems as though we all differ as to "why we are here" and what each of us hopes to get out of this week together.

Some families spend most all of their time together; even once they are grown. Some even choose to have few friends because their siblings are enough. Is there something wrong when a family doesn't vacation together often? Is it just to hard to manage all the expectations?

I think I finally "get it"!

If you read my first posting, those many months ago, I wonder what all the fuss is about reading other people's blogs. Are others really that voyeuristic? Do people really want to know that much about the mundane lives of their fellow man/woman? This notion of mine came from a naive view of the nature of blogs and blogging. After some reading, attending some workshops, and reading some blogs, I finally see the importance and addiction of blog reading.

Blogging, I have come to understand, is more than merely a public journal or diary of one's life. While that certainly can be the case as my attempts at blogging have shown, to limit it to that one purpose is really selling it short. Blogging is a way to connect your ideas/knowledge/area of expertise with the world. While some ideas may not be of interest or may directly conflict with my own, the ideas are there for those who do find them of interest.

Currently, I subscribe to 11 blogs that I read daily. Most fall into the educational technology genre since that not only is a personal interest, it is also my job. On a daily basis I am connected to the thoughts of some of the preeminent thinkers (and luckily bloggers) on the subject. I also read the blogs of some "average Joes" like myself who share my interest in ed. tech. Some of these people are accessible other ways as conference speakers, book authors, or through web sites that bear their names. However, without blogs, I would never know about the PowerPoint projects of a 7th grade class in Massachusetts. While this many not hold mass appeal, it gave me a great idea for a project of my own.

Blogs are a way of creating personalized learning communities; no matter what your interest. The world really is flat. While I have become a blog junkie, I am still wondering if there is anything I have to say that is of interest to others. What do I want to contribute to this blogging community that is giving me so much?

A Handful of Friends

I had brunch with a friend of mine today. She said that she can count on one hand the number of friends she can really rely on in times of need. I am one of those friends, which make me feel proud of my ability to be a good friend.

When I thought about this in terms of myself: How many people can I really count on and who are they, I thought again: it doesn't really matter to me. I know that if I was in need, I have friends who would be there for me.

I remember when my father died, I was amazed, touched, and honored by the presence of people at his wake and funeral. People I had worked with only a few years and old friends I hadn't spoken to in years came to show their support for me. Even an old boyfriend came; he always really liked my dad.

Is a life measured by the number of friends someone has or by the quality of those friendships? Or is a life measured by being a good friend who is there when someone needs to talk (or not talk), cry (or laugh), or be rescued (or to rescue you)?

Life's Short

Just heard from a friend that he and his live-in girlfriend were married last Saturday. After my intial shock I offered my congratulations. Then I started to feel a bit put out that he had waited a week to share this news. As a woman, I wanted details: What was the rush? What did she wear? Who was there? Where was it held?

Before I could ask even 1 of my questions, he told me he had rectal cancer. Suddenly the wedding details didn't matter. He had found out on Friday afternoon and asked his girlfriend to marry him that night. I guess he didn't see any reason to wait; anymore.

Cancer is a horrendous ordeal for anyone. But this friend was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a plum about 5 years ago. Surgery went well and he fully recovered from the brain tumor. As part of a routine follow-up from the brain tumor, he had a colonoscopy and that's how the rectal cancer was detected. A similar situation discovered his brain tumor years before.

If there is such a thing as "good cancer", I guess he has it. Doctors predict a full recovery after a round of chemo and radiation.

I feel so helpless. This is definitely one of those life-changing experiences where you count your blessings and you remember to be thankful for your health -- twice! This is particularly meaningful for him and our friends as we lost a friend to cancer last December. She fought as hard and as bravely as she could, but the cancer won. She left behind a wonderful husband, a 3 year old daughter, and a 7 month old son.

Live now, you never know what tomorrow will bring. Show your love today; don't wait. To all cancer patients and their loved ones -- LiveStrong!

A Dog's Life

As I sit here covered in dog hair, I am thinking back to this morning. I was awakened by my 7 month old malamute, Maysie at about 6:15 am. Much too early for a Saturday. I begrudgingly stumbled out of bed and took her for a walk.

How is it that dogs find such joy in a walk around the same block everyday? I guess there is some metaphor to be learned like: "Stop and smell the roses" or "Find pleasure in the small things". It is amazing that the same tree can hold such fascination day after day. Clearly there are some doggie things I can't begin to understand, not the least of which is the appreciation of another dog's urine smell.

After our walk we headed north about 45 minutes for our doggie day care interview. Why drive so far for this? The answer is simple, it's near work. I made sure to bring the 9 pages of forms I had painstakingly filled out. I wasn't sure how to feel about having to fill out 9 pages of information on my pup. I understand the vaccination record from the vet, but I didn't know whether to feel pleased that someone wanted to know such intimate detail about my dog or insulted that I was being accused of bringing some wild beast to ravage their peaceful coexistence.

At first thought you may think that this dog-care facility just wants to learn as much as they can about my dog so they can give her the best day care experience. That was MY first thought. But I had visited another doggie day care a week ago and they immediately jumped right in, accepted my dog and couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating. All they asked for was her shot record from the vet. My dog spent 2 days, 6 hours at a time, at the second facility and had the time of her life. It was clean, staffed with highly professional and experienced dog-care practitioners, and they presented me with a "report card" at the end of each day.

Why bother going through with the interview today? The philosophy of the thorough interview center better matches what I believe is best for my dog -- play, rest, play, nap, play, rest. The first facility lets the dogs play all the time with no scheduled or required down time. They figure dogs will rest when they're tired. I guess it is the public school (highly scheduled) philosophy vs the Montessori Method (choice/interest-based). Both places are way into my dog and dogs in general.

The 1.5 hour interview went well; my dog is in. But scheduling is a bit more of an effort with this place. We're trying it out this week. I'll guess we'll see how things work out.