Mr Bass Online

I have a couple of older computers laying around my house that I don’t really use so much any more.  They all work fine, but as I’ve upgraded my system I’ve just kept my old computer, maybe as a backup, maybe for parts, maybe because I just never got around to posting it on Craigslist.  Regardless, I have extra computers that work and that are just collecting dust.  A couple of months ago I was listening to the DL.TV podcast and Robert Heron was talking about a distributed computing project out of Stanford University called Folding at Home.  The idea behind this project is that they use the computing power of multiple machines around the world to do what’s called Folding Proteins.  Now I don’t begin to understand what that actually means, but the idea of distributed computing caught my attention and the purpose behind it is to cure diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.  I figured that was as good a cause as any to break out those older machines and set them up to “fold proteins.”

Right now I have 2 machines that are running the Folding at Home software 24/7.  I know that it’s costing me a little in the way of electricity, but I’m OK with that.  I like that I’m part of a distributed computing experiment and that my CPU cycles are going towards something worthwhile.  My wife and I have been trying to think of ways to show our children the value of charity.  While this is a pretty simple way to help people, it’s still modeling that kind of behavior for my kids.

If you’re unfamiliar with distributed computing and are curious about this type of technology, or maybe you have some extra computing power you’re willing to part with… check out Stanford’s project.  You can participate anonymously or you can be a part of the team competition.  Hopefully my extra computers will, in a small way, help future generations.

I’m starting a new blog for the teachers I’m working with in Parkway entitled Tips from your TIS (Technology Integration Specialist).  Take a peek and, as always, comments are welcome.

Michael William Power
born @ 12:17 on Thursday, September 6, 2007
8lbs. 13.2oz.

See pictures @ http://www.powerfulnews.blogspot.com/

Last spring at the Midwest Educational Technology Conference, I attended a session in which Hall Davidson, of Discovery Educators Network, spoke about using Google Earth in the classroom. At that time I was unable to use this tool because my former district blocked Google Earth in the district. (I guess they weren’t really interested in engaging students with technology.) Because I was unable to use it, I kind of filed it away in the depths of my brain. Last week this memory was brought back to the forefront by a podcast entitled The Savvy Technologist. I don’t remember what the context was, but I seem to remember something about how the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum had created a layers file for Google Earth entitled “The Crisis in Darfur.” In one of my schools there was a student movement to assist the people in Darfur and raise awareness to the community and student population.

I remembered Hall Davidson’s session and approached one of the social studies teachers to see about an application of this kind for his class. Long story short-er, we’re going to create a layers file that he will use with his students as they study the Spanish-American War. This is new ground for me being a former English teacher, but I look forward to the challenges that present themselves as we work through the creation of this file.

In a related incident…

As I was exploring the Google Earth possibilities for Social Studies, I ran across Google Lit Trips. There are a collection of Google Earth layers files on this site that can be used as supplementary materials for English classes. Part of the English curriculum in my new district is the book Night by Elie Wiesel and on this site there just happened to be a file that traces his route as described in the book from deportation to liberation. It was a fascinating journey that was particularly meaningful to me after hearing Wiesel speak at the National Council of Teachers of English annual conference last year. After showing a few of the English teachers, Google Earth has been “discovered” by the school and is being considered for a variety of different applications. Teachers are excited about the possibilities that this program offers. I just wish I could have used it when I was in the classroom.

Over the last week, a common theme has emerged in some of my readings and the podcasts I’ve listened to. It started last week when I read a post by David Warlick entitled, Teachers and Technology — A Rant on his 2 cents worth blog. The most recent event that brought my attention to this theme was this morning when I was listening to Buzz Out Loud, a podcast published by CNET.

In Buzz Out Loud episode 550, Molly Wood and Tom Merritt (both tech journalists), discuss a proposal by proponents for 802.11n wireless networking to replace wired networks with this faster wireless technology. From my own networking experience, wireless is significantly slower than it’s wired, ethernet, counterpart. On my own network at home, if I need to move files, I don’t use wireless… it’s painfully slow. Imagine doing this in the workplace where you might be sharing files with a number of people. The reasoning behind this was that people won’t notice. There’s not enough of a difference between the two for people to complain… it’s “Good Enough”.

(Back to education) In David Warlick’s post he wrote about how, many times, teachers will not use technology because they are afraid of failure and they don’t have time to learn “another new thing.” I understand how overwhelming it is to be a teacher. The hat rack is full. But when I have teachers tell me that what they have been doing for the last thirty years is “Good Enough” for the students, I tend to lose my mind. Is there such a thing as “good enough” when it comes to teaching someone’s children? I know that technology is scary sometimes, I know that there are problems and that teachers don’t want to be in front of their students without a clue as to what went wrong. I get that. That’s why I’m in the position that I’m in, so I can help teachers to plan lessons and assist them with their technology.

I, personally, want the best for my kids and the best from their teachers… not just good enough.