Tag Archive for: education

148 – Sallie’s Pick

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This week the WELSTech Podcast “hits the books” with the kick-off of a new book discussion.

The discussion:

Leading 21st Century SchoolsA new book selection – Leading 21st Century Schools by Lynne Schrum and Barbara B. Levin (browse sections on Google Books) is the latest book discussion selection for WELSTech.  To get the ball rolling, Martin and Sallie highlight Chapter 1 and apply the concepts to school leaders, teachers and pastors.

Ministry resources:

(19:19) Men’s Network

News in tech:

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

  • (31:22) Gmail Priority Inbox – gmail.com/priorityinbox.  What do you think?
  • Alycia Cameron shared a link to a fun blog post titled A long time ago, before death by PowerPoint by Presentation Zen
  • Martin shared a link to an Pew Research Center study on Cell phones and American adults
  • Teacher Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE tagged a “WELSTech” link on Diigo to ePals Global Community for classroom collaboration
  • Sallie shared a parent workshop wiki by David Truss titled Raising ‘Digital’ Kids – Presentation and Notes

Coming up on WELSTech:

(41:47) Episode 149 – Joanne Nemmers, school secretary at Calvary in Dallas, TX, joins Martin and Sallie as we look at technology in the school and church office.  Encourage your office administrator to tune in!  (Release date 09/15/10)

The featured artist:

(44:01) We close the podcast with the music of Mike Westendorf (www.mikewestendorf.com and mikewestendorf on Twitter) – Press On from his CD titled “Climb the Mountain”

Get involved:

145 – WELSTech Road Trip: Citrus Heights, CA

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The WELSTech Podcast Road Trip travels to California to hear the tech-in-ministry success story of St. Mark’s in Citrus Heights.

Road trip:

roadtrip02c(3:20) Technology serving St. Mark’s – Joining Martin and Sallie today are Maren McPeak, Webmaster, and Matt Bauer, Principal, from St. Mark’s in Citrus Heights, CA.  Listen as they share technology ideas from their church and school including use of their web site, iTunes, Facebook and Moodle.

  • Check out all the content on the St. Mark’s site to get ideas for your church or school site
  • View the sample Moodle course used to train students to update the St. Mark’s church and school Google calendar
  • Download the Google calendar Moodle course backup and restore on your own Moodle site
  • View instructions for logging into a sample Schoology.com course created by Maren

Maren McPeak and Matt Bauer

Citrus Heights CA
The WELSTech Road Trip Tracker

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(36:34) Episode 146 – The summer 2010 WELSTech Road Trip series wraps up with a virtual visit to three states as we compare and contrast Bible study software.  (Release date 08/25/10)

The featured artist:

(37:44) This week we feature the music of  Koine (www.koinemusic.com | Facebook) – Fight the Good Fight from their CD titled ”Church Bells”

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141 – WELSTech Road Trip: Fond du Lac, WI

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Buckle up for this week’s WELSTech Podcast Road Trip.  We visit Fond du Lac, WI and talk with teacher Ryan Rosenthal about integrating technology in the classroom.

Road trip:

roadtrip02c(2:18) Integrating Technology into the Classroom – Seveth grade teacher Ryan Rosenthal from Faith in Fond du Lac, WI joins Martin and Sallie for an interesting conversation about his Web 2.0 classroom experience.  Ryan offers great advice including encouraging teachers to “tweak” existing projects to include technology elements, rather than coming up with a new project.

Ryan Rosenthal

Fond du Lac
The WELSTech Road Trip Tracker

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

  • (27:37) Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE shared two helpful links:
  • Alycia Cameron form Light of Life in Greenwood, IN and Brent Nemmers from Atonement in Plano, TX double up on the online church directory question.  A couple of potential solutions include
    • Concordia Technology’s Member Connect
    • Private pages on a FinalWeb site
    • Google Sites

Coming up on WELSTech:

(33:57) Episode 142 – We talk with Sally Valleskey from Abiding Word in Houston (deep in the heart of), Texas about their use of Shepherd’s Staff church management software. (Release date 07/28/10)

The featured artist:

(34:12) We close the podcast with music from Cross to Glory (www.crosstoglory.com) – My Old Friend from their CD titled “Life’s Song”

Get involved:

  • Add a comment below
  • Send us an e-mail [email protected]
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139 – WELSTech Road Trip: Omaha, NE

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This week the WELSTech Podcast Road Trip visits Teacher Jason Schmidt at Gethsemane in Omaha, NE to chat about SMART Board resources.

Road trip:

roadtrip02c(2:49) SMART Classrooms – Our travel plans take us to the Midwest where we visit with teacher Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE.  WELSTech listeners will recognize Jason’s name from his many contributions to the show (and even a previous interview), and today’s show won’t disappoint as Jason shares a ton of classroom-oriented SMART Board resources and ideas with Martin and Sallie.

04-OmahaNE400
The WELSTech Road Trip Tracker

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(35:04) Episode 140 – Join us as we head south to Birmingham, AL to talk with Pastor Ben Kratz about long-distance Bible classes via Skype. (Release date 07/14/10)

The featured artist:

(35:45) We close the podcast with the music of Corban Creek – It Seems to Be the Day from their CD titled “Could It Be Me”

Get involved:

  • Add a comment below
  • Send us an e-mail [email protected]
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133 – Great Classroom Websites

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This week on the WELSTech podcast Martin and Gail discuss classroom websites and trips to the moon.

The discussion:

Focusing on classroom sites – Martin is joined by the WELSTech semi-regular classroom technology correspondent, Gail Potratz, from Emanuel in New London, WI and they discuss three uses for classroom sites including posting resources for kids and parents as well as making connections to a global audience.  Listen for tips to satisfy all those needs and project a great view of your classroom for the online school shoppers.

  • FinalWeb Training in Milwaukee, WI and New Ulm, MN
  • We Remember – Vietnam War tribute web site by Gail’s 8th graders

The interview:

Cris Ladwig(16:20) Learn from a Pro – Fourth grade teacher Cris Ladwig from Emanuel in New London, WI talks with Gail about the success of her classroom web site.  Ease of communication is the goal!

  • Visit Cris’ classroom site

News in tech:

Picks of the week:

  • (39:50) Diigo Groups for classrooms
  • DoubleTwist – a unifying media platform that connects consumers with all their media and all their devices

Community feedback:

(47:05) Visit the WELSTech Listserve to learn more about library software and add your comments

Coming up on WELSTech:

(49:43) Episode 134 – Steven Stelter of Stelter Design joins the conversation to share his knowledge on logo design and development of a “brand”. (Release date 06/02/10)

The featured artist:

(50:40) We close the podcast with the music of The Branches Band (www.branchesband.com) – Holy Spirit from their CD titled “Sing, My Tongue”

Get involved:

  • Add a comment below
  • Send us an e-mail [email protected]
  • Leave us a voice mail 405-FOR-WELS (405-367-9357)
  • Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.wels.net
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  • Follow us on Twitter – mspriggs and welstechtrainer
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129 – Road Trips, Dipity and Flip Flops

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This week’s WELSTech Podcast focus is summer learning opportunities and teacher Gail Potratz joins the conversation.

The discussion:

EducationMake your summer plans – Summer is the perfect season to schedule a conference or class.  Teacher Gail Potratz from Emanuel in New London, WI joins Martin and Sallie as they discuss many interesting enrichment opportunities that are available in the summer of 2010.

  • Milwaukee Digital Media Conference
  • FinalWeb Training in Milwaukee, WI and New Ulm, MN
  • Synod Higher Ed summer offerings
    • Martin Luther College
    • Wisconsin Lutheran College
    • Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
  • ISTE Conference 2010
  • On the flip side, consider offering tech training for outreach
    • Sample Kids Camp
    • Sample Adult Ed

News in tech:

(19:52) Ning is no longer free

Picks of the week:

Of interest:

(34:12) WELSTech is going on a virtual summer Road Trip, and we want to visit your church or school to learn about the tech-in-ministry solutions you are using to further your gospel ministry! Contact Us to schedule your stop on our travel itinerary.

Community feedback:

  • (36:42) From tweeting teacher Jason Schmidt (jasonschmidt123 on Twitter) of Gethsemane in Omaha, NE we learned about
    • Harmony – Easily share Google Docs and SharePoint in Outlook
    • CRCT – Curriculum Resources for Christian Teachers Wiki
  • Teacher Ryan Rosenthal from Faith in Fond du Lac share a link to his 7th grade VoiceThread “Tall Tales” projects
  • Following up on Martin’s pick last week Gail shared info on Air Mouse for iPod (Free | Pro) and for iPad

Coming up on WELSTech:

(48:30) Episode 130 – Chapters 6 and 7 of Shane Hipps book, The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture, will be up for discussion. (Release date 05/05/10)

The featured artist:

(49:27) We close the podcast with the instrumental music of In His Service (www.adagioconcepts.com) – O Lord, Send Forth Your Spirit from their CD titled “In His Time”

Get involved:

  • Add a comment below
  • Send us an e-mail [email protected]
  • Leave us a voice mail 405-FOR-WELS (405-367-9357)
  • Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.wels.net
  • Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
  • Follow us on Twitter – mspriggs and welstechtrainer
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125 – Going To School On The Internet

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This is classroom technology week on the WELSTech Podcast and Martin welcomes special guests Gail Potratz and Jim Grunwald.

The discussion:

Gail Potratz and Jim GrunwaldInternet Delivery of Education Content – Martin is joined by Dr. Jim Grunwald, Director of Academic Computing at Martin Luther College, and Gail Potratz, Technology Director from Emanuel in New London, WI.  They discuss the many pros as well as the implementation challenges of using a web-based delivery platform for classroom assignments.  Jim also shares information on MLC’s new course offerings targeted to prepare teachers to use and support a variety technology in the school setting.

  • Gail’s 8th grade class page
  • Moodle.org
  • MLC’s Certificate of Educational Technology (CET) program

Ministry resources:

(32:26) Adding Google Analytics to Facebook Fan Pages

Picks of the week:

Of interest:

(45:48) WELS will be streaming the Martin Luther College Chapel of the Christ dedication service on Saturday, April 10 at 7 p.m.  Check out the agenda for the dedication weekend.

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(55:33) Episode 126 – Martin and Sallie preview the resources available at InternetEvangelismDay.com and talk with the man behind the site, Tony Whittaker. (Release date 04/07/10)

The featured artist:

(56:53) We close the podcast with the music of Stephen Bautista (www.stephenbautistamusic.com or @stephenbautista on Twitter) – The Most Beautiful Thing from his CD “Abandon”

Get involved:

  • Add a comment below
  • Send us an e-mail [email protected]
  • Leave us a voice mail 405-FOR-WELS (405-367-9357)
  • Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.wels.net
  • Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
  • Follow us on Twitter – mspriggs and welstechtrainer
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  • Join the WELSTech community:

120 – YouTube in the Classroom

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This week on the WELSTech podcast we talk with the Scholar Ladies of HOPE School and discuss issues around YouTube in the classroom.

The discussion:

Classroom Video Quandary – Joining WELSTech for our monthly installment of classroom technology goodness is Gail Potratz from Emanuel in New London, WI.  This month the ed-tech talk centers on the many uses of YouTube in the classroom, and we share some useful resources and examples to get you started.

The interview:

HOPEs(14:13) Get an A on it – Wendy Greenfield, VP of Development and Communications at HOPE Schools in Milwaukee (WELS), joins Martin and Sallie to discuss the HOPE Idol winning video production and viral YouTube hit, Scholar Ladies.  With nearly one-half million views, we hear the behind-the-scenes story of the use of technology at HOPE to engage the students and share their mission with the world.

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

(49:34) Episode 121 – Tune in for Lenten and Easter online resources and an interview with Pastor Guy Marquardt on his Interactive Passion History. (Release date 03/03/10)

The featured artist:

(50:18) We close the podcast with the music of Revelation from Wisconsin Lutheran College (www.revelationwlc.com) – Via Dolorosa from their CD “Once For All”

Get involved:

  • Add a comment below
  • Send us an e-mail [email protected]
  • Leave us a voice mail 405-FOR-WELS (405-367-9357)
  • Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.wels.net
  • Contribute to the #WELSTech Twitter conversation
  • Follow us on Twitter – mspriggs and welstechtrainer
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119 – Sallie and Tony Meet

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This week is book discussion week on the WELSTech podcast.  We also catch up with Tony Vincent and clear the air on the worst picks controversy.

The discussion:

The Effects of Changing Media – Telegraph, radio and photos are the three media changes which Shane Hipps focuses on in Chapter 4 of his book The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture: How Media Shapes Faith, the Gospel and Church.  Martin and Sallie discuss the postmodern shift away from the “meta-narrative” and towards image-based communication.

The interview:

Tony Vincent(17:05) The Best Worst Pick Ever! – Tony Vincent, Education Consultant and the person behind LearningInHand.com, joins Martin and Sallie to share his experience and success stories with handheld computing devices in the classroom.  Listen as Tony shares excellent resources and his predictions for the future of PODs (Personally Owned Devices) in the classroom.  What was Sallie thinking when she chose Tony’s site as a worst pick??

Ministry resources:

(42:55) SermonDrop.com

News in tech:

(44:45) Google Buzz launches – Watch the overview video

Picks of the week:

Of interest:

(55:00) Registration continues for upcoming FinalWeb for Dummies web site training classes. Martin and Sallie are presenting three days of face to face training focusing on developing, designing and maintaining your website with excellence.

  • Milwaukee, WI and New Ulm, MN – March 9-11, 2010 – Registration deadline is February 28, 2010
  • Saginaw, MI – April 6-8, 2010
  • Attend any combination of days – one, two or three day registrations welcome
  • $49 per day or $129 for all three days
  • Details and registration at bit.ly/fw4dummies

Community feedback:

  • (56:13) The logo discussion started on last week’s podcast continued on the WELSTech listserve
  • Via the #WELSTechhashtag on Twitter we found out about …
  • Maren McPeak from St. Mark in Citrus Heights, CA offered to shared resources for the Promethean Interactive Whiteboard and we’ve created a new wiki page just for them.
  • Redeemer in Yakima, WA was featured on a recent newscast titled “Churches Find Faith in Facebook”.
    • John Shoosmith from Redeemer shared a link to an affordable device for video capture, the Easycap USB Adapter.
  • Pete Schlosser updated us on his upcoming photography adventures, including a trips to Ireland and Scotland with his UW-Stout photojournalism students as well as Haiti where he will spend a week as a WELS Kingdom Worker volunteer.
  • And finally, a great big WELSTech shout out to Pastor Thomas Wilsmann and his tech team from St. John’s in Waterloo, WI.  Thanks for listening!

Coming up on WELSTech:

(1:00:05) Episode 120 – YouTube in the classroom is the discussion theme as Gail Potratz joins us and we hear about HOPE School’s “Scholar Ladies” viral video sucess. (Release date 02/24/10)

The featured artist:

(1:06:34) We close the podcast with the music of a new WELS group, Cross to Glory, led by Pastor Chris Christenson (www.crosstoglory.com) – You Know I Know from their debut CD “Life’s Song”

Get involved:

  • Add a comment below
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  • Leave us a voice mail 405-FOR-WELS (405-367-9357)
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116 – Photography In The Classroom

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This week on WELSTech the “focus” is photography, and we are happy to welcome back Gail Potratz, our semi-regular class room technology correspondent.

Christmas 2010 Scavenger Hunt:

Clue #4

Clue 4

Remember, you can use your smartphone or an online decoder to decipher the message. Additional contest details available here. Have fun!

The interview:

Pete and Cari Schlossers(3:50) Say “Cheese” – Pete and Cari Schlosser, father and daughter members of St. Paul’s in Menomonie, WI, talk with us about photography in the classroom and share ideas from their upcoming book on the subject.

Ministry resources:

(35:10) Greek, Latin and Hebrew Bible audio recordings – shared by Pastor Guy Marquardt from Christ in Lodi, CA

News in tech:

(36:50) Add any page to Google Reader

  • Listen to WELSTech BWTG Episode 079 to learn more about Google Reader

Picks of the week:

Of interest:

(51:05) Registration continues for upcoming FinalWeb for Dummies web site training classes. Martin and Sallie are presenting three days of face to face training focusing on developing, designing and maintaining your website with excellence.

  • Milwaukee, WI and New Ulm, MN – March 9-11, 2010
  • Saginaw, MI – April 6-8, 2010
  • Attend any combination of days – one, two or three day registrations welcome
  • $49 per day or $129 for all three days
  • Details and registration at bit.ly/fw4dummies

Community feedback:

  • (52:22) Gail shared a link to resources from the GeekyBird blog to enhance usage of Discovery Education Streaming (formerly United Streaming)
  • John Shoosmith, a grits eater :-) from Washington, asked about embedding chat with live video streaming and Martin recommended Mibbit.com
  • Pastor Nate Seelow let us check out his religion class resources wiki for Great Plains Lutheran High School
  • Martin shared links to blog posts about virtual church and illegal wireless microphones
  • Ryan Rosenthal from Faith on Fond du Lac shared his wikispaces.com student account creation success and Jason Schmidt from Gethsemane in Omaha, NE responded with links to more wiki tips and tricks from Getting Tricky With Wikis and Cool Tools For Schools
  • Jason also shared links to 10 Reasons to use Diigo and Video Conferencing Guides
  • Sallie shared links to a Google Analytics Cheat Sheet and Freezeray.com, a site full of middle school and high school science flash animations for use on an interactive white board
  • Lastly we had a Discussion Board question from Bill Radinitz at Redeemer in Maple Grove, MN.  Sallie shared a link to MinuteBoard.com and asked the WELSTech Community to chime in with their recommendations.

Coming up on WELSTech:

(1:12:13) Episode 117 – We visit with Pastor Don Patterson and Bill Eslinger about their radio and podcast ministry, A Reason for Hope. (Release date 02/03/10)

The featured artist:

(1:12:39) We close the podcast with the music of Michael Schroeder, www.michaelschroeder.com – The Answer from his CD titled “The Way”

Get involved:

  • Add a comment below
  • Send us an e-mail [email protected]
  • Leave us a voice mail 405-FOR-WELS (405-367-9357)
  • Add to the WELSTech wiki welstechwiki.wels.net
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  • Follow us on Twitter – mspriggs and welstechtrainer
  • Use the del.icio.us tag welstech
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