It came as no surprise to me to see that the CNN headline: Mac vs. PC: The stereotypes may be true that Mac computer ad campaigns have been spot on! Then dear Mashable of course picked up on that and gave us this brilliant infographic from Hunch,
You see, I've been a MacGrrl since the beginning of the Interwebs....my first foray into teaching with the web was when I brought into my school library a 14.4k modem and a 100 foot phone line - I dialed up to the University of Maryland's server because my district didn't have the Internet yet and Uof M gave teachers FREE dial up! Wheee! My MacLCIII was smokin hon! C'mon kids let's huddle round this puter & look up state information for our unit Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego! Then, when we opened our middle school school in 1997 we bought 200 PowerMac all in one 5200's that had the S-Video out so we could hook them up to a .....wait for it.....yeah 27" mounted TV! AND because it was a NEW school we planned to have not the one ethernet data port that was recommended per classroom but we said we needed 4! HA! We wanted one on every wall cause we sorta thought that someday we might possibly have more than one computer per classroom....cause that's how we rolled! (picture of my lab in 97) Today we now have all new iMacs! So why am I so strenuously establishing my Mac street cred? Cause I really do think an OS reflects personality. I read that infographic & nodded the whole way! But it's really not the tool - it's the way we think. I think different. I'm creative and random and multi-tasking and as Torrence Temple said "You make ADD your beyatch." This blog posting is taking hours to write because like a squirrel ---Oh shiny! I get distracted! Tweeting DMs with Shannon Miller about AASL hotel reservations, finding pictures of my old Macs, and watching Burn Before Reading on FX....We need to teach to ALL the kids who Think Different. (and yeah, it doesn't *have* be on a Mac OS platform!)
From my iPad love, iPod touch adoration to App lust Apple has played a big part of my learning and teaching life. We don't have to be snooty about it though....really. And if we start to get uppity - then thank goodness we have people like Stephen Colbert making Salsa with his iPad and the Onion to keep us humble....AND laughing!
In The Know: Should The Nation's Unemployed Be Buying New Apple Computers? Forgive the advertisement before the vid (though it's great ICB fodder).....darn the Onion wanting to earn money! Sharks! Poor LauraLee...go use that computer in the garage, honey! We're talking technology here! What are the poor unemployed gonna do? Go to the public library & use their free computers! Sheesh! Forgive the shameless picture...I just HAD to do it! Maybe gonna do a whole series of these pics with my teachers - convert to B&W and photoshop the transparent .PNG logo over...did the whole READ posters years ago...something old is NEW again! Celebrate Thinking Different! ps. my b-day is May 21 wishing on this Tiffany Apple for my charm bracelet! [crosses fingers] Both for my love of all things Apple AND cause I'm a teacher.
Apple charm in sterling silver. http://t.co/y1pOJJK via @TiffanyAndCo
I've had to go back and forth between Macs and PCs numerous times in my career, but always have the biggest smile on my face when I get to use Macs. I know I'm REALLY dating myself with this admission, but my VERY first personal computer was an Apple II Plus, and my second the original Mac. It's been <3 ever since. It was fun reading and relating to the infographic. :)
Makerspace for Little or Nothing You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to start a Makerspace area. You don't have to have a designated room or rip out bookcases. You can even have a Makerspace on a cart! When we have testing in our Library, I put all our Makerspace stuff on an AV cart and roll it into our server room. This post evolved from a previous post called Makerspace Starter Kit Updated where I had some of these idea, but I felt that it deserved it's own expanded post. You can take baby steps into the Maker Movement. I've been saying that for 7 years or so....long before I blogged about it, I tried it out. Yeah, sometimes I try things on the sly to see if they are blogworthy for you! Now....having said that..... WARNING: Controversial Opinion Ahead. I'm not 100% sold, even after 7 years of talking about the Maker Movement, that it's something that's here to stay and not just a fad. Even though I've (without knowing it!)...
Three years ago I shared my Makerspace Starter Kit with you or what I was buying to boost our Makerspace area using four empty Library study carrels that no longer held desktop Macs. That post has consistently been one of the most viewed posts every week for years and years - with more than 83 THOUSAND views, gee whiz! (Crazy, right?) So, I thought maybe it was time to update it!* Since then, I've had some major Makerspace successes and a couple dismal (and expensive) Makerspace failures! So, here's the latest for ya'll with the good, the bad, and the bloody awful! Our MHMS Makerspace How it works: Kids can come in before the 1st period late bell rings, during lunch, or when they've finished their work in class to explore, craft, and create in the Library Media Center. It's not a "class" or an organized offering. It's a free form optional offering of constructivist learning and creativity! It's not as big as some and it hasn't tak...
Sweet Tweets About Good Reads Here's an idea for a fun tech-social-media infused creative writing lesson and one I'll be sure to mention when I'm guest hosting the Twitter #EngChat event May 23rd at 7pm EST . The topic will be The Power of the Product and I'll be hosting with amazing MHMS co-worker Elizabeth Singleton ( @emsingleton ). This conversation will consist of viable, creative, meaningful, and daring products that demonstrate information mastery, go beyond the regular research report and span the digital divide. On this second blog posting in one day (assuredly a first!) I must give a very special thank you to reading specialist & MHMS co-worker Deb Burkey! You inspired & gave me this idea during our conversation the other day talking about the Fakebook lesson. YAY, you rock! The text is written as directions to students. Writing a short, concise, quality book review is a challenge! Using the Twitter style, create a short book review that hint...
OMGoodness -- and I thought *I* was a maniac Mac lover! Definitely in your camp, Gwyneth, and my love affair w/ Mac goes back to the '80's too.
ReplyDeletePretty shameless plug for the silver apple charm, babeeee!!! ;o) LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteI've had to go back and forth between Macs and PCs numerous times in my career, but always have the biggest smile on my face when I get to use Macs. I know I'm REALLY dating myself with this admission, but my VERY first personal computer was an Apple II Plus, and my second the original Mac. It's been <3 ever since. It was fun reading and relating to the infographic. :)
ReplyDeleteAunty Lynn....Totally shameless! But you've met me right? LOL - Love you!
ReplyDelete~Gwynnie
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Thanks fellow MacGrrls for your awesome comments!
Muwa!