Technology and Learning

YUP - it's TRUE!  The ransom virus hit our school and BOY did it hit hard! If you are unfamiliar, this virus has been around a while, and our network people said that they get 2-3 calls a week about this, so it's nothing new.  However it has KNOCKED! US! OUT!  Basically, it's just like a ransom.  The virus attacks your computer, there's a screen that appears saying they won't give you back your data unless you pay a ransom - OH!  We think it was attached to an email from a staff member, but aren't certain, and from there has caused us a HUGE headache, countless hours of panic, and panic again as it has reappeared trying to ping our system - OH NO!! Here is what has happened thus far: 1.  The virus hit our main server and two of our three back up servers.  In a nutshell - THANK YOU GOOD LORD that Casey decided to have three backups.  However, we now will have four!!  2. EVERYTHING had to be restored from back up - our ENTIRE NETWORK!...

We have been looking for something in regards to coding for our senior high school students.  They have been having fun playing with the Sphero and the Dash and Dot , but they are a little old for this so to say.  Through my research, I came across a site called CodeHS .  THIS IS AMAZING:)!!!  Once you sign up, you are taken through a series of courses where you actually code.  You type in the commands and functions, trying to walk Karel, the dog, through various tasks.  Each section features a video explaining what you'll learn, a quiz to review, and then you step in and use what you learned to code Karel.  This seems like a really good fit for some of our kids.  We have two that are going into Computer Science, and this seems like a perfect stepping stone as it introduces HTML , Javascript and Python as they are also areas they will learn:). AND the best part - it's DONE FOR YOU and IT'S FREE!! Of COURSE you can pay for more, but i...

I am TOTALLY a band wagoner:)!! (is that a word?)  I love ANYTHING new that I learn about and TOTALLY jump on board and tell everyone to get it.  SAME HERE!  I learned about the Sphero 2.0 a few years ago and kind of put it on the back burner - which happens A LOT with technology as there are ALWAYS things coming out and about, the latest and greatest!  I wrote a grant for $500 (starting small), to order one and it CAME IN:)!! Today I am subbing, so I had some kiddos go into the app and start playing with it - OH MY FUN:)!! They were able to calibrate it, run it, and start to make ramps for it to "turbo" power and change the trajectory, velocity, and speed to make it move faster and jump further - neato:)!  I also found a ton of ideas and ordered these little cones for racing, weaving through, and block coding to see if you are correct.  Sphero bowling was also found, as well as other physics type activities - can't wait to try with the kiddos. I kno...