My Technology Friend

Jane and I have been friends for a long, long time. My friend Jane was a great school teacher. She taught everything from preschool to grade 2. She was a fun teacher, a students friend. She never worried about the amount of her own money she spent in the classroom because she knew every kid was worth it.

Two years ago Jane decided to retire. A sad day for the kids in the school district, a sad day for the community.

At a time when children needed to learn technology and some teachers were running from it, Jane embraced it! She knew to keep up with her students and supply them with what they need to succeed she needed to learn it herself. I was constantly amazed at her questions about equipment she might need to transform the lives of little ones under her watch. She saw they had everything they needed, she took extra classes, she bought her own equipment, she read about technology and she really did love attending classes at ESSDACK learning it.

That is what makes her such a fun and special friend, mom, wife, daughter, aunt and grandmother to those around her. She uses her iPod for her calendar, she watches movies on the plane, she listens to music while driving the tractor, she takes trips and runs a flip video camera so she can put video on You Tube in minutes, she fills her Facebook page with photos,(did I mention she multitasks well)?

It was no surprise when she e-mailed last week she had her new iPad. I feel like the person who used to call me for technical assistance has passed me up! She has never been afraid to jump right in and learn something new. That is why she has been so good for me over the years, she has made me push myself.

Now that we are grandparents we have a whole new world to explore together. Grandkids that love technology. I gave my grandson his first laptop a month ago. He is three. He was on YouTube in seconds listening to Brad Paisley (one of his favorites). He watches music videos and knows the words by memory. He tapes himself singing and with the help of his mom has it on YouTube for grandma to enjoy! Like Jane I see my grandkids on skype a way of connecting families that wasn't there just a few years ago. For long distance grandmas there is nothing better!

I am sure Jane has taken off on her iPad already getting apps to make her life easier, learning more to make her a more interesting person. I know she will use it to it's full potential. If she doesn't know it she will learn it. Just to keep up with Harry and Connor!

In the mean time grandpa and I are headed to Best Buy, I think I need an iPad! Thanks Jane!

These Apple Guys are Golden

A group from Apple was at ESSDACK last week for the two day summer conference "Apple Technology Seminars for Education."

Attending were 45 of the best "server jockeys" Kansas has to offer. I am talking about the tech guys who keep technology running in our schools. Learning more than they knew, and meeting comrades they will be able to collaborate with in the future are just two of the reasons they traveled to Hutchinson to learn more from Apple.

Just a few days after Apple released the new iPhone 4, tech guys in attendance chattered about the device and how they would love to get their hands on one. One attendee pulled his new one out of his pocket and began demonstrating the new toy to the aaaahs of tech brothers standing near by. It's so much fun to see people thrilled to investigate new technology.

When Apple talks people listen. They have taken off in the education world with their one to one laptop programs, iPods in the classroom, and the new iPad has classroom games like Geometry Wars Touch", that will impress you with virtual sticks created where you place your fingers, and "Words with Friends" a scrabble style, multi-player crossword game. The company knew it was time to hit the classroom with new innovative items students need. It's time to welcome Apple into your classroom.

The Apple guys holding the session here were lead by Adam Shepard a great representative who watched registration flow, visited with attendees, saw breakout sessions were on time and made sure his server guys were well fed. His help included Bret Siegel, Jeff Oshsner, and Brent Hayward some of the best Apple has to offer. They studied Introduction To Snow Leopard Server, Advanced Snow Leopard Server, Imaging and Deployment - Intermediate to Advanced, Apple Remote Desktop, Windows Integration and Podcast Producer to name a few.

From here they loaded cords and supplies and headed to their next stop St. Louis, Mo. where they will do it all again to a new group of techies yearning to learn. Technology in Education from the laptop on the child's classroom desk, to the servers that run them, to the companies that build them, all fit in education now and in the future. Thanks Apple Guys it was great having you, see you next summer!