NECC 2009 Call for Participation -- Proposal Synopsis (Proposal ID# 43713309)

Proposal Synopsis (Proposal ID# 43713309)

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Category/Subcategory Formal Session -- BYOL

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Session Title Build A Better Browser: Firefox Extensions for Educators

Session Description Firefox is fast, secure, and fully customizable. Learn how add-ons can be used to turn your web browser into the ultimate learning machine... for free.

Theme and Strand 21st-Century Teaching & Learning:Innovative Learning Technologies

Keywords opensource, firefox, tips, hands-on, wagner

Primary URL http://edtechlife.com/necc2009/

Exhibitor Status

Commercial Content

Audience Type Chief Technology Officers
Curriculum Specialists
Library Media Specialists
Principals
Staff Developers
Superintendents
School Board Members
Teachers
Teacher Educators
Technology Coordinators
Technology Facilitators
Technology Integration Specialists

Audience Level All

Audience Skill Beginner

Prerequisites It's best if Firefox is already installed, however, it can be downloaded during the session. Also, at the beginning of the session I will have several flash drives loaded with the latest Firefox installer on hand when participants enter the room.

NETS•S 3, 6

NETS•T 3, 5

NETS•A III, VI

Proposal Summary
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Purpose & Objectives Purpose:
To help educators customize Firefox using the most relevant and powerful add-ons for teaching and learning.
Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Articulate the nature of a web browser.
- Articulate the nature of open source software.
- Articulate the key features of Firefox.
- Search for, locate, and instal Firefox add-ons.
- Choose add-ons that are best for an educational context.
- Customize Firefox for their own needs and preferences.

Outline (for BYOL) This session will begin with a brief overview of how a web-browser works - and an introduction to the philosophy behind open source software. Firefox will then be compared and contrasted with other popular web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera, Flock, and Google’s Chrome. Key Firefox features, such as tabbed browsing, themes, and extensions will then be demonstrated. This introduction and demonstration takes only 10 minutes.
Following this, participants will learn how to search for, locate, and install Firefox add-ons. The top Firefox extensions for educators will be introduced, including tools for blogging, reading RSS feeds, searching the web, accessing wikipedia, and translating websites. Other tools will help teachers share bookmarks, photos, and more. This is the bulk of the session, for which 30 minutes is allocated.
Of course, participants will also learn to customize the look and feel of Firefox to suit their own personalities. About 5 minutes will be dedicated to this customization.
Finally, the session will conclude with a focus on ways participants can share these tools with their students. A wiki for this workshop will be shared with the participants - this will include links to each add-on mentioned during the session, so that the participants and their students might access each tool after the session when they return to their sites. This conclusion will take approximately 5 minutes.
Ten minutes will be left for questions and answers at the end of the session.
NOTE: It's best if Firefox is already installed, however, it can be downloaded during the session. Also, at the beginning of the session I will have several flash drives loaded with the latest Firefox installer on hand when participants enter the room.
The workshop wiki will also be shared at the beginning of the session, so those who follow along easily will be able to explore additional resources online while the presenter helps those who don't understand quite as quickly.

Supporting Research N/A

Presenter Background Formerly a high school English teacher, Dr. Wagner has since served as an educational technology coordinator at the site, district, and county levels. He now serves as the president of the Educational Technology and Life Corporation, which provides professional development and consulting services to schools, districts, and other educational institutions.
In this capacity, Dr. Wagner is the CUEtoYOU professional development coordinator for Computer Using Educators, Inc (CUE), and the educational technology coordinator for the California League of Middle Schools (CLMS) and California League of High Schools (CLHS). He writes for the Infinite Thinking Machine, a blog and Internet TV Show produced by WestEd and sponsored by Google. He is a Google Certified Teacher and now coordinates the Google Teacher Academy for CUE. In addition, he provides training for administrators through Orange County’s AB 430 program. His work with schools and districts includes writing educational technology plans, leading pilot projects for emerging technologies, coaching teachers, and working with parents to help them understand the powerful new tools their students use everyday.
Dr. Wagner has a Ph.D. in Educational Technology and a master’s degree in cross-cultural education. He is passionate about helping educators and students discover tools that can help them learn.

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Category/Subcategory Selection			[ view/edit this section ]
	Category/Subcategory	Formal Session -- BYOL

General Information			[ view/edit this section ]
	Session Title	Build A Better Browser: Firefox Extensions for Educators
	Session Description	Firefox is fast, secure, and fully customizable. Learn how add-ons can be used to turn your web browser into the ultimate learning machine... for free.
	Theme and Strand	21st-Century Teaching & Learning:Innovative Learning Technologies
	Keywords	opensource, firefox, tips, hands-on, wagner
	Primary URL	http://edtechlife.com/necc2009/
	Exhibitor Status
	Commercial Content
	Audience Type	Chief Technology Officers Curriculum Specialists Library Media Specialists Principals Staff Developers Superintendents School Board Members Teachers Teacher Educators Technology Coordinators Technology Facilitators Technology Integration Specialists
	Audience Level	All
	Audience Skill	Beginner
	Prerequisites	It's best if Firefox is already installed, however, it can be downloaded during the session. Also, at the beginning of the session I will have several flash drives loaded with the latest Firefox installer on hand when participants enter the room.
	NETS•S	3, 6
	NETS•T	3, 5
	NETS•A	III, VI

Proposal Summary			[ view/edit this section ]
	Purpose & Objectives	Purpose: To help educators customize Firefox using the most relevant and powerful add-ons for teaching and learning. Objectives: Participants will be able to: - Articulate the nature of a web browser. - Articulate the nature of open source software. - Articulate the key features of Firefox. - Search for, locate, and instal Firefox add-ons. - Choose add-ons that are best for an educational context. - Customize Firefox for their own needs and preferences.
	Outline (for BYOL)	This session will begin with a brief overview of how a web-browser works - and an introduction to the philosophy behind open source software. Firefox will then be compared and contrasted with other popular web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera, Flock, and Google’s Chrome. Key Firefox features, such as tabbed browsing, themes, and extensions will then be demonstrated. This introduction and demonstration takes only 10 minutes. Following this, participants will learn how to search for, locate, and install Firefox add-ons. The top Firefox extensions for educators will be introduced, including tools for blogging, reading RSS feeds, searching the web, accessing wikipedia, and translating websites. Other tools will help teachers share bookmarks, photos, and more. This is the bulk of the session, for which 30 minutes is allocated. Of course, participants will also learn to customize the look and feel of Firefox to suit their own personalities. About 5 minutes will be dedicated to this customization. Finally, the session will conclude with a focus on ways participants can share these tools with their students. A wiki for this workshop will be shared with the participants - this will include links to each add-on mentioned during the session, so that the participants and their students might access each tool after the session when they return to their sites. This conclusion will take approximately 5 minutes. Ten minutes will be left for questions and answers at the end of the session. NOTE: It's best if Firefox is already installed, however, it can be downloaded during the session. Also, at the beginning of the session I will have several flash drives loaded with the latest Firefox installer on hand when participants enter the room. The workshop wiki will also be shared at the beginning of the session, so those who follow along easily will be able to explore additional resources online while the presenter helps those who don't understand quite as quickly.
	Supporting Research	N/A
	Presenter Background	Formerly a high school English teacher, Dr. Wagner has since served as an educational technology coordinator at the site, district, and county levels. He now serves as the president of the Educational Technology and Life Corporation, which provides professional development and consulting services to schools, districts, and other educational institutions. In this capacity, Dr. Wagner is the CUEtoYOU professional development coordinator for Computer Using Educators, Inc (CUE), and the educational technology coordinator for the California League of Middle Schools (CLMS) and California League of High Schools (CLHS). He writes for the Infinite Thinking Machine, a blog and Internet TV Show produced by WestEd and sponsored by Google. He is a Google Certified Teacher and now coordinates the Google Teacher Academy for CUE. In addition, he provides training for administrators through Orange County’s AB 430 program. His work with schools and districts includes writing educational technology plans, leading pilot projects for emerging technologies, coaching teachers, and working with parents to help them understand the powerful new tools their students use everyday. Dr. Wagner has a Ph.D. in Educational Technology and a master’s degree in cross-cultural education. He is passionate about helping educators and students discover tools that can help them learn.

Equipment Information			[ view/edit this section ]
	Whiteboard Requests

Additional Presenters			[ view/edit this section ]
		n/a