Almost 1000 Hits!

Tonight I logged into Blogger to write a blog post in an renewed effort to keep up with blogging, especially since listing my blog on the ISTE Blog Registration.   Amazingly, my blog has received 999 hits!  Wow! So somebody out there is reading...

I'm not quite sure that I understand the ClustrMap though since it lists only 32 visitors since April 7.  From the ClustrMap "notes" section, it seems that counts are only being added each time a unique computer IP address accesses the blog as opposed to Bloggers "Visits" widget which tallies every time the blog is accessed.  This would imply that 32 people have visited my blog a total of 999 times all together, resulting in maybe 30 visits per person or a handful of
the 32 people accessing the blog many more times and others only a few times.

However, when I looked at the list of locations of the "Recent" visitors and the Current Country Totals, I realized that this thinking is flawed because last week I noticed that there were visitors listed on the location list from France, Germany, Norway, and Finland, and those do not appear on either list now.   The ClustrMap widget is listed as updating every day, so I'm guessing then that the "Recent" location list is purged every 24 hours, but I'm not sure why the countries are not all represented on the Current Country Totals chart.


When I checked the Blogger Stats section, I noticed that the Pageviews chart does not equal up to 999.

I find these disparities in data between and within counters frustrating.  I love data - really love it, seriously.  But I want it to add up, to make sense, and without fully understanding the algorithm behind either counter, I am unsure how the data totals are derived and question whether or not they are accurate and why they do not list the same countries.

Hmm.  And I was so excited when I first began this post!  I think my takeaway is going to be that I have 999 hits (somehow) and I need to raise the bar for myself in terms of keeping up with posting and finishing all of the half-finished (or half-started if your glass is half-full) posts that are still sitting in the Blogger post queue as drafts.

I'm hoping someone reads this blog post in the morning, or overnight too I guess since a handful of European countries more than seven hours ahead of me on the international time line are listed as having readers who are checking my blog (Does that really make it overnight if it is really already tomorrow for them?), so that at least I can start my day off tomorrow morning with 1000 hits!

ISTE13 Sessions

Spending today working on presentations for the two sessions that I am doing at ISTE this year.

Learning Station Session: 30 Plus Ways To Use Your iPad For Professional Development

Take a whirlwind tour of 30+ ways to use your iPad to build your professional learning network, engage in personalized professional development, and transform your learning. Explore apps and resources that you can use to improve and enhance your own teaching. Learn how the iPad just may be the most versatile transformative tool in the educational world that can bring personalized learning to your fingertips 24/7 and just in time for your professional learning needs.

Mini Workshop: Animated Video To Liven Up Your Curriculum And Enhance Student Learning

The purpose of the workshop is to share information with participants on a variety of free and low-cost software programs that can be used with K-8 students to create short animated videos that focus on the academic content that students are learning and to focus on demonstrating how to use just one to step through a project. The videos can be used to engage and motivate struggling students in reviewing and learning content covered in class, and as a way for older students to share informational text with younger students. Animation projects allow students to review content material while meeting new Common Core multimedia standards.
*Recommended by ISTE SIGDS 
*Requires registration.

If either of these topics interests you, please come to the sessions to learn more and share ideas and resources.

Only Five Weeks Until ISTE 2013!

That's right, just five weeks until ISTE 2013 begins!  I have paid my registration, booked my flight and hotel room, and now I just have to wait a little longer...

 

I began looking at the program online the other day and am excited that there will be so many great sessions and keynotes to attend.  Gamification in education has been a hot topic for the past couple years, so I'm really looking forward to Jane McGonigal's opening keynote.  The idea of capitalizing on students' love of games and the amount of time that they dedicate on a daily basis to playing them and somehow bringing some of that interest into the classroom is always enticing to me as I'm trying to think of ways to build students' interests in traditional classroom content.  Perhaps we should be taking a lesson from students and morphing that traditional content and 20th Century delivery system to match better with student interests to move in the direction of personalized learning which will allow the educational system to offer students an opportunity to engage in a more student-centered, collaborative system driven by student choice.

This year I am hoping to actually have a plan of which sessions I want to attend created in advance.  Wishful thinking?  We'll see as the school year winds down if I can squeeze in the time to check out the online program in more depth.

ISTE Blog Registration

It's official. I registered my blog on the ISTE blog registration!

Now I need to attempt to keep up with posting regularly, which hasn't been as easy as I originally thought it would be when I first started this blog.

ISTE13 San Antonio - Things To Do And Places To Visit - Tower Of The Americas

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Do you have a fear of heights, snakes, or great food?

If you answered "no," then make sure that you squeeze in time during your ISTE visit to stop by the 750 foot tall Tower of the Americas and take a trip to the top to the Observation Deck to experience the 360 degree panoramic view of the city and learn about how the Texas state flag has changed over time.  You can get a preview of the amazing view here.

Make sure that you also allow time for the 4D Skies Over Texas Theater Ride that is included in your Tower visit ticket price. Spoiler alert - If you have a fear of snakes, go with a friend so you will know when it's safe to open your eyes again!

If you plan in advance, you can also make a reservation to dine at the Chart House and enjoy a great dinner and the rotating view at the same time.

If you do have a fear of heights, you can still stop by the gift shop on the first floor to pick up a souvenir.

More information about hours and ticket prices available here.



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ISTE13 San Antonio - Things To Do And Places To Visit - The River Walk

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You can't visit San Antonio without taking a stroll along the number one tourist attraction in the entire state of Texas, the Paseo del Rio better known as the River Walk!

The River Walk is lined with outdoor tables with colorful umbrellas, restaurants, hotels, and shops.  You can even take a boat tour of the River Walk.

More information about the River Walk and a directory of hotels, restaurants, and shops located on the River Walk is available here.

Click here for maps showing the River Walk path along San Antonio streets and hotel locations.

ISTE13 San Antonio - Things To Do And Places To Visit - The Alamo

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Remember The Alamo!

If you plan to incorporate a little sightseeing into your trip to ISTE, then you probably want to make time to visit one of the top "Must See" locations in San Antonio - The Alamo!

Although the battle in 1836 was lost, the historical mission still stands today as a symbol of courage and sacrifice for liberty.

Squeezing in a tour of the Alamo and posing for a quick photo or two with the famous backdrop may be a bit tricky though since the landmark tours take place between 9:00 to 5:30 Monday through Thursday, 10:00 to 5:30 on Sunday, and 9:00 to 7:00 on Friday and Saturday. If you're looking for a Coonskin Cap or Texas Ranger Badge souvenir, you may want to plan your visit early in the week just in case supplies run out!

Admission is free.  More details available here.


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