In this main blog, we will offer new ideas, as well as onine tools and games; explore our evolving learning environment; highlight developing best practices and projects; and share the voices of students, faculty, and others who are transforming their learning by becoming more “connected.” And, most importantly, we hope to inspire one another to uncover our passions and share our gifts.

Benjamin Zander, an entertaining and highly accomplished conductor, believes we unlock learning when we practice the art of possibility. In the following TED talk, Zander shows us just what it means to have “shining eyes.” I hope you’ll take the time to listen to his entire presentation and then share with us (using the comment feature of this blog) what makes your eyes “shine.” I also wonder: How might you encourage someone else’s eyes to shine?

Laura Deisley, ldeisley@lovett.org, ext 1348
Technology Consultant and Lovett parent

I created a short screencast here using Jing which explains how to incorporate popular music into their blogs. We’ve chosen to have them either embed lyrics or YouTube videos instead of audio tracks. Complete audio tracks raise DRM-issues, and WordPressMU doesn’t support embedding sampled music widgets like iMix.

The demo samples I was using follow below:

I really like the Dave Matthews Band. Although they weren’t around when I was in college, they remind me of what I might have listened to at that time. Here is a song most everyone knows from DMB, “Everyday”. This is a sample of an enbedded video:

I also like U2, and in particular I like the song “I Still Haven’t Found What I Am Looking For.” My son’s 5th grade class read a novel and listened to this song, then after some discussion they wrote incredible, insightful reflections about what they were reading. This is an example of using hypertext to link you to the video which isn’t embeddable but which does play on the YouTube site.

David Gray’s Greatest Hits just came out. His song Babylon is one of those songs with melodies that stick in your head. I can’t show you a video with this song, but I can share the lyrics:

Babylon
By David Gray

Friday night I’m going nowhere
All the lights are changing green to red
Turning over TV stations
Situations running through my head
Well looking back through time
You know it’s clear that I’ve been blind
I’ve been a fool
To ever open up my heart
To all that jealousy, that bitterness, that ridicule

Saturday I’m running wild
And all the lights are changing red to green
Moving through the crowd I’m pushing
Chemicals all rushing through my bloodstream
Only wish that you were here
You know I’m seeing it so clear
I’ve been afraid
To tell you how I really feel
Admit to some of those bad mistakes I’ve made

If you want it
Come and get it
Crying out loud
The love that I was
Giving you was
Never in doubt
Let go your heart
Let go your head
And feel it now

Babylon, Babylon

Sunday all the lights of London
Shining , Sky is fading red to blue
I’m kicking through the Autumn leaves
And wondering where it is you might be going to
Turning back for home
You know I’m feeling so alone
I can’t believe
Climbing on the stair
I turn around to see you smiling there
In front of me

If you want it
Come and get it
Crying out loud
The love that I was
Giving you was
Never in doubt
And feel it now
Let go your heart
Let go your head
And feel it now
Let go your heart
Let go your head
And feel it now
Let go your heart
Let go your head
And feel it now
Let go your heart
Let go your head
And feel it now

Babylon, Babylon, Babylon

Source: http://lyrics.com accessed on 1/10/08