Connecticut China Connection

Technology on the Trip

RCWood — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:28:23 +0000

Many people have asked us what technology we used while traveling and how we used it all.

First let’s look at what we have on the Internet:

Connecticut China Connection - the blog

This blog is based on an installation of Word Press, an open source application. It is common to use Word Press at the WordPress.com site, but we chose to install it on a hosting service. This allowed us to manage several plugins and other customization our own. The blog is sponsored by the Connecticut Educators Computer Association on one of their sites.

Connecticut China Student Exchange - a picture gallery for students

We also set up a picture gallery site for students at Beecher Road School and students at our two sister schools to use. This site is only available to participating students. It is being used to share pictures from daily life in the two countries and to write comments back and forth. Mr. Crawford and I both taught lessons in China using this site.

Skype

While in Heze, I used Skype to conduct a video conference between administrators, parents, teachers, and students at Beecher Road School and Heze Primary School. This conference created much excitement in both schools.

The Hardware

We carried mobile computers, cameras, iPods, lots of cables and more.

Mr. Wood's Tech Collection

MacBooks

Each of us took our MacBook from school. About a month before the trip, we reformatted both MacBooks in order to remove any confidential data from them. We then rebuilt them with the applications that we wanted for the trip. These applications included:

iLife “08 (iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie, and GarageBand)

We used iPhoto to manage the over 3,000 photos that we took. GarageBand was used to create podcasts.

FinalCut Express

Mr. Crawford used FinalCut Express to create some of the movies we shared.

MarsEdit

This simple shareware application was used to write blog posts when we didn’t have access to the Internet and to later upload the posts.

CyberDuck

Another shareware application used to upload large quantities of photos to the site for posting in the photo gallery of the blog.

And of course we had many other applications for occasional use like MS Office, iWork ‘08, Firefox, and many others.

Cameras

I carried a Canon Powershot SX100 IS, 8.0 megapixel digital camera with 10x optical zoom. I used two 4 GB flash cards.

Mr. Crawford used a Nikon D70 Digital SLR camera with a Tamron 18-200 lens and 4 GB CF card.

He also carried along a Canon Powershot SD400 digital camera, 5 megapixal with 3x optical zoom. The Canon SD400 had a 2 GB flash card. He also occasionally used his Blackberry’s built-in camera for posts on the move such as our arrival in China and our departure.

Video Cameras

We both carried FlipCams. These simple-to-use all-in-one cameras were great. Each one held one hour of video and could be quickly downloaded to the MacBooks using the built-in USB connector.

These were particularly nice because they weighed in at 5 ounces each, including batteries.

iPods

We each carried an 80GB iPod Classic with a Belkin Stereo TuneTalk microphone. We were able to record street sounds, the singing stones, and our translators pronouncing names and words for us to practice.

The iPods were also loaded with an English/Chinese phrase dictionary and of course some favorite music for the plane ride and family photos to share with our hosts.

Flip Cam, iPod, Canon SX100

Data Backup

As a standard precaution against computer failure as well as a way to preserve our work should our computers be stolen, we each carried a Verbatim 320GB portable USB hard drive. I used Apple’s built in Time Machine application to automatically maintain backups throughout the trip.

Whenever I left the computer behind, the portable drive traveled with me. When the computer was with me, the drive stayed behind.

The Blackberry

Mr. Crawford carried his Blackberry everywhere. It was the Blackberry that allowed us to make posts to the blog at critical times like the arrive at the airport in Beijing.

On our last full day in China, it was the built-in GPS features of the Blackberry that led us on a successful two-mile trek across Beijing to the nearest Pizza Hut. A true life-saver. (More about food in future posts.)

The Blackberry was a BOLD: World Phone with AT&T service in the States and China Mobile in China. The Blackberry has built-in GPS, Audio and Video recording, and a digital camera. Using an International Data plan, supplied by AT&T, Mr. C. was able to send and receive emails, surf the web, and of course make and receive phone calls (though it cost two dollars a minute!).

Technology has been a big part of my life for many years. However, I think I had the most fun of anytime in my life with the technology on this trip. I may have to do this every year!

Mr. Wood

Mutton Soup

RCWood — Sun, 03 May 2009 14:16:47 +0000

Shandong Province is known for Mutton Soup. It may be surprising to Americans, but mutton soup is a common breakfast item. I was treated to a delicious breakfast of mutton soup and pancakes, a type of bread similar to pita that is grilled on a large skillet.

The ladies in the kitchen at the mutton soup restaurant were delighted to have their photo taken.

Mr. Wood

Four Friends

RCWood — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:09:11 +0000

At dinner with the four best friends (see Dinner with Zhang family and Friends), the four children prepared a performance for me. Here’s the video.

Mr. Wood

Peony Festival

RCWood — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 14:52:47 +0000

Heze is the Peony capital of China and the Peony is one of China’s national flowers. I was lucky enough to be in Heze during the annual peony festival. Mr. Zhang, Mr. Wong, and Ms. Yang took me to the festival on my last day with them.

It is traditional to wear a peony hat made of live peonies.

I thought I would get by without wearing one,

but…

I think I was the only American at the festival, so I ended up with a crew from the local television station and the local newspaper following me around all day.

They had me posing in the peonies where no one was allowed to go.

People of all ages enjoyed the festival.

It was a beautiful way to end my stay in Heze.

See more photos in the Heze gallery.

Mr. Wood

Technology Meeting

RCWood — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:33:26 +0000

One of the purposes of my trip to China, was to establish routine communications between Heze Primary School and Beecher Road School. During my stay, we held a video conference between the schools.

On my last day at the school, I met with Mr. Zhang, the two computer teachers and other teachers to develop plans for our schools to collaborate through technology.

We plan to hold regular video conferences using Skype as well as have students share pictures through our common website. Teachers will collaborate through a number of ways. I taught them how to use Google Docs and we used it to write our plan together.

I am excited to be working as part of a new collaborative Technology Team.

Mr. Wood

Question Time

RCWood — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:25:14 +0000

Each afternoon I visited class of all ages. The students asked me questions. I answered and Ms. Yang translated. Sometimes I was asked questions in English, sometimes in Chinese, and sometimes in a little of both.

The students particularly liked the fact that I teach computers. Everytime I answered that question, they clapped.

All the classes wanted to have their photos taken with me. Sometimes the photo was organized.

Sometimes they were not so organized.

And somtimes it was total chaos.

Am I still here?

Mr. Wood

Morning Exercise

RCWood — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:03:20 +0000

Every morning around 9:30 music begins to play outside the school in Heze. Shortly after that, all the students begin to flow out of the classrooms onto the track behind the school. Three laps around the track.

Then they all move to the courtyard where they do an entire routine of exercises together in rhythm.

Who’s that running the circuit?

After exercising the body, students return to the classroom where they do eye exercises and prepare for the next class.

A great way to stay fit!

Mr. Wood

How We Live

RCWood — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:22:59 +0000

Confucius has influenced the way the Chinese live for more than 2000 years.

All around the school at Heze are signs that remind students of the proper ways to live.

This sign reminds students to keep their study area clean and organized.

This sign reminds students that:

“If you love your books, they will give you more n return.”

I was constantly aware of the effects Confucius has had on Chinese life.

Mr. Wood

Visits to Homes

RCWood — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:10:37 +0000

During my stay in Heze, I was the guest in four homes. This was some of the most significant time that I spent in China. The hospitality was incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing life in these Chinese homes.

Please see the previous four posts that describe these experiences in detail.

Mr. Wood

Dinner with the Zhang family and Friends

RCWood — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:06:12 +0000

On Wednesday evening I was invited to dinner at the home of the Zhang family. The Zhang family, the Ma family, the Xia family, and the Wang family all live in the same building and are close friends. They share meals together regularly, socialize together, travel together, and the children are best of friends.

Friends

I dined with the Zhang family and the other three children while the other parents were in the Wang home next door preparing the meal.

The Zhang family presented me a gift

Mr. Zhang is a children’s author. They presented me with a book of Chinese stamps that commemorate the Peony Festival in Heze.

After dinner, the children performed a musical routine they had written and prepared for me. It was about my visit.

Later that evening, we went next door and set up a computer with Skype so that the children will be able communicate with children in Woodbridge.

What great fun we had!

Mr. Wood