50 Terrific Twitter Tutorials for Teachers
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Be CyberSmart!® Cyber Ethics and Bullying
From http://www.cybersmart.org CyberSmart! Online Workshops, facilitated professional development, give educators a hands-on experience in 21st century skills—the new basic skills—to meet the learning needs of today's students.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Humility and the Next Wave
"Though definitions of Web 2.0 vary, the one constant is that Internet users are now content providers rather than content receivers. The top-down approach of the Web we grew up with now has been replaced with users who build information from the bottom up."
The Next Wave Now: Web 2.0 ― Lane B. Mills
Mills, L. B. (2007). The next wave now: Web 2.0. The Education Digest, 73(4), 4-5.
I think I'd most like to focus on the phrase "users who build information from the bottom up" with reference to our discussions through the past three weeks. When you take a course such as the one we've all embarked upon, it is easy to get swept up in the excitement of what we're learning and want to rush out and just do all of it at once. One simple thought occurs to me that should give everyone just a bit of pause, and that is simply humility.
I strongly believe that students who are allowed to engage in student-centered learning, who are allowed to have a major say in what they study and how they study it, and who are allowed to create their own projects that they feel will benefit them the most will never have the benefit of someone looking them dead in the eye and telling them to "get over themselves." Though I don't currently teach, I had the wonderful opportunity to teach journalism at a high school a few years ago. These kids were really great, but they only wanted to write opinion columns, and when I assigned them news articles to write, they couldn't wrap their thoughts around a coherent idea and really couldn't write that well...not even well for high school students. I believe this is because of two reasons: (1) students today are very self-deprecating, and (2) students today think their opinion is just the greatest and that everyone wants to hear it.
Just look at YouTube and Twitter for examples. Young people post all sorts of silly, and sometimes very inappropriate, content on YouTube of themselves without the thought that the rest of the world simply doesn't need to see a young person dancing in their undies, nor do we want to see your video dedicated to running someone else down. Just the same with Twitter...I don't care if you are eating a sandwich, driving across town, or whatever other mundane personal details you can fit into 140 characters.
That being said, Web 2.0 has the ability to launch us into the kind of Eutopian society that sci-fi movies are made of. Dedicated and self-directed learning, valuable and relevant up-to-the-minute communications, and genuine effort in building the most accurate information possible from the bottom up will launch every member in our society into the upper reaches of enlightenment. Students who are taught to responsibly use Web 2.0 technologies and who are gently guided through the ethics of such technologies will lead us all into a society of openess and sharing heretofore unknown in our history.
The Next Wave Now: Web 2.0 ― Lane B. Mills
Mills, L. B. (2007). The next wave now: Web 2.0. The Education Digest, 73(4), 4-5.
I think I'd most like to focus on the phrase "users who build information from the bottom up" with reference to our discussions through the past three weeks. When you take a course such as the one we've all embarked upon, it is easy to get swept up in the excitement of what we're learning and want to rush out and just do all of it at once. One simple thought occurs to me that should give everyone just a bit of pause, and that is simply humility.
I strongly believe that students who are allowed to engage in student-centered learning, who are allowed to have a major say in what they study and how they study it, and who are allowed to create their own projects that they feel will benefit them the most will never have the benefit of someone looking them dead in the eye and telling them to "get over themselves." Though I don't currently teach, I had the wonderful opportunity to teach journalism at a high school a few years ago. These kids were really great, but they only wanted to write opinion columns, and when I assigned them news articles to write, they couldn't wrap their thoughts around a coherent idea and really couldn't write that well...not even well for high school students. I believe this is because of two reasons: (1) students today are very self-deprecating, and (2) students today think their opinion is just the greatest and that everyone wants to hear it.
Just look at YouTube and Twitter for examples. Young people post all sorts of silly, and sometimes very inappropriate, content on YouTube of themselves without the thought that the rest of the world simply doesn't need to see a young person dancing in their undies, nor do we want to see your video dedicated to running someone else down. Just the same with Twitter...I don't care if you are eating a sandwich, driving across town, or whatever other mundane personal details you can fit into 140 characters.
That being said, Web 2.0 has the ability to launch us into the kind of Eutopian society that sci-fi movies are made of. Dedicated and self-directed learning, valuable and relevant up-to-the-minute communications, and genuine effort in building the most accurate information possible from the bottom up will launch every member in our society into the upper reaches of enlightenment. Students who are taught to responsibly use Web 2.0 technologies and who are gently guided through the ethics of such technologies will lead us all into a society of openess and sharing heretofore unknown in our history.
TechStudentWiki at wikispaces.com
I've just created an instructional technology wiki located at http://techstudentwiki.wikispaces.com/
Wikis in Plain English
A short explanation of wikis and how they can be used to coordinate a group. This video comes in an unbranded "presentation quality" version that can be licensed for use in the workplace.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Digital Learning Testimonials
Testimonials about digital learning from students and staff at project schools participating in the Association of Alaska School Boards' Consortium for Digital Learning (AASB-CDL).
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Digital pens: Mightier than MSWord?
Digital pens: Mightier than MSWord?
By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor, eSchool News
"A number companies have created digital "smart" pens that can digitize handwriting, convert writing into word-processing text, and even record the audio that corresponds to the notes students take."
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By Maya T. Prabhu, Assistant Editor, eSchool News
"A number companies have created digital "smart" pens that can digitize handwriting, convert writing into word-processing text, and even record the audio that corresponds to the notes students take."
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The Administration and Instructional Support area of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020
The Leadership, Administration & Instructional Support (LAIS) area of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology is the best area for reviewing how the campus perceives administration's leadership qualities with regard to integration of technology into the curriculum. The LAIS area helps a campus to define what it perceives the school's strengths and weaknesses are concerning technology leadership and vision of use, planning for use of technology, instructional support available to teachers, technology collaboration and communication among teachers, budget for technology use provided by the campus, and leadership & support for online learning activities.
According to statewide Texas School Technology and Readiness (STaR) summary data, trends in the LAIS area are generally improving. In 2005-06, the Early Tech level was at 4.3 percent of campuses -- 324, but by 2007-08, that level had dropped to 2 percent, or 150 campuses. Presumably these campuses that improved their level of progresss landed in the Developing Tech or Advanced Tech levels, since Advanced Tech campuses increased from 34.3 percent in 2005-06 to 45.5 percent in 2007-2008.
As a neophyte instructional technology student, my first recommendation to campuses wishing to improve their summary rating communicate with other schools in the district or other similar size schools statewide to see what solutions those schools have found to improving progress. Also, teachers need to be polled for feedback regarding their perceived notions of communication and collaboration levels within the school and district. Obviously adequate budget funding needs to be provided to support the level of technology use desired, but almost of equal importance is ensuring there are short- and long-range plans for integrating and using technology in the curriculum. These plans need to be supported by assessments that give accurate data concerning how successful technology integration has been. Finally, a recommendation I would offer is ensuring online learning opportunities are not only made available, but that administration has assessed the opportunities and helped teachers to make them suitable for completing to earn class credit.
According to statewide Texas School Technology and Readiness (STaR) summary data, trends in the LAIS area are generally improving. In 2005-06, the Early Tech level was at 4.3 percent of campuses -- 324, but by 2007-08, that level had dropped to 2 percent, or 150 campuses. Presumably these campuses that improved their level of progresss landed in the Developing Tech or Advanced Tech levels, since Advanced Tech campuses increased from 34.3 percent in 2005-06 to 45.5 percent in 2007-2008.
As a neophyte instructional technology student, my first recommendation to campuses wishing to improve their summary rating communicate with other schools in the district or other similar size schools statewide to see what solutions those schools have found to improving progress. Also, teachers need to be polled for feedback regarding their perceived notions of communication and collaboration levels within the school and district. Obviously adequate budget funding needs to be provided to support the level of technology use desired, but almost of equal importance is ensuring there are short- and long-range plans for integrating and using technology in the curriculum. These plans need to be supported by assessments that give accurate data concerning how successful technology integration has been. Finally, a recommendation I would offer is ensuring online learning opportunities are not only made available, but that administration has assessed the opportunities and helped teachers to make them suitable for completing to earn class credit.
"Connected" Part 2: Academic Uses
A great way to integrate technology...but what if you don't have an iPhone?
Friday, September 4, 2009
Schools get help in using Web 2.0 tools
Schools get help in using Web 2.0 tools
Two new CoSN whitepapers address the challenges, benefits of Web 2.0 for education
By Meris Stansbury, Associate Editor
Web 2.0 tools hold great promise for education, but they also pose a number of challenges for educators. To help teachers and administrators navigate these challenges, while also becoming "disruptive leaders" in their schools, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) has released two new whitepapers as part of its recent focus on Web 2.0 and education.
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Two new CoSN whitepapers address the challenges, benefits of Web 2.0 for education
By Meris Stansbury, Associate Editor
Web 2.0 tools hold great promise for education, but they also pose a number of challenges for educators. To help teachers and administrators navigate these challenges, while also becoming "disruptive leaders" in their schools, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) has released two new whitepapers as part of its recent focus on Web 2.0 and education.
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Now we both are richer...
I like this quote that one of my Lamar classmates provided in our class chat forum:
"If you have a dollar and I have a dollar and I give you my dollar and you give me your dollar, neither one of us have gained anything, but if you have an idea and I have an idea, and I give you my idea and you give me your idea, we both are richer."
"If you have a dollar and I have a dollar and I give you my dollar and you give me your dollar, neither one of us have gained anything, but if you have an idea and I have an idea, and I give you my idea and you give me your idea, we both are richer."
Shaping Tech for the Classroom | Edutopia
Shaping Tech for the Classroom Edutopia
by Marc Prensky
"The biggest question about technology and schools in the 21st century is not so much "What can it do?" but, rather, "When will it get to do it?" We all know life will be much different by 2100. Will school? How close will we be to Edutopia?"
and further...
"...it helps to look at the typical process of technology adoption (keeping in mind, of course, that schools are not typical of anything.) It's typically a four-step process:
Dabbling.
Doing old things in old ways.
Doing old things in new ways.
Doing new things in new ways."
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by Marc Prensky
"The biggest question about technology and schools in the 21st century is not so much "What can it do?" but, rather, "When will it get to do it?" We all know life will be much different by 2100. Will school? How close will we be to Edutopia?"
and further...
"...it helps to look at the typical process of technology adoption (keeping in mind, of course, that schools are not typical of anything.) It's typically a four-step process:
Dabbling.
Doing old things in old ways.
Doing old things in new ways.
Doing new things in new ways."
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Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Case for Open Source -- By Miguel Guhlin, February 15, 2007
The Case for Open Source
http://www.techlearning.com/article/6944
The following is a summary of the Article:
Open Source has made some significant leaps in recent years. What does it have to offer education?In, Miguel Guhlin
The Case for Open Source By Miguel Guhlin, from Technology & Learning, February 15, 2007
http://www.techlearning.com/article/6944
The following is a summary of the Article:
Open Source has made some significant leaps in recent years. What does it have to offer education?In, Miguel Guhlin
The Case for Open Source By Miguel Guhlin, from Technology & Learning, February 15, 2007
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Educators reveal secrets of reform
Educators reveal secrets of reform
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From the Article:
"According to Bradburn, Impact schools, which offer technology tool sets and professional development training, turn at-risk students into bellwethers of success: “You can see [through students’ increased participation and enthusiasm for learning] that these tools are changing things.” Impact schools have “shown increased achievement levels in math and science, more than other schools, as well as a decreased dropout rate,” Bradburn reported. "
Isn't this what all schools are supposed to be like? Shouldn't students find enthusiasm in every class and become success bellwethers? The answer is no, because the at-risk students are at-risk for a reason. They need to leave school to support their families, or no one in their family finished school so they don't have an example to relate to. Fighting your way through the literary classics or chemistry is, of course, a valuable education that provides a solid basis for future learning. But, through the increased exposure to and use of technology, an at-risk student not only finds a subject at school that he can be interested in, but he also succeeds because technology classes are based upon knowledge gained in other classes: math, science and language arts.
Second, an at-risk student who is inclined to leave school to support their family, but who also becomes proficient in the use of technology, and as was the case stated above in North Carolina's Impact Schools, have been participating in professional development. Through professional development sessions, the student is shown that there is life beyond what is learned in the classroom, there is practical application for the lessons you learn. This gives them something to look forward to after finishing school.
Third, and most important, the enthusiasm for technology coupled with the career education helps many at-risk students to see that there is a life possible in doing what they enjoy and getting paid for it. They have the opportunity to see that lessons they are learning and products they are creating are sought after in the "real world" and that there is a practical application to the lessons learned in class.
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From the Article:
"According to Bradburn, Impact schools, which offer technology tool sets and professional development training, turn at-risk students into bellwethers of success: “You can see [through students’ increased participation and enthusiasm for learning] that these tools are changing things.” Impact schools have “shown increased achievement levels in math and science, more than other schools, as well as a decreased dropout rate,” Bradburn reported. "
Isn't this what all schools are supposed to be like? Shouldn't students find enthusiasm in every class and become success bellwethers? The answer is no, because the at-risk students are at-risk for a reason. They need to leave school to support their families, or no one in their family finished school so they don't have an example to relate to. Fighting your way through the literary classics or chemistry is, of course, a valuable education that provides a solid basis for future learning. But, through the increased exposure to and use of technology, an at-risk student not only finds a subject at school that he can be interested in, but he also succeeds because technology classes are based upon knowledge gained in other classes: math, science and language arts.
Second, an at-risk student who is inclined to leave school to support their family, but who also becomes proficient in the use of technology, and as was the case stated above in North Carolina's Impact Schools, have been participating in professional development. Through professional development sessions, the student is shown that there is life beyond what is learned in the classroom, there is practical application for the lessons you learn. This gives them something to look forward to after finishing school.
Third, and most important, the enthusiasm for technology coupled with the career education helps many at-risk students to see that there is a life possible in doing what they enjoy and getting paid for it. They have the opportunity to see that lessons they are learning and products they are creating are sought after in the "real world" and that there is a practical application to the lessons learned in class.
David Warlick at 2007 AASB Conference in Alaska
David Warlick summarizes the 21st Century Literacy Skills presentation he gave at the Association of Alaska School Boards Annual Conference in Anchorage, Alaska on 11/10/07.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
"We believe that while they learn pedogogical theory, preservice students must also be required to use it to be fully engaged."
Webquests: Utilizing Technology in a Constructivist Manner to Facilitate Meaningful Preservice Learning― Rina Kunda & Christina Bain Kunda, R., & Bain, C. (2006). Webquests: Utilizing technology in a constructivist manner to facilitate meaningful preservice learning. Art Education, 59(2), 6-11.
Until I learn more about the real benefit of web quests, I don't think I'm ready to be a fan of this particular use of technology. That stance aside, the quote above that I found in this reading is absolutely true.
The old adage rings true: "You can give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime". You can put a computer in the room, turn it on for the teacher, even put the Internet browser on the right web site for the teacher and he can tell students to go to that site and click the link. But unless that same teacher is taught to start up their own computer, open an Internet browser , click the link for himself, and run the exercise personally to see the benefit and how it can be applied to other forms of presenting information, this teacher will never even begin to understand the full potential of even this one simple example of instructional technology.
Technology isn't a thing to use. You can't put in a purchase order for a shipment of technology and have it arrive from the district warehouse to distribute to your students. Technology is a concept... a resource that you can use to further the educational process and the dissemination of information. Pedagogy is great. You have to teach preservice students the basics and the theory that drives technological learning. But without also using hands-on experiences to teach the practical use of technology, a student will see it as just another thing they have to do that gets in the way of "real teaching" just like they had when they were in school.
Webquests: Utilizing Technology in a Constructivist Manner to Facilitate Meaningful Preservice Learning― Rina Kunda & Christina Bain Kunda, R., & Bain, C. (2006). Webquests: Utilizing technology in a constructivist manner to facilitate meaningful preservice learning. Art Education, 59(2), 6-11.
Until I learn more about the real benefit of web quests, I don't think I'm ready to be a fan of this particular use of technology. That stance aside, the quote above that I found in this reading is absolutely true.
The old adage rings true: "You can give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime". You can put a computer in the room, turn it on for the teacher, even put the Internet browser on the right web site for the teacher and he can tell students to go to that site and click the link. But unless that same teacher is taught to start up their own computer, open an Internet browser , click the link for himself, and run the exercise personally to see the benefit and how it can be applied to other forms of presenting information, this teacher will never even begin to understand the full potential of even this one simple example of instructional technology.
Technology isn't a thing to use. You can't put in a purchase order for a shipment of technology and have it arrive from the district warehouse to distribute to your students. Technology is a concept... a resource that you can use to further the educational process and the dissemination of information. Pedagogy is great. You have to teach preservice students the basics and the theory that drives technological learning. But without also using hands-on experiences to teach the practical use of technology, a student will see it as just another thing they have to do that gets in the way of "real teaching" just like they had when they were in school.
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