Category Archives: Technology

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Active Learning With ACTIVboards

I spent 3 days last week being trained, along with about 20 other elementary teachers in my school district, in using a Promethean ACTIVboard. My classroom was picked to be the model classroom for this pilot so an ACTIVboard and ceiling mounted projector were installed. Way cool stuff.

The best part of the training was the teachers that attended. They are all getting ACTIVboards installed in their classrooms and they each got a new laptop (HP). Most of the teachers were at least fairly comfortable with tech, but a few were not. Never-the-less they all had a can-do attitude and when anyone was stumped – are you ready – they asked questions and found out how to do it. They were excited and enthusiastic and it rubbed off on me. The trainers spent the most time on having teachers make “Flip-Charts” which are basically like doing a Powerpoint presentation with a few twists – you can even bring Powerpoint files into the Flipchart software and run it there which many liked.

Making the Flipcharts also required teachers to learn to obtain and use images and other files from multiple sources (clipart, internet, photos, scanned images and text) and other skills like using a scanner, digital camera, various software pieces, which most participants were not familiar with or had little experience in using in a presentation format.

The idea here is to include the students in the interactive presentations by having them come to the board to interact with text, sound, video, etc. which is a great concept (and even design their own Flipcharts). My one reservation was that no time was spent really discussing doing things differently, not just adding the technology and then pretty much doing things exactly the same as before … but baby steps. We will be meeting once a month to discuss and share and there is talk of setting up an online bulletin board or some other way to stay in contact between meetings and share content and lessons and since only 2 or 3 of us even knew what that was it will introduce more teachers to the possibilities of conversation using tech, which can’t be bad.

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Another Powerful, Easy, Way Cool, “Messy” Experience!

I just got done being an active participant in Wes Fryer’s presentation at the Mid-America Technology Institute – 2006 in Kansas … and I never left my family room in Reno, Nevada. I responded to Wes’s questions, role-played with an attendee of his presentation (she was a principal questioning the noise level in my classroom while my students participated in a “messy” project and I had to respond to her concerns). I was part of his presentation for maybe 10 minutes – then I ate breakfast and read the paper.

There is so much that is powerful about this experience, but I’m going to focus on one aspect of it here. IT WAS EASY! Wes contacted me via email last evening asking me to talk about “messy” learning and assessment during his presentation using iChat. We would be able to hear and see each other. Great! One problem – I’ve never used iChat before. I know the software comes on my Mac computer, I’ve just never had an opportunity to use it. So I wondered if Wes would really want to chance his presentation during my learning curve with iChat. So I opened an iChat account (free – took 3 – 5 minutes), hooked up a digital video camera to my computer with a Firewire cable, typed in Wes’s address in iChat and found out he just happened to be on – so we had a 20 minute conversation about what my part of his presentation might look like. At the specified time this morning I logged in and we were on.

Knowing Wes he will probably post about this and may even offer a podcast of his session. Way cool! Thanks Wes!

I can’t wait until Skype adds video conferencing – imagine being able to do what we did this morning with up to 99 different locations at once!

Learning is messy!

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Reprised Because of DOPA – So As Parents and Educators We Monitor and Teach Ethical, Appropriate, Safe Use

I am reprising this post since the vote about Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) is happening soon. See David Warlick’s blog to get contact info to contact representatives about their vote.

Paper and pencils can be used to draw inappropriate, hate filled, pictures messages and ideas – and you could poke someone’s eye out. They could even be used to lure your child into a dangerous situation. Should we (and could we if we tried?) cut off access to keep our children safe? No, because they are everywhere and too valuable in so many ways, so as parents and educators we monitor and teach ethical, appropriate, safe use.

Over 200,000 children are injured using playground equipment each year, some are killed. Should we (and could we if we tried?) cut access to playground equipment to keep our children safe? No, because they’re eventually going to find play equipment and playing is too valuable an experience, so as parents and educators we monitor and teach ethical, appropriate, safe use.

50,000 people die or are injured in swimming accidents each year. Should we (and could we if we tried?) cut access to swimming to keep our children safe? No, because pools and lakes and ponds are everywhere and it would be dangerous if they fell in and it is too valuable and healthy a skill, so as parents and educators we monitor and teach ethical, appropriate, safe use.

30,000 people are killed and thousands more injured in auto crashes each year. Should we (and could we if we tried?) cut access to cars and driving to keep our children safe? No, cars are everywhere and driving is too valuable, so as parents and educators we monitor and teach ethical, appropriate, safe use.

Phones are used for criminal activities, even luring kids away from home. Should we (and could we if we tried?) cut off access to phones to keep our children safe? No, phones are everywhere and they are too valuable, so as parents and educators we monitor and teach ethical, appropriate, safe use.

There are some churches and religions out there that don’t have the same beliefs as yours – and some even preach ideas that you would consider blasphemous and hateful. Should we (and could we if we tried?) cut off access to religion to keep our children safe? No, religion is everywhere and it is too valuable, so as parents and educators we monitor and teach ethical, appropriate, safe use.

There are applications of technology that can expose your child to inappropriate, hate filled, pictures, messages and ideas. Technology and the internet are everywhere. Do we cut off access? (and could we if we tried?) Or are these applications too educationally valuable?  As parents and educators it would be better if we monitored and taught ethical, appropriate, safe use.

Otherwise who will teach them about these things and where will they learn about them?

Learning is messy!

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Wal*Mart Saves the Day! – Starts Own “Safe” MySpace Clone … Sort Of … Er … Not Really

Yep, that’s right – Wal Mart has started their own “Social” site called “The Hub” and refers to users as “Hubsters”. Check out the article in Advertising Age here, and check out “The Hub” here.

A telling quote from Mya Frazier’s Advertising Age article:

The tight controls will work against Wal-Mart’s goal to make the site more edgy and will instead cement the retailer’s image as a conformist brand, said Tim Stock, a researcher with New York-based Scenario DNA, a research firm devoted to studying Gen Y.

“The second you try to create boundaries and draw a line around content and put a box around content, it becomes something else. Teens aren’t searching for what a company deems relevant, but what they deem relevant,” Mr. Stock said. “You can’t own it. When anyone tries to own it too much, then it becomes a problem. That’s the impression I get on this site.”

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These Guys Get It!

Will Richardson posted today about his experience at SLA this week – it ties in with David Warlick’s post from yesterday about what he heard about teachers in China teaching less and planning more. From Will’s blog:

It was the last day of an 8-day intensive planning session, and they were probably more tuned into the “closing ceremonies” to be held at a neighborhood restaurant in the afternoon than on listening to me, but I was extremely impressed by their attention, their questions and their thinking. And their thinking was all over the place…on a Moodle site where they have been capturing all of their work, on newsprint post-its all over the walls of the planning room, in their conversation. I sat there just envious as all get out that Chris had this opportunity to really build “School 2.0,” and I said as much to all of them.

Did you catch that? An 8 day planning session!? Were the teachers paid for their time? What a concept!  And they still have six weeks before school starts to digest the conversation and continue to plan. Doesn’t that cost more money? We can’t be spending more on education, we already get more than we need – we just need to spend it more wisely – less administration and cheaper toilet paper and paper towels (please note this is sarcasm on my part in case you missed it).

Is Chris Lehmann planning to provide planning days during the school year too? That would almost make me consider teaching secondary school and moving to Philadelphia! I can’t wait to see what Dave finds out about the planning time in China! These guys are doing it right. I’ve been asking where the great examples of whole schools doing project/problem-based learning supported by tech integration are … it sounds like this is really one to watch … but no pressure Chris!   ; )

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Find Your Niche, App, Tool, Whatever. Make It Work Transformatively, Effectively and Safely …. Then Let’s Market It, and How To Use It To Everyone.

Many of the conversations lately have been a bit downtrodden. Brett’s Skypecast last night, Will Richardson’s recent “deflating” experience, Jeff Utecht’s NECC experience, Miguel Guhlin’s recent post and others.

We’ve been bemoaning that the access to web 2.0 apps is not going well. Some districts block just about everything, teachers aren’t embracing them quickly enough and the list goes on. But maybe there is still plenty to use and the “marketplace” will take care of the rest over time in that either users will find safe “workarounds” as they use MySpace, ODEO, FLICKR, etc. (not everybody is blocked you know) and if these work and there is a demand and it seems safe things might open up. I’m definitely not saying give up or don’t think about or try to use these apps – just that things might not be as bleak as they seem. Would it be great if you could just jump right in and use many of these tools – yes – but many have issues of safety no matter how frustrating that is. Will Richardson (and others – including me) have spoken about how kids are exposed to worse images and ideas at the local convenience store and in some cases street corner. But you’re just not going to get past peoples’ fear and loathing of their kids being exposed, even by accident, AT SCHOOL – At least not now. I’m not satisfied with that but …

The good news is that there is so much that can be done that is safe and valuable for anyone to use – the web, digital photography, web pages, email, blogging (monitoring comments) and much more – and those of us that have unfettered access will have to use these new tools in ways that make others see past their fear and want to embrace them. We can even teach the ethical use of social applications so that students that use them outside school learn about ethics from someone.

There are so many applications available now, how could anyone use them all? Yes, we need to get going – I believe that strongly – but who can keep up? There seems to be at least one new app every day – yes we need access, and the ability to innovate – and what is more exciting than seeing something you’ve never seen before and immediately getting an idea on how it fits what you are or want to be doing with students and you want to do it NOW. Some of us will be able to do that, be the trailblazers, and some will have to wait (but fighting and scratching the whole time) until these new tools and methods are acceptable.

Beyond that, I would be thrilled if we could just get educators to embrace and utilize tech as a tool AT ALL! I’ll probably get attacked by some of you for saying this, but more than 80% of educators I know can’t cut and paste, or send an email with an attachment, or know you can have more than one window opened at a time or more than one application at a time, or what a browser is (or that Internet Explorer isn’t the only browser), or how to attach a printer or camera or use them, or any peripheral, or what USB or Firewire are and the list goes on. And we want them to be blogging AND Flickring, AND Skypeing, AND digital video, AND podcasting, AND making web pages and more? I have experiences with teachers showing them cut and paste that I should video some time. They get so excited – some do it over and over with big smiles on their faces – I’ve just made their day (but I was really showing them FLICKR and how to use an image in student writing).

Yes we need to keep the training and education and innovation on web 2.0 going, but let’s not forget than most haven’t embraced web 1.0 yet. We need to get many more trained and comfortable with tech in general and the new teaching that goes with it AS we continue to use and innovate with the new tools. If we build it they will come?

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Help set the agenda for our next Skypecasts and join in!

Brett Moller has already picked up the ball and set a possible agenda for another Skypecast to further the work started so ably by Wes Fryer. And as I write this I see Wes has already posted a new Skypecast for this Tuesday  at 8PM Central time and set an agenda. Both agendas look intriguing.

I especially want to encourage those that have not done a Skypecast before to join in. There is no pressure to get involved in the discussion unless you are comfortable doing so. Just listen in if that’s what suits you. Equipment needed is your computer, a microphone – although you computer probably has a built in one, and headphones make it easier to hear.

Start by visiting the Skype web site to download the FREE software and then visit Brett’s and Wes’s blogs to find the link to the specific Skypecast.

Be there – learning is messy – jump in and have a messy learning experience!

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How To Spread The Word? – Use The Media, Doesn’t Everybody Else?

Us edtech / project-based, folk have lamented for a long time how slow others have been to adopt the new tools and methods of the 21st century (although many of these methods are not new at all). We have talked about creating a buzz, an excitement about these methods that will overcome the reluctance of so many to engage.

One way to accomplish this is to use the media. Certainly using the media to help promote education and children is more righteous than pushing a product or a politician. And I’ve found most media are more than willing to cover positive education stories – especially new ideas or projects. So the next time your class (or someone else you know) completes a project or is involved in an activity –  (or even if they just started) contact the local media. And now it’s easy to do. Send an email – how hard is that? What’s the worst that can happen? They don’t get back to you – you lost 5 minutes writing an email. But what if they do come? – A great experience for your students. They get to see how the media works, some get interviewed, they’re excited – do you think you might get them to write about the experience? I’ve even had reporters and camera operators allow kids to turn the tables and interview them about what they do and why they decided to cover this story.

Students can take photos and video of the goings on – and there is another possible writing project (blog, story, letter home, etc.) And the next thing you know you’ve created a buzz about using tech and project-based learning. A buzz with your students, their families, your teachers, others’ students, the community – just what we’re trying to do – and its free!

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Why Go To NECC When You Can Just Skype It!?

OK so nothing is like really being there … but this was pretty good. Wes Fryer set up an international Skypecast to share what was learned at NECC 2006 – thanks for laying the groundwork Wes!

Here’s a link to his podcast of our Skypecast.


So what is a Skypecast? A free (as the old saying goes, “Free is a good price!”) conference call basically … only better. When I saw Wes’s request for participants I went to Skype’s web site and downloaded the free software … which was a breeze by the way, then answered a few questions like login name and password and maybe 1 or 2 others – 5 minutes tops and probably less than that. Wes had a link on his blog to the exact Skypecast, when you get there it tells you the name of the Skypecast and what time it is scheduled for. At the correct time I opened Skype, went to Wes’s Skype page, clicked on the link that said something like “Join This Skypecast” and I could hear voices. A window opens that shows the screen names of everyone attending and that was that.

We had a great conversation that lasted for over 2 hours. And get this … not one of us had attended NECC 2006 – but we had all participated virtually through all the various blog entries, podcasts, vidcasts, and so on offered by the convention and individuals. So we disussed an event none of us physically attended but still participated in at a certain level and shared our thinking about it. One of the coolest things was that several people joined in the Skypecast that were not teachers or edtech people and they added seamlessly to the conversation and had great insights because they weren’t educators or edtech people. Some of us stayed until the end and others came and went. A few popped up and listened in, decided this was not for them and went away. Imagine using this to connect teachers, students, experts …. you get the picture.

One way this is different than a phone call is that because you are already using your computer to make the connection, your computer is right there to make notes on, look up web pages that others are discussing, Wes even downloaded software to record the conversation during the Skypecast, left for about 2 minutes to install it, came back on and recorded the rest for his podcast – but I should not steal Wes’s thunder – you can hear it all for yourself, Wes has notes and links for you, but most important I encourage you to join in on future Skypecasts and keep the conversation going!

Learning is messy!

Update: David Warlick just posted about reveling in the conversations at NECC 2006, but also lamenting those that he missed. Dave this post is about a way to help keep those conversations going and maybe even having those that you missed!

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Let’s Make A Push At Change … but … Who Has The Time???

The newest teachers coming out of college that show up teaching in my school district are exposed to little tech as a tool, are required to use very little tech in their own studies – and in their methods classes the NCLB-data-driven-programs-of-the-year are what is promoted pretty much to the exclusion of anything else. And I can tell you sitting on my share of interview teams for new teachers – the pre-determined questions are all about which Reading and Math programs you’re trained in (or have even heard of), your experience with them, how willing are you to get more training and have a mentor to help you be your best at doing those programs? Why would anyone get the idea that technology or project-based, problem-based teaching and learning are something to embrace?

So how do we make the change happen more quickly? Make it ring with teachers, business, general public? Has this subject ever been blogged about before? : ]

We have to tell and show and prove that using the tools of technology to do project-based, problem-based learning IS the way to go. I’ve said before that there is a crack that we can enter through to get our message out there. The crack is the disconnect I catch business people and parents in fairly regularly. I’ve sat in meetings where people moan about the static state of education and then when ideas start to flow about changing things they quickly retreat to the status quo of what they did in school … just more accountability. When you point that out to them they usually become very pensive and you can drive home your point about things needing to change – but it will take more than that one time and it will also take proven results. Telling people you think this is the way to go is one thing – being able to point to numerous, ongoing examples that truly are getting results – reproducible results – is what is going to get people off the dime.

We have to take this to business. Teachers seem to have very little say in HOW things are done (have you noticed?) – so while getting teachers onboard is crucial, we go nowhere without the support of the general public, and winning over business just might accomplish both. I’ve commented on several business peoples’ blogs – however I’m not sure how large a readership they had and I’ve never generated any response from them – so one tactic is to start seeking out more blogs to comment on and spread the message and have some conversation that way.

It would be great to attend some conventions/conferences and present to business people on their own territory – but also rather pricey and time consuming and just a bit intimidating – and I don’t know about you, but I don’t get much info on upcoming business conferences (at least not like I do education conferences) and I’m not sure how receptive they would be to a session or keynote on education reform during their conference on “Widget” production or marketing or whatever … is there any tie-in here between education and business? HMMM … maybe they would be receptive? Maybe now is the time.