LISD Ed Tech Connection

Two innovative chemistry teachers in Woodland Park, CO are using videocasts (aka vodcasts) to redefine lecturing, homework, and how time is spent in their classrooms. The teachers have data showing that student achievement in their classes has increased because their students watch video-lectures as homework then come into class prepared to ask questions, engage in hands-on work and solve problems. This is in contrast to what happens in many other classrooms where much time is spent sitting and listening to lectures, which leaves less time for hands-on work and more paper-based practice at home where students are often stumped.

The teachers, Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams, have created a web site to teach other educators about their methodology: http://educationalvodcasting.com/

A page of their site includes a narrated slideshow from Bergmann and Sams detailed their teaching methods and achievement data. The page, In the News, includes a TV newscast about the teachers and the process as well as other links to press.

Statement released by International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) on Oct. 2, 2008:

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) are extremely pleased that on September 30 Congress passed, as part of S. 1492, an update to the Children’s Internet Protection Act which requires schools participating in the E-Rate program to educate students regarding appropriate behavior on social networking and chat room sites and about cyberbullying. ISTE and CoSN have advocated for this approach for many years and we are pleased that Congress has now ratified our position. Education, not mandatory blocking and filtering, is the best way to protect and prepare America’s students.

We must single out for particular praise today Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Co-Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) for introducing the Internet safety education language in separate legislation and working tirelessly to ensure its inclusion in S. 1492. We also appreciate the efforts of Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN), who introduced the very same language on the House side.

Both CoSN and ISTE believe that the Internet contains valuable content, collaboration and communication opportunities that can and do materially contribute to a student’s academic growth and preparation for the workforce. However, we recognize that students need to learn how to avoid inappropriate content and unwanted contacts from strangers while online. In our view, educating students on how to keep themselves safe while online is the best line of defense because no technological silver bullet has yet been devised that will guarantee that students are effectively protected. Therefore, we embrace wholeheartedly the thoughtful approach that S. 1492 takes, particularly the flexibility that it affords districts on determining how best to educate students about staying safe online.

Congress’ passage of S. 1492 represents real progress in the area of Internet safety and we urge President Bush to sign it into law.

To learn more about the organizations, visit www.iste.org and www.cosn.org.

link to source on ISTE’s web site

Various groups and individuals are pushing the boundaries on how mobile devices are being used for productivity and learning. According to a New York Times article, a young woman from Japan named Rin authored a novel on her cell phone while in high school that ended up as a hard cover book which sold over 400,000 copies. Another such person is Michigan educator Liz Kolb whose presentations (Cell Phones as Classroom Learning Tools) and book (Toys to Tools: Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education) have been stretching the thoughts of teachers, tech coordinators, and administrators.

Here’s another bleeding edge use of technology that may have some professional video production folks cringing: Mobilife Film Festival – a video festival from Culture Unplugged Studios about “capturing and sharing our mobile life” by using devices like video-capable cell phones. Video submissions must be less than 2 minutes in length and fit into one of 5 categories – comic moments, enlightening experiences, eco-friendly lifestyles, breaking boarders, or citizen watch. Rolling!

Word just came out that there will be two Michigan Moodle conferences for educators to participate in this school year:

December 12, 2008 at St. Clair RESA
January 30, 2009 at Muskegon ISD

Stayed tuned for further details.

The NY Times just recently published an article titled Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading? It provides much food for thought around reading and what it means to be literate today. The article cites university research, some from right here in Michigan. The comments page hosts some interesting opinions from around the world.

It was announced at the 2008 National Educational Computing Conference in San Antonio last week that Apple will now offer K-12 institutions the ability to distribute audio and video content through iTunes U. Eight states, including Michigan, will serve as pilot content providers. Michigan Department of Education’s corner of iTunes U is called MI Learning. (Search for MI Learning in iTunes.) At the time of this post, MDE has uploaded about 100 free pieces of educational media for public consumption from 5 main providers of content. MDE plans for offer stipends to local educators to develop content. The focus will be on Michigan history although other content areas are welcome.

In an interview, Michigan Department of Education’s Director of Educational Technology and Data Coordination, Bruce Umpstead said these rich media assets for teachers, students and parents, “make education more relevant to where the students are at today.”

According to Director Umpstead, iTunes is blocked by most school districts due to the possibility of questionable content and downloading large amounts of data not related to curriculum that have the ability to clog schools’ networks.  So, why go through iTunes to distribute media? Director Umpstead citied these reasons:
•    To get educational media into the hands of students, engage them as lifelong, 24 hour learners, outside of classrooms
•    For parents to understand that the hardware their children use (computers, mp3 players, etc.) can be used as learning tools to access relevant educational content. When parents start to ask districts about using these technologies, districts start to listen.
•    For teachers to post media
•    Apple (iTunes) has a big share in the distribution of digital media

Unfortunately, at this time a glance at the 100 or so pieces of media on MI Learning shows that many of items are not geared toward students. Only about 30% focus on curriculum (Marketing).

Michigan Department of Education has partnered with MACUL on the project. Judy Paxton is the part time coordinator. She can be contacted at jpaxton@macul.org

Related links:
Listen to the Inside Michigan Education interview with Bruce Umpstead
Related article in the THE Journal (note: site supported by many ads)

Many are familiar with Daniel Pink’s thought provoking book, A Whole New Mind (if not, it may prove to be worth your time). Some Lenawee ISD staff members have had a chance to read portions of the book and jigsaw it in a professional setting. Those who have not read the book or just want more media about the thinking behind it may want to view streaming video of Daniel’s keynote address at the 2008 Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Conference: http://webcast.kzonetworks.com/plugins/webcast/regform.php?id=155 (Viewing from KZO Networks is free, but one must register with a name and email)

Pink’s central ideas in an insufficient nutshell:
Routine work in the USA is disappearing, and right brain abilities (see below) are becoming more critical to our economy. The “write-right” rule applies: If you can write down the steps of a process and there is a right answer, then the task will go to the place that can supply providers of the task at the lowest cost. Right-brain abilities can be nurtured and developed.

Pink claims that the 3 questions that matter now can help determine who gets ahead and who gets left behind:
Can someone overseas do it cheaper?
Can a computer do it faster?
Is what you are doing in demand in and age of abundance?

He says that the 3 factors contributing to the offshoring of logical left-brained tasks are:

Abundance
We’ve experienced huge changes in middle class living standards in the last couple of generations. Example: We now have more automobiles than licsenced drivers. We need self-storage units for our extra stuff outside of our homes which translates into an industry that is larger than the motion picture industry.

Asia
The highly educated fraction of the people in India and China overwhelm entire populations in other regions of the world. By 2010 India will become the world’s largest English-speaking country.

Automation
Routine work that can be done by computers (ie. some kinds of legal work, preparing taxes, etc.) cuts into our need for certain professional services.

There are 6 right-brain abilities that are hard to outsource and automate and matter most in an age of abundance (read the book for detailed definitions and suggestions for exercises):

• Design
• Story
• Empathy
• Symphony
• Play
• Meaning

A big take-away for education:
In schools we now have relatively good access to hardware (computers, camcorders, cameras, headsets, mp3 players/recorders, etc.) and software (Photo Story, iMovie, Audacity, Inspiration, Garageband, web 2.0 apps) that allow students to exercise and grow their right-brain capacities, however it is clear that we need to change our instructional practices and expectations so that students are engaging with these tools in meaningful ways.

Holding with tradition of the past 8 years, the annual fall AT&T / MACUL Student Technology Showcase will be held at the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing on Wednesday, November 12, 2008. This event is a great opportunity for a teacher and a small team of students to highlight and demonstrate student technology projects to the Michigan legislature and the general public. As noted on this blog, 2 teams from Lenawee County participated in 2006.

According to MACUL, “Last year over 50 schools demonstrated technology-rich projects to legislators to help raise their awareness about how students learn in the 21st century. Last year’s displays included local history projects, robotics, student broadcasting, computer repair and support, digital storytelling, scientific classroom technology, and much, much more.”

The 2008 AT&T/MACUL Student Technology Showcase is free for participants and visitors. Registration is not quite ready yet but will be soon at www.classroomhelp.com/att (2007 info is still up). Keep updated through the MACUL website www.macul.org.

As the flattening of the world becomes a commonly agreed upon concept, building understanding between cultures and countries is increasingly important. Somewhat similar to the groundbreaking Encyclopedia of Life web project (which was written about in this blog in July 2007), the proposed World Digital Library will seek to distribute an unprecedented amount of “significant primary materials from cultures around the world” via the Internet. All kinds of media will be archived and made freely available in multiple languages as early as late 2008 or the beginning of 2009.

The project, proposed by James Billington, Librarian of Congress, will include robust search functionality, translation, and magnification, among other tools. The project is being spearheaded by a group of international institutions led by the Library of Congress and including Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the National Library of Brazil, the National Library and Archives of Egypt, the National Library of Russia, and the Russian State Library.

PD opportuntity from Oakland Schools:

Power UP! 2008 Educational Technology Conference
Fri. April 11, 2008 – 8:00 am to 3:30 pm – Oakland Schools

Power UP! 2008 will feature discussions about Web 2.0, Michigan School  Technology Requirements, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and survey  information from the Pew Internet & American Life Project (conference brochure)

LISTEN to national and local professionals speak about  technology in education!
OBSERVE student demonstrations showcasing technology use!
VIEW an extensive technology vendor area!
Conference content questions? call Mike Souden at 248.209.2287

COST: $35 per person, which covers food and meals
Registration (online) accepted through 5 PM, Friday, April 4, 2008.
For registration questions please call Event Management at 248.209.2500.