Lots of interesting stories about technology in education

I have not fallen off the face of the Earth just yet--- I fell behind in reading and posting to the blog! I've been keeping up with pertinent news, by opening more and more tabs across my browser's window. Finally today I'm going through the articles and finding some pretty interesting stuff....

For instance-- for those in my local area-- I did not see this in the local news papers, but I did catch it on ASCD's SmartBrief (2/3 of the way down Successful Charter School...)-- KIPP's Harbor Academy in Annapolis will shut down next year. Not because they haven't been successful, but because they can't find space. This considering that Annapolis Middle School is half empty, but won't share space with the successful KIPP program.... very interesting. Honestly, I'm sad to see one of the 2 county charter schools close. It's definitely very, very difficult to be a charter school in AA County and in Maryland. With hopes of one day opening a school of some type, it's sad to see a successful model close its doors.

As for the rest of these links.... I'm closing out the browser windows and linking to articles that catch my attention!

• Cool article about a technology camp in New Orleans. My favorite quote: "Our district puts the money and the technology into students' hands," Charles said. "That's what this camp is all about."
  

• Another cool quote from an interesting article about SMART boards and Promethean boards (seems the term SMART dominates even when referring to other company's products!): "It is this integration of technology into classrooms that is "really changing the classroom culture and helping us to become better educators," Cleveland Stewart, superintendent of the Gateway School District, told a group of district board members and elected officials last Friday." Check that out again--- technology integration is changing classroom culture and making teachers better. It's SO true. Even better--- those words came from a Superintendent! A little further down, another good quote, "Much of what we have incorporated into the classrooms is nothing new to many of our students. They already use much of what we're now just bringing into the classroom," Ms. Teaters said."

• Educators aren't the only ones trying to tap into our students' technology tendencies.... Doctors are now using technology to reach / teach kids also!
  

  "Physicians and nurses at Cook Children's Medical Center are urging youngsters to try a shoot-'em-up computer game called Re-Mission that teaches them about their disease and pushes them to keep up with treatments.

  Re-Mission is just one example of an emerging spate of so-called "serious games" that blend technology, entertainment and education to reach the so-called Xbox generation."
  
  The article discusses other potential uses for these 'serious' video games, including awareness games related to healthy living and childhood obesity.

• Another fascinating article about San Diego rolling out a 1-to-1 initiative using custom laptops running Linux.
  

  It starts with a great goal: "Always-On is split into three phases, and SDUSD is in the middle of the first phase, which began in March. The project's goal is to give students access to laptop computers with software tools and resources to help prepare them to learn, live, and work in the 21st century."

Here's how it's working now: Phase I of the pilot, which began in March, used $300,000 to fund machines in nine elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. Each teacher has his or her own set of laptops; some have the same students all day long, and others rotate students, so the students who go to that specific teacher's classroom have access to the laptops."

• Now if this article summary doesn't grab you, I'm not sure what will!

  East Chicago, Michigan City, Switzerland County, and Tell City share more than a common Hoosier heritage: They--along with more than 70 other Indiana high schools--are using inexpensive computers and open-source software to reinvigorate teachers, engage learners, and ensure that Indiana's students are prepared for the world of tomorrow.

  Great quote about kids today: "When asked if the Linux operating system and open-source software had hampered his productivity in any way, one student said, "It's mostly the same--the web is the same, the word processor is better than what I have used before, and Moodle is great. I have a Windows computer at home, and my friend has a Mac. I use Nintendos, Xboxes, and PlayStations, and I also use my cell phone, my sister's cell, and my friend's. They are all just a little different, but it is no big deal. It's just nice having access to computers in my classrooms." It's clear that today's students are routinely involved with multiple operating systems and software as a regular part of their lives.

  The results?? It's working!

  "I have never seen this degree of collaboration and excitement among teachers in all my years as a superintendent. The students are excited, too. It works," says John Williams, superintendent of the Rush County Schools.

  "These are not computer labs. The technology is in my classroom. Every student has access [to a computer] every period of the day. The computers are available on demand," says Carla Beard, English department chair at Connersville High School. "Not only do we use a variety of software packages, we also have full access to the internet and all of its resources. inACCESS is making a positive difference in learning. Students are engaged and feel more comfortable with rigorous research on more complex topics. This is what they are used to and how they have learned to work."

  
  I think that just about sums it up! If only we could get all schools and students to that point. Access to technology is critical. It's exciting to see progress in that direction and to read positive reports about successful programs!
  

Data, data, data

(If you skim this post, make sure to catch the site links!)

I'm sitting in an intense presentation about using data to make instructional decisions. Today's full day session is an overview of the importance of data and an exploration of several methods of examining data. This is in preparation for our follow up training using our new technology tool that will give teachers/principals/the district access to incredible amounts of data that can be organized in a variety of ways. (I must admit that this tool seems to pack a whole lot of power.)

Tapping into my love for math and numbers and my past experiences in diving into data as a math department chairperson, this presentation is right up my alley. It's bringing back lots of memories--- not only the late nights of sorting through data and creating visual representations that made the data easy to understand quickly-- but also my passion for using data to improve student achievement.

We're focusing on 100% Stacked Graphs and Scatter Plots--- boy does this ever answer our students' questions of when will I ever use this math lesson. It's amazing to see the power of adding a line on these graphs and comparing student performance from year to year. I know I can't capture this in words...but trust me, it's amazing to look at one graph and end up with 4 conclusions --1) meeting standard and improved over last year, 2) meeting standard and decreased performance compared to last year, 3) not meeting standard, but showed improvement over last year, and finally 4) not meeting standard, and decreased performance compared to last year. While it's very exciting data to have access to, I can also remember the anxiety.... I'm not sure I would have handled knowing that I had students in category 2 or 4. That's harsh to feel like I've failed students. I know there are always other factors that come into play, but none the less.... No matter what, access to this data will have powerful implications.

This software will work with previous years' data as well as current formative and summative assessments. Another very cool feature of this software is the ability to click a button and get a matrix that will split your students into groups for re-teaching, enriching, etc... So cool! What a time saving feature.

Two websites have been mentioned that no one in the room was familiar with....

• Just4kids.org -- go ahead, find a school you care about-- you'll see the basic info. Now take it to the next level.... do an opportunity gap analysis. This will compare your school to other schools that teach a similar population and provides an opportunity gap. This site is doing extensive research to identify the factors that make successful schools function-- check out the research section.

• schoolmatters.com --provides more data and analysis features (I didn't explore this one as much so I'm not too familiar about the features!)
  

Understanding the power of these sites should compel all of us to dive into the data a little more so we are informed when the public starts asking questions.

My questions---

• As this develops it's obvious that the next step will be using this data to compare/rank teachers (and even being able to factor in the varying levels of difficulty represented by each child).... how will this impact our teachers?
  
• How long will it take to train teachers and school-based staff to use this data effectively so that it is integrated into all decision making?

Coming Soon.... New technologies

So the articles and topics crossing my screen today are all about the new technologies coming down the pike in the very near future.

First, a co-worker emailed this link to Microsoft's Surface technology. The videos are short and very cool. Amazing to think that this will be available later this year. Even more amazing is to think of the many ways this will change our lives and interactions. And .... what about our classrooms???

The second article was shared with me by my dad. This article highlights the next new thing that Google is creating.... Google Gears. This is (somehow) going to provide access to web based stuff when you don't have access to the web (on a plane, somewhere where only dial-up is available, or even in remote parts of the world). While it's all still very vague to me, it sure sounds awesome! (Ready to take the plunge and be on the cutting edge of this one? Here's the beta version--- http://gears.google.com/)

Sure makes me wonder about the implications for our schools and classrooms. My newest questions are more global though--- what are the implications of these technologies on our lives and communities? Will everyone have access to these and will they truly transform how we do everything? Or will this be the next new geek toy only used by the super-geeks who are really on top of this whole technology shift? When will all this technology be mainstream?

Will these new platforms /services/ tools eliminate the need for computers as we know them with clunky mice? Will everything be touch screen in just a few years?? Will all the technology skills we're learning now be obsolete?

Technology sure keeps things very exciting!

1st graders blogging!

My lack of blog posts has been due to a brief vacation in which I flew to Oklahoma to help move my sister's family to Atlanta, Georgia. (Yes we made a movie-- my nephew the movie star narrates his adventure and shows off his new house, but I can't post it on here... I'll keep playing with it or you can email me for a copy of it.) I always love to travel as it reminds me of how diverse our world (and even our country) is. We have really been enjoying Georgia--- everyone has been SO friendly. (That is until I got to the Atlanta airport. I am currently suggestion that everyone avoid this airport at all costs. :-( I've been to 3rd world countries that were able to better manage their airports). As I sit here on the floor waiting to board an overbooked plane I am catching up on a few articles.

Here's an excellent story about a teacher who is passionate about using 21st Century skills and tools to make learning meaningful and engaging for her students. It's well worth the read!

I am frequently asked to show examples of actual teachers and students using blogs and podcasting in the classroom and to tell why these tools should be used in instruction..... if the only reasons are a) students are engaged and excited by this method and b) students are exposed to and trained to become proficient in the tools/software/technology that will be needed for the rest of their life..... I personally think that's enough.

Hands-on learning = Meaningful learning

I am a firm believer in the power and need for hands-on, real world learning experiences. I know that it's much more difficult to implement, that it requires a significant amount of work and planning on behalf of the teacher, and that it doesn't lend itself to much test prep--- but when it's all said and done, I believe that students truly learn when they are required to solve real problems, to create authentic products, and to connect all content areas in their thinking.

Therefore, I loved watching this video clip about Thomas Jefferson High School's unique project. Grant funded, long term, multi-disciplinary, hands-on, strong connections, partnering with experts, meaningful learning .... amazing learning!!

Our students need experiences like this!

Video/story found at this blog: http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/rosenfeld/2007/05/canews_flash.html

Good Things Happening in Education

The stories crossing my screen this morning have been very positive with regards to education in general. The first article is about an innovative principal who is making significant changes at her school for the good of teaching and learning. Her creativity with funds and schedules is increasing what can be done during the school day. Her passion is captivating her teachers and her parent community. That alone seems like a recipe for success.... when your stakeholders buy in to what you are doing, they will support and work along side to make sure it works.

The second, a local article, highlights an awesome Father's Club that was formed here at a school in Montgomery County Public Schools to connect African American dad's to the school.... the results are amazing! (to get to the article, scroll down to the bottom of page 1, the article is in blue called "Kingsview fathers make a difference for African American students" it is continued on page 8)

It's nice to read about things that are working in schools and about people who are willing to try something new to make a difference.

Enjoy!
Rachel

It has been very disheartening to read about the recently reported failures of some school laptop initiatives. So as I was reading this article, I was fearful of the slant they would put on the whole 1:1 computing environment in schools.... until I read this sentence:

Computers can transform the way students learn only if instructors change the way they teach.

There it is in a nutshell. Instructors must change the way they teach. Connect that idea to this awesome graphic I saw on Miguel Guhlin's blog.
It's obvious that technology is not going to go away. It is the future. It impacts everything in the world. Including our classrooms and students. So, no, technology can not be optional for our schools, districts or classrooms. We simply must start adapting our classrooms and instructional models to include these technologies. But that doesn't mean that we toss the technologies into the classrooms and hope for the best. We must support our teachers as they learn these new technologies. We must re-write our curriculum to support new types of learning experiences. We must integrate technology seamlessly into instruction, not make it an add-on, not see it as optional.

More highlights from the article:

• To productively use laptops in the classroom, teachers need to be willing to surrender their supremacy.
  
• Students no longer need us for the facts because facts are instantly available on the Internet. Instead, they need us to help them figure out what to do with all that data. It's ironic that law school professors are leading the laptop backlash, since their discipline saw this trend coming decades ago when they stopped trying to teach the law and focused instead on teaching legal reasoning.
• So what does a classroom look like when laptops have been successfully integrated?
  • Students are working individually or in small teams to solve engaging problems or answer compelling questions.
    
  • They are synthesizing their own experience, ideas from the professor, and sources that they can find on the Web.
    
  • They are talking with classmates, but they are also collaborating with people outside the classroom walls by e-mailing experts, posting to blogs, or editing pages on wikis (websites that allow users to add, remove, or edit content).
    
  • The teacher has come down from the lectern and is moving throughout the room, watching what students are doing, asking questions, posing challenges, and brushing shoulders with the student who just checked the scores on ESPN.com.
  • Periodically the action is stopped. The teacher instructs the class to close their laptops, except perhaps one designated scribe. They talk. They share their insights, their solutions, and their obstacles. The Socratic exchange is fueled by the insights developed through electronic inquiry. The powerful face-to-face questioning isn't competing with the laptops; instead, it depends on it. When the dialogue ends, the teacher encourages students to reopen their notebook computers and summarize the important points of the conversation.
    
  • Sometimes the instructor is delivering content, but more often the teacher is helping students learn how to learn.
• Instructional changes in today's classrooms need to be as radical as the technological innovations that spark them, and university administrators must recognize that upgrading the network won't deliver results without upgrading the instruction.
  
• Schools can't expect overburdened teachers to leap into the 21st century in their spare minutes, and faculty will need grants, time, and resources to advance their teaching.
• The best method for infusing technology into the curriculum is to support a few innovative teachers in developing new courses that use computers to enhance the academic culture of the school.
• In the long run, though, the strongest educational institutions won't be the ones that leave laptops out; they will be those that discover the most powerful ways to bring them in.

Wow! This article really gets it. And doesn't it make the future of learning in our classrooms sound so very exciting?!