You might think that Nintendo, beleaguered by falling revenues, minuscule profit and the almost-but-not-quite-failed launch of the Wii U, already has enough problems to worry about. And you would be wrong, as Nintendo itself set out to demonstrate last week by going out of its way to alienate a bunch of its fans on YouTube. The fans in question make YouTube "playthrough" videos about, well, video games — features that combine elements of commentary, review, tutorial and walk-through. Some of these commentators reach millions of subscribers, and many support themselves in full or in part by…
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Most Topular Stories
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Nintendo's Epic Fail — Grabbing Copyright From Its YouTube Fans
ReadWrite23 May 2013 | 3:52 pm -
Why Your School Needs a Scratch Club [VIDEO]
Moving at the Speed of Creativity22 May 2013 | 8:26 am(cross-posted from the Yukon Public Schools’ Learning Showcase website) This past year, fourth and fifth grade students at Independence Elementary School in Yukon, Oklahoma, have had the opportunity to participate in an after-school Scratch Club led by STEM teacher Chris Simon. Scratch is a free program from the MIT Media Lab, which permits learners of any age to create games, tell stories, make animations, and much more. In its new 2.0 version, Scratch is entirely web-based, so it can even run on a Chromebook! Yesterday was the final day of “Scratch Club” for students at… -
House committee targets education funding
eSchool News » Funding22 May 2013 | 8:57 amTo deal with the cuts imposed by sequestration, the House Appropriations Committee has chosen to target certain departments—including Education—instead of spreading the cuts across all agencies. Republicans controlling the House of Representatives pressed ahead May 21 with a plan to slash spending on certain domestic programs—including education—far deeper than the cuts these departments already face under a painful round of automatic austerity. Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, and the Pentagon would be spared under the plan approved by the House… -
Developing Future Faculty
Learning In a Flat World8 May 2013 | 12:16 pmI joined Jeff Nugent and David McLeod for a final podcast for this Spring’s GRAD-602 class. For the past 15 weeks, we explored “Teaching, Learning and Technology” with our VCU Preparing Future Faculty students. We comment today on our perceptions about this class and the future they face in higher education. Give a listen! -
TTT#349 Crowdfunding to Rethink Ed- IncitED's Campaigns: Open Road, Imagining Learning, Youth Voices - Plus: Spokes 5.15.13
EdTechTalk21 May 2013 | 5:11 pmTweet 66:23 minutes (45.58 MB)On this episode of TTT we invite you to go to IncitED to learn more about these projects and support them if you can:Imagining Learning - Creating a National Collective Voice through ListeningOpen Road Learning Community for Teens: Learning Without School (It's Natural)Youth Voices Summer Program: Connected Learning with the NYC Writing ProjectLook for the Spokes campaign on Kickstarter.Whether or not you plan to or can not make a contribution to one of these campaigns, please join us for a conversation about crowdfunding on this episode of TTT.We are joined…
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ReadWrite
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Nintendo's Epic Fail — Grabbing Copyright From Its YouTube Fans
23 May 2013 | 3:52 pmYou might think that Nintendo, beleaguered by falling revenues, minuscule profit and the almost-but-not-quite-failed launch of the Wii U, already has enough problems to worry about. And you would be wrong, as Nintendo itself set out to demonstrate last week by going out of its way to alienate a bunch of its fans on YouTube. The fans in question make YouTube "playthrough" videos about, well, video games — features that combine elements of commentary, review, tutorial and walk-through. Some of these commentators reach millions of subscribers, and many support themselves in full or in part by… -
Geek Pride Day Is May 25: Here's How To Celebrate
23 May 2013 | 12:54 pmReady to embrace another arbitrary holiday - or just looking for an excuse to slack off and eat cake? Who isn’t? This Saturday, May 25, is internationally known as Geek Pride Day. “But, Pi Day and Star Wars Day already happened,” you might be thinking. Which leads me to retort, “Do you want this holiday or not?” In actuality, Geek Pride Day is the only one of the bunch that works overtime as a general celebration of all types of geekery. 3 Reasons To Geek Out In fact, there is a trifecta of different reasons May 25 is considered the geekiest day in the year. It’s… -
News Flash! Tablets Are Not Smartphones
23 May 2013 | 9:33 amYou probably already knew this, but a new report from Forrester wants to emphasize this seemingly obvious point: Tablets are not simply larger touchscreen smartphones. There are significant difference in where people use them, how they use them and for how long - all of which have big implications for app developers, marketers, tablet makers and a lot of other folks. As the table market continues its white-hot growth - nearly 50 million tablets were sold last quarter alone - these differences will force both innovation and disruption in publishing, advertising, retail, gaming and… -
Shazam's New iPad App Is Designed For Watching TV With A Tablet, Too
23 May 2013 | 8:37 amShazam, an app best known for identifying songs playing around you, is making a big move into identifying all kinds of media playing around you. That promises to move Shazam from our pockets, where its smartphone apps mostly identify songs, to our living rooms—and hence to the tablets we typically keep near our TVs. Those tablets are becoming known as "second screens"—and Shazam wants to have a big presence on them. The most intriguing aspect of Shazam's latest version is its added capability to tag events on live TV in the U.S., a clear sign that Shazam wants to be the gateway app for… -
Google App Engine Cuts Prices By One-Quarter
23 May 2013 | 8:15 amGoogle is reducing Datastore prices by up to 25%, according to an announcement on their Cloud Platform Blog. This price change impacts both App Engines HRD and the new Cloud Datastore introduced last week at I/O. The price decrease is sure to capture the attention of Amazon Web Services, perhaps even to the point of a small cloud price war. (Also read How Amazon's Rising Headwaters Could Threaten Google.)
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Moving at the Speed of Creativity
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Why Your School Needs a Scratch Club [VIDEO]
22 May 2013 | 8:26 am(cross-posted from the Yukon Public Schools’ Learning Showcase website) This past year, fourth and fifth grade students at Independence Elementary School in Yukon, Oklahoma, have had the opportunity to participate in an after-school Scratch Club led by STEM teacher Chris Simon. Scratch is a free program from the MIT Media Lab, which permits learners of any age to create games, tell stories, make animations, and much more. In its new 2.0 version, Scratch is entirely web-based, so it can even run on a Chromebook! Yesterday was the final day of “Scratch Club” for students at… -
Help My Son’s Debate Teacher Whose Home Was Destroyed by the Moore Tornado
22 May 2013 | 8:05 amLonda Mandron, my 9th grade son’s debate teacher at Classen School of Advanced Studies in Oklahoma City, lost her entire home in the devastating tornado which hit Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday, May 20, 2013. Several people have contacted me about things they can do, or their class at school can do, to help in the wake of this terrible tragedy. In addition to the options to send money which I shared on Monday, this is an excellent opportunity to help a specific person and family. Catherine Armitage, another ClassenSAS parent, has created a list of items Mrs. Madron’s family needs on… -
Read an Enhanced eBook in the Chrome Browser with Readium
21 May 2013 | 11:48 amThis past semester, third graders in Ms. Moore’s classroom (in Oklahoma City Public Schools) wrote and published an original book titled, “Our Favorite Books.” They used an iPad Mini and the wonderful app, “Book Creator” by Red Jumper to include photographs of their artwork, their written text, and audio recordings of their voices reading each section of the book. The book is available as an enhanced ePUB ebook, a PDF (without audio), a printed color paperback on Lulu.com, and as a YouTube screencast. All these versions are linked on… -
Using Student Videos on YouTube to Demonstrate Proper School Procedures
21 May 2013 | 9:42 am(cross-posted from the Yukon Public Schools’ Learning Showcase website) Jennie Wilmes, the K-3 librarian at Shedeck Elementary School in Yukon, Oklahoma, has been working with teachers this semester on a new “digital way” to help students learn proper procedures at school. Using some very talented student actors, Mrs. Wilmes created and published six short videos to her Library YouTube channel which showcase proper procedures for using the bathroom, walking in the hallway, attending the morning “sunrise” assembly, eating in the cafeteria, staying safe on the… -
Share Words and Pictures of Encouragement and Love with #moorehugs
21 May 2013 | 9:07 amIf you and your students are creating or thinking about creating artwork, poems, recorded messages, essays, or digital video projects to express encouragement, love and support to the families affected by the deadly tornadoes yesterday in Moore, Oklahoma, consider sharing them on social media websites with the hashtag #moorehugs. By using a hashtag on Twitter, Instagram, or other social platforms, those messages can be readily collected and shared with others. A hashtag can “amplify” a message on social media to a wider audience. If your students create artwork for families in…
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eSchool News » Funding
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House committee targets education funding
22 May 2013 | 8:57 amTo deal with the cuts imposed by sequestration, the House Appropriations Committee has chosen to target certain departments—including Education—instead of spreading the cuts across all agencies. Republicans controlling the House of Representatives pressed ahead May 21 with a plan to slash spending on certain domestic programs—including education—far deeper than the cuts these departments already face under a painful round of automatic austerity. Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, and the Pentagon would be spared under the plan approved by the House… -
Wis. budget gets $500M anticipated revenue boost
10 May 2013 | 12:22 pmWisconsin’s budget surplus grew by $500 million Thursday, leading to a bipartisan call by state lawmakers and Gov. Scott Walker to put some of the money toward public schools two years after funding was cut by more than $1 billion, the Associated Press reports. Beyond schools, though, lawmakers and Walker disagreed on the best way to use the surplus reported by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Republicans said they were committed to cutting taxes, putting money in reserves, and reducing the amount of bonding used for roads projects. Democrats called for investing more in… -
Up to $60K in prizes for energy projects
7 May 2013 | 11:56 amAmerica’s Home Energy Education Challenge inspires student interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), while encouraging elementary and middle school students to make smarter energy choices and save energy at home. -
Zynga to give education-tech startups a boost
7 May 2013 | 11:10 amZynga wants kids to play more games in class, the Wall Street Journal reports. The San Francisco-game company’s non-profit, Zynga.org, plans to announce Wednesday that it is investing $1 million in a new program to help technology startups build games to help children learn. It has selected an initial handful of startups to join an accelerator this summer at its offices and will supply Zynga employees to help improve their products. Zynga’s non-profit is partnering with NewSchools Venture Fund, an Oakland, Calif.-based nonprofit that has invested $250 million in early-stage education… -
Up to $6K in prizes for active kids
6 May 2013 | 11:01 amThe national contest, a new addition to NFL PLAY 60, challenges kids ages 6-13 to develop new ways to stay active and healthy. NFL PLAY 60 and By Kids For Kids Co (BKFK), a leader in youth innovation competitions, teamed up to create this contest. The Grand Prize winner will receive $5,000 and an NFL Prize Pack, and the NFL will work with the winning child to bring their idea to life. The two runner-ups will each receive $500 and an NFL Prize Pack.
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Learning In a Flat World
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Developing Future Faculty
8 May 2013 | 12:16 pmI joined Jeff Nugent and David McLeod for a final podcast for this Spring’s GRAD-602 class. For the past 15 weeks, we explored “Teaching, Learning and Technology” with our VCU Preparing Future Faculty students. We comment today on our perceptions about this class and the future they face in higher education. Give a listen! -
300 Years of Distance Learning Evolution
1 May 2013 | 9:57 amWith hat tip to @AdoptAGldn, this is an interesting infographic from DistanceLearning.Com posted at LearnDash: Created by: www.DistanceLearning.com -
Roundtable Discussion on Assessment
18 Apr 2013 | 11:49 amLast week in GRAD-602, Jeff Nugent led an exploration on assessment. We noted that a distinction can be made between learning for mastery versus the traditional approach that typically leads to sorting and sifting students. This provided a segway to the evening’s focus on formative and summative assessment. In class, we brainstormed ways in which we have experienced assessment within our disciplines, and tests, quizzes, papers and performance observations were the traditional practices that came to the surface. These forms of assessment, while very important, are often the only… -
The Hyperconnected Life
15 Apr 2013 | 12:10 pmInteresting infographic from InternetProvider.Org on the positive and negative influences of hyperconnectiveness, based on the Pew Internet and American Life Project. -
Emerging Technologies
19 Mar 2013 | 1:25 pmMuhammad Saleem sent this cool infographic based on the New Media Consortium’s 12 emerging technologies to watch.
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EdTechTalk
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TTT#349 Crowdfunding to Rethink Ed- IncitED's Campaigns: Open Road, Imagining Learning, Youth Voices - Plus: Spokes 5.15.13
21 May 2013 | 5:11 pmTweet 66:23 minutes (45.58 MB)On this episode of TTT we invite you to go to IncitED to learn more about these projects and support them if you can:Imagining Learning - Creating a National Collective Voice through ListeningOpen Road Learning Community for Teens: Learning Without School (It's Natural)Youth Voices Summer Program: Connected Learning with the NYC Writing ProjectLook for the Spokes campaign on Kickstarter.Whether or not you plan to or can not make a contribution to one of these campaigns, please join us for a conversation about crowdfunding on this episode of TTT.We are joined… -
TTT#348 IDEC 2013 - International Democratic Education Conference w/ Sally Anderson, Scott Nine, Joye Otto, David Loitz - 5.8.13
16 May 2013 | 1:16 pmTweet 55:46 minutes (38.29 MB)On this episode of TTT we have a conversation about democratic education and IDEC 2013, the 21st annual International Democratic Education Conference, which will be held in Boulder, Colorado this August 4-8.Participants in this episode of TTT are:What is IDEC?IDEC 2013 will be a unique international gathering of changemakers—practitioners, organizers, academics, youth, and educators—built around how we can transform our communities, schools, and learning to ensure that all young people can engage meaningfully in their education and gain the tools to… -
TTT#347 Spring Conversations with Valerie Burton, Chad Sansing, and Jo Paraiso - May 1, 2013
15 May 2013 | 6:20 amTweet 62:01 minutes (42.59 MB)On this episode of TTT Monika Hardy and Paul Allison talk with Valerie Burton and Chad Sansing. We are also be joined by Jo Paraiso, whose students in Oakland, CA have been all over Youth Voices recently: http://youthvoices.net/FremontWhat have you been noticing? What dreams are you working to make come true? What connections are you making with people and ideas? What are you doing that's awesome?Click Read more to see the chat that was happening during this live webcast.read more -
TTT#346 Connected Learning is Production Centered - "Forge IV" with Ed Martinez, Fred Mindlin, and Dan Spelce 4.24.13
13 May 2013 | 12:08 pmTweet 63:48 minutes (43.81 MB)Another story of +Connected Learning on this episode of TTT.We are joined by Ed Martinez, +Fred Mindlin, and Dan Spelce to discuss "Forage IV," a pilot program supported in part by NWP's collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation's Digital Literacy Initiative.Integrating art with environmental education, we support teachers in linking their existing curriculum to a student-led interest-driven project, collaborating with practicing artists.The Project web site is http://forage.storyreach.com/We are also joined by Jennifer Woollven, Joel… -
TTT#345 Detroit Future Schools & Boston w/Ammerah Saidi, Danielle Filipiak, Christina Cantrill, Fred Haas, Chris Tsang 4.17.13
12 May 2013 | 6:24 pmTweet 70:29 minutes (48.4 MB)On this episode of TTT we learn more about connected learning, city as school, using media in justice-based education and more!Educators from the Detroit Future Schools (DFS) program http://schools.detroitfuture.org share their experiences of attempting to re-invent the practice and purpose of education. They discuss the transformative processes that they use in classrooms along with student-generated media projects. Furthermore, theyshare how the DFS network is growing and refining its vision. Enjoy this conversation with +Ammerah…
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Steve Hargadon
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My Beliefs
16 May 2013 | 11:30 amI produced a version the following "Core Beliefs" and "View of Change" statements for the Hack Your Education Tour I did in the fall of 2012. I think they give some context to my recent A Student Bill of Rights post (and website), and I welcome any discussion of them.My Core Beliefs:That every child has unique inherent worth and value. Unfortunately, we tell huge numbers of children and their parents that they are "defective" or failures because they aren't succeeding based on a relatively narrow set measures used by schools. I don't believe that is the intention of most involved in the… -
Event Sponsorship Opportunities: ISTE Unplugged, STEMxCon, GlobalEdCon, Library 2.013, & More!
16 May 2013 | 10:49 amI run a number of physical and virtual events under the umbrella of Web 2.0 Labs (http://www.web20labs.com). They are based on a belief in the power of educators being able to connect and learn from each other, and combined they had 100,000+ attendees last year.All of these events are free to attend, but they are not free to put on, so this email is the pitch to those who potentially have sponsorship budgets: we need you! Please consider being a sponsor at one of the events, or passing this email on to someone you think might be able to help. Thanks!Current and Upcoming:The Future of… -
A Student Bill of Rights
11 May 2013 | 6:20 amThis first pass at a "Student Bill of Rights" was inspired by: 1) "A Bill of Rights and Principles for Learning in the Digital Age" that Audrey Watters and I were able to discuss at length in a podcast, and that I felt was unimaginative and particularly reflected an institutional perspective; 2) my interviews at FutureofEducation.com; and 3) the EducationDeclarations.org project.As you will see, my student bill of rights below focuses on learning as a way of building individual opportunities and potential, and not on using education as a tool for directing social or cultural outcomes. I… -
Thursday Interview: "Free to Learn" with Peter Gray
7 May 2013 | 9:03 pmJoin me Thursday, May 9th, for a live and interactive FutureofEducation.com conversation with Professor Peter Gray on his new book, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life.From the publisher's description (emphases added): "Our children spend their days being passively instructed, and made to sit still and take tests—often against their will. We call this imprisonment schooling, yet wonder why kids become bored and misbehave. Even outside of school children today seldom play and… -
Wednesday Interview: World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements with John Hunter
7 May 2013 | 2:25 amPrevious guest John Hunter joins me Wednesday, May 8th, for a live and interactive FutureofEducation.com conversation now that his book is out: World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements.John, a teacher in Charlottesville, Virginia, created an eight-week student-participation exercise called the World Peace Game. In his own classroom, the game triggered a transformation of the children from students of a neighborhood public school to citizens of the world. John's TEDTalk on the World Peace Game was named the #1 most impactful TEDTalk of 2011 by TED and The Huffington Post,…
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Free Technology for Teachers
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Harvest of History Helps Students Understand Farms
23 May 2013 | 7:00 amHarvest of History is a website produced by the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, New York (also the site of the Baseball Hall of Fame). Harvest of History is designed to help students and teachers explore the origins and development of modern farming practices. The basis for Harvest of History is to explore the question, "where did your last meal come from?" Applications for Education Harvest of History is designed with elementary school students in mind. The teachers' page provides 16 lesson plans for use with students of fourth grade age. The question, "where did you last meal come from?"… -
5 Good Resources for Teaching & Learning About Shakespeare
23 May 2013 | 5:30 amLast week I shared Shakespeare Uncovered from PBS Learning Media. That is a nice resource for helping students understand the things that influenced Shakespeare's writing. If you're looking for some other resources to help your students understand the works of Shakespeare, take a look at the materials below. Shakespeare Animated is a YouTube channel containing twelve playlists ten of which are animated adaptations of Shakespeare's most famous plays. Some of the animated plays that appear in the Shakespeare Animated playlist are Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, MacBeth, and The Taming of the… -
5 Great Activities from Read Write Think
23 May 2013 | 3:30 amIf you're an elementary school teacher who has not bookmarked Read Write Think, you absolutely should do that today. Read Write Think produces and shares a wealth of outstanding materials and lesson plans for elementary school language arts lessons. Five of their great, free resources are featured below. Cube Creators provide templates designed to break the writing process into six distinct parts. There are templates for writing biographies, mysteries, short stories, and a blank template that you can customize. Students enter the required information into the online template. When the… -
Kids Can Bowl for Free This Summer
23 May 2013 | 3:30 amJust as they have for the last few summers, bowling centers around the U.S. and Canada are offering students two free games every day. To bowl for free students (or their parents) need to register on Kids Bowl Free. On Kids Bowl Free you can find the bowling alley closest to you. Applications for Education Kids Bowl Free is awarding 80 $200 grants to teachers every month through July 2013. The grants are for classroom supplies. You can apply for a grant here. This post originally appeared on Free Technology for Teachers . Come learn with me at the Practical Ed Tech Summer Camp. -
Five Ways to Digitally Celebrate Your Students' Year
22 May 2013 | 8:00 amThe end of the school year is here or soon to be here which means it's a great time to reflect on what your students have done this year. Here are five ways that you can create some digital celebrations of the year. Make a video. Animoto makes it very easy to cobble together a set of pictures and add some music in the background to show off what your students have created throughout the year. Try to use pictures from the fall, winter, and spring to show how much your students have changed. If Animoto is too basic for you try WeVideo or Pixorial to create longer videos that include your…
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Change Agency
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Changing the Narrative…
23 May 2013 | 11:58 amThis idea has been brewing in my head for a while (after a very engaging SocialEduCon session at last year’s ISTE conference), but the news media in the wake of the tornado in Oklahoma finally pushed me to do this… … Continue reading → -
AUPs for Digital Citizenship
17 May 2013 | 7:56 pmRecently I put a call out across my PLN for any links to any AUPs that don’t have the traditional “don’t” lists. I have plenty of examples of those more traditional AUPs in my archived files and I have been … Continue reading →
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The Teaching Palette
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Authentic Art Education Assessment
26 Apr 2013 | 2:23 pmThe following guest post, written by middle school art teacher Chris Grodoski, focuses on the consequences of high stakes testing and his inventive solution to restore the rightful place of creativity in American schools. The Creativity Problem 20 years ago, I would not have imagined the challenges that face education today. Teachers are viewed as non-experts. Powerful groups make decisions about student learning and financially benefit from these new directions. What is most upsetting is the way students are being forced into route learning and fanatically tested. The wide-spread mania… -
Guest Post: Learning The 4C’s With Shadow Puppets
29 Mar 2013 | 12:43 pmThis post was written by Suzanne Dionne a Visual Arts Teacher Pre-kindergarten – Grade Two at Rotella Interdistrict Magnet School in Waterbury, CT. Suzanne recieved the Connecticut Art Education Association Outstanding Art Educator award for 2013. View her blog Visual Arts Events by clicking here. Are you looking for an integrated art project that covers all areas of 21st century learning? Shadow puppetry can combine the core subjects of English, Reading, and Language Arts with the Arts. All 4Cs considered to be essential skills for success in today’s world can be incorporated in… -
Art Education iPad Apps – Which Ones Are the Best?
26 Mar 2013 | 10:50 amMany schools are beginning to redirect money once set aside for textbooks toward technology and purchase iPads. Although some app prices may seem out of reach, they often can purchased in bulk for a fraction of the listed cost. So what are the best apps to actively engage your students in meaningful art content and help you organize curricular resources? We included our favorites but want YOU to be the judge where they belong on the list! Please feel free to interact and rank up or down what apps you set as a priority. View as a list or filter by tags such as painting, organization, collage,… -
iTunes U for Art Educators
6 Feb 2013 | 2:04 pmI’ve always thought it would be great to have my own college course. iTunes U gives me that chance to deliver content for free to you. I have recently developed a couple iTunes U courses available to view from your iPad or iPhone . Digital Tools in the Art Curriculum If you’ve been following The Teaching Palette for a while, you may have already seen a few of the techie resources included in this course. But what makes the iTunes U format so great is the note-taking capabilities during a video tutorial and the ability to digitally highlight text within the posts… -
Artist Experts on iPads
31 Jan 2013 | 8:16 pmOne of the highlights of the 5th grade art curriculum is our trip to the Art Institute of Chicago. While at the museum the students become art docents, presenting researched information to their peers while standing next to the original work of art. Prior to our trip, the students spend six class periods working in collaborative groups researching one of eight artists and prepare their information for presentation at the Art Institute of Chicago. This past year was especially exciting since we had access to iPads as our presentation tool instead of just reading from a typewritten report…
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Learning is Change
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EdCanvas
13 May 2013 | 8:09 pmSome of you may have used or heard of this tool previously, but I had my first encounter with it tonight: http://www.edcanvas.com/. EdCanvas is essentially a content curation tool that lets you pull in content from Youtube, EduCreations, Guroo, Websearch, Google Drive, Dropbox and files from your desktop and place them into a tile interface for easy sharing and embedding elsewhere. It also has the ability to create quizzes that are embedded in the content. It struck me as an incredibly robust platform for pulling together the vast resources from multiple platforms in a short amount of time… -
The Balance Between Talking about the Work and Doing the Work
7 Apr 2013 | 8:42 pmThis is a video of frustration. It is a video where I am thinking through just how to find more time to create things rather than just talking about creating things. I am doing less reflection, but not because I want to. I am doing it because there is far less time to actually do work worth reflecting upon. How do you maintain that balance in your work? Reflective Practice Vlogging Community: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/116395158372553895482 Powered by WPeMatico -
Seeing the Difference between Training and Development
3 Apr 2013 | 8:39 pmWe should notice the difference between technology training and professional development and explore ways in which we can make this difference known to others. Reflective Practice Vlogging Community: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/116395158372553895482 Powered by WPeMatico -
Time, Opportunity, and Learning: Which are the Constants and Which are the variables?
1 Apr 2013 | 5:14 amJoe Dillon really got me started thinking about the constants and variables within schools and other institutions of learning. It made me think that we should take the constants off the table and stop worrying about them and start focusing only on the variables, in this case the Learning. Original Video from Joe Dillon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPLPxi__ms8 Reflective Practice Vlogging Community: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/116395158372553895482 Powered by WPeMatico -
What promises are you making to learners?
29 Mar 2013 | 3:23 pmI’m trying to create a set of norms or promises to live by in my collaborative work, but I would like to hear what other folks are promising to do for one another? What promises are you making to your stakeholders, whether they are learners or fellow professionals? Reflective Practice Vlogging Community: https://plus.google.com/communities/116395158372553895482 Powered by WPeMatico
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The Fischbowl
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By The Numbers
19 May 2013 | 11:29 amIt's both a fun time of year in high school and a time to reflect. I've had kind of an interesting juxtaposition of a couple of items. We have a couple of students that I know at my school who are graduating and think they want to become teachers (we have a great Teacher Cadet program where they get an opportunity to learn about teaching/learning as well as a mini-student-teaching opportunity).In many ways I think this is great - we must be doing something right if we have bright, amazing students thinking they want to become educators. But the second item gives me pause, so I thought I'd… -
OK, Teacher
18 May 2013 | 10:27 amJeff Utecht has a post worth reading on his Google I/O Reflection:If you haven’t seen the demonstration of what is coming to the Chrome Browser than you need to watch this. How does this change the classroom?The entire search presentation starts at 2:03:41 of this video, and it's worth 15 minutes of your time. If 15 minutes is too long, then just watch the 7 minutes of Johanna Wright's part at 2:11:29.So, "OK, Google" is interesting and, combined with the other announcements by Google, may truly change "search as we know it" as they claim. But, as Jeff asked, I'm particularly… -
Ninth Grade CCSS Algebra 1 Scope and Sequence
14 May 2013 | 2:03 pmI had some requests on Twitter to share this out, so here goes.As many of you know, in addition to my tech duties I teach one section of ninth grade Algebra (occasionally some sophomores in there as well). Colorado has adopted the Common Core State Standards so our math curriculum - like most folks' - will be transitioning to match the new standards over the next couple of years.If you've read this blog before you know I have concerns with the Common Core. Nevertheless, it's what we are tasked with so - while still advocating for something different - I'm attempting to get my head around the… -
Chaos Theory, Twitter and the Common Core
11 May 2013 | 6:53 pmYeah, I'm pretty sure that's a blog post title that hasn't been used before. And won't ever be again.I've read a little bit about chaos theory, although I don't pretend to really understand it. My very simplified understanding of it is that very small changes in initial conditions can result in very different outcomes of a dynamic system (often illustrated by "a butterfly flapping its wings in China can change the weather in Denver" - although I don't think that quite captures it). There are other conditions that have to be present (topological mixing - which I sort of get, and its periodic… -
Algorithm Nation
6 May 2013 | 8:43 amAs many of you are aware, I'm the "Director of Technology" (read, "building level technology coordinator) for my high school, but I also teach one section of Algebra. As a result I often find myself drawn into the math conversations happening on Twitter and on folks' blogs. This weekend I somehow ended up deciding to join a "reading group" around an article (pdf) titled "Standard Algorithms in the Common Core State Standards" from the Fall/Winter issue of the NCSM Journal.Basically the conversation on Twitter began with some folks describing ways in which algorithms got in the way of learning…
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Education Futures
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Education in “Present Shock” : An interview with Douglas Rushkoff
3 May 2013 | 4:47 amNote: An mp3 of this interview is available for download. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with award-winning author, educator, and documentarian Douglas Rushkoff. Our discussion focused on his new book “Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now,” his advisory role at Codecademy, and the impact of Present Shock on education. Education Futures: Douglas, you have a new book out called “Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now.” What is Present Shock? Douglas Rushkoff: Most simply, Present Shock is the human response to living in a world where everything happens… -
Redesigning the future of education in Knowmad Society: Our next steps
16 Apr 2013 | 8:28 amIn case if you missed my keynote at IPON, I’m sharing slides from my talk via SlideShare: IPON is moving away from serving as an ICT platform for education toward a platform for innovation in education. This requires a very human touch, and I aimed to reflect this aspect in my talk with an overview of Knowmad Society. How we’ll get to the meaningful development of workers who can work anytime, anywhere, and with anybody in a knowmadic world requires significant realignment of our educational priorities. At IPON, I shared three approaches: Focus on soft skills development.In our… -
Emerald opens Knowmad Society special issue of On the Horizon at IPON
10 Apr 2013 | 6:00 amThis morning, I arrived in Utrecht, Netherlands for IPON, an annual educational technology event that attracts over 5,000 ICT professionals and educators. I will give a keynote tomorrow on “redesigning the future of education in Knowmad Society: our next steps,” where I will share some of the key ideas that we presented in the Knowmad Society book. Related to this event, Emerald Group Publishing has agreed to provide early, open access to the next issue of On the Horizon, which is themed on Knowmad Society: Borderless work and education. Please note that these are the… -
The university of the future: Marching toward obsolescence?
8 Apr 2013 | 6:41 amA couple weeks ago, Carlos Scolari interviewed me for a project on pedagogical innovation and disruptive practices in higher education at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona). The aim of the project is to produce a document on the “university of the future,” including diagnosis, trends, and proposals for moving forward. With his permission, I am sharing my responses to his questions: CS: How do you see the situation of the universities from a pedagogical point view? I’m thinking in the situation of teaching-learning processes inside these big institutions. JM: From a… -
Is there no room for democracy in Dutch schools?
29 Mar 2013 | 11:00 amWhen is a school not a school? Yesterday, a judge in the Netherlands ruled that De Kampanje school in Amersfoort is not a school, and fined the parents of its students for sending their kids there. Readers of Education Futures might recognize De Kampanje as it is the subject of Christel Hartkamp‘s chapter in our new book, Knowmad Society. In it, she summarizes the Dutch situation: There is a growing demand in society for alternatives to the regular educational system. Although the Netherlands is famous for its diverse schooling options (i.e., Montessori, Waldorf, Dalton, Freinet,…
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eSchool News » Technologies
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Five tech-savvy schools that focus on ed-tech
23 May 2013 | 11:00 pmThese five schools and districts are modeling ed-tech success. Many schools have learning technologies and ed-tech tools. But what sets exemplary schools apart is how they use those technologies. Below are five schools, listed in alphabetical order, that are taking teaching and learning to the next level by leveraging ed-tech and learning technologies to boost student engagement and staff productivity. An ed-tech specialist or administrator from each school describes the school’s accomplishments. 1. Adrian Public Schools, Michigan Christopher J. Timmis, Superintendent The district is… -
Google’s conversational search arrives with new Chrome
23 May 2013 | 12:16 pmGoogle is enabling a more naturally spoken question-and-answer interface to its search service for people with a new version of Chrome, CNET reports. Google demonstrated conversational search at Google I/O a week ago, a style of search designed to be more like natural human speech than the technically constructed search queries that people often use today to retrieve information from a search engine… Read the full story -
The best tweets of the week for education
23 May 2013 | 11:15 am[View the story "The best tweets of the week for education" on Storify] -
Sensors are everywhere, and a new project wants to bring them to the classroom for cheap
22 May 2013 | 10:41 amOne interesting element of Google I/O this year were the sensors laid out everywhere around Moscone tracking environmental data throughout the event, TechCrunch reports. Those types of sensors are now all around us, including in our phones and in various smart home devices, and now a new Kickstarter project from ManyLabs wants to help kids get familiar with them very early on. The project is called Sensors for Students, and it wants to build a sensor collection kit that includes a plate for an open-source Arduino board and Grove shield combo, along with one of a variety of parts for a number… -
Twelve learning technologies with big education potential
21 May 2013 | 11:00 pmA number of technologies could impact education in the coming years. Technologies that enable more personalized learning are poised at the forefront of learning trends, according to this year’s Horizon Report K-12, an annual report that forecasts learning technologies that will have a large impact on learning in the immediate future and in the coming years. The report comes from a group of about 45 international experts who go through a set of research questions and discuss about 60 different learning technologies, thinking about trends, challenges, and impact. (Next page: The…
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eSchool News » Top News
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Five tech-savvy schools that focus on ed-tech
23 May 2013 | 11:00 pmThese five schools and districts are modeling ed-tech success. Many schools have learning technologies and ed-tech tools. But what sets exemplary schools apart is how they use those technologies. Below are five schools, listed in alphabetical order, that are taking teaching and learning to the next level by leveraging ed-tech and learning technologies to boost student engagement and staff productivity. An ed-tech specialist or administrator from each school describes the school’s accomplishments. 1. Adrian Public Schools, Michigan Christopher J. Timmis, Superintendent The district is… -
The best tweets of the week for education
23 May 2013 | 11:15 am[View the story "The best tweets of the week for education" on Storify] -
Innovative schools share ideas to improve learning
22 May 2013 | 11:00 pmA network of schools is working to improve their programs and share ideas with other member schools. Failing 9th grade for the second year in row, A.J. Swan had accepted that he wasn’t going to graduate from his Vermont high school. He’d barely made it this far, after being held back in 7th grade. It wasn’t that he wasn’t learning, he said, but he didn’t find what he was learning important and didn’t feel a need to write it down _ as homework and papers _ to show he knew it. “It wasn’t like a good feeling,” he said of knowing that he… -
House committee targets education funding
22 May 2013 | 8:57 amTo deal with the cuts imposed by sequestration, the House Appropriations Committee has chosen to target certain departments—including Education—instead of spreading the cuts across all agencies. Republicans controlling the House of Representatives pressed ahead May 21 with a plan to slash spending on certain domestic programs—including education—far deeper than the cuts these departments already face under a painful round of automatic austerity. Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, and the Pentagon would be spared under the plan approved by the House… -
Twelve learning technologies with big education potential
21 May 2013 | 11:00 pmA number of technologies could impact education in the coming years. Technologies that enable more personalized learning are poised at the forefront of learning trends, according to this year’s Horizon Report K-12, an annual report that forecasts learning technologies that will have a large impact on learning in the immediate future and in the coming years. The report comes from a group of about 45 international experts who go through a set of research questions and discuss about 60 different learning technologies, thinking about trends, challenges, and impact. (Next page: The…
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The Power of Educational Technology
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BYOD vs BYO iPad -
11 May 2013 | 11:49 amhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/fritz_park/4801769382/ I began this year's iPad pilot fully expecting that we would be come an iPad school eventually. The term "pilot" when used as an adjective is defined as an "experiment or test before using something more widely." When used as a noun it is "the person who operates the flying controls of an aircraft." As the pilot of this iPad pilot, it has definitely been a wild ride. Over the course of this experience my opinion has shifted considerably. There were three reasons that I thought the iPad would be the best device for us as a school. 1. We would… -
5 Things Learners TODAY Should Be Doing
3 May 2013 | 6:26 amFirst of all, I have finally found another word for 21st Century. I have struggled with this for a while, "21st century" is such an overused term, especially since we have been living in the 21st century for 13 years. Then it hit me, the 21st century is TODAY, right now! By labeling it anything other than that, we make it feel like we have time to get there. We have no more time, we are here. I have also been thinking a lot about ways to simplify my vision of what schools should be doing(see my last post) and what learners should be doing. Last night I… -
Schools today should be...
25 Apr 2013 | 12:50 pmhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/nfiore23/2122230324 Preparing students to interact in a global economy. In order to prepare students to work with an international community of colleagues we need to provide them with opportunities to interact with people from around the world. Teachers also need experiences collaborating globally. Online social networks, such as Twitter, and Facebook, provide teachers with a way to meet colleagues from around the world and around the country. These Online relationships in turn provide opportunities for classrooms to connect. Preparing students to… -
Putting the iPad in front of the horse...
4 Apr 2013 | 1:36 pmI know it is a mixed metaphor, but rolling out iPads this year has been a mixed experience. In some cases it has transformed learning, in other cases it hasn't. In many cases trying to make the iPad fit the curriculum has been like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Yes, I'm over doing it with the cliches on this post, but when the shoe fits... Using iPads in my 7th grade English class has lead to some really interesting projects, and some great ways to make the classroom interactive. But at other times the iPad just isn't the right tool for what we want to accomplish. The bottom… -
Putting the iPad in front of the horse...
4 Apr 2013 | 1:15 pm
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Teachers Teaching Teachers » Podcast Feed
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TTT#349 Crowdfunding to Rethink Ed- IncitED’s Campaigns: Open Road, Imagining Learning, Youth Voices – Plus: Spokes 5.15.13
21 May 2013 | 5:28 pmDownload. On this episode of TTT we invite you to go to IncitED to learn more about these projects and support them if you can: Imagining Learning – Creating a National Collective Voice through Listening Open Road Learning Community for Teens: Learning Without School (It's Natural) Youth Voices Summer Program: Connected Learning with the NYC Writing Project Look for the Spokes campaign on Kickstarter. Whether or not you plan to or can not make a contribution to one of these campaigns, please join us for a conversation about crowdfunding on this episode of TTT. We are joined by the… -
TTT#348 IDEC 2013 – International Democratic Education Conference w/ Sally Anderson, Scott Nine, Joye Otto, David Loitz – 5.8.13
16 May 2013 | 4:35 pmDownload. On this episode of TTT we have a conversation about democratic education and IDEC 2013, the 21st annual International Democratic Education Conference, which will be held in Boulder, Colorado this August 4-8. Participants in this episode of TTT are: What is IDEC?IDEC 2013 will be a unique international gathering of changemakers—practitioners, organizers, academics, youth, and educators—built around how we can transform our communities, schools, and learning to ensure that all young people can engage meaningfully in their education and gain the tools to build a just,… -
TTT#347 Spring Conversations with Valerie Burton, Chad Sansing, and Jo Paraiso – May 1, 2013
15 May 2013 | 6:39 amDownload. On this episode of TTT Monika Hardy and Paul Allison talk with Valerie Burton and Chad Sansing. We are also be joined by Jo Paraiso, whose students in Oakland, CA have been all over Youth Voices recently: http://youthvoices.net/Fremont What have you been noticing? What dreams are you working to make come true? What connections are you making with people and ideas? What are you doing that's awesome? Go to EdTechTalk to see the chat that was happening during this live webcast. -
TTT#346 Connected Learning is Production Centered – “Forge IV” with Ed Martinez, Fred Mindlin, and Dan Spelce 4.24.13
13 May 2013 | 12:49 pmDownload Another story of +Connected Learning on this episode of TTT. We are joined by Ed Martinez, +Fred Mindlin, and Dan Spelce to discuss "Forage IV," a pilot program supported in part by NWP's collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation's Digital Literacy Initiative. Integrating art with environmental education, we support teachers in linking their existing curriculum to a student-led interest-driven project, collaborating with practicing artists. The Project web site is http://forage.storyreach.com/ We are also joined by Jennifer Woollven, Joel Malley, and Scott… -
TTT#345 Detroit Future Schools & Boston w/Ammerah Saidi, Danielle Filipiak, Christina Cantrill, Fred Haas, Chris Tsang 4.17.13
12 May 2013 | 6:58 pmDownload. On this episode of TTT we learn more about connected learning, city as school, using media in justice-based education and more! Educators from the Detroit Future Schools (DFS) program http://schools.detroitfuture.org share their experiences of attempting to re-invent the practice and purpose of education. They discuss the transformative processes that they use in classrooms along with student-generated media projects. Furthermore, theyshare how the DFS network is growing and refining its vision. Enjoy this conversation with +Ammerah Saidi and +ms filipiak from Detroit Future Schools…
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Dangerously Irrelevant
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Do your graduates have a what-they-have-done file?
23 May 2013 | 10:00 amShawn Cornally says: I asked the lead tech developers of several Cedar Rapids companies what they look for when hiring, and they all responded with, “The applicant’s Github [open source] portfolio.” Not their GPA. Not their test scores or transcripts. Their what-have-you-done files. The only way a student can have a Github portfolio is if they have a project worth working on, and the only way they can have that is if they’ve had generative interactions with the greater community; a community who has a plethora of problems worth working on. … Providing real experience has… -
Farewell, Dr. Glass
22 May 2013 | 6:58 pmRegular readers of this blog know that I don’t always agree with Dr. Jason Glass, Director of the Iowa Department of Education. But I’m going to be one of the first to say how sorry I am that he’s leaving Iowa for his new position as Superintendent of the Eagle County (CO) Schools. I have ongoing concerns about some of the directions that Iowa educational policy is heading. Like in other states, we have seen policy proposals in recent years that hurt kids, schools, and our state. From teacher ‘accountability’ to third grade retention to assigning schools letter… -
Fear is a prison
22 May 2013 | 1:15 pmAs Howard Rheingold notes, The technology affords an environment in which students [can] take on more of the power and responsibility for their own learning. But we don’t see that. Instead, we see a hype-and-bust cycle that goes back to the personal computer. Look at all the marvelous things technology is going to do! And then it doesn’t happen. And the reason, as Rheingold correctly identifies, is the secret, or maybe not so secret, agenda, which is that the classroom is really for teaching compliance. That was useful when societies were transforming from agrarian to industrial, but… -
Interest-driven learning is now both accessible and required
22 May 2013 | 12:43 pmMimi Ito says: There have always been people who are really passionate about their learning and interest-driven, but with the advent of new technology, this kind of learning becomes something that is not only more accessible but also, really, required. via http://spotlight.macfound.org/featured-stories/entry/qa-mimi-ito-on-connected-learning-for-all Related posts: 5 videos on connected learning from the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub [VIDEOS] Teacher quality: There’s something wrong if maestros are required? Where new learning models will thrive -
The Kafkaesque universe of classroom math
22 May 2013 | 4:00 amUri Treisman says: When you visit most math classrooms it’s like you’re in a Kafkaesque universe of these degraded social worlds where children are filling in bubbles rather than connecting the dots. It’s driven by a compliance mentality on tests that are neither worthy of our children nor worthy of the discipline they purport to reflect. via http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17047 Related posts: “Just tell me what to do” The goal of classroom management Undermining the transition to the Common Core
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TechLearning RSS Feed
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Artopia: Sculpture
23 May 2013 | 7:23 pmPay a visit to this examination of sculpture in the realm of fine arts -
Science of Baseball
22 May 2013 | 5:07 amThe Exploratorium in San Francisco offers this extensive site that looks into many aspects of baseball. -
You Can’t Spell the Word Prefix Without a Prefix
21 May 2013 | 5:03 amRecognizing and using word prefixes helps with reading comprehension and specificity in writing. -
Video Tutorial: Kid Pix Deluxe 4 – Paintzone and Slideshow
20 May 2013 | 5:00 amIn today's video, learn about the two parts of Kid Pix Deluxe 4—the Paintzone art-making tool and the Slideshow presentation tool. -
Math Challenge
20 May 2013 | 4:00 amChallenge your younger students to use their problem-solving skills with these short problems.
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Ideas and Thoughts
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A Culture of Joy: Part 1
16 May 2013 | 10:20 pmTwo places I spend a lot of time in are schools and airplanes. What I’ve noticed after the time spent in these places is that cultures are pretty easy to identify. In Canada, the two major airlines, Air Canada and Westjet have very distinct cultures. I mostly fly Air Canada for a number of reasons and must say I’ve had very good experiences. However, if you ask most Canadians about these two airlines, the general belief is that Westjet offers the better customer service. Air Canada is the more formal, serves the business traveller and Westjet has a more inclusive approach… -
If You Hate Doing Assessment, You’re Doing it Wrong
27 Apr 2013 | 10:31 amFor many teachers, grading and assessment are the duties of teaching most would rather avoid. I get it. For many these things get it the way of learning in that they are contrived , mandated, artificial and time consuming. My personal evolution with assessment is well documented here but as I continue to tweak my workflow and process have to come see this has a powerfully enjoyable experience. For my students final assessment here was their task: Tech Tasks A simple summary and assessment about the quality, consistency and timeliness of your work. Grade yourself between 20-30% percent of… -
Connected From The Start
10 Apr 2013 | 7:38 pmIt’s my pleasure to announce the publishing of Kathy Cassidy’s new book about primary learners. Kathy is a long time friend and colleague who I’ve long admired and watched her own growth as a connected learner and teacher. I was privileged to be ask to write the foreword which I’ll share here: In my personal journey with technology, there are two very distinct “aha” moments. Number one came in 1997 when I created my first webpage using something called html. Inputting some weird symbols on a screen, sending them up to something called a web server, using something… -
I.S.S. The Collaborative Lip Dub
9 Apr 2013 | 7:46 pmI love this song. I love what Commander Hadfield has been doing as part of his mission. He’s done an outstanding job in bringing us into the world of space travel and along the way reminding us what a wonderful world we live in. I love lip dubs. I’ve been part of making a few. While they’ve been around for a while I think they represent the power of connected media and storytelling quite well. If you’ve ever participated in one, the weird sense of community and joy is palpable. I love how my class works and connects young pre-service teachers with great teachers and… -
Great Stories of IT
8 Apr 2013 | 9:54 amWeird title I know. Next week I’m speaking to a mix of educators and IT people essentially about how the boxes and wires folks can and should work together with the teaching and learning folks. The dominant narrative seems to be that often these two groups don’t get along all that well, mostly from teachers wanting to innovative feeling confined and restricted. My personal experience is pretty positive and I recognize that’s not how everyone sees this. I think more examples and stories are helpful.I’m trying to offer ways and means that these two groups can work…
