Summah Learning Time

Just learning about Booktrack Classroom from my friend Vicki Davis, who went to ISTE14. Thanks Vicki! Booktrack Classroom features:

• Free for teachers
• Increased reading comprehension for students
• Increased motivation to engage in the writing process
• Publish for your classroom
• Set up for a small classroom takes less than 10 min.
• FUN! I wrote and published a nonfiction story , 2 chapters, in 10 minutes complete with sound tracks!
• Great for grades k-12.
• Good selection of classics already available!

Reflection about technology and my new car Ruby

coakes Ruby

I was reading Langwitches blog about how to successfully implement iPads into the classroom. Here I digress-- Her post Get Over It! really resonated with me and here is why! (First a thank you to Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano for her thoughtful and informative posts!)

Silvia tells us how her thinking has changed over the past 5 years about teaching and learning. Originally, she soft pedaled, as we all have, about good teachers make good learning, NOT the technology. Now Silvia says, " educators MUST experience the world of technology and modern learning (aka 21st century learning) for themselves in order to understand the transformative learning." 

Here is why! My new, 9 month new car, Ruby! I purchased the car hoping for a sun roof, hands free phone, possibly a GPS unit and space to travel with a crowd. What I got was keyless entry, keyless start, a talking SyncUnit including GPS, hands free phone, weather, traffic alerts, CD player, Sirius Radio, many USB ports, etc......you get the picture. I had the customary get to know your vehicle at the dealer and a huge thick book. Books, I know books! I began to read about my Ruby.

However, books are going through a revolution, as far as informational text. The car company does not present the information I need in a fluid manner. I had to use the index and found many references to the items of interest. Once I secured the page, the information was NOT even close to answering my question. My son, Dr. Nathan-dentist, ( you see it has been a long time that some of you readers have been following me) said, "Mom, go to YouTube to get that answer!"  (I knew that! see my post about how I fixed my dishwasher.)

I learned how to customize my screen. I downloaded software, inserted in one USB port and updated my car system, and then read my email from Ford that I need to download and update my system further to "fix the bugs".  MY point, SILVIA's point-we must experience the world of technology!! We must learn for ourselves in order to understand the transformative-(my words here-ANYTIME-ANYWHERE LEARNING-AS LONG AS I HAVE YOUTUBE) learning"

How is your classroom changing as you go back to school? Mine is changing with iPads. That post is for another day.