We Believe in YOU and We Will Help!

Crossposted at Techlearning.com

I had the opportunity last week to attend Tufts Dental School Parent Orientation. Interesting, our son is 24 and going to Dental School and we were invited to an orientation. I was interested to see what kinds of technology a Dental School would be using. I often refer to dentists and dental practice of years ago and compare that scenario with educators and schools of years ago and then ask people to think about the changes in those professions. Which profession do you think has changed the most? And if one profession has changed significantly, then why hasn't the other?

No surprise that the explicit message of the day was, We believe in you and we will support your journey towards graduation. This was mentioned multiple times throughout the day. I found myself wondering, do all our students hear and believe that message, whether in the youngest grades or a senior in High School? Do all our parents hear that message? Do parents and students believe that school personnel will teach, guide, support and make sure that each student will be successful throughout the grades K-12? Yes, I realize that Tufts is very competitive and they have chosen carefully. However, if that is the excuse or reason we look to as we explain our challenges in public schools, for NOT believing in students or NOT supporting them, then I am sad to be counted among such educators.

Do I do believe that as educators we can explain away our failures and disappointments? Not for long. This is our chance to offer positive change, a chance for a future and a chance to offer what we know will help our students along. We are all, administrators, educators, students and parents, amidst many challenges as we guide our students towards success. If we can promote positive, incremental use of technology and allow each student to accomplish their potential we will realize that We Believe in each student and our support will allow them to be fully functioning citizens in the 21st Century.

Oh, what did I see in terms of technology in the Dental Clinics and classrooms? In the clinic I saw the standard chair for the patient, the tools, the sanitation protocol and one technological change. The patient records were all digitized. No folders or forms but rather a computer set up in each cubicle. In the simulation lab for 170 students the teacher speaks into a mic and projects throughout the lab on multiple FLAT TV screens sprinkled throughout. The instructor also has the ability to project from the computer or the video feed of her during the instruction. The Tufts Dental School also, has a whole digital network for instructors and students with the lectures archived in a variety of modes for future access, digitized books and data bases. All of this I am sure comes at great expense. However, as technology changes and becomes more available we will see the best of these ideas available to the K-12 level. All of this is to say that, We Believe in You and your steps to allow your students to be fully functioning citizens in the 21st Century.
Cross Posted at TechLearning.com
Resources:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3345/3259012021_93d63cab3d.jpg?v=0
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/PaulReveredentaltools.jpg

Back to School in your Neighborhood

This is cross-posted at TechLearning.com

I was doing a little research for my back to school post at TechLearning Blog. I read through the blogs of my peers, I researched school calendars of other countries, I researched four  day school weeks, and the reasons why our school calendar is the way it is, in the Northern Hemisphere at least and why school calendars are different in the Southern Hemisphere or not.

All this article intends to be is a jumping off point for a conversation. There are some facts which this post is based on, but no hard core research. That is for someone other than myself. I was surprised to see the last PEW Internet Trust survey about school calendars was in 2004. Maybe PEW has something in the works. I hope so.

As many of us begin our school year in August and September it is interesting to note that most US schools are looking at 177 to 185 student days. In my quick search of overseas school calendars I located some beginning at 185 and extending to 200 student days. This should give us pause, in the US. Why do our students attend school fewer days than our global friends?

Most of us are beginning school at the end of the harvest season. I find this to be true in the Northern Hemisphere as well as the Southern Hemisphere. I understand why this was true a hundred years ago, maybe even 50 years ago, but I don't know the percentage of students and families who are engaged with the harvest of our crops and why this type of calendar should still hold true.

Many schools  base their  calendars with respect to local religions and culture. Many states and countries dictate the school calendar with some variation at the local level. This is true across the globe.

Then the question of the number of days per week that schools are in session. Most schools stick with the traditional 5 days a week. It is interesting that when energy costs rose astronomically some (very few) schools decided immediately that they would make a huge shift and designed school calendars with longer school days and fewer days per week. Did this shift make sense educationally too?

I wonder what it would be like to make a school calendar and school day based on the needs of students and teachers? What is your school calendar based on?

Resources

www.flickr.com/photos/52636849@N00/204934333

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_term#Australia_and_New_Zealand

 http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/2009/jan/Many-US-Schools-Consider-Four-Day-School-Week.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29664981/

 http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1832864,00.html

What is in your toolkit?

I am getting ready this week to work with some special educators on a project they have in mind, yet, in addition, I am going to introduce something I know they need and hope they will use. If you have read my posts before, you know I usually speak about purpose, and the reason for trying something, reflecting, and then deciding whether to keep with the new tool, journey, conversation. Here is one conversation I cannot get out of my mind. This post is dedicated to all the students in our classrooms and even those standing outside of our classrooms. I will keep this in my toolkit forever and will do my best to share with others. Thanks to the special educators mentioned in this post they are my heroes.

If I had a dream that I could awaken to in the morning, it would be that all of us had heard of Universal Design for Learning and had this embedded into our daily practice with our students and peers. Karen Janowski recently spoke about Universal Design for Learning at Edubloggerconeast and asked the audience how many had heard of Universal Design for Learning. It was surprising how many great educators in the room had not yet heard of Universal Design for Learning, UDL. What was more surprising was that once this group of educators heard about UDL, they were ready to take the journey. We would love for you to join us, too.

What is UDL? The CAST website describes it as: Universal" does not imply a single optimal solution for everyone. Instead, it is meant to underscore the need for multiple approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners.
UDL mirrors the universal design movement in architecture and product development. Think of speakerphones, curb cuts, and close-captioned television—all universally designed to accommodate a wide variety of users, including those with disabilities.
Embedded features that help those with disabilities eventually benefit everyone. UDL uses technology's power and flexibility to make education more inclusive and effective for all.

Isn't that what using technology is all about? Finding alternative ways of completing an activity? Can you think of a Universal Design concept that you yourself have benefited from? Now, can you image using this model in your classroom? (My favorite examples of UDL that I personally benefited from are posted here.)


With UDL options and strategies two exceptional classroom teachers Lisa Parisi and Christine Southard have accomplished what we all strive for. What did they do? How did they do it? By adopting UDL strategies and their own philosophy these two fabulous educators have added this to their list of accomplishments: 96% of their students, both regular and special ed, had achieved or exceeded grade level standards in both reading and math. from the UDL spotlight

You can read about an award they won from the CAST spotlight, nominated by Karen Janowski. (Check out Karen's blog, as well.) The CAST website and the associated websites offer a virtual classroom for educators in how to plan for your lessons, strategies for students, a network of others who are working in the UDL field. This will require some reading on your part and then some elbow grease to add new components to your daily class management. Read Lisa's open letter to Jason, a science instructor, about how he can introduce UDL into his classroom. Her letter is compelling and at the same time a roadmap to success for anyone wishing to use UDL strategies. Check out Christine's blog for more insight on how UDL affects their teaching, their thinking and their classroom pedagogy.




We can all do this! Lisa mentions that a PLN, personal learning network will help. Here is the address to a Personal Learning Network you can join. http://udl4all.ning.com/ Please consider this your PLN, share, ask questions, get support and watch your students thrive.

This may be the most impressive thing you can do for your students this year. Add UDL to your toolkit. Share your experiences with us. Next year when Karen asks, "How many have heard about UDL?", I want all the hands in the room to be proudly raised!
Resources:

• CAST, teaching every student.
• CAST , UDL lesson builder.
• CAST Strategy Tutor, the best place to steer your students for online research and more.
• CAST UDL toolkit for High School Students
  
• Read the new UDL guidelines!

If you have other resources please share them here with us!
Image from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/My_toolkit_for_reading.jpg

New summertime tool!

TokBox - Free Video Chat and Video Messaging

What do effective K-12 technology leaders do?

What do effective K-12 technology leaders do? What actions and behaviors can you point to that make them effective leaders in the area of technology?

I liked this beginning blog post on Leadership, so thanks to Judi, Judith Epcke, a District Technology Integration Specialist in Northbrook, IL.

Happy Leadership Day 2009! As I watched my twitterfeed today, I noticed the hashtag #leadershipday09. After a little investigating, I learned that Leadership Day was started by Scott McLeod in 2007. The idea behind this day is for bloggers to craft posts to assist their (or any) administrator with the idea of being a leader with regard to educational technology. As Dr. McLeod says,

Administrators’ lack of knowledge is not entirely their fault. Most of them didn’t grow up with these technologies. Many are not using digital tools on a regular basis. Few have received training from their employers or their university preparation programs on how to use, think about, or be a leader regarding digital technologies.

Scott's call to join him on Leadership Day 2009 was all I needed,plus Judi's blog post to get me started. I chose this prompt: What do effective K-12 technology leaders do? What actions and behaviors can you point to that make them effective leaders in the area of technology?

When I reflect on conversations I have had with administrators, who I consider movers and shakers using technology to compliment their administrative skills, there is one common denominator I have observed; a willingness to try something new. I don't mean trying some new software program or web tool just to try something out. Rather, the administrator has had a chance to zero in on a problem, look for solutions and has a purpose for trying something new. Often, when I am working with individuals this process is time consuming with many days between the initial identification of a problem, a time to research and get back to the administrator with some possible solutions and then the actual trial of a solution.

If I could encourage administrators to try one thing it would be for all administrators and educators to join a Personal Learning Network. Usually, a PLN is an online network where you reach out and touch someone virtually. Pose a question or problem to your own network and have those experts give you support to try some solutions they have tried. The wisdom of your team will astonish you if you have never tried this type of problem solving. Your PLN doesn't have to be local to your school, your district or your state. Through many social networks you will find a network that meets your needs. Start first with your favorite professional organization. If that group doesn't have a social network started look to the next organization. You will be demonstrating to your staff and students a new way of problem solving, the way of our future.

Please read Scott McLeod's follow-up post for Leadership Day 2009.

#NECC09 Bernie Dodge Place Puzzles, bring field trips to the classroom

Please also read this post by my good friend Susan Van Gelder

Thinking of sharing your technology projects? Have a Technology Student Showcase~!

photo by Alice Barr
Sometimes you make a plan because you want to learn something new, other times you make a plan and when you learn how much you didn't know you are so glad you followed through! Well, on June 13, 2009, Alice Barr and I drove to Newport , Maine in order to attend the Technology Student Showcase at Sebasticook Valley Middle School or here at Sebasticook Valley Middle School. Am I ever glad we did! Not only did Alice and I have a good time catching up about technology in both our schools, our new superintendents, new macbooks our teachers and students will receive in the fall, but, also we were excited to participate in a student technology showcase and hopefully bring some ideas home to our respective school districts.


We were greeted in the parking lot by Drew and his teacher Keith Kelley, who explained how students chose a project to rebuild an old Mustang convertible. Drew excitedly and carefully explained the steps involved in the rebuilding process, how hard it was, how many times they had to rebuild the steering mechanism and how proud he was to see the finished product. Then Kern Kelley met us at the sidewalk and began the tour of the Technology Student Showcase Spring 2009. He handed us a Scavenger Hunt, so we would be sure to view each project spread throughout the school building. We first ran into a student carrying around an Acer Netbook, headphone and mic attached, Skyping with Cindy Lane, a google certified teacher from St. Louis, who had made an appointment for a 15 minute tour of the showcase event. How many of your middle school students would be comfortable talking to a computer screen, as they video conferenced their way through a tour? Does this sound like a marketable skill for our 21st Century Literate students?

Then we viewed the mock up of the building and school mascot, that the students had created in Google Sketchup. The students had re-created their school building in 3D, right down to the detail of the full size moose in the school library. (after all it is Maine). There was a plugin for Google Sketchup that allowed anyone to hold up a specific piece of paper with a print out of a design in front of the video camera which portrayed a 3D visual of the school mascot or the school. How many of your middle school students would be comfortable designing a mock up of their school or any item related to school? Does this sound like a marketable skill for our 21st Century Literate students?

Then we proceeded upstairs to the Gallery of product designs. This was a gallery of items that 7th graders built in a design class, based on a raw skateboard decks from a local Maine business of a well known skateboard. The students were challenged to use a skateboard or multiple skateboards to design something that they would buy, or others would purchase. Not only were items for sale during the showcase, but if an item did not sell, then the teachers were going to put these items out on ebay to recoup some money for purchasing more supplies, or some student entrepreneurs would actually split the profits after paying for their own supplies. There were skateboard photo frames, skateboard shelves, skateboard push carts and even a very inviting game chair made with skateboards with cushions. How many of your middle school students would be comfortable designing a product for re-sale? Does product design sound like a marketable skill for our 21st Century Literate students?

After that we walked through the darkened gymnasium where several groups were playing Wii bowling, Wii exercise and RockBand. I was disappointed not to get a chance at RockBand, but we were much too busy. We traveled upstairs and found a part-year Art Room, and part-year Technology Education Room. Keith explained that he works at both middle schools for a half year each. He has a specific curriculum for each grade level. 5th and 6th graders work on hands on projects and build self propelled or wind propelled boats, or motorized cars. Then 7th graders begin product design using guitar kits or skateboard decks. Finally, 8th graders spend a half year designing and building their own skateboard from scratch. They use drills, routers and all kinds of paints and polyurethane to complete their projects. The student create and vote on a graphic design for their year as 8th graders. The logo is then transferred to each skate board. The students have skateboarding and skateboard safety in their physical education classes. This is a team effort! How many of your middle school students would be comfortable designing a product for their own use? Does product design sound like a marketable skill for our 21st Century Literate students?

Finally, Alice and I ended up in the computer lab where the 8th graders one year, built computer towers for a lab for student use. There were some 6th graders explaining their projects, their osprey webcam, their osprey book and their research projects as well as their Kerpoof video projects. Throughout all the projects and conversations we had with students there were 2 common denominators. One, most often the students spoke of collaborating on their projects, not only in the one class, but collaborating with a team who worked asynchronously on the same product. How did they manage? The just wrote notes, said one student. However, when pressed, they wrote notes in Google Docs when appropriate and other times, they left big notes taped to their robots to let their team know what needed to happen next. Or in a research team, the students worked in a google spreadsheet in order to determine the next steps. These students articulated that this is the wave of the future and they are just practicing what they imagine they will be faced with in their workplace someday soon. How many of your middle school students would be comfortable researching, collaborating asynchronously? Does this kind of work sound like a marketable skill for our 21st Century Literate students?

Check out the video for a tour of our day.http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6C2360791F288EFF or view here What are you doing to practice 21st Century Literacy? Will you be marketable in the 21st Century? Oh, BTW, the 21st Century is now.