What Teachers Make

Taylor Mall has written what is probably the most forwarded poem ever written. Go on, take a look, because here he is performing this great account of what teachers make.
Take a few minutes to watch and listen --

Open Data Comes of Age

Tim Berners-Lee is the guy who really did "invent" the world wide web. His motivation was to provide ways for people to work together and to share stuff. His talk at TED last week shows some of the stunning breakthroughs that regular folks have done using Open Data. The building of the Hatti maps by volunteers from around the world, are the maps relief workers are relying on to bring supplies and help to those who need it.
Nice work Mr. Berners-Lee. Check out his talk at TED

It's the TEACHERS, stupid.....(maybe I shouldn't say that)

The success of a New York City Charter school, prompted New York Times columnist Bob Herbert to investigate. It's the teachers that make a difference, not the materials, not the textbooks, not the state standards, technology or the proficiency tests. The differences that make a difference in the lives of students are most always tied to an exemplary teacher. Have you hugged a teacher today? I did (it was pretty easy since Jan was by my side at the time). How about you? Read Herbert's article. This captures what we seek to do at The Graham Family of Schools.

The visual augmented reality world of our student's future

I made an early comment about how incredible this new application (Bing) in connecting geographic map, in both real and historical time. A map to the world and to the skies from any place, anytime. I am seldom stunned by new stuff because it doesn't seem to matter all that much to me. But this application of augmented reality that the folks at Microsoft have demonstrated and released challenges most aesthetics. It extends what a person can "see" and construct by augmenting both space and time. This application finally let me see what video game designers and players have always seen, but when integrated into maps with pictures and live images of real places that change as the day changes.....pretty cool. I think this might help us all think about where our students are located in the world.
Bing Maps

Classroom of the Future Reflections

We had a follow up meeting with folks from eTech Ohio yesterday. They are really solid folks with great instincts about technology and learning and how to demonstrate it at a big state conference. We'll be talking with lots of folks about these efforts for future conferences. The good news is that the classroom walls designed and built by students at the Easton Career Center was saved and will be a great starting point for next year.
Several more presenters from the COF reflected on their experiences at the conference. The important general take away that almost everyone had was -- we can do this. We have to do this. But we need to address issues of policy in order to truly integrate technology into teaching and learning.
TheCellt

Classroom of the Future teachers reflect on their experience

At eTech Ohio this year The Center for Experiential Learning Leadership and Technology (CELLT) helped to coordinate activities. Teachers from The Graham School and The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University choose lessons that they had used successfully in their classrooms. We asked them to incorporate new processes and technologies into these lessons. Mobile Computing and Open Educational Resources were selected to explore in depth because they are quite likely to impact teaching and learning in classrooms sooner rather than later.
You can see both examples of them presenting in a classroom of the future as well as these talented teachers think and reflect on their work at our YouTube site: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCELLT
Your thoughts?

Lecture time in the digital age

Here's a great shot of students from the University of Missouri School of Journalism taking a "class" in a contemporary lecture hall. So how are we doing preparing our K-12 students for this reality? Or maybe this isn't the future, just a transition to something else. Wonder what that might be?

New Amazing Stuff from Bing -- Microsoft Maps

The folks at Microsoft deserve a big.....wow on this one. Their new integration of applications through mapping is really incredible. Be sure you watch the TED presentation all the way to the end for some incredible wow.

Policy Issues largest challenges for integrating technology into classrooms

There are these three interdependent aspects of technology -- devices, markets, policy. We have wonderful devices that do all sorts of things that could make teaching and learning better, more exciting, closer to the devices that children already have. There are markets for these devices -- teachers, students, schools that would like to buy these devices to help with teaching and learning; there are likewise tons of sellers of products and services. There are policies that govern and "control" how these devices can be used and for what purpose. By and large, we were reminded by teachers and administrators at eTech Ohio that district wide and school level policies ban devices from the school grounds. Sometimes cell phones and iPods are allowable in schools before classes, but must be in lockers after school starts. Some places ban phones and iPods from lockers too. Most everywhere the most powerful and student-friendly devices -- portable computing (cell phones, lap tops, iPhones) and iPods are confiscated if seen or heard.
These policies are well intentioned and in service of trying to protect students from unwanted content and constant distraction. Sites are blocked in schools because there is inappropriate content lurking next to excellent content (YouTube, iTunes. Some of the most widely used sites on the internet like Wikipedia are banned from schools because they are open content controlled rather than editorial board controlled. These policies are well intentioned but they miss what is happening in the world around us and our students. These devices will only be replaced with yet more dazzling goo. What I'm hoping for is that educators will rise up and propose and use new policies that are appropriate for this new era of learning.
The policy on cell phones that I really like is: Have students place their cell phones on their desks in full view of everyone. Try and incorporate the cell phone into as many lessons as possible. Have the class discuss and write a policy for the appropriate use for cellphones in your class. Have the class collaboratively write a policy for appropriate use and the consequences for inappropriate use. Have students help in "in-forcing" the rules. A classroom up approach is needed in my view.
Your comments and suggestions?

A Classroom of the Future

I spent most of last week in a "classroom of the future" at the eTech Ohio conference. Seven teachers from The Graham School and The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University were the main attraction. They gave mini lessons that show cased how a classroom of the future is really what's available now.
For a "peek under the tent" you can visit our YouTube space at TheCellt: http://www.youtube.com/my_videos

This classroom of the future featured technologies that are available and are currently impacting classrooms whether we like it or not -- Interactive/collaborative technologies (problem-based learning, presentation software, FaceBook), portable computing (cellphones to laptops), Open Educational Resources (Wikipedia to free digital textbooks)and alternative assessment (electronic portfolios). These are the technologies that the Horizon Report and "Hype Cycle" indicate are at the classroom door waiting to get in at the moment.

Lots of great suggestions about ways to open the doors of school classrooms and take students out to virtual worlds as well as their neighborhoods.

Check out the CELLT.org website for more.
Thom

Some Resources for Discussing Technology and Education

When I see something on YouTube or TED, I more likely than not send a link to a friend or two I think will like it. Fred is teaching a course this semester on Technology and Society at The Graham School and asked if I had suggestions. The video on the intelligence of crows is really interesting, but here mostly because Fred, a seasoned bird-watcher has always insisted that those pesky loud birds were smart. He's right.
So, here's a start on a list of things that have tweaked my interest or put today's education and technology landscape in relief.
I'm wondering how Fred's students will react? Any predictions or comments? They're always welcome.

Clay Shirky: How social media can make history. (july 2008)
Citizens and amateurs begin to transform power through social capital. Short historical review of shifts in power through media landscape change.
http://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_cellphones_twitter_facebook_can_make_history.html

Philip Rosedale on Second Life:
Why build a virtual world? Philip Rosedale talks about the virtual society he founded, Second Life, and its underpinnings in human creativity. It's a place so different that anything could happen.
http://www.ted.com/talks/the_inspiration_of_second_life.html

Hellen Fisher – studies the brain on love.
Why do we crave love so much, even to the point that we would die for it? To learn more about our very real, very physical need for romantic love, Helen Fisher and her research team took MRIs of people in love -- and people who had just been dumped.
http://www.ted.com/talks/helen_fisher_studies_the_brain_in_love.html

Joshua Klein on the intelligence of crows
Hacker and writer Joshua Klein is fascinated by crows. (Notice the gleam of intelligence in their little black eyes?) After a long amateur study of corvid behavior, he's come up with an elegant machine that may form a new bond between animal and human.
http://www.ted.com/talks/joshua_klein_on_the_intelligence_of_crows.html

Stefana Broadbent: How the Internet enables intimacy.
We worry that IM, texting, Facebook are spoiling human intimacy, but Stefana Broadbent's research shows how communication tech is capable of cultivating deeper relationships, bringing love across barriers like distance and workplace rules.
http://www.ted.com/talks/stefana_broadbent_how_the_internet_enables_intimacy.html

Kevin Kelly on the next 5000 days of the web.
At the 2007 EG conference, Kevin Kelly shares a fun stat: The World Wide Web, as we know it, is only 5,000 days old. Now, Kelly asks, how can we predict what's coming in the next 5,000 days?
http://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_kelly_on_the_next_5_000_days_of_the_web.html

Did you Know 4.0
This is another official update to the original "Shift Happens" video. This completely new Fall 2009 version includes facts and stats focusing on the changing media landscape, including convergence...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

Prof. Mark Wesch
A vision of students today
a short video summarizing some of the most important characteristics of students today - how they learn, what they need to learn, their goals, hopes, dreams, what their lives will be like
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o&feature=related

Here is Prof. Wesch’s introduction to Web 2.0 in under 5 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g&feature=channel

Some Resources for Technology and Society Discussions

People regularly ask about resources for showing students and teachers the things that are impacting student learning and technology. Here's a start at a list of great short videos from TED and YouTube that I've found useful and compelling.
I'll report back soon about how student's in Fred Whiteman's class at The Graham School react to some of these issues in general, and the videos in particular.