Happy Independence Day!
photo credit: Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton
This is for both of my readers, have a happy fourth and maybe I’ll start publishing more as the summer wears on. But probably not!
A Call for Help
photo credit: foundphotoslj
Clif Mims over at Clif’s Notes has posted a request from a student. The student was looking for information about integrating tech into the high school classroom and teacher training in that area.
Here is my response:
I think that any training that teachers get needs to be on the uses of the internet as it applies to research, social networking, building contacts and resources, and examples of how it is being used in the world of work. I think that the teachers need to understand how the internet can be used to share information and build up a network of trusted individuals that you can gather information from, chat with, and bounce ideas off of. They need to have an idea of how it’s being used outside of education, what are other industries using the internet for? Once the teachers have a handle on these things then they can start to figure out how to integrate it into their classes and eventually teach what they have learned to their students.
I also think that teachers and students need to be aware of their own profiles already out there on the web. If I was to Google your name, what would I find? And if I can find it, so can your next roommate, date, employer, grandmother, etc. So factoring that in, what can we do to teach kids the importance of watching not only what they put out there, but what others put out there too.
Integration into the classroom is difficult. Here in Michigan we have some of the toughest graduation requirements in the state. Between these new requirements, NCLB testing, and the realities of school funding, the teachers already have a full plate. Taking the time to learn and implement new technologies is a tough sell indeed.
Head over there and leave one of your own.
If there ever was a Question, it’s gone now…
photo credit: Chuckumentary
I had decided that my vote was going to go to Obama quite a while ago. I wasn’t looking for any additional reasons, I still don’t like what’s coming out of the McCain camp. One area that I was disappointed in was the lack of any significant talk about education policy. Well today that changed. After watching his latest speech, I am now more excited than ever about the possibility of an Obama Presidency. I still understand that these are speech ideas and that changing the way that things are done will be difficult. I’m just happy to hear that a candidate has some ideas about education that I can believe in. There are a lot of good ideas in this speech, here’s one that hit close to home:(emphasis mine)
We must fix the failures of No Child Left Behind. We must provide the funding we were promised, give our states the resources they need and finally meet our commitment to special education. We also need to realize that we can meet high standards without forcing teachers and students to spend most of the year preparing for a single, high-stakes test.
Let’s get this done!
Howza ’bout a Little One on One?
photo credit: curiouslee
I am a big believer in the potential of a one to one network in the schools. I think every student should have unlimited access to technology. I am also smart enough to recognize when someone else says it better than I can, here’s the money quote: (emphasis mine)
… changes in “virtualization” technologies that have taken place in the last 3 years, allow these inexpensive devices to do almost anything their expensive, full blown desktop predecessors can do. By connecting either by traditional Ethernet cable or wirelessly to a ‘virtualized’ network, students have access to educational applications running on servers that are not physically present on their notebook, laptop, or for that matter, a full blown desktop computer that they may be using.
Think about that. No matter where the student is, no matter what device they are using, if they can access the Internet, they can access their school network, it’s educational applications, and all their files.
These two developments, combined with the spectacular plethora of educational software, tools, and resources create the foundation for “barrier free”, ubiquitous, access to learning.
I have been imploring my local district to salvage some of the old machines to use for this very reason. Not a lot of luck so far, i will just have to keep on trying. Take a look for the rest of it. Well said Pete!
Which Network is Important to Me?
Ben Rimes asks that very question in his post this week. Go on over there and take his poll. As a virtual teacher I don’t have colleagues to meet with on a regular basis. I have monthly departmental meetings, an occasional memo from the boss, but that’s about it. My most important network is my own and comes to me via RSS and Twitter. Take a minute to check out my RSS feeds, they are over on the right side of this page, or visit my link to my Blogroll of people that I read frequently. My network is strong, informative, and available 24/7.
What My Network Taught Me Today…
What has your network taught you today? I have been telling anyone that will listen to me, admittedly a small number of people actually care what I have to say, that a Personal Learning Network is an important first step toward independent learning. If you can find the time to read, then you can find the time to tap into your network. Start a Feed Reader, I like Google Reader, add some feeds and let the information flow. I can tell you from personal experience that I learn things on a daily basis just by looking thorough my feeds. I also participate in UStream conferencing, Twitter, and various other networking tools. I will save those for another post. So I started this by proclaiming that I actually learned something today, well let’s go to the video!
Hat Tip to Scott McLeod and David Warlick!
Freakonomics
photo credit: felix_le_chat
If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it. Either way you have to check out the blog. This post from yesterday is a question answer session with former Labor Secretary Robert Reich. I found this exchange especially appropriate to those of us in the education field:
Q: As an educator, what skills/courses do you recommend to your students to ensure their job security? What if you’re too old to be an auto mechanic, but loathe the thought of getting an M.B.A.?
A: I tell my students there’s no job security in the economy they’re entering, but if they want employability security — a good chance of maintaining a fairly good paycheck — they need to master a domain of knowledge during their undergraduate years adequately enough to enable them to continue to learn on and off the job from then onward. The old domain will become obsolete, but their learning skills won’t.
Auto mechanics, for example, can become automotive technicians who install, fix, and upgrade all the electronics that now comprise a significant part of the modern automobile.
But don’t get an M.B.A.! We have too many M.B.A.’s as it is, and they’re killing the economy!
Excellent article, awesome book, and it sounds like there may be a sequel coming!
This is Why I Love My Network!
So I was working my way through my feeds when I came across a post in The Fischbowl that pointed me to a blog that I hadn’t been to before. I liked what I saw and I have added yet another feed to my long list of education related feeds.
Post Spring Break Hangover
OK, Spring Break is over and it’s time to get back to work. I had a great time with my new nephews and their Mom and Dad. It’s hard to beat family and food at the Hofbräuhaus. I had a good presentation today with my daughter’s teachers. I presented quite a bit of information and it appeared to be well received. I can only hope that I’ll be asked back to present again and continue to be able to share technology and Web 2.0 with the staff and maybe the district. It’s late and I’m tired! Maybe tomorrow I will get to posting on some of the links that I’ve been accumulating.
