When I started the past week by assigning the kids to create a PowerPoint presentation on their current study of earthquakes, I thought, ‘what an old school, boring assignment’. However even having read many bloggers talk about the “old” PowerPoint project, I have been pleasantly surprised with the results of the kids’ work.

For one thing, I began the assignment by creating a real-world, useful setting. The “job-application” explained to the kids that elementary teachers around the globe were looking for presentations that would help teach their kids about earthquakes. So immediately my kids were excited that they would have a global audience (I told them we would post their projects on our wiki).

I also provided them with some required components; pictures on each slide (sited appropriately), one video clip, and at least one slide with their recorded voices. Ohhs and ahhs at that part! Although they say they hate it, and hide their heads, kids love to hear their own voices as part of a project - especially one that would be seen “globally”!

Checked out the old decrepit laptop cart (laptops need to remain plugged in ’cause the batteries have long since died, many are missing keys…) and the kids were 100% on task for two days straight! It all comes down to putting the tools in their hands, hence the DREAM! : ) Anyhow, will blog about the final products later this week and provide a link so our global audience can view them!

Now onto the real topic of this post! I am still amazed at the feeling you get when you read a blog or Tweet which points you to a new and promising tool on the web. Maybe it’s just that I am a super geek educator, but when I click on a link that sounds fun and might be productive for my kids, I get the same feeling I used to get when my parents FINALLY let us go into the living room on Christmas morning to see the beautifully wrapped treasures under the tree!

So, here are two cool new “gifts” I can’t wait to try out further. Thanks to a Tweet from Elizabeth Helfant, I have just downloaded KeeBook Creator Education which states on its education webpage:

A Virtual Authoring Tool for Teaching

• Gather, store and organize all types of electronic documents
• Create workbooks of your teaching majors
• Speed-up your Web quests and enhance them with personal annotations
• Publish your students’ books

	It is a tool to gather, enhance and present all types of electronic contents. It gives the possibility: for teachers to create their own teaching workbooks. for students to manage and personalize easily their Web quests. for teachers and students to better communicate with each others.

Sounds promising, and while there is a cost, it won’t hurt to try out the 15 day trial to see if it’s worth finding funding! I can see it now; my kids creating their own Science books that, according to the demo, can be emailed or posted on the Net!

The second gift of the week is from MissTizzy at Teaching ‘N Technology where she blogged about a cool new site called GoGoFrog. She writes:

It allows you to create your own 3-D space similar to what you might find in Second Life.

Using step by step instructions the user can set up a room, add features such as images, text, blogs, and forums. Once each wall is set up you modify its content. You can add or modify other features such as wall color and add furniture. Once all of your content has been added you activate the site and you’re ready to go.

This is a great tool for the classroom. Students can create a museum space to showcase a unit or a specific project. You can even add additional rooms to the site. Imagine having a virtual museum of all of the units you’ve covered this year!

How fun would that be for a 6th grader! I have yet to steal the time to try this one out, but it is certainly at the top of my list!

And finally, the gift with the gold bow this week was a very information-filled blog post by Wesley Fryer entitled, Advice for schools embarking on the 1:1 journey? In the post Wes provides links to many 1:1 ground breaking educators who share advice, tips, and tricks to having a successful program. Now all we need are the computers! : ) Stay tuned…

Photo Credit: Christmas Tree with Presents

 

For the past few months I have become increasingly interested in Kathie Nunley’s Layered Curriculum. Although I had attended a conference workshop several years ago presented by a teacher using the Layered Curriculum in her science classroom, it wasn’t until my fall Master’s class when I had to present on brain-based research and curriculum design, that I came across Nunley’s work again.

I continually question, as I think every educator does, whether what I am doing in the classroom is really changing with the times, or just using technology tools to engage kids in doing the same old things! As I make efforts to pilot a 1:1 laptop initiative, I have become more and more aware that, although I dream up great ways of using the web 2.0 tools, I need to make a fundamental 180 degree shift in my presence in the classroom. And I am feeling more and more like the Layered Curriculum is the guide I’ve been looking for to effect this change. Given its student centeredness, how could it not move the teacher from the sage to the guide?

This leads me to really question the circumstances of a portion of today’s staff meeting. Our school leaders require weekly lesson plans be submitted to them prior to 8:00 every Monday morning, and due to the fact that many teachers have been submitting MANY versions of lesson plans, they have decided to “standardize” (I cringe as I write) the lesson plan format we all use. So they have offered two “choices” for us to use. One is a very detailed, reflective-type lesson plan, the other the typical 7-point style taught in undergrad coursework. They have nicely formatted them into Word templates which we can save and work on from home or school, and submit either in printed form or digitally through email. Now, I agree, research shows that well-prepared educators who create a plan for what and how they will GUIDE students more successfully meet the goal of preparing student learners (or in the words of our administrators, “relate our teaching to the Standard Course of Study”). However, in a classroom designed to empower and engage students individually, like mine where I plan to incorporate the Layered Curriculum methodology, what happens to the 7 point lesson plan? How do I teach the way I passionately feel is the most empowering way, yet meet the requirements of my administration? I would love to hear what you think!

Photo Credit:  Story of my life… 

Well, my first big grant proposal ($10,000, big to me!) was sent off this afternoon at the click of the Enter button.  After lots of planning, thinking, writing, and re-writing, it’s time to wait with fingers crossed!  I guess at this point I should continue to pursue other avenues of funding and now that I have the bulk of the project in various written forms, the really hard work is finished.  I did send the grant packet on to my Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, and Technology Directory with a cover letter stating that if the county happened to “find” some funding for the project I would be happy to pilot Project WISE in the hopes that the data will help the county expand the 1:1 initiative further…. we’ll see!  : )

Thanks to Cindy P. at Teaching ‘N Technology I was reminded today of a fantastic site that I should be using a lot more, and will add to my CRITICAL SITES list as Project WISE becomes a reality!  It is ReadWriteThink from the International Reading Association.  It is jam-packed with many interactive, creative tools for students to create original content.  It is applicable to every subject area, and so kid-friendly, guidance from the teacher would be minimal!  If you haven’t checked it out lately, give it another glance!  I tried out the “flip book” application, and thought what a neat activity that would have been as my kids were learning the layers of the Earth!

So many cool tools, so little time to explore them all!  Isn’t it wonderful?  Stay Tuned….

Photo Credit: Gadgets on Flickr

Today was one of those days that just kept getting better. First it was a teacher workday, which, to those of us who are addicted to learning and teaching, is always good! Our HIFIVES gaming cohort met, and although there are still some gliches, it was good to talk gaming again. Sometimes you need to feel part of a group to get motivated. Another reason for striving to make the DREAM a reality for my kids!

Then, an email announcing that we were being awarded the NCaect grant to fund 12 digital cameras and 2 digital video cameras! Hooray! Now the kids will be able to capture images and video from their labs and other inquiry activities, and share that learning with the world! Piece one of the DREAM puzzle in place! Thank you NCaect!!

Ended the day catching up on my tweets! Okay, Danita, it’s your fault I’m an addict. Now you need to use your powers to get it unblocked at school! :)  Also read the blogs in my aggregator, and came upon this post by Chris O’Neal on Edutopia. Although I had heard of Gliffy before, it made me realize that I need to begin collecting and integrating these great tools into, yes my classroom today with its two desktop computers, but even more importantly, into what I’m planning for Project WISE!

Beginning to awaken into reality. Stay tuned…

Photo Credit: Yawn

My husband, Alex, and I firmly believe that things happen for a reason. Since we are Christians we know that it is often the Holy Spirit leading us. Surely with the millions of events that occur at every blink, it is not just coincidence. And so goes the recent events related to “The DREAM”. It started with this video, Having Our Say, created by the folks at the Friday Institute. Found it when I finally got around to catching up on my blog reading! Be sure you check it out!

As “The Dream” continues, I was thrilled when my bud, Danita, and our Technology Director, Cindy, allowed me to try out a cool little laptop called the One2One Student Mate a few weeks ago. We had seen it at the technology conference, and Danita had made arrangements to try it out! Well, it had several gliches, and was extremely slow on the Net. Since Project WISE (wiki coming soon) and many other initiatives I feel are crucial to my 21st Century classroom rely on Internet capabilities, I was sadly disappointed. However, Glenn, the salesman ensures that a new build will fix the gliches. We have agreed to send it back, have him update it, and try it again. The fact remains however that it is not built for speed. It does have some other really awesome traits however, like the touch screen and the built in response system type program for on the fly assessment! We’ll give it another try.

However in the meantime, Danita and I stumbled upon (almost at the exact same moment!) the Asus Eee Galaxy. Now this looks promising! Much faster, and built to address the multi-media needs of our kids (and Project WISE, by the way!).

So, where am I in planning for “The DREAM”? Well, I’ve submitted a grant proposal to NCaect for the digital cameras and video cameras my kids will need to create some of the visual content for their wikis. Keeping my fingers crossed! Also am finishing up the required portions of the Toyota Tapestry grant I hope will help us gain a set of the Asus Eee Galaxies! Wish I had more fingers, am running out of any more to cross!

Stay Tuned…

Photo Credit: Fingers Crossed…

Okay, so my comeback to blogging was short-lived. However, I am now reconsidering as the DREAM of 1:1 computing begins its journey toward reality. Thanks to my great friend, colleague and future teammate (still part of the DREAM), Danita, the fire has been lit once again! It was six years ago when I approached my former principal about seeking funding to support a 1:1 pilot project. Thankfully she was extremely supportive and helped in many ways, however the DREAM didn’t come to fruition. Now, still believing with all my heart that 1:1 computing can help my students grow to extremes not possible without it, I continue to venture down the path toward the DREAM’s reality.

I will make every effort to blog on a routine basis as I believe this will document the steps that have been taken toward a 21st Century success story. Great ideas are flowing, emails and phone calls are coming, doors are opening, and I have a great feeling that this might actually work out! Here’s to jumping off the edge! Stay tuned…..

Dreams of Summer - Flickr

Last year I attended a session by the folks in Stanly County who have implemented a 1:1 laptop project. It was AWESOME. Well, they are back to give an update, so here I am! Haven’t given up on the dream of having laptops every day for my kids…gaining more ammo!

The Horizon Project - North Albemarle - 21st Stanly (taking the county 1:1)

Presented by two tech facilitators. Their program started with discussions with Apple (note to self - start discussion with a PC rep). Changed their titles to 21st Century Skills Facilitators.

Now in their second year with 4/5 grades; now moving to 3rd grade. Moving to Albemarle Middle School as part of the 21Stanly Project; 6th grade this year, 7/8 next year.

Laptops do not go home with the kids, basically for safety reasons for the kids.

Their main start up group consisted of about 60 kids!!

Francis Bradburn going before the Blue Ribbon Commission advocating for removal of the 8th grade computer skills test! YEAH! However, admins need to set the expectation that technology be integrated on a daily basis with or without a test.

Teachers in Stanly feel the training from Apple was relevant and very supportive of their ideas. Apple Classroom of Tomorrow - based on research. Dell contracted Pearson Learning for this type of training?

Every one of their classrooms has an access point. Use MacBooks.

Check out http://podcasts.stanlycountyschools.org/north/barfield

matthew_barfield@scs.k12.nc.us North Albemarle Elementary School

Effective Partnerships with K-12 - Keith Krueger, CEO CoSN, Mark Nieker, Pres. Pearson Education Foundation, Bev White, CTO, Wake Co Schools

• Education typically largest recipient of funding from foundations, individuals (after religion)
• Essential to our competitiveness, our children’s future, belief that K-12 needs help
• Many of today’s partnerships don’t take off, or meet the needs of participants
•  What doesn’t work:
  • thinly veiled sales pitches
  • donated stuff schools haven’t asked for
  • well intended/not thought out
  • unsustainable “model” programs with no plan
  • chasing money for someone else’s priorities/make sure resources match your mission
  • higher ed partnerships:  major disconnect, tendency to do narrow proof of concepts, useless language, little dissemination
  • govt: complicated application process, different priorities, lack of dissemination
• What does work:
  • meeting real needs of K-12
  • high quality, vendor neutral information
  • working in coalition
  • using language of K-12 (not business)
  • foundations tend to be sustainable and provide freedom to be creative and think out of the box
  • govt:  some really good NSF (for example) projects have been done
• Self Criticism K-12
  • K-12 is totally unique and alone
  • “poor us” mentality - willingness to take anything that is given
  • historic suspicion about companies
• Need to have mutual vision
• Must have right partner(s)
• scalability & sustainability

Nieker, Pearson:

1.  Partnership must be commonly describable by all involved; must include flexibility
2. Good documentation - things that go well and things that don’t
3. Scalability - is it replicable?

White, Wake Co:

1. Spoke about the partnerships with Centennial’s 8th grade laptop initiative. (SAS, NCSU, Friday Inst)

Question:  How do we invite partnerships in rural areas where there is little industry/big business?

Answer:  Willingness to dialogue with business, not ruling out small business, parents that are involved in business, demonstrate the disconnect between the school classroom environment with the business environment, clarity of expression of needs.

Daniel Solomon, Dean, Physical/Math Sciences, NCSU

America Competes Act due to be signed by both houses.

Diversity is an issue in STEM - namely women and African Americans

Intentionally think about the problem from multiple perspectives

Cyberinfrastructure - Break Out Session

• Making it available to the masses
• Creating computerized classrooms - financial implications that accompany this
• Possibility of using iPhone for computing in the classroom
• Need for professional development - both in technology and the content areas
• Issues with relying too heavily on technology - “deskilling”
  • kids can’t make change
  • kids use calculators, but don’t understand the concepts behind it
  • kids can’t read maps, because they’ve only been using GPS
• Learning thinking skills as opposed to memorization and test-taking skills
• Diane Oblinger - papers on this generation of learners
• Assessment is a big issue
• Greater student interaction
• Schools need Instructional Tech Facilitators (with tech and curriculum background)
• Where is the media specialist’s role in all of this?

Working Breakout Session

• How can we better prepare students for the literacy demands post secondary?
• Not involving our kids in their own education, they are not responsible for their learning.
• Not enough critical thinking, high level problem solving in the K-12 classroom.  How do we facilitate that in the classroom?
• Classroom management is an issue.
• Professional Development is a great need.  Pre-service training for new teachers needs to improve.
• Relevancy in math and science classes needs to be improved and addressed.
• Allow students to drive more of the content.
• Does the teacher wearing too many hats take away from quality instruction?
• Assessment requirements take away from true learning/quality learning.
• How can we make assessment relevant?
  • formative assessments
  • e-portfolios
  • performance assessments

• Community involvement is important
• Parent empowerment to be a part of the educational process; matching professional development for parents
• Moving from a traditional report card to a standards based report card?
• Place greater funding and emphasis on teacher effectiveness.
• Public doesn’t understand the need that exists
• Communication across government, school, and other public stages need to increase
• How do we maintain sustained student interest in learning?
  • global communication/collaboration
  • empowering them by celebrating their creation of new knowledge
  • creating student centered environments
• Concern about losing a large proportion of kids interested in science/math as early as late elementary/MS up through post-secondary.  Does the system defeat itself through staunch assessments and a critical value system?
• Expose students to role models and careers; as well as a support system to encourage them to stay in the STEM programs.
• Middle school years are critical as far as career development plans.
• High expectations and encouraging students in their abilities
• What can we do to prevent losing kids from the STEM areas?
  • professional development
  • stimulating students to become critical thinkers, life long learners, solution finders, risk takers
  • content through experience/experimentation

Susan Patrick - CEO, North American Council for Online Learning

• focus on K-12 virtual schools and online learning
• opens access for students and teachers
• more and more jobs these days are focused on online telecommuting and flexible schedules
• Singapore - 100% of their systems have online learning - online is blended with the traditional program
• mentioned the Partnership for 21st Century Skills‘ 6 key elements of 21st Century Learning (*21st century assessments must match the 21st century skills)
• Sharing Research to Inform Policy
  • Online learning expands options
  • Online learning is growing rapidly
  • Online learning is equal or better in effectiveness
  • Online learning improves teaching (although a lot of training is needed)
• Michigan April 2006 first state to require online learning
• the US spends more per pupil on education than any other nation (besides Switzerland), yet we are not seeing results
• “Silent Epidemic” study by the Gates Foundation on high school drop outs
  • 88% had passing grades
  • 69% were not motivated to work hard
  • 66% would’ve worked harder had they been challenged
  • 81% called for more real world opportunities
• Millenials:
  • Kids spend more time online than they do watching television
  • see information as free
  • like to collaborate virtually and face to face
  • 96% say doing well in school is important in their lives
  • children are much more involved in decision making at home
• Cyberinfrastructure - integrates hardware for computing, data and networks, digitally-enabled sensors, observatories and experimental facilities, and an interoperable suite of software and middleware services and tools.
• simulation-based engineering
• Examples:
  • Micro Observatory Online Telescope at Harvard
  • iLab Network - pairing kids with scientists using high powered microscopes to learn
• Students use the computer an average of 15 minutes per week at school!
• Need more and continued training for teacher use
• Student and teacher access for technology
• Use of digital content tied to state academic standards
• Need to measure and SHARE with policy makers the successes of our tech programs
• Creativity is highest at 6 (100 questions a day), terminal seriousness at 44 (2 questions a day), bounce at retirement
• Need to take risks, continue to question to move our efforts forward
• Leadership = Trust, Integrity, Passion