Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Is there a Doctor in the house?
Is there a Doctor in the house? Well, there might be soon. My final defense for my doctoral dissertation is scheduled for November 7th. After that, please address me with "What's up Doc?" when you see me. I will be sure to post my dissertation after, assuming I do, pass. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
New Website Worth Checking Out
I first "met" Bronwyn Sutton online as we were sharing our frustration regarding the lack of a consistent means to evaluate the quality of apps designed to be used in education. Bronwyn asked permission to use my Rubric for Apps and took it to the next level. She just recently released a new website that has reviewed over 750 apps using the rubric. You really need to check out her website. Here is an excerpt from her latest email:
Big news!
I have now released a website called “The Learning App Guide to Autism and Education”.
I have evaluated over 750 apps using your rubric. I am passionate about evaluating apps and aligning them with evidence base for children with autism.
The website is www.learningappguide.com
Harry, the work you are doing and your philosophy towards mobile technologies is inspirational.
Kind regards
Bronwyn Sutton
Speech Language Pathologist
The Learning App Guide to Autism and Education
_______________________________________
1 1/249 Harts Road, Indooroopilly, 4068
' (07) 3876 9529
6 www.learningappguide.com
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Can We Please Stop Calling Them Cell Phones?
Can we please stop calling them cell phones? Does anyone, other than your grandmother, have a phone that's just a phone? "Cell phones" are really a computer that just happens to make phone calls for those folks who still make phone calls.
I bring this up as school systems across the country are struggling with outdated policies designed to keep "cell phones" out of the classrooms. Part of the problem is those folks making decisions about policy are operating with this old "cell phone" mindset. If that's all these devices could do, I would understand it. After all, who wants kids making or receiving calls during your biology lecture that you have honed over the past fifteen years and have down to a science? (I couldn't resist!) Let's work on restructuring our schema and begin to embrace the potential these devices can have on enhancing that well-worn biology lecture.
I do not know about your school/system/agency, but that ones I am familiar with are having a heck of a time trying to keep up with technology - budget constraints, new innovations every time you turn around, etc. Meanwhile, many of our students are coming to school with "cell phones" that are even cooler (and more powerful) than ours. Outside of school they connect and collaborate through social networks, conduct their own inquiries on the fly, and get answers to their questions in real time. In school? Well, that's another story. In some schools, kids go to the computer lab once a week to learn typing skills or Pixie, or some other skill that someone in this current time, or more likely the past, has deemed important for our kids' future. Even when computers are in the classroom, their use is still controlled by the teacher, not driven by the children's curiosity, providing them with opportunities to assume control of their own learning. Many of these same kids have access to technology, albeit "off and away during the school day" in their backpacks, or the sly ones, in their pockets. Talk about a disconnect!
So, Mr. know it all blogger, what do we do? Well, let start with the biggest hurdle, by acknowledging things are changing and that education needs to change as well.
How should kids be using technology? How do use it? Do you see any disconnects? What do you do when you need information right away? Card catalog, Dewey decimal system, wait a week for the computer lab, ask the teacher if you can use the eMac in the back of the room, or do you pull out your mobile device and just Google it? I thought so. Kids need the same level of access to information that we enjoy whenever we need it and that they experience outside of school.
Let's stop calling them cell phones and start giving kids the power to take more responsibility for their own learning. "Take those smart phones out of your backpack kids. It's time to learn!"After all, it is the 21st century, no?
I bring this up as school systems across the country are struggling with outdated policies designed to keep "cell phones" out of the classrooms. Part of the problem is those folks making decisions about policy are operating with this old "cell phone" mindset. If that's all these devices could do, I would understand it. After all, who wants kids making or receiving calls during your biology lecture that you have honed over the past fifteen years and have down to a science? (I couldn't resist!) Let's work on restructuring our schema and begin to embrace the potential these devices can have on enhancing that well-worn biology lecture.
I do not know about your school/system/agency, but that ones I am familiar with are having a heck of a time trying to keep up with technology - budget constraints, new innovations every time you turn around, etc. Meanwhile, many of our students are coming to school with "cell phones" that are even cooler (and more powerful) than ours. Outside of school they connect and collaborate through social networks, conduct their own inquiries on the fly, and get answers to their questions in real time. In school? Well, that's another story. In some schools, kids go to the computer lab once a week to learn typing skills or Pixie, or some other skill that someone in this current time, or more likely the past, has deemed important for our kids' future. Even when computers are in the classroom, their use is still controlled by the teacher, not driven by the children's curiosity, providing them with opportunities to assume control of their own learning. Many of these same kids have access to technology, albeit "off and away during the school day" in their backpacks, or the sly ones, in their pockets. Talk about a disconnect!
So, Mr. know it all blogger, what do we do? Well, let start with the biggest hurdle, by acknowledging things are changing and that education needs to change as well.
How should kids be using technology? How do use it? Do you see any disconnects? What do you do when you need information right away? Card catalog, Dewey decimal system, wait a week for the computer lab, ask the teacher if you can use the eMac in the back of the room, or do you pull out your mobile device and just Google it? I thought so. Kids need the same level of access to information that we enjoy whenever we need it and that they experience outside of school.
Let's stop calling them cell phones and start giving kids the power to take more responsibility for their own learning. "Take those smart phones out of your backpack kids. It's time to learn!"After all, it is the 21st century, no?
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
You Go Latvia!
I have to give a shout out to one or more educators in Latvia. They logged 122 page views in one week! Pretty cool to think folks half way around the world are thinking along the same lines. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
The Mobile Learning Revolution: The Top 101 Resources
Be sure to check out the work of Scott Hawksworth, Chief Executive Officer of Best Online Universities, Scott and his team have assembled an amazing list of 101 online websites and resources addressing the use of mobile devices in education. In Scott's words:
"Technology is changing education in countless ways and mobile learning is one of the most significant innovations, We think anyone involved in education, whether a teacher or a student, should stay up-to-date on its evolution. This list aims to help them do just that."
I Teach Therefore IPod (one of my favorite blogs) is listed as a resource. So is the work of innovative mobile folks like Tony Vincent. It's a pretty comprehensive list (no, not just because my blog is on the list). Be sure to check out the list at:
http://bestonlineuniversities.com/mobile-learning/
PS With all of my career changes, folks have have a hard time keeping up with me. If you would like to connect with me, my newest email is harry_walker@hcpss.org
"Technology is changing education in countless ways and mobile learning is one of the most significant innovations, We think anyone involved in education, whether a teacher or a student, should stay up-to-date on its evolution. This list aims to help them do just that."
I Teach Therefore IPod (one of my favorite blogs) is listed as a resource. So is the work of innovative mobile folks like Tony Vincent. It's a pretty comprehensive list (no, not just because my blog is on the list). Be sure to check out the list at:
http://bestonlineuniversities.com/mobile-learning/
PS With all of my career changes, folks have have a hard time keeping up with me. If you would like to connect with me, my newest email is harry_walker@hcpss.org
Monday, June 24, 2013
Backward Southern Schools? Not so Fast - Horry County Leads the Way
Say what you will about the schools in South Carolina. Underfunded, underperforming, under fill in the blank? While improvements have been noted, the state as a whole is a far cry from the model of reform and excellence imagined by Arne Duncan and the politicians who profess to know better than we educators.
In a recent report from NEA ranking states, South Carlina teachers' salaries ranked 38th.
(http://www.nea.org/assets/img/content/NEA_Rankings_And_Estimates-2013_(2).pdf)
In terms of the Science and Engineering Readiness Index (SERI), SC students ranked 40th in the country (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/11/state-education-rankins-_n_894528.html?
Rankings from the 17th annual report card posted by the American Legislative Exchange Council placed South Carolina as the worst performing state in the country.
(http://www.alec.org/state-by-state-education-ranking-report-card-2011/)
With all that said, it makes what is happening in Horry County, South Carolina even more impressive. Last night, the board of education approved a 2.2 million dollar "personalized digital learning initiative" as part of thier technology plan to put digital devices in the hands of each of their K-12 students, update existing technology and build their wireless infrastructure. You can read the piece in the local Myrtle Beach paper.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/06/23/3549812/horry-county-schools-budget-up.html
Of particular note in Horry County is the work going on under the leadership of Judy Beard with the support of Beth Havens at Whittemore Park Middle School in Conway. Whittemore Park received a Next Generation grant and is working collaboratively with the leaderhip team assembled by Dr. Cindy Ellsberry to implement truly innovative technology programs. You can read about their grant award here:
http://www.horrycountyschools.net/pages/Horry_County_Schools/News/Whittemore_Park_Middle_awarded
In a recent report from NEA ranking states, South Carlina teachers' salaries ranked 38th.
(http://www.nea.org/assets/img/content/NEA_Rankings_And_Estimates-2013_(2).pdf)
In terms of the Science and Engineering Readiness Index (SERI), SC students ranked 40th in the country (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/11/state-education-rankins-_n_894528.html?
Rankings from the 17th annual report card posted by the American Legislative Exchange Council placed South Carolina as the worst performing state in the country.
(http://www.alec.org/state-by-state-education-ranking-report-card-2011/)
With all that said, it makes what is happening in Horry County, South Carolina even more impressive. Last night, the board of education approved a 2.2 million dollar "personalized digital learning initiative" as part of thier technology plan to put digital devices in the hands of each of their K-12 students, update existing technology and build their wireless infrastructure. You can read the piece in the local Myrtle Beach paper.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/06/23/3549812/horry-county-schools-budget-up.html
Of particular note in Horry County is the work going on under the leadership of Judy Beard with the support of Beth Havens at Whittemore Park Middle School in Conway. Whittemore Park received a Next Generation grant and is working collaboratively with the leaderhip team assembled by Dr. Cindy Ellsberry to implement truly innovative technology programs. You can read about their grant award here:
http://www.horrycountyschools.net/pages/Horry_County_Schools/News/Whittemore_Park_Middle_awarded
Saturday, June 15, 2013
The Technology Nine Commandments
Since I have had some time on my hands in between jobs, I have had the opportunity to reflect on what I have learned over my 34 years in education about the most effective ways to incorporate technology into today's classrooms to enhance teaching and learning. As a principal, I made my fair share of mistakes in my well intentioned efforts to try to make the most out of technology. As a blended learning senior consultant I saw even more mistakes being made, again with good intentions.
My experiences have led to the crafting of a list of dont's and do's when considering incorporating technology programs with kids in education settings. I hope I don't offend readers as I have put my thoughts, most of them don'ts, into a list of commandments. I had ten, but deleted one to make it the Nine Commandments. I didn't want to be accused of infringing on the big guy's intellectual property. I do not mean for this post to be sacrilegious, just humorous and hopefully thought provoking.
You can find the commandments on this shared Google doc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CdPYH8CjnNvlwG8YTBfpCwIyedJxlLS6VUO9zaVoTiE/edit?usp=sharing
My experiences have led to the crafting of a list of dont's and do's when considering incorporating technology programs with kids in education settings. I hope I don't offend readers as I have put my thoughts, most of them don'ts, into a list of commandments. I had ten, but deleted one to make it the Nine Commandments. I didn't want to be accused of infringing on the big guy's intellectual property. I do not mean for this post to be sacrilegious, just humorous and hopefully thought provoking.
You can find the commandments on this shared Google doc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CdPYH8CjnNvlwG8YTBfpCwIyedJxlLS6VUO9zaVoTiE/edit?usp=sharing
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