A New Book Worth Checking Out

......and not just because the evaluation rubric is in it.... (page 227). You will want to check out this new book by Brian Puerling, Director of Education Technology at the Catherine Cook School in Chicago.  The book is entitled, Teaching in the Digital Age, Smart Tools for Age 3 to Grade 3. (ISBN 978-60554-118-1). Brian is a visionary educator who helps make sense of technology and ways to enhance its use for classroom teachers.  Brain gets it - it's always about the learning and the kids first and the technology second, as a tool to enhance the quality of instruction.  Thanks for your insights Brian.

The State of the APP Market

There's nothing like a professional conference to get you re-energized.  I just returned to the East Coast after presenting at the NAEYC Conference in Chicago.  What a great organization they have out there in the Chicago Metro Area. Hats off to Gail Conway and Brian Puerling for their roles in organizing the event.  I would highly recommend attending anything they put together in the future.  As part of my presentation in Chicago, I included a recently published article (January 2012) from the Sesame Street Cooney Center which examined the content of the education category of the ITunes Store.  It makes for a most interesting read. The thing that struck me the most was how many app developers are targeting preschoolers and toddlers.  There is so much work that needs to be done in order to identify the most effective ways to use mobile technology with our youngest students.  I'll be sharing my thinking about technology and early childhood education in upcoming posts.  For now, check out the article below:

http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/upload_kits/ilearnii.pdf