Shy Kids and Twitter - What a Great Idea!

Anyone out there have a student who is a great thinker but is generally too shy to raise their hand and participate in class?  Who always has their hands raised?  Those kids who are confident and outgoing or those who process quickly. Without hearing each student's thinking, how can we know how effective our instruction is, or how brilliant our kids really are?  What if we allowed them to participate by tweeting?  Research conducted at Southern Cross University found Twitter was an effective way to engage students too embarrassed or uncomfortable to participate in class.  While the study addressed university students, there is no reason why it wouldn't work as well in elementary through high school.  Of course we first have to allow "tweetable: devices in our classrooms.....
    
You can read a short piece below:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/technology/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/story-fn5kfsdd-1226244868289

I've also included a page downloaded from the Southern Cross University website:

http://www.scu.edu.au/news/media.php?item_id=3521&action=show_item&type=M

Chicago Metro NAEYC Conference Presentation

     I had a great time presenting at this year's Chicago NAEYC Conference in January.  What a great organization.  As promised, attached is the PowerPoint from my presentation. 

http://embedit.in/kpThm3YBNH.swf"

     We have two conference presentations booked so far for the Spring.  In March, we will be presenting at the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) National Conference in Philadelphia.  This April, we will be presenting at the Common Ground Conference in Baltimore.  If you are attending either conference, please stop in to hear about our work.

I Know What Kids Like, I Know What Kids Want - Digital Learning and the Speak Up Survey

So what is it about digital learning that kids really want?  Good question.  Project Tomorrow CEO Julie Evans recently reported on data from the 2010 and 2011 education of the Speak Up Survey with a specific focus on digital learning.  This data indicates kids want social-based learning, tools for untethered learning, and a digitally rich learning environment.  Exactly what we are currently providing them.  (That was a joke if you couldn't tell.)  As Strother Martin, prison camp captain in Cool Hand Luke said, "What we got here is a failure to communicate."  Well, actually, the kids are communicating; we're just not listening.  And we wonder why they aren't listening to us? 

You can read the piece from THE Journal below.  The article contains a link to the Speak Up Survey as well.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2012/02/01/digital-learning-what-kids-really-want.aspx

Praise the Lord and Pass the Creativity!

Is the tide FINALLY beginning to turn?  For years the talking heads have been professing the need to develop 21st century skills while forcing schools to chase the carrot of NCLB, Race to the Top or politically motivated accountability system du jour.  Well, there is some good news on the horizon.  Take a look at what is happening in Massachusetts, California and Oklahoma.  All three states are trying to broaden the scope of how schools are evaluated by examining how they are fostering creativity and innovation.  Clearly in the beginning stages of development, I am encouraged that some folks are recognizing the narrowness of our current assessment systems,  They understand if things don't change, our nation will lose it's dominant place in the global economy.  The one thing that kind of frightens me is the bus is being driven by politicians.  If you happen to be fortunate enough to live in one of the states,  stand up and make sure your voice is heard.  You can read the article from Education Week below:

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/02/02/19creativity_ep.h31.html?tkn=XNRF5IZRiG4YVpFW00xEl1hztDAzQ1WLhklb&cmp=ENL-CM-NEWS1

You Go Wisconsin! - 1,400 IPads for Madison!

     It seems like many of the articles I post  are about smaller scale projects in innovative school systems across the country.  Madison, Wisconsin is taking a big leap with the purchase of 1,400 Ipads in the coming year.  What makes it even cooler is they got the funding through a settlement with Microsoft- sorry Bill! 

     Stay tuned for more news from Wisconsin.  State Superintendent Tony Evers is expected next week to release a statewide digital learning plan that has been developed over the past year by a group of state and local technology experts.  Can't wait to read it.

     Here is a link to the article:

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/madison-to-get-ipads-for-schools-by-next-fall/article_163d073e-4918-11e1-855f-001871e3ce6c.html

IPads Do Not Discriminate on the Basis of Race, Creed or Religion

Check out this article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette about Catholic schools in Pittsburgh getting their feet wet in latest technology wave- mobile computing with IPads.  Their goal? IPads in the hands of every student by next year.  Where do I sign up?  Check out the article below:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12030/1206938-455.stm

We Love Our Apps - Or Do We?

Okay, I have issues.  Hello, my name is Harry and I'm an appaholic.  Glad I got that off my chest.  I currently have 112 apps on my IPhone.  I have a feeling I'm not alone.  We love our apps, or do we?  I came across this piece in USA Today about App use.  It quotes a Pew Center report which found 68% of smart phone users open five apps or less a week.  80% to 90% of apps are eventually deleted.  I'm wondering if these fleeting love affairs with apps apply to kid's app use as well.  Are there certain apps that have staying power in educational settings, or does the novelty of individual apps wear off over time?  This might make for some interesting research....   You can read the piece below: 

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-01-30/smartphone-app-usage/52891556/1?loc=interstitialskip