What Do You Mean, Not Everyone Loves BYOD?

I came across this article about students in Temecula, California being allowed to use cell phones in their classrooms, with teacher permission of course.  I continue to be encouraged to read about innovative school systems who are taking a leap of faith to take advantage of the technology many of our students are carrying around in their pockets.  I think, given the current economic times, BYOD makes a lot sense.  Apparently not everyone agrees.  You have to check out the reader's comments at the bottom of this article.  It's kind of shocking, but also enlightening to realize BYOD might be an uphill battle, one worth fighting, though.

http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/temecula/temecula-headlines-index/20120117-temecula-students-can-now-use-cellphones-in-classes.ece

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

Greetings from Chicago!

I'm presenting a session on Leadership Issues related to Mobile Technology at the Chicago Metro Area NAEYC Conference this morning.  Over 5,000 folks are here sharing their passion for early childhood education.  I'll post my presentation on their conference website in the coming weeks and I'll share a link if you are interested in reviewing the presentation.  Once I get back East I'll have some cool posts of new learning this week.  Stay tuned.....

BYOD with a Bullitt (As in Kentucky that is)

Bullitt Kentucky Schools- another school system jumps on the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) train.  Recognizing the need for students to have cutting edge technology while trying to work within increasingly tight budgets for schools, Superintendent Keith Davis is encouraging parents to send their kids to school with their own computing devices.  You can check out the story in the Courier Journal below:

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120111/ZONE10/301110011/bullitt-schools-device-computer?odyssey=mod|newswell|text||s

Apple Does It Again - E-Textbooks

Does it come as a surprise to anyone that Apple is leading the way again, this time with E-Textbooks.  With a son in college and one on the way, it could not have come soon enough.  Textbook companies have been making money hand over fist for years.  If I weren't such a capitalist, I would scream foul, but they were only making hay while the sun was shining.  The days of $200-$300 textbooks may be a thing of the past.  Not only will folks (school systems, students, and parents) save tons of money, but the books themselves are SOOO much cooler and can be easily updated as knowledge changes.  Thanks Apple for getting this ball rolling.  Now all we need is for the powers that be to do the right thing, not only financially, but more importantly educationally.  You can read two takes on the Apple E-Texts below:

http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/19/sea-change-apple-guts-textbook-publishing/

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/19/145457942/apple-pushes-to-put-textbooks-on-ipads

One-to-One Making a Huge Impact

Check out this story about River Dell Regional High School in Oradell, New Jersey.  Recognizing the need to engage kids in ways they are used to doing outside the classroom, this school, under the visionary leadership of Lorraine Brooks, Principal, committed to becoming a digital school.  Their tech director notes, it's not about the device , it's about the learning.  They really seem to get it and their rise in student achievement is remarkable.  Check out the story at:

http://k12blueprint.com/k12/blueprint/story_focusing_river_dell.php

Can anyone really compete with the MacBook Air?

A number of companies have launched, "ultra-laptops" intended to go after the MacBook audience.  Really?  Anyone out there that owns a MacBook Air knows it about so much more than the "fashionista" factor.  It's not just how thin it is, it's the speed, operating system, software, and intuitiveness. As an Air owner, you'll have to pry my fingers off mine before I would consider the new HP, Dell, or Vizio laptops.  To the latest release of look-alikes - good luck catching up with Apple.  It's a tall order.   You can read the Business Week article here:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-12/hp-dell-go-after-apple-s-fashionista-buyers-with-ultrabooks.html