Dean

Dean's Page Sunday:

After a morning meeting trying to set up our iPad for taking notes and uploading to our wiki, we had a little down time. We took a tour of Philidelphia via a double decker bus, relaxed a bit back at the hotel and then we headed for the keynote speaker. The keynote this year was Dr. John Medina, who spoke on how the brain works. Interesting to learn that as teachers, we are really fighting an uphill battle when we ask our students to come in, sit down, and just listen, rather than keeping them active, moving, and engaged as they learn. I found the presentation very interesting. Monday: Diane was part of the Discovery Education panel starting at 7:00 a.m. Ate a great breakfast and now waiting for the presentation.

Diane did a fantastic job of informing the audience of the process our district has made in developing a technology program, where we are, and where we want to be in the future. She did a great job of breaking down the steps into a familiar and understandable manner and was very enthusiastic in her explanation.

Speaker from Mooresville, N. Carolina spoke of how scores have gone up so much due to the digital teaching focus they’ve incorporated. Attendance has gone up, discipline has gone down, drop-out rates have gone down, and college attendance rates have gone up. They reallocated positions so that when students have issues or problems with their computers, they can be addressed right away. 3 year warranties for their machines.

Corporate Spotlights:Digital learners in the Industrial Classroom: Are our students leaving us in the digital dust?

This was a student panel discussion on how students are using social networking at school. They spoke a lot about communicating with teachers via Facebook, but they really didn’t focus on how it really helps them out educationally. They spoke of how teachers don’t know how to use technology and they don’t enjoy those classes as well. Students were asked if video games could be incorporated into their learning. Most said that it would be hard to match rigorous information with enjoyment.

Google Docks can sometimes be a pain with formatting issues.

Phil and I sat in on a session led by technicians and administrators from Katy, Texas. The presentation was supposed to be on how the district allows students to be connected during school and how they are using technology, but it turned out to be more technically related than what we were interested in hearing. We left early to grab a bite to eat for lunch.

We walked around a bit after lunch looking at the displays at the exhibition hall and then sat in on an Adobe session about integrating technology into the curriculum. The presenter began by asking us whether our pictures files were very well organized and how the new Adobe programs could help. She demonstrated how she could easily slide pictures into folder and have them accessible in a neat and timely manner. She went on to briefly explain how the new version of Premier is done in layers and how easy it is to slide pictures or video into the layers, ad transitions, music, and extras to make it look professional. This is a very impressive application that could really help students and teachers create incredible projects.

After this short session, I perused a few other exhibits. One that caught my eye and attention was one that combined the applications of Discovery Education with Infinite Campus. I believe it was offered by the Pearson company. It was able to graph student data and it looked like it was set up with standardized testing so all elements of student achievement could be accessed very quickly and easily.

I finished the afternoon off by visiting the student poster section and asking them questions. A lot of excitement and participation from the students who were there showing off their work. It would be a dream of mine to some day bring a group of students to a national convention and present our work.

Tuesday: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Got to breakfast by 7:00 to hear Dr. Thornberg’s view on education. He began by stressing the shortage of engineers we have in this country, as there are in many countries. He emphasized the importance of the STEM initiative and suggested that he feels every high school student should be required to complete a class before they graduate which incorporates all four parts of STEM taught all at once. He presented his project in which he builds rooms which completely support the Mission to Mars project. Students are presented with a mission to Mars where something goes wrong and they have to fix it. Cost is $50,000.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The second session we took in was a keynote presentation from Dr. Steven Covey. He has expanded his “Seven strategies for highly effective people” to include ways to help schools and students be successful. Very good message and worthwhile. At the end, two students came on from a school which uses the program. They spoke of how much value the program meant to them. The main component of their school focus was that they paired their school up with a college and used a teleprompter to communicate. They really enjoyed this aspect of the program.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Turning your Boring Lesson into a Fun and Exciting. Session 3.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Began by playing Dungeons and Dragons, then the Atari, then a Genisis, then finally X-box. But now he plays WOW. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Components that go into building a game.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why games? Nothing to be said. Motivation and engaging.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He taught a high school journalism class. He used “Scruples” and adapted that to teach ethics in journalism. Kids came up with their own ethical dilemmas.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What does it take to create a game? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Outcomes, Instructions, Pace and timing, What are the Controls, Story, Achievements, Endgame, and Assessment.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Outcomes: What do players need to know before they play the game? Prior knowledge. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What are they going to learn while playing the game? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What should they know after? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Example - the ethics game.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instruction: How do players learn how to play? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How fast does it take to learn how to play? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What if they forget the rules?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pacing/Timing <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How fast/slow is the game? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Turn-based? Real time? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Who goes first? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How long does it take to play?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Controls

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What do the players manipulate?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Story <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A force in human learning <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How is religion taught?Culture? Family History? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The parable. . . the moral. . . <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The LORE

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Achievements <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Big Goals <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rewards <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Punishments <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Breadcrumbs

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">EndGame <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the final outcome? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Is the game win or lose <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Can every win <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the outcome?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Assessment <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Built into every game <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How do you know a player is winning? Has won? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Can everyone win? Lose? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How do games assess? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Measuring performance.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now - Get into the Game!

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The presenter created a game format and then emailed us the URL for the teams and audience to use a spreadsheet to create their game. Very interesting use of a spreadsheet using Google Documents - spreadsheet.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgAeBkLLcsZ_dHhINkxieHAzRFhpNEJodVgwcms4MGc&hl=en_US&authkey=CJjZvrgB#gid=0__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Session 4: Best of Philly Youth Media.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Not really a session, but examples of videos created by a number of different organizations and youth. There was a student discussion panel at the end. Very interesting.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How to Get Teachers to Adopt Technology Rushton Hurley

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Next vista for learning website = <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__nextvista.org__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__tinyurl.com/RH-ISTE11__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__nextvista.org/newsletter__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">TodaysMeet.com/adopttech

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He showed us the video about Boy Scouts of America. And posed the question, “What if this kid were in our class?” We need to look at what we teach and how we teach it.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">His perspective - it had better save time, help my kids learn better or both. We are busy. We try to use time effectively.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Part I: Training

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">have teachers require themselves to be technology experts

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do: remind teachers of their expertise.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Showed us the lamp video - Many of the people feel the way the lamp feels. We need to remember that a lot of teachers feel like the world is passing them by. They don’t think that they have any value, but don’t realize that they are still experts in their field, even if it isn’t in technology.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t: start with standards

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do: Show something fun!

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Trying to build a culture of sharing cool ideas.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t: sit everyone in a lab for training

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do: Allow regular, short sharing time.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Part 2: using funds

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t: limit technology to labs

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do: Show what’s possible with one or two computers inn the classroom.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t: buy expensive software a teacher hasn’t used.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do: learn what’s freely available

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t: blanket the campus with expensive hardware

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do: use targeted spending to focus purchases

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s possible?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Last Session: Alan November

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Discussed a few examples of students who broke INto school to work on a computer and one that worked all summer on computers.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Recommended reading the book DRIVE. Found out that people did better on a job if the person feels that they are doing it for a purpose. He also researched about grading students, and found out that if you keep giving more grades that soon that’s all they really wanted was the grade.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">link:website and site:website will confirm or crossreference the validity of a website.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__dgh.wikisspaces.com__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having a student take notes while your talking can help students have pupose and get to know that student very well, plus they can share those note and get to know the student much better.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Students can make tutorials, student can take notes, and have them upload them so all can see, and they can also modify or edit them.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Have note taking divided into thirds.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Novemberlearning.com

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Diigo starting in 3rd grade, and from then on, the students will have a library of thousands of videos and things.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Also, tell your students to access their twitter accounts and tweet the best minds.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Launch a hashtag for your faculty.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alan November tedxnyed.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Every teacher should have an official Diigo researcher.