Learning through Technology

Announcing the second annual “K12 Online” conference for teachers,administrators and educators around the world interested in the use ofWeb 2.0 tools in classrooms and professional practice! This year’sconference is scheduled to be held over two weeks, October 15-19 andOctober 22-26 of 2007, and will include a preconference keynote duringthe week of October 8. This years conference theme is “Playing withBoundaries.” A call for proposals is below.

OVERVIEW:

There will be four “conference strands”– two each week. Twopresentations will be published in each strand each day, Monday -Friday, so four new presentations will be available each day over thecourse of the two-weeks. Each presentation will be given in any of avariety of downloadable, web based formats and released via theconference blog (www.k12onlineconference.org) and archived for posterity.

FOUR STRANDS:

Week 1

Strand A: Classroom 2.0

Leveraging the power of free online tools in an open, collaborative andtransparent atmosphere characterises teaching and learning in the 21stcentury. Teachers and students are contributing to the growing globalknowledge commons by publishing their work online. By sharing allstages of their learning students are beginning to appreciate the valueof life long learning that inheres in work that is in “perpetual beta.”This strand will explore how teachers and students are playing with theboundaries between instructors, learners and classrooms. Presentationswill also explore the practical pedagogical uses of online social tools(Web 2.0) giving concrete examples of how teachers are using the toolsin their classes.

Strand B: New Tools

Focusing on free tools, what are the “nuts and bolts” of usingspecific new social media and collaborative tools for learning? Thisstrand includes two parts. Basic training is “how to” information ontool use in an educational setting, especially for newcomers. Advancedtraining is for teachers interested in new tools for learning, lookingfor advanced technology training, seeking ideas for mashing toolstogether, and interested in web 2.0 assessment tools. As educators andstudents of all ages push the boundaries of learning, what are thespecific steps for using new tools most effectively? Where “Classroom2.0″ presentations will focus on instructional uses and examples of web2.0 tool use, “New Tools” presentations should focus on “nuts andbolts” instructions for using tools. Five “basic” and five “advanced”presentations will be included in this strand.

Week 2

Strand A: Professional Learning Networks

Research says that professional development is most effective whenit aims to create professional learning communities — places whereteachers learn and work together. Using Web 2.0 tools educators cannetwork with others around the globe extending traditional boundariesof ongoing, learner centered professional development and support.Presentations in this strand will include tips, ideas and resources onhow to orchestrate your own professional development online; concreteexamples of how the tools that support Professional LearningEnvironments (PLEs) are being used; how to create a supportive,reflective virtual learning community around school-based goals, andtrends toward teacher directed personal learning environments.

Strand B: Obstacles to Opportunities

Boundaries formalized by education in the “industrial age”shouldn’t hinder educators as they seek to reform and transform theirclassroom practice. Playing with boundaries in the areas of copyright,digital discipline and ethics (e.g. cyberbullying), collaboratingglobally (e.g. cultural differences, synchronous communication),resistance to change (e.g. administration, teachers, students), schoolculture (e.g. high stakes testing), time (e.g. in curriculum, teacherday), lack of access to tools/computers, filtering, parental/districtconcerns for online safety, control (e.g. teacher control of studentbehavior/learning), solutions for IT collaboration and more –unearthing opportunities from the obstacles rooted in those boundaries– is the focus of presentations in this strand.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS:

This call encourages all, experienced and novice, to submit proposals to present at this conference via this link.Take this opportunity to share your successes, strategies, and tips in“playing with boundaries” in one of the four strands as describedabove.

Deadline for proposal submissions is June 18, 2007. You will be contacted no later than June 30, 2007 regarding your status.

Presentations may be delivered in any web-based medium that isdownloadable (including but not limited to podcasts, screencasts, slideshows) and is due one week prior to the date it is published.

Please note that all presentations will be licensed Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

As you draft your proposal, you may wish to consider the presentation topics listed below which were suggested in the comments on the K-12 Online Conference Blog:

• » special needs education
• » Creative Commons
• » Second Life
• » podcasting
• » iPods
• » video games in education
• » specific ideas, tips, mini lessons centered on pedagogical use of web 2.0 tools
• » overcoming institutional inertia and resistance
• » aligning Web 2.0 and other projects to national standards
• » getting your message across
• » how web 2.0 can assist those with disabilities
• » ePortfolios
• » classroom 2.0 activities at the elementary level
• » creating video for TeacherTube and YouTube
• » google docs
• » teacher/peer collaboration

KEYNOTES:

The first presentation in each strand will kick off with a keynoteby a well known educator who is distinguished and knowledgeable in thecontext of their strand. Keynoters will be announced shortly.

CONVENERS:

This year’s conveners are:

Darren Kuropatwa is currently Department Head of Mathematics atDaniel Collegiate Institute in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is knowninternationally for his ability to weave the use of online social toolsmeaningfully and concretely into his pedagogical practice and for”child safe” blogging practices. He has more than 20 years experiencein both formal and informal education and 13 years experience in teambuilding and leadership training. Darren has been facilitatingworkshops for educators in groups of 4 to 300 for the last 10 years.Darren’s professional blog is called A Difference (http://adifference.blogspot.com). He will convene Classroom 2.0.

Sheryl Nusbaum-Beach, a 20-year educator, has been a classroomteacher, charter school principal, district administrator, and digitallearning consultant. She currently serves as an adjunct faculty memberteaching graduate and undergraduate preservice teachers at The Collegeof William and Mary (Virginia, USA), where she is also completing herdoctorate in educational planning, policy and leadership. In addition,Sheryl is co-leading a statewide 21st Century Skills initiative in thestate of Alabama, funded by a major grant from the Microsoft Partnersin Learning program. Sheryl blogs at (http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com/blog/). She will convene Preconference Discussions and Personal Learning Networks.

Wesley Fryer is an educator, author, digital storyteller andchange agent. With respect to school change, he describes himself as a”catalyst for creative educational engagement.” His blog, “Moving atthe Speed of Creativity” was selected as the 2006 “Best Learning TheoryBlog” by eSchoolnews and Discovery Education. He is the Director ofEducation Advocacy (PK-20) for AT&T in the state of Oklahoma. Wesblogs at (http://www.speedofcreativity.org). Wes will convene New Tools.

Lani Ritter Hall currently contracts as an instructionaldesigner for online professional development for Ohio teachers andonline student courses with eTech Ohio. She is a National BoardCertified Teacher who served in many capacities during her 35 years asa classroom and resource teacher in Ohio and Canada. Lani blogs at (http://possibilitiesabound.blogspot.com). Lani will convene Obstacles to Opportunities.

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions about any part of this, email one of us:

• » Darren Kuropatwa: dkuropatwa@gmail.com
• » Sheryl Nusbaum-Beach: snbeach@cox.net
• » Lani Ritter Hall: lanihall@alltel.net
• » Wesley Fryer: wesfryer@pobox.com

technorati tags:K12OnlineConference, Education, OnlineConference, K12Online, ProfessionDevelopment

Blogged with Flock

I am reading about the work of Mishra and Koehler (2007) in Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and wondering about the implications for adult learning. I am only beginning my study of this topic but find it to be a very beneficial foundation upon which to build a solid adult learning program.

It makes sense that if technology is the focus then you might force pedagogy and content to conform to the technology.  If you only consider pedagogy then you will miss opportunities technology might afford. If your focus is content, then you might choose the wrong approach and the wrong technology for that approach thus frustrating the learner. For any technology integration to be sucessful, you must consider all three areas.

Again, this is the beginning of my journey and I will blog more as my framework develops. There are a lot of implications for education to explore here!

technorati tags:TPCK, adultlearning, professionaldevlopment, education, andragogy

Blogged with Flock

I just finished reading “Oversold and Underused” by Larry Cuban. Although I understand the point Cuban is making, I did not see solutions to the problem. Yes, schools are purchasing more and more computer equipment with only periodic training (and one shot at that) for teachers. I agree that teachers are relying on incorporating current technology into their teaching paradigm without full integration and because of the lack of training, typically are not successful.

I think Cuban misses the opportunity to bring out the important aspects of utilizing technology in the classroom. My professor stated in class that teachers are at the heart of teaching and rightly so. Technology is not here to replace the role of the teacher nor can it. Cuban rightly states that some are waiting for the tipping point of computers in the classroom which means when a certain number of computers are introduced into the classroom, then teachers will integrate technology (read embrace) in the their teaching. This will not happen.

The extent technology will be accepted in the classroom is the extent schools go to in educating the faculty in how technology can be used to enhance the teacher’s philosophy. There is no one way to integrate but many. It also is not a matter of either/or thinking. Computers are the latest technology to be introduced but not the first. Blackboards, overheads, video, etc. were all new technologies at some point.

No matter what technology is chosen, it must relate to the content being taught. You cannot nor should separate technology from content or philosophy. Koehler and Mishra at Michigan State University are doing some great work in this area but that is a matter for a future post. It is enough to say that schools cannot divorce one segment (technology, philosophy or content) in professional development.

To the point, Cuban stated the truth, we have been inudated with computers for years and there is little evidence the technology is enhancing education. Cuban did not finish the argument, however, because the reason this is true goes back to professional development not including all the necessary components. Up to this point, professional development has focused on the technology (training about a software or hardware) not how to integrate it into the teaching. To be fair, not all trainers have done this but most are guilty. Simply having the technology is not enough. We must help our teachers integrate the technology in a meaningful way that enhances the content using the teacher’s philosophy. It can be done and must be done if we are to see a return on our investment.

technorati tags:K12, development, education, technology, teaching

Blogged with Flock

If you read Christian literature, then you are probably familiar with the book by the same title as this post by Barbara Brown Taylor. It is an incredible book that I would recommend for those struggling with their place in the world.

In particular, she focuses on the busyness of life. We hurry here and there like we are very important people with very important business to take care of, only to discover that we have missed something on our way. Why is this important for a blog on technology? For two reasons, I am an ordained minister and I love technology.

You see, Taylor is an ordained minister in the Episcopal church. In the book, she says how busy she was serving God in her ministry that she forgot to worship God. For her, the work became more important than God. She felt God couldn’t do it without her. I believe she is not alone. Too often we feel the work would not happen if we did not do it. We obtain a martyr complex and feel our service is equal to our worship.

The truth is, we need the cheers and encouragement from the crowd. We need people to tell us we are doing the right thing. We need to know that when it is all said and done that we worked hard. But for what and for whom?

The technology game makes it easy to live a fast-paced life. There is always a new something to learn about or create. The next best thing is only a few minutes from now. The opposite to a hurried life is one that takes stock. A life that chooses a particular sizeable chunk of the puzzle and says, “I’ll do this.”

Now if you are reading this and think, “He must have it figured out.” Please think again. I struggle with this every day. When I wake up, it seems the world moves into high gear and doesn’t slow down until my son says, “Dad, you aren’t listening to me.” I want more for my children. I want more for me. And, I want more for you.

We are not the saviors of this world. That is not our job. We are no more than mirrors upon which society reflects. My mirror is a little tarnished. I have given the world a blurred view. I tried to reflect too much, too quickly and too soon. That leads to burnout. Now I am in a season of reflection on who I am and what I am here to do. I am looking at career choice and lots of other items in my life.

The other day, I blogged about Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple computers. At the age of 50, he took stock of his life. Was he where he wanted to be? If he could have done something else with his life, what would it have been? Maybe we need to vision more earlier on and then we will end up in a more positive place. You and I can’t make this ball spin any slower or faster. In fact, when we die it will continue on without us. People will say nice things but what will that be? “He worked hard.” “She really knew a lot about…”, “The company will never be the same again.” How much is our mark worth? Our families? Our pleasure? Our humanity? Once you sell your prized possessions, it takes a lot more to get them back and some never can be purchased again.

Take stock. Reflect. Sit by the stream of life and breathe it in. Once it is over, there is no coming back. I write this for me as I am not widely read but I offer it as a gift to you. Don’t get so involved in the now and in saving the world that you lose what you value the most.

Check out Taylor’s book at Amazon.

Being a student allows one to read books and articles not normally on the radar or at least not high on the priority scale. Such is the case for this semester. I am taking a leadership course in education and part of the syllabus is to read the autobiography of any leader. Now keep in mind that I have not started the course yet but that is really secondary to this post.

I started browsing around at Barnes and Noble (a real store not on line) to see what books were available and to see what caught my attention. in the middle of a table in the middle of the section was a book titled “iWoz” by Stephen Wozniak and Gina Smith. I quickly read the back cover and thought this would make a good study.

I highly recommend the book! The great Woz is down-to-Earth in his style of writing and what he has to say. Not being familiar with history books on Apple, he says he is trying to say some things for the record that have been incorrect in the histories. What comes across is someone who made and makes a great leader. He is not as sure as I am since he feels he makes a great engineer but a lousy manager. Woz knows how to treat people with respect and how to be an ethical business person when others around him are not.

Coupled with reading this book was Herman Hesse “Journey to the East” and “The Leadership Challenge“. I also have tried to keep up with my blog reading and was intrigued by a post from Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach about an interview she did on her work in K-12. In my opinion, Sheryl is an incredible leader when it comes to technology in education. She has desire, know-how and a solid educational philosophy from which to work.

What does all this reading have in common?

1. A passion about their subject area
2. Whatever you do, do your BEST!
3. When something doesn’t work, learn from it!
4. There is always room for improvement
5. It can always be done a different way
6. The leader is never better than anyone else (they are simply steering the process)
7. They share their story with others

This is a simple list. Nothing great or earth shattering but it reminds us how we can all lead. For those who have the pleasure of knowing Sheryl, she is a very humble person. She doesn’t toot her own horn and tell you how great she is in her field. She also would tell you that anyone can lead. I will be thinking a lot about leadership this semester. I will have the opportunity to re-read iWoz and several other resources so I have not said my final thing about leadership. Just starting the dialogue.

If you were to write a list about what makes a leader great, what would it look like?

technorati tags:Leadership, Wozniak, K12

Blogged with Flock

A friend of mine is learning to make documentary films and in the process is watching several. This latest post brings back the power the Nazi government had over people and how it stripped people of their dignity. The story of Anne Frank is well known but the eye witness accounts are a very powerful lesson for us all to remember.



A Horrible Lesson

technorati tags:Documentary, Holocust, film

Blogged with Flock

Today is a powerful day. The stillness brings on thoughts of an eerie silence in the skies on a cloudless September day. No airplanes could be seen. The sidewalks were quieted as people sat motionless in front of their television waiting and watching as two stalwart towers were erupting in flames. What can you say in a moment like that? What words can capture the feelings of helplessness and fear that overtake a person’s being? Nothing.

Like the silence of that horrible September day, we remember the images of our world crumbling around us. Technology could not save us then and it cannot save us now. We now know it could have empowered us more if we had used it to its fullest potential but isn’t that true of everything?

Today is a somber day. A day to remember. A day to commit so that such a day will not easily revisit us. In your moment of silence, feel the pain of over 2500 souls crying in the depth of despair and commit to make a difference. In your moment of silence, remember those who were left to pick up the pieces and commit to make a difference. Today is a new day that has been defined by one brief moment in time. We will never be the same. We will never see airplanes and towers the same way again. Today, our commitment is to the future. Not to technology, not to change but to the promise that we have learned something from our tragedy. That we will respect each other more. That we will embrace life with more enthusiasm. That we will use our talents for the betterment of humanity and not for mere self-improvement.

Today is a new day. Today is a challenge from our past to define a better future. Have we learned our lesson?

(Author’s note: This is from the 21st Century Learning Blog (http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com/blog/2006/09/k12_online_2006.html). Please support this worthy endeavor!)

Announcing the first annual “K12 Online 2006″ convention for teachers, administrators and educators around the world interested in the use of Web 2.0 tools in classrooms and professional practice! This year’s conference is scheduled to be held over two weeks, Oct. 23-27 and Oct. 30- Nov. 3 and will include a preconference keynote.  The conference theme  is “Unleashing the Potential.” A call for proposals is below.There will be four “conference strands”– two each week. Two presentations will be published in each strand each day, Monday - Friday, so four new presentations will be available each day over the course of the two-weeks. Each presentation will be given in podcast or screencast format and released via the conference blog (http://www.k12onlineconference.org) and archived for posterity.
THE FOUR STRANDS ARE: