SBISD EdTech Blog

I came to this summit with skepticism, but I am leaving seeing the possibilities for handheld mobile learning devices in K-12. The hook–this all about student learning with their own personal device of choice whenever and wherever they desire.We have been asking the question “what are you going to do with it”? mLearning devices are not, at least now, creation devices–we will still need those.  Here is the answer to the “what”– teachers creating content to engage not entertain students in learning–content that can go home with the students or content that can be accessed from a home device. Why use class time for lecture with students copying lecture notes. This transfer of information can take place before class in a podcast which students listen to the night before (homework); class then becomes a teaching/learning through questioning. Lectures limit a student’s learning and are a waste of class time with our students; lectures focus on the delivery of information from teacher to the student–some take notes, some daydream, some sleep. Education is more than lectures. Podcasts can be audio or with video. Podcast lectures can be accompanied with a flipchart, a dissection under a document camera, images, or videos, and these can be accessed on mp3 players, smartphones, iPods, netbooks, laptops, or desktops. We can actually make use of what students already have!

Will mLearning take off–looks like it just might. Those businesses that supply educational resources are diversifying around it and new ones are being developed to take advantage of this phenomenon.  One thing is for sure, in order for teachers to survive this phenomenon, they will have to transform their pedagogy. Teachers are caught in the 20th C model but when trained, many will become strong advocates for 21st C pedagogical practices. We need a new pedagogical DNA–one that fits the learning styles of the 21st C learner. Students today are creative, mobile, multi-taskers, collaborative, and productive. They use 21st C digital tools such as iLife instead of 20th C tools of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Wikipedia is their dictionary and their encyclopedia; their collaboration tools are blogs, wikis, and chats; and they hang out online at social networking sites such as Facebook. Some universitites are taking advantage of this and have hired IT companies to develop courses for Facebook.

If we are preparing students for postsecondary success, then we must know that we are graduating our students into a digital environment that is becoming more and more mobile. Will our students be ready?

The ConnectEd Summit being held at Abilene Christian University began yesterday. Few systems have actually implemented handheld learning devices, but I have a feeling we will see a growth in classroom handhelds in the coming months. Not only has Apple developed more than 725 educational apps, many in the educational market are jumping on the bandwagon such as Blackboard and Pearson. We are also seeing new and foreign markets emerge as leaders in the US with products such as StudyWiz out of Australia. Last night’s keynote, Dr. Stephen Molyneaux, Apple Distinguished Educator and one of Europe’s leading experts in the field of technology, urged us to look at what is being done abroad with technology in education where he feels programs are more developed than here in the US.

The Spring Branch/Promethean Symposium held on January 24 was a huge success with over 300 district teachers and administrators in attendance. The day began with keynote speaker, Dr. Debra Pickering. Her topic entitled Using Technology to Enhance Instruction and Learning connected on so many levels with the 5-Year Plan technology initiatives we have underway in the District. While teachers were attending over 30 seminar sessions that were offered, Dr. Pickering talked with District leadership about Leadership in an Era of Technology in the Classroom, where she encouraged them to work both systemically and individually with classroom teachers to maximize the potential of this new era. “There have been, and will continue to be, significant changes in the classroom as new technologies influence curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.  This is a time that leadership is critical to insure that we are not just adopting technology because it is new; we have to insure that the new technology is combined with effective instructional practices.” The teachers’ day consisted of three hands-on seminars. The first two seminars focused on designing effective curriculum-focused flipcharts. Seminar leaders (SBISD teachers) modeled a successful lesson for the first 30 minutes and then focused participants on the student interactive/engaging pages in the flipchart. The seminar presenter allowed work time for teachers to create flipchart curriculum based on what tools and skills were just demonstrated. Seminar C focused on tools available in the ACTIVstudio software. Presenters again modeled how the tool is used during a lesson, and participants were given time to produce a flipchart while presenters facilitated. Because this Symposium was so well received, we plan to sponsor another one next year.

Attention All Spring Branch Teachers:

Do you have ideas for using technology in your classroom that will enhance your curriculum? Do you want a chance to not only implement your ideas but to actually get the technology in your classroom to use not just once but everyday?

This grant will give you the opportunity to put your creative ideas and the technology in place. We are looking for creative and innovative uses of technology with problem and project based learning. We encourage you to attend one of the informational training sessions being held on February 24 and March 4 where you will learn how to write an award winning grant.

If you have ideas but are not certain as to which device will best fit your ideas, we can help you there too. Please plan to attend the technology informational session on March 12. Here you will have the opportunity to visit with vendors, see their mobile learning devices, and talk about how these can  be used in the classroom.

For more information on the grant, the informational sessions, and to download a copy of the Grant applicaton and guidelines, please visit the Ed Tech POWER To Learn Grant site.

Today at the Technology Leadership Advisory meeting, we discussed the world of virtual learning. One particular site captured my attention so I investigated further.

Whyville is an educational virtual world where middle school boys and girls from all over the real world come to chat, play, learn, and have fun together. The goal of Whyville is to engage users in math and science activities. Citizens of Whyville learn about art history, science, journalism, civics, economics, and much more. Whyville works directly with the Getty, NASA, the School Nutrition Association, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to bring educational content to kids in an engaging manner. The creators of Whyville launched the virtual city to engage young people in constructive educational activities while promoting socially responsible behavior. Examples of the simulations at Whyville include Whypox, Whyflu, Deadly Red Tide, and Whyplane.

The hook for students is the “avatar.” The student’s avatar chats, explores Whyville, earns clams by playing games, shops, goes to town events, start their own business, buys a car or write for the town newspaper.

Check out my avatar…. and check out Whyville, especially if you are a middle school teacher.