We have to stop pretending...

Inspired by Scott McLeod's (@mcleod) post, here is my #MakeSchoolDifferent list:

1. Teaching to a wider middle is the change we need.

2. Teaching to the middle paperlessly is the change we need. 

3. Teaching to the middle with technology is the change we need.

4. "When in doubt, teach to the middle" is the default narrative of our practice.

5. Intuition is data.

6. We are preparing students for a world they aren't in yet.

7. Good pedagogy is about finding ways to control and coerce students.

8. Real-world problems are neatly divided into 8 subject areas.

9. Soft skill development is best left to chance.

#MakeSchoolDifferent

If we broke devices down, what would we have?

So we have 21st Century hardware in our students' pockets, but what would it look like if we bought every capability of our students' technology separately?

Each classroom of 30 students would have (typically) 15-20 of the following very best educational resources for learning and demonstrating that learning:

Flat screen mini video viewing stations

Audio recorders

Audio players

Music players

Video cameras

Still cameras

Dictionaries

Sets of encyclopedias

Sets of textbooks for every subject imaginable

Clickers

Timers

Automatic assignment notebooks

Reminder tools

Photo/slide libraries

Film

Barcode scanners

Flashlights

Headphones

Speakers

Translators

GPS/GIS

Mapping systems

All public domain documents

A library full of novels

Word processors

Spreadsheets

Presentation software

Polling software

Survey software

Star maps

Telephones

Drawing kits

Video editors

Sound editors

Flip books

Projection screens

PER CLASSROOM. In 1983, this would have been impossible. 

In 1993 this would have been an amazing school.

In 2003 this would have been really expensive. 

In 2013 it's reality.

Wouldn't you want to learn in this school?

What other capabilities do we have today?

Group roles enabled by devices in the classroom-

Here are some ways to incorporate technology into cooperative learning groups, adding a new twist on the already familiar. With just one device per group, new group roles make it possible to take your classroom groups to the next level. Feel free to add to this list, or share any questions or experiences.

“Post”erchild- student’s job is to take information from the group (input, conversation, a picture, etc.) and post it to Edmodo, or Moodle, or Todaysmeet or Twitter (or whatever the class is using).
“Source”erer- This person’s job is to verify the validity of the information being used by the group by searching to see if there are multiple/reliable sources that corroborate the group’s findings.
Googler- The job of this student is to seek answers to questions that come up in a group.
Data-miner- The job of this student is to find statistics/number support/confirmation as it is needed in a group. This person may also be good for finding or creating graphs.
Mathemagician- For classes that don’t normally have calculators, this person can use his or her device to do mathematical things. Even in a math class, this person could use an app or website to enhance the math already being done in the group, or to take that math and find an application for it.
Presenter- This person’s job is to make a quick online presentation (slide presentation, animation, flip book, digital story, Animoto, picture narrative, etc.) on behalf of the group, rather than just having the group stand at the front of the room and talk about what they did to wrap up an activity.
Timer- most devices have some sort of timer on them- be it a stopwatch, or a countdown timer- take advantage of it by having students time and streamline their conversations in think-pair-share activities. Even if you are the only teacher in the room with a device, the timer on that device can be very handy for timing transitions between activities, timing the length of activities, etc.
Blogger/wiki-er- This person updates the group/class blog or wiki. Similar to the posterchild.
Newshound- similar to the Googler, except this person is responsible for finding news articles related to the topic being studied or discussed. Or to find articles on topics of interest in the target language.
Pictofinder- This person is responsible for finding images online that may be of use to a group, either for vocabulary imagery, or having a model to draw from. This person could also find relevant video.
Photo/ Video journalist- This student is responsible for making images and posting them to an online forum. Photos can be used to record notes that can be shared, document a process, or demonstrate learning.
Note-taker (transformed!)- person taking notes posts them to a cloud account (like Evernote or Google Docs) then shares them out with the group members so all members have copies of the notes.
Audio recorder- Creates a brief audio podcast, either using the voice memo feature on the device or an app like iPadio.
Navigator- This person uses the map program on their device (or finds a mapping program on the web) to look up locations on maps, plan routes, etc.  
GPS- Many devices have GPS in them, and have apps that track location and movement information (speed, mileage, distance, etc.). Some fitness apps also enable calorie intake tracking as well. Might be useful in a health or PE class.
QR code reader- The job of this person with the device is to read the QR codes. With QR codes, you can set up QR activated stations around the room, or campus, and have groups go and follow the path, solving problems along the way, or doing an exercise, or completing an activity.

Remember, there is no need to do this all at once. Try one and see how it goes. Do what you’re comfortable doing.

Any other suggestions?

#ICE13 Wednesday

Today I did the BYOC (Build Your Own Conference) option at the ICE conference. I saw the morning session by Tony Vincent and Angela Maier's second and third sessions. This was my first experience with ICE, and I was very pleased with what I experienced. Both presenters embodied the dual, often-conflicting nature of being involved in educational technology- working with people vs. working with machines. My impression was that they were both approaching the same message from two different angles: while machines (hardware and software, specifically mobile devices) used to be things that people worked with during the day and separated themselves from at night, we now live in a world where people and machines have a symbiotic relationship. In other words, the separation between people and machines is gone, and people view their technology as extensions of themselves Consequently, it is time for the world to embrace this point.

Tony Vincent's session on Project Based learning was more machine oriented (and by "machine," I mean hardware and software) a very practical, easy to understand (to the extent that is possible with PBL) guide for teachers to do PBL in classrooms, discussing and demonstrating many of the apps and technologies that engage students and ultimately making the point that the learning landscape has changed, that our students speak a new (different?) language in school (that language being digital) than what they once did, and that the way we teach needs to change to embrace that. He offered a very practical, 3-step process to help focus students' energies (through guiding question) so that they can create products that are meaningful to them.

Angela Maiers' two presentations (one on social media, the other on school leadership in a digital world), looked more at the world in which our students live and the things that humans are capable of now that we are all so connected. She argued, and I think Mr. Vincent would agree, that humans have an unprecedented ability to maximize our potential due to digital tools. Her sessions focused more on the human aspects of social media being able to connect people and (to borrow her phrase) "amplify our genius."

(Note: I'm sure my phrasing does not do either of them justice. Please do not think of the previous two paragraphs as trite reviews. They were both awesome, and I'm still processing both of them. ICE is one of those "you had to be there" sort of things.)

Both sessions were as inspirational as they were puzzling. I always come away from great sessions like these (or great Twitter chats, or great blog posts, articles, etc.) with a rush of energy, but always with nagging voice of conflict: "Where do I begin? Is it more valuable to get teachers able to use the machines with the hope they'll be able to use them properly someday, or do I try to lay the groundwork with people first, to make them ravenous for the machines?" Or, are these even separate questions?

As the tech guy, it's hard to strike a balance between always wanting to help teachers learn how to use technology (in and out of the classroom), while knowing full well that it's even more important that we move beyond "integration" and work toward shifting perceptions of what goes on in schools now that real-time access to information has changed so much of what we can do.

The sign of a good learning experience is the ability of that experience to inject a healthy dose of inspiration and confusion in the learner. By that measure, today was an excellent day of learning for me. I look forward to what sparks tomorrow will produce as I bash these approaches together in my mind.

I wish that I knew what I know now, etc.

Spending a year teaching freshman English in a computer lab was the most eye-opening, mind-blowing and career-changing experience I've had in teaching. Sure, taking courses in technology and earning a degree gave me a solid academic foundation in the "talk" of technology in the classroom, but it wasn't until I was thrown into the a classroom, the purpose of which was to house technology for students to use that I truly began to confront the reality of technology in the classroom, that I began to embrace having to do the "walk" of technology in the classroom.

Now, as the tech guy, I spend my day working with teachers facing the same trepidations I faced at the outset of that year. I think it's time for a post about what I would say to myself if I could go back in time and talk to my-then-self about the experience, knowing what I know now.

Advice #1:

As with any new program or privilege in the classroom, it is important to be on your game classroom management-wise while the students adjust. Remember, it’ll be (sort of) new to them, too.

If you're worried about kids using technology in your classroom, I can make the following assurances:

*They’re going to figure out what sites they can and cannot access–that doesn’t mean they have to use your class time to do it though.

*They will find games/sites that are totally mindless and attempt to access them during class.

*They will definitely test your “with-it-ness” with the new privileges

*These behaviors will be more prevalent early on, less prevalent as you learn the kinds of things they'll try to get away with

*(That being said, it’s also still pretty obvious when they’re off-task.)

*The kids deserve more credit than we give them when it comes to productive use of technology

*Do not let fears stop you; instead, use the way you venture into this new territory to help you grow as an educator

So, what can you do about it? Classroom Management 101:

*Introduce it slowly.

*Give them only the freedom you’re comfortable with them having.

*Monitor them closely, especially when trying something new.

*Have clear, high expectations.

*Practice procedures until the kids are at the level you want them to be.

*Hold the students to your expectations consistently and firmly.  

*Have consequences for when they screw up.

*Have faith in the process (It's not as big of an adjustment as you think!)

*Remember: The students want to use their devices. The fact that they’re able to in your class is cool for them. They don’t want to screw that up.

Some specifics to think about (As with all matters of classroom management, there are no right or wrong answers to these questions. Do what works best for you and your students):

*How do you want students to conduct themselves while using their devices in class? Do you insist that they be above the desk at all times? Do you want to always be able to see their screens? Do you care?

*What do you want students to do with their devices when they’re not being used for class? Will you have the students put their devices away when they’re not in use, or will you have them be face-down on the desk?

*Will you have a way to indicate whether technology is allowed to be used or not? I know we have signs in the classrooms, but some people choose other ways, such as a lamp that gets used like a technology bat-signal.

*What do you want students to do about the audio function? Should the sound be turned off at all times? Do you care?

*Are there different rules during tests and quizzes? Is it possible to have some tests/quizzes that allow devices?

We live in an age of information abundance. It is important to clarify how we can begin to embrace that  abundance. What other practical steps are necessary to begin changing the culture of education to a more student-centered, inquiry-based  endeavor? I'll try to tell my former self more as I think of other advice.

I want to keep blogging, so here is a post.

While I read (and read and read) a great deal about the intersection of technology and education, no meaningful dive into that conversation can take place without ingesting a healthy dose of thought on what is the best way to go about educating our students. I am surrounded by information about education. Questions about the role of data in education, the proper kind of technology integration, the ever-stormy debate about high-stakes testing, the direction of higher ed. in an age of MOOCs, webinars, wondering if edtech is a bubble waiting to burst, new apps and their potential to transform learning, what is the best way to organize a classroom, how to best manage students with devices... all the voices and articles and opinions are great reading, listening (podcasts in the car), viewing (Ted talks), and enjoyment. I've been a sponge lately, but I've kept it all to myself. But Tom Whitby's post on Tuesday was one that made me sit up and say to myself "man, I really do need to start contributing again." The line that resonated with me first:

"I always worry if a basic explanation is just too basic for an audience of professionals. I too often make an assumption that what I am about to write in my post is too basic, and therefore no one will have any interest."

I have too many half-started blog posts, "in the chamber," be it in my mind or my blog landing page.  But it is that fear that stops me from publishing them. I'm so surrounded by this conversation on a daily basis, that everything I've tried to say feels like it's regurgitating what others have said. Whatever. If Tom says it doesn't matter, then I'm going to take his word for it. Thanks, Tom. 

Here is a brief sampling of the kind of thoughts I've been having a lot lately. I love technology, but mostly as a way to bring change to classrooms. Sure, the buttons and apps are really fun. And I love the heck out of learning Google tools and savvy searches but to merely integrate technology is not enough, given the time of information abundance we're living in. Whether we like it or not, the Web is the new and relevant medium for our students. While it may have been a nice place for information in its infancy, the Web is no longer just a really big encyclopedia with more pictures; it's not a passing fad. It is our students' social space, entertainment source, and their living space (for better or for worse). 

I have trouble with the notion that school's job is to prepare students for the "real world." With the Web, our students already are in the real world, navigating its challenges and trying to make meaning. For all intents and purposes, it is their world. Many of the same challenges we face in the real world are the same challenges we and our students face on the Web. There is knowledge to be had all around our students, and they are eager to access that world. Having power online translates into having real world power. Let's capitalize on their eagerness, interest, and preferred tools. We are not preparing our students for the world we lived in growing up; that world is gone. We are sending students into the world of uncertainty that is constantly changing. 

And so on. If I can use the blog to contribute my voice to the roar that is mounting against traditional, industrial era classrooms, so be it.

BYOT vs 1:1- Will there always be a divide?

    While much discussion has been generated about BYOT creating a haves vs. have-nots situation in schools, hasn't there always been one when it comes to the tools students bring to school? Some students have easy access to new reams of paper, fancy writing utensils, index cards, poster boards, construction paper, etc. and there are plenty of students whose access to these supplies is limited. I cannot tell you the number of times I've had students who have shown up to class without basic supplies. Personally, I gave up on requiring students to create poster board presentations long ago when I realized it was not easy for all students to get a board from the office supply store or pharmacy. So when I hear arguments about mobile devices in the classroom creating a divide among the students, I cannot help but think that the divide has always been there, it's just that the technology is making it more apparent. Students also bring their own cultural capital, home lives, and other experiences to class with them, all of which are unequal, which means there is another divide in education that I'm not sure school will ever be able to bridge. It would be wonderful if schools could help equalize all those formative experiences for all students, but that is not possible. And while these various divides (supply divide, cultural capital divide, digital divide) certainly are the source of much frustration for teachers, it's certainly not a new frustration. The divides have been there all along, haven't they?

    How have teachers dealt with these divides? Well, they've found ways to make-do with the resources that are available. Looking on with a neighbor's textbook, sharing a pencil eraser, borrowing a pen- these are all daily occurrences in classrooms. Teachers design activities so students can submit projects in the form that works best for them. They also work to be understanding and create student groups that have a variety of strengths and weaknesses in them. I imagine they will continue to do these things in the classrooms of the future with digital devices, regardless of the model that becomes best practice. They have to, right? I mean, do we really think that technology can make life so equal in the classroom that teachers will be able to stop being flexible, accommodating, and resourceful? That notion seems farfetched to me.

    Here's where I run out of answers and just keep asking questions. I'm not going to take sides on 1:1 vs. BYOT. I see them both as difficult but worthwhile endeavors. But if divides have always been present in our classrooms regardless of whether our students' tools are digital or not, I wonder, is it the job of the school to work within the system of inequalities to ensure that all students learn (as a BYOT situation might suggest) OR, is it the job of schools to supply students with a single tool that will ensure all students have an equal playing field for success (as a decision to go 1:1 might suggest)? I don't know the answer to that question. Perhaps it is up to each school community to decide for itself. But if the latter is the truth (1:1), that all students should be given the same digital tool, what was it that stopped schools from supplying students with notebooks and pens (which are significantly less expensive than the kinds of digital devices deployed on a broad scale in 1:1 programs) all along? Why are so many schools so willing to spend all the money now to ensure equality of tools and they were not willing to do it before? 

    Furthermore, haven't BYO and 1:1 always been in conflict in education? It's generally accepted that students are supposed to bring their own disposables- supplies, paper, folders, binders, etc- and that the school is supposed to supply 1:1 access to textbooks. Has having 1:1 access to textbooks done anything to bridge the divides that have been long standing in education? Would those same inequalities persist if we required students to find and bring their own textbooks? Has requiring students to bring their own supplies done anything to exacerbate the divides in our classrooms? Would there still be divides if the school supplied all students with notebooks, paper, and pens? What is it about digital devices that brings these questions -of what schools should supply vs. what students should bring- to the surface now? Shouldn't we have been asking these questions all along?

    On the one hand, 1:1 represents a major opportunity to intervene and ensure true equality among students, at least from the standpoint of material goods. On the other hand, there is no guarantee that a student body equipped with the same device is going to all know how to use that device to the same level. I imagine there are plenty of students who struggle to use their 1:1 devices, and others who are experts with them. Is this not a major inequality between students that needs to be addressed?

   As for BYOT, are digital tools so powerful that some students will be at a complete disadvantage in our school system if they do not have a device or if they have a device that is less-than-stellar? Don't get me wrong, I believe in technology and feel it has tremendous power to transform our schools. But are schools doing wrong by students if they don't supply them all with equal learning tools? Arguably, they have not been giving equal learning tools for a long time, which is why I find some of these fears that BYOT will create some sort of new, digital divide, to be overstated. 

    I'm not really sure where to go with the rest of this post. I think the point I'm trying to make is that if we look at education solely through the lens of the tools students use and where they come from, we will forever struggle to find answers. While it is important to have access to digital tools so students can learn how to use such devices, we must remember that devices are not the reason we send children to school.