FaithEdTech

Make Sure Your Kids Know Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 02:59:00 +0000

Just over a year ago the shootings at a school in Sandy Hook, CT, devastated a community. Then last week a gunman in our own community at Arapahoe High School created havoc, injury, and stole peace of mind. When these events happen there is typically the plea to "hug your children a little tighter tonight." While this is admirable and important, to me there is an even more significant activity of which we should be reminded in times like these. I shared this thought on Facebook back in April 2013 after the Boston Marathon bombing, but it currently applies as well:

Hug your kids! Let them know you love them! But also make sure they are prepared for eternity by knowing Jesus as their Savior.

#LuthEd Chat Tomorrow -- Managing Digital Distractions

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 02:44:00 +0000

I am leading our #LuthEd Twitter chat tomorrow night. Our topic will be "Managing Digital Distractions", a timely topic, and one which is becoming more important than ever for all of us in education. Join us online at 9 PM EST (adjust your own time zone accordingly!). Click here if you are interested in the questions we will be addressing in advance of the discussion.

Over the past month we have had some significant engagement in our #LuthEd Twitter chats. I hope that you can join us. If you are unsure of how to use Twitter or how to lurk or participate in the discussion. email me here. I am happy to help you get started with these chats.

Thoughts on LEC

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 02:58:00 +0000

This week I had the opportunity to join Lutheran school educators at the Pacific Southwest District Lutheran Educators Conference (LEC) in Palm Springs, CA. It is always interesting to take part in a conference such as this since it is outside my own geographic district and it provides me the chance to meet a host of new people. I attended the conference on behalf of Ministry Technology Mentors (MTM), speaking with folks in the exhibit hall, and then sharing a couple sessions with administrators in the district. It was a blessing for me to be a part of this event.

As I reflect on some of what I saw and learned, here are some of the highlights:

MTM is still a relatively unknown and underutilized resource for Lutheran schools and teachers. When instructional design and technology training in the form of graduate classes may be accessed at a fraction of the normal cost, I am hopeful that more schools and teachers will take advantage of this, and the many other services MTM has to offer.
There is a distinct feeling among a number of participants that schools can be divided into "haves" and "have nots", and those that identify themselves with the "have nots" are worried about falling further behind in their technology and instructional design offerings, with many almost pleading for new models for help and support. In particular, a number of Los Angeles County schools see them as needing more support in continuing to progress, something I would love to help provide, but which, frankly, I am not sure how to approach at this time.
I appreciated how teachers in this district seem to support the total ministry of their schools> For instance, I had a number of preschool teachers talk with me to learn more about MTM to share with their faculty, expressing a love for their entire school, not only their particular department.

I am particularly interested in ideas for better meeting the needs of some of the schools that consider themselves to be "have nots" in the district -- not having the large enrollment or funding model that really helps them be aggressive in embracing educational change and advancement. I am guessing that I need to pursue more detail from some of these teachers and schools as to what they feel they need or are missing to be successful.

Perhaps you have that perception of "haves" and "have nots" in your region as well. What support do these schools need? How can we better support their work? I am definitely open to your ideas on this topic.

I am thankful for the opportunity to share time with our Lutheran education brothers and sisters in California, Arizona, and Nevada, and I look forward to working with them in the future.

#LuthEd Twitter Chats

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 02:56:00 +0000

It has been a week since I returned from the LEA Convocation in Milwaukee (I shared my reflections about the conference here). As with most conferences, the excitement of new learning and the fellowship with colleagues ebbs when one returns to the realities of every day life in our respective ministries. However, there was a sense that something different was happening in Milwaukee -- that there was some momentum to create collaborative learning and project activities as professionals in Lutheran ministries.

To that end tomorrow evening, educators will engage in our first online Twitter chat specific to Lutheran education. We will join online at 9 PM Eastern time and use the hashtag #LuthEd to categorize our discussion. Tomorrow's discussion will be led by Dr. Bernard Bull of Concordia University Wisconsin, and the topic will be "Promoting Digital Collaboration in Lutheran Schools." Each week at the same Monday evening time slot we will discuss a new topic, sharing and collaborating along the way, adding value to the work and ministries of each other.

Won't you consider joining the conversations? See you on Twitter each Monday evening!

Reflections on LEA

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 03:42:00 +0000

It has been a while since I have posted on this blog. A new Call, a growing work load outside of this new Call, and the tensions of life have gotten in the way. But I was energized this week by attending the LEA Convocation in Milwaukee, where 3100 Lutheran educators met for three days. Here are a list of my highlights and takeaways from the event:

HIGHLIGHTS:

Long conversations with a large number of Lutheran educators from all over the world -- so long that my sleep and rest have suffered! It was worth it, however! What a blessing it is to have such valued brothers and sisters in Christ as colleagues!
The blessings of being asked to facilitate three different sessions at the conference (session notes may be found here). I really enjoy connecting with other educators in this way.
The renewed sense of being a part of something larger beyond my school.
The enjoyment of being back in Milwaukee, one of my favorite cities.

TAKEAWAYS:

Kudos to LEA for embracing and inviting social media and digital conversations to the Convocation. Those definitely added value to the event and will, hopefully, serve as a springboard for ongoing conversations about innovation and the future of Lutheran education.
There was significant discussion that we perhaps have reached the point of engagement by educators where we may be able to finally leverage that engagement to create artifacts of value for Lutheran schools, such as digital texts. Dr. Bull from Concordia University Wisconsin has raised this issue and challenge for all of us.
I love tweetups, where those of us who use Twitter meet face-to-face at the Convocation. Our second event of this nature was a big success, and we had the opportunity to welcome some new leaders and educators to this virtual community.
One question that Dr. Bull challenged me with and which I have been thinking about is how we ensure that Lutheran education does not cater only to affluent constituencies. There are some distinct financial pressures on our schools, but if Jesus is for everyone, then we need to explore new ways to ensure that our schools reach out with Jesus to all communities.

NEXT STEPS:

To continue the momentum and conversations, please start using the hashtag #LuthEd when posting on Twitter when discussing Lutheran education resources and issues. We really want to encourage your continued participation.
Dr. Bull has created a Google+ community entitled Future Lutheran Education as a place for additional work in forging a better future for Lutheran education.
Be sure to thank LEA and their planning team for their work on our behalf in preparing Convocation events.

Recently Reviewed Links and Services

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 00:44:00 +0000

Here are a few links to digital tools and services that I have reviewed or re-visited over the past several weeks. Perhaps you will find something in this list that is helpful to you:

I am interested in using iFakeText in the coming year to invent (or have students invent) imagined text message conversations between historic figures, Bible characters, etc. It may also be used as a digital citizenship activity since imagined text conversations such as these could be seen as real conversations due to the accuracy of the graphics on this site.
TodaysMeet and CoveritLive are two backchannel tools for use in the classroom and at events. The first is a free tool with few advanced features while the second is much more full-featured but also uses a subscription model.
Use this online stopwatch to count time timed classroom events in an engaging manner.
Meograph is an advanced online multimedia service which allows users to create interactive storytelling content incorporating, text, images, voice, and video. Teachers can create flipped classroom content, will students may use the service for presentations and for assessment options.
One final site without a distinct educational connection: Check out Interfacelift to find high resolution royalty-free images for computer and mobile device backgrounds and desktops. Spruce up your digital workspaces today!

Must See Comment: Pinterest Board for Education

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 04:36:00 +0000

Below is a comment added from Julie Faulkner, the creator of some excellent Pinterest boards for education, as shared in this previous blog post. I wanted to make sure everyone saw her comment for she truly seeks to support educators through her work.

Thank you Dave! You know I’m zealous about anything that supports meaningful and relevant learning with technology in education!

Creating and maintaining the Pinterest boards was something I thought would be a 'simple, yet very practical' approach to enlarging and enriching the Personal Learning Network/Environment (PLN/E) of fellow Lutheran Educators. The results have been astonishing, far beyond what I had expected!

Educators are using this outlet as a PLN/E as a ‘real-world’ opportunity to follow & connect, literally expanding their circle of colleagues….and not only with Lutheran teachers! The development of relationships beyond our classroom and school walls is especially important for teachers who are insistent on continually searching for new ideas and experiences for their classrooms.

The rate of experimental modes of learning, changing pedagogy and instructional methods that we saw at ISTE 2013 was an example of the necessity of a PLN/E for the 21st Century Teacher.

It is my objective that many follow me on Pinterest, add their own Pins and follow others who are in those boards creating connections world-wide.

Thanks again!
Julie
Julfaulkner@hotmail.com

Please join Julie in helping build this community of learning.

New Blog on Personal Christian Faith

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 16:33:00 +0000

Here is a new blog I am following with some thoughts about the Christian faith as it relates to personal spiritual development. Perhaps this will have value for you as well:

http://jenniferroettjer.org/blog.html

Pinterest Board for Education

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 00:28:00 +0000

One of my graduate students at Concordia University Wisconsin recently completed a Capstone Project as a culminating event for her degree program. To that end, Julie Faulkner created many Pinterest boards related to education, providing valuable resources for teachers of all grade levels and disciplines. I encourage you to check out her Pinterest boards and to join the unique professional development community she has created through this social media site.

Great work Julie! I am thankful for your effort on behalf of educators.

What Do You Want Kids to Do With Technology?

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 01:02:00 +0000

The graphic below has made its way around various educational technology sites and blogs. What do you think of the content? Agree? Disagree? And if you agree, how can we make this more the norm in Lutheran schools? What specific steps can we take? Let's get the coffee house conversation going!

ATTRIBUTION: Bill Ferriter

eTale and Innovative Education

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 16:36:00 +0000

Those of you who are interested in innovative approaches to education and in helping Lutheran education move beyond the traditional to the possible will want to regularly review posts on the Etale blog. Created by Dr. Bernard Bull of Concordia University Wisconsin, this blog regularly explores alternative education practices and models. Some recent posts and topics include:

I am becoming a regular commenter at this site, and I encourage you to join the conversation here as well. Let's together find ways to help Lutheran education be seen as innovative and relevant!

Cheerleader for Lutheran Education

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 20:03:00 +0000

At the recent International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in San Antonio, Adam Bellow provided a rousing conclusion to the week's festivities with his closing keynote address. See below:

Clearly Bellow is at his best as a cheerleader and encourager of educators and educational change.

Which got me thinking, who are our "go to" cheerleaders for Lutheran education? Who are the ones who actively support, encourage, connect, and challenge us to approach our work for the Lord with joy and awe? Who are the ones that help us remember the blessing that we have teaching in a Lutheran school even amidst vision, enrollment, and budgetary challenges?

I am nowhere near the inspirational speaker that Bellow is, but I do want to be one that supports, encourages, and challenges those of us in Lutheran schools to continue to fulfill our shared mission of bringing Christ to students and families through our educational ministry. That is one of the purposes of this blog, and a key reason for making these posts a larger priority in my day and week.

How can I better serve to encourage and challenge each of my colleagues throughout the Lutheran system? Please let me know if there are tangible ways I can better support and uplift you in the important work you do every day on behalf of children and families.

Coffee House Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 16:45:00 +0000

A few days ago I posted some ideas about a Lutheran Coffee House -- a place or places where Lutheran educators may regularly gather to better make sense of technology and education for our students and families. The ideas of the coffee house resonates with many people, but it is currently an idea in abstract. To that end, in order to put the coffee house idea into practice, taking advantage of the digital tools with which we have been blessed, let me share a few examples of how we might create this Lutheran Coffee House. See whether you feel one or more of these ideas would be effective, or share your own ideas:

Create regular online meetings with a thematic topic for Lutheran education in Google Hangouts
Sponsor monitored and moderated Twitter chats, perhaps using a hashtag such as #LuthEdChat
Build some interviews with innovative master teachers in the Lutheran system and record these interviews as a basis for a discussion board conversation, hopefully inspiring each of us with new ideas.

Do you have another suggestion for creating the coffee house? Does one of the ideas listed above seem workable? Share your response as a comment to this post. Let's build the Lutheran Coffee House!

Practical Tool from ISTE13 -- TubeChop

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 19:21:00 +0000

One very useful teacher utility I discovered at the recent ISTE conference in San Antonio is TubeChop. Many educators are leery of using YouTube, even if they have previewed the video, because there are sometimes ads or other content they did not expect to appear in the video. TubeChop takes a video and allows users to "create" a new video that contains a much smaller segment of the original file. The TubeChop's slider selector is used to create a new start and end point for the video. Then the "chopped" video may be shared either with an embed code for a website or with a unique URL the site has created.

Give it a try and see what you think!

15 Mistakes With Technology and Learning

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 20:56:00 +0000

The linked post shares 15 Mistakes You Are Probably Making With Technology and Learning. It is a provocative list -- one sure to generate discussion with colleagues.

Let's see what you think of this list. Here are a couple discussion questions for this post, ones which may be answered as a reply to this post:

1. Which item on this list is the most difficult to avoid? Why?
2. Are there times on this list with which you disagree? If so, why?
3. Choose one item on the list. How would your classroom change if you changed your approach to that item?

Let's share and learn together!

The Lutheran Education Coffee House

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 20:48:00 +0000

I have spent the past few days at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in San Antonio. I am sure that there are many topics for reflection which will appear in future posts, but one idea which really resonated with me was the powerful metaphor of the coffee house our keynote speaker Steven Johnson used this morning.

Historically, the coffee house was a place where people of all walks of life came together and had multidisciplinary conversations about the world. Johnson calls this a "liquid network" -- a place where ideas naturally flow.

There is clearly value in this concept, especially as we in Lutheran education grapple with weighty issue of discovering how we better meet the learning needs of our communities while still maintaining our focus on the critical mission of sharing Christ with children and families. It seems to me that we do not wrestle with these issues nearly enough for us to truly understand and adapt to these changes.

To that end, I ask, "What is our Lutheran coffee house?" Or, perhaps more pointedly, "Where should our Lutheran coffee house be located, and how can we engage many more people in these important conversations for the future of Lutheran education?" I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Feel free to share your ideas as a comment to this post. Let's build the coffee house!

Improving Student Engagement

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 18:40:00 +0000

I was privileged to have the opportunity to create a guest post for one of my favorite education blogs Secondary Farm this past week. Here are my thoughts on Improving Student Engagement.

Basic Copyright Information

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:11:00 +0000

Matthew Wolf, a student in one of my graduate classes at Concordia University Wisconsin, put together a simple WordPress site that shares basic copyright information for educators. The pages were put together in a clear and concise manner and have value for teachers and school leaders. Take a look at his work and share the site with colleagues as you see fit. We all should be seeking and striving to honor copyright appropriately.

http://edt970copyright.wordpress.com/

Document Ownership and Google Apps for Education

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:59:00 +0000

A funny thing happened along the way as I sought to transfer my Google Apps data from my account with my previous school to the new account at my current school: I found out that one cannot transfer ownership of documents created in Google Apps for Education to another account. So I am left with many collaborative documents inside an old account.

Fortunately, this is not a critical issue for me as I have a good relationship with the folks at my previous school. They will keep my account there open as long as needed. However, this was an unforeseen complication. Perhaps I missed a memo someplace, but I did not realize that document ownership rules were so strict inside Google Apps for Education. Ownership may be transferred through common Google accounts, but not with Google Apps for Education.

Don't get caught unaware. For those of you using Google Apps for Education, here are two considerations and ideas for managing document ownership:

Transfer the documents to a new account using Google Takeout. This is an official protocol used by Google for transferring files between accounts. While your data is preserved in a new account, the files are saved as traditional document files, not interactive documents, so any shares would need to be established once more. This is not the most convenient method when one does a lot of collaborative work, but at least one's data is preserved.
Consider creating a separate Google account outside of Google Apps for Education for the creation of documents that are meant to be shared. With this step one has no issues with document ownership.

MTM and You

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:33:00 +0000

As you may already know, I provide some outside support to Ministry Technology Mentors (MTM), an organization committed to supporting Christian ministries through technology training, graduate course work in educational design and technology, seminars, and any other means that will make a difference in championing the cause of Christian education through support of educators and other church professionals. It is exciting for me to see some of the upcoming opportunities that are available for Christian educators to learn and grow so that they can better serve the children and families under their care.

Here are several specific opportunities for you to learn and grow in your service for the Lord:

Summer session graduate courses begin next week with the first summer session. The second summer session begins on July 8th. Each session lasts for eight weeks. Here is the list of summer classes. Remember that by joining MTM your are eligible for significant tuition discounts. Build your professional expertise through individual courses or through an entire graduate degree program.
Are you or your school wrestling with how to implement a 1:1 technology program that focuses on student learning? If so, join MTM in beautiful Mequon, WI on the campus of Concordia University Wisconsin from June 17-19 for Considering the 1:1 Initiative, an intensive seminar that studies the education strategies and practical implications when establishing a 1:1 technology program in a school. Click here for more information or to register for this important event.
Watch for a new initiative to be announced soon that provides a service for Christian middle schools. It is exciting to be building something specifically for these classrooms and their teachers.

Questions? Contact me at any time. I want to do anything I can to support you in your important educational work.

Who Are Your Gurus?

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:01:00 +0000

I saw the Twitter note below earlier today. There is great wisdom in this post. Who are your education and technology gurus? Who are your go-to people? If you don't have them, find them today!

For me, fellow leaders such as Dennis Grice, Rob Jacklin, Matt Bergholt, and Josh Sommermeyer serve that role for me as colleagues. My student leaders are those that know Minecraft inside and out. I thank God for all of them and for their presence in my life and work.

New Recommended App: Haiku Deck

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:55:00 +0000

I have discovered a new presentation/content creation app for the iPad that I highly recommend. It is called Haiku Deck and it has a beautiful design for sharing content and ideas.

Here are some things I like about this app:

There is an internal image search that seeks out high-resolution copyright free images without going outside the app.
Text is limited so that the app really serves as a visual tool to engage viewers.
Presentations may be stored online as video slides by setting up a free account.
The app is free (there are some purchase opportunities for new slide templates inside the app, but the program provides five initial templates -- more than enough for one to get started).
One is also able to incorporate video into the presentations. See this article for information on how to do this.

I highly encourage all students, parents and teachers to give this app a test run.

Here are a couple additional Haiku Deck resources:

Here is my initial Haiku Deck presentation, a presentation and discussion for my 8th graders on the Trail of Tears.
Here is the direct link to the app in the iTunes Store.

My First MOOC Experience: What I Learned

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:18:00 +0000

My first MOOC (Massive Open Online Class) experience ended abruptly this morning with an email from the instructor. The course, opened on Monday, was plagued with numerous technical and design issues -- so many that the course was suspended until these issues could be fixed.

I had decided to enroll in an MOOC through Coursera, a site which hosts online course offerings from 33 different universities. The course I selected was Fundamentals of Online Education: Planning and Application. I opted for this title because I already have a background in this topic and I wanted to learn about MOOCs in a setting where I did not have a great deal of academic pressure on a topic. Unfortunately, the course was a mess from the start, and this blog post accurately describes the experience:

How Not to Design a MOOC: The Disaster at Coursera and How to Fix It

While this experience was far from optimal, it has not soured me on the potential of MOOCs. However, there are several things I learned from the experience:

Design matters. Taking the time to study and design engaging learning experiences makes a difference in student learning and course satisfaction.
Make sure your infrastructure can handle the load. Sounds obvious, but that clearly did not happen in this case.
If you are going to lead a MOOC, you better have a thick skin. Out of 40,000 participants there are bound to be some that are absolutely brutal in their critique of your work.
While the course design was clearly not strong, there were also many students who had no intention of trying to figure things out on their own. A significant sub-set of those enrolled was not going to use the tools and mechanisms available to make the course work for them. They simply quit. That made me think about what would happen if MOOCs became more accepted as a credit tool. Would students simply drift to the "easiest" MOOC course -- the one that would spoon-feed them the most? If so, how would that practice support innovative education and advancement. It seems to me that some sort of tracking may be needed, especially to track the number of times a student enrolls in a course and then actually completes the course. That would create a larger investment in the process instead of simply giving up at the first sign of difficulty.
I was anxious to converse with a diverse body of students, including several from other countries (Jamaica, Finland, Saudi Arabia) who were assigned to my discussion group. Alas, our discussions never got off the ground, but that has the potential to be a rich experience.

I am anxious to find a good course fit to explore a full MOOC in the near future. While the model has potential to bring educational opportunities to the masses, both nationally and internationally, MOOCs are still in their infancy. I hope to have more to report from personal experience about MOOCs in the very near future.

What the Great Chicago Fire Can Teach Us

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:58:00 +0000

As many of you know, I grew up outside of the great city of Chicago. But this urban area was not always a modern one. Over 140 years ago, Chicago was a bustling town of ramshackle wood structures. One evening changed all that. On the evening of Sunday, October 8th, 1871, a fire of unknown origin (often colorfully attributed to Mrs. O'Leary's cow) made its way through the city on a warm and windy evening, burning on through the next day until finally being extinguished on October 10th. A significant portion of the city (see the colored map) was destroyed. While only 300 people died in the fire, an estimated 100,000 were rendered homeless.

The Chicago of 1871 was living on the edge of disaster. Growing far faster than city services, water borne diseases and epidemics were on the rise. Unsafe structures abounded in the city. Most residents lived in dilapidated dwellings. The city, while growing, was also dying. Some reformers recognized this and called for action. Others saw the issues but hoped for the best -- that the city would be able to survive and thrive despite its issues, contrary to common sense.

In the end, a near total destruction of the city brought about a vibrant new era. Post-fire Chicago had the opportunity to rebuild completely, utilizing new materials, such as fireproof steel, in major buildings, creating city plans for water, lighting and transportation, and developing new building styles that would make Chicago renowned around the world for its variety of unique and exquisite architecture.

In other words, destruction needed to take place to bring about change. I have been pondering whether this is the case for many Lutheran schools. Many schools are living in the patterns of the past, recognizing that the world is changing around them, but hoping to survive -- hoping for the best. In short, they act like the Chicago of 1871.

In my view, many of these schools will not survive. While this is heartbreaking on many levels, especially for those schools which have significant institutional histories, perhaps this is necessary in order for them to be re-built. Instead of rebuilding with steel, we can rebuild schools with flexible structures and governance, emphases on collaboration, project-based learning, increased student ownership of learning and inquiry, that better model real work experiences. These are needed to be able to share the timeless truths of God, His love, and His forgiveness and salvation to our Digital Age world and culture. We can adapt or rebuild with educational opportunities that leverage digital and online tools, with flexible face-to-face, blended, and online models, meeting the needs of each uniquely gifted child of God in very personal ways.

We can stand by, hoping for the best, and perhaps watch Lutheran schools as they have been traditionally structured "face the fire." Or we can now actively, intentionally, and joyfully embrace the changes that we see needing to be made. The choice is ours.

Latest Links List

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Here is my latest list of interesting links I have discovered for innovative educators:

Virtual Heart: A free iPad app from the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago that takes a user on a journey inside the human heart.
Anti-Bullying video created by Lutheran High students:

Leadership Thoughts -- Lessons From the Ordinary
iPads, AUPs, and Good Classroom Management
15 Tools for Better Project-Based Learning