The Innovative Educator

Should We Ban School Leaders From Embracing Technology?

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:53:00 +0000

My most popular Facebook status update ever. Over two dozen comments and counting...

Lisa Velmer Nielsen Looks like I rubbed off on this school leader who said in our grant eval report-Perhaps you could encourage the Chancellor to remove his ban of cell phone use because it is a good way to have students use technology to produce better educational outcomes. Yesterday at 10:57pm
Comment · Like / Unlike | Carol likes this.

Jeff
That's all fine and I agree but you have to remember who signs your check!
Yesterday at 11:00pm · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
I don't advocate that anyone not follow a mandate, but I do advocate for enlightening, inspiring, and informing my boss. I also hopeful I work for someone who believes he may be able to learn something from his employees and celebrates their voice. I think one day in the not too distant future it will seem unfathomable that we banned students from bringing their personal learning devices to school.
Yesterday at 11:04pm · Delete

Andy
He will come around if his comment during the week long School of One kick-off is any indication. Without explicitly saying it was a mistake, he hinted that perhaps he could have done things differently on this one. It might be worth some key folks broaching this subject with him on a whole new level
Yesterday at 11:10pm · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
@Andy, good to hear. I do believe he will indeedy come around. Kinda crazy that at the same time he was banning I was consulting with Roland Fryer's folks at the NYC DOE to determine ways cells could be used as ed tools. It's gotta change. He's smart enough to change his decision if provided proper evidence I think.
Yesterday at 11:12pm · Delete

Jeff
I am optimistic that we can change things, we use cell phones, ipod touches and laptops (1:1) in our school already. The major difference is that we are a high tech school using online curriculum and pbl as a model for our face to face classes.
Yesterday at 11:14pm · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
@Jeffrey, that's the key. Good examples and reasons for it. I don't think there were many until recently.
Yesterday at 11:15pm · Delete

Lynn
the new android phone is the kicker and the new evidence..
19 hours ago · Delete

Jeffrey
Lisa, I do agree with you about the potential of cell phones in school. However, whenever I have spoken to classroom teachers about it, most (by far) are against it. Food for thought.
13 hours ago · Delete

Ceci
With all innovative technologies there is the other side of safety. Have you researched the number of schools in NYC that have had safety incidents due to students having their cell phone in school. (texting their friends to gang up on students) This number unfortunately is very high. Until there is a safety plan that addresses all the other ... Read Moreissues that come along with students having cell phones in schools, I do not believe it will be endorsed by the administration for all schools. We may have some schools in the Innovation Zone lucky enough to pilot mobile technologies but I do not see a city wide implementation in the near future for all schools.
12 hours ago · Delete

Jon
It is up to teachers ultimately. As teachers begin co-opting this personal technology for use in schools, the rules will become irrelevant. It's not the chancellor's mandate that inhibits their use - it is the challenge teachers face with fear of inappropriate use, increased pressure to be accountable for students learning the basics, etc. As we ... Read Moreprovide teachers more suggestions for ways to use them (and support/encouragement in doing so) and their ubiquity becomes status quo, we will see them be adopted for classroom use regularly. It is an inevitability. It's like the teachers' union rule that mandates all schools must have a pay phone - is that rule really relevant anymore? Is anyone enforcing that? I imagine not. The technology will often move faster than the rules...
10 hours ago · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
@Jeffrey, yes! Totally get that and have a nice plan for this that involves a small amount of professional development and the teachers starting by using cells as a homework option for the first ½ - whole year. Part of my issue is that this should be a school decision, not a mayoral or chancellor driven decision. If teachers/principals want to ... Read Moreembrace the potential of the power that exists in a students pocket they should be allowed. Another side of this Jeff, is that there are teachers stuck in the past that don’t want to use technology in general. Should the drive to use tech be teacher or student driven?
10 hours ago · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
@Jeffrey, one more thing, in a school run by this leader who wants to incorporate innovative practices, it is unfortunate they are not allowed?
10 hours ago · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
@Ceci, I very much disagree with this argument. Cells are a communication tool. Fights can be organized by texting sure, but they have also been organized simply by talking, passing notes, emails, or IMs. We shouldn... Read More’t be banning the tools i.e. paper, computers, freedom of speech, but instead inform the behavior. The other side of this is of course, the frequency that lives are saved because someone has a cell phone or was in danger. Finally, if we make student’s world in schools look so different than outside, then we are turning our backs to the fact that we haven’t prepared them for the world in which they live and the world where they will pay their three bucks after school to get their phone out of the local bodega.
9 hours ago · Delete

Jeffrey
Jon, I think you are correct in the ultimate inevitability of cell phones in the classroom; same happened with many preceding technologies (albeit without a system wide prohibition). I still would like to hear the opinions of classroom teachers in this thread, though. I am sure many would be willing to use cells, but i believe many many more would... Read More not.

Lisa, I like the idea of first using cells as a homework option, and being a school option. Start in a small, volunteer, nonthreatening way. Build up a base and a consensus.
8 hours ago · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Jeffrey, I agree with your on target approach. It is very Chris Lehmann-esque. It should be an option and voluntary...at least to start. A big part of what I believe is that we should empower schools to be innovative, not ban them from innovation. Eventually, though, schools must be required to have the world inside the brick and mortar look more ... Read Morelike the world outside it. If we don't, we will be enforcing the cliche of preparing kids for our past rather than their present and then sadly schools will continue to be irrelevant to the lives of students.
46 minutes ago · Delete

Sheldon
Think about it. Cell phones are banned because rather then make school more interesting they attack the symptom. Another example of how long a path we have to travel before the kids become important.
8 hours ago · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Sheldon, so happy even a retired guy gets it :))))
No wonder we connected so well since my very first days in this field :-D
8 hours ago · Delete

Lynn
I do think they should start making it a school leaders decision. This needs to be all or nothing and its not appropriate for one teacher to do this. You need the whole school on board.
8 hours ago · Delete

Ceci
I figured you would disagree lisa, my suggestion would be to step out and be at one of the schools during dismissal that have daily safety issues that result from students texting outside of school during the day and see the issues from a principals perspective. If you want the name of a couple of schools to visit I would be glad to share them ... Read Morewith you.

Mobile technolgies should be explored and integrated into daily instruction, but that does not mean it is the right solution for every school.
7 hours ago · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Celine, I agree that it is not the right solution for "some" schools, but blanket policies and mandates for all are dangerous and halt progress. Especially in a time of empowerment, shouldn't a school leader, teachers, students (not the mayor or chancellor) have the right to decide what is best? At the same time shouldn't schools with leaders (... Read Moresuch as the one mentioned in my status update) that embrace personal learning devices as a way to enhance learning, connect with students, and engage learners, be empowered to do so?
about an hour ago · Delete

Jake
I concur with Celine's point. Unfortunately, the negative aspects of cell phones is all too real.
22 minutes ago · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Jacob, this is sooo sad! So you think that a leader and teachers who see how this can be a tool of learning and empowerment, like the one in my status update shouldn't be allowed to embrace the power of technology? And, if you really believe this, then you might as well ban computers and laptops because any communication device can be used or ... Read Moremisused. I find this sooo disheartening. And, if you do that, then you should also probably consider finding a different line of work since what we do is help folks embrace these tools to prepare kids for the world in which they live.
16 minutes ago · Delete

Jake
You or anyone can embrace whatever they want. Clearly a ban is not the answer given the potential technology offers. Having said that, one must consider the real dangers that exist as in this day and age "ignorance is not bliss". In the end, it should really be a school decision in which "we the technology leaders" provide them with the information needed to make a decision that works for their particular school community.
4 minutes ago · Delete
Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Lisa Velmer Nielsen
@Jacob, of course there are real dangers, but as Shelly said above, you don't ban the tool because the tool can be a pen, paper, mouth of kid, computer, etc. Our job is to teach educators, students, leaders, to embrace not fear the power of technology and use the tools that the kids have in the real world ...both inside ad outside of school.
4 minutes ago · Delete

Jake
As I said previously, a ban is not the answer. However, one should not underestimate the dangers out there. I know you will not agree with this. However, I believe a sound policy is needed for the "real dangers". One that embraces technology but also protects from the real dangers.
2 seconds ago · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
I do agree with a school making a policy that meets individual school needs. I don't agree with a mayor or chancellor making a policy that bans students from bringing any personal learning device to school. If we do that, we are letting fear of some overpower possibility and promise of others.
2 seconds ago · Delete

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Note: Content is intact, but names have been changed to protect the privacy of those who may want this conversation to remain within the Facebook conversation of friends only.

WatchKnow - Helping Educators Find Videos That Students Can Watch to Know More

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Branzburg) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:10:00 +0000

(Guest post by Jeff Branzburg)

There are many places on the Internet to find and view videos; some are general purpose (like YouTube and Vimeo) some specific to education (such as TeacherTube, SchoolTube, Annenberg, and more). Some are free, some cost. Fairly new in this mix for education is WatchKnow (www.watchknow.com), a nonprofit project of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi. WatchKnow has some impressive names behind it, such as Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger, and an advisory committee with other well known people like Chris Dede and Larry Lessig.

Here’s how they describe themselves –

“What is WatchKnow? Imagine hundreds of thousands of great short videos, and other media, explaining every topic taught to school kids. Imagine them rated and sorted into a giant Directory, making them simple to find. WatchKnow--as in, "You watch, you know"--is a non-profit online community devoted to this goal.”

The site currently provides access to over 11,000 educational videos; their goal is to bring that to the hundreds of thousands. They don’t host the videos, they link to them on YouTube, TeacherTube, National Geographic, eHow, Internet Archive, and other hosts.

And they don’t just list any video; they have a media review panel of teachers, librarians, and experts in educational technology, who serve as community moderators and rate videos (their ratings are worth proportionately more than other contributors).

Here’s what I like about WatchKnow –

It pulls together videos from a variety of sites. There are a lot of excellent videos that can be used in the classroom all over the Internet. And that’s part of the problem. They are all over the Internet. Sure, you can go to Annenberg, go to the Internet Archive, go to TeacherTube and search. But wouldn't it be better to go to one place, search for a topic, and have results from all? An educational meta-search, vetted by teachers, for videos.
It is very easy to search, filter, or drill down. Searching is just like any search – enter a term, click search, and see the results. Filtering can be used to limit results by age (by using a sliding number-line type graphic). Or drill down by clicking subjects, areas, topics, each time zeroing in on what you are looking for.
It is a non-profit organization. I have no problem with profit making organizations, but I seem to always lean toward the non-profits (I work for two right now). They have no shareholders to answer to. Just their cause, their purpose in being.
Most of the videos have been added by teachers and librarians hired to do so. Professionals doing their jobs.
The advisory committee is strong, which helps keep the organization on target.
All newly uploaded videos are moderated, so users know there are standards to which they are held. (This reminds me somewhat of NYLearns.org, where resources are all moderated.)
It is easy and efficient for teachers to use, as well as visually appealing

On the other hand -

With most videos (at least that I saw) from YouTube, many schools would miss a lot. (True, one can use a service such as Zamzar to download them, but that adds a step, besides the questionable legality of doing so).
Most of the videos I viewed were lectures on screen, lots of digital chalk and talk. More interesting, innovative videos are needed.
There are "only" about 11,000 videos (it’s funny to refer to 11,000 as "only." Before the electronic age no school had that many films, videotapes, or even filmstrips – remember them - but we know there are so many more available online overall. Times change!)

Overall, I think WatchKnow is useful, and will hopefully grow to be more useful over time. Keep an eye on it!

The Hubbub About Insensitivity to The Child Free By Choice

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:25:00 +0000

Lisa Velmer Nielsen Advice to ALL presenters. Don't assume audience members are or will be parents. It's offensive to the people for whom that is not true.

I posted this tweet following the Tech Forum conference on Friday. After which I received 16 c omments on Facebook, various emails, BBMs, Tweets, ReTweets, and DMs. My boyfriend and others asked what happened? Who said something offensive? There was such a stir, that I felt the topic was worthy of it's very own blog post.

The fact is that nearly every time I go to a conference and oft times at meetings, people make comments along the lines of, "We're not only teachers, we're also parents." or "You always have to wonder, is this a school I'd want my child to go to." or "And, for those of you who don't have children yet, when you do..." or in the case of this conference, "We're all parents or will be one day." Some people I deeply respect make these comments because it never occurs to them that the world is a changin. There are new choices for women whose incomes are now about equal to mens, who have the right to vote, who can purchase land all by themselves. In fact, October will be the first month in which women outnumber men in the workforce, women are holding more management and supervisory positions than men, by a margin of 37 percent to 31 percent, in like-for-like work women and men with the same amount of work experience are earning the same, and women's pay is actually increasing faster than men's. (Read more at: What's Happening To Women's Happiness?). It's hard to believe that it was such a short time ago that things were very different. Today women have new choices and they may have chosen to live a life without children.

Unfortunately, the word isn't out yet to mothers and fathers that this is a perfectly fine choice. People, especially those who speak publicly, need to be aware that there are more and more women who will not have children in their present or future. Assuming the women do, or will have children, is alienating a segment of the population that I contend will be some of today and tomorrow's biggest movers and shakers. I have chosen this life and I am extremely fulfilled. Despite this I have been told by others I am hiding my true feelings, am selfish, and I will regret this one day. To date I have not regretted this decision and I'm not interested in the debate about whether I will one day. The conversation seems as inappropriate to me as one to a parent suggesting they'll regret having their child. Sometimes I wonder if it's something that people with kids need to tell me to make themselves feel better. I can't imagine my telling them they have made a mistake. I should mention there are some, who confide in me (men and women both) that if they had it to do over again, they would have preferred a life without children. Interestingly, those who have said this are the men and women who are the primary providers for their children.

I think it's time that women who have made this choice speak up. We are here. We are growing. We don't need excuses. We are not selfish. And we don't appreciate those who don't honor and value our choices. We are not asking for any approval, and this choice doesn't mean there is something wrong with us. While I acknowledge that most who make the assumption and then the comments about how we are all parents, may be unaware. Now that you are, please be considerate of this new and rising class of citizens and please share with others that we would appreciate if they do the same.

You can View all 16 comments from my Facebook Friends below.

Fri at 8:59pm via Twitter · Comment · Like / Unlike · View Feedback (16)Hide Feedback (16)
Robb, Myrielle and Sam like this.

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Hey Sam. This just has to be said. Definitely fodder for a blog post. I'm often soo offended by those I respect who unintentionally make comments assuming this is the way it is for everyone. It happens at least once a day at ed conferences and I just want to scream. In fact, I think i just did :p
Fri at 9:06pm · Delete

Dan
I'm right there with you Lisa!
Fri at 9:08pm · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Thanks Dan. I think the population is growing as women realize there are other options. I definitely need to devote some time to this topic at some point. This is a minority for sure, but it is a lifestyle that has much to be celebrated and I think attention needs to be brought to the topic.
Fri at 9:33pm · Delete

Dan
I chose a long time ago not to have children. I have often been asked why I did so especially since I went into education. But, I have never had the desire to be a mother. I make a great aunt, though ;o)
Fri at 9:59pm · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Huh, well, I don't make a good aunt. I don't have siblings. I was always told I'd change my mind. I never did.

I love my life. Have exciting goals and am happy and fulfilled. I have not felt personally that having children would enhance my life and my work. I know some have felt this was what they were supposed to do and the thought that an alternative exists never had crossed their mind.
Fri at 10:29pm · Delete

Dan
I don't have any blood siblings either. All mine are steps. Curious that both of us are onlies and neither wanted children. Wonder if there's anything to that?

I've always been just as happy with my "babies" that are four-legged. I've never had the baby urge and been attracted to them. I don't care for the toddlers or young children, either... Read More.

I, too, feel completely fulfilled with my life and don't feel like there's anything missing. I have had some people tell me I will regret it when I'm old. I think that is a completely selfish reason to have children.
Fri at 10:44pm · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Yes. The, "you'll regret it when you're old" is the thing I hear often. There are people who live in those scary worlds. I have always had an awesome and interesting network of people in my life. I would love to become a golden girl with these sort of people. Time will tell I suppose. Hopefully, I'll be living the digital life and when I'm old, I can tell younger women from experience, that this is a choice available to them about which they can feel comfortable.
Fri at 10:55pm · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Thanks for the thumbs up @Myrielle. I am excited to find the time to focus on this topic more widely...maybe during one of my upcoming trips to Florida :)
Yesterday at 12:13am · Delete

Sam
I agree with you both...I keep getting "You are still young and you still have time to change your mind" I however don't want and am honest with the fact that having children is a HUGE responsibility that I just don't want. I love my four legged child too. Another issue I have is the jealousy. We all have to remember we make the choices in our ... Read Morelives. And as I am reading these comments we have made the choice to not have children and live our lives to the fullest. People get jealous because we can just pick up and go. I am feeling you both on this one. Thanks for letting me vent too :-)
Yesterday at 7:00am · Delete

Sam
Oh and I am not an only child. I have an older sister and it's not all it's cracked up to be. There is a lot of jealousy. But again we make our choices and we have to live with them. I love the choice I made :-D
Yesterday at 7:01am · Delete

Robb
I have preconceived biases about people who stereotype.
Yesterday at 11:01am · Delete

Alice
I've enjoyed reading these comments (which sort of seems more like a 'thread... Read More’ now!). Lisa (& co)- I couldn't agree with you more about being put off by people just assuming everyone wants to get married, have kids, etc. when that's simply just not always the case. it's a choice and a decision, just like having a career is. not every woman (or man) wants it. not every person can have it even if they do want it. it's true that this mistaken assumption is made unintentionally and while there are certainly generational/cultural factors at work, in this day and age people should be more cognizant that we're not all driven solely by evolutionary urges and that it's insulting to imply things like 'life isn’t' full without your own children', etc. in my opinion life isn't full without making your own choices and doing something that truly makes you happy -- for some it's studying astrophysics, for others it's improving the education of the next generation, for others it's raising children, and of course for some it's a combination of many things, but that's for oneself to decide and if one doesn't, that is what he/she will regret later in life.

and for the record Lisa, you make a good 'first-cousin-once-removed' (aka 'aunt') to our little girl and I’m sure to many of your friends’ kids as well.
Yesterday at 1:25pm · Delete

Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Alice, thanks so much for that thoughtful response. Love having the extra opportunity to connect with family in virtual worlds. Thank you for the first cousin-once removed compliment too. My friend Melanie calls the relationship Nouzins. Niece-like cousins. And, for the record, I'm best with cool kids like Talia ;-P
Yesterday at 6:37pm · Delete

These were the reactions a friend received from sharing the post.

Di
just got a link to a friend's blog article about why it's not cool to assume that everyone in the world wants to have children and why life can be plenty complete without them. I feel like sending it to anyone who has decided it's perfectly ok to interrogate me on the subject. You know who you are...

Mon at 8:06pm · Comment · Like / Unlike · View Feedback (17) Hide Feedback (17)
Libby, David, Carol and Franz like this.

Jen
Does your grandma have a facebook page?
Mon at 8:19pm

Di
Surprisingly, my grandmother never actually asked that question. She always figured I was busy doing whatever people do in the big city.
Mon at 8:24pm

Michael
Di's grandmother was only slightly less active on facebook than Diana is.
Mon at 8:36pm
Beth
I'd like to read it. I have other friends who would appreciate it. People can really be idiots sometimes.
Mon at 8:37pm
Di
here it is:http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2009/10/hubbub-about-sensitivity-to-eternal-non.html
Mon at 8:47pm
Megan
I thinks pugs are sufficient and they'll never ask to drive the car
Mon at 9:17pm
Ron
Did they have a follow-up article on why some people should just not procreate at all?
Mon at 9:57pm
Carol
I think they should have to get a license to procreate- eg. take a course, pass the oral and practical...heh heh...
Mon at 11:03pm
Lisa Velmer Nielsen
Thanks for sharing Di :)))
Mon at 11:07pm
Beth
Thanks for the link. Many interesting points. People project their own values and insecurities so inappropriately on so many subjects. I have a single lesbian friend who is pregnant and someone asked her "was it a mistake?". WTF? People also ask her "what is it?" and she will occasionally respond "a kitten" and they look at her like they are ... Read Morehurt (she does not, nor does she want to, know the sex of the baby). Then there is the whole issue of infertility, pregnancy loss and how inappropriate and insensitive we as a society are about those issues. Sigh. I enjoyed reading her blog post and all the comments.
Yesterday at 4:07am
Deb
I was "childless" in my first marriage and was fine with that...it worked for us. We were career focused and had goals we wanted to accomplish. In my current relationship, we have 3 daughters (My hubby had two and we had one together)...I can not imagine life without them...they are wonderful, but life is different now. My husband is all about family...I ... Read Moream a stay at home Mom (for now)...I feel like I have had the chance to live two lives. Bottom line is...do what works for you and yes, people need to mind their own business.
Yesterday at 9:01am

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Further reading Ann Landers' famous "The Childless Couple"

COST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PREPARE YOUR SCHOOL OR CLASSROOM FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNING

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:17:00 +0000

The most transformative recent game-changer in bringing education into the 21st century is low-cost laptops. Many schools at the NYC DOE and beyond still don’t know much about these devices and have trepidations. Innovative educators know that these devices are the key for any classroom interested in preparing students for the world in which they live, play, and work. Chris Lehmann echoes the sentiments shared by me and others like CIS 339 principal Jason Levy as he shared at a recent Tech Forum conference that "Technology needs to be like oxygen. Ubiquitous, necessary and invisible." Low-cost laptops, for the first time make it possible for this idea to be a reality. Every school needs to get on board TODAY. Schools all around the nation have jumped on the bandwagon and are featured in the most recent issue of Tech & Learning magazine in the article Netbooks make the grade which features schools across the nation who are using these devices.

Unfortunately some schools still believe the myths and lies shared by the hardware companies and industry dinosaurs who will tell you that you need expensive equipment, training and tech support to do this work. Let me dispel some of these myths. The big computer companies are lying. Of course they want you to buy their expense devices. You don’t need to. The dinosaurs in the industry who want to sit you on their knee and tell you about how they walked to work every day in the snow up hill both ways, are dying to hang on to the idea that their jobs are still necessary. They don't want the secret out and they don't want to change. I spoke to one yesterday in fact. He shared how schools will never keep up with innovation because they must do system-wide refreshes of devices and nothing in life is free. Oh really? Google is free. Google Apps are free. Wikispaces are free. Ning for education is free. YouTube is free. Google Voice is free. Schools can develop student iSquads and enable students to be self-empowered to fix technology for free. Well, he said, “That free stuff won’t last I tell ya.” “I’ve been around a long time. I know Missy.” Ugh! Innovative educators are smart enough to move on when we encounter the old timers stuck in Rip Van Winkle's past. These free tools will be around and they are scaring the pants off of the old timers. Businesses like Microsoft, Apple, and the rest are going to have to change their model to the new direction of a savvy and innovative society.

WHERE DO YOU START? WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Do Not Give Teachers Hardware
Every school needs to identify which teachers are interested in preparing students for the 21st century. If you’re a leader, when you discover who these teachers are, do not give them hardware!!! If you are a teacher, do not tell your principal you want hardware. I’ve had a lot of experience deploying hardware to teachers and in many cases it is not a good practice.

Instead, if you’re and administrator have your teachers apply for the equipment they think they will need to enhance teaching and learning. This will enable you to prioritize your purchasing decisions and limit them to the teachers who have demonstrated that they are planning to use it effectively. This also gives you crucial information in enabling you to have conversations about the work your teachers are doing. If you are a teacher, the conversation shouldn’t just be about hardware. Show your principal you are serious and have all the information together that s/he will need to support you.

You can create a free online application using Google forms or SurveyMonkey. The application should require a pedagogical case for why your teacher needs equipment, information about how the equipment will be used to enhance instruction, an indication of which standards this aligns to, and if you collect your information properly this can contain all the information needed to place the order. For teachers the application process demonstrates to his/her principal they are serious. For administrators this ensures you are aware of the teachers plan for incorporating the use of the equipment into instruction, provides school leaders with an idea of how teachers will be using the equipment purchased, and indicates which teachers are serious about this work. Here is a sample of what the form might look like. I recommend a separate form for each type of equipment.

Whether your school has funding today or not, it is essential teachers and schools start documenting what it is they want so they are prepared should funds become available and there are a lot of ways to fund education. If there is not money in your school budget here are some alternate sources. Some are NYC DOE specific, others are not:

Resolution A Funds from City Council
NYC Ed Tech Grant Opportunities Page
eSchool News Funding Resources
DonorsChoose.Org Giving Page

THE 21ST CENTURTY CLASSROOM BASICS
No more paper, no more books will be necessary in the 21st century classroom. When all student have devices their materials are available directly from their laptops. This also means no more handouts, no more copies, no more heavy book bags. Here is my recommendation to get started with the 21st century classroom.

Brand: Lenovo

Netbook - 4187RVU S10e Ideapad, 2.65 lbs, 10.1-IN Display
Cost: $359.95 Cost for 32 devices: $11,488
Note: This particular device was selected because it is the one available where I work at the NYC DOE -available via SHOP DOE / FAMIS

Brand: Sharp

PG-F212X Conference/Classroom DLP Multimedia Projector
Cost: $599.95
Vendor: B & H FOTO & ELECTRONICS

Brand: Flip Video

Ultra 2nd Generation Camcorder (Pink)
Cost: $129 Cost for 4 devices: $516
Vendor: B & H FOTO & ELECTRONICS

Brand: Canon

PowerShot A1100 IS Digital Camera (Blue)
Cost: $139.95 Cost for 4 devices $556
Vendor: B & H FOTO & ELECTRONICS

Total Cost for 21st Century Classroom: $13,159
When you keep in mind these devices have a life of life of 3 – 5 years, this ultimately translates in significant long-term savings for the school.

WHAT YOU DON’T REALLY NEED – DISPELLING MYTHS OF BIG BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY DINOSUARS
Many schools are sold equipment they don’t really need and they buy it because they don’t know better. Here are some items you don’t need if you have the above package.

A more expensive laptop, server, external hard drives, expensive software
Today your students should be doing their work in the cloud. What does this mean? This means their work is done using what is available on the internet for free. Work is created using Google Apps which includes free Word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, email and more. Work is stored using Wikispaces. These contain unlimited storage and are free. Students work is available anytime, anywhere, from any computer.

Interactive Whiteboards and Projector Carts
Somehow teachers and administrators have become enamored with interactive whiteboards. You can save about $5000 per classroom when you realize you don’t need an interactive whiteboard or projector cart. You can accomplish the same instructional goals with a laptop and projector. The benefit is rather than having the teacher front and center in the classroom s/he can be eye to eye with students as the classwork is projected behind him/her. This can be interactive as students work is in the cloud and a teacher can access any website at anytime to feature the student, or the student can come right up to the computer and/or plug in their own computer to project. You may hear that the software is the reason you need to make this costly purchase. I have found there are free alternatives to achieve the same goals.

Laptop Carts
Some schools will find they may need to purchase a cart which generally runs about $600 but I have seen other schools that have developed alternative and more secure methods for storing devices. The best solution I have seen is the Depot. This is a secure room or closet for which the teacher has a key. Shelves are built in the area. Devices go on the shelves and the door is locked. Ideally there is electricity so devices can be charged.

THE TIME IS NOW
Innovative educators and administrators, it is time to start one classroom at time, one school at a time, one district at a time, one nation at a time. You don't need a special initiative. You don't need special funding. What you need is innovative rethinking the way teaching and learning occur. Join other schools like the NYC DOE's Model Technology Schools. If you don't know where to start or what to do with 21st century tools read about, connect with, and/or visit the the 8 Innovative Schools that Provide Ideas and Inspiration for 21st Century Education.

Ten Conference Reflections - Tech Forum 2009

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:22:00 +0000

Although educators spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to attend conferences, I find we rarely spend time to take a moment to process, reflect, share, and publish our thoughts. I recently attended Tech Forum New York 2009. I find a lot of my reflections about this conference are true about many other conferences I attend. Here they are:

5 THINGS I APPRECIATED ABOUT THE TECH FORUM CONFERENCE
1-The F-2-F connections and building of relationships with those I rarely am able to see in person. I find this more valuable than any session. It was nice talking with Chris Lehmann, Scott Meech, Dana Lawit, Lisa Thumann, Judy Salapert, Peggy Sheehy, Jesse Lubinsky, Alisa Berger, Kevin Hogan, Christine Weiser, Kristine Goldhawk, Tom Honohan, Meryl Menon, Bruce Lai, Steve Kinney, Jeff Branzburg, Laura Robitalle, Lindsay Angelo, Guy Lodico, and the Nassau BOCES folks with whom I shared lunch.
2-I appreciated that Chris Lehmann shared the message about what is really important in education. More of us need to do this. Do a twitter search for TFNY09 Lehmann to see what I'm talking about.
3-The terrific job Judy Salapert, Christine Weiser, and the T&L team did in putting together a very well-organized conference.
4-I enjoyed that the conference was a focused intimate conference rather than the overwhelming experience I encounter at conferences like NECC.
5-2-Extending the learning and making meaning by Tweeting, FB-ing and seeing who my fellow tweeters and FBers are. In a tech conference this size more of us should be in these worlds. We need to make meaning beyond ourselves and become active participants reflecting and sharing with our learning networks.

It was nice learning with both those who were learning with me at the conference and those who were remote doing what @worblehat has coined Twelurking (Twitter lurking). Enjoyed tweets and RTs with/from @briancsmith, @PeggySheehy, @sammorra, @mjelson, @lthumann, @roblyons, @stevekinney, @worblehat, @actionhero, @letkidsplay.

Most popular RTs:
RT @InnovativeEdu: The main purpose of schools is to teach kids to ask powerful questions and teach them to find the answers. -Chris Lehmann.
RT @InnovativeEdu: Principal Chris Lehmann says his job & his staff is to build students that are Thoughtful, Wise , Passionate, Kind TFNY09

Enjoyed FB-ing with Robb Ross, Myrielle Badio, Danita Cobble Russell, Maria DeSimone, Steve Kinney, John Clemente, Jacob Gutnicki, Samantha Stouber, Leslie Schecht, Rick Toone, Lindsay Angelo, Mike Columbia, Diamond St. Thomas, Suzanne Montaperto, and anyone I missed.

Most popular Status Updates:
Lisa Velmer Nielsen Advice to ALL presenters. Don't assume audience members are or will be parents. It's offensive to the people for whom that is not true. View all 11 comments
Lisa Velmer Nielsen What is the role of the teacher in the age of Google? Our job is not to teach CONTENT, it is to teach WISDOM. -Chris Lehmann TFNY09 View all 14 comments

5 IDEAS FOR IMPROVING TECH FORUM
1-Start 1 hour later and I'll yawn much less. We boarded a bus at 6 a.m. and arrived before 7.
2-Presenters: Use real examples.
3-Vendors: if you talk about your great product you should figure out how to incorporate and/or demonstrate it in your presentation. No excuses. If you can't bother to figure out how to do this, I can't be bothered to listen to you.
4-Please, please stop talking at us. Use innovative tools to make your presentation interactive.
5-Don't talk about differentiation and think you do not have to differentiate. You do!

Coolest Free Tech Tool That I Hadn't Heard of Award Goes to...
Wallwisher
No more forgotten parking lots. No more having to type notes from post-its placed on chart paper. Hurray for Wallwisher. It is an online NOTICE BOARD maker. Ideal for making announcements, wishing people, keeping notes, and basically anything you can do with Post its. No download, software or registration required.
-Thank you Patrick Higgins

Coolest Expensive Tech Tool that I Hadn't Heard of Award Goes to...
Saywire
Saywire is a Facebook-like intranet. It provides a closed and safe Facebook. Write, publish, plan, organize, collaborate. $6 per student
-Thank you Peggy Sheehy

Have you attended a Tech Forum? What did you take away?

Innovative and Personalized Idea for Student Writing

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:28:00 +0000

Walk Score touts itself as a site that ranks 2,508 neighborhoods in the largest 40 U.S. cities to help you find a walkable place to live and that alone is pretty cool, but for innovative educators in these large cities, this site provides a fantastic and FREE resource to inspire writers. Educators with students in large cities can have their students type in their address and students will instantly receive a map indicating neighborhood parks, schools, restaurants, stores, libraries, bookstores and more that are in walking distance. Students get a score of their neighborhoods walkability rating which is based on a metric measuring a number of items identified as those that make a neighborhood walkable such as does the neighborhood have a center?

Walkable neighborhoods have things like a discernible center, whether it's a shopping district, a main street, or a public space. Walkable neighborhoods have plenty of public places to gather and play. The Walk Score site analyzes these factors and provides a map breakdown neighborhood hotspots, attractions, features, parks, and more. Innovative educators immediately can see lessons that can be developed based on each student’s particular neighbor. An obvious lesson a literacy teacher might think of is that students can use the walkability map to inspire story ideas about a personal experience they had in various places in the neighborhood. A social studies teacher may have students investigate the history of the neighborhood investigating what exists there today verses in the past and how and why the neighborhood transformed and/or stayed the same. Students can learn about economics by exploring density. A walkable neighborhood is compact enough for local businesses to flourish and for public transportation to run frequently. A math teacher might have all students plot their walkability scores in an excel spreadsheet to chart the most and least walkable neighborhood while coordinating with the social studies and/or literacy teacher to investigate the factors that lead to their results.

100 Incredible Open Lectures for Math Geeks

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:27:00 +0000

This from http://www.onlinecollege.org might be of interest to innovative math educators trying to bring resources to their classroom.

From the site:

While many math geeks out there may have been teased for their love of numbers, it’s math that makes the world go round, defining everything from the economy to how the universe itself operates. You can indulge your love of mathematics in these great lectures and lecture series. Some are meant to review the basics and others will keep you on the cutting edge of what renowned researchers are doing in the field, but all will help you expand your knowledge and spend a few hours enjoying a topic you love.

At the site you'll find the following types of lectures:

Basic Math

These lectures cover some pretty basic mathematical issues that can be a great review or help younger math lovers get a handle on a subject.

Calculus

Calculus has a reputation for being hard, and while some of it surely is, these lectures show you how to conquer some pretty difficult problems as well as explain some in-depth concepts in a way you can understand.

Algebra

In these lectures you’ll learn about a wide range of topics in algebra.

Geometry

These lectures cover everything from geometry basics to extremely advanced topics.

Other Math

These lectures covers a wide spectrum of mathematical topics from the basics of probability to the intricacies of differential equations.

Physics

Math forms the foundation of the science of physics and you can learn more about recent developments, the basic equations and much more in these lectures.

Engineering

Get a better idea of the math behind engineering of all kinds with these great lectures.

Business and Economics

Watch or listen to these lectures to learn something new about statistics, economics, or the basic mathematical principles of the financial world.

Check out the lectures at 100 Incredible Open Lectures for Math Geeks.

8 Innovative Schools Provide Ideas and Inspiration for 21st Century Education

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:02:00 +0000

As the saying goes, if he woke up today, schools would be one of the few places that Rip Van Winkle would recognize after his 100 year slumber. Unlike business, medicine, the media, etc, most schools look very much as they did 100 years ago. Sadly, even in schools where leaders and educators want to move into the 21st Century, many don't know what this looks like. One of the best ways to provide inspiration to leaders and educators searching for innovative ideas for providing a 21st century education is to explore successful models of innovative schools. However, it is difficult to develop a vision of a 21st century school because there are few well-know publicly-available models that are captured and shared. Though they tried, Microsoft’s School of the Future became a lesson in failure and while there are islands of success at schools like Science Leadership Academy, CIS 339, and The School of One, there are few known established places that one can visit to read about innovative schools such as these.

That is, until now. Under the leadership of Bruce Lai, Chief of Staff, Office of the Chief Information Officer at New York City Department of Education eight NYC DOE schools have been identified as those providing students with an education that looks different from that of their parents and grandparents. These are schools that are making progress along the continuum of 21st century success. The Model Technology Schools Project was created to document and disseminate effective practices that are already in place within the New York City Department of Education school system. More specifically, the project aims to facilitate the transfer of knowledge from some of the City’s most innovative schools to schools that may need guidance in moving toward a 21^st-century model. A data-driven school in Queens, for example, may be struggling to use Smartboards effectively, while a school in Brooklyn may have mastered Smartboard technology, but needs assistance in setting up a data system. This project is a first step toward connecting schools like these.

This project was made possible as a result of a key component of the New York City Department of Education’s Children First reforms…the empowerment of school principals. Because principals know more about the on-the-ground reality of their schools than anyone else, they have been given greater power over decisions relating to budgets, programs, and personnel. In exchange for this increased freedom in shaping their schools, principals are held to higher accountability standards.

Many principals have used their increased autonomy to develop innovative practices and programs. However, the tremendous amount of responsibility principals have on both the instructional and operational sides of their schools may limit the time they have to communicate with other principals throughout the City. As a result, best practices can easily get lost in the shuffle of day-to-day realities.

This is particularly true with regard to technology, which is a relatively new leadership arena for principals. For years, technology in the schools has been seen as an “extra.” However, it has become clear that technology is part of the foundation of a 21^st-century model of teaching and learning: a blend of face-to-face and online teaching, communication, and collaboration between students, educators, school leaders, parents, and educational partners. This model may just be the next game-changer when it comes to improving student achievement—and improvement is necessary if we expect our children to thrive in the 21^st-century global economy.

The eight schools chosen for this project—though they in no way comprise an exhaustive list—all reflect the standards outlined by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). These schools, which range from very small to very large, span four of the five boroughs and have diverse student bodies. They are all eligible for Title I funds and a high majority of their students receive free or reduced price lunch. The principals are exemplary leaders who ensure that technology is integrated into instruction and leveraged to differentiate learning. They have all managed to create cohesive communities in which technology is understood to be an inextricable part of the school fabric, and a foundation for their instructional visions.

The eight comprehensive case studies that follow highlight schools that have used technology to improve student achievement and operational efficiency. Although they offer only a snapshot of the exciting advances schools have made, they are designed to encourage principals to reflect on their practices and look to other schools for new ideas. When reading the case study consider if any of these schools provide inspiration for what could be implemented at your own school site. Then use the 21st century school visioning tool as a resource to structure and capture ideas that you may want to consider incorporating into your school or classroom. Results can be viewed here.

The Model Technology Program Schools
Note: If you would like to connect with a specific school, please feel free to reach out to its principal:

Brooklyn Tech High School -- The Real Thing: Career-Driven Education through Professional Technology
Principal: Randy Asher RAsher@schools.nyc.gov
East-West School of International Studies -- Languages and Self-Expression: Preparing Students for a Global World through Multiple Learning Modalities
Principal: Ben Sherman BSherma2@schools.nyc.gov
The Goddard School -- Teaching Tech to Teachers: Professional Development as a Driver for Instructional Innovation
Principal: Bill Fitzgerald WFitzge@schools.nyc.gov
IS 318 Eugenio Maria de Hostos -- Principal as Programmer: Six Years of Differentiated Instruction Fostered by Home-Grown Data System
Principal: Fred Rubino FRubino@schools.nyc.gov
MS 339, "Tech Tigers" -- It’s Free: Fostering Collaboration and Creating a Seamless Educational Experience with the Google Suite
Principal: Jason Levy JLevy@schools.nyc.gov
NYCiSchool -- Students Take Charge: College-Readiness through Educational Independence and Problem-Based Instruction
Principals: Alisa Berger ABerger@schools.nyc.gov and Mary Moss MMoss@schools.nyc.gov
PS 5, The Port Morris School -- XOs and Differentiation: Improving Reading and Writing through Student Empowerment
Principal: Mary Padilla MPadill@schools.nyc.gov
PS 101, The Verrazano School -- Apple 2Es to Netbooks: Developing 21st-Century Classrooms for Student-Centric Learning
Principal: Gregg Korrol GKorrol@schools.nyc.gov

As you read each case study you will notice a number of themes emerge from this diverse group of Model Technology Schools. They are as follows:

Student engagement through digital content
It is easy for students to disengage when teachers do not require active participation, or when education is delivered in a one-size-fits-all model. Digital content makes it easier for teachers to engage “digital natives,” or students who have grown up with Internet technology. Principals have reported improvements in behavior and attendance since the integration of technology in their schools. At The Verrazano School, students who come in for breakfast go straight to the auditorium afterwards, excited to play a version of Jeopardy with Smartboard remotes. At The Goddard School, students are particularly enthusiastic about a media elective offered in the school’s fully-equipped television studio.

Motivation and accountability through public nature of work
Many schools post student work online. School Web sites often feature multimedia student projects, such as podcasts, videos, and music. Students are also asked to contribute to class and school-wide blogs, and to comment on work contributed by their peers. On all grade levels, principals have found that the public nature of work motivates students to meet or exceed standards and expectations. For example, the elementary school students at P.S. 5 express excitement about seeing their writing “published” and posted on class Web sites and online educational magazines. The middle school and high school students at East-West and Brooklyn Tech regularly contribute to blogs. Although these blogs are not moderated by school leaders, students monitor themselves and meet self-imposed standards of appropriateness. They learn the responsibilities that go along with public presentation on the Web.

Focus on literacy
Reading and writing are often reinforced through specialized software, such as online leveled libraries, which can assess a child’s reading level, as well as “speak” the story or specific vocabulary words. Literacy software can be used in small groups within the classroom, or in labs (I.S. 318 has a small lab dedicated to Scholastic 180). As mentioned above, blogs give students an outlet to practice their writing skills, as well as a forum to express their opinions and engage in discussion with others. Principals stress that blogs are not diaries, and emphasize their utility as instructional spaces. In addition, programs such as Google docs make it easy for students to share documents with each other and with their teachers, which facilitates peer editing.

Internet literacy
Along with reading and writing skills, Internet literacy is also becoming more and more important; 21^st-century schools teach students how to analyze online information for accuracy and assess the quality of sources. In the past, students relied on school library books for research. Now, they must learn how to deal with the tremendous amount of information—of varied quality—available to them on the Web. Whether or not principals require students to take a basic technology/Internet course, they agree that Internet literacy must be explicitly taught.

Data-driven instruction
Computerized databases and assessment tools give teachers access to unprecedented amounts of student data. Teachers and administrators can use this data—compiled in ARIS or in other systems—to tailor instruction to different skill levels. Teachers at The Verrazano School and The Goddard School make extensive use of Smartboard remotes to incorporate quizzes into their lessons. This allows them to access real-time feedback on student comprehension, which they can use immediately to modify their lessons.

Student-centric classrooms
Since computers make it easier for students to work independently, teachers can create small groups of students according to skill-level. They are then free to move around the room as facilitators, providing more or less attention as needed. At P.S. 5, for instance, a group of ELL students may be working on pronunciation with headphones plugged into their laptops, while another group may be reading independently.

Multimodal learning
Not every student is a purely auditory or visual learner. Technology makes it easier to engage multiple sensory modalities so that students have a greater chance of learning in the ways most suitable for them. An effective Smartboard lesson, for example, may integrate video and audio clips, as well as interactive components that allow students to answer questions via remote or touch screen. A multisensory approach can be particularly helpful for ELLs and students learning foreign languages.

Project/problem-based learning
In order to connect learning to the larger world, teachers engage students in project-, or problem-based learning. With so much information at their fingertips, as well as easily-facilitated connections for distance learning, students can act as consultants who solve real world problems. At the NYC iSchool, the curriculum is based around interdisciplinary modules that connect traditional subject knowledge with contemporary issues, making learning feel more relevant.

Collaboration
The increased facility of communication makes it easier for students, teachers, parents, school leaders, and educational partners to work together to reach educational goals. Collaboration can be as simple as teachers sharing lesson plans with each other through Google Docs, or as complex as live streaming presentations and sharing student projects as part of a world-wide Internet conference (M.S. 339). East-West partners with schools in Shanghai and London, and the NYC iSchool utilizes video-conferencing to connect students to organizations, experts, and professors, both nationally and internationally.

Student empowerment
One of the premises of an education at the NYC iSchool is that students take charge of their own learning, and at Brooklyn Tech, students are given access to high-level technologies that are used by professionals in the field. Technology empowers students to seek information independently rather than waiting for it to be delivered to them.

Students as tech support
Students play a crucial role in the operation of their schools as members of tech-squads. Schools usually need trouble-shooting assistance that goes beyond the capacity of a tech coach, and trained students can respond to requests teachers submit, often through an online system. They usually receive service credit for their work. On an informal basis, students constantly assist their teachers with technology, which gives even elementary school-aged children the opportunity to feel like leaders.

Overcoming staff buy-in challenges
Teachers at different stages of their careers may not see a need to change their practice, so it isn’t always easy to convince them that technology integration is important. Principals have dealt with these challenges in various ways. Some have found specialized professional development to be helpful in making technology less threatening, and others have integrated technology into administrative practices first in order to ease it into instruction. Principals emphasize that teachers should not be forced into technology use; they need to understand how it can help them and how it can help their students.

Contact Information

The Model Technology Schools Project is sponsored by the NYC DOE’s Division of Instructional and Information Technology (DIIT). DIIT in conjunction with the Office of Educational Technology would love to hear about innovative technology practices taking place at your school. To share your ideas or for more information on the Model Technology Schools Project, please visit our survey link here.

Acknowledgments
The Model Technology Schools Project was conceived and led by Bruce Lai, Chief of Staff, Office of the Chief Information Officer / DIIT. In addition to the principals, assistant principals, and teachers who were crucial to this project, DIIT would like to thank the following individuals for their assistance: Cara Spitalewitz (Education Pioneers Summer Fellow), Catherine White, Marina Negroponte, Roya Rahmani, Anissa Moeini, Niko Cunningham, Gazelle Javantash, Hannes Klopper, and Professor Kevin Kelley (Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs), Celine Azoulay-Lewin, Lisa Nielsen, Julian Cohen, Gregg Betheil, Andrew Gallagher, Patricia Paddock, Jane Pook, Troy Fischer, Joel Rose (NYC Department of Education).

All Children Left Behind - Common Standards for Our Student's Past

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:53:00 +0000

The common standards movement is underway in 48 states in our nation and these standards are set to be finalized this month. I’ve been reading what the smart educators I respect are saying about these standards. Here is the summation. These are poorly written standards being put in place with testing companies at the forefront of the decision making. These ed testing companies as well as other big educational businesses/curriculum providers have a huge financial profit to gain after the adoption of these standards because a nation can now adopt their curriculum. There is no alignment or recognition of the changing face of education and the digital worlds in which our students are existing, reading, writing, interacting, producing, and publishing.

What can we do? Provide feedback today about the standards by visiting http://tinyurl.com/fixthestandards. It literally takes less than five minutes. You can use my words above, the words of others below or write your own.

Below are excerpts from other educators about their take on the standards, links to each resource, and where to visit for more information.

On Common Standards

16 Oct 2009 07:18 am

Will Richardson

One look at the reading standards and you can’t help but be left with the impression that the authors have never “read” anything much beyond words on paper and that the idea of “remix” and even links are outside of their experience. There is nothing here about how reading and writing in online and digital spaces changes the interaction, nothing about the social interactions that readers and writers will have around texts that are changing rapidly and substantially.

In all of this, the thing that most frustrates me both in the talk about national standards and national assessments and the whole “Race to the Top” bunk that is coming out of the administration is just a total lack of vision, this sense that nothing has fundamentally changed, that this is the same old classroom with the same old expectations and the same old ways of proving them that we’ve had forever. I’m not saying we don’t need assessments, but there’s a lot of required learning right now that few if any standards are addressing.

Weblogg-ed Comment by Gary Stager

2009-10-19 03:51:17

Replacing one externally-created checklist with another undoubtedly more voluminous one will not help one child.

You cannot have “core” standards without additional standardized testing. Now districts already addicted to testing will have a more potent hallucinogenic with which they can poison public education.

Teachers and students are terrorized by testing and externally-imposed curricular mandates.

Core Standards - Sound Bites and Standardization

Saturday, October 10. 2009

Chris Lehmann

This Core Standards movement should scare everyone who believes that meaning and learning is still most powerfully made in the spaces that students and teachers share. More than teachers, students, state administrators, the group that stands most to gain from national standards and a national test is the education-industrial complex.

This isn't about whether or not people think that all students should be able to write a thesis statement. This is about how students are taught that information, how they are assessed on that information, and on the role of big business in teaching and assessing them.

I find them hard to read, because I think they are poorly written, but standards often are.

10 Reasons you should care about the Common Core State Standards Initiative's Draft English Language Arts Standards

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Tom Hoffman

We are inviting testing companies to determine the future of our schools with virtually no accountability or public input.

These standards were developed by two testing companies, the College Board and ACT, with help from a nebulous non-profit, Achieve, Inc. It is essential to understand this when reading the Common Standards; it explains many of their odd choices. In the example above, the obvious interpretation is that they chose to define the standard as "support or challenge assertions" rather than "construct a response or interpretation," as every international example they cited did, because the former is much easier and cheaper to score reliably on a standardized test.

No high performing educational system in the world would consider giving testing companies this much control over their standards and curriculum. It is absurd.

These standards are specifically designed to not be the sole responsibility of English teachers, so any data system properly linking student performance on related tests to teachers would attribute the results to all subject area teachers.

The idea that these English Language Arts standards are "internationally benchmarked" to those of high performing countries is a farce, except insofar as the benchmarking demonstrates the low level and quality of our proposed standards.

No country with high reading scores in international assessments conceives of the discipline of Language Arts as being limited to literacy skills, or "college- and career-readiness," as the Common Standards do. Thus, the Common Standards are narrower, lower and shallower than the English Language Arts standards of high performing countries.

Catching Up or Leading the Way

Saturday, October 10. 2009

Yong Zhao

Zhao describes how schools have to keep pace with a world that is being dramatically transformed by globalization, the “death of distance,” and digital technology. Instead of falling in line with mandates for standardization, his prescription is for educators to

Expand the definition of success beyond math and reading test scores.
Personalize schooling so that every student has opportunity to learn.
View schools as enterprises that embrace globalization and digital technology.

Gotham Schools in New York City is running this series on the Common Standards:

Standards: Demystifying, Debunking and Discrediting

Problem #1: Which Bar to Raise?
Problem #2: An Unrealistic Bar
Problem #3: Fear of Failure Rates
Problem #4: Classrooms
Problem #5: Tests Matter; Standards Do Not
Problem #6: Local Control
Why Does Anyone Bother?

I encourage you to read the full articles, take a look at the standards for yourself and provide feedback at http://tinyurl.com/fixthestandards.

For Further Reading

Common Core State Standards Initiative Website: http://corestandards.org/
An FAQ with more information about the project is here: http://www.corestandards.org/FAQ.htm
Feedback form: http://tinyurl.com/fixthestandards
English Standards: http://www.corestandards.org/Standards/index.htm
Note that many of the handy links to benchmarked standards under "see evidence" don't point to the right place, so if you want to be complete you need to use...
The full English standards PDF: http://www.corestandards.org/Files/ELAStandardsSources.pdf
The bibliography provides links to all the full documents for the relevant international standards.
English Programme of Study for Key stage 4, 2007: http://corestandards.net/ADP/Achieve%20International%20Documents/England/England_ELA_KeyStage4.pdf
England's standards make an easy point of comparison if you're curious about what actual benchmarked English Language Arts common standards might look like.
Race to the Top: http://www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/index.html

Don't Believe the Digital Immigrants. Raunchy Old Photos Aren't That Bad

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:03:00 +0000

I'm sharing another powerful piece that was written a couple years ago in Penelope Trunk's blog The Brazen Careerist. I find myself reading this post over and over again as it explains so well why I have found it virtually impossible to separate my personal and professional lives...and I think that is a great thing.

However, I hear so often from my Digital Immigrant colleagues some of the following:
-Kids are destroying their reputations online.
-They would never be friends with colleagues online because lines must be drawn...and,
-Being involved in student's online identity is out of the question.

I also often hear these arguments:
-We must keep our personal and professional separate.
-We must have two of everything. Two phones, two cameras, two laptops, two iPods, etc. etc. because our lives CAN NOT be blended.
-We don't want our colleagues knowing the personal social side of us. Business and pleasure should not mix.

I did keep the two separate for most of my life, however, I always valued those relationships where personal and professional were blurred. These colleagues felt like friends and family and colleagues and that was great. Now with online networking and powerful tools available to help me establish and build my personal learning network, I have found the two have completely and totally morphed into something that is incredibly powerful and provided never-before-possible growth in me as both a social and professional human being.

If you haven't been following the Brazen Careerist blog, I recommend you do. It is the blog employers go to, to find out how to tap into today's graduates and in it's provocative and compelling style has fantastic advice for educators about the students they are graduating and how to reach them. So without further adieu, I hope you will find this post as relevant as I have.

Raunchy old photos will be part of the revolution

June 5th, 2007

By Ryan Healy – During my senior year at Penn State, the Nittany Lions knocked off the highly (over) rated Ohio State Buckeyes. It was one of the best football games of my college years. A mob of students rushed down the bleachers, the field became a flood of blue and white.

But unfortunately, rushing the field is not a Big Ten-acceptable activity. So the other guys in blue, the police, started an investigation using Facebook to identify suspects.

I guess if you're going to perform illegal acts, Facebook, MySpace and other online networks that incorporate photographs are probably not for you. But as we leave our crazy college years behind and enter the workforce, should we really have to worry what recruiters think of our social lives?

I have a MySpace page and a Facebook profile. I have hundreds of pictures on each site that show me in both professional and not-so-professional settings. Some people remove their embarrassing or "incriminating" pictures after college to save some face in the real world. I have never considered removing pictures.

Social networking sites are blurring the lines between personal and professional life. There is no reason these lines should not be blurred. Most young people lead very healthy social lives, and because of these websites much of our social lives are online. When you live your personal/social life online there is no escaping who you are and what you do. It may be scary to people not accustomed to the openness of the Internet, but as far as I'm concerned, it's a refreshing. Why should I pretend to be one person for eight hours a day and someone else entirely for the rest?

It's absurd to pretend that everyone at work is a saint. It's just not true. What's the big deal if our bosses know what we did on Saturday night or what we did in college for that matter?

The whole idea of our lives being available for public display is actually pretty cool. Think about it. If the world already knows what we do in our spare time and we are all able to be completely open about our interests, thoughts and ideas without fear of retribution or not being hired then we can bring our whole being to work everyday.

Of course, if you're idea of a good time is extremely sick and twisted then you may want to consider keeping things a secret. Better yet, you may want to figure out some better things to do in your spare time to avoid a prison sentence. But for most of us who like to have a little innocent fun, there is no reason to play the Jekyll-and-Hyde role.

Jason Warner, head of staffing at Google writes, "Today there is a fuzzy, but growing distinction that companies will continue to draw between candidate professional experiences, competencies, and capabilities and their private lives and outside behaviors. It's a line we don't likely want to cross, because if we cross it for candidates, we may cross it for employees, and that compounds the problem."

The more young people enter the workforce the less risk there is that someone will Google them to look for bad behavior. Human resources leaders don't have the time to sleuth. But also, there just aren't enough perfect little angels in the world to go around.

I urge everyone: Let's leave all of our pictures up on whatever social networking sites we use. What we do on the weekends is just as much apart of our lives as our day jobs. Don't be afraid of your boss seeing a risqué photo of you and don't be afraid to talk a little business at the bar. The sooner we get past this personal and professional juggling act, the sooner we can see real change in the workplace.

Ryan Healy's blog is Employee Evolution.

The PODs Are Coming!

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:40:00 +0000

Every so often I think it is important to share great presentations, videos, or posts from other bloggers. This one falls into that category. It’s a presentation shared at the Building Learning Communities conference Manhattan model school leaders and I attended last summer from blogger David Truss :: Pair-a-dimes for Your Thoughts.

The presentation entitled, “The PODs Are Coming!” explains how we are soon approaching a day where most of our students will be bringing PODs Personally Owned Devices to school. In schools where students are empowered to bring learning devices to school and acceptable and respectable use of technology is just the way things are, every student coming to school will have more capability in their pockets and hands than most teachers have on their desks today.

I am optimistically hopeful that in the future school districts like New York City will embrace rather than ban students from bringing their potential 21^st century tools to the classroom. This is a great video for educators in districts who are, or will eventually be, supporting students in utilizing the personal learning devices they own. It addresses the question, “Are we ready to utilize these amazing tools that students want to bring to our classrooms.” If not, why not? What do we need to do to be ready? What needs to change? How do we maximize what we can do now? Who makes this happen?

For some insight into the answers to these questions, it is my pleasure to invite you to view this provocative presentation.

The POD's are Coming

View more presentations from David Truss.

Innovative Substitute Lesson Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Dana Lawit) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:36:00 +0000

by Dana Lawit

When teachers are absent it can send students, classrooms, and sometimes even schools into a tailspin. Any change in routine can cause disruption. One innovative educator at my school, Darlene, has come up with a substitute lesson plan that uses technology to engage students and support the substitute teacher in an effort to avoid disruption. Using a video (see below), the teacher explain the learning objectives of the lesson, provides a model, and even then provides step by step instruction for the student's independent work.

There are several reasons why I think this is an effective substitute lesson plan:

The video will engage students. Student who otherwise might not listen to a teacher's academic back story and reasons for teaching, will do so because its an entertaining and visually supportive video.
The task is relevant. Asking students to describe their background with science allows the teacher to better gauge students' prior knowledge and affective approach to the curricula.
There's room for extension. While during this lesson students are only drafting their science biographies, in future lessons (substitute or otherwise) they could story board their biographies, and perhaps even create their own videos.

Darlene hasn't had to use this lesson yet, but stay tuned for examples of student work. In the mean while, check out of some of Darlene's innovative blogging and use of GoogleSites to organize her classes on her class blog from last year and her Chemistry GoogleSite.

Five Ways Innovative Educators Can Use SMS Texting to Enhance Their Work.

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:57:00 +0000

Text messaging is the dominant form of communication for American cell phone users who are sending more text messages than they are making phone calls, according to a Nielsen Mobile survey. Innovative educators in New York City with employer-issued cell phones may be disappointed to learn that the NYC DOE has decided that,

ALL TEXT MESSAGING capabilities for DOE account holders will be disabled because it is the DOE position that communication thru text messaging is primarily for “personal use."

I'm not sure how the NYC DOE determined that text messaging was being used primarily for personal reasons (no one I know of was asked), but the decision to disable text messaging may be a wise one to save money for cash-strapped businesses whose employees have not discovered how to use the simple messaging service (sms) feature on their phones as a powerful and effective professional and educational tool. I am disappointed that in my organization this occurred without employees being provided an opportunity to state their case because turning off this feature has become disruptive for innovative educators who have come to rely on sms to enhance their teaching, learning, and leading. However rumor has it that the New York City Department of Education realizes there are educators who are using sms for professional and pedagogical purposes. As such I have heard they've agreed to consider reinstating the feature for those who make a strong case outlining how they are doing so. This decision makes a lot of sense (even if the timing doesn't) as it puts the onus on the user to make a case for utilizing this feature in their work. While I'm unsure that the method for stating a case or the person to state the case to has been shared publicly, the sentiment could be a smart one as it might be powerful to apply this type of reasoning before issuing any innovative tools and technologies.

School systems could save thousands by providing innovative tools and equipment only to those who really want it and can explain how it will enhance their practice. Those who don't bother to make a case don't get the resource. That said, I'm hoping the rumor is true, and that I've stated a good case. I'm making this case not only for myself, but also for other innovative educators at the NYC DOE and beyond who want to make a case for providing educators with funding for tools that should be as commonplace in schools as they are in the workforce.
The case is an easy one to make for innovative educators who have become reliant on sms a form of communication that is often more appropriate then a phone call, email, a face to face visit, or letter. For innovative educators and managers, utilizing sms text messaging as part of their professional lives has become increasingly prevalent for a unique set of reasons. Here are five of them.

Five ways innovative educators are using text messaging to enhance their work.

Efficient and Effective Communication
The first reason is simple. We use it as a primary way to communicate as it is often more efficient and effective then other forms of communication. For example as an educational administrator I often need to communicate short efficient messages to colleagues. Because most teachers and many administrators do not have access to a school phone and talking on the phone is not conducive to the work they do, texting has become the most efficient means of communicating. It also enables us to communicate, when necessary outside the school day without interrupting the personal lives of others. In short, you can text at times when it would be inappropriate to talk on your cell phone and it's quick. Additionally, it is platform agnostic i.e. iPhones, T-Mobile, Blackberries, etc can all speak the same language without requiring access to the internet.

Increasing the Home-School Connection

For educators in schools, this has become increasingly important as they learn SMS Notification tools are increasing parental involvement in their child’s school life and Text and Email Alert Systems Can Increase Home - School Communication. This is something innovative educators support school-based staff in using. In addition to the obvious communication advantages of texting, the educational applications of sms have grown exponentially over the past couple years. The advantage of sms over other forms of communication of course is that it is the most ubiquitous technology available to students, parents, and educators. Additionally, when conducting meetings or classes, or workshops, while often many participants do not have laptops with them, nearly all have cell phones.

Free Audience Response System – To Those Who Can Text
Poll Everywhere is a great tool that can be used by anyone who knows someone with a cell phone they can send a text message from. It provides participants with a simple method to share their voice and ideas right from their phones enabling the presenter and audience to have a clear sense of where they stand on topics being discussed.

To use poll everywhere you can set up an account where you'll be assigned a number for participants to send their answers. Within the message participants enter the code corresponding to their response. This looks similar to what you see on popular shows such as American Idol. Without any additional equipment or need to download software within seconds educators will have audience responses. Another nice feature is that it doesn't matter what device your participants are using. Responses can be instantly combined.

SMS Tweeting from Your Phone to Gain a Collective Intelligence on Topics of Importance

Twitter is perfect if you want to know what your audience is thinking, feeling, or seeing. No software to download and all your audience needs is a cell phone to contribute anywhere anytime. Simply go to www.twitter.com and set up an account. You can Tweet from your phone by entering your number at http://twitter.com/devices. When exploring a particular topic, you need to select a short tag (an approximately 6 letters or less searchable word or acronym) and then have your audience’s tweets include that tag (i.e. Marta Valle High School might be MVHS). Users can contribute by simply sms texting on their phone. You can capture the Tweets in any number of forms. The easiest is to do a simple Twitter search for the tag. You can click here to see what the Tweets from a recent conference look like. Of course one of the more famous tags that made Twitter popular was IranElection. You can read how a group of school leaders used sms Twitter to follow conference activities and share reflections and plans at Leading By Example - Transforming Education for the 21st Century.

Google SMS as an Educational Tool That Can Be Used Directly From Your Phone
Anytime, anywhere you have access to a cell phone, much of the vast amounts of knowledge and information formerly available to only those with the internet are now available directly through sms texting. Educators can put a limitless amount of information at the fingertips of themselves and/or their audience by asking them to take out their cell phone and text "G-O-O-G-L-E" (466453). A FREE or inexpensive service to anyone with sms access.

You can see a demonstration of how this functions at http://www.google.com/mobile/default/sms.html. There is endless pedagogical and professional value of having the ability to access this type of information anytime anywhere. Whether it’s to help ELLs translate another language, support literacy by instantly being able to define or look up words and terms, help global studies or math students have knowledge on currency or metric conversions and more.

As more and more innovative educators lose some of their digital as a second language accent, sms has become a powerful, effective, efficient, convenient, and affordable educational and professional tool that has become integrated into the work we do. Employers of educators using sms features on their phones in innovative ways such as these are making a terrific investment in ensuring their staff have the tools they need to do their work effectively. Now that I've made my case, I can't wait to get this service turned back on.

ALL TEXT MESSAGING capabilities for DOE account holders will be disabled

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:22:00 +0000

FY10 ACCOUNT CHANGES - ALL TEXT MESSAGING capabilities for DOE account holders will be disabled effective 7/15/09, “with the exception of the Parent Coordinators’ cell phones accounts”.

It was a NYCDOE policy decision to disable the text messaging feature from all DOE issued devices. The rational for the disabling this service is all devices provided are for DOE business related communication and this communication must be documented. It is the DOE position that communication thru text messaging is primarily for “personal use”.

---------------------------------------
Note: I originally posted this entry on July 17th, but it was Friday, October 2nd that this service was disabled on my NYC DOE cell phone.

Engage Your Future Students Today with Flashforward

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:01:00 +0000

Innovative educators looking for an engaging project for their students should visit http://www.flashforwardexperience.com. This site takes information from student’s Facebook pages and provides a unique glimpse of “their” story. For those who don’t know, Flashforward is a cutting-edge, new television show with the premise being that the world blacked out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds and during that time, everyone (well almost everyone) had a vision of their lives six months into the future. The world is now trying to piece that together in a project called the “Mosaic Collective” to achieve a global picture of the future.

Innovative educators can have their students visit this site and share what they found, or what they think their glimpse six months into the future could be. This could be collected in all sorts of innovative ways: audio clips, Vokis, powerpoints, Voicethread, wikis, Google Earth, and more. If, like me, you are not educating students, but rather adults, this could also be a great ice breaker. Where will they be as a transformative educator or leader 6 months in the future, 1 year, 3 years. What will their classroom or school look like? Capture their answer using TwitterFall or Polleverywhere.

In schools or districts where personal learning devices are banned and sites are blocked, this can still be a terrific assignment students can begin away from school and produce their work at school.

If you haven’t already, check it out for yourself by visiting http://www.flashforwardexperience.com.

Game-Based Learning Site for Innovative Math Educators

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:25:00 +0000

Innovative math educators looking for engaging ideas to enhance teaching and learning should check out this newly launched, curriculum-based, online math game site for 11 – 16 year olds.

UK-based www.mangahigh.com features math games that go beyond mental arithmetic and help kids to enjoy practicing quadratic equations and trigonometry. The site has developed engaging math games that students enjoy playing while they learn complex math concepts by solving authentic, real-world problems.

The fun to play games are designed to make math challenging, yet playable in a gaming context. The games allow students to grasp and practice sophisticated math concepts in an entertaining way. The initial launch includes the following games which are available for free with limited features. An upgrade can be purchased.

1. Save Our Dumb Planet – protect Earth from meteors and other space hazards by using algebra skills to calculate accurate trajectories for a life-saving surface-to-space missile. Players use algebraic substitution, indices, coordinates and graph-plotting to plan their missile flight paths, leading them through linear, quadratic and, eventually, cubic equations.

2. Flower Power – grow and harvest valuable and exotic flowers to make your horticultural fortune. Players practice their knowledge of fractions, decimals and percentages with beautiful results.

3. Pyramid Panic – help a prematurely-entombed mummy escape from a pyramid by solving geometry puzzles to build a path across the burial chamber to the exit. Set in Ancient Egypt, players start with simple puzzles involving areas and lengths of rectangles, triangles and kites, through more complex applications of Pythagoras’ rule, to the ultimate challenge of solving problems involving trigonometry.

4. BIDMAS Blaster – Professor BIDMAS' roborators have run amok and need to be destroyed. In this fast-paced action game, players practice their skills with brackets, indices, division, multiplication, addition and subtraction.

5. Mangahigh’s most powerful game is Prodigi, a math learning engine that features thousands of math problems with worked solutions and hints that adapt to each student’s ability and learning speed. Students, teachers and parents can customize Prodigi by skipping items that have already been mastered in the classroom, or focusing on areas that need specific attention. If necessary, students can learn using Prodigi with a minimum of intervention from educators, as it guides the student through the math curriculum in a logical, pedagogic order.

“Math is frequently perceived as boring and irrelevant by students. Mangahigh aims to make math fun and engaging through the use of games and also to spark an interest that reaches beyond the curriculum,” said Dr. Marcus du Sautoy, Chairman of Mangahigh’s Board of Advisors, currently Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science. “Mangahigh will give students context and a deeper insight into math, as well as provide interesting facts that they can share with their friends,” he added. “Mangahigh aims to fuse online games and math. Having observed millions of players hone their game-playing skills at King.com, I realized that, if this same motivation and stimulation could be bought to mathematics education, it could be a game-changer,” added Toby Rowland, founder of Mangahigh, formerly the co-CEO and co-founder of King.com, one of the world’s largest casual games companies.

Innovative Site for Connecting with Student's Families

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:59:00 +0000

Educators interested in innovative ways to connect with student’s families, may want to investigate Parentella. Parentella is a site with the philosophy that family involvement is critical to a child’s success, so they have developed an interactive site that makes it easy for teachers to keep families informed, organized, plugged in, and actively involved in what is going on in their classrooms. The site is free for both families and teachers and offers great benefits to all parties.

On Parentella, teachers can easily set up a safe, private and trusted network for their class(es). Teachers can then upload homework assignments and post dates for upcoming activities, such as tests, field trips, special programs and class parties. They can also post pertinent news, interesting information, photos and more. There are useful tools for recruiting family members to help out for various activities, such as a “sign up sheets” for helping out in the classroom, attending field trips, or bringing needed items for parties and special projects. The site even sends automated reminders so that family members don’t forget what they signed up for.

One of the best features of Parentella is that parents and families can see all of their children’s schedules on one calendar, even if the children go to different schools or are in different school districts. Family members can look at the calendar and know exactly what each of their kids are supposed to be doing for homework and make sure the assignments get done properly. Families know exactly what the classroom needs are and can schedule their time and resources accordingly, making helping out more feasible. Parents and families stay more intimately connected with what their children are involved in. They can also connect with other families within the school and community to share useful information with one another, such as what extra-curricular activities are available.

The Innovative Educator’s Birthday Wish – Help Me Fund Innovative Classrooms By Supporting My Donor’s Choose Giving Page

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 02:55:00 +0000

A year has gone by since I had not 1, not 2, but 3 SPECTACULAR 40^TH birthday celebrations with family and friends in Napa Valley, Las Vegas, and the North Fork of Long Island. I spent nearly an entire month where all those close to me celebrated ME and I felt truly blessed and thankful. A year later I’m turning 41. I’ve had enough of celebrating me.

For my 41^st birthday, the best gift I can get is funding innovative educators. As @kevinhoneycutt rhythmically explains in this YouTube video, students need their teachers to learn and there are teachers who are stepping up to the plate. Please take a minute to take a listen.

Honeycutt shares this message with teachers in his video, “Kids are changing any fool can tell and the ways that you’re teaching have to change as well.”

Unfortunately, even though it is the 21st century, equity and access to modern resources is considered a privilege rather than a right and even students who have their own personal learning devices are banned from bringing them to school in many districts. Fortunately there are teachers ready to take on the challenge of preparing students for the 21st century, but they need our help. You may have noticed a recent addition on the right side of my blog where the DonorChoose.org widget has been established for just this purpose. When you click on the widget you are brought directly to The Innovative Educator's Giving Page at DonorChoose.org. All the projects are specifically focused on innovation. You can help grant my birthday wish by going to The Innovative Educator's Giving Page and clicking on the below widget on the right-hand side of my page or below.

My birthday is on September 20th and I’m asking for all my friends, colleagues, and readers, to make a tax deductible donation in increments of $41 dollars for my 41^st birthday. Early presents and late presents are encouraged! If you fund a project you will get photos and a letter from the teacher and his or her class too. My goal is to help educators raise $1000 dollars toward helping them incorporate innovative practices into their teaching and learning.

I’ve started off the process by donating my $41 dollars to a project called "Getting In-Touch With Our Latino Community". I have helped 125 students through this project and already received my thank you letter. Pictures will be coming once the project gets underway.

If you are an innovative educator who is looking for funding for your classroom please include your project on DonorChoose.org and I will add you to The Innovative Educator's Giving Page. Simply share your link and your request for donations as a comment to this post or email me with a request. You can challenge your friends and family to support the work you are doing with your students too. Everybody wins!

DonorChoose.org is a fantastic organization that I began using close to a decade ago as a literacy coach. I worked with teachers to write proposals to fund classroom libraries. Every project was fully funded. For my birthday wish, I invite you to please join me in supporting teachers who are doing this important work.

If you're an innovative educator who would like to spread the word about DonorsChoose.org I've created a short video overview that you can share.

Free online screencasting tool

Like Classroom 2.0? Try Gov 2.0.

noreply@blogger.com (Dana Lawit) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:07:00 +0000

by Dana Lawit

Innovative educators know that web 2.0 technologies have added another dimension to the ways we teach and learn. Whether using a Ning to spice up an ELA literacy circle, or GoogleVoice to engage English Language Learners, web 2.0 technologies have the potential to engage students, when they might otherwise not be. Political campaigns over the past few years have increasingly embraced web 2.0 technologies seeking to engage more voters. Viewing candidates' websites in the 2008 presidential election felt more like visiting a social network than a mere parking lot for platform text and publicity photos.

In a recent blog post, I asked: How educators and schools can prepare citizens and netizens for a world of work and private life infused with information and communication technology.

A recent summit organized by O'Reilly Media (widely attributed with the coinage of the phrase web 2.0 in 2005) called Gov 2.0 asked the following questions:

How can we use technology to make government more transparent and accountable?
How do we bridge the culture of web innovation, forged around the world and in Silicon Valley, with the culture of political innovation?
How do we focus the power of the technology community on solving the nation's most pressing problems?
How can Web 2.0 approaches such as crowdsourcing and collaborative development create new models of public-private partnerships?

(source: http://www.gov2summit.com/gov2009/)

There is a lot of worthwhile material from the summit. I recommend starting with watching Tim O'Reilly outline his thoughts about Gov 2.0:

For me, whats most compelling about O'Reilly's argument is the notion that communication technology can awaken civic engagement. If using a Ning learning network over the summer can engage students in reading (a task that all year they had difficulty with), then perhaps this new web culture of contributing to social networks, producing content, and connecting with others can help to increase engagement of individuals with their communities and governments.

Innovative and FREE Strategies to Support English Language Learners in Becoming Information Consumers and Producers

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:50:00 +0000

I was a bit intimated about providing a keynote presentation at the NYS Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) conference this month because of my own rather unpleasant memories of being made fun of for my "white" accent in high school, and later in college, Spanish classes. I always envied those who could roll their tongues and speak with a proper accent. I can not. I speak with one accent. It is very Caucasian and often laughed at. I remember when I took Spanish in high school how uncomfortable I was when we had to speak out loud. The other kids seriously laughed out loud at me. I laughed too, because I really did sound ridiculous. Because of this experience, I hated speaking Spanish. Years later, my experience speaking the second language of Spanish gave me a little insight into what English Language Learner (ELL) students may feel. The fear of embarrassment and the trepidation about sounding wrong or different kept me, a normally outspoken kid, pretty quiet. Even though I wanted to learn another language, my discomfort, combined with less than effective instruction, were not a recipe for success. When I went to school to get my master's degree in education, again I was told I'd have to have completed 2 years of language study. Gulp. I couldn't handle the idea of my embarrassing accent so instead I came up with a solution to all that...I took sign language.

The inability to feel comfortable when trying to speak another language has been an issue for me most of my life, that is until I became The Innovative Educator. Today, as an adult, I can read, understand and communicate in more than a dozen languages with some fluency. But it is not because my language acquisition skills have improved, but rather because as innovative educators, we all have a number of resources available to us to support us in understanding and communicating with basic fluency in our non-native language, for free, and without Rosetta Stone.

I have broken the strategies I believe innovative educators will find useful into two categories:

Innovative ways for speakers of languages other than English to CONSUME content.
Innovative ways for speakers of languages other than English to PRODUCE content.

As you read about these strategies, please reflect on ways you can use what I am sharing in your work and consider publishing your feedback, experience, and ideas in comments to this post.

To set the tone for those wondering if I can really speak multiple languages with an accent that is not laughable, please allow me greet you in a few different languages at Global Welcome from The Innovative Educator. If you speak any of the languages in my greetings, you'll notice that while not perfect, the accent is respectable and you can understand the intent of my message. I've come a long way! There's much more available to provide affordable and innovative resources to students to enable them to break the language barrier and become effective consumers and producers of information. To follow are ideas I find particularly promising.

SUPPORTING ELL STUDENTS IN BECOMING INFORMATION CONSUMERS
One of the best ways to help students get excited about learning anything is by helping them discover and explore areas of deep personal interest and passion. (To learn more read these articles from ISTE Connect - Engage Me or Enrage Me! (Pt.1) / Engage Me or Enrage Me! (Pt.2).

Ideas for ELLs @ school / home.

Technorati
- Help students by showing them how they can use technorati to find people who are blogging about topics of interest.

Convert Text to Speech
- We all know that student’s listening level is higher than their reading level. How about enabling them to access more difficult material by suggesting they find websites that read passages with tools like Odigo. While the voice is rather robotic, it does provide students with the ability to access the content. Here are some useful text to speech (tts) tools to help students consume information.
- Odigo for Websites and Blogs
- iSpeech - For any text
- Online Translator - for performing real-time translation for various languages
- TTS Voice presented by animated speaking characters will read the text in the most realistic, human-sounding way in a variety of languages: English U.S., Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian and European Spanish.
- Why: Educational Value of Text to Speech (TTS)

Google Translation Tools
- Google Webpage Translation Gadget: Since your students are ELLs recommend they find blogs that use translation tools such as The Google Translation Gadget or BabbleFish. These tools let you take any blog and translate it into more than a dozen languages. If the blog does not have a tool for a blog or site that may be valuable, a student can write to the author asking them to install this tool.
- Google Translate: If your student is reading content that does not have a translation tool, use Google Translate to translate the entire page.
- Google Translated Search: Enter a search phrase in your own language to find information in other languages.
- Google Toolbar: Or your student can use the translate tool in the Google toolbar to translate specific words by hoovering over them.
- Google Reader: Show them how to subscribe to these blogs using Google Reader.

KidsClick

Sort materials by reading level.

dotSub
- Some say video is the new text, but if you don’t know the language very well, it may be hard to access that information.
- Watch videos with subtitles in your language, upload your videos, create your own subtitles!
- Click here to learn more and view tutorials on "how to dotSUB"
- Here is a sample video. Experiment with different subtitles.

ESL LISTENING COMPREHENSION EXERCISES: Movie Clips

Learning through media (movies, music, etc.) is one of the best ways to learn a new language. The clips below will improve your listening comprehension skills, helping you to learn and practice English as spoken by normal people every day! These particular clips are from recent movies. Good luck!

Ideas for ELLs on the go.
Note: If your school or district has policies banning personal learning devices, you can still empower students to harness the power of technology away from school i.e. as part of their toolbox for life as well as homework.

G-O-O-G-L-E Text (466453)
- Define
- Translate
- Currency Converter
- Calculator to Convert Metric System

Polleverywhere Text (99503)
- Give students a voice with survey and open response polls
- Try it here: Vote by visiting http://tinyurl.com/TESOLVote. Your results will show up immediately in the chart below.
  Replace audience response hardware with Poll Everywhere

SUPPORTING ELL STUDENTS IN BECOMING INFORMATION PRODUCERS
One of the best ways to help students get excited about learning anything is by helping them become content producers in areas of deep personal interest and passion.

Ideas for ELLs on the go.

Google Voice
- Use Google Voice and set up a widget and have students enter their phone number where they will receive a call from their teacher's Google voice account. Ask them to please leave a message with their spoken one minute report about their selected subject. Here's an example of what this looks like.
- To get a Google Voice Account visit I received my Google Voice Invite and You Should Too!

Ideas for ELLs @ school / home.

Microsoft Word - Word Talk
- Text to Voice
- Students can check their writing by having the computer read it back to them.
Google Translate
- Enables students to draft their thoughts in their own language and translate to English. This enables them to participate in all types of online communities such as discussion boards, blogs, chats.
Xtranormal
- Text to movie!
- If you can type, you can make movies!
- You can encourage students to rate and comment and one another's work providing authentic assessment.
  Here's an example of what a movie looks like
  Xtranormal in the classroom from José Picardo on Vimeo.
- Read more at Xtranormal in the classroom
Voki
- Voki provides a great way for students to record their own voice and make talking Avatars that can convey messages, thoughts, ideas.
- Voki can speak in a number of languages and accents enabling students to communicate in multiple languages.
- Students can comment on one another's Vokis with their own Vokis.
  Here's an example
dotSub
- Assigned advanced students the task of creating their own subtitles to existing videos.
- Have students create and upload videos in their native language and work with other students to provide English subtitles.

Blogging
- Blog Commenting (this is the best place to start)
- Blog Producing (this is for students with deep fluency in their Native language)In native language which can be translated to EnglishIn English which can be translated into their native language
Learning / Social Networks
- Live Mocha
  - "A powerful opportunity for people around the world to connect with language partners" - New York Times
  - Social Language Learning - Online!
  - Learn languages online at your own pace with fun language lessons
  - Connect with foreign language partners around the world
  - Livemocha blends engaging online lessons and the world's largest language learning community to create the most natural way to learn a language.
- Facebook
  - Communicate with friends who speak other languages.Lurk to read their walls with status updates
- Ning
  - Set up a school social network for students age 13 and up
  - Encourage students to communicate and connect

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Virtual Worlds

Second Life
The 3D virtual world "Second Life" is full of places to practice a foreign language - you can speak with real people all over the world. In 2007 Second Life introduced a voice system, so you can now talk with people just like in real life.

Best of all - it won't cost you a penny! Second Life is free to use, so you can travel to foreign countries, practice a language and make new friends - absolutely free - all from the comfort of your computer.
Read more at ESL in Second Life - Learning English in Second Life

Physical Worlds

Meetup
Do something • Learn something Share something • Change something
Helps learners become independent
Join or start

Funding Innovation
Providing students with access to innovative learning tools and resources is a right, not a privilege. It is up to educators to help students gain access to resource that will help them learn, consume, and produce content. In some schools you will find that students already own and have access to a number of personal learning devices. It is the job of the educator to support students in harnessing the power of their personal learning devices at and away from school. If districts and schools allow, teachers should be incorporating student-owned devices into instruction and supplementing that with purchased devices. Today you can get a highly functional low-cost laptop for between $300 - $500. You can read a nice comparison of brands here.

Just as we wouldn't allow a hearing impaired student to be without a hearing aid and/or other assistive technology, or a visually impaired student to be without glasses, schools must do whatever they can to provide their students with innovative technologies that will support their learning. Here are my top two suggested ways to fund innovation at your school.

Funding Source 1

A tremendous resource for funding innovation that includes funding news, grant deadlines, and more.

Funding Source 2

Email me and I'll feature your project on The Innovative Educator's Giving Page at Donor's Choose.

Write a guest post for my blog about what you'd like to do and I'll publish it.

Planning for Innovation
Once you've determined some ideas for educating innovatively, it is time to incorporate that into your unit plan. This handy Technology Integration Planning tool is the perfect resource to get you or your school started. It is a Google collaborative document so you can plan for innovation across your school. The tool also supports teachers in aligning their curriculum to both content and technology standards.

Final Thoughts
As a Spanish Language Learner, I was embarrassed by my accent and as a result didn't practice much publicly or with native speakers. This in part is why I never attained basic literacy in Spanish, however, I have shared innovative strategies that provide non-native speakers with a safe space to practice and communicate in a new language. They can participate as much or as little as they choose. Innovative educators and family members can embrace ideas such as these to support students and themselves in communicating, collaborating, and connecting with those whom they do not share a native language. As students gain comfort and fluency, teachers and families can work with students to become active and authentic consumers and producers of information in ways and in areas that are meaningful, important, and authentic.

Blogs for further reading:

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…
…For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

ELL Classroom

Share your thoughts about topics in this post:
Use your phone to text your feedback at Polleverywhere by visiting: http://theinnovativeeducator.wikispaces.com/ELL+Keynote+Polls.

President Obama's Innovative Back to School Challenge for Students

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:36:00 +0000

On the first day back to school in New York City and other districts, the U.S. Department of Education will ask students to respond to the President’s Back to School challenge by creating videos, up to two minutes in length, describing the steps they will take to improve their education and the role education will play in fulfilling their dreams in the “I Am What I Learn” video contest for students. This is a great opportunity for innovative educators to showcase their students, school and teachers. This could also serve as a possible activity that students and families can do together promoting family involvement in student learning.

For more information about the “I Am What I Learn” video contest for students visit http://www.ed.gov/iamwhatilearn/index.html.

School Starts Next Week--Time to Get Real About Innovation

noreply@blogger.com (Dana Lawit) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Writer's Note: This blog post is inspired by the upcoming first day of school. Having spent the summer reading, reflecting, and generally thinking big & abstract, reality set in when I had to wrestle with a photocopier earlier this week. This post is my attempt to link some big ideas about educating innovatively with some practical considerations, programs, and technologies I'll be using and writing about this year. It is my hope that this begins a conversation towards identifying the fundamental skills and values we will need as netizens.

by Dana Lawit

Live from the the Whitestone bridge this post comes to you as I sit on a bus to Boston which has wireless internet. I'm able to use my 4-5 hour journey to follow up on email, do some planning, and figure out how I'm going to get from the train station to where I'll be staying. 5 years ago I sat on the bus to Boston with different tools. book and an iPod to keep me company. In just a few short years it is clear, the world is changing.

Today, employers expect their employees not only can use Microsoft Office, but many Web 2.0 applications that connect and support collaboration. Students gain most of their information instantly from laptops. In our personal lives, we tag ashare photos with our grandparents on Facebook and track down friends from elementary school that we haven't spoken to in years. Technology is enabling us to curate our public and private lives.

The world is changing is nothing new, but I suspect that the rate of change is accelerating. This is problematic for those of us working in schools. On my bus ride 5 years ago, I never would have speculated that today I would be able to writing this blog post. And even now I'm behind the times, I'm writing from my clumsy PowerBook; I don't even have a SmartPhone. Which makes me wonder:

How do we prepare our students for an ever-changing world?

In trying to answer this question, I came upon Project New Media Literacies, a research initiative out of MIT's Comparative Media Studies program. The project's white paper outlines new essential skills:

Play— the capacity to experiment with one’s surroundings as a form of problem-solving
Performance— the ability to adopt alternative identities for the purpose of improvisation and discovery
Simulation— the ability to interpret and construct dynamic models of real-world processes
Appropriation— the ability to meaningfully sample and remix media content
Multitasking— the ability to scan one’s environment and shift focus as needed to salient details.
Distributed Cognition— the ability to interact meaningfully with tools that expand mental capacities
Collective Intelligence— the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others toward a common goal Judgment— the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of different information sources
Transmedia Navigation— the ability to follow the flow of stories and information across multiple modalities
Networking— the ability to search for,synthesize, and disseminate information
Negotiation— the ability to travel across diverse communities,discerning and respecting multiple perspectives, and grasping and following alternative norms.

Of these skills, what is new? And what is missing? These skills echo Bloom's Taxonomy (introduced in the 1950s) higher order thinking skills of evaluating and creating. Following the 1983 release of A Nation At Risk: The Imperiative for Educational Reform, schools were called upon to focus on "critical thinking" to better prepare students for a new and changing workplace. So perhaps the skills themselves aren't as novel as the setting in which we ask ourselves and our students to apply them.

So then what is missing? If one of the functions of education is to prepare citizens to contribute to the communities in which they reside, then how are we to prepare netizens? Beyond skills, what are the values and understandings students need to contribute to the virtual communities in which they thrive? Here's my tentative list:

equity- we must expect and demand equal access to information and technology
creativity- individuals must be driven to find solutions and ways of expression despite limitations
responsibility - we are connected to our natural and virtual surroundings and the other individuals who populate them

So how will all of this inform my practice? This year I plan to do the following:

have conversations with my colleagues and students about how they use technology. What uses enhance our life? --stronger collaboration and sharing of information, connecting with friends. What uses cause stress and potential threats?-- my relationship with our school's photocopier, online safety, privacy and the security of information.
make stuff. And help others do so as well. Technology clearly has the potential to engage kids. Armed with a flip video camera, digital voice recorders, I plan to capture some of the great moments of learning--recording a student performance, creating video art, documenting field work...
make time for play. Show students enriching and engaging ways to use the internet (Pandora and GrooveShark instantly come to mind). I plan to find time during advisory to talk to kids about multitasking and using the web to work faster and smarter. They'll need to experiment and play.
reflect and connect. I will be writing about many of these initiatives on this blog, hopefully you will continue to share yours

Even though the world is changing more quickly than before, it has always been changing much faster than schools have kept up with. Innovation, is our attempt to close that gap.

Taking Risks and Upgrading a Little Too Fast, Maybe…

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:04:00 +0000

Editor’s Note: Today I am at a workshop for Writing Matters, an innovative program that provides teachers with powerful new ways to improve student outcomes in writing. We were asked to write a memory snapshot. So, I share with you below, a peak into an embarrassing memory of the pre Innovative Educator as a teenager.

My parents raised me to know that as soon as I was legally old enough to work I would need to look for a job. In Las Vegas I was able to work at the age of 16 where I began work at a doctor’s office. Not coincidentally this is exactly what my parents had hoped for since they also raised me to believe I wanted to be a doctor (sorry it didn’t work out mom). While working for Dr. Hoffman I had the opportunity to do all sorts of things from weighing patients, to bringing Dr. Hoffman patient files, to even doing things like holding the metal tray for him to take his doctor equipment from.

Dr. Hoffman also had me do errands for him. One day he needed his car washed. I was soooo excited. I was only 16-years-old and I was getting a chance to drive as they say on The Price is Right, “a brand new car!” My current car was a used, beat up Pontiac Sunbird that cost less than $1000. I was now making an upgrade to a new long, sleek 1985 Mercedes Benz 500 Series Sedan that was really expensive. I was sooooo proud to be able to drive around my town in this new model fit for a Doctor.

I got the car washed and drove back to the office. Dr. Hoffman trusted me with his car. I felt very special. I was dreaming about all the errands I would run in the Mercedes. I bet I could even borrow the car if Dr. Hoffman went out of town. Maybe drive it to school. "I could definitely get used to this,” I thought.

When I went to park the car in the garage I realized that the space I had simply backed out of was REALLY tight. There was a huge cement pole on one side of the space and the corner I had to drive around was sharp! Really sharp. I made a few attempts to no avail. I couldn’t line the car up right. I was getting nervous. Suddenly I noticed a couple people in the garage. I felt like they were all starring at me. My palms started getting sweaty. I went from feeling so proud to be in this expensive adult car to feeling like a dumb kid who didn’t know how to park.

Ugh. I had to do this. After pulling in and out for what seemed like forever, I thought about what my mom had always told me about the best way to remove a Band-Aid. Maybe the same thing applied here. Don’t think about it too much. Just do it quickly and maybe that will work. So I decided to just back up again, gather up what little bit of self-esteem I had left and pull right into the spot. Guess what??? Just like the rip of a band-aid coming off a wound, the next sound I heard was, “Scccrrrraaaaaappe!!!!” Oh my gawd! The door scraped up against the pole. I quickly looked in my rear view mirror hoping no one heard or saw. I didn’t know what to do. I wished there was an undo button in life (though I don’t think those had been invented yet…even for computers).

I was so upset and embarrassed. I was just hoping I could delete the people in the parking lot because I couldn’t bear to have them speak to me. I wanted to just shut down then and there, but alas, that was not an available option. As I sat alone in the car I wondered how I could possibly go back into the office admitting what I had done. I couldn’t and I didn’t know what to do. So, I got out of his car and downgraded back into my clucker and did the hard drive to my mom’s office.

She had a client. I told her secretary that this was an emergency! I had to speak with her. My mom asked the client to excuse her for a few minutes. My mom looked at her usually stoic, rather pain-in-the-butt kid and as our eyes met, I suddenly broke down in tears and told her what I had done. She suggested I go back to work and talk to Dr. Hoffman about what had happened. “No! I can’t. I’m too embarrassed,” I cried. “Please mom. Help.”

An accomplished accountant, my mother had already processed the facts and numbers before picking up the phone. “Ahem, Dr. Hoffman. This is Joyce Nielsen, Lisa’s mother. First, I really don’t think it is safe or appropriate for you to be giving a teenager the responsibility of driving a brand new car, but you’re the boss. Second, I hate to tell you this, but there’s been a crash. My teenager hit the door of your car on a pole in your parking lot.” I heard Dr. Hoffman responding. He didn’t sound like he had short circuited on the other end of the phone, more like he was taking it all in and trying to process what had happened. I couldn’t really hear what he was saying, which was good. He wasn’t screaming. After all it wasn’t that bad I guess. I mean there was a way to restore the vehicle and no one was hurt, right?

So, my mom said, “If you agree with me that this might not be the best decision, I propose that we assess the damage and you each split the cost for repair. If you disagree, let me know what you think is fair.” My mom hung up and shared, that Dr. Hoffman agreed with her proposal. She said he wasn’t angry. Accidents happen. He was happy I was taking responsibility for what had happened (well kind of) and that he thought this was fair and I should come back to work.

Still, I was sooo embarrassed. I didn’t think I could ever go back to the office. But I did. I tried to stay composed and I did at first until Dr. Hoffman said he would like to see me in his office. I broke down again ashamed, embarrassed, and let down that I wasn’t able to handle the upgrade. I asked him to keep this private. I’m not sure if he did, but I never spoke about it to anyone. Dr. Hoffman deducted a small portion (about 10%) of each paycheck to be used toward the $500 dollar damage I owed him. Eventually it became easier and easier to look Dr. Hoffman in the eye. I still know Dr. Hoffman today, in fact last year he came to my 40^th birthday party. And, while today I can look him in the eye, I still never talk about the day I was unable to handle the upgrade.

Opportunity for Innovative Educators to Get Recognized as Expert Evaluators in Tech & Learning Magazine

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:42:00 +0000

Tech & Learning has an opportunity for teachers to be recognized as expert evaluators of products that might be of interest to other innovative educators. Qualified candidates (if you’re reading this blog, that’s you!) will be selected to evaluate products for its annual Awards of Excellence. This will be a piece of cake for innovative educators who are already using many of these products. This is an opportunity to share what you know about the products you love (or do not love) by evaluating at least five of the products mentioned below by October 5. Evaluation criteria include the following: quality and effectiveness, ease of use, creative use of technology, and suitability for use in an educational environment. Each product will take 30 – 60 minutes to evaluate and results are submitted here.

Judges will be recognized in the December Awards issue of Tech & Learning. They will also receive a free subscription to the magazine and will be entered in a drawing to win an all-day pass to the New York Tech Forum. To become an evaluator simply email cweiser@nbmedia.com with “Awards of Excellence Evaluation Candidate” in the subject line. Share that you are a reader of this blog in the body of your email.

PRODUCTS TO EVALUATE
Acuity Assessment System
Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro
Adobe CS4 Master Collection
Adobe Digital School Collection
AirSet
AlertNow
Avid Media Composer
CompassLearning Odyssey High School
Convey Solutions
CustomGuides Online Learning Resource (CLMS)
DyKnow Monitor
EduPlatform
EXCEED/RTI
Faronics Anti-Executable
Faronics Power Save
Faronics WINSelect
Ignite! Math
Moo-O
MusIQ Lab
NetSupport Notify
NetSupport School
NewsMaker
PBS TeacherLine Peer Connection
RM Math Player
RM Sonica ESL
SchoolFusion Classroom
Serif Design Suite
Skatekids Online
SMART Classroom Suite
SMART Notebook SE (Student Edition)
SMART Sync classroom management software
StockTrack Portfolio
Study Buddy
Studywiz Spark Mobile
VizZle
WriteOnline
eBOARD
In2Books
K to the 8th Power Technology Literacy Curriculum
K12 Inc, High School Product Suite
MathXL for School
Miller & Levine Biology Digital Path
netRTI™
Operation Resilient Planet
PebbleGo
Ramps To Reading
Reading Analysis & Prescription System (RAPS 360)
Response Ware
RtI Package™ for the Academy of READING®
SAS Curriculum Pathways
Saywire.com
SchoolCenter Website Management
SchoolRack -- a free service online for creating teacher websites or education blogs
SchoolRecruiter™
Sketchpad LessonLink
StudentWatchSuite
ThinkQuest

Previous Awards of Excellence
2003 \| 2004 \| 2005 \| 2006 \| 2007 \| 2008
2008 Product Gallery 2007 Product Gallery

Using Mobile Tech as an Instructional Tool on ABC Channel 7 News Tonight at 5

lnielsen.professional@gmail.com (The Innovative Educator) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:36:00 +0000

Rumor has it I was featured in a promo today for a story running on ABC News in New York at 5:00 tonight. The story is about how mobile technologies can be used as instructional tools. I don't know if I'll be in the actual story, but it will be of interest to innovative educators. If you'd like to check it out visit Using phones instead of fighting them where you can watch the video and read the transcript.