A sign of the times?

My Facebook friends are starting to post requests for help... anyone who knows the trails and has an ATV who can get supplies (especially medicine) in to the towns in Vermont that are stranded can really help some folks who need it.

Interestingly, when the storm hit and my state started washing away and it became clear that some areas were in trouble, I tuned my AM radio to the local station (first time I had done that since 2007 when a spring wind storm hit my area pretty hard) and listened to first hand reports being called in by cell phone and heard updates from the local police.

Communication in the 21st century... choose the appropriate tool!

The more things change...

At our opening meeting of all of the faculty and staff in our district (which was fewer than expected as many faculty were stranded by roads washed away in floods--we figured the teacher who lived in a town that was inaccessible and had to travel through at least two other towns that were inaccessible to get to work was not going to be there!) we talked about students.

Reasonable enough-- but with new administrators I was hoping we might get to talk about authentic learning. The talk quickly turned to "how do we assess our students?" I held my breath as the principal leading the discussion said, "we know we want to use multiple methods of measuring students' success..." and then the PowerPoint slide switched, and she said, "let's look at this test data for example."

"Arg!" I understand our current political climate. But I am increasingly frustrated with leaders (no make that administrators) who talk the talk of authenticity in schools, but then "measure success" with a test score and who define themselves and judge their teachers with how well their students perform on a test.

A little later, we were having a discussion at our table, and I summarized a book chapter I had read over the summer which indicated that there is no evidence in the learning sciences to support the claim that a test is an accurate measure of human knowledge... the message was not well-received by several at my table as it immediately challenged all they "know" about education.

21st Century Skill Portfolios

So, last night I work up and could not get back to sleep... a common occurrence and a chance to do some thinking about kids and computers and teaching.

This year, I will be teaching 5th grade in a poorly planned initiative... basically they needed another teacher to share the kids, the school received netbooks as part of a one-to-one initiative (another poorly managed project), and the idea was "Ackerman will show them ho to use the netbooks." (That's the extent of the planning as it appeared in the school board minutes.)

To me this seems a great opportunity to try something new as no one has any expectations-- that is an environment in which I can shine!

So here is my idea... I am going to have students create electronic portfolios organized around the 21st Century Skills. But as I thought about it, I realized that I cannot simply have my students jump through the hoops through which the Partnerships for 21st Century Skills folks want them to jump. My students need to look at those skills, internalize them and then decide first if they are worth knowing and then second decide how they have demonstrated the skills.

You can't be my teacher....

One of the more entertaining (and biting) videos in the "motivate teachers to teach digital natives" genre:

Kinda creepy... very interesting

What happens to your FaceBook page after you die?

That is the question that Adam Ostrow has us ponder in this TED Talk. As a technologist working in a school, it is part of my job to help educators and students keep a "cutting edge" view of the technology issues we face and the ethical and moral dimensions of the technology we have created am embraced.

I do not expect you will find this question in any "technology standards" or any other curriculum standards, but it is far more relevant and interesting (and important) to our future than any standards I have read in recent years.

Help me understand this...

So, we returned to school on Friday and had a day with our new principal to do some "where are we?" and "where do we want to go?" brainstorming... a very appropriate and necessary activity.

One of the complaints we heard... it appeared as the third most pressing need in our school... is the need for more and more efficient technology. This supports our school board's goal of becoming a "21st century school" and a long-established line of rhetoric by leaders in our school.

Another problem that educators complained about was students' use of cell phones (we have a large number of students with handhelds) and many teachers were suggesting that we begin enforcing a more-strict no cell phone policy.

Maybe it is just me, but I see this as a huge inconsistency. Our kids arrive at school with technology in their pockets and demonstrate a willingness to use it, yet we want to keep that technology in their pockets and complain we don't have enough technology.

Sorry folks, but you can't have it both ways!

Better listening

Hear is an excellent TED Talk to share with students... less than eight minutes... pay particular attention to the filters that are presented early on and to the acronym RASA near the end.

IT Skills...

I get lots of email from vendors of IT products... they try to give advice, but it is obviously just a venue to get you to look at their ads... I can live with that... I ignore most and take the rest with a grain of salt.

Today, one of the items in my in-box announced "the top eight IT skills," so I opened it. Here are the top four:

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Vision/ Innovation
• Project Management

Makes me think I am spot on with the skills I hope my students develop in my courses... makes me think any test anyone can devise for my students will not measure what they need for their future.

Avoiding the Tragedy of the Computer Commons

My school provides a unique benefit for teachers: We are paid (a penitence) to prepare our classrooms for the upcoming school year-- basically I set up my classroom before the school year begins and they give me enough money to buy enough gasoline to get to my son's soccer games over the fall, I used to be able to buy pizza a couple of night over soccer season also, but not with $3.63 per gallon gas!

As I have been in the school working, several of my colleagues have asked about the state of the computers in our school-- I used to be responsible for managing everything, then I worked only with teachers and system support came from our central office, now I teach full time. We have come to the conclusion that-- at least in our building-- there is a tragedy of the commons alive and well.

In most schools, schools are a shared resource-- include in this the cameras projectors and similar peripherals. They are also a limited resource. In this situation, there is a tendency for some to "grab" theirs before anyone else gets it. I see teachers sign up for computer rooms and never use it. I see teachers "borrow" cameras and never return them. I see teachers borrow mobile laptop labs and then keep a couple for use in their classrooms. I have seen teachers take power supplies from mobile laptop labs so they can have one at home and one at school, in case they forget it.

I understand the pressures to use technology-- it makes sense, there is pressure to use it from parents and administrators. I understand the tragedy of the commons-- a teacher who knows she is going to need cameras again next month for her big project for open house wants so ensure she has what she needs and returning the cameras means they might get broken or stolen before she needs them. I get that all.

I also observer, however, that students rarely display such attacks on the commons. Well, students who are working on relevant and  meaningful projects don't students who are treated with respect don't.

This summer I read a book about the evolutionary strategies for social interaction. One of the most successful strategies (one in which a person can gain the most) is called tit-for-tat. There are several variations on theme strategy, but at it most simple:

Be helpful/ generous/ giving in your first interaction with everyone. Then each time they interact with you again, do back to them hat they last did.

So, if one of your colleague is being uncooperative this fall... think back to the last time you interacted with them... perhaps the uncooperative nature of your colleagues in sharing laptops is because you already have all of the cameras hidden in your closet!

Exciting new project from NELMS

NELMS plans to celebrate a decade of the Maine Learning with Technology Initiative (MLTI)-- their one-to-one initiative in middle schools-- with a book that has the working title Technology in Middle Schools: Lessons from Maine and the Rest of New England.

We are seeking nominations of educators who have done outstanding work with computers and middle schools who are willing to contribute chapters. While readers of NELMS.21 will find updates posted here, the author guidelines will appear on the NELMS web site soon and if you are interested in writing (or know someone else who is) feel free to contact me using the details in my profile.

Looking at ourselves

It has been several years since I had an advisory, and I miss it.

If I did have an advisory, I think we would watch this:

Back to school reminder: SpeakUp 2011

As you head back to school, take a few minutes to remember what was reported in Project Tomorrow's SpeakUp survey in 2011... the statistic that stick with me is that two-thirds of parents are willing to buy a handheld for their children to bring to school and use for their work.

When I was reviewing the report, I was also reminded of the three E's of education:

• Enabling students to reach their potential through increased access to educational resources and experts that extend learning beyond the capacities or limitations of their school or community.
• Engaging students in rich, compelling learning experiences that develop deeper knowledge and skill development especially the problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking skills so highly desired for our world today.
• Empowering students to take responsibility for their own educational destinies and to explore knowledge with an unfettered curiosity, thus creating a new generation of life long learners.

Back to school reminder: Shared Spaces

I am obviously a fan of Google's products... let's not get into the politics of their plan for world domination :)!

It seems anyone without a Google account is at a real disadvantage today. For example, I had heard rumors that GE's Imagination Cubed (a virtual whiteboard) had gone offline, but had not had a chance to actually check it out. Sure enough, as I was getting ready for the fall, I followed the link to find it gone.

That sure makes me glad Google has Sharde Spaces still up and running. (Ya gotta wonder how long it will be around after Google Labs is shut down!) For now...

http://sharedspaces.googlelabs.com/

Back to school reminder: BodyBrowser

Here is another reminder of a tool to use hen you get back to school later this month...

Google's BodyBrowser is a 3D human body that can be rotated around, labeled, and stripped of bones, muscles, organs, nerves, so that only those systems of interest are displayed.

BodyBrowser may require some work to get functioning... it requires updated web browsers (Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox work best) and perhaps some tweaking of settings for your video card. Also, I have the best luck with Macintosh computers, although I have used Windows to use the site as well. It is worth getting the tech support people in your school to help out, however.

Social media-- Not really middle school, but interesting

Only a Game, a public radio program from WBUR in Boston, is broadcast on Saturday morning in Vermont. Last Saturday, there was a story on that program that demonstrates the changing times.

http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2011/08/13/tweet-this-social-media-and-recruiting

Apparently, college coaches are using social media to recruit student-athletes to their programs. That is not really a middle school topic, but it is an interesting sign of the times. I suppose it is not surprising, however. Kids are on social media and if you want to contact them, you have to meet them where they live. My younger son is getting ready for his senior year as a goal keeper on his soccer team at school, and he has been using FaceBook all summer to remind teammates of scheduled training.

Appsbar

Several times in the last year, I have tried to learn to program apps for iPad/ iPod/ iPhone, but each time my attention gets diverted before I can really get a handle on it. I have no excuse anymore, as a website called appsbar provides those with accounts access (free-- just use your email account to validate) to a wizard that takes you step by step through creating an app for Apple's line or for Android, and then allows users to publish them on the appropriate store.

Flubaroo

As I have been preparing to return to school, I have discovered a few new tools that are on my "must use and share" list. As a user of Google Docs, I have been waiting for a skilled script writer to add quiz grading functionality to spreadsheets... it is here.

http://www.flubaroo.com/

Is a script that can be added to spreadsheets and allows grades to be calculated and reported.

Five Trends to Start the Year...

Our school hired a new principal for this year, and she asked me to have some "tech stuff" to share for the first day of school. I decided to prepare a site that focuses on five trends that are influencing educators and ICT... the site is here:

https://sites.google.com/site/icttrendsineducation/

I will gladly share it so that anyone who wants a copy to modify for their own purposes can.

All Tech Considered--Girls & Social Media

On August 8, NPR's All Things Considered featured a story about the new edition of Odd Girl Out, the 2002 book about bullying among girls. This new edition has been updated for digital media. In the interview, Rachael Simmons makes the pint that social media and cell phones are deeply (very deeply) embedded in girls' conceptions of themselves. She makes the point that one reason for this is that girls have not yet developed good communication skills.

Simmons has several bits of advice for parents, the one I most appreciate, and that I think educators should  adopt is a cell phone parking area in the home (classroom). This is a public place where all cell phones (yup, parents' and teachers' phones too!) during meals (tests) and other cell-phone free activities.

(By the way, if you go to buy the book on one of the online retailers, make sure to get the 2011 edition!)

Sign of the times...

On the EdWeek Digital Education Blog, I read about a law that says educators can't use social networks to contact students... OK, seems reasonable... but wait... my son has been my student and he is my FaceBook friend... and the law says I can't contact former students.. wait, what?... really?

So... here is a situation... I have maintained contact with a former student... as he graduated form high school, then college... his parents invite me to their house when he is in town so we can catch up, and I occasionally contacts him via FaceBook to seek his advice (he works as a computer programmer). Now I am breaking the law when I do that (well at least in Missouri).

I understand the need to protect people, but really... doesn't this seem a little too far. 

South Korea

While browsing EdWeek today, I was intrigued by this article which indicates the South Korea government intends to supply students with tablets so they can access virtual textbooks.

I can hear my colleagues response now, "But they only use computers for dumb stuff." (And they are surely accurate in this assessment... if I had a nickel for each game, "sneezing panda" video on YouTube, and attempts to post "<3  this" or "LOL" on FaceBook have I observed in school, I could retire.)

Unfortunately, many teachers accept that observation as a reason that they should not use computers with students. I counter, if e don't give students something other than "dumb stuff" to do with their computers, then we can only blame ourselves for the predominance of  dumb stuff.

August: Tools to Know

August is here. A word that brings mixed feelings to educators. Before this month is out, we will be back in school. As the days of freedom to read and write what I want when I want (and the option of clearing my head by going to the garden for a few minutes disappears) dwindle to a precious few, I am reintroducing myself to a few tools... looking for changes, looking for new connections. I will post these tools here as I rediscover them...

If you haven't uses WolframAlpha yet, please take a few minutes and revisit it... a search engine for computable data, and it is amazing the data that is kept. The quick tour is here.

Khan Academy has been gaining some attention as it makes thousands of video available--basically show-and-tell speaker and "chalkboard" for solving math and science problems. Everything from addition to calculus.