Recently, I was reading some reflections on some blogs from some teachers I am working with in my district. There was one that really caught my eye and has caused me to do some heavy reflecting over the past few days. Here is what was said:
"While the students are coming to school more knowledgeable about technology, a teacher in a session at the NCAEconference in Greensboro this weekend brought up a possible caveat. He said that students are using so much technology that they are not interacting with adults and other kids enough. He feels that kids are coming to school with more social skills deficits that they used to. I wonder what time and research will determine about that."
I stopped dead in my tracks. Could that teacher have actually said that, or, even worse, think that! How many other teachers think social media causes social deficits? And why would they think that?
I am not a psychologist or social scientist. I have never studied behavior or congnition in kids. I have, however, been a teacher. I have seen kids, been around kids and have a pretty good idea of how they work.
I was a Middle School Teacher for several years. Specifically I taught 7th and 8th grade science. So I was lucky enough (some would say tourtured) to see the amazing transtion students undergo as the move into adolescents. If there was one thing I can safely say about the vast majority of kids between the ages of 11-15 is that they like to be social. They like to talk, and interact with eachother. I knew that anytime I put kids together in groups I would get the best work. So I learned early on in my teaching that if I really wanted students to succeed and feel success they needed to work together. Was the talk all the time about their work, no way. But could I see how much better their work was then they worked together as opposed to individually? Yes!
There is reason it is called "social media." Social. I think perhaps the teacher that made the statement is stuck in the past a bit. These kids do not interact in same ways they did just 10 or 20 years ago. I have seen kids sit right next to each other carrying on a conversation through texts. They go home and they get on IM and Facebook and interact. Perhaps adults need to change their concept of "interact."
I would argue that technology, specifically, social media makes it easier for students to interact. Its what they know. So then the converstation moves to how can use what they already know and put it to good use in the classroom. Services like Edmodo and Tiny Chat, wikis and blogs, all incorporate technology and still allow for collaboration and interaction.
Social Media and other technologies allow students to collaborate and interact with other students all over the world. (Isn't that what we really want, anyway?) So lets start a movement. Lets change our ideas of what collaboration and interaction really means. Lets begin to embrace these Social Media tools and integrate them into the classroom and show kids that they can be used for learning and interacting instead of casting them aside as a fad that will pass.
Image from Flickr CC Search. View the orginial here.
A Superintendent is at a regional meeting. He is asked how effectively his district is using technology by a colleague. His response? "We spend over $500,000 on 'stuff' last year. Of course we have an effective technology program."
How many times have you heard that story? How many times have you heard an administrator in your building say that to the staff? There seems to be a question as to what is effective technology use and there is a divide between what some administrators think is effective use and what teachers think is effective use.
This is the question we aimed to tackle last night on #edchat. Here are some thoughts and a little taste of what was said:
Administrators should not measure technology use - they should assess student learning. Technology should be used seamlessly to help students meet learning goals, produce, be creative, and be collaborative. It should not be a separate entity.
Not sure there is a standard for effective evaluation of technology yet because new technologies are constantly emerging and integration into the learning process is morphing at a very rapid pace. It's clear that administrators have to be willing to lead or at least be an active participant in learning new technologies and integrating there use into the school culture - from the district level to the classroom level. Time for teachers to collaborate on tech use is also critical. In the end, evaluation should focus on the learning results that stem from use of technology alongside other traditional instructional modes.
Comes down to district's expectation for technology integration. District needs to define it (using TPACK, ISTE standards, own tech integration standards, or other criteria) then administrators (district and building level) need to model and follow through on expectations. In order to make a difference district needs to support administrators and teachers by providing building support and differentiated professional development. (along with the technology itself) AND don't forget to celebrate your successes- not dwell on those that aren't, but rather those that are and the students that are positively impacted.
Administrators and teachers should actually learn to listen to and respond to their learners' needs. If this is done, teachers and administrators will be aware of what should be done in the classroom and how to effectively use technology to foster learner autonomy, learning, and growth. We can't simply rate effective use of technology based on the mere participation of learners. Learners should participate and use technology meaningfully and not simply because their teacher told them to. An effective use of technology is the use of technology in a way that learners can relate to it and use it meaningfully. Technology for technology's sake is definitely not the way to go. Besides, we are teaching kids for a world which will be completely different 5 years from now. Which of the techs we can teach them will be useful then? If learners, however, learn how to use tech in their benefit, then we have done our job.
Admins often use the price tag of tech to assess its success "We spent $2 mill on Technology so we are on the cutting edge."
Measure of success for tech implementation should be we had 500 students create websites, not we spent $500 per student.
Many teachers confuse infusion w/ integration; eval must be based on effective integration to meet objective.
You can read the rest of the responses here. And the archive here.
It was a fascinating discussion that, as always, had people who disagreed, moved in several directions, and had several different ideas for changing the system. Here are some of my thoughts that came out of last nights discussion...
Effectiveness-I have trouble with the word effective. Is there really a way to determine if something is effective? Just because something is designed to do something doesn't necessarily make it effective. There is a misconception in education that just because technology is used in the classroom it is being used effectively. Oh, test scores when up because we put 10 computers in each classroom. Really? (And I have heard that argument.) So perhaps effective just isn't the right word. Perhaps administrators and teachers should be more concerned with engagement. And while I think engagement is equally as difficult to measure, it can be seen. One participant said that engagement equals creations. If students are spending time creating they are engage. So perhaps we need to move the conversation beyond what is effective and move it more towards engagement and ultimately ask, what are students creating (using technology, of course)?
Involvement- If there was a complaint about administrators that came up over and over and over again it was that teachers can not understand how administrators can require technology use, insist on lessons that use technology, and push for technology integration at all levels when they refuse to use it. Houston, we have a problem! How, as an administrator, can you honestly look your staff in the face, require more and more technology use, yet you have no idea when they use it, what they are doing??? I am not an administrator. I do however work with them everyday and understand that there are several facets and responsibilities related to the job. But is it not the same for teachers? Do teachers not also have several facets and responsibilities? Yet we require more and more out of them. So if you are an administrator, touting technology use, you need to be a model of technology use. Talk to your tech savvy teachers and see what simple tools you can start using to make your job a little easier. (You can also check out my recent post on the Administrators Technology Toolkit, simple tools you can use to make yourself more tech savvy.) The point is, you as an administrator are going to have a hard time with buy in if you are not using the same tools. Take the time and learn, before or right along with your teachers.
Scaredy Cat- So I have suggested that administrators learn and use more technology. I can suggest until I am blue in the face. If there is an administrator who is scared to learn because they don't want to look foolish in front of their peers or staff, they will never, ever learn. Ok, you are scared. I get it. But, what about that teacher that is scared to feel the same in front of their students. Or, and more importantly, what about that student who is scared to present in front of the class because they don't want to look stupid or feel embarrassed. Do we say to them, its ok little Johny, you don't have to do it because you feel scared. No way! We as educators never give up (at least we shouldn't). So why do administrators not hold themselves to the same standards as they do the students. Your failure in front of a group using technology is going to happen. (Just happened to me this week when I failed to realize I had not plugged in a critical part to my presentation. Felt so foolish, but you know, I still have job today.) Yes, the administrator is supposed to be the leader, but no one said you had to be perfect.
There is no doubt that the job of the administrator is hard. If it wasn't more people would do it. However, we need to face the facts that technology has a place in the classroom. Just like someone said, technology is the tools we are using now. Before we use the pencil and paper, now we have replaced them computers and online applications. The learning curve is a bit more steep. But, they are hear to stay and administrators need to be champions of technology use.
So how is the effectiveness of technology measured? Is it determined by a test or some rubric? Should the effectiveness of a technology program be measured against the technology use of the school leaders? How do you see technology being effectively used. I welcome your thoughts.
Image from Flickr CC Search. View the original here.
Twitter is being embraced by more and more educators around the world. And why not? Its a great way to build your Personal Learning Network (PLN), resource sharing, and get any kind of help for your classroom that you might need.
Some teachers are taking it upon themselves to jump right in and learning, which is awesome! (If that's you and you are still trying to figure our this Twitter thing, check out this page for tons of resources.) While there are other teachers who attend workshops to learn more about what Twitter is all about and to set up accounts to get started.
This post isn't about those getting started. It's some advice for the Twitter Trainers of the world. Bringing more educators into the fold is wonderful. Like I said, we need to grow the network. But I have some advice for when you are doing some training:
1) Picture/Avatar- One of the barriers we face with Social Networking is that a lot of the time we never talk face-to-face. (While there are times you will meet at conferences or impromptu Tweetup's the vast majority of you may never meet in person.) Help break down some of those barriers and take a picture during your workshop. With digital cameras its super easy to take a quick picture and then post to a profile. I hear a lot of times people will not not follow those without a picture. Show us what you look like already!
2) Profile- Going right along with the image is the profile. The profile is a quick and easy way to introduce yourself to the Twitter world. Take some time and talk to new users about their profile. Educators want to see what grades/subjects they teach or how they are involved in education. Any other information you want to provide is nice to. When most users get new followers the first place they look is the profile Again, we want to help remove as many of those barriers as possible.
3) Follow Lists- One of the complaints I hear from new users is they have no idea who to follow. Help them out by providing a list of 10-20 users they should be following to get them started. Lists can be easily created right on your Twitter profile or by using a service like TweepML.
4) Show The Power- I love watching my the Tweets scroll by and seeing someone who is working with teachers who wants the network to say hi and where they are from. What a cool way to show how far reaching the network is. You can also set it up a day or 2 ahead of time and use a hashtag that people can respond to. The hashtag option is nice because then you can demonstrate how Twitter Search works.
So there it is. 4 simple things trainers should do when working with a group of educators on Twitter. These are my 4 things. When you are training or being trained what other tips or suggestions do you have when setting up and learning about Twitter?
Update- I just saw a cool idea about Shoutouts from @concretekax. He suggests instead of doing the "Say Hi, Tell everyone where you are from..." to instead pick a teacher from the audience and ask them a unit they teach or a subject and then ask your network for resources. That can really show how powerful the network is. I really like this idea. I don't think I would do this instead of the shoutout, however. I would do this in addition to the shoutout. I still believe the shoutout shows that Twitter is not just local and is on all the time but you can use this idea to really show a great way teachers can and should be using Twitter. Image from Google CC Image Search. View The Original Here.
First, a little background. In my role of an Instructional Technologist my goal is to help teachers understand that there are some really awesome tools out there to take their teaching to the next level. I get asked all the time about what tools should teachers be using in the classroom or for professional development.
A few weeks ago I posted my Administrators Technology Toolkit where I wanted to give school administrators some simple tools to get started with to really understand what it means to be a Tech Savvy Administrator.
But I got lots of questions about teachers. What tools do teachers need to use to be Tech Savvy Teachers?
So was born the List of Essential Tools For The Connected Teacher.
Of course these are not all the tools teachers need. Nor are the tools in each category the only tools perfect for that category. They are just a jumping off point. A way to get started.
So for the next 4 Fridays I will be posting a different category of connectedness and several tools.
Here we go...
Week 1-Tools To Communicate
Part of being a Tech Savvy Teacher is communication. Communication with students, parents, community and other education professionals is a must today. Here are several tools to get you started.
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Class Websites-They are a perfect way to get your classroom message out. Post homework, projects, class photos, videos, lessons and more. Think about it. You do a lesson. Johnny is out of school because of Swine Flu. No need for Johnny to fall behind because he can go to your website and get his lesson and homework for the days he is out. The parent doesn't even need to come to the school to get the assignments because you have taken the time to post your information to your website. I am sure you can think of 100's of other ways to use a class website.
Some schools now provide a website space for teachers. If you are not using it you should! If your school doesn't provide for one, get one! There are lots of great, free, services to have a class website if your school doesn't provide one for you:
Google Sites- Very easy to use, and easy to link to Google Calendar for homework and other important dates. You can also post lots of 0ther gadgets that really provide for a lot of flexibility when putting up lessons.
Webs- Another easy to set up and use website service. The only drawback is their are ads on your pages and there really isn't any control over what ads are shown.
Wix- Has to be one of the best website design programs out there, and the best part, its free! You can create some really slick, Flash-based, pages with no programing knowledge really. Very easy to use but when done, looks like a pro made it.
Blogs- So maybe a website just isn't for you. Or maybe you are looking for another way to keep up the communication. Introducing the blog. There are a couple of ways to use them. It could just be a place to summarize what kids did in class that day and to post your homework. It could be a place that is an extension of the learning. Some teachers will post a question or a reflection that they then have the students go in and comment. Or it could just be a place for you to reflect and talk about what it means to be a teacher.
How ever you use it, blogs are a great way to give the world outside your classroom a little insight into what you are doing.
There are tons of resources our there for blogs. Here are just a few:
Blogging In The Classroom-What does it mean to blog with kids in the classroom. Check out the vast amount if information here for great info.
Support Blogging- This wiki is a great place to find tons of info on blogging but in the classroom and professionally. And be sure to check out their list of educational and classroom blogs.
RSS Reader- There are about 50 blogs and websites that I like to keep up with. However, visiting each of these would take up most of my day. There has to be a way for me to visit one place yet still be able to see new blog posts and articles added to my favs.
RSS to the rescue! Really Simple Service (RSS) is a way for you to keep up with all of your favorite sites in one place. Most websites now have RSS feeds so you can know the instant new information is posted to your favorite places. All you need is an RSS Reader. The reader organizes your feeds in an easy to read format. This also allows for information filtering. While you might have a favorite website or blog, you might not want to read everything every time something is posted there. The reader gives you a preview and you can decide if its worth a look or not. More importantly, as a professional, its important to know the news surrounding education and to hear what the educational bloggers are saying. So a reader is an easy way to keep up with that information.
To start, watch this video on RSS In Plain English.
Google Reader- One of the easiest to set up and use readers out there is Google Reader. All you need is a Google Account, and the address of any website you want to keep track of. Google Reader does the rest. Check out this video on setting up your reader, this video on how to organize it, and this list of Must Read Feeds for Teachers.
Drop.Io- There will come a time when you have to share a file, program, document, something that you can't post to a website or add as an attachment in an email. That is where Drop.Io can help. Simply choose the files you want to add to your Drop. Upload. And you get an unique web address that you can give to anyone so they can retrieve the files. Perfect for a class to upload finished projects or documents. Or as just another way to share information with your students, parents or community. Oh and did I mention you can leave voicemail there? Sweet!
Check out this video for a tutorial then head over to Drop.Io to create your first drop.
So there you have 4 ways to start with Web 2.0 Communication. Are there others you think teachers should use. Leave me suggestions down in the comments.
Tune in next week for Week 2-Tools to Create... Photo from Flickr CC Search. View the original here.
In this book, geared towards School and District Leaders, you'll learn about some of the most popular web tools used in schools but through a leadership lens. Understand how to be a more effective communicator and collaborator and boost productivity, at the same time understanding the need for school and district leaders be models of effective technology use.
Written with my good friend Tom Whitby, the book not only lays out the simple tools educators can use to get connected but why it's important to use these tools for professional learning, engaging classrooms and more! Filled with our own stories it's an easy read for any educator!
Recently, I was reading some reflections on some blogs from some teachers I am working with in my district. There was one that really caught my eye and has caused me to do some heavy reflecting over the past few days. Here is what was said:
