Technology Tool #3: QR Codes

QR CODES

In the last year, one of the neatest technology tools that I learned about were QR codes.  I used to see these everywhere and thought that they were these super complex images that only computer geniuses could make.  Well, I was wrong, very wrong!  QR codes are one of the easiest and quickest ways to share links to portable devices. 

Even kindergarten classes now seem to be using portable devices more and more.  However, for students who cannot spell, finding an internet site on a topic that is being discussed in class could be difficult.  That is where QR codes come in.  Using a QR code scanner, which is available for free on almost all devices, student can simply scan the code and it navigates them to the intended site.  For instance, if you were doing a unit on dinosaurs and students wanted to learn more through watching an online video, they could simply scan the code under and image of a particular type of dinosaur and press play.   Grab your device and scan the code besides this paragraph to see what I mean.

Scan here to watch a
video tutorial on creating
QR Codes

How easy is it?  Well let me show you in 6 easy steps.

1. Find an internet site that you would like to link to a QR Code and copy the URL.
2. Search "Google Shortener" in web browser and click on the first link.
3. Paste URL where it asks you to paste it.
4. Click "Shorten URL"
5. Click on details beside the shortened URL.
6. You will see a QR code, right click and "Save image as"
7. Scan with portable devices to see if it links properly.  

This tools can be used in many different way in the classroom.  For instance;

More Ideas

• students can create a 21st century resume linking codes on their resume to their professional blogs
• codes can link to exemplars, addition information and notes
• codes can be used to set up learning stations
• codes can be used to link extra information to assignments such as infographics.   

These are only a few examples of how this tool can be used throughout the K-12 setting.  Click here or scan the QR code labeled "More Ideas" for a great website that really captures a wide array of uses for these codes in education.

The impact of this tool across the K-12 setting is that is allows us to link information quickly to our handheld devices.  With some creativity, we can manufacture lessons that are more engaging to students while at the same time remarkably informative.  In addition, as handheld devices become more and more prevalent, this can lead to less paper being used in the classroom and a more positive affect on the environment, as well as a cost saving for the educational system.  The great thing about these codes are that they can be used by all grade for a variety of different reasons.  This is just one more tool that puts learning at the tip of your finger.

Technology Tool #2: Handheld Devices

Since the development of the Internet, it would be hard to argue that any technology tool has had a stronger impact on student learning, than hand held devices, such as; cell phones, tablets and iPods.  The impact of handheld devices is controversial in the education. 

A lot of children today can effectively navigate their way through an iPad before they can even read.  Prior to officially entering the school system, they have started their learning through the use of engaging apps and videos.  As they progress through school, they eventually work their way up to carrying technology with them where every they go, many of them with around the clock access to the internet.

But what impact does this have on teaching and learning in the K-12 setting?  I think it just depends on how you yourself view technology.  If you think of it as a distraction to learning, then I believe that is what it will become.  If you embrace is as an important technology tool then you will be able to successfully incorporate it into your program. 

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) days are becoming more and more popular in elementary.  Schools are playing with the idea of how to effectively use these in the classroom and frameworks are being developed to help ease school into allowing this more often.  For instance, the ‘BYOD Planning and Implementation Framework’ is just one of the many resources that is available to help ensure a successful BYOD initiative in schools.  It gives all sorts of advice on setting up BYOD teams, and discusses that heavy demands it can plan on the network infrastructure.  One think that I thought was interesting about this resource is that it talks about setting up a Portal that staff, students and parents could access the software needed to keep everyone current.  All these aspects are important to consider before going down this path.

 

In the classroom, there are an infinite amount of uses for these devices.  At their basic levels, they are cameras, calculator, web browsers and social media outlets.  But, there is much more to these devices.  With the ability to download applications, these devices can do anything.  Both Google and Apple have over one million apps each and this number is growing every day.  Teachers can track class behaviour using Class Dojo, track student work using Evernote, or even remind student of tests using Remind 101.  While students can study using flashcards on Chegg or Studyblue, translate words into any language using Google Translate or learn anything they want about science on Science360.  The list can go on and on, and it grows every minute.

 

Overall, handheld devices have the ability to influence ever student in every grade.  More and more, this is becoming part of their existence and it is important they learn to view technology as a tool of productively, not just a tool for social interaction and enjoyment.  Like all things, this will need to be taught, what better place to teach it than school?

Technology Tool #1: Photoshop

With so many technology tools and resources available, it is difficult to select just three.  For this assignment I decided to review a tool that I feel could be more widely used in classrooms across Ontario.  This tool is Adobe Photoshop.

In my opinion, this is one of the most powerful tools that is offered by OSAPAC.   It is a very versatile program that can be used in many different ways in education.  Although there is a steep learning curve at the beginning, once the user learn the basics, they can quickly build the capacity to create pieces of work they never thought possible. 

From kindergarten to grade three, teachers generally use programs such as Kidpix and/or Paint to allow students to create and manipulate digital images.  By the time they are in grade four, they are ready for something new, and Photoshop is it!  Adobe Photoshop gives students to ability to organize digital images into layers, as well as the ability to remove an image from its background.  Although this is a complex program, students will only need to learn how to use 5 tools (move, eraser, rectangle, zoom and text tool) to start their Photoshop journey.   Within one, lessons students will be fully engaged by the never-ending possibilities that Photoshop offers.  For instance, students can progress from making collages, to baseball cards, all they way up to amazing infographics. 

As student progress, they will begin to use Photoshop along side other programs.  For instance, once student learns how to crop an image from its background, they will be able to create PNG images.  These images can be used to create much more effective presentations in programs such as Prezi and Moviemaker.

The key to learning Photoshop is exploration and developing the ability to troubleshoot.  These are great skills to teach students of all ages.  Prior to teaching, the teacher will obviously need to have enough experience with this program to trouble shoot minor issues.  For instance, the main issues students have at first is understanding that if an area is selected, they can only work inside of that area and that if a layer is added and it cannot be seen, it is probably underneath another layer. 

For educators to build this understanding, they can practice Photoshop by creating their graphic organizers and handouts using this program.  Not only will they develop the necessary skills to teach this program effectively, they will also model the effective use of this program and create handouts that students will find very engaging.   As well, once they are confident and have a strong understanding, they will be able to create handouts quicker and with less frustration than they would if they used a standard word processing program such as Microsoft Word or Open Office.

  

Overall, Photoshop can have a major impact on both the teacher and the student.  The teacher will be able to quickly make the students’ time on the computer very engaging and productive, while at the same time giving them the skills necessary to create anything that they desire.  In addition, students will be able to grow with this program.  As they become more and more familiar with the tools, they will discover that their learning is endless.  For some, this program can continue into their lives beyond high school and possibly into a marketing or graphic artist career. 

Unfortunately, OSAPAC is discontinued its licensing, based on cost.  They will continue to offer Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0, however, they will not be updating this version and it will eventually not work on newer operating systems.  It is important that they reconsider this or find another software that is similar, as students love this program and the skills that it brings out in them.

Now that's Delicious!!!

Work computer, home computer, iPhone, iPads, and all the other computers in between, how can I possibly keep track of everything?  It is getting easier and easier to do so.  Not only do they have online solutions to manage your online data, they have also developed ways that you can access your website bookmarks from anywhere.  Delicious!

This site allows you to manage all of the sites you use very easily and effectively.  As well, it allows you to tag each site and create bundles to help you narrow your search quickly.  Not only this, you can share with whomever you wish and follow others.  But how can this be used in the classroom to teach our students?

With blended learning becoming more and more popular, it will be important that we help students organize their online research in an efficient manner.  Students with delicious accounts will be able to easily submit the sites they used for research or to build their background knowledge.  Teachers will then be able to quickly access these sites to check the student’s ability to select reliable sites, paraphrase, and their ability to extract information correctly.

As well, teachers will be able to create bundles of sites that students will need to reference for a specific task.  For instance, in a critical inquiry unit, perhaps students need to develop a background understanding of several concepts before they can begin down the path of their inquiry investigations.  These sites could be tagged on Delicious, posted on their class blog or online platform.  Students could reference these sites as needed and even add more sites to the bundle to help their peers.

Students may also use this as a tool to help them collaborate more effectively.  By giving them to power to share tagged sites with their peers, they can build resources together and all have access to the same information.  They can also find other students who have already researched some of these topics and access their findings.

Overall, Delicious is a great tool that can help make the students and teachers’ lives easier.  It also fits nicely into a blended learning environment creating a collaborative approach to sharing information.

    

OpenOffice Versus Google Docs

 

For almost 25 years, Microsoft Office has dominated the market with respect to office software.  Most of us grew up using Word, Excel and PowerPoint.  However, times are changing and there are some new kids in town, Google Docs and Open Office. 

Both of these software programs are free and offer similar programs to what is offered in Microsoft Office.   So which one is better?  That question can only be answered on a user to user basis.  They both have their strengths and weaknesses, it just depends on how you intend to use them.

Let’s start with Google Docs.   If you are looking to collaborate online to help you create documents quickly and with a less of a paper trail, then this is the program for you.  Although Google Docs programs offers much less in they way of formatting options, they really make it easier to share and edit documents with others.  Watch this video that illustrates how Google Docs has improved and simplified the way that we share documents.  As well, Google also allows users to live chat while in the same window that the document is being created in.  

  Another major advantage of using Google is that it is portable.  Where ever you are or whatever computer you are on, you will be able to access it.  By storing all of your documents online, you will not need to worry about storing documents on flash drives or backing up in case your computer malfunctions.  Another great aspect is that it saves documents in real-time as you write them, so you do not need to worry about constantly saving as you go.  

The downside to Google Docs is that because it is online you chance having issues based on connectivity.  However, they do allow you the option of working offline, but this must be selected prior to exiting the document. Also, as mentioned above, there are substantially less options with regards to formatting.  For instance, in Google Presentations, there are only seven different animations possible, whereas, in Open Office there are well over 100.  Although some of these options might be minor to some, they are very important to others depending on the task.

When looking at Open Office, it is much closer to the original Microsoft Office.  The learning curve for a steady Microsoft Office user to an Open Office user would be much quicker.  As well, Open Office has a much larger selection of options compared to Google Docs.  For instance, Open Office offers an entire program dedicated to Math as part of their suite, whereas, Open Office does offer a toolbar with a math tool, but it is much less extensive.  However in saying that, it is interesting to note to Google Docs offers a separate program that is designed just to create online Forms.

The other interesting thing that I noticed is that Google does not underline and/or auto fix spelling and grammatical errors.  They do have ‘Spelling’ in their Tools, but it does not work effectively, whereas Open Office has a very similar auto correct/convention alerts as Microsoft office. 

Obviously, the downside to Open Office with regards to Google Drives is that is not portable and is become more difficult to collaborate on.  If you are need the best of both worlds and are willing to pay for it, Office 365 might be the choice for you.   It allows you to collaborate online, much like Google Docs, using Microsoft Office. 

In a nutshell, if you like to keep it simple and collaborate online Google Docs is the program for you.  But if you like the more traditional approach to creating documents with a greater variety of options, then Open Office or LibreOffice would be your best bet.

What You Need to Know About OSAPAC

Do you even wonder how we have programs such as Photoshop, Frames, Word Q and Kid Pix available to all students in our boards across Ontario?  Or wonder why we have these programs and who selects them as the tools that students should have access to?

Well the answer is OSAPAC (Ontario Software Acquisition Program Advisory Committee).  This committee is responsible for the acquisition of provincial licenses for publicly funded schools in Ontario.

Currently, OSPAC has licenses for 87 different types of software, 37 of which are French Resources.  Boards may access these resources for free using OESS (Ontario Education Software Systems).  OESS provides software for all subject areas and grade levels.

An interesting note for teachers is that for most of the software licensed teacher have ‘take home rights’.  This is advantageous as teachers will be able to install these programs on their home computers to help them with their planning and mastery of the program.  As well, some parents will have access to some of the OSAPAC licensed software, allowing them to log on from home (ie. Bitstrips)

To access these programs, you will need to do a ‘Contact Search’ on the OESS website to determine your board contact person.  From there, your contact will be able to order the software through OESS.

OSAPAC does a great job of linking curriculum expectations and other resources on their site.  As well if you click on each link it will give you a variety of information such as; Description, Product Information, Distribution Rights, and Technical Information.  This is where teachers will be able to see if they have ‘Take home rights’.

Click here to see a list of the many types of software that are licensed in Ontario.

Click here to see a link that contains tutorials, pdfs and other links to software offered by OSAPAC.  

Differentiated Assessment Using Evernote

With so much going on in the classroom, how can we make sure we have effectively captured the learning that goes on with each student?

The answer is technology.  With the use of most portable devices, we can now capture student learning at its finest.  Even more impressive is that there are tools to help us organize all of this on going data.  The tool I chose to look at is Evernote. 

This web-based solution is the perfect way to keep track of everything you need to help with regards to assessment.  Weather is be taking pictures of the white board,  creating anecdotal notes, collecting students ideas on video or organizing student work, Evernote is the answer.

By doing this throughout the entire learning process, we can better identify the specific needs and strengths of the students.  This is very important in the learning process as it help us formulate what feedback to give them to help them improvement their understanding.

As well, Evernote helps teachers create landscapes of their students’ learning.  These student portfolios are useful in demonstrating to students and parents where they are at and what they should do next.  It helps bring all of the pieces together.   By giving students access to their portfolios, they can reflect on where they feel they need work or where they feel they excelled.  On top of that, teacher can reflect on their assignments and lessons to help improve their own programming to maximize student achievement.

With so many great tools right at our finger tips, we should know our learners much better and in turn be able to teach them more effectively.  

Blended Learning

“Blended learning uses the tools of the provincial learning management system (LMS) to teach and support learning in a face-to-face class.”    
                                    -  Ontario Ministry of Education

In our board, blending learning is becoming much more common.  We are using the platform D2L to give students the blended learning experience.  As well, many teachers are using a variety of other online programs. 

This program might be a little complex for primary users.  They might want to try something like Kidblog.  Students will not need to memorize their users names, classmates are easier to find and it is less cluttered and ad-free.

I found a great example of using Kidblog in the primary divisions.  This teacher creates four different blogs on different experiments going on in the classroom.  Each day they sit down as teams and take pictures, upload them and add their observations of their experiment to the blog.  This is a great way for students to work together and share their ideas and observations. 

This enhances the teaching of this concept by making it more engaging and it also allows student to see the observations of others.  Depending on how this is set up, students will need to collaborate in their teams and work together to capture the images, select the image and make observations as a group..

Here is a link to her lesson: http://www.teachingace.com/kidblog/

In the junior division, students could use Socrative to take a quiz or a test.  This online tool replaces the need for clickers and gives the students and the teacher immediate feedback and results.  Students can work from any handheld device, computers or laptops. An example of how to use this effectively would be to give an entrance quiz/diagnostic to see what students already know and what they need to know.  Within minutes, the teacher would know strengths and weaknesses and could start to build an understanding of where the challenges may be.

This enhances the teaching because it gives the teacher and the class immediate feedback.  As well, students will be more motivated to perform due to the fact they will be allowed to use these technology to participate.

In the intermediate grades, students could use the platform D2L or another blended learning platform to submit their assignments.  For instance, I just collected my students class logos completed in Photoshop through the D2L dropbox.  The advantage of this is that I can give feedback (typed or verbal) that will go right back to them.  This allows me to be more detailed and allows students to listen or read the feedback more than once.  Another advantage is that they can submit their assignment from anywhere and receive their feedback as soon as it is posted. 

Blended learning is a great teaching style to support special needs learners, ELL learners and students with special needs.  These students will be able to use other web tools and apps to help support them through the process.  For instance, if they are blogging they will have access to programs such as Work Q that can predict, edit and read their text back to them to help them transfer their ideas effectively on line.  Another important aspect for these students is that they access to their work and feedback all of the time.  If they want to review their feedback, they can do so as many times as they need to with the online tools.  As well, blended learner will help organize those students who struggle in this dimension.  Students won’t need to worry so much about losing their work and forgetting it at home.  They will have access to it whenever they need to.   

Overall, blended learning is a great tool and it continues to grow.  By 2019, it is said the 50% of all high school courses will be delivered online (Clayton Christensen).

Achievement Chart Task

Currently my students in grade eight are working on creating Career Reports using Adobe Photoshop.  These reports, when complete, will have covered all four dimensions of the Achievement Chart.  Using subheading, I will demonstrate how this assignment ties to each of the four categories.

Knowledge and Understanding

The main focus of this assignment will be to help students identify and explain how various text features and text forms help communicate meaning in a report (Reading: 2.1 and 2.3).   Students will need to be able to explain why and when to use features such as sidebars, captions, subtitles, graphs, tables, webs, etc…  They will be asked to complete this task in Photoshop.  They will be using different programs to help them with different parts.  For instance, they might use Excel to make their graphs and Smart Ideas to make their webs.  In Photoshop, they will create a template (logo, header, slogan) and whatever text features they feel makes this final project look professional.  At the end they will need to justify the features they used and explain why.

Thinking

Throughout the unit, students will be researching different careers they are interested in using Career Cruising and other sites.  They will be taking online career aptitude and skill tests to help guide them in the right path.   Once they have selected their career, they will research the ten dimensions of a careers discussed in class (income, holidays, pension, benefits, safety, etc…) and present their findings in their report.  They will also create a monthly budget to see if they will make enough to live how they would like to.  To complete this students will need to do research to complete the areas of their budget (housing, transportation, wants, needs and savings).  

Communication

There focus will be communication and organization of ideas.  They will be assessed on how well they organize and communicate what they have learned throughout the unit.  Their audience will be other students their age wanting to figure out more about this career.   They will also present the findings of their report in a short Prezi presentation at the end of the unit. 

Application

They will be asked to apply their knowledge of different text forms and feature to a professional looking career report.  The text forms and features they will explore will be from a variety of text and students will be asked to select and apply they ones that they feel best convey their message.  As well, they will be applying their knowledge of Photoshop, developed in their logo assignment, to help them create this report using a variety of different tools in Photoshop. 

Modeling FAIR use of Content

Teachers are role models.  Students learn more from their teachers than what is explicitly taught.  They are always watching and always aware of the implicit things that teachers are doing.  That is why it is so important for teachers to always represent themselves in the best manner possible. 

A great example is a teacher's use of 21^st Century tools inside and outside of the classroom.  The decisions teachers make will no doubtably affect these students.  For instance, if a teachers is using images that are copyrighted, they are teaching students that this is ok.  This goes the same for using music, videos, software and a variety of other tools without the consent of the creator.

I think it is important for teachers to explicitly teach to students what copyright means and why it is important.  Teachers and students can co-create their own ‘Copyright Codes’ for the class that they, teacher included, adhere to.  By creating awareness around this issue and creating these rules it lets students see how important it is to respect the creation of others.  As well, these rules will help the teachers stay focused on following copyright rules and will help them make consistent choices that show their dedication to this issue.

It is also very important for teachers to acknowledge the creator of the content they are using.  Just as they would discuss the author of the book they are reading, they should point out from where and who the content came from.  By doing this, it helps the students understand that there is a person behind all of the great things they get to see on a daily basis.  As well, when they create something they should understand that it is important that that the receive credit for it and that they should have a say in what other people decide to do with it.

I found this cool video from New Zeland that explains the Creative Commons goal and how it works.  Enjoy!   

Standards of Practice for 21st Century Learners

“At the heart of a strong and effective teaching profession is a commitment to students and their learning.”    - OCT Ethical Standards

If our commitment is students and their learning, we need to look closely at who these learners are.  What are their needs?  What skills will help them in the future?  What their environment is now and what it will be in the future?  For our system to be effective we need to focus on the 21^st century learner.

One of the Standards of Practice for teacher is Professional Knowledge.  It states that we must ‘be current in our professional knowledge’.  Being current in today’s society means that teachers should expand their knowledge base to include important influences of the 21^st century, such as; technology, social media, online collaboration, etc..

As well, the Standards of Practice also discuss Professional Practice.  They state that, teachers need to use, “appropriate pedagogy, assessment and evaluation, resources and technology in planning for and responding to the needs of individual students and learning communities”.

One of our students major needs is to develop the skills that will help them be proficient in different 21^st century environments.  If we do not teach this at school, they might not be as prepared as they need to be to become productive members of a profession, company or even society. 

The OCT professional advisory points out that because teaching is a public profession, that we need to be professional at all times.  To pull out a quote from OCT, they state that,

“Canada’s Supreme Court ruled that teachers’ off-duty conduct, even when not directly related to students, is relevant to their suitability to teach. Members should maintain a sense of professionalism at all times – in their personal and professional lives.”

Our board reflects this statement in our policy agreement (E5: Digital Technology use by Teachers).  It states that we are responsible at all times for our use of technology and will ‘have to take full responsibility for our actions’.  It does not go into as much detail as the OCT professional act, however it is clear that if it is not used properly there will be consequences. 

Overall, I believe that these standards are very important and need to be enforced.  It is our job to use these tools effectively and model appropriate use.  

Social Networking in the Classroom

How can teachers use/teach social networking tools into the classroom with or without a computer or device? (Provide rational about why (or not) these skills should be addressed in the classroom (examples).

I think that it is very important that teachers teach through example.  Showing students how to appropriately use social media is important for them to see.  Whether it be setting up a Google Circle for your class to collaborate on or using twitter for homework reminders, it will have a positive affect on how students view the emerging technology. 

As well, the use of this technology also opens the door for many other rich conversations relating to the safety and etiquette concerns around social media.  Weather or not the students have access to these devices or forms of social media, it is very important to teach it because it is inevitable that one day they will be using it as part of their daily lives.  Students need to know that more than ever their digital footprint is there forever and they need to make decisions that are responsible. 

In addition, the skill of posting online is becoming more and more an important factor in education and employment.  Giving the students necessary skills to effectively communicate their ideas will be just as important as their ability to communicate in person. 

For my lesson plan, I decided to create a lesson that could be used with or with out a computer or device.  I thought it would be a great way for me to challenge myself to deeper explore how this would look in a school that is not as technologically endowed or in an area that most students are not carrying devices or do not have access to technology at home.  I decided to transfer two Oral expectations (2.2 and 2.3), that focus on effective speaking, to effective blogging.  I wanted to create a link between the ways that we communicate in person to how we communicate online. 

I tried my best to create a lesson that did not require the students to use computers, but would still teach these 21^st century skills.  I also wanted the lesson to be easily adaptable to those who have the technology, therefore I used the extension activities to do so.  Overall, I feel that this lesson would be successful either way, however, I think that introducing the technology makes it even more real for the students and will really engage them.

I definitely think that these skills need to be taught in the classroom.  Social media is here to stay and it is our job to make students productive members of the online community.    

Technology Curriculum. Where is ours????

"Technological innovation influences all areas of life, from the daily lives of individuals to the work of business and government, to interactions on a global scale. It helps meet basic human needs and provides tools for improving people’s lives and exploring new frontiers. The policy outlined in this document is designed to ensure that technological education in Ontario enables students to meet the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century. "

                                         -  Techological Education Curriculum 

                                             Ontario, Grades 11 and 12,  Page 5

Lately I have began to explore the world outside the confines of my classroom and I find it amazing and strange at times.  I see so many amazing things happening in education at all levels and I also see things that do not make sense to me.  I commented on my last post about the differences between Secondary and Elementary schools, so I figure why not continue on that rant.

In searching for some other people's views on why we do not have a Technology Strand, I stumbled on the Secondary Technology Curriculum.  If I am being honest, I never really knew it existed.  So I decided to give it a read.  On page 5, I read the amazing excerpt above that was under the subtitle, "The Importance of Technology in Education".  I loved that it addresses how technology is weaved through our entire lives and that we need to make sure our 21st century learners are equipped with it.  

My question is simple, where is our Technology Curriculum in elementary?  Is it behind our dance curriculum? Nope, it's not there.  So where is it then?  How can the Ministry create a curriculum that states the above and not realize that it would be a good idea to do the same for the young sponges we teach from grades K-8?  Not to dismiss the massive importance of the dance strand that we report on each year, but is it not time to change our report cards to reflect the massive change in our society or should I say the century?

Wow, that felt better to get that off my chest.  I am aware that the Science and Technology are tied together very loosely in the Elementary Curriculum and I am aware that their are other strands in high school that we do not have in our Curriculum, but I guess I just don't agree with it.  I believe that it is time to make technology a reportable subject on the report card.  This will make it more of a focus in all classrooms and will "enable students to meet the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century", as stated above.     

Looking for an amazing video for critical inquiry?

Video: The Scarecrow
This commercial has so many elements that could spark some really cool media literacy lessons (message, purpose, audience, imagery, symbolism, etc...).  As well, it addresses a real interesting issue in society.  My student teacher and I will be using critical inquiry to let the students guide where they want to go with it.  Should be an interesting voyage.

Video: Back to the Start
Even cooler, there is another video by the same company that is equally as cool.  We will use that one to assess students as the end.

App: The Scarecrow

Even cooler than both videos is that they just released a free app to go with the videos.  Endless possibilities for cool lessons.

Are board initiatives the same in High School and Elementary School?

Why is high school so different than elementary school from a teaching ideology perspective?  Today I had pleasure of working along side high school math teachers for a ministry grant focused on the transition from grade eight to nine.  They were so impressive and we had such rich discussion about our   teaching styles and philosophies. The more layers we unpeeled, the greater differences we saw. 

For instance, many boards (elementary) really push critical literacy and inquiry as the best model for student growth.  The focus is on reducing the amount of teacher driven instruction and increasing the amount of student driven instruction and collaboration.  The high school model seems to have different initiatives and it makes me question that if what elementary does is based on research, why are high school not doing the same?  I am not saying that what they are doing is not based on research or not effective, but it must be different research. 

It is strange to me that entire school boards would not support the exact same initiatives throughout if they are what is best for students.  It almost feels like it is two different companies, at times, under the same name.  I applaud my board for looking deeper into this, but I still question how the two systems are where they are regarding this, and who is really doing what is best for our learners?  Do you guys have any insights or opinions on this?

What type of mind set do you have?

Great video.  Really makes you think!

Welcome to my professional blog.  Through collaboration with my peers and online, I seem to be always finding new ways to change my practice of teaching.  Over the last several years, I have taken an extreme interest in integrating technology into my lessons.  I really enjoy the idea that teaching is fluid and that we can always learn more.  I will be updating this blog to track my journey and to hopefully share what I am learning with others in the community.  

How committed are we to creating 21st Century Learners?

In our quest to continually evolve into 21^st century educators, one thing always stands in our way… Standardized testing.  I wanted to probe more into how the two fit together and perhaps some rational behind how the higher powers feel that these tests will help create the learners of the future. 

I finally stumbled on J. Robinson, ‘The 21^st Century Principal’ who is trying to come to grips with how we can devise an assessment for 21^st century skills.   The basis of the blog is that our assessment are outdated because “they are bound by three destructive conditions; standardized conditions, secrecy of content and individual results”. 

He goes on to present research from Douglas Reeves who wrote, “A Framework for Assessing in the 21^st century”.  Reeves believes that we need to get away from comparing students through their ability to perform in standardized environments.  Instead they need to be in real world conditions where they will solve problems in the future.  Also, because collaboration is a major key to the 21^st century learner, we should have them solve problems as teams, and not individuals.  And finally, he thinks that we should move away from comparing students by letting them know what the assessment is on, so they can prepare and create their own ideas.

I decided to read this article because this was one of our school goals last year, creating a 21^st century global learning.  Ironically, we were still basing all of our major assessments on standardized test.  In one breath, we were drilled on the importance of critical thinking, exploration, collaboration and inquiry based lessons, but in the next breath we were breaking down the data of standardized tests and creating plans to boost these scores.  This article made me realize how far apart these two ideals are. 

I have been teaching for 10 years and we are still doing the same reading assessment (CASI) that we did when I started.  My teaching style has evolved but our assessment has not.   Why is that???

My guess is that everyone is needs evidence in education to prove that something good is happening.  As public servants we need to validate ourselves through subjecting students and schools into a comparison battle of who is the best and who is the worst.

Through a bit of searching, it is relieving to know that finding a newer assessments for 21^st century learners might be on the way.  For instance, Learning.com has a 21^st Century assessment that they say designed for the new types of learning.  For instance, the test is broken up into these 6 strands.

Creativity and Innovation

Communication and Collaboration

Research and Information Fluency

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making

Digital Citizenship

In the limited amount of research that I have done, I can see that this is on the minds of more people that just J. Robinson and Douglas Reeves.  There are communities of innovative educators pushing for change.  I just hope is comes before the 22^nd Century learners are in front of us!