Guest Post Today by My Daughter
(cross-posted at TechLearning)
As I prepared for this week’s post, my daughter gave me the following essay (along with her permission to publish it here). So, this week, I’ll just get out of the way and let her have this post and my gratitude for her wisdom.
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Facebook: the bible of my generation. We teenagers live by it. We breathe it. Sadly, sometimes we think it is just a website on our computer that no one else can see. Unfortunately, it isn’t, and everyone can see everything. Whenever I hear kids say, “Well of course my parents don’t have my Facebook password! That stuff is private!” I think is it really? Lets zoom in on that word “private.” The definition of private is “Belonging to or for the use of one particular person or group of people only.” But with Facebook, nothing is private. Whether it’s liking a photo or commenting on a status, the whole world can watch you.
This also applies to cell phone usage. Yes, I myself have a phone and sometimes I want to talk to my friend about someone I like, but the thing is you can’t. Before you send a text message you have to think, “Would I be OK with everyone seeing this?” Would I like everyone to know that I “hate school?” My employers? My college professors? The answer it no. So think before you post.
On Facebook, there are many sites you will see that you can “Like.” At first I thought nothing was wrong with it. I simply just thought that it was a fun thing to do to pass the time. Sadly, it is not just a fun thing you can do; it is dangerous. For example, once I liked this page and I played a little game that went with it. When doing this, I let that website have control over my account. This is called “phishing.” The website was able to post things on my wall that I did not write myself. Phishing is used to reel in information from people and get their personal information that can result in identity theft.
Another topic with people on Facebook or cellphones is that you never know who they really are. For all I know, the person who I think is my best friend could be her brother or sister playing a prank on me.
Again thinking before you post is a crucial skill to learn when mastering social networking sites. Like anything else online, things can be copied and pasted. Like in court, anything you say could be used AGAINST you. If you were smart enough to realize this after you posted something and then decided to delete it, sadly it isn’t gone. Nothing on the internet is ever gone. Everything stays permanently.
Sometimes, to fit in with the crowd, people lie about themselves in order to be “popular” and such. This can also happen on the Facebook. I have seen many people cyberbully others in heated arguments on Facebook, when I know that isn’t really them (they’re much nicer in real life). They feel it is safer to get into an argument with people online because you are protected in your own home. However, these words are not just on the screen, they follow you into reality.
Some people say Facebook is dangerous. And yes, in some ways it is. Although, if you look at it from the angle of a teenager you will see that it is about creativity and discovery. Most of my generation wants to use this tool wisely, to expand our horizons. Facebook can be used in an irresponsible way, but if it is used appropriately, it is a door to opportunity.
Age 13
February 9, 2012 1 Comment
Get Ready for iTunes U for K12!
(cross-posted at TechLearning)
Apple’s “trifold” announcement last week was exciting: textbooks coming to iBooks; iBooks Author software to create your own books; and a dedicated iTunes U app, which “bundles” courses in a manageable, multimedia package. If you haven’t watched the Apple Keynote, I highly recommend it, but I want to guide you to my favorite part. It comes in around the 56:25 time on the video where Eddy Cue announces that K12 Institutions can now sign up to deliver content in iTunes U. This is phenomenal news, and I believe, will have the potential to transform education more than the textbook announcement.
Without a doubt, many teachers will create textbooks for the iBook store and will give them away for free —a task that is surely made easier with iBooks Author, but still requires writing a book. However, creating iTunes U modules will be even easier, as teachers will simply have to collect the materials they use for their courses and publish them out to the rest of the world (for free). Hopefully, K12 teachers will start recording/videotaping their courses/lectures/lessons and publish them through their districts’ iTunes U portal. With this opportunity, the prestige that universities have tapped into by being able to publish their coursework on iTunes U will be promised to K12 Institutions. Districts should use iTunes U to not only help support the larger learning community, but also to showcase their teachers’/students’ work.
I will be talking about this exciting development with administrators in my district as soon as possible. There will definitely be many things to consider before publishing to iTunes U:
- what makes material ready for iTunes U?
- should there be a review process?
- what parent permission will the district need to publish?
- how will courses be managed/updated?
- who owns the material?
- etc.
I could see districts offering iTunes U publication to teachers as a way to demonstrate Professional Development. Districts may even offer stipends to encourage teachers to publish.
No matter what, I hope the process is easy and teachers are excited to adopt this new venue. We will all benefit as this shared library of K12 content and course offerings grows.
January 26, 2012 1 Comment
What Is It This Year?
(cross-posted at TechLearning)
Each year, after the holidays, I ask my elementary school students what new technologies have recently entered their lives. There are many more iPod Touches out there, more computers, more Gaming Stations, but this year many of my students are reporting that they now own e-book readers (Kindles and Nooks being the top brands). I’ve been predicting this for a while —that this would be the year of the E-Book— but this was an easy prediction to make after the big players drastically reduced their prices this year. Amazon had its best year with its Kindle family, selling over a million per week during the month of December. At $79 for their entry model, a lot of students opened devices over the holiday that could store more books than they will be able to read in the lifetime of the product (I could be wrong about this… I’m not sure how long a Kindle battery holds out).
This shift is dramatic. It is the first time I’ve seen students at my school bringing Kindles in for silent reading. In one class, there are 6 students with Kindles of varying flavors. The teacher keeps them safe on the shelf and students are allowed to use them during reading time. I’ve “interviewed” many students who have the new devices and they say they “love them.” When asked which they like better —real books or e-books— many have answered that they are “on the fence,” that they still like the feel and properties of a “real” book, but are also increasingly enjoying their “digital” reads.
I’ve been using an iPad to read books since it first came out, and a Kindle since October, and I am getting to the point where I appreciate the Kindle more than a “real book.” I’m finding myself switching over… no longer really on the fence.
So… get ready. They’re coming and they’re not going away (sales for young adult e-books are seeing a drastic increase). More teachers and schools are going to have to make room on their shelves for the new devices, change policies of what electronics are allowed in school, and perhaps even teach new reading strategies for electronic ink.
January 12, 2012 3 Comments
Seedlings @ Bit By Bit Podcast: Show 125
Seedlings @ Bit by Bit Podcast: Show 125
January 9, 2012
We’re joined by Gary James!
Links from the show:
“Geek of the Week” Links for 2012-01-09
Music:
Technorati Tags: bitbybit, seedlings, education, cheryloakes, alicebarr, bobsprankle, Gary James
January 10, 2012 No Comments
Stop Censorship
I’ve censored the following, in protest of a bill that gives any corporation and the US government the power to censor the internet–a bill that could pass THIS WEEK. To see the uncensored text, and to stop internet censorship, visit: http://americancensorship.org/posts/28505/uncensor
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December 27, 2011 No Comments
What’s Your Favorite Transformative Tool of 2011?
(cross-posted at TechLearning)
As we near the end of 2011, I thought I would invite you to add to this post by linking and reflecting on the tools that have most transformed your classrooms this year. (Note, I didn’t say technology tool… we don’t want to limit ourselves to the “new and shiny;” please add the tool whether it’s technological or not).
I will start the list with a tool that has been around for years, one that I’ve held as an exemplar to provide transformation in the classroom on many levels: a tool for authentic assessment, a tool for authentic publication, a tool for documenting learning for individuals, classrooms, and teachers in an easy to produce electronic portfolio.
The tool I speak of is VoiceThread which as a web-based, inexpensive and easy to learn product that I have been able to share with teachers just starting to integrate technology into their classrooms, as well as seasoned “techies.”
The reason it takes first place for me this year is that it has evolved into being a mobile tool. Whereas in the past, the creators of the VoiceThreads (either myself or my students) had to be anchored to a computer, now I can create entire VoiceThreads from an iPhone or an iPod Touch/iPad with a camera.
I now carry in my pocket a tool that makes it effortless to capture learning as it happens. Students can easily carry an iTouch around and film, record with their voice (or typing), no matter where they are.
Rather than bringing the learning to the tool (i.e., having to sit at a the computer to make the VoiceThreads, separate from when the learning happened), the tool can now easily be brought to the learning (i.e., capturing the learning while it is happening).
Here’s a VoiceThread that was captured almost entirely by walking around the room and having students reflect as they were learning/working.
What tool would you add to the list for “Best Transformational Tool of 2011?” Please let us know in the comments below. Thank you in advance!
December 22, 2011 7 Comments
Seedlings @ Bit By Bit Podcast: Show 124
Seedlings @ Bit by Bit Podcast: Show 124
December 12, 2011
We’re joined by Homa Tavangar, author of Growing Up Global!
Links from the show:
- Growing Up Global: Raising Children to be at Home in the World
- Growing Up Global Website
- Growing Up Global on Facebook
- Growing Up Global on Twitter
“Geek of the Week” Links for 2011-12-12
Chat Transcript from EdTech Talk coming soon!
Music:
Technorati Tags: bitbybit, seedlings, education, cheryloakes, alicebarr, bobsprankle, growing up global, homa tavangar
December 13, 2011 No Comments
A Plan for Technology Integration
(cross-posted at TechLearning)
I’ve been thinking a lot about Technology Integration into classrooms, schools, and districts. Of course, I’m always thinking about this, but I’ve been recently been working on our school’s technology budget for next year, so I’m looking at our “needs” and “wants” closely, knowing items in both categories will be cut due to dwindling budgets that I’m sure most districts are well acquainted with.
Introducing new technologies into learning is not an easy process. Decision makers want to examine data, other districts’ successes/struggles, and make sure money is being well spent. There are many approaches to adopting new technologies (or any educational tools for that matter). In this post, I thought I would offer up my own thoughts for a possible plan for investing in and integrating new technologies.
My plan laid out here is a “work in progress.” Please use the comment section to revise or expand on my ideas and don’t hesitate to trash the entire thing and offer up your own plan!
BOB SPRANKLE’S PLAN FOR TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION:
Overview:
- Purpose
- Assessment
- Professional Development
- Beta Test Group (with Small amount of the Identified Technology acquired)
- Beta Group Assesses and Reports Out and Initial Professional Development Plan Created
- New People/Small Groups are Trained by Beta Group
- Technology is purchased for the Larger Group and Professional Development is Further Delivered
- Assess Outcomes (identified in Purpose stage)
Now for a bit of explanation:
“Okay, we just bought 500 iPod Touches (or other technology) for our teachers/school/district. Now what do we do?”
Without thinking about Technology at all, the process must start with identifying the need. It could be something such as: “I want my students to create work that is meaningful” or “We want our teachers to communicate more with parents and the community.” It might be helpful to identify how these goals are going to be accomplished with or without new technology. This forces the question: are these goals really imperative? In other words, do the interested parties believe so strongly in these goals that they will make sure they happen with or without the purchase of new technologies?
Assessment:
Schools fortunate enough to have Technology Integrators or “tech-savvy” colleagues are then able to go and ask those folks what tools already exist to help achieve the goals identified. There is a very real possibility that in this part of the assessment phase, the conclusion may be that new technologies may not be necessary at all.
If new technologies are in fact identified, another assessment that must take place is to find out if the staff/teachers who will be using the technology have “buy in.” It is important to take a pulse on reactions, perceptions, and feelings from those who will be using the new tools. Are they excited about the possibilities that the tools offer, or do they feel that the new tools are being forced upon them? This latter finding doesn’t necessarily stop the process, but it will be important to identify resistance early on in the process in order to later address possible barriers of adoption during the Professional Development phase.
Beta Test Group (with Small amount of the Identified Technology acquired)
Find those teachers who are most enthusiastic (or at least willing) to try out the new technology. Also, start small with the purchase of the technology. There’s no sense buying Interactive White Boards or iPads (for instance) for an entire school before testing it out with a small group of teachers first. Administrators/decision makers might be inclined to supply everyone with the technology in order for equitability. I believe that using a Beta Test group first is the best route because problems and struggles that may arise with the implementation of the tool(s) can be worked out more easily with a smaller group. Not everyone has to tackle these struggles together. Once all the “kinks” have been worked out, the Beta group can alleviate much of the anxiety and frustration for the larger group if the technology is adopted. This allows for a much more positive experience for the new users.
Alternatively, the findings from the Beta Test Group may be that the technology does not meet the desired needs, or is not worth the costs, or is too cumbersome or complicated to expect widespread adoption.
Beta Group Assesses and Reports Out
The Beta Group defines the pros and cons of adopting the technology and reports back to the decision makers/administrators. If the technology is adopted, the Beta Group identifies hurdles and struggles that may need to be overcome before adoption as well as begins putting together a clearly identified process for Professional Development for other staff.
It is possible that the group decides that this technology is not a tool that would benefit all teachers/students in the school. Technology Integration may actually come in many different forms. For instance, one set of students may benefit more from a tablet-like tool, and another set of students may do better with laptops. Or different technologies may be offered according to different activities/needs throughout the students’ day.
New People/Small Groups are Trained by Beta Group
This part may seem redundant but I think it’s beneficial. In essence, you are creating a second Beta Test Group of new teachers in order to beta test the Professional Development plan that will ultimately be deployed to the rest of the staff. This time, the group may include teachers who didn’t show an interest in the adoption of the technology (bribe those teachers with lots of chocolate to join this new group). When the original Beta Test Group trains this new group of people, it is likely that additional technology may need to be purchased to support the training and additional needs/struggles/issues will be further identified, requiring revisions to the original Professional Development plan.
Technology is purchased for the Larger Group and Professional Development is Delivered
Finally, it’s time to “take the plunge.” The original Beta Test Group as well as members from the second group are the best choices for leading the Professional Development for the larger group and should serve as mentors/support for teachers as they begin using the tools. New technology is rarely mastered in one or two sessions of identified Professional Development time. Teachers will need to know who they are able to go to for support throughout the year in order to become proficient with the tools.
Assess Outcomes (identified in Purpose stage)
This really should be happening throughout the entire process, but I believe that there should be some type of formal assessment (examples: survey, data examination of student improvement, observation, and even anecdotal feedback) to see if the technology is actually meeting the needs identified. This could take place at an identified time, such as the end of the school year. It is likely that the assessment may reveal other uses for the technology that hadn’t originally been anticipated. It is also likely that the assessment may reveal problems in the adoption of the technology: perhaps teachers aren’t utilizing the tool (due to struggles with the tool, possibly requiring more professional development, or their own assessment that it is not a tool that “fits in” with the rest of their instruction). It is important to find out if the tools are actually being used, or if they are tucked away in a closet. Decisions may be made by administrators that the technology should be distributed elsewhere, that retraining is required, or that expectations are readdressed or reevaluated.
In Summary
Technology adoption does not happen overnight. There are many things to consider, test out, assess, and learn before large amounts of moneys are spent.
What struggles have you witnessed with new Technology Integration? What ideas would you offer to this post? I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my own ideas and your revisions to them.
Thank you in advance!
December 8, 2011 6 Comments
