Here in 60 Seconds

I have so much I would like to say about infographics, but I felt I needed to put this infographic on my blog ASAP. I have just returned home from ISTE 2011 and my head is spinning. I always hate going back to work the day after this conference, because I am in quite a daze (good daze, but a daze all the same). There are ideas, people, inspirations, future creations all running through my head, and I really need to sort them out. OK, with that, I have used 60 seconds to type these words, and in that same time, so much has happened! For better and for worse, the world is moving faster than ever, and educators need to teach to generations of children who are accustomed to moving at this pace.


Infographic by- Shanghai Web Designers

20 Web 2.0 Tools for Teachers

This slideshare from Simon Ward is great little resource for teachers. While there are multiple references to New Zealand the tools themselves are worth looking at. I see things like this as great for informal professional development for teachers. Quick showcasing with the option to see more if desired. Kudos to Simon Ward.

On a side note, slideshare itself is a fantastic tool for finding and sharing resources.

Easy Web 2.0 Tools for Teachers

View more presentations from pingable.

Teachers and Web 2.0

This great slideshow from Sacha Chua (www.livinganawesomelife.com) is a wonderfully simple way of looking at learning new technologies. She takes an easy look at some of the reasons teachers give for not learning the technology, and adds a retort that challenges their current paradigm. The bottom line that I took away from this is that teachers are the most important component and that we need to open ourselves up to learn and change!

A Teacher's Guide To Web 2.0 at School

View more documents from Sacha Chua.

Did you know 4.0

This video, the fourth in the series lays out what we need to be aware of! The big question for me is..."HOW IS THIS IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS AND HOW SHOULD THIS IMPACT OUR TEACHING?"

interactive white boards: The Beginning

Interactive white boards are becoming standards in the classroom arsenal for teachers, but the question is; are teachers using these tools effectively with students. I am beginning my second year at a school, which had no interactive white boards when I arrived. During my first year I brought in two SMARTboards (I personally like these boards). The boards were located in the school's two computer labs, and received very little use. I needed to ask myself why? I sat back and had to take a mental inventory of what my teacher's opinions were in regards to interactive white boards, and how I could inspire them to use them.

Sparing you the boring details of what went on in my head, I decided that I would not take steps backwards and began to plan a strategy on how I could motivate teachers to move their practices from standard white boards onto interactive white boards.

I took the plunge and purchased 8 more SMARTboards, putting 7 in classrooms and 1 in a new computer lab! Teachers began to show interest when they found out that they were getting the boards. Questions about what books to read, what websites to look at, and most importantly...who to speak to!

This posed a challenge to me; how can I give my teachers the resources that they will need without overwhelming them and making those resources easily accessible? I needed to prioritize, so I began with a website. The SMART website is a great repository of information and lesson plans, tutorials and samples http://www.smarttech.com . The only other resource I am giving them off the bat is membership to a diigo group I have created specifically for SMARTboards. This is a grouping of sites, that we choose (myself and the smartboard users), that we will have easy access for. With these two resources at the start, I feel that my teachers will feel comfortable to begin the learning process.

Interactive white boards are, as I said, becoming standard tools in the teachers arsenal. However, it is becoming more and more obvious that teachers are not being trained to use the tools that are available. I have a school full of teachers and I would guess that 90% have never used a board! Some of them have just begun using a projector and I even have some that swear that technology in the classroom is unnecessary! The future is here and I need to begin guiding and leading my teachers to it. Interactive white boards are just the beginning, but you have to start by taking the first step. One step at a time is the motto for professional development at my school this year.

This Video Game in my classrooms

Quest-Atlantis is the best educational video game for grades 3-7 that I have ever seen. It encompasses social action, with content area knowledge, with cultural diversity, compassion and citizenship in a 3D virtual environment. It encourages critical thinking and artistic license in the same space.

I was introduced to QA about 2 years ago at a district level showcase of technology. At that time, it was already an internationally used game, small in nature, basic in its look. However in the time since I first viewed the game until now the evolution has been extraordinary. The game is now a polished looking 3D interactive game with high level visuals and a deep storyline. While these qualities make the game look like many of the high level, popular games on the market, QA has an edge.

The Edge that I am talking about is "EDUCATION". The QA team, housed at the University of Indiana has infused solid pedegogy into its quests. Students will participate in a huge array of single quests or integrated missions and units that will take them through an adventure in science, math, social studies, literature or any other number of content areas. All of this is done by the student making choices, reading, writing and communicating with characters in the game and other players. This is a huge amount to pack into a game, but the QA team does this with finesse!

Now, this all might sound very good, but the question that comes to my mind and the minds of many others is, "what about security"? QA is a closed space that is open only for students and their "trained" teachers. Before students can log in, teachers must go through a training with a QA team member and all students must have a permission slip signed by a parent. Once this is done, students can log in and use the game by participating and completing an introductory mission that will familiarize them with the game and the purpose for them being there.

I have used this game first hand, and recommend it higher than other similar educational video games. The QA team is constantly pushing the envelope of what is possible in the game and always encouraging the evolution of the game itself. You can find me in the QA world as jepstein. Hope to see you there!

Citizenship in the REAL virtual world

Today I was faced with a dilemma, how can adults who cannot tangibly conceive the virtual world, effectively teach digital citizenship. In order for one to be a good citizen in life, one has to believe that ones actions can impact society. However if one does not believe that society is real, how can you teach the beliefs that make that society a safe place.

What I am talking about is the perception of the virtual world by digital natives as a real place. One that his theirs. This place is where they go to be with people like them. Friends are not necessarily people you have ever met in person and may never meet. So as an educator I am faced with the following dilemma: How does a teacher who does not see the digital world as real teach citizenship for such a place and on the other side is how do students understand the need for citizenship in a place that is about as far removed from the social constructs of the physical world? The reality is that we as technology educators need to find the place where these two worlds meet, where the residents of the physical world and the virtual world can meet and see eye to eye if you will.

The part of the Dilemma that I am most interested in is of course what do I need to pass onto the digital natives that will serve them best in both worlds. As I said yesterday, I have been doing much reading on the topic of Digital Citizenship and came across an article in ISTE's Leading and Learning Magazine that gets right to the point. It is authored by Mike Ribble, an expert on the subject.

In the article Ribble speaks about the 9 themes of Digital Citizenship and how they not only guide students on proper technology use, but as Ribble says, "They also begin to set the stage for how we work with each other in a global, digital society. These nine elements create a foundation for helping to educate children on the issues that face them in an increasingly technological world."

Ribble speaks about how this is not just a problem for student use on computers, but rather a larger picture that crosses the boundaries between home and school, home and work, virtual and physical old and young. There is no one that will be immune in the ever increasing world of technology. Ribble concludes with a rather prophetic message:

There needs to be a common language between our schools and homes that clearly outlines what we expect our children (as well as ourselves) to know and follow. Digital citizenship can begin to bridge these groups so that when we talk about how we expect our students to act, we have some common ground on which to begin. Digital citizenship is not a culmination of how to work with technology but a beginning of a process. If we start this journey at the same place, both educators and parents can work together to prepare our children to become global digital citizens.

Digital Citizenship...what does this mean?

The term digital citizenship is being thrown around almost as much as the term 21st century learner, or 21st century classroom. However, the term digital citizenship is just as amorphous as the other terms. What is digital citizenship? When the term was first coined, there were as many different definitions as there were people saying the words. But with this type of varied perception, comes a problem what is it really? and more relevant to me, how do we teach it?

In doing some research and reading it seems that the Ed-Tech community has come to consensus on what digital citizenship is and the components that comprise it. Now we just need to come to consensus on how to teach it.

Common to many schools of thought, there are 9 Themes of Digital Citizenship that we should all be aware of and needless to say that we should be teaching our students. Some would say that teaching these topics should be as common as teaching the golden rule, due to the fact that the generations now known as digital natives have social networks, friends, groups, cliques and other types of acquaintances that they interact with on-line and therefore there needs to be rules, common courtesies that we all should abide by when interacting in virtual society. I digress... The nine themes:

1. Digital Etiquette: electronic standards of conduct or procedure .

2. Digital Communication : electronic exchange of information.

3. Digital Literacy: process of teaching and learning about technology and the use of technology.

4. Digital Access: full electronic participation in society .

5. Digital Commerce: electronic buying and selling of goods.

6. Digital Law : electronic responsibility for actions and deeds

7. Digital Rights & Responsibilities: those freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world .

8. Digital Health & Wellness : physical and psychological well-being in a digital technology world .

9. Digital Security (self-protection): electronic precautions to guarantee safety.

These are very broad topics and the list of resources are long and involved. But there are a few starting points worth mentioning.

Kansas State University has a great website all about Digital Citizenship.

One writer in an article in Technology and Learning On-Line posted 20 questions that students asked in an article titled, "What is Digital Citizenship?"

Last, but not least is a website named Digital Citizenship This website is authored by one of the professors at Kansas State University.

All of the materials are there, but the question that I am left to ask is how do we make all of this etiquette part of our daily life? How can teachers who don't even use technology effectively in their classrooms, let alone in their lives, be expected to teach how to properly interact in a place they fear to visit? What are the next steps for K-12 educators? How can professionals who many are not even qualified as Digital Immigrants teach how to act as a proper Digital Native? Is this something like an american teaching other americans how to interact in a Muslim villiage in the Middle East?

New Learners

"Education -- at school and on the job -- needs to be revamped to cater to young people who have grown up digital."

This quote, in the conclusion of this article is a conclusion that have come to in my life as well! Teaching is the one profession where it is NOT always mandatory to improve one's self regularly. Especially in the area of technology. In the article referenced earlier, the author talks about the need for a paradigm shift from the sage on the stage model of teaching. I could not agree more, but I seem to see the most resistance to this type of change!

Another article talks about how new technologies might be actually re-wiring the pathways in the brain and the ways that we learn. Could this be true? Should it really matter to educators? I guess on a scientific level it matters, but the reality of it is, that no matter the reason, we have generations of new learners coming through our doors. The second article likens what is happening now with the information revolution to the one that Socrates predicted with the introduction of the written word. The education world was no more ready for this revolution than it seems to be for the one we are in the midst of right now.

More than ever information is being published that talks of how digital natives learn differently, yet educators seem to be divided as to whether or not this is a real issue! How can those that promote education turn a blind eye to progress? Throughout history we have seen, mocked and lamented at how short sighted those in prominent positions in education were in the past with forward thinkers, yet there are still so many of us (educators)who still don't embrace change! It seems contradictory to me.

There is a new breed of learners out there and we as educators are obligated to change the paradigm along with these learners. We need to rise to the challenge and show that as learned individuals we are ready and able to accomodate new learners.

How-To....that is the question!

How do I...? That is the question most heard by technology educators in schools. While this is not the only dilemma we face it is a huge hurdle. How can one, ed-tech professional know everything? We cant! The greater, more important question is; can we find the resources to get the question answered?

As a Technology Educator for over 10 years, I have always strived to keep my knowledge of new technology up to speed, but alas, it is impossible to know everything about everything in our technological society. The use of Technology in education is moving just as fast as the technology industry itself and in order to reach all of the people who need us, we need to be able to both understand the students and teachers. We have students, who are now being seen as new types of learners, so we have to refine and redefine our pedegogy. We also have teachers, many of whom are seasoned veterans who don't necisarrily understand what these new learners are all about.

With this in mind, we have to address two problems, one what will be effective with our new learners, but in my opinion, even more important, is how do we teach our teachers to effectively use the new tools.

Usually, when a teacher asks, "how do I do this?" it ends up being translated as "can you do this for me?" While this may not be intentional, teachers are sometimes resistant to change. As a technology-educator, I have to be a teacher for teachers and both model the behaviors that are most effective and also have a working knowledge of what they need to make the most effective use of time. In order to do this we need resources, and there are plenty out there. While the most common is to find the answer on the internet, and read/practice what we need, but there is a more tangible answer to be found. There are a plethora of resources out there in the form of other people and professionals. I am a member of several social networks (Ning, Diigo, wikis, etc) that give me access to websites and people who can guide me and most imporantly, PREVENT ME FROM RECREATING THE WHEEL!

Here are a few websites to start the journey:

Article: 15 tutorial sites

Atomic Learning

Free Computer Tutorials

Amazing research tools

Cool Websites and Tools

What do you use? How do you best meet teacher's needs?