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Walled Lake Schools Spice it Up! Technology Conference

January 28th, 2012 · No Comments · Conferences, Ed Tech, PD Event

Every year, just before school starts, the Walled Lake Consolidated School District hosts a technology conference. The conference is planned, organized, and facilitated by Walled Lake staff for Walled Lake staff. This past August, a huge wind storm blew through the area the night before the conference.  The morning of the conference, we discovered that there was no power at the hosting school, so we had to cancel it.  Hundreds of teachers and administrators were disappointed to find out that their yearly dose of tech medicine was not available. 
 
The planning team was determined to reschedule the conference for an upcoming Saturday. This proved to be more challenging than we figured. We needed to work around “big” football games, holidays, and the schedule of our keynote speaker. Rescheduling for a Fall Saturday was impossible! We couldn’t find a date until January 21, 2012.  Therefore, the organizing and planning process needed to start all over, and we did the work we needed to do.  We soon discovered that over 200 people registered to attend, which is unheard of for a local conference held on a Saturday.  When a winter storm was predicted to come through the night before, we just could not believe it.  The storm turned out to be just a few inches of snow, and we had power. Hooray! 
 
Our Keynote speaker, Dr. Rebecca Harris, General Motors’ Social Media Strategist, delivered a perfect message to a perfect day. She explained the importance of social media in the business world, and challenged the teachers and administrators attending the conference to personally experience the worlds of social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin. This is an important first step that is critical as we prepare our students the important skills they will need to survive in the world they are currently living in. 
 
The Walled Lake teacher leaders delivered a smorgasbord of learning opportunities for their peers. I believe that our home-grown method of providing professional develment is tops. People can reach out to their peers to ask questions and ask for advice. “If he/she can do it at that school with the same resources, then I can, too!”  
 
Our little conference garnishes professional relationships, provides needed encouragement, and tweeks learning that promotes the kinds of skills that our students require to survive in the world they will live in after they leave us, their college years and beyond. I am so proud of the teacher leaders who volunteer their time and share their talents to help make the Walled Lake Consolidated School District the best place to educate children. 

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MACUL Announces Free Memberships!

December 5th, 2011 · No Comments · Ed Tech

MACUL has announced that the organization will no longer charge a membership fee. The action was taken at a recent Board of Directors meeting in a unanimous vote that ended a 36 year history of charging members to belong to the organization.

“MACUL’s mission is to ignite learning through meaningful collaboration and innovation. In order to increase the opportunities for collaboration, the MACUL board chose to remove the barrier of fees for membership,” stated Board President Mike Oswalt, Assistant Superintendent, Regional Technology Services for the Calhoun Intermediate School District.

The free dues membership structure has been adopted by several organizations like MACUL who are affiliated with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), based in Eugene, Oregon. “Other organizations that have gone to a free dues membership have experienced tremendous growth. We feel that MACUL is well positioned to increase our membership and expand our impact in the Michigan educational community” said MACUL Executive Director Ric Wiltse.

Membership can be obtained either by attendance at MACUL events or applying for free membership online at macul.org. Events include regional workshops as well as Michigan’s largest annual education conference, “MACUL 2012” held March 7 – 9, 2012 in Grand Rapids. The total cost for the 2012 MACUL conference remains at the same rate as the past 5 years at $180 for a full conference registration.

For Frequently Asked Questions regarding the no dues membership, visit macul.org.

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Infecting Students with “I Can”

December 5th, 2011 · No Comments · Ed Tech

This 9 1/2 minute TED Talk Video by Kiran Bir Sethi shows the power of empowering students to make a difference in the world.  It is inspirational! 

 

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Reading in the Digital Age

November 6th, 2011 · No Comments · Ed Tech, Literacy

I just finished reading an interesting article from the Nov 2011 ISTE Journal, Learning and Leading with Technology, titled “Reading Redefined for a Transmedia Universe” by Annette Lamb.  The ideas from the article are worth sharing.  Ms. Lamb calls for a new definition for the term reading, which traditionally is defined as decoding words on a printed page. She proposes a new definition:  Reading is the process of constructing meaning from symbols.

The popularity of mobile devices (smartphones, iPods, tablet pcs, netbooks, eReaders, etc), has made the downloading and sharing of electronic books possible, and reading electronic material is catching on fast for a lot of people.   This has turned on its head the idea of what it means to read a book.

What if you could access text and images like in a traditional book, but you could ALSO access reference videos, definitions, and audio if you wanted to?  What if you had more control over how you engage with the text?  And what if you read more simply because you have more opportunities to read because the content is always with you?

Digital reading devices promote new literacy skills that personalize the reading experience, such as digital note-taking, highlighting, bookmarking, and commenting.  Go ahead and write on the pages (yes, you can do it without getting in trouble!)  You can also change the size and style of font.

Have you heard of transmedia storytelling?  This involves multimedia participatory elements.  Resources connected to the story may include links to items such as documents, maps, web sites, mobile apps, video conferencing, games, and interacting with others on social media sites.  It is no surprise to me that children like it.

In his article “Transmedia Education: The 7 Principles Revisited,” Henry Jenkins challenges teachers to actively involve students and put what they see, hear, and read to use.  Transmedia environments ask readers to seek out content, explore information in different contexts, evaluate ideas across formats, and interact with other readers.

Educators don’t need to toss their current curriculum to make use of these new reading environments.  Instead, select those technology elements that enhance the learning experience.  Consider transforming the traditional reading workshop into an electronic reading workshop by exploring e-books, writing in electronic journals, holding online discussions, and using technology tools for publishing.

The author believes that educators will discover new ways to motivate digital age reading across the curriculum as digital content quality catches up with the explosion of easy-to-use technology, and I do, too.

If you are intrigued by the idea of transmedia stories, and want to check out some examples, here are a few:

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The Move From Print to Digital Content

October 16th, 2011 · No Comments · Advocacy, Ed Tech, EPFP

I read an article from the October 2011 issue of THE Journal, titled “Driving Digital Change.”  As a recent grad of the Educational Policy Fellowship Program and the current chair of MACUL‘s Advocacy Committee, I found the article very interesting and relevant.

There are about a dozen states that have changed laws or provided initiatives to encourage the use of digital content in schools. The driving force for changing policies having to do with digital content is saving money in a tough economic climate.

The Indiana State Board of Education changed the definition of “textbook” to include digital content. The state allows textbook funds to be used to purchase technology.  California, Maryland, Virginia, Texas, and Maine (there may be others) support and fund the use of open educational resources, which is free or low cost materials with Creative Commmons licenses.

The impact of the policies of these states and how they are implemented can provide some logical guidelines for other states. Policy makers should consider some key ideas when considering a move from print to digital content:  Instructional materials need to be included with any reform package, implementation must be included as part of policy, and the traditional concept of “instructional materials” needs an update.

If states and districts could work with internet and business-savvy experts to create a more modern, interconnected  vision for content, then related areas, like professional development and assessment, might become more cost-effective and efficient. Then and only then will policy for instructional materials reach every district.

The market is wide open for companies to develop and bring mobile technology with digital content to schools in our nation.  The “winner” will be a concept that includes device, content, and an easy management system for delivering individualized content to meet the needs of all learners.

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Teaching & Learning in the Cloud Conference, October 14, 2011

September 27th, 2011 · 1 Comment · Ed Tech, MACUL, PD Event

The 2011 Teaching and Learning in the Cloud Conference brings together
some of Michigan’s leading educators to discuss how “Cloud-based
tools” and Web 2.0 resources can change your classroom and improve
student learning and motivation.  On October 14 in Holland, the
Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) is
following up last year’s excellent inaugural “cloud” conference with a
new conference that promises to offer great insights, resources, and
strategies for you to take advantage of these online tools in ways
that can transform your classroom.

This year’s conference features a keynote presentation from Steve
Dembo, a leader in online learning tools, and one of the favorites at
the MACUL annual conference.  Steve will look at cutting edge tools
that students are already using, and show how these tools can be used
to reinvigorate and enhance learning.  Then, dozens of presentations
and hands-on workshops from technology leaders across the state will
show you how to use individual tools for your classroom.  The conference organizers have hand-picked some of the most respected presenters from recent conferences to address the latest online tools for learning.  Jennifer Bond from Walled Lake will be facilitating a session on Edmodo. 

And, if you are looking for more, there will be a number of half-day
workshops the day before (Octover 13) for educators who want to get in-depth support for how to bring these tools, including Moodle, Google Docs, iPads and iPods, and several others, into your classrooms and schools to transform teaching and learning.  These sessions will allow you to get hands-
on support with these tools and leave with strategies and plans you
can use immediately in your schools.

Best of all, registration for the conference is only $80 for MACUL
members, and includes lunch along with this great program.  Pre-
conference workshops are $40 each.

For more information and registration, see a full list of sessions,
presenters, and details about this conference at:
http://techtools4teaching.org

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QR Codes for Teachers

September 12th, 2011 · No Comments · Cool Tools, Ed Tech

A few teachers have asked me recently to explain QR codes.  Nobody can explain things as good as Lee LeFever at Common Craft, so I recommending watching his video; it is just over two minutes in length. 

Then start to think about the implications for a classroom teacher.  This post on the Teaching Happily Ever After blog may give you some ideas as well as provide some how-to information.

Try it out!  Here’s a QR code I just generated in about 10 seconds on my computer using Kaywa QR Code Generator.  You’ll need a QR code reader on your smart phone.  Go to the “Market” or “App Store” to find a free one to use.  I use an app called QR Droid on my phone, but there are lots of other options. 
qrcode

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Coming Soon! Walled Lake Spice it Up Technology Conference

August 22nd, 2011 · 2 Comments · Conferences, Ed Tech

Walled Lake Consolidated School District in SE Michigan hosts an annual tech conference just prior to the school year begins; the Spice it Up Technology Conference.  I chair the event and it’s coming up on Thursday, August 25.  It is sure to be our best yet!

Highlights: 

  • Our keynote speaker is Dr. Rebecca Harris, General Motors’ Social Media Strategist.  Dr. Harris will explain what GM does to communicate with consumers, stakeholders, and dealers to show how social media is a real medium that EVERYONE needs to understand to be successful in business and life today.  Our role as professionals in helping our students utilize social media in positive ways is critical as we help prepare them for success in their future endeavors.
  • SB-CEUs are available for the first time!
  • Over 50 sessions!
  • Held in a beautiful school with wireless Internet access throughout, making BYOL sessions possible.
  • Sessions for teachers, administrators, secretaries, and parapros.
  • Lots of “buzz” in the air; people excited to attend and learn!
The conference brochure is available here.  Although the conference is put on by Walled Lake staff for Walled Lake staff, educators outside of our district can attend for a small fee.  Contact me if interested.

 

 



				

				
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Do You Understand Creative Commons Licensing?

				
August 9th, 2011 · No Comments · Ed Tech 

				


            		
As I work with teachers across the country, I find that very few have heard of Creative Commons licensing, and this is alarming to me.  Creative Commons is a non-profit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share.  Educators MUST be aware of Creative Commons and teach students about it as they use images, sounds, and other multimedia components to help make up their own multimedia projects.


Creative Commons has been described as being at the forefront of the copyleft movement, which seeks to support the building of a richer public domain by providing an alternative to the automatic “all rights reserved” copyright.  When creators license their media with creative commons “some rights reserved” licensing, students (and adults) have the freedom to include the media/content in their own projects without breaking copyright laws.


For example, I take a lot of pictures and share them on Flickr with a Creative Commons license.  I welcome others to use my photos, as long as they give me credit and don’t make money as a result.  My photos have a “


There are six Creative Commons licenses.  Learn about them here.  It’s easy to pick the appropriate license by using a wizard found here, answering a couple of questions about whether you are okay with your work being used for commercial purposes and whether you are okay with it being modified/remixed.


If you are looking for content to use in your own projects, consider going to the Creative Commons Image Search Webpage or Flickr’s Creative Commons search page.


This two minute video created by Justin Cone, called “Building on the Past,” was the winner of the CC Moving Images Contest.  It demonstrates what Creative Commons is, how it works, in a clever way.  Enjoy!




				

				
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Iowa, Did You Know?

				
August 7th, 2011 · No Comments · Ed Tech, Leadership 

				


            		


 


Another version of the highly shared “Did You Know?” video has been recently published.  It’s written to be used in Iowa, but as I watched it, I found that other states could be substituted with the same effect. The video is 7.5 minutes in length.  A facilitator’s guide and other resource materials are available on Scott McLeod’s Big Think Blog.


The video is aimed at Iowa policymakers, citizens, and educators and is intended to help them feel a greater sense of urgency when it comes to changing our schools. Right now there’s a fair amount of complacency; the average Iowan isn’t

coming to his or her school board or politician saying, “Hey, why aren’t you preparing my kids for this digital, global world we now live in?!”


Take a look at the video and see what you think. Even if you don’t live in Iowa, I think you’ll find it quite pertinent to your educational context too.


I live in Michigan, and it’s pertinent to Michiganians for sure!


 


 


				

				
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