online learning

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Matthew Lynch

K-12 Technology: Benefits and Drawbacks

The late Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. once famously said, “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” Though he was speaking about the road to true equality for all people, I have often attributed this quote to the role of education in America, particularly public education for K-12 students. Despite the quickness with which our society has become accustomed to having everything, all at once, educational reform and progression is still a slow-turning gear in the great machine of time.

The truth is that the face of K-12 education is in a constant state of change. Educators that have been in the field for several decades may notice that the speed at which changes in methodology and student population are taking place is on a high-speed course compared to the past. Many factors play into this but none as strongly as technological advancements. The Internet, wireless devices and improvements in communication all heighten the immediacy of information both within and without the classroom.

This is both a blessing and a curse, of course. It is really too soon to tell if the first Internet-raised generations will fare better or worse in life and succeed on a global scale. The assumption is that technology equals improvement and I would argue that overall, it is a true statement. More access to information and a shrinking world can only lead to beneficial results for K-12 students. The children graduating from high school in the next decade will have a broader view of the world than ever before and that is thanks to traditional geographic boundaries becoming non-issues in communication, workforce and learning. I take no issue with the actual technology. It is great. Where I see existing and potential problems is in the indirect effects of technology on the comprehension habits of our youngest learners.

You have to look at the overall influence of rapidly advancing technology to realize how it is also an obstacle to K-12 classrooms. In its broadest sense, technology has totally transformed the way that our children view life. A recent study by Common Sense Media for children age eight or younger found that 72 percent have computer access at home. Television use is almost universal, with 98 percent of children in this age group having at least one at home and 10 percent reporting that theirs is kept on all the time.

While television consumption by children is nothing new, programs targeted toward toddlers and even infants are on the rise.  Consider cable and satellite television staple Baby First TV. The channel plays continuous programming aimed at infants and toddlers that is commercial free. I bring this up not to spark a debate about whether this type of television viewing is helpful or hurtful to developing youngsters; I mention it as an example of just how ingrained screen culture has become in the lives of our kids. The journal Pediatrics found that between the ages of birth and six, kids watch an hour-and-a-half television per day. These measurements do not even address indirect exposure, which puts the amount of time a television plays in the background at four hours per day for kids under the age of two. Love it or hate it, screen culture is a foundational element of the contemporary American childhood.

As a result, our kids arrive at Kindergarten with an advanced idea of instant gratification. They know that any game, program or form of communication is available at the touch of a button. This easy access to everything translates to the way that these children are programmed for learning, especially when moments of frustration arise. There is not a “quick fix” solution for everything but most children have limited firsthand experience with waiting. It has always been very difficult to keep the attention of students, particularly in the elementary set, but advancements like smartphones, tablets and Web sites directed at young learners have complicated this truth even more. Teachers and administrators today must find ways to keep students interested but not completely abandon tried-and-true methodology. Thus the great problem with technology takes its toll on K-12 classrooms across the nation.

Phrases like “hitting the books” may soon be non-existent as budgets for e-readers slowly chip away at the book budgets for school libraries. An electronic book has a lot of appeal: it is cheaper to manufacture, lighter to carry and even manages to reduce the carbon footprint of the student. Since students are so comfortable with touchscreen methods, it stands to reason that reading may actually come more easily when learned through an electronic device. The problem again is not that the technology harms the actual learning mechanics, but it leads to another issue altogether.

When was the last time you bought or borrowed a book, electronic or hard copy, just to admire the rhetoric? Have you ever found yourself reading simply because you enjoy grammar? Most of us would have different responses to why we read for leisure. Special interest. Excitement. Chance to escape reality. People that love to read have an interactive relationship with the material. Cracking open a fresh book is an experience unlike any others and is a reserved, special moment. Kids that are introduced to literature in the same way that they learn math problems, or have video calls with grandparents, or play non-educational games do not have the same reverence for reading because it is nothing special.

I’ve heard the argument that it is not the delivery method but the content that matters in getting kids excited about reading but I’m not sure I’m biting. Again, this is an issue that is still too young to have definitive answers. It is just one area of the indirect impact of rapidly advancing technology that keeps me up at night.

So what then is the answer? If technology is embraced by some and rejected by others, how can K-12 students be expected to know the right way to learn? It seems that the answers are about as clear as mud. I believe that technology has provided the swift kick that K-12 education has needed for decades to make the sweeping adjustments required to reach contemporary students and inspire education. I am just not sure yet which traditional teaching elements deserve to be clung to and which ones are meant to for the curb. The debate of how to best prepare our children for a lifetime of achievement is one that I believe deserves constant fueling in order to give K-12 students the best shot at academic, and life, success.

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Teachers

Peering Past the ‘Pixie Dust’ of Technology

How schools can ensure that technology is used effectively to transform teaching and learning

By Jill Hobson

When it comes to technology use in schools, a persisting tendency exists to believe that infusing classrooms with new technology will miraculously change teaching and learning. Unfortunately, education technology isn’t like Tinker Bell’s pixie dust.  Sprinkling it in classrooms won’t magically transform instruction.

The novelty of new technology simply doesn’t change instruction by itself. Teachers must have guidance and direction, as well as a model for effective edtech use, in order to truly transform teaching and learning.

Today, many administrators expect technology to be used in daily instruction. The sentiment is admirable, but without setting clear expectations for how technology should transform instruction, what districts will see is “mood use.” If teachers are in the mood to use technology, they will. Otherwise, the district’s significant investment in new learning technologies may sit idly by, gathering dust.

For technology to be an integral part of a school district’s strategic improvement plan, technology directors must outline and communicate specific goals to all stakeholders. Then, they must measure progress toward that goal, continually coaching and improving as necessary.

Developing common language

The first step is to develop a common language. The education community works diligently to ensure its members have a common understanding around most aspects of instruction. For instance, if asked, “What does it mean to teach fractions effectively?” a school’s math department probably has a standard definition by which to measure learning outcomes against a stated objective. But if asked, “What does it mean to use technology effectively to teach fractions?” that’s another question altogether, and one where responses likely diverge.

Just as a school or district develops a common understanding of what effectively teaching a concept looks like, developing a similar definition for effectively teaching with technology is a must. Once established, schools can design professional development and classroom behaviors around this standard.

In developing a common understanding, school and district leaders should focus on teaching and learning, and not on the technology itself. Begin by asking questions such as: “How should instruction look?” and “What kind of learning do we want to see?” Next, leaders should outline attributes they would like to see realized in the classroom, such as students developing higher-order thinking skills; project-based and authentic learning; collaborative, personalized, and rigorous learning.  Once a common language is established, district and school leaders can begin building a vision that will be clearly defined – and understood.

Various models

Models that describe the effective use of ed-tech already exist, and they can help decision makers as they bring their vision for technology use to life.

For example, the LoTi (for Levels of Teaching Innovation) model defines technology use from Level 0 (non-use) through Level 6 (Refinement). Another model, Grappling’s Technology and Learning Spectrum, defines ed-tech use as a three-step progression: from technology literacy, to adapting, to transforming.

The Technology Integration Matrix, developed by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida College of Education, outlines five levels of performance: Entry, Adoption, Adaptation, Infusion, and Transformation. Five learning characteristics are described at each of these levels, including: Active, Collaborative, Constructive, Authentic, and Goal-Directed.

Using a model is highly effective for any entity in the education space. Promethean’s model, which guides the development of all its educational technology products, believes that ed-tech must enhance four critical capabilities for teachers, students and schools: increase student engagement, provide learning feedback, personalize instruction, and foster collaboration. Within each capability, products must allow for the three teaching and learning modalities of developing, applying, and creating.

Whether using an existing model or creating a model, districts must establish a vision for effectively teaching and learning with technology. Then, they can start to measuring progress toward their vision by collecting data.

Classroom walkthroughs

While districts should spotlight stories that demonstrate successful use of technology, it’s important to remember that anecdotal evidence doesn’t paint a complete picture of what’s going on in classrooms. It represents one sample. Peering past the ‘pixie dust’ of technology features and functions will uncover patterns of use or non-use and allow us to see what’s really happening

Collecting data is critical to this effort. One of the best ways to collect data is walking through your building, looking in classrooms, and observing how technology is being used. The point is not to use this information in a punitive way, but as a snapshot of where you are – and what actions you need to take in order to improve.

As the director of instructional technology for Georgia’s Forsyth County Schools, I conducted numerous classroom walkthroughs and developed professional learning plans based on this information. After doing more than 2,100 walkthroughs in Forsyth County, I firmly believe they should not be done alone. By conducting walkthroughs as a group, more in-depth and reliable data is collected, and the team of stakeholders can collaborate after the fact about what they observed.

The selected technology use model will determine what data to collect during walkthroughs. It will indicate the characteristics to observe and offer guidance on how to tally the observations. Many models encourage observers to create a summary of the lesson activities observed. In my experience, it’s also advisable to create a short coaching statement for the teachers observed in a given walkthrough that guide a teacher on next steps for technology integration in their classroom.

 

To delve even deeper into your schools’ technology use, focus observations and efforts on key areas for students and teachers:

  • Look at the work product students are producing.
    • Are all of the products exactly the same?
    • Does the student work simply report back facts or does it go beyond existing information?
  • Look at teachers’ lesson plans.
    • Is there evidence of project-based learning?
    • Do the plans suggest that students have ownership of their own learning?
    • Is there evidence that formative assessment information is being used to adjust the instruction?
  • Talk with your teachers, students, and parents.
    • Ask about the best examples they have seen of technology use in the school.
    • Where do those examples fall within the technology integration model for your school or district?
    • Are the examples similar across stakeholder groups or is there some difference?

Use all of this information to assess the district’s current standing with technology use. Now ask, do practices match the goals set as a district?

Look for patterns, such as an over-emphasis on teacher-led instruction, a lack of instruction guided by formative assessment data, or student projects that don’t involve collaboration, which can lead to better insights into where to focus professional development efforts. Also make sure to coach for better performance. The old saying, “There is no finish line,” rings true. Even when effective technology use is realized, encouraging continuous improvement of performance ensures students always receive the highest level of instruction.

Next steps

Four more strategies that can help make change happen in schools and districts includes:

Practice rating ed-tech use as a group. Look at several examples together, whether from one’s own district, from YouTube, or an online teaching and learning community. Free online communities, such as Promethean Planet, that contain pedagogically sound video resources can help start conversations about technology in the classroom: what works, what needs to be improved, and so on.

Have teachers observe each other. Peer-to-peer learning is a profound form of professional development. Giving teachers opportunities to see examples from their colleagues’ instruction can help visibly move the needle. In order to make observation a reality, be a resource that supports your teachers. Assist with scheduling, make connections between teachers who can learn from each other, and provide information to help guide their discussions.

Build a library of exemplary lessons. Ask teachers to share their most effective lesson plans utilizing technology to transform learning. If possible, record short videos of these lessons. Collect lessons and videos in a single repository that educators can easily access to see examples of success.

Celebrate every success. Moving from point A to point Z takes time. Changing and improving technology usage during instruction is a continuum. It’s important to acknowledge each small step taken toward the end goal.

Everyone in your school or district can be working toward the same goal of ensuring that educational technology investments effectively transform teaching and learning. The first step is aligning to a common vision for effective ed-tech use followed with a means of measuring progress and a system for continual improvement. After all, to reach the same place, we must start with the same goal in mind. Unless your goal is the power of flight – then I recommend pixie dust.

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________________

The former Director of Instructional Technology for the Forsyth County Schools in Georgia, Jill Hobson is now Senior Education Strategist for Promethean. She can be reached for questions at [email protected]

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Matthew Lynch

Mainstream Technology Gives Lift to Assistive Learning

The concept of assistive technology to help special education students achieve more in K-12 classrooms is nothing new, but the portability of many of the devices is a relatively new trend that is making a big impact on the ways students with special needs learn. Assistive technology devices used to be big, clunky pieces of equipment that drew attention to learning and physical disabilities. Today, assistive devices are often the save types of technology K-12 students are using in traditional classrooms and there is a “coolness” factor in both instances.

The way that assistive technology looks is just one aspect of the effectiveness of the educational equipment, though. The use of assistive technology is also changing to provide students with more customized learning experiences. Studies show that dropout rates for special education students are on the decline – at least partially because the technology exists to keep these kids comfortable and in class longer than in the past.

Strides in Arizona

In December, the Arizona Department of Education announced a $260,000 federal grant among traditional public and charter schools in 12 districts to aid specifically with assistive education efforts. Through the grant, students with special needs can get personalized technology for iPads, notebook-size word processors and electronic pens that can scan words and display definitions. All of these efforts are intended to keep special education students in the K-12 system through graduation by having the technology to keep up in class.

This is not the first effort by the state to give an advantage to students with special learning needs. To help with the small technology budgets, the Education Department has an assistive-technology loan library on the Northern Arizona University campus. Last year, schools checked out over 2,000 items – ranging from pencil grips to iPads – to allow teachers and students to give the devices a trial run before the district made the purchase.
The assistive technology initiatives in Arizona district place traditional classroom inclusion on a pedestal with a heavy emphasis on technology. What administrators are finding is that non-verbal kids with devices prove they know a lot more than ever they themselves realize. Students with autism, cerebral palsy and other disorders that impair speech are reaping the benefits of these devices and feeling successful. Best of all: the students are developing better relationships with one another.

Autism and iPads

Depending who you ask, the iPad has varying effects on children with autism – but most parents and teachers would say that the device has made in-roads in their students’ attitude about learning. Experts at Apple say that iPads “cure” sensory overload and give autism children control, along with a way they can communicate effectively. Using less extreme language, researchers at Vanderbilt University say that speech-generating devices, like iPads, can encourage late-speaking children with autism spectrum disorders to speak, even from the ages of 5 to 8. In other words, the basic technology that is readily available in classrooms and many households is also effective in learning initiatives for children with a specific disorder that impacts traditional learning.

The iPad is just one example. E-readers with screen variance in size of font, brightness and even speaking command options make in-classroom learning possible for children with sight obstacles. Students who need extra help learning to read can spend that extra time with e-readers or computer programs that customize the experience. Students with physical disabilities can sit at a regular computer in a traditional classroom and use specific equipment or simply their voices to achieve the same academic results as their peers.

As assistive technology continues to integrate with typical technology, the students are the beneficiaries. The technology is not enough to keep them in their seats if they are not comfortable using it.

How has the assistive technology of the past few years had a positive impact in your classrooms?

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation

Do Gamified Language Learning Apps Work?

Note: The following guest post comes to us courtesy of Santiago Montero, founder and director of Spanish Tutor DC. Santiago has spent more than fifteen years integrating the fields of education and mass media in Europe and Latin America.

Gamified language learning applications are enjoying millions of downloads, and a certain degree of popular prestige, with Duolingo being named Apple’s app of the year for 2013. These apps use points systems, power ups and other game mechanics to make the memorization of foreign vocabulary and grammar rules more engaging and exciting, but are they able to make students proficient in their target language? Thier effectiveness is the subject of debate, but their enjoyability, as demonstrated by their popularity, is undeniable.

Applying game mechanics to learning is an old educational tool, but a natural fit with smartphone and tablet technology has allowed the idea to flourish. Socialization further drives engagement; earning a higher place on the scoreboard than their Facebook friends is an effective motivator for people with a competitive streak. The more cooperative among us might instead appreciate the fact that after each exercise is a chance to read tips and suggestions from other users. Digital badges and golden tracksuits, in addition to linguistic progress, are the rewards in store for those who persevere with the course, though it should be admitted that a significant chunk of Duolingo’s impressive user base doesn’t last longer than the first two hours of use.

These not so little apps have big dreams. They are already aiming to shake up the current language learning landscape and secure a larger portion of the market for themselves. Duolingo has announced plans for an English language learning certification programme, with French and other languages to follow shortly. Such intentions are sure to make the incumbent industry leaders sit up and take notice, as a cheap, but widely recognized certificate that can be earned from your bedroom would be an attractive prospect for those struggling to pay for classes or transportation. Duolingo claims that proficiency with their app is an excellent predictor of IELTS success. Critics point out that potential issues with cheating need to be addressed before Duolingo certificates are to be taken seriously. In many ways, which colleges and workplaces, if any, decide to accept Duolingo certificates will end up being more important than how accurate the test is itself, at least for potential students and employees.

So far the early skirmishes look promising for the apps. Carnegie Mellon University’s decision to partner with Duolingo gives it some much needed academic clout, and lends some believability to claims that a student can reach the same degree of proficiency by completing a Duolingo course as they can by completing the first semester of a typical language course at college. Dissenters say that gamified language learning apps only teach you vocabulary and grammar rules rather than how to actually speak a language, but then again, these same criticisms can be justifiably leveled at many traditional teaching methods. In either case, the development of these apps should be seen as part of a wider trend that is seeing education become more accessible by going online.

Gamified language learning apps are not without their drawbacks. Listening to a polished prerecorded sentence is not the same as trying to understand what that Nicaraguan taxi driver is trying to say, and it isn’t great practice for the natural back and forth of real conversation either. Formality and regional differences are specifics not best taught by ‘one size fits all’ teaching software. It’s also interesting to note that these apps have become so popular at a time when language learning is on the decline in the mainstream education system. Whether these apps will drive a renewed enthusiasm in language learning, or simply confirm that it is the classroom, not the subject, that is causing unpopularity remains to be seen. It doesn’t look like these apps are helping our current academic year of high school Spanish students, but perhaps we’ll see this change as the app gains deeper permeation into this demographic.

For all the shortcomings of language learning apps, the reality is that they don’t need to be perfect, they just need to be better than their competitors. No, Duolingo won’t teach you how to speak Spanish fluently, but then again, nothing does short of moving country or surrounding yourself with native speakers and teachers of your target language. However, these apps do level the playing field a little for those without access to the very best resources. For now, gamified language learning apps should be best thought of as a useful supplement to traditional face-to-face teaching models, and its creators are quick to acknowledge as much. Although, if these language learning apps continue to grow at the same rate that they have been doing, it might just get the IELTs and TOEFLs of the world glancing over their shoulder.

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation

Moving Beyond the “Cool” Factor in Mobile Learning

Note: The following post comes to us courtesy of Mike Broderick, Co-Founder & CEO, Turning Technologies.

According to a Pew Internet survey on mobile device use, 35% of Americans age 16 and up own a tablet. K-12 districts, universities and corporate learning programs are also driving the tablet trend, with some purchasing iPads and other tablets to replace textbooks and expand education capabilities with the hardware students already use to communicate and access entertainment. But the experiment doesn’t always proceed as planned.

A plan to distribute iPads to more than 30,000 Los Angeles students hit a speed bump last year when students figured out how to disable security features that were supposed to keep them off social media sites. A school official observed that problems were inevitable because the iPad program was “rushed” and “ill thought out.” And that seems to be a common theme: Too many educators are rushing to join the tablet trend because such programs are considered “cool” or “cutting edge,” when what they should really aim for is measurable benefits.

Fortunately, there are strategic ways to use mobile technology in the education space – it just requires a focus on using technology to drive positive outcomes rather than fixating on the hardware. Educators – whether in K-12, higher education or the corporate training space – need to ask the right question: Does the use of this technology improve outcomes?

To get the best results with an iPad, educators can pair the hardware with software that has a proven track record of success in deepening learner engagement. For example, interactive software that is currently on the market can enable teachers to embed questions directly into presentations, poll students in real time and instantly chart responses. This enables teachers to gauge students’ grasp of the material in the classroom, letting educators know when it’s okay to move on to the next topic and when more time is needed to go over the material.

Software solutions can also enable students to replicate virtually any action they can produce on paper on a touchscreen, such as labeling display items, moving featured graphics around and responding to essay questions. But with a tablet, students’ work can be instantly uploaded, stored and viewed, giving it a key advantage over paper. With the right software solutions, educators can significantly expand capabilities while increasing student engagement.

Better student engagement and expanded capabilities are reason enough for educators to look for the right software package, but data is another important factor to keep in mind. By generating and analyzing data – both in the context of a particular classroom session or assignment as well as aggregate data across the wider program – educators can identify what’s working and what’s not and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Tablets are quickly becoming an essential part of the everyday life and a prominent feature on the education landscape. But to make mobile devices an effective part of the learning process, educators must ensure that they pair their new hardware with effective software assets. By finding the right combination, educators can achieve greater levels of student engagement, significantly expand capabilities and generate incredibly valuable data. And that’s truly cool.

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Teachers

Using EdTech to assess small group instruction

A panel discussion with the teachers of Richardson ISD in Richardson, Texas

PANELISTS:

Caroline Canessa, Merriman Park Elementary, 5th Grade Reading-Language Arts

Leah Janoe, Dover Elementary, 5th Grade Math

Ashley Scott, White Rock Elementary, 3rd Grade

Jennifer Looney, Wallace Elementary, 3rd Grade

Alyson Hollon, Dover Elementary, 6th Grade Science

 

For those who may not know, can you elaborate on what your state standards ask teachers to assess in terms of small group discussions?

Jennifer Looney: According to our third grade standards, students should be involved in teacher-led and student-led discussions.

Leah Janoe: Students should participate in small-group discussions by asking questions and answering questions appropriately, which includes answering the question thoroughly, giving enough detail, and most importantly helping the conversation build and continue through their input.

Ashley Scott: We’re also asked to determine if students can use proper verb tense and grammar through discussions with peers.

 

Why is it challenging for teachers to monitor small group discussions?

Alyson Hollon: The biggest challenge with small group discussions or team collaborations is being able to monitor each group’s discussions at once, so that any misconceptions are addressed.

Caroline Canessa: This area of teaching can be very challenging! Often times it is hard to know whether or not student conversations or focus on the task at hand, or completely off the mark. Also, students may pretend to be on task while the teacher is near, but then return to being off task as soon as the teacher leaves the area.

Jennifer Looney: Small groups are often spread out all over the class, so it is hard for a teacher to have the time to engage with all groups. It is also a challenge to talk to one group while also monitoring behavior in a group across the room.

 

RISD has found and is trying out a tool that allows teachers to monitor several discussions all at once. Can you tell us about it?

Ashley Scott: The Flexcat system comes with two teacher microphones and remotes, one large speaker, and six individual speaker pods. The microphones can be used to project your voice out of the large speaker or out of individual pods. The remote controls the volume of your voice. You can use your normal talking voice and it does a wonderful job making it louder for all students to hear. With the pods I can control which group I would like to speak to directly. The microphone comes with an earpiece, which allows for you to listen through the pod to that group. You can turn on the pod without the students knowing and listen. Students can also use the call button on their pod and speak to the teacher through their pod.

Jennifer Looney: The speaker pods allow you to have ears all over the classroom. From working with a small group at my teacher table, I can tell what a group in the hallway is discussing and talk to them directly to refocus them without interrupting precious teaching time.

 

How has the Flexcat changed the way you run your classroom?

Leah Janoe: The Flexcat allows me to hear students’ natural conversations with each other, especially when I can listen in and hear how students are explaining a concept to each other. As a math teacher, I can listen in and see what steps students are verbalizing during group work and help clear up misconceptions in that manner. With the ability to project my voice using the main speaker, I’ve noticed that my students can actually hear my from any point in the room without me having to yell while teaching.

Ashley Scott: My kids are highly motivated to share their thinking and “be the teacher” up at the front of the class wearing the microphone. I can also send a student into a breakout room with a pod to finish work or make up a test. I can pop in on the pod and make sure everything is going OK or they can call me if they have a question. There is also a place for headphones so you could send a child with a pod and headphones to another class to work and still be able to talk directly to the student. It provides so much freedom and flexibility.

 

How have students reacted to the Flexcat?

Caroline Canessa: The students think the Flexcat is a lot of fun! They always ask to use the microphone and love to push the call button.

Alyson Hollon: The students were shocked at first when they realize that I could listen to their conversations even when I wasn’t near them. This has really pushed them to remain on topic and have higher-level group discussions. It has also given students who normally don’t ask questions the opportunity to ask me direct questions, reducing their feeling of apprehension.

Leah Janoe: My students have loved using the Flexcat system because they can discreetly call me to ask for help on a problem. Students who normally would not ask for help feel more comfortable asking for help if they can do so without me having to walk over to address them.

 

Could you share an example of a time when the Flexcat allowed you to catch a student really shining that you would have otherwise missed?

Ashley Scott: This year I had a few students new to our school. Most of my class has gone to school with their peers since kindergarten, and it can be an intimidating situation to walk into. It took this student until the third week to raise her hand to share with the class. One day I called on this particular child to “be the teacher” and share her thinking with the class during math. I gave her the microphone and once she heard her voice from the back of the room, she immediately smiled and stood up straight. You could see how excited and proud she was. Without the microphone, there is no way anyone would have been able to hear her because she was so nervous about sharing with her new peers.

Jennifer Looney: I have a very intelligent student who prefers to only share a few words at a time whole group because she is so shy. When she is with her tablemates, however, she is very talkative. I am able to listen in on her responses in a more laidback situation. I know several students have anxiety about whole class answers and responding directly to a teacher. As this student was working through a table problem in math, she guided her peers to solve a multiplication problem. It was really great to witness her come out of her shell and collaborate!

Alyson Hollon: I have this one student who really struggles working with teammates. One day I was listening to his group as they were finishing up a lab and he explained to another teammate why the chemical reaction occurred and he explained it so well. At this time I was working with my small group students and if I didn’t have the Flexcat I would never have heard his wonderful explanation.

 

What are your thoughts on education these days?

Caroline Canessa: The world of education is just as challenging and rigorous as it has always been.

Alyson Hollon: Today’s education is changing from teacher lead to student lead. Our students need “21st century skills” to be successful today which changes the role of teacher in a 21st century classroom. Students are more motivated and want to be in charge in their own learning.

Leah Janoe: In these times, I am amazed at what students are learning and how they are being taught. The methods and topics that students are using are amazing and I cannot imagine having learned with so many technology tools when I was in school.

 

What are your thoughts on technology in education? Why?

Jennifer Looney: Technology is used, in some way, for every career out there. Students must graduate knowing how to use this technology. To exclude technology from the classroom would be a great disservice to our students.

Leah Janoe: I am so excited for (and slightly jealous of) the technology opportunities my students have to integrate into their classes and learning. I’m amazed at all the tools students can use to encourage their learning.

Caroline Canessa: Technology in education is critical. It allows students access to information that they may not otherwise be able to access at home. It also readies all students for the future – which is increasingly more and more digital world.

 

Any other comments or experiences to share?

Alyson Hollon: I honestly believe with all the technology that I have in my classroom, the Flexcat is essential and necessary. A Flexcat should be in every classroom.

Ashley Scott: I would not want to go back to teaching without the Flexcat!

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, list, Matthew Lynch

3 Critical Questions We Must Ask about the K-12 Online Learning Trend

Online learning is more than a fad. The facts are staggering: According to the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, there are nearly 1.9 million K-12 enrollments in online courses every school year, up from under 50,000 in 2000. The current number does not even include students enrolled in primarily online schools. Thirty-one states have full-time online schools that serve on a statewide basis.

But is this trend, quickly becoming a permanent feature of our education, a positive one? Here are three questions to ask to determine whether online learning is changing the quality of education for the better or for the worse.

  1. Do online courses really adequately prepare you for college? The top reason that districts give for offering online options is for credit recovery, with 81 percent of urban schools citing this reason. Are online courses really equal to ones in the classroom though? It really depends who you ask. Recent news reports out of California show that high school graduation rates are at an all-time high of 78 percent, with even higher numbers in areas like San Francisco and San Jose. While some educators use these numbers to point to student success, critics say the rise in graduation numbers does not necessarily mean that students are college ready. The rise of online courses as a means to “make up” failed or incomplete classes are part of the reason more kids graduate – but do they know what they should?
  2. How rigorous are online courses? This is likely a cloudy area for those of us who grew up before the Internet forever changed the face of distance education. On a basic level, if a student reads the material, and is able to give correct answers on a test, that means he or she has “learned” the content. When an educator takes into account other influential factors like learning style, intelligence and work ethic, that basic definition becomes murky. The general consensus in the education community seems to be that even though online courses have merit, they are less rigorous than classroom settings.
  3. Is making online learning mandatory in high school a good thing? Then there is the issue of online learning as an overarching ideology. Embracing the inevitability that online learning is a very real part of the average college education, the state of Florida began requiring in 2011 that high school students in the 24-credit graduation option to take at least one online course. The public, Internet-based Florida Virtual School leads the way in this innovation and is considered a national leader in the e-Learning model. So in this example, Florida is not simply offering online courses as a backup; the state mandates that students on a college prep path get early exposure to the type of learning they are likely to see in college.

Simply put, there are two very different ways to look at online courses in K-12 education. On one hand, there is educational merit, though that education is debatable as to the actual extent of its effectiveness. On the other hand, there is the practicality aspect of exposing students to online learning long before the college years. The second point paints online learning as a life skill of sorts – something for kids to understand before entering the real world as adults, much like balancing a bank account or learning how to create a resume.

Regardless of the limitations of online learning, those who oppose K-12 online courses are just wasting their breath. The momentum of online learning is gaining speed. Educators can best spend their time looking for ways to enhance the content of what is offered in virtual courses and making the most of what classroom time is available.

Read all of our posts about EdTech and Innovation by clicking here. 

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Higher Education, Teachers

Seven deadly sins of online course design

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**

By Daniel Stanford

I took my first online course in 2004 while pursuing my MFA. It seemed like a novel idea at the time, and I had no clue I’d be spending the next ten years up to my eyeballs in online courses. Since then, I’ve helped faculty design dozens of online and hybrid courses, taught several of my own, and evaluated online courses and professional development programs from a variety institutions.

Over the years, I’ve seen certain design issues surface again and again. I had hoped to stockpile 95 of these “course design sins,” then nail them to a door in a Martin Luther-esque call for reform. That vision was later revised as I realized (A) 95 is a lot of sins to identify and (B) Martin Luther didn’t have to compete with the latest Buzzfeed list of 15 dogs wearing tiny hats.

In light of those realizations, I’d like to share with you my top seven course design sins, along with practical tips for atonement.

1. Overwhelming Discussions

“Compose your post, then respond to three classmates’ posts.” Sound familiar? These instructions have become de rigueur in online discussions even though it would be impossible to replicate this level of participation in a face-to-face class. The result is a massive number of posts that instructors and students dread sorting through.

How to Atone
1)    Relax discussion participation requirements. For instance, you might require students to contribute to two out of three discussions. This allows students to contribute to the discussions that interest them most, as they often do in face-to-face courses.
2)    Set reasonable guidelines for post length and number of replies. For prompts that tend to elicit long-winded replies, stress the importance of concise writing and set a maximum word limit.
3)    Provide a grading rubric in advance that focuses on quality, not quantity.

2. Lack of Scannable Text

Reading on a screen is tiring enough as it is. Don’t make it worse by writing long paragraphs devoid of visual interruptions and organizational cues.

How to Atone
1)    Use headings and lists to break up long blocks of text. This not only makes it easier to read the first time through, but also makes it easier for students to find what they need when they review material for a second or third time.
2)    Don’t rely on color to make important items stand out. This can quickly become overwhelming and isn’t helpful for colorblind users. Instead, use bolding (judiciously) to offset important details such as deadlines or warnings.

3. No Progress Indicators

Within seconds of entering a course or a specific unit of content, students should know what they’ve completed, what is incomplete, and when the incomplete items are due. The worst nightmare of any online student is to think she has met all the course requirements for a given day or week, only to stumble upon additional ones after a critical deadline has passed.

How to Atone 
1)    If your learning management system includes a checklist feature, provide one in every module to ensure students can keep track of what they’ve completed.
2)    If your LMS doesn’t include checklists, provide a concise to-do list at the beginning of each module so students can easily see what they have to complete and when graded items are due.
3)    List the deadlines for all graded items in your main course schedule or calendar.

4. Bad Narration

There are two reasons most instructors create narrated PowerPoints.
1)    They believe it will be faster to deliver a lecture verbally than write it out.
2)    They believe it will be more engaging for students than reading.

Both of these motivations have their pitfalls. First, faculty are often surprised how long it takes to produce an effective narrated presentation. Second, delivering information via audio with no text alternative makes it difficult for students to control the pace of their learning. It’s also worth noting that audio-only approaches to instruction can be challenging for ESL learners and a dealbreaker for students with disabilities.

How to Atone
Whatever your motivation for creating narrated presentations, your work will be better (and your students happier) if you keep these tips in mind:
1)    Break content into chunks of roughly five minutes or less.
2)    Ask the learner to respond to questions periodically. If you can’t provide interactive   quiz questions in the video itself, simply show a question on screen and give students a few seconds to pause and contemplate the answer before you provide it.
3)    Start with the topics you’re most passionate about and provide a written alternative for material you’re less excited to narrate.
4)    Allow students to download the PowerPoint file if they’d prefer to read it without narration. This is especially helpful if you’ve taken the time to add notes to each slide.

Also, before you get too attached to your presentations, share a sample with a friend and ask if your narration feels:
1)    natural and authentic (not over-rehearsed, over-annunciated, or overly scripted)
2)    appropriately paced (not too fast or too slow)
3)    pleasant (not too soft, too loud, or too nasal)
4)    dynamic and engaging (not monotone and dull)

5. Buried Leads

Don’t make students read through or listen to several minutes of non-essential fluff before you get to the good stuff. Burying the lead wastes students’ time and hurts your credibility as a curator. As a result, students will struggle to find the part where you finally say something important. Worse yet, they might begin to ignore your emails, readings, or videos altogether.

How to Atone
1)    Write in an inverted-pyramid format. Start with an eye-catching headline or summary and make sure the most important information is as close to the beginning as possible.
2)    Avoid fluffy intros. This is particularly important when creating audio/video content. Here’s an example.

Too Fluffy More Direct
Hi students. Welcome to module 3, video lecture 2. I hope you enjoyed our last module on X. In this video, I’m going to talk about writing an effective creative brief for an advertising campaign. Creating an ad campaign can be challenging. There are so many moving parts and different people who need to contribute to the design of a successful campaign. There can be many strong personalities involved… In a recent Ad Fed survey, 73% of creative directors say their work missed the mark due to a bad creative brief. Ineffective briefs often fall short due to X, Y, and Z. Let’s spend a few minutes analyzing each of these factors.

6. Digital Hoarding

Face-to-face courses come with limitations that encourage instructors to prioritize what they share with students. Examples include the number of hours in each class meeting and the number of photocopies the instructor has time to print. In online courses, these limitations are removed or relaxed, which makes it tempting to share every interesting reading, video, and website you’ve ever encountered. All too often, the result is a course site that feels like one of the homes on Hoarding: Buried Alive, but with more scholarly journals and fewer cats.

How to Atone
1)    Curate and annotate. Good curators know what to keep hidden in the vaults, what to place in the gallery, and how to lead visitors through it all in a way that informs and inspires.
2)    Contextualize links. Don’t assume their relevance is self-explanatory. Provide a sentence or two summarizing why the link is important.
3)    Customize links. Direct students to specific pages of a site and explain why those pages are useful instead of sending them to the homepage of a massive site and assuming they’ll find their way.
4)    Contextualize readings. This is particularly important when assigning long readings or videos. Provide guiding questions and/or warn students which sections or concepts they’re likely to find challenging. If all 50 pages of a reading (or hour of a video) are equally essential, briefly explain why.
5)    Separate and label what’s optional. Don’t let supplemental resources or anecdotes obscure what’s truly top priority. Be realistic in what students can reasonably read or view in a single day or week.
6)    Throw something away. Recognize that, even with optional resources, less is more.

7. Faceless Professor Syndrome

Online courses provide limited natural opportunities to reinforce that you’re a real human being and help students put a face with your name. Don’t squander these opportunities by obscuring your identity and increasing your anonymity on the discussion board and in your self-introduction.

How to Atone:
1)    Use a photo of your face for your online profile and discussion board avatar. Don’t use a photo of your dog, your favorite cartoon character, or a generic icon.
2)    Make sure your face is closely cropped so it’s recognizable at small sizes. This will help students see who is “speaking” at a glance if your face shows as a small icon next to your discussion board posts.
3)    Avoid tools like Voki or Tellagami that obscure your identity by synchronizing a talking cartoon with your voice. Novelties like this might be entertaining when used to create an Easter egg or a supplemental resource, but they increase online anonymity when used for introductions and essential announcements early in the term.

This post originally appeared on iddblog.org, and was republished with permission.

Read all of our posts about EdTech and Innovation by clicking here. 

_____________________________

Daniel Stanford holds an MFA in Computer Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a concentration in Interactive Design and Game Development. Since 1998, his interest in interactive media and education has led him to take on a variety of professional roles—from website designer and graphic artist to teacher and online-course developer. His work as an instructional designer has received multiple awards from the Instructional Technology Council and he has been both a course reviewer and finalist in Blackboard’s Exemplary Course competitions. Daniel is currently Assistant Director of Faculty Instructional Technology Services at DePaul University where he oversees multiple faculty-development initiatives, including the DePaul Online Teaching Series, which won the 2012 Sloan-C Award for Excellence in Faculty Development for Online Learning.

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, International Education

Fostering Global Citizenship through Skype

Guest post by Sarah Byrne

CHAT to the Future is a growing registered charity based in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada committed to education, global citizenship, and ending the cycle of extreme poverty. They unify these three concepts through the integration of technology into the lives of North American students.

CHAT itself stands for Care and Hope through the Adoption of Technology. CHAT runs a small orphans’ home in Kasangati, Uganda and uses the power of North American schools to fully fund everything from rent to education.

 

The real power in what CHAT does comes from Skype and their ability to connect the kids in Uganda to students of all ages across America and Canada. The kids in Uganda Skype for three hours each week, spending half hour installments talking to their friends, singing, learning, and sharing. This connection allows children in North American classrooms to expand their worldview and learn about a different culture through friendship and hands-on experience. Most importantly, it inspires global thinking in our students and facilitates global citizenship.

Technology has allowed teachers in this generation to access guest speakers, create digital meet-ups with other classrooms, and keep parents connected at the click of a button. CHAT wants to play a part by connecting kids via Skype and giving teachers the resources to integrate technology into their classrooms. When a class Skypes with children from Uganda, they are not only making new friends, but making global-minded connections.

One of the common problems with technology in the classroom is funding – new technology is expensive, and finding creative ways to utilize existing technology can be next to impossible. Webcams and Skype are two things that most classrooms are already equipped with, allowing them to participate easily without cost.

Not only does CHAT give teachers the opportunity to integrate technology into the classroom, but it also allows for students to come up with innovative and entrepreneurial projects that help them raise funds for their friends in Uganda. This engages students into a new kind of thinking, encouraging them to come up with ideas and solve problems. CHAT then ensures that the students have the skills and means to realize those ideas.

Currently, CHAT is working with a school in Colorado, who have partnered up with schools in Canada, Uganda and the Dominican Republic to create the One Million Lights campaign. Students at the Colorado school are 3D printing rechargeable lanterns that will be sent to areas where constant electricity is not a reality. Preston Middle School of Fort Collins, CO has made the prototype, while Riverview High School in New Brunswick, Canada worked on the electrical innovation.

These lanterns are being sent to CHAT House in Uganda as well as a school in the Dominican Republic to be tested and reviewed. After the reviews are in and the prototype is perfected, the designs and circuitry will be published for anyone to replicate. Of course, their Ugandan friends have already seen the prototypes over Skype.

What these schools are doing is an extraordinary example of the innovation, entrepreneurship, technological advancement, and global citizenship that CHAT to the Future is all about. Every year CHAT continues to see growth in our students both in North America and in Uganda. Connectivity in the classroom is important, and CHAT is happy to be a part of it.

Read all of our posts about EdTech and Innovation by clicking here. 

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Sarah is a CHAT to the Future intern completing her second summer with the organization. She is passionate about education and currently working her way towards her BEd. Other pieces by Sarah can be found at www.chattothefuture.ca 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation

Why "anti-tech" teachers irk me

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**

A guest post by Lisa Mims

The conversation went something like this:

Teacher: Do you know he suggested using Tagxedo at Reading Night?
Me: What a wonderful idea!
Teacher: I don’t see why they want to use technology. (said with disdain)
Me: Why not? The kids and parents would have a good time.
Teacher: What if it doesn’t work? What if it doesn’t print? Then what are we supposed to do?
Me: What do you mean doesn’t work? It’s really easy to use.
And the conversation continued...

“Technology” is not something you can pick up or put down, it’s not a solid object. That is what frustrates me so much about people who are “anti-tech”. It makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs every time someone says to me, “See, I used the Smartboard today, I used technology.”

Or, after typing an entire paragraph on a web page, it’s deleted, and the person yells, “See, that’s why I don’t use technology!”

Technology is not a subject!!!  It is a tool that is not going away. It’s not something extra that you add to a lesson, it’s just part of your lesson. You know, the way you use the textbook. I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the question, “What if it doesn’t work?” So does that mean that we shouldn’t use it? What isn’t going to work? The Internet? The computers? Tagxedo?

Yes, there is a chance any one of those things might not work, but there is a greater chance they might. And what an experience that would be for those who use it! It reminds me of when my principal, who asked us to think outside of the box after a tech conference, asked me to put my Sliderocket presentation on a flash drive because the “Internet” might not work that day.The “Internet” worked just fine.

When I was thinking of a way for my kids to creatively describe themselves, I chose Tagxedo as a way to do that. While planning my lesson, I did not begin with, “How can I use Tagxedo today?” When I want to connect with students in another state or country, I use Wallwisher, Edmodo, Twitter, etc… because it’s a way to connect beside pen and paper.  When I want my students to share their thoughts simultaneously about the novel I am reading aloud, “Today’s Meet” is a wonderful tool. And, I don’t only use the Smartboard during observations, just to prove that I am using “technology”, because that’s what “they” want to see.

All the wonderful things I do with my class is not done to “show off”. It’s because it engages my students and makes teaching enjoyable. And yes, I do have a life. There are so many great ideas I get from so many different people in my PLN, so there’s no need to spend every waking hour trying to find them on my own.

We have to let go of this fear of the unknown , the fear of change. We have to remember that we should be lifelong learners, and not be scared to share our knowledge, even in a way that might not be comfortable for us!

This post originally appeared on Diary of a Public School Teacher, and was republished with permission.

Read all of our posts about EdTech and Innovation by clicking here. 

_______________

Diary of a Public School Teacher is a blog where Lisa Mims shares her  thoughts about any aspect of the teaching profession. She is a DEN (Discovery Education Network) STAR Educator! She loves writing and I has contributed posts to Free Technology for Teachers, Edudemic, TeachHub, GoAnimate, Edutopia, etc.
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