It has been an interesting week in the world of technology and #edtech and, as is often the case, a number of seemingly isolated incidents have begun to swirl around in my head enough for me to draft a blog-entry. Luckily, I have @40ishoracle to look over the writing to make sure that it makes sense when all is said and done (if you haven’t had the opportunity, you should take time to read her profile in “School CIO”).
Incident #1: My nine-year-old (for those of you who follow me on twitter, Daughter Prime) came into the living room where I was diligently working on the RIO version of Angry Birds and her mom was typing on a laptop. She asked “can I use the (Google)TV? I need to type a reading log.” Now this question could be worth a blog entry in and of itself, but I watched in fascination as she accessed her school’s learning management system, brought up a blank report template, thumb-typed three solidly written paragraphs about The Mysterious Benedict Society, and posted it for teacher review to a virtual homework dropbox.
Incident #2: I had the opportunity to play with the ASUS Transformer brought in by @brebeufjesuit alum @kcklippel. As I played with the device (an Android Honeycomb tablet with widescreen that docks with a larger-than-netbook keyboard for fast typing and 7hrs additional battery life), I began to see how useful it could be in the post-pc world that Steve Jobs declared with the release of the iPad 2.
Incident #3: (stolen from fellow parent, @40ishoracle): Her daughter has had an increasing number of assignments taking the form of “presentations” created in Keynote for assessment and evaluation in place of traditional papers at the middle-school level.
The discussion that swirled around these incidents began with typing.
For a number of years, I have been saying as part of the precursor to Bring-Your-Own-Tech language @40ishoracle introduced me to, that the role of tablets/phones will be as personal productivity enhancers…That a computer will be necessary for “full production” – papers over a certain length, multi-tasking or multi-window or multi-screen research, etc. After watching my nine-year-old comfortably manipulate a thumb keyboard at a decent rate and speed indistinguishable from a nine-year-old at a standard size qwerty keyboard, I opened myself up to the idea that home-row typing vs. thumb-typing alone is not a distinguishing element from critical thinking and productivity.
So if students can be as productive typing (or swyping), what does this say about the types of assignments that we offer?
Rant Begins Here:
When @40ishoracle and I offer a presentation, it is backed up by hours of work. This work ranges from formal and informal discussions, conversations with other educators, background research on the topic, examples in the lab environment that is our Jesuit High School, etc. The presentation is a distillation or interpretation of the thinking that went before it. This combination of context (the work that has been done by others), experience (trying and interpreting lessons in the classroom), reflection (the conversations), is the heart of the Jesuit educational system and parallels with critical thinking that is so beloved of everyone from the ASCD to legislators to *gasp* teachers.
But (and it is a big one): It is absolutely possible to create a presentation that does not benefit from this level of prep work.
Last year, as part of our preparation for addressing issues of information literacy and research rigor that the school wanted to address, we had the opportunity to review a number of student presentations created by our junior class. A common trend that became apparent in our evaluation was that the presentations, while for the most part factually accurate and in most cases properly, if loosely, sourced, lacked the depth of thought that we would have hoped to see (that critical thinking piece again).
In our year on the social-media and research presentation circuit, we found that we are not alone with our assessments. Teachers have noted and agreed that:
• The number of presentation based assessments are growing and in some cases replacing traditional writing.
• There is a general feeling that students are not thinking as hard about the subjects on which they are being assessed.
• There is a malaise of inevitability about this that is wrapped up with “info-whelm” and technology anxiety.
Ultimately, the call for educators, and the educational technologists that support them, is to help craft lessons, including assessments, that will challenge students to think and then demonstrate in some way the level, accuracy, and intensity of that thought process either publicly (presentations) or interpersonally (papers, tests).
If our anxiety level is increasing and we lack confidence in the student-created presentation as an assessment tool, then we owe it to ourselves and our students to analyze the assessment and figure out how to make it fit our critical thinking needs.
Will students notice if we replace traditional keyboard with thumb boards?
Is there an inherent flaw in electronically assisted presentations?
Do these rhetorical questions raise feelings of nostalgia for 60s syndicated super hero TV shows? Stay tuned to the blog for your answer…Same #edtech time, Same #edtech URL!
…
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Open Letter to iPad 2 (it was one of those days in IT)
Dear iPad 2,
Look, I know that we have done this dance so many times over the last year. When I heard about you, I thought you would be the answer to my fondest wishes. Slim, functional, ready to replace once and for all the many utilitarian zealots who had come before you with their obsessive need to be productive and only support me in my work.
And when you and I finally met, I will admit, you were very pretty - sleek yet subtle; urbane yet simple. And while we did not hook up right away, I kept my eye on you. Frankly, there was a period of time where you were the measuring stick for everyone else who came along.
Now, in just a short period of time, you have transformed yourself. Well…sort of. But I have to admit, as much as you have changed, you just aren’t the one for me, but I think I owe it to you to let you know why.
Let me start with the positive. I am SO happy for you that you have decided to open up your eyes and see the world around you. Frankly, I couldn’t understand why you were so blind from the beginning. And the fact that now you see the world in all directions is a delight to behold. But honestly, I don’t have to look very far to find others who do that and they have better eyesight than you. Also, when I see myself, or anything else, in your face you have the same dogged view you have always had; maybe you are jealous of your cousin with her bright resolution and clear retina.
And I also feel like there can be nothing but good news with you being willing to talk to other people, but isn’t it a little rude that you will only allow yourself a little facetime with your friends and family? There are lots of people who might want to get together with us and it seems a little closed off for you to only want your smile to go as far as your clique.
Maybe that is my issue. Maybe it’s my hang-up.
I know that you keep telling me how much thinner you are, but I don’t care about that! It’s what is inside that counts and more importantly for me it is how you play with others. I don’t want to shop in the same shops every day. I don’t want to only see the movies that you choose. . I don’t want to be limited to the music you discover. I want to be able to be more open. And yes, if someone sends me a link with a flash of inspiration, I want to be able to see it and discuss it without having to sneak out to have that conversation with someone, anyone who is more open than you are.
You can certainly keep up with me, especially after all the work you have had done. But the fact that your memory is tied to how much money I put into you is a little offensive. And you are so one-track minded. Sometimes I like to do a couple of different things at once. With you I feel like I am constantly starting over.
Also, you can be a little thin-skinned. Face it, the world can be a little cruel sometimes and you shouldn’t be able to crack at the drop of a hat. I know that your new wardrobe makes you more polished and refined, but a little gorilla in your backbone would go a long way to you being able to take a few well-placed blows.
*sigh*
I guess this is it. You are the right shape (although a little larger than I normally go for, but I know that is not your fault. You are the way you are made). But you only seem to work on those parts of yourself that everyone else already takes for granted. And you seem unable, nay unwilling, to fix the flaws that drive me absolutely batty. I would like to work this out, but try to discuss these things with you, and either you switch between one set point of view or simply refuse to make any sound whatsoever…and you know this is nothing new!
I know that you’ll find someone else; indeed millions of people are lining up to be with you. But my heart must find another. One who compliments me in both my work and my play. One who can function normally without being tied to her computer day after day. One who can be held gently in one hand and conveniently allow herself to be carried without feeling like extra baggage.
…and a stylus would be nice.
With regret,
JD Ferries-Rowe (Galaxy Tab user) and Jen LaMaster (a hypocritical iPad user)
Look, I know that we have done this dance so many times over the last year. When I heard about you, I thought you would be the answer to my fondest wishes. Slim, functional, ready to replace once and for all the many utilitarian zealots who had come before you with their obsessive need to be productive and only support me in my work.
And when you and I finally met, I will admit, you were very pretty - sleek yet subtle; urbane yet simple. And while we did not hook up right away, I kept my eye on you. Frankly, there was a period of time where you were the measuring stick for everyone else who came along.
Now, in just a short period of time, you have transformed yourself. Well…sort of. But I have to admit, as much as you have changed, you just aren’t the one for me, but I think I owe it to you to let you know why.
Let me start with the positive. I am SO happy for you that you have decided to open up your eyes and see the world around you. Frankly, I couldn’t understand why you were so blind from the beginning. And the fact that now you see the world in all directions is a delight to behold. But honestly, I don’t have to look very far to find others who do that and they have better eyesight than you. Also, when I see myself, or anything else, in your face you have the same dogged view you have always had; maybe you are jealous of your cousin with her bright resolution and clear retina.
And I also feel like there can be nothing but good news with you being willing to talk to other people, but isn’t it a little rude that you will only allow yourself a little facetime with your friends and family? There are lots of people who might want to get together with us and it seems a little closed off for you to only want your smile to go as far as your clique.
Maybe that is my issue. Maybe it’s my hang-up.
I know that you keep telling me how much thinner you are, but I don’t care about that! It’s what is inside that counts and more importantly for me it is how you play with others. I don’t want to shop in the same shops every day. I don’t want to only see the movies that you choose. . I don’t want to be limited to the music you discover. I want to be able to be more open. And yes, if someone sends me a link with a flash of inspiration, I want to be able to see it and discuss it without having to sneak out to have that conversation with someone, anyone who is more open than you are.
You can certainly keep up with me, especially after all the work you have had done. But the fact that your memory is tied to how much money I put into you is a little offensive. And you are so one-track minded. Sometimes I like to do a couple of different things at once. With you I feel like I am constantly starting over.
Also, you can be a little thin-skinned. Face it, the world can be a little cruel sometimes and you shouldn’t be able to crack at the drop of a hat. I know that your new wardrobe makes you more polished and refined, but a little gorilla in your backbone would go a long way to you being able to take a few well-placed blows.
*sigh*
I guess this is it. You are the right shape (although a little larger than I normally go for, but I know that is not your fault. You are the way you are made). But you only seem to work on those parts of yourself that everyone else already takes for granted. And you seem unable, nay unwilling, to fix the flaws that drive me absolutely batty. I would like to work this out, but try to discuss these things with you, and either you switch between one set point of view or simply refuse to make any sound whatsoever…and you know this is nothing new!
I know that you’ll find someone else; indeed millions of people are lining up to be with you. But my heart must find another. One who compliments me in both my work and my play. One who can function normally without being tied to her computer day after day. One who can be held gently in one hand and conveniently allow herself to be carried without feeling like extra baggage.
…and a stylus would be nice.
With regret,
JD Ferries-Rowe (Galaxy Tab user) and Jen LaMaster (a hypocritical iPad user)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Arguments Against Standardization
JD and I have been sitting around the past couple of months planning, plotting and evangelizing the idea of a BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) program for Brebeuf Jesuit. Our educational passion playing out in terms of equipping students with the critical skills to access, evaluate and use technology tools based on personal learning style and needs. Then Ed Tech Magazine comes along and publishes an article entitled “Standard Issue” by Heather B. Hayes (http://www.edtechmag.com/k12/issues/february-march-2011/standard-issue.html) – touting the benefits of standardizing technology tools across classrooms. Well did this get us heated up! And so we blog…
From our educational point of view, while we appreciate that standardization can make life easier for IT departments, and to some extent may lower tech anxiety among teachers, we think standardization is a great disservice to our students (…and to any teachers who prefers a Macintosh computer, or the newest processor, or an Android device). With the rise of mobile technologies geared to individualized needs, the earlier we can facilitate access and evaluation of unique tools by our students, the better prepared they will be to make their own technology decisions. Students need to develop the ability to process their information/productivity need, access tools which might meet the need, evaluate the tools to meet that need and analyze the success or failure of the outcomes (say it with me “critical thinking skills”). Handing them a uniform technology platform does not encourage or facilitate this process. The world is not standardized. The world is fluid and the tools students will use every changing. Developing flexibility of technology skills will allow our students to navigate any technology tool.
From our techie point of view, draw-backs to standardization jumped out at us from the article. The economic benefits of standardization espoused by the article only work in a significant way for large school districts. Economy of scale does not kick in for building specific infrastructure. Small schools like Brebeuf Jesuit do not generate sales large enough to make standardization a truly cost saving venture. Furthermore, even for large districts (who admittedly might save money buying 500 interactive whiteboards at once), why would you standardize if you recognize the technology will change in 2 years (note: how silly will these administrators feel if they find out that a computer and wireless projector with 90% of the functionality of an IWB can be purchased for LESS money than a computer, projector, and keep-the-teacher-at-the-front-of-the-room-like-the-good-old-days SMARTBoard)? If you truly commit to standardization, say on laptops, they will all need to be replaced at the same time. Most schools, for financial reasons will make a 20% replacement rotation … this is not standardization. You may have up to 5 generations of technology rotating at any time. Any school district that purchases one large blast of technology will pay for it down the road when replacement hits all at once. Seems short sighted.
At Brebeuf Jesuit, our general approach is a 3-4 year rotation cycle. We replace 1/3 of X with whatever cutting edge is ... it doesn’t give us standardization but it does give us the ability to have 1/3 of our building be state of the art* while the other 2/3rds simply feels a little old. Finally, we can experiment with new technologies** without fear of taking a bath on those that don’t work***. Flexible purchasing not only meets the needs of unique teaching and learning experiences, but allows us to innovate and respond to learner needs in a much more fluid manner. Locking in to a standard platform or device negatively impacts this fluidity (much of the decision making process might be outlined in another post, but when the teachers and students drive the decision making, the conversation becomes more about universal accessibility to programs, data, and hardware…and occasionally Adobe Flash).
We agree that standardization can make life much easier for the hardware techs. For example, we have universal projector mounts in our classrooms. We can change projectors to meet the needs of teachers, the budget, and the network as a whole without changing the mounts each year. But we chose to buy universal mounts to provide the flexibility to buy projectors that meet the needs of the classroom that grows and expands.
The needs of teaching and learning must be the paramount decision maker – not comfort level of the IT department.
* This year’s “State of the Art” were the Lenovo touchscreen tablets with stylus and/or finger input
** Independent pilots are being run with iPad, GalaxyTab, cloud-based online solutions (Microsoft Live@edu), etc.
*** The last classroom based IWB was purchased by the school seven years ago. Currently 2 of the 15 whiteboards are used as anything more than a screen, clicker, and rough note taker. Microsoft OneNote and stylus based tablet computing is the standard in most classrooms.
Definitions:
IWB - Interactive White Board
From our educational point of view, while we appreciate that standardization can make life easier for IT departments, and to some extent may lower tech anxiety among teachers, we think standardization is a great disservice to our students (…and to any teachers who prefers a Macintosh computer, or the newest processor, or an Android device). With the rise of mobile technologies geared to individualized needs, the earlier we can facilitate access and evaluation of unique tools by our students, the better prepared they will be to make their own technology decisions. Students need to develop the ability to process their information/productivity need, access tools which might meet the need, evaluate the tools to meet that need and analyze the success or failure of the outcomes (say it with me “critical thinking skills”). Handing them a uniform technology platform does not encourage or facilitate this process. The world is not standardized. The world is fluid and the tools students will use every changing. Developing flexibility of technology skills will allow our students to navigate any technology tool.
From our techie point of view, draw-backs to standardization jumped out at us from the article. The economic benefits of standardization espoused by the article only work in a significant way for large school districts. Economy of scale does not kick in for building specific infrastructure. Small schools like Brebeuf Jesuit do not generate sales large enough to make standardization a truly cost saving venture. Furthermore, even for large districts (who admittedly might save money buying 500 interactive whiteboards at once), why would you standardize if you recognize the technology will change in 2 years (note: how silly will these administrators feel if they find out that a computer and wireless projector with 90% of the functionality of an IWB can be purchased for LESS money than a computer, projector, and keep-the-teacher-at-the-front-of-the-room-like-the-good-old-days SMARTBoard)? If you truly commit to standardization, say on laptops, they will all need to be replaced at the same time. Most schools, for financial reasons will make a 20% replacement rotation … this is not standardization. You may have up to 5 generations of technology rotating at any time. Any school district that purchases one large blast of technology will pay for it down the road when replacement hits all at once. Seems short sighted.
At Brebeuf Jesuit, our general approach is a 3-4 year rotation cycle. We replace 1/3 of X with whatever cutting edge is ... it doesn’t give us standardization but it does give us the ability to have 1/3 of our building be state of the art* while the other 2/3rds simply feels a little old. Finally, we can experiment with new technologies** without fear of taking a bath on those that don’t work***. Flexible purchasing not only meets the needs of unique teaching and learning experiences, but allows us to innovate and respond to learner needs in a much more fluid manner. Locking in to a standard platform or device negatively impacts this fluidity (much of the decision making process might be outlined in another post, but when the teachers and students drive the decision making, the conversation becomes more about universal accessibility to programs, data, and hardware…and occasionally Adobe Flash).
We agree that standardization can make life much easier for the hardware techs. For example, we have universal projector mounts in our classrooms. We can change projectors to meet the needs of teachers, the budget, and the network as a whole without changing the mounts each year. But we chose to buy universal mounts to provide the flexibility to buy projectors that meet the needs of the classroom that grows and expands.
The needs of teaching and learning must be the paramount decision maker – not comfort level of the IT department.
* This year’s “State of the Art” were the Lenovo touchscreen tablets with stylus and/or finger input
** Independent pilots are being run with iPad, GalaxyTab, cloud-based online solutions (Microsoft Live@edu), etc.
*** The last classroom based IWB was purchased by the school seven years ago. Currently 2 of the 15 whiteboards are used as anything more than a screen, clicker, and rough note taker. Microsoft OneNote and stylus based tablet computing is the standard in most classrooms.
Definitions:
IWB - Interactive White Board
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Cura Personalis : A New Year Reflection
So my plan was to start blogging again on Ed Tech sorts of things. I had all kinds of ideas jotted in my iPad Notetaker app and was ready to pontificate on topics of integration, strategies for determining technology needs, classroom trends... the usual for this type of blog. But then, a colleague lost a fast and furious battle with cancer and suddenly my little world of integration seemed very little after all.
Sunday evening, during an impromptu prayer service held for the school community, the gathered were invited to reflect on the life of this educator. Reflection is a key process in Ignatian education. Upon reflection of new experience, the learner is invited to step back and discern where God is leading her/him, what action this new experience may generate, and how this new experience will fit with established values, morays, and actions (I am greatly generalizing the process here). On my personal reflection, one element of Sunday night's process stands out. Only students, past and present, were moved to speak. Every student addressed this educator's ability to focus on the individual in front of him. They mentioned feeling like the most important person in the world at that precise moment. The ability to listen, to care, to advocate for were the qualities of this man's being students (with raw grief) spoke aloud.
As technology education specialists, I think we often miss the point these students illuminated. It's not about who has the glitziest tools. It's not encouraging a flood of online activities. It's about students. It's about shaping and guiding and advocating for young people to grow into the most successful "them" possible. Ignatian education strives for cura personalis, generally interpreted to mean "care of the whole person". Listening to our students Sunday evening, I witnessed that process in action. They praised a life for the care given to every individual student.
So in this new year, I invite us all to reflect on our integration decisions. Are they made with students in care? Take time to talk to students as individuals. Take time to focus on them as if they are the most important people in the world. Because quite frankly - they are.
Sunday evening, during an impromptu prayer service held for the school community, the gathered were invited to reflect on the life of this educator. Reflection is a key process in Ignatian education. Upon reflection of new experience, the learner is invited to step back and discern where God is leading her/him, what action this new experience may generate, and how this new experience will fit with established values, morays, and actions (I am greatly generalizing the process here). On my personal reflection, one element of Sunday night's process stands out. Only students, past and present, were moved to speak. Every student addressed this educator's ability to focus on the individual in front of him. They mentioned feeling like the most important person in the world at that precise moment. The ability to listen, to care, to advocate for were the qualities of this man's being students (with raw grief) spoke aloud.
As technology education specialists, I think we often miss the point these students illuminated. It's not about who has the glitziest tools. It's not encouraging a flood of online activities. It's about students. It's about shaping and guiding and advocating for young people to grow into the most successful "them" possible. Ignatian education strives for cura personalis, generally interpreted to mean "care of the whole person". Listening to our students Sunday evening, I witnessed that process in action. They praised a life for the care given to every individual student.
So in this new year, I invite us all to reflect on our integration decisions. Are they made with students in care? Take time to talk to students as individuals. Take time to focus on them as if they are the most important people in the world. Because quite frankly - they are.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
An Innovation Paradox
I work with an amazing community of technology innovators. Students are early adaptors of technology and most show up with new tools asking me how they can integrate this technology into learning. Faculty member are as energized and curious as the students. By far, the most prevalent technology of the year revolves around “apps”. These small applications sit on smartphones and iPads allow the user to quickly run a single focus program to meet a social, informational or recreational need.
Great! As an educational technology geek I would love to encourage this enthusiasm for apps. But I ran into a snag piloting the iPad… network security. I ran into a snag with my new Android smartphone… network security. Because apps communicate back and forth with their developer site, our proxy server would need to whitelist every single developer site. With roughly 1000 users in the building carrying at least one mobile device… well, the math is a little beyond me but at the least it would be a full time job to keep up with those sites.
And this is the innovation paradox; schools are charged with keeping children safe in electronic environments while creating innovative 21st century experiences. I wish I had the answer for this one. I can say that for now – it doesn’t include apps.
Great! As an educational technology geek I would love to encourage this enthusiasm for apps. But I ran into a snag piloting the iPad… network security. I ran into a snag with my new Android smartphone… network security. Because apps communicate back and forth with their developer site, our proxy server would need to whitelist every single developer site. With roughly 1000 users in the building carrying at least one mobile device… well, the math is a little beyond me but at the least it would be a full time job to keep up with those sites.
And this is the innovation paradox; schools are charged with keeping children safe in electronic environments while creating innovative 21st century experiences. I wish I had the answer for this one. I can say that for now – it doesn’t include apps.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Thinking About MultiChannel Learners
The line between casual use of technology and professional/educational use has blurred. We are not longer as compartmentalized as in past generations. We carry one Blackberry to both communication with business colleagues and play Mp3 music and audio books. We are enamored of netbooks which keep us connected to family, friends and the workplace while sitting in airport lounges. Some of us even use even Skype with our grandparents!
The school day no longer ends at 3:15. Our students are posting online assignments at all hours of the day and night. They are blogging, video conferencing, file sharing, collaborating, and creating at home, at school, in the car (hopefully not when driving!). Those of us in IT departments are on call 24/7 thanks to smartphones. Our world is no longer home - school - practice - home. We are connected to all elements at all times.
I am not addressing the moral implications of this connectivity. Whether it is “good” or “bad” to be so multi-channel connected is not my purpose. I argue that it’s happened so we as educators might as well make the best of things. If we are to engage our students and prepare them for the world of their future, we must meet them in their multi-channeled world. This does not mean sacrificing academic rigor. This does not mean abandoning the past 500 years of educational theory. This does mean being willing to release some of our patrician control of the process. This does mean engaging students within the context of their world - whether we fully understand it or not!
The school day no longer ends at 3:15. Our students are posting online assignments at all hours of the day and night. They are blogging, video conferencing, file sharing, collaborating, and creating at home, at school, in the car (hopefully not when driving!). Those of us in IT departments are on call 24/7 thanks to smartphones. Our world is no longer home - school - practice - home. We are connected to all elements at all times.
I am not addressing the moral implications of this connectivity. Whether it is “good” or “bad” to be so multi-channel connected is not my purpose. I argue that it’s happened so we as educators might as well make the best of things. If we are to engage our students and prepare them for the world of their future, we must meet them in their multi-channeled world. This does not mean sacrificing academic rigor. This does not mean abandoning the past 500 years of educational theory. This does mean being willing to release some of our patrician control of the process. This does mean engaging students within the context of their world - whether we fully understand it or not!
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