Domain Name

http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/registerdomain.shtml


I want to establish a dynamic site. I'm still not certain about the best way to do this.

Techno Ain't Cheapo

In helping prepare the budget for the EDUC5625 Group Project, I'm learning how outrageously expensive it is to get even a mid-sized school into the 21st century. Software alone, such as Adobe CS, rented for a 3 year period for a school servicing 1000 students with 50 teachers will run you around $1,133,622.00 . Tell me that's not crazy. By the time hardware, networks, training and ISPs are thrown in, I think my brain is going to fall out trying to process the total.  

Wall Mounted Computer Monitor-- Edutopia

I'm posting this article to expand the understanding of interactive white boards which are generally called by the brand-specific name Smart Boards. But there are so many others!

Studet/Teacher Ratios

In doing research for the EDUC5625 Tech plan, I ran across this article concerning student/teacher ratios. Worth a read, but the answer isn't surprising.

"The Missing Link in Educational Technology"

In doing research for EDUC5625 Technology Plan, I ran across this article which, though published in 2002, has some interesting observations regarding the need for effective teacher-tech training. Of particular interest to me was the discussion of cost-of-training.

The authors suggest "a guideline of professional development financing equivalent to 40% of hardware/software expenditures."  If this number holds across a number of other studies, it can act as a clear guide in the development of technology budgets.

Selfishness is SO passé

Yochai Benkler's The Penguin and the Leviathan

How does selfishness inhibit individuals? Are we all motivated by our own self-interest? Does the Internet encourage or diffuse the human tendency toward self-serving behavior?

Please, take a look at The Atlantic's review of Mr. Benkler's work. Do you agree, or is this completely misleading?

Technology Plan

The EDUC5625 Group Tech Planning project is going remarkably smooth. I'm glad there are so many knowledgeable folks involved because it means that I'm learning a lot more than I would have otherwise. And though this is only a simulation of what the real project would look like, it gives students a good sense of the rhythm and level of engagement that is needed to solve such a complex problem. I think the final document will be an important tool in my future as an instructional technologist.

"Tools for Capture"

I recently started working with an audio engineer in Nashville as part of an IT practicum. Some of my first questions involved methods, hardware and software for capturing good sound quality for pod casting. He had some great suggestions, and serendipitously, I just got this in my RSS feed today from the eLearning Coach, Connie Malamed. A lot of excellent info about capturing audio and video when interviewing experts, or getting Subject Matter Expert answers to specific questions.

Meditation and Computation

I'm very interested in meditation for health and happiness. As of late, I've been running into more and more articles about how meditation can help us with our daily tasks. Here is one I found just today about being "present" in front of your computer. It's short, and has some nice insights.

I've become rather attached to some ideas laid out by Sugata Mitra:

Hole in the Wall Project and Minimally Invasive Education (MIE) seem like extraordinary, simple solutions to a HUGE problem. What is the problem? 

Globally, people's needs are changing. 

The industrial output of the west has migrated to the east, and doesn't appear to be returning for perhaps a decade (if ever) aside from small, high-end cottage-style production* . In the next decade our World will see changes take place that seem totally impossible to the average person in 2013.

What are 5 major changes you can imagine taking place in the next 10 years?


* Cottage industry cannot be taken for granted, but It also cannot sustain a global population. Can it?

Needs Yoga

Keeping the Instructional Tech dream alive is difficult. I spend my day laboring. It's skilled labor, but labor none the less. When I get home, I'm exhausted. I know I should work on blogs and read fresh posts, and do research in general, but  having ZERO energy makes these endeavors difficult, sometimes impossible. The curiosity is here, just not the vigor. I need to start doing yoga.

What Is Web 2.0/It Is X

I've looked up "Web 2.0" on wikipedia several times. I should have the definition down. I generally understand Web 2.0 to be about content and Software as a Service. I'm going to do some reading for the sake of learning, and to look cool in case someone asks me "what is Web 2.0", and I intelligently reply 'it is "X."'

Get Organized

http://zenhabits.net/27-great-tips-to-keep-your-life-organized/

I wasn't very impressed by the Zen Habits list of 27 tips to get my life organized. Nothing novel was introduced.  I did feel good about the mention of old fashioned techniques such as keeping lists. I have to admit, I'm a calendar/lists/smart phone calendar type of guy.

Would Mother Nature buy an iPad?

Before my interest in instructional technology- or any technology really- I was interested in the health and well-being of the Environment.  I started rock climbing in 1995, and have since spent a lot of time"in the woods"; canoeing, hiking, and mountain biking, appreciating the importance of wild, natural places. These bio-zones are important for many reasons, one being their restorative power. As a consequence of my experiences I appreciate the great importance of recycling, and being conservative with electricity and water. These simple issues cannot be overstated or overlooked. Now that I'm studying IT I feel like I have to be even more on guard when it comes to e-waste and all things related.  



When I do searches on "Green Instructional Technology", I get ZERO hits. Please, check out             GREEN COMPUTING       


How do we, as an Insructional Tech community address the environmental-end of instructional  technology?   The answer is-  with Great awareness, sensitivity, patience, and honesty.

Research for Lesson 9 discussion

In reference to Technology Plans discussed in Lesson 9

1) What components do they all contain?

1) L.A. United School Distict
   
Intro. District Profile
1)  Plan Duration
2)  Stakeholders Involvement
3)  Curriculum Component
4)  Professional Development
5)  Infrastructure, Hardware, Support, Software Component
6)  Funding and Budget Component
7)  Monitoring and Evaluation Component
8)  Collaboration with Adult Literacy Providers
9)  Research

 2) Woodburn School District
Intro. (District profile, Purpose of Tech Plan, etc.)
1)  Goals and Strategies
2)  Collaboration with Adult Literacy Service Providers
3)  Professional Development
4)  Telecommunications Assessment
5)  Technology Type and Costs
6)  Evaluation and Accountability
7)  Promotion of Curricula and Teaching Strategies that Integrate Technology
8)  Parent Involvement
9) Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Compliance -- Internet Safety and Ethical Use of Information and Technology

3)  Iowa City Community School District

Intro. (less demographic info than other districts listed)
1)  Refine and Implement the Ongoing Technology Acquisition Plan
2)  Use Technology to More Effectively Enhance Communication Within the District and with the Community.
3)  Provide appropriate access to technology resources outside the school day and/or remotely.
4)  Articulate and monitor a comprehensive plan for the replacement/upgrade of infrastructure technology.
5)  Update, maintain and enforce district standards for supported technology including computer-related hardware, software, and AV equipment.
6)  Provide a comprehensive staff development program to assure that all district staff have ample and diverse opportunities to acquire the technology skills necessary to their positions.
7)  Assess, improve, and communicate the technology support model.
8)  Continue to monitor policies and procedures necessary to assure ethical and consistent use of technology.




2) What purpose do they say they serve?  

LAs vision statement explains "Every LAUSD student will receive a state of the art education in a safe, caring environment, and every graduate will be college prepared and career ready".  

Woodburn School District's Educational Technology Plan "is intended to be a living document guiding the implementation and use of both administrative and instructional technology for the Woodburn School District. This plan will be effective for a three year period from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2012. The purpose of this plan is to develop a unified strategy for harnessing technological innovation and learning to achieve the Woodburn School District’s Mission: 'Engage, inspire, and prepare all students to achieve challenging goals and aspirations and contribute to a diverse world.'" 

Iowa City Community School District's Technology Plan Mission Statement declares "The mission of the Iowa City Community School District is to ensure that all students become responsible, independent learners capable of making informed decisions in a democratic society as well as the dynamic global community; this is accomplished by challenging each student with a rigorous and creative curriculum taught by a diverse, professional, caring staff strengthened by collaborative partnerships with families and the entire community. ICCSD Strategic Plan, 1996-2001 In support of this mission, technology will be used to enhance learning and teaching and to guide decision-making in the district."


3)  Can you see a connection between the stated vision or mission statement, and the actions to be taken? 

There is a clear connection between the vision/mission statements and the actions to be taken. However, I must look more deeply into the specifics. It appeared as thought the LA Tech Plan did not take into account the findings from Project RED. If I'm not mistaken, their computer ratios are not optimal. But, I could've been looking at assessment data prior to implementation. And I didn't quite get into the specifics of the other 2 plans.

MOOC U

How do you feel about MOOCs?

For me, Massive Open Online Courses fit in perfectly with my interest in SOLEs and MIE. I don't see them as a replacement for traditional face-to-face classes, but they should certainly be used to prepare students for the widely hybridized educational environments developing over the next five years.  

Here is the MOOClist  Do you see anything that engages you?

SOLE and MIE: A new paradigm for global education?

My imagination is becoming wrapped up in the possibilities students and teachers (and therefore all of Humanity) may now have through a new approach in learning theory; it is two-pronged.

The first prong is Self Organized Learning Environments   . These "SOLEs" grew out of an experiment conducted by Professor Sugata Mitra. Data gleaned from these experiments motivated Mitra in developing the second prong in his new learning theory, the concept of Minimally Invasive Education, or MIE.

A feature of SOLE I appreciate (largely for its practicality) is that [one] could happen quite spontaneously, and without a huge amount of expense. This would be achieved via mobile devices, such as old Blackberrys and iPhones people would donate. These devices could be reworked for an outdoor, "always-on" environment. And true to the design of previous SOLEs, the arrangement and scale would be guided by the proportions and needs of children ages 6-13.

MIE has taken root in my mind because it seems so impossible, and yet it works! An educational design has been manifested in which children self organize around digital, web-connected tools, and effectively engage educational content. These children show rapid (perhaps second order?) development in their computer skills, information skills, and co-operational talents in a matter of months. And this is regardless of where they start in terms of literacy. I find this amazing. I want to be amazed. I know we all, as educators, want to see people develop as much as they possibly can, and in the shortest period of time. SOLE and MIE seem to promise this.

Real, Virtual or Hybrid? What's your perspective?

I got a comment on a recent post concerning "virtual field trips". For all of us 5625ers out there, we will recall from Project RED that number 7 on their list of "9 Key Implementation Factors" is virtual field trips:


"With more frequent use, virtual trips are more powerful. The best schools do these at least monthly."

The comment made on my post was regarding the preference students have for the real vs. the virtual. This comment reminded me of a couple of articles I read this morning:

I Love Technology

 

&

Hybrid courses: What Do You Digitize? What Do You Keep in the Classroom?

The authors point out that some subjects require real, physical interaction with a given environment in order for true learning to take place. But, virtual experiences (such as "virtual tours") can be a good place to prepare students for the real world by introducing them to the "rules" ahead of time.

I'm curious how many of you current or former educators have utilized this hybrid approach? And, what level of success (if any) did you have?

Don't Ever Say "'21st Century education.'"

"7. Virtual field trips: With more frequent use, virtual trips are more powerful. The best schools do these at least monthly.

 8. Search engines: Students use daily. "


From  Project RED

How many educators follow guidelines like these? And where do most virtual field trips take students?

Article Review

The Chicken or the Egg? Investigating the transformational impact of learning technology
Author: Janet F. Buchanan

The Chicken or the Egg is a case study of a single university (Charles Stuart University) in Australia. The researchers utilize a qualitative approach that spans the years 2007 to 2009. In addition, other data are collected (via documents, etc.) that reach back even further into CSU's education technology use history. The aim of the research was to "investigate the transformational impact of introducing of a new online learning environment (OLE) in a regional Australian university...". It should be noted that this particular university "is the largest provider of distance education in Australia with some 33,000 students of whom over two-thirds are enrolled as distance education students.

The authors introduce some very interesting concepts such as the "Adaptive Cycle Framework", the "social-ecological systems approach", "transformational potential/learning" and an OLE called Sakai, and described as an "open source... Collaboration and Learning Environment (CLE)." Also addressed, as part of the Adaptive Cycle Framework, is the idea that, since the implementation of new technology is part of a cycle there is no beginning and end; there is no moment when everything changes, but rather the gradual influx of new ideas and the hardware/software necessary to sustain the creative power of these new ideas.

Since the basic goal of this study was to determine the "transformational impact" of technology on the learning environment, there is not an argument posited that aims to convince the reader that technology in education is "good" or "bad", but rather articulates the variety of changes the researchers observed as new technology entered the campus in classrooms, offices, dorms, etc.

The researchers recorded a dense 3 pages of findings that include such comments as "more adaptable to technology, prepared to try new things, more (constructively) critical of new technology, awareness that learning needs should drive the new technology, new skills in designing blended learning experiences, resolution of communication issues, immersion in technology creates digital natives who adapt quickly to using different learning technologies..." These observations go on, but they (generally) orbit around the central ideas that a) technology, when introduced to the educational sphere, increases the possibility for new discovery, new ways of thinking about education and technology, and b) that collaboration is stimulated because new channels for communication are opened, and time and distance gaps are bridged.

Obviously, these are all positive observations. However, there were a couple of negatives recorded by the researchers. These include "increased work-load", and "lack of trust in university IT systems (where some new tools have not worked well)". But, given that researchers observed that new technology opens up communication, increases the flexibility and adaptability of students, faculty and support staff, and increases productivity, I'd say technology in the classroom is, as they say, a "no brainer".

I still hold to my previous comment that 'content is king'. However, technology in education doesn't at first have to be in the classroom. As I was reading this article I kept thinking about the Waldorf method. And what I kept asking myself was 'do Waldorf teachers have computers in their offices?' I bet they do. I also bet Waldorf institutions maintain their records digitally. What this means for me is that technology is, even in the Waldorf sphere, making new approaches to education possible. And the researchers even point out (in this article) that different parts of an institution will not "move/need to move through all the phases of the Adaptive Cycle Framework during the introduction of a major new learning technology..." In other words, access to computers and the web permits teachers to communicate more effectively thereby enhancing their level of comfort with technology. Eventually, teachers may find that they want to extend this level of flexibility and connectivity to their classrooms.

The researchers conclude by saying "technology is an important part of the future of educational institutions, the adaptability of the organization and capacity to predict, plan for and support ongoing changes in learning technology is an important part of realizing the transformational potential and effectiveness of learning technology."  In other words, there is a gestalt that must be considered-- the "big picture" must be outlined, and support and development must be ongoing and cyclical. Further, the researchers state that "If an educational organization truly embraces learning technology as strategically important for its future, then  it will need to do more than choose and implement new systems and applications." This is the most important part of this article, and the question of technology's efficacy in education-- If a school system chooses education it chooses to jump on board a very fast moving train, and the system must be committed to keeping up with changes through constant support, evaluation and adaptation or the initial investment will have been, largely, a waste.

Conclusions About Technology Use, Part II: Pros

Having read "Articles in Favor", I'm relieved and excited to report that my belief in educational technology has been invigorated. As stated in a previous post, I believe content is king. However, I also believe books are better than stone tablets, and digital tablets are far better than stone tablets.

Examining 25 Years of Technology in U.S. Education did virtually nothing to persuade me that new technology will aid the US educational system any more than old technology (such as the Laser Disc) did. There is much comment on the lack of access to computers for the average American student, but little comment on why this deficiency is important. In reading this article I was reminded of an excellent line from Stephen Levin's book A Gradual Awakening in which the author states "...enlightenment isn't enlightenment, enlightenment is a word". But, in this case, one must say "technology isn't technology, technology is a word". And technology alone is certainly not education. So, what is the important component here?

How Does Technology Influence Student Learning? was the most illuminating and persuading argument I read (given the fact that numerous studies where referenced). Again and again the article stresses "First and foremost, research reminds us that technology generally improves performance when the application directly supports the curriculum standards being addressed." In other words, when technology is used to amplify good content, and is part of a system that also includes quality assessment, it (technology) does make a difference. The Waldorf method employs virtually no "technology", but the curriculum is highly effective, and greatly sought after-- even by techno-guru parents who want (and can afford) the best education for their children. The guiding light of this reading is that curriculum must be well developed, teachers must be effective, and only then can technology be deployed to further stimulate these other, more primary pieces of the puzzle of education.

Conclusions About Technology Use, Part I: Cons

I've made my way through all of the required reading under the category "Articles Opposed", and I have to admit that my opinion falls, perhaps marginally, on this side of the tech divide. I simply do not believe technology will save our educational system, or transform students (or our body politic in general) into "global citizens" who are information savvy, and highly literate. To achieve these goals (info savvy/literacy) learners must want to develop holistically, and not just technologically.

Here are the main points that caught my attention in the reading. I've included the URLs (which Dr. Luck provided us initially) for easy reference:

Conclusions about tech use: Cons--

source URL: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/01/03/the-frontier-of-classroom-technology/a-misguided-use-of-money

1) Reforming education in the U.S. often includes seeking new technology to improve teaching and learning. Instead of buying the latest gadgets, however, our schools would do better to provide students with critical technological awareness, achievable at little cost.
2) We rarely consider the negative implications for acquiring the newest “smart” board or providing tablets for every student.
3) Ironically, we buy into the consumerism inherent in technology (Gadget 2.0 pales against Gadget 3.0) without taking full account of the tremendous financial investments diverted to technology.
4) Technology is a tool to assist learning. School closets and storage facilities across the U.S., though, are filled with cables, monitors and hardware costing millions of dollars that are now useless.
5) Reading a young adult novel on a Kindle or an iPad, or in paperback form, proves irrelevant if children do not want to read or struggle to comprehend the text.
6) Schools should not be blinded by the latest trends and the inflated costs of new technologies.
7) ...we should empower teachers...

source URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

1) In a nutshell: schools are spending billions on technology, even as they cut budgets and lay off teachers, with little proof that this approach is improving basic learning.
2) Silicon Valley titans and White House appointees — say digital devices let students learn at their own pace, teach skills needed in a modern economy and hold the attention of a generation weaned on gadgets.
3) Many studies have found that technology has helped individual classrooms, schools or districts. For instance, researchers found that writing scores improved for eighth-graders in Maine after they were all issued laptops in 2002. The same researchers, from the University of Southern Maine, found that math performance picked up among seventh- and eighth-graders after teachers in the state were trained in using the laptops to teach.
4) ...how to draw broader inferences from such case studies, which can have serious limitations. For instance, in the Maine math study, it is hard to separate the effect of the laptops from the effect of the teacher training.
5) And often the smaller studies produce conflicting results. Some classroom studies show that math scores rise among students using instructional software, while others show that scores actually fall.
6) “Rather than being a cure-all or silver bullet, one-to-one laptop programs may simply amplify what’s already occurring — for better or worse,” wrote Bryan Goodwin, spokesman for Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning , a nonpartisan group that did the study..."
7) Larry Cuban, an education professor emeritus at Stanford University, said the research did not justify big investments by districts.
8) "...computers play an important role in helping students get their ideas down more easily, edit their work so they can see instant improvement, and share it with the class."
9) But the research, what little there is of it, does not establish a clear link between computer-inspired engagement and learning, said Randy Yerrick, associate dean of educational technology at the University of Buffalo.
10) There are times in Kyrene when the technology seems to allow students to disengage from learning: They are left at computers to perform a task but wind up playing around, suggesting, as some researchers have found, that computers can distract and not instruct.

source URL: http://www.freakonomics.com/2010/03/22/computers-help-children-learn-computer-skills-but-what-else/?scp=1&sq=computer%2520education&st=cse
1) "Children who won a voucher had significantly lower school grades in Math, English and Romanian but significantly higher scores in a test of computer skills..."

source URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/technology/at-waldorf-school-in-silicon-valley-technology-can-wait.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all
1) But the contrarian point of view can be found at the epicenter of the tech economy, where some parents and educators have a message: computers and schools don’t mix.
2) Those who endorse this approach say computers inhibit creative thinking, movement, human interaction and attention spans.
3) “If I worked at Miramax and made good, artsy, rated R movies, I wouldn’t want my kids to see them until they were 17.”
4) Some education experts say that the push to equip classrooms with computers is unwarranted because studies do not clearly show that this leads to better test scores or other measurable gains.
5) Absent clear evidence, the debate comes down to subjectivity, parental choice and a difference of opinion over a single world: engagement.
6) Advocates for equipping schools with technology say computers can hold students’ attention and, in fact, that young people who have been weaned on electronic devices will not tune in without them.
7) “If schools have access to the tools and can afford them, but are not using the tools, they are cheating our children,” Ms. Flynn said.
8) Paul Thomas, a former teacher and an associate professor of education at Furman University, who has written 12 books about public educational methods, disagreed, saying that “a spare approach to technology in the classroom will always benefit learning.”
9) ...“Teaching is a human experience,” he said. “Technology is a distraction when we need literacy, numeracy and critical thinking.”
10) And where advocates for stocking classrooms with technology say children need computer time to compete in the modern world, Waldorf parents counter: what’s the rush, given how easy it is to pick up those skills?
11)...“It’s supereasy. It’s like learning to use toothpaste,” Mr. Eagle said. “At Google and all these places, we make technology as brain-dead easy to use as possible. There’s no reason why kids can’t figure it out when they get older.”
12) “Besides, if you learn to write on paper, you can still write if water spills on the computer or the power goes out.”

So far, so what?

The reading I've worked through so far has impressed upon me how little access to technology exists in the average classroom, and I agree with this observation. I'm not currently a teacher, but during the periods in which I have been an educator access to computers was appallingly limited. For instance, in a class of 13 students with whom I worked, there was 1 very old computer. It had no internet connection. So, this "technology" was basically a big paperweight that glowed. And even if I had found educational software that would run on the machine, I had no idea how I would keep the other students occupied while 2 or 3 at a time worked with the computer. It's difficult to keep up momentum and concentration when students are playing musical chairs with the ONE computer in the room.

This problem of _access_ is one I've been contemplating ever since I started the IT program at APSU. The students I want to eventually work with are in economically depressed places. That means the big question is "what does technology mean in these places?"  In other words, I'm not going to have access to 15 iPads at my classroom in Nepal, or my classroom in south Nashville for that matter. So, how do I get enough "tools" (computers, digital cameras, etc.) to reasonably service a class of 15-20 or more people? Or, do I have to rethink what the word "technology" means relative to my place and resources?

One approach would be that only I utilize technology to augment my lessons. For instance, if I have internet access, I could use my PC and Google Maps, YouTube, Animaps, etc with an LCD projector that I purchase and maintain myself. And, instead of structuring the class so that students are directly using technology, they instead are benefiting from my access and ability to make content more interesting.  Because, let's face it-- content is still king. It's about communicating the "big ideas".

Response to "current use"

I'm currently in the process of sorting out all of my "readers", "binders", blogs and required reading. I'm asking myself how in the heck I'm supposed to keep track of all these different sites while also having enough time left over to actually develop rich, meaningful content. When it comes to technology, I can see (from my current perspective as I run from the avalanche of sites) why many people/educators avoid [it] like the plague; if I spent enough time to keep my web presence up to date I'd get nothing else accomplished. 

But, I'm going to keep leaning in to the task, and see how far I can push my capacity for multitasking.