If you want to see the original infographic, click this link: http://www.knewton.com/flipped-classroom/
Created by Knewton and Column Five Media
Removing barriers to MEANINGFUL technology use!
Reaction to Karl Fisch's "Things I Want My Future Principal to Read"
For those of you who want to get down to business, here is the link:
As a former English teacher, I've read some pretty deep stuff! I've had my world turned and my eyes opened to new possibilities a number of times by great literature. As I've told my former students many times, sometimes you have to wade through some pretty deep stuff to be transformed. After reading this piece (which will at first feel a little deep and overly philosophical), something in me changed.
The article the link will take you to, written by Karl Fisch, references two works that have shaken him lately. For me, this piece gave voice to my overwhelming feeling that, with the explosion of technology in the past 15-20 years, we are standing on the glacier of change that is entirely transforming the landscape, serving as the dividing line between what is to come from this point forward and what has come before it. As Pesce and Turek put it in their article, this dividing line will serve as the marker "before which the ‘dumb’ and disconnected generations of humanity will seem incomprehensible and inhuman." We are fortunate enough to be standing at that point in time.
If this is true, the question that is begged is clear: "How do you educate people to function, participate, thrive, produce, and succeed in a world that we simply cannot imagine or predict?"
The charge is essential, the answers are varied and highly debatable, but it is SO CLEAR TO ME that there is one suggestion that will NOT suffice -- continue to do what you have always done.
Hopefully the piece, specifically the concepts and images presented in the piece (I just love the image of people being polled about the impact of Gutenberg's printing press and them chuckling to think that anything could have that kind of impact), gives credence to the idea that maintaining a stationary position (specifically in education) during a time of such prodigious change is unethical and unwise.
Just had to share and needed to share with others who might appreciate the thought!
Pinterest - Social Bookmarking That is Both Graphic and Easy!
So, I'm not really sure where I learned about Pinterest, but thanks so much to whomever it was that pointed it out to me. I dig the concept of social bookmarking. It's a great idea conceptually. However, when it comes to actually digging into all that text -- well, the urge to back away quickly without taking time to actually read the content is often stronger than my desire to will myself through it all.
That's really why I like Pinterest. It's a graphic version of the links that I love from social bookmarking. Way more manageable and digestable than so many of those other biggies. It doesn't have everything I'd love in a social bookmarking site, but it is definitely worthy of a look from anyone who is just overwhelmed by all of the text and minutia of those the other social bookmarking biggies.
Here is the link to my first Pinterest Board: Ed Tech Books Worth Reading
Disclaimer: I KNOW they are not all "technology" books, but they are truly books about the elements needed to change any organization (specifically education), which means a move to more seamlessly integrated technology use by students to complete authentic tasks...so I think that should qualify!
Tech Into Ed: Switch from Wordpress to SquareSpace Platform
If you haven't already noticed, Getting Tech Into Ed has just undergone a major site redesign. I've decided to take the focus off of managing my site and really focus on the content.
I am now hosted with SquareSpace and really enjoying the ease of beautifying my site without worrying about codes, sizes, compatibility, etc.
As always, I love to hear your feedback. What are your thoughts on the redesign, the usefulness of the site, or the quality of our content?
The Flipped Classroom: An Infographic
Want to know what a “flipped classroom” is, where it came from, and why it matters? Check out this incredible infographic!
Professional Development: Preparing Attendees to Re-awaken the Inner Drive
Somehow they re-awaken in me to the possibilities and opportunities that present themselves in my professional life. They lend a rush of enthusiasm as I unplug from the day-to-day realities of my job and look more broadly at the scope of my profession and the challenges that I face in it.
I'm talking about the meaningful professional learning opportunities and conferences I am able to attend from time to time as a part of my professional responsibility and growth. Each time I am able to truly engage in a meaningful conference or pd event, I walk away with a flood of valuable and "innovative" ideas that offer options and solutions that were somehow beyond the realm of imagination or possibility for me/my organization before the event. To me, and to the people that I "represent" each time I attend those events, that matters. It provides new ideas and options, new perspectives and valuable considerations, and a re-invigorated colleague that can offer new energy to the organization.
What strikes me in this reflection, though, is the unfortunate reality that most of my colleagues don't have the same experience or perception of conferences. I struggle to suggest that this is entirely their fault. Good professional development sessions and conferences (or should I say good professional learning experiences) -- I mean the really valuable meaningful kind that you wish were longer so you could absorb just a little bit more -- are rare. Sometimes this is the fault of the organizers, and they should take the blame squarely on the chin for wasting an incredible opportunity to impact meaningful change in education. More often, though, this is the result of the inability of those attending the session/conference to prepare in a meaningful way for the experience. Whether it is a classroom teacher who is busily pulling together sub plans at the last minute and making phone calls to parents while on the way to the conference, or administrators who are able to focus only part of their attention on the presenters/sessions because their attention is being "beckoned" back to the district/building, the attendee isn't able to focus fully on what they hope to make of and take from the conference experience before, during, and after the event. This is even more true when we consider in-district professional development that happens before, during, or after a day with students.
We know that meaningful learning happens when learners are personally "available" and open to the concept of having a meaninful experience. That doesn't happen when our professional educators are struggling to even maintain focus on the experience they are having -- when they can't pull away from the details that draw us into the "rut" of our daily professional lives. That doesn't happen when they can't converse with their team, administrator, or PLC prior to attending. That doesn't happen when they cannot take a moment to reflect on the experience and share their take-aways from the experience.
It's a lesson those who structure, develop, and authorize the attendance of professional learning need to remember and consider when we put precious financial resources into developing and/or sending our staff to these events. As much as professional development and conference attendance can cost, considering the greater cost of not allowing these people to ready themselves to have a great, meaningful experience is just as, or even more, costly! Those responsible for allowing staff members to attend these events must find ways to allow and encourage them to be more available to make every professional learning opportunity a transformative and invigorating one. Those buiding and offering those opportunities for professional growth need to be cognizant of this essential element of the learning process.