All I can say is 'Wow, what a summer!' The weather has hardly been summer-like, but that aside, it has been a long hot season for education. Funding issues and concerns top the list. Whether funding is provided by state, federal or private grants, the economic drought extended to education in a big way. We needed to cancel our summer scheduled classes, and were faced with up to a 50% cut in classes for the fall. Fortunately the fall funding cuts were less dire than the original predictions, but still, at a time when the demand for ESL and GED classes is at the highest we've seen in years, we have had to cut back on offerings, making for many disappointed students.
I run two programs, one a college-based Adult Education Learning Center (AELC) and the second a Digital Divide CTC named the Aurora Community Technology Center (ACTC). Both programs are grant funded and technology-based.
The AELC works with students to enhance the skills they learn in the ESL and GED classroom. We cross-correlate the classroom skills with academic software and websites. Students come into the AELC with nothing more than their class levels, and we place them on the appropriate applications. In addition, instructors also work one-on-one with the students. Classes begin again this coming Monday, but I have been receiving calls non-stop from students for weeks. High demand, with limited ability to provide the services at levels to meet that demand.
The ACTC is housed off-campus, and provides community residents with technology training, from Basic Computers through MS Office and Quick Books. Courses also include topics such as Job Preparation, Resume Writing, and Using Social Networking sites in Business. A few additional courses are also interspersed, such as Web Page Development, Publishing and Digital Photography. These courses started July 20, and have been very popular. Another aspect of the ACTC is a drop-in site for the Microsoft Elevate America vouchers. In two weeks I've dispersed over 100 vouchers, and answer calls daily for additional vouchers.
The limits of the economic condition have made continued education no longer a luxury but a necessity. I've talked with dozens of people who have been trying to get a new job for nearly a year, without success. Qualified, talented people are being cut out of the workforce. The MS vouchers for Business Workers (Office products and certification), and IT Professionals are being snapped up by those who will try any means to keep their resumes current. Community colleges have seen a surge in enrollment, due to both the affordable cost and the need to update skills. Our 13.2% increase last fall has almost doubled this fall. Financial Aid has also doubled their requests. Technology programs are filling fast, as people search for any means to make them more employable. And of course, our funding has either been cut or remained stagnant from last year, giving us little flexibility to provide more offerings. We all need to work together to provide the kind of services that meet the needs of this changing world. And for those of us in positions that offer these services, the long hours of summer will likely continue well into fall.
Showing posts with label Sotir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sotir. Show all posts
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
My Favorite MI/Web 2.0 Tools
I personally love Web 2.0. I'm also aware that my own staff, although they all try, may not embrace these tools as fondly as I do. That said, I decided to create a short list of my very favorite Web 2.0 tools for MI. If you don't know what MI is, see the post immediately below this one... - http://awesomestories.com/
- http://blogger.com/
- http://wetpaint.com/
- http://tinyurls.com/
- http://www.skrbl.com/
- http://bubbl.us/
- http://www.dabbleboard.com/
- http://gabcast.com/
- http://voicethread.com/#home
- http://www.screentoaster.com/
- http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/index.html
- http://www.dvolver.com/
MI: the 'New' Buzzword
One of the latest 'buzzwords' in education is the theory, first espoused in 1983 by Howard Gardner, regarding Multiple Intelligences, or MIs. This concept plays well into the social fabric of the technological revolution, as it shows the need for educators to examine more extensively the 'how' of learning as well as the 'why'. So much of the way students learn today is wrapped in this theory, either by design or default. Once computers moved from 'media' (although admittedly this was short-lived) to 'multimedia', so did society. With the advent of personal computers in the early 90s, and cell phones and the WWW hitting the general population in the mid-1990's, life as we know it changed dramatically. It seems as if almost overnight everyone had a phone attached to their ears for most of their waking hours. Households were figuring out how to include the very expensive computer into the family budget.
In schools, computers started trickling into classrooms, then curricula. Suddenly the world was awash in tech terms. Unfortunately, in many instances, instructors were trying to fit this new square peg into the old round hole, and despite a lot of banging on that square peg, it never fit snugly into the hole. But to their credit, many tried to make things work. Of course, there was also the problem of fitting the fat square tech peg into the skinny round hole of the available curriculum budget. Once the WWW came into play, we had the additional learning curve that using these interactive websites incurred. Web 2.0 brought on even more problems for the classroom instructor. Suddenly (or so it seemed) we were inundated with potential websites and tools, and classroom instructors, already weary from all the accountability issues, started to lose interest just as their students found it.
Email was cool, but then blogs and wikis came into the picture. Students were involved in text-messaging (TMs), instant messaging (IMs), social network sites (think Twitter, Facebook, My Space, Jaiku etc), and Second Life, which isn't real at all, but students sometimes think it is. Schools were now outfitted with computers and peripherals, but their use was spotty, even among the best instructors. So it was inevitable that the concept of MI which was developed prior to the personal computer wave would find a home in the post Web 2.0 phase. And yes, we are well into Web 3.0, and 4.0 and...trust me, we can .0 to infinity and beyond.
What does this mean for the average, tech-challenged classroom instructor? Well, the good news is that Web 2.0 doesn't always require a lot of tech savvy. As a matter of fact, you can turn that part over to the students, who are usually quite capable of incorporating it into their work. In the latest issue of Edutopia (April/May 2009, Edutopia.org), there is question that was asked in the Sage Advice column last month: "How do you address multiple intelligences in your classroom?" The responses are great, and show that instructors are indeed trying to creatively inspire all of most of the multiple intelligences that their students possess.
My favorite was from seventh grade science and math teacher Carol Craig in Trinidad, West Indies: "Right now my students are working on 'Rock Concerts'. They are divided into groups of 4, with 2 rocks assigned to each group.
They research their rocks, write a song using the facts, design a t-shirt that they wear at their performance, and perform the song in front of their classmates. They also create a poster, a model and a presentation for the perfomance. They can add a dance if they like."
I personally love this assignment. It's an extension of the theories from old tv shows like Schoolhouse Rock. Give the students a somewhat boring assignment (my apologies to earth science instructors but rocks are not usually not the most engaging subject), and make it into a project that they can all use their varying MI skills to achieve. Creating a song using their research is a wonderful way to remember the information (remember: "Conjunction Junction, what's your function?"), and allows for collaborative learning (yet another current buzzword, or is it buzz phrase?) with real learning goals (bzzzzzzz, bzzzzz).
Instructors have always had aspects of MI in their classes (field trips, movies, film strips) but now the goal is toward using the available tools for project-based environments that are heavily into socializing. This is the new educational curriculum. Be there or -be square...
Information on Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences:
"Howard Gardner claims that all human beings have multiple intelligences. These multiple intelligences can be nurtured and strengthened, or ignored and weakened. He believes each individual has nine intelligences:
Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence -- well-developed verbal skills and sensitivity to the sounds, meanings and rhythms of words
Mathematical-Logical Intelligence -- ability to think conceptually and abstractly, and capacity to discern logical or numerical patterns
Musical Intelligence -- ability to produce and appreciate rhythm, pitch and timber
Visual-Spatial Intelligence -- capacity to think in images and pictures, to visualize accurately and abstractly
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence -- ability to control one's body movements and to handle objects skillfully
Interpersonal Intelligence -- capacity to detect and respond appropriately to the moods, motivations and desires of others.
Intrapersonal Intelligence -- capacity to be self-aware and in tune with inner feelings, values, beliefs and thinking processes
Naturalist Intelligence -- ability to recognize and categorize plants, animals and other objects in nature
Existential Intelligence -- sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why do we die, and how did we get here.
Howard Gardner1 defined the first seven intelligences in FRAMES OF MIND (1983). He added the last two in INTELLIGENCE REFRAMED (1999). Gardner is a psychologist and Professor at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, as well as Co-Director of Harvard Project Zero.
Based on his study of many people from many different walks of life in everyday circumstances and professions, Gardner developed the theory of multiple intelligences. He performed interviews with and brain research on hundreds of people, including stroke victims, prodigies, autistic individuals, and so-called "idiot savants."
According to Gardner,
All human beings possess all nine intelligences in varying amounts.
Each person has a different intellectual composition.
We can improve education by addressing the multiple intelligences of our students.
These intelligences are located in different areas of the brain and can either work independently or together.
These intelligences may define the human species."
above information comes from: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html
Concept to Classroom
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Commentary: Sotir: Where to Now?
Education has traditionally been an almost passive pursuit. The usually didactic instructional methodologies have most often been geared to an "I teach, you learn" philosophy. While technology in education can certainly support that direction, it is increasingly moving towards being more dynamic, interactive and more social. The change factor lies in the children who are driving the new direction.
My grandson is a newly-minted second grader, but his comfort level, and that of most of his peers, leans towards technology as a core component, not an enhancement. He enjoys a board game of Life or Scrabble, but is connected to electronics in a way we as adults can barely understand. I watched him as he played on my computer. Without a blink, he deftly searched for the subjects that interest him. For example, he has an interest in US presidents, fueled by the upcoming election. When he wanted to know more about a particular president, he instinctively knew which search words to use. When a search did not produce the information he wanted, he scanned the disappointing results and found new and more effective search words to try. I showed him some basic Boolean search tools, which he immediately incorporated. Later, when searching for a particular Pokemon character, I saw him apply those same tools as if he had always known them.
The power of the Internet propels children into a learning style that is unique and foreign to those of us who have been learners for much longer, but we need to develop that same core competency. Teens develop their social networks using tools such as MySpace or texting. Interactivity is a given, as is multi-tasking. We need to develop strategies that enhance the core components that the kids do instantly and without conscious thought or decision. Lifelong learning just got kicked up a notch.
My grandson is a newly-minted second grader, but his comfort level, and that of most of his peers, leans towards technology as a core component, not an enhancement. He enjoys a board game of Life or Scrabble, but is connected to electronics in a way we as adults can barely understand. I watched him as he played on my computer. Without a blink, he deftly searched for the subjects that interest him. For example, he has an interest in US presidents, fueled by the upcoming election. When he wanted to know more about a particular president, he instinctively knew which search words to use. When a search did not produce the information he wanted, he scanned the disappointing results and found new and more effective search words to try. I showed him some basic Boolean search tools, which he immediately incorporated. Later, when searching for a particular Pokemon character, I saw him apply those same tools as if he had always known them.
The power of the Internet propels children into a learning style that is unique and foreign to those of us who have been learners for much longer, but we need to develop that same core competency. Teens develop their social networks using tools such as MySpace or texting. Interactivity is a given, as is multi-tasking. We need to develop strategies that enhance the core components that the kids do instantly and without conscious thought or decision. Lifelong learning just got kicked up a notch.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Commentary: Sotir: Change and Evolution
It's that time of the year again. Yes, although the calendar says its only August 14 and Labor Day is still a few weeks away, there is a distinct 'Back to School' atmosphere surrounding us. Perhaps it's the smell of pencil shavings as parents dutifully sharpen the requisite amount of No. 2's, or the amplified voices of children as they realize that all too soon they will need to spend much of their day quietly working at their desks. But mostly it's the sense of renewal, because 'Back to School' implies a fresh start and a new year. The sins and omissions of the previous year are forgiven as the new year starts with lofty promises and sincere resolutions.
But in the world known as Ed Tech, renewal is a constant. What was impossible to do yesterday is made possible today by simply downloading a new app. Difficult and complicated old apps become amazingly simple. Not long ago, adding photos to this blog required a series of steps. Now there is an icon at the top of the post box that makes it 1-2-3 easy. I remember my excitement at the mere idea of being able to vlog, or add video to a blog, and suddenly there's an icon for that too. Even software companies have evolved. I looked in my supply closet the other day and saw a brand new CD storage case. For years I needed more and more storage cases to house the growing inventory of academic CDs. Now, all I need is a list of the websites where the online apps are located. Change and evolution.
What I don't see is the move from labs to classrooms keeping pace. Although I run an academic computer lab, I have always believed that the real place for computers and accompanying technology is the classroom. There are issues, of course. Instructors need training on how to operate the equipment. IT needs to deploy staff differently to deal with everything from network issues to ahhhhh, the computer power supply plug IS out of the socket. Once those issues are addressed, lesson plans need to be re-vamped to make effective use of the technologies, and, more importantly, a definition of 'effective use of technology' needs to be developed and then refined.
In education, there is always going to be a society of 'haves' and 'have nots'. Yes, that covers the schools that have new equipment and those that don't, but it also applies to staff who 'have' the skills necessary to incorporate technology and those who don't, or even more alarming, won't. Technology is like an oyster creating a pearl. An irritant of something that you want to do but don't know how eventually becomes a pearl after layers and layers of developing skill sets. Knowing how to blog makes creating a wiki easier. Knowing how to blog and wiki makes creating a platform for hosting podcasts simple. Even being able to transform 'blog' and 'wiki' into verbs requires a change in thought process. I blog because I can, and I know that blogging has become simple and intuitive. If only I can irritate the teaching staff enough to make them want to develop a few pearls for their students. Change and evolution. Can you catch a whiff of it in the air?
But in the world known as Ed Tech, renewal is a constant. What was impossible to do yesterday is made possible today by simply downloading a new app. Difficult and complicated old apps become amazingly simple. Not long ago, adding photos to this blog required a series of steps. Now there is an icon at the top of the post box that makes it 1-2-3 easy. I remember my excitement at the mere idea of being able to vlog, or add video to a blog, and suddenly there's an icon for that too. Even software companies have evolved. I looked in my supply closet the other day and saw a brand new CD storage case. For years I needed more and more storage cases to house the growing inventory of academic CDs. Now, all I need is a list of the websites where the online apps are located. Change and evolution.
What I don't see is the move from labs to classrooms keeping pace. Although I run an academic computer lab, I have always believed that the real place for computers and accompanying technology is the classroom. There are issues, of course. Instructors need training on how to operate the equipment. IT needs to deploy staff differently to deal with everything from network issues to ahhhhh, the computer power supply plug IS out of the socket. Once those issues are addressed, lesson plans need to be re-vamped to make effective use of the technologies, and, more importantly, a definition of 'effective use of technology' needs to be developed and then refined.
In education, there is always going to be a society of 'haves' and 'have nots'. Yes, that covers the schools that have new equipment and those that don't, but it also applies to staff who 'have' the skills necessary to incorporate technology and those who don't, or even more alarming, won't. Technology is like an oyster creating a pearl. An irritant of something that you want to do but don't know how eventually becomes a pearl after layers and layers of developing skill sets. Knowing how to blog makes creating a wiki easier. Knowing how to blog and wiki makes creating a platform for hosting podcasts simple. Even being able to transform 'blog' and 'wiki' into verbs requires a change in thought process. I blog because I can, and I know that blogging has become simple and intuitive. If only I can irritate the teaching staff enough to make them want to develop a few pearls for their students. Change and evolution. Can you catch a whiff of it in the air?
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Commentary: Sotir: Got Tech?
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" Arthur C Clark
Actually, most of the Web 2.0 apps DO feel like magic to me. I've been involved in technology since before the WWW existed, and started out creating BBS, a.k.a. the infamous Bulletin Board System, uploaded through FTP transfer and requiring all kinds of magic codes to operate. Knowing what it took to upload to the Internet in the early days makes the new systems even more impressive. I look at a lot of sites, but my new favorites (and some 'oldies' but goodies) include:
Blogs and Wikis: How could I ignore my absolute favorite tools? I've been blogging since 2003, and love the transformation in how much easier it is to upload everything from photos to widgets. I also like browsing through other Ed Tech Blogs to get a sense of what else is out there. There's a list of my favorite 'others' in the right column of this Blog.
Gabcasts and Podcasts: Still make me smile every time I think about creating an audio podcast with nothing more than a regular phone and some site-generated code. Podcasts are also quite easy to create now that webcams are more plentiful. And thank you, Apple, for making the process effortless and almost instantaneous.
TinyURL: I hate long and complicated URL addresses, mostly because I never type them in correctly the first time. This cuts them down to size.
Hotlists: Wonderful tool to compartmentalize the various Websites by skill or level. We have several on this site, and I'm sure we'll make more. Anything that works to narrow done the huge and daunting amount of sites is worthwhile to both instructors and students.
Microblog and social networking sites such as Jaiku and Twitter...just because I'm busy and it's an easy way to stay connected with friends and family.
Cool Web Sites: A lot of sites that can be adapted to educational settings. SnagFilms has free full-length documentaries, and Voice Thread lets you do classroom projects using photos and audio. Webquests can be used as online lessons, and TeacherTube has an abundance of good (and safe) videos that can be incorporated into lesson plans. Webware has wonderful 2.0 apps to view, and Widgetbox will supply an endless list of widgets to apply to your applications. Sometimes a tool like SlideShare comes along, and lets you share those longer PowerPoints that never quite fit in an email and put them directly in Blogs and Wikis. BabelFish allows you to translate your posts into another language. It isn't perfect, but it certainly helps.
I have URLs for all of the above listed sites in the right hand column. You could check the list and and click or just click on any of the underlined words in this post. Did I mention that I really like things that are easy to use?
Actually, most of the Web 2.0 apps DO feel like magic to me. I've been involved in technology since before the WWW existed, and started out creating BBS, a.k.a. the infamous Bulletin Board System, uploaded through FTP transfer and requiring all kinds of magic codes to operate. Knowing what it took to upload to the Internet in the early days makes the new systems even more impressive. I look at a lot of sites, but my new favorites (and some 'oldies' but goodies) include:
Blogs and Wikis: How could I ignore my absolute favorite tools? I've been blogging since 2003, and love the transformation in how much easier it is to upload everything from photos to widgets. I also like browsing through other Ed Tech Blogs to get a sense of what else is out there. There's a list of my favorite 'others' in the right column of this Blog.
Gabcasts and Podcasts: Still make me smile every time I think about creating an audio podcast with nothing more than a regular phone and some site-generated code. Podcasts are also quite easy to create now that webcams are more plentiful. And thank you, Apple, for making the process effortless and almost instantaneous.
TinyURL: I hate long and complicated URL addresses, mostly because I never type them in correctly the first time. This cuts them down to size.
Hotlists: Wonderful tool to compartmentalize the various Websites by skill or level. We have several on this site, and I'm sure we'll make more. Anything that works to narrow done the huge and daunting amount of sites is worthwhile to both instructors and students.
Microblog and social networking sites such as Jaiku and Twitter...just because I'm busy and it's an easy way to stay connected with friends and family.
Cool Web Sites: A lot of sites that can be adapted to educational settings. SnagFilms has free full-length documentaries, and Voice Thread lets you do classroom projects using photos and audio. Webquests can be used as online lessons, and TeacherTube has an abundance of good (and safe) videos that can be incorporated into lesson plans. Webware has wonderful 2.0 apps to view, and Widgetbox will supply an endless list of widgets to apply to your applications. Sometimes a tool like SlideShare comes along, and lets you share those longer PowerPoints that never quite fit in an email and put them directly in Blogs and Wikis. BabelFish allows you to translate your posts into another language. It isn't perfect, but it certainly helps.
I have URLs for all of the above listed sites in the right hand column. You could check the list and and click or just click on any of the underlined words in this post. Did I mention that I really like things that are easy to use?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Commentary: Sotir: Technology Melting Pot
"The future is here. It's just not evenly distributed yet." WF Gibson
Nowhere is the above quote more true than in education. There really is no standard for how accepting educators are that technology is indeed a part of everyone's future, and how and when they access that technology. In every school there are the pioneers; those who have never met a new technology that they don't at least try, if not embrace. But educational technology is a pyramid, with a select few at the top and the majority filling out the rest.
I'm often surprised when I work with high school and college students by how little educational Websites are actually used. The main reason is that they don't really know that these sites exist. While some social networking sites such as My Space or Facebook might be ubiquitous, tools to make study easier or more effective, say StudyRails or StudyCurve, are not as well known. I'm also surprised by their inability to search with any engine other than Google (or even know that other search engines exist), and that they don't know even the most fundamental tips to make searching more effective.
With instructors, I find even less understanding and acceptance of technology. Educators from grade school to university level are overwhelmed with achievement gaps, standards-based educational reform and standardized tests. The mantra has been 'No Child Left Behind' but the reality is that we need a policy of 'No Teacher Left Behind'. If we want our children prepared for the future, we need to make sure that their instructors are sufficiently well-versed in tools that students will need to achieve success. In addition, administrators often disregard technology skill development training for classroom use. We need a top-down solution.
There is a societal difference in learning now that didn't exist 30 or even 20 years ago. In the past, teachers could teach with texts and lectures, and that was sufficient for students to learn and succeed. But just as previous generations were taught the Dewey Decimal System and how to use a card catalog, todays' students need to learn the skills necessary for finding information effectively. The general principles of learning still apply, but the methodology has changed dramatically. There is a wealth of information at your fingertips, but if you have not learned how to access it, it is merely a lot of wasted code.
Nowhere is the above quote more true than in education. There really is no standard for how accepting educators are that technology is indeed a part of everyone's future, and how and when they access that technology. In every school there are the pioneers; those who have never met a new technology that they don't at least try, if not embrace. But educational technology is a pyramid, with a select few at the top and the majority filling out the rest.
I'm often surprised when I work with high school and college students by how little educational Websites are actually used. The main reason is that they don't really know that these sites exist. While some social networking sites such as My Space or Facebook might be ubiquitous, tools to make study easier or more effective, say StudyRails or StudyCurve, are not as well known. I'm also surprised by their inability to search with any engine other than Google (or even know that other search engines exist), and that they don't know even the most fundamental tips to make searching more effective.
With instructors, I find even less understanding and acceptance of technology. Educators from grade school to university level are overwhelmed with achievement gaps, standards-based educational reform and standardized tests. The mantra has been 'No Child Left Behind' but the reality is that we need a policy of 'No Teacher Left Behind'. If we want our children prepared for the future, we need to make sure that their instructors are sufficiently well-versed in tools that students will need to achieve success. In addition, administrators often disregard technology skill development training for classroom use. We need a top-down solution.
There is a societal difference in learning now that didn't exist 30 or even 20 years ago. In the past, teachers could teach with texts and lectures, and that was sufficient for students to learn and succeed. But just as previous generations were taught the Dewey Decimal System and how to use a card catalog, todays' students need to learn the skills necessary for finding information effectively. The general principles of learning still apply, but the methodology has changed dramatically. There is a wealth of information at your fingertips, but if you have not learned how to access it, it is merely a lot of wasted code.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Commentary: Sotir: A World in a Frenzy
When will we all realize that the 'time-saving' gadgets that are invented daily are actually insidious in the way they use up all the spare time we have? I've often commented on the fact that I frankly love technology. I've mentioned that there are relatively few widgets I can pass up. I've alluded to the fact that there are a few things, like iPhones and MacAir and iPods and...well, perhaps even more than a few gadgets that I just can't do without. At home, my doors and windows talk to me and announce things like 'Patio Door Open', and my refrigerator reminds me if I fail to shut it completely or when the filter is due for a change.
I Twitter, I Jaiku, I Jott, and therefore I am always accessible. I love making my own ring tones from my favorite music (and believe me, you DON'T want to be assigned the 'Bad to the Bone' tone...). My iPhone has a minimum of 175 songs I can't be more than 2 foot away from at any given time. Why, what if I am waiting for a train? 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' might soothe my tension. And speaking of tension, 'Breathe In, Breathe Out' might help some. Too many errands? 'Chasing Pavements' makes sense. Hungry? There's always a 'Cheeseburger in Paradise'. Tax day looming? Try 'Day Too Soon'. And if I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring, well, 'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet'.
I Twitter, I Jaiku, I Jott, and therefore I am always accessible. I love making my own ring tones from my favorite music (and believe me, you DON'T want to be assigned the 'Bad to the Bone' tone...). My iPhone has a minimum of 175 songs I can't be more than 2 foot away from at any given time. Why, what if I am waiting for a train? 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' might soothe my tension. And speaking of tension, 'Breathe In, Breathe Out' might help some. Too many errands? 'Chasing Pavements' makes sense. Hungry? There's always a 'Cheeseburger in Paradise'. Tax day looming? Try 'Day Too Soon'. And if I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring, well, 'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet'.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Commentary: Sotir: The Problem with Widgets...
The problem I have with Web 2.0 apps like widgets is that I can't stop using them. Widgetbox.com (see next post) has over 1200 education widgets alone. There just isn't enough room for them all on this Blog (or the other dozen or so Blogs that I manage...). If you are asking 'what's a widget?' let me explain. Widgets are cute little html coded mini-websites that you can add to things like Blogs and Wikis, Facebook, My Space...and even your iPhone. They do things like check your English prowess, help you learn English (or Spanish or German or...), keep up on news, sports scores and politics, count calories, get green (or stay green), or learn to be a better parent. You can add a graphing or scientific calculator to your math or science Blog, or check out the solar system in 3D. You can while away the hours with games or access musings on intersections of literature and life. Are you interested in history, or perhaps want to immerse yourself in Jane Austen's world? There are widgets for that. The real problem with widgets is that there are too many that I just can't wait to add to my sites. I could always create more Blogs so that I would have plenty of places to widget my time away, but that only compounds the problem. Be warned...they are quite addictive. And word to the wise: check out the widget for a little while before you add them to your student Blogs. Some content may not be appropriate, and you have no control over the content that appears. Widget on!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Commentary: Sotir: Plugged In and Turned On
After writing the commentary yesterday, I let the thoughts roll around in my head, and realized that it is probably time for an educational revolution. Evolution is common in education. We are reactive rather than proactive, based on the conditions that surround us. After spending 14 years on a school board, I realize full well that funding is usually tight, and spending needs to be confined to the absolutely necessary. But it's time to think proactively, and think differently about the purpose of technology in education today.
We no longer have the option of adding technology to the curriculum. Instead, we have the consequences of NOT adding technology to the curriculum. Our children do not know a world without technology, and increasingly, adults are finding it difficult to remember what things were like before we needed to plug in. I believe strongly that cell phones helped propel technology from a want to a need. While people could opt out of computers, it's much more difficult to opt out of cell phones. Every age, every generation has turned to cell phones over land line phones. At worst, they have the land line phones and a cell phone, at best, they have moved completely to the cell for communication. Phones remain the preferred communication tool. And comfort with the cell phone has translated into comfort with other forms of technology as well.
It isn't enough to bring technology into the schools. Training, while essential, is only the first step in bringing technology into the classroom. The buck stops with the instructor. And if the instructor has not bought into the need for technology, it simply will not be used in the classroom. Period. Technology is often an add on to the curriculum. Do everything you were doing before, but now add PowerPoint. Not good enough. You need to think of technology from the ground up. Re-design curriculum with the tech tools in mind. In all subjects, by all instructors. I read a post on the Infinite Thinking Machine Blog: (http://www.infinitethinking.org/) entitled Inspired and Engaged by Authentic Learning in 2007, (Friday, December 28, 2007, posted by Lucie deLaBruere). I talk a lot about authentic learning, and rarely do a workshop without mentioning it. Ms. deLaBruere highlights the work of an inspirational teacher by the name of Nilah Cotes who finds ways to continually increase the level of technology in her class despite being close to retirement. The post itself is inspirational, in that it affirms not simply the existence of technology in her classroom but her emphasis on using that technology effectively. Frustrations with technology ensue (as when a shared folder containing all their interviews disappeared), but the students and teacher work through them together. Is there a better educational experience than working through issues as a team?
So I am calling on educators to experiment with the new technologies and applications. Find innovative ways to use the newest tools out there, and then share your success (and failures) with your colleagues. Yes, there will be frustration, but that is a part of lifelong learning, both for your students and for you. It's time to plug in and turn on.
We no longer have the option of adding technology to the curriculum. Instead, we have the consequences of NOT adding technology to the curriculum. Our children do not know a world without technology, and increasingly, adults are finding it difficult to remember what things were like before we needed to plug in. I believe strongly that cell phones helped propel technology from a want to a need. While people could opt out of computers, it's much more difficult to opt out of cell phones. Every age, every generation has turned to cell phones over land line phones. At worst, they have the land line phones and a cell phone, at best, they have moved completely to the cell for communication. Phones remain the preferred communication tool. And comfort with the cell phone has translated into comfort with other forms of technology as well.
It isn't enough to bring technology into the schools. Training, while essential, is only the first step in bringing technology into the classroom. The buck stops with the instructor. And if the instructor has not bought into the need for technology, it simply will not be used in the classroom. Period. Technology is often an add on to the curriculum. Do everything you were doing before, but now add PowerPoint. Not good enough. You need to think of technology from the ground up. Re-design curriculum with the tech tools in mind. In all subjects, by all instructors. I read a post on the Infinite Thinking Machine Blog: (http://www.infinitethinking.org/) entitled Inspired and Engaged by Authentic Learning in 2007, (Friday, December 28, 2007, posted by Lucie deLaBruere). I talk a lot about authentic learning, and rarely do a workshop without mentioning it. Ms. deLaBruere highlights the work of an inspirational teacher by the name of Nilah Cotes who finds ways to continually increase the level of technology in her class despite being close to retirement. The post itself is inspirational, in that it affirms not simply the existence of technology in her classroom but her emphasis on using that technology effectively. Frustrations with technology ensue (as when a shared folder containing all their interviews disappeared), but the students and teacher work through them together. Is there a better educational experience than working through issues as a team?
So I am calling on educators to experiment with the new technologies and applications. Find innovative ways to use the newest tools out there, and then share your success (and failures) with your colleagues. Yes, there will be frustration, but that is a part of lifelong learning, both for your students and for you. It's time to plug in and turn on.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Commentary: Sotir: Preparing Students for the Future
It's now 2008, and we are on the downside of the decade following the millennium, safe from the Y2K but still dealing with the aftermath of 9/11. In reviewing where schools now fit into our tech society, I realize that we still fall short. Recently I read an article about students who chose to give up technology for a specified period of time, and the difficulties they encountered in the process. Frustrations included trying to get assignments completed for instructors who only accepted papers online, or trying to figure out how to use a typewriter versus a computer keyboard. As I've noted in the past, the societal changes due to technology have been evolutional, not revolutional. Can you remember, for example. seeing an outside phone booth lately? Pay phones still exist, but are becoming less and less commonplace now that almost everyone has access to a cell phone. All generations are touched by technology.
Of course, schools have evolved. But has staff evolved as well? To some extent, yes, but is it enough? From the iPhone to Wi-fi to the Wii, technology is part of daily life for students. Yes, there are pockets of educators creating innovative 2.0 interactive Websites and Podcasts, but it is hardly a universal phenomena. The average instructor is satisfied with accessing 20th century technology. Many have changed (usually reluctantly) to LCD projectors and PowerPoint presentations but I am sure that in most every school there are still those using the overheads with abandon. Professional development workshops are given, often showcasing the newest and most innovative technologies, but how much of that is truly brought back into the classroom?
The excuses I hear from educators range from 'there's not enough time' to 'there's not enough money'. Probably true enough, but the reality is, there's not enough interest. I have what I call AELC 10 minute wonders; technology applications that require only about 10 minutes to develop, and a computer with Internet access to implement. Many of those are highlighted on this Blog, with Blogs and Wikis as the first tool shown. Others are apps like Gabcast (yes, that does require a phone too, but it can be a landline phone), Tiny URLs and Filamentality Hotlists. These are powerful applications, easy to use, and readily available without additional equipment or cost.
Do adult students also crave these tools? Of course. Our college is closed to students for about 7 weeks between fall and spring semesters. In response to student requests for continued access to instruction during the hiatus, my staff created Gabcasts and Hotlists. During the week prior to the start of the break when classes had ended but the college was still open, I had over 20 students stop in to make sure they knew how to access the lessons, and one student who purchased a laptop computer specifically to allow him access to those tools. Over 100 students have accessed these sites to date, and I anticipate that now that the holidays are winding down, that number will increase. My staff saw a need, utilized easily accessed applications and provided a solution.
The advantage of technology is that it is accessible and readily available to most of us. It is sometimes overwhelming, but often that sense is created by those who are providing instruction rather than by the application itself. From my first attempts with administration of technology, I realized that how easily you access the tool is more important than the tool itself. If it is easy to use, it will be used. If it requires an instruction book to utilize the process, the actual usage will be low.
Look at your own cell phone. Sure, most people can make calls and answer calls on them, and probably even access voicemail and a few other general features. How many additional features does it have that you never utilize, simply because you don't know how to use them? The iPhone is a success largely because it is intuitive. If you want the weather, touch the weather icon. If you want to get directions, touch the maps icon. People are now accessing things like stocks and email from their phones because Apple made it easy to do. Many of those same tools are available on other cell phones too, but accessing them requires several steps, not the least of which is actually knowing that they are there and can be accessed. On the iPhone, there is an icon, and when you touch it, it opens the application. Sure, it may take a bit longer to figure out how to use the tools effectively, but at least you know they exist. And knowledge is power.
We need to approach education the same way. If you want instructors to use a tool, then make that tool easy to use. Do whatever it takes. Quick Notes? Labels? Short instructional training sessions? Whatever it takes. I often think about the professional development workshops where instructors are given everything they can possibly learn about using a new application or tool. Most say wow, that is truly amazing. And then they go back to the same way they had been working all along. Technology training should be in short bursts, with immediate opportunity to apply the training. Utilize the business axiom of JIT, or just in time, for providing training. Make sure all tools and technologies are in place, tested and ready to use. Give instructors concrete examples of how to use those tools with their students. Provide after training to answer the inevitable questions that occur. Allow peers to showcase their use of the tools to other instructors. Training is a necessity. Make it worthwhile.
Of course, schools have evolved. But has staff evolved as well? To some extent, yes, but is it enough? From the iPhone to Wi-fi to the Wii, technology is part of daily life for students. Yes, there are pockets of educators creating innovative 2.0 interactive Websites and Podcasts, but it is hardly a universal phenomena. The average instructor is satisfied with accessing 20th century technology. Many have changed (usually reluctantly) to LCD projectors and PowerPoint presentations but I am sure that in most every school there are still those using the overheads with abandon. Professional development workshops are given, often showcasing the newest and most innovative technologies, but how much of that is truly brought back into the classroom?
The excuses I hear from educators range from 'there's not enough time' to 'there's not enough money'. Probably true enough, but the reality is, there's not enough interest. I have what I call AELC 10 minute wonders; technology applications that require only about 10 minutes to develop, and a computer with Internet access to implement. Many of those are highlighted on this Blog, with Blogs and Wikis as the first tool shown. Others are apps like Gabcast (yes, that does require a phone too, but it can be a landline phone), Tiny URLs and Filamentality Hotlists. These are powerful applications, easy to use, and readily available without additional equipment or cost.
Do adult students also crave these tools? Of course. Our college is closed to students for about 7 weeks between fall and spring semesters. In response to student requests for continued access to instruction during the hiatus, my staff created Gabcasts and Hotlists. During the week prior to the start of the break when classes had ended but the college was still open, I had over 20 students stop in to make sure they knew how to access the lessons, and one student who purchased a laptop computer specifically to allow him access to those tools. Over 100 students have accessed these sites to date, and I anticipate that now that the holidays are winding down, that number will increase. My staff saw a need, utilized easily accessed applications and provided a solution.
The advantage of technology is that it is accessible and readily available to most of us. It is sometimes overwhelming, but often that sense is created by those who are providing instruction rather than by the application itself. From my first attempts with administration of technology, I realized that how easily you access the tool is more important than the tool itself. If it is easy to use, it will be used. If it requires an instruction book to utilize the process, the actual usage will be low.
Look at your own cell phone. Sure, most people can make calls and answer calls on them, and probably even access voicemail and a few other general features. How many additional features does it have that you never utilize, simply because you don't know how to use them? The iPhone is a success largely because it is intuitive. If you want the weather, touch the weather icon. If you want to get directions, touch the maps icon. People are now accessing things like stocks and email from their phones because Apple made it easy to do. Many of those same tools are available on other cell phones too, but accessing them requires several steps, not the least of which is actually knowing that they are there and can be accessed. On the iPhone, there is an icon, and when you touch it, it opens the application. Sure, it may take a bit longer to figure out how to use the tools effectively, but at least you know they exist. And knowledge is power.
We need to approach education the same way. If you want instructors to use a tool, then make that tool easy to use. Do whatever it takes. Quick Notes? Labels? Short instructional training sessions? Whatever it takes. I often think about the professional development workshops where instructors are given everything they can possibly learn about using a new application or tool. Most say wow, that is truly amazing. And then they go back to the same way they had been working all along. Technology training should be in short bursts, with immediate opportunity to apply the training. Utilize the business axiom of JIT, or just in time, for providing training. Make sure all tools and technologies are in place, tested and ready to use. Give instructors concrete examples of how to use those tools with their students. Provide after training to answer the inevitable questions that occur. Allow peers to showcase their use of the tools to other instructors. Training is a necessity. Make it worthwhile.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Commentary: Sotir: How Did I Become a Techie?
The concept of what technology is to education is often baffling to technologists and educators alike. I see myself as both, bridging the science of technology to the art of education. Of course, my career started as an educator. Technology was but a twinkle. Yes, we had the Sputnik fears and new math of the 50s and 60s, but 'technology' in schools was confined to items like filmstrips, 8mm projectors and punchcards, and of course the ubiquitous mimeograph machines (do any of you remember permanently stained purple fingers and the glorious scent of freshly printed mimeo copies?) Children, however, were basically taught as their parents were taught. Books. Blackboards. Lectures.
In the late 70s, the idea of personal computers took hold. We were fascinated as a society by the promise of computers to make work easy and efficient. Expensive calculators were all the rage, and they performed all the skills that the average 3rd or 4th grader knew: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Debates raged over the horror of students using calculators. Eventually, once the newness wore off, people realized that children could still learn math, despite the curse of calculators. Towards the end of the decade, the word 'computer' was buzzed around schools. Of course the 'buzz' was from the adults. Teens were already using computers they built in their basements and garages, and learning programming language on their own or at Homebrew Computer Clubs. I started to think about reshaping my career.
The 80s brought the issue of computers and education to a head. School boards were debating the value of adding them to the curriculum. Many students wanted them. Many teachers feared them. But slowly, courses such as 'keyboarding' replaced 'typing' classes. Yes, many of the keyboard classes used typing texts, but the momentum was building. It wasn't as much a revolution as an evolution. But it obviously could not be stopped. On January 3, 1983, the Personal Computer was the first non-human to be announced as Person of the Year by Time Magazine. And Apples started to reshape my career.
In the 90s we had the IBM clone companies: Compaq, HP, Gateway and Dell. Everyone wanted their own PC. Windows hit the marketplace, making Apple only a minor player. I researched the newly developing technology and wrote and developed a grant to become a 'Center of Excellence' for the Illinois Community College Board. We received the grant, and a flurry of activity ensued. We were awash in equipment. PCs and laser discs and massive (and extremely expensive) software applications. 'Media' was not enough. I requested 'multimedia'. I still remember an IT director who asked why I needed it. Sigh. I had now catapulted from a purely educational vision to an educational technology vision. I left the classroom and entered the newly created computer lab. I hired other educators who were not afraid to take on the challenge of the future. And PCs started to reshape my career.
By the mid 90s, hardware was was losing ground to the Internet. I had used the Internet for a while, in the form of a BBS (Bulletin Board System). I didn't really know what it was in the early 90s, and needed my daughter's boyfriend to explain it to me, set it up and answer the thousands of questions I had. My languages of comfort were more that of Shakespeare and Middle English, not programming languages. But slowly I developed a respect for them, and could upload to my BBS page with some ease. And the Internet started to reshape my career.
The late 90s saw the WWW take hold. The cumbersome language of BBS was but a memory, blurred by the rapidly developing Web. We developed Web pages. More programming issues. By now, I knew enough about programming to get the job done, but just enough. I never lost the focus of what I wanted technology to do, which is to help students learn. And the WWW started to reshape my career.
We survived the Y2K crisis without ever looking back. While hardware dominated the 80s and software the 90s, the 2000s are all about the Web. I became the queen of Blogs and later Wikis. I look at my lab today, and see that we still have a lot of software integrated into our curriculum, but the focus is moving more towards the Web. Web 2.0 draws us into and further defines the art of education. My new favorite language includes words such as Gabcasts and Mojitis, Twitters and Wikis, Hotlists and Blogs. And for the record, while I haven't abandoned PCs, I am back to my old Apple roots. They're just easier to use when working in the 2.0 environment.
I never set out to be a technologist. I just like to teach, and like to define the process of teaching. I'm not sure how I got to where I am, but I am quite pleased with how it turned out. Along the way, my staff and I learned together. I am thrilled that their passion matches mine, even if it is a click or two behind. I revel in the 'collective intelligence' that reigns supreme in the AELC. We've proven that technology and education can coexist elegantly. And we'll always be experimenting and learning.
In the late 70s, the idea of personal computers took hold. We were fascinated as a society by the promise of computers to make work easy and efficient. Expensive calculators were all the rage, and they performed all the skills that the average 3rd or 4th grader knew: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Debates raged over the horror of students using calculators. Eventually, once the newness wore off, people realized that children could still learn math, despite the curse of calculators. Towards the end of the decade, the word 'computer' was buzzed around schools. Of course the 'buzz' was from the adults. Teens were already using computers they built in their basements and garages, and learning programming language on their own or at Homebrew Computer Clubs. I started to think about reshaping my career.
The 80s brought the issue of computers and education to a head. School boards were debating the value of adding them to the curriculum. Many students wanted them. Many teachers feared them. But slowly, courses such as 'keyboarding' replaced 'typing' classes. Yes, many of the keyboard classes used typing texts, but the momentum was building. It wasn't as much a revolution as an evolution. But it obviously could not be stopped. On January 3, 1983, the Personal Computer was the first non-human to be announced as Person of the Year by Time Magazine. And Apples started to reshape my career.
In the 90s we had the IBM clone companies: Compaq, HP, Gateway and Dell. Everyone wanted their own PC. Windows hit the marketplace, making Apple only a minor player. I researched the newly developing technology and wrote and developed a grant to become a 'Center of Excellence' for the Illinois Community College Board. We received the grant, and a flurry of activity ensued. We were awash in equipment. PCs and laser discs and massive (and extremely expensive) software applications. 'Media' was not enough. I requested 'multimedia'. I still remember an IT director who asked why I needed it. Sigh. I had now catapulted from a purely educational vision to an educational technology vision. I left the classroom and entered the newly created computer lab. I hired other educators who were not afraid to take on the challenge of the future. And PCs started to reshape my career.
By the mid 90s, hardware was was losing ground to the Internet. I had used the Internet for a while, in the form of a BBS (Bulletin Board System). I didn't really know what it was in the early 90s, and needed my daughter's boyfriend to explain it to me, set it up and answer the thousands of questions I had. My languages of comfort were more that of Shakespeare and Middle English, not programming languages. But slowly I developed a respect for them, and could upload to my BBS page with some ease. And the Internet started to reshape my career.
The late 90s saw the WWW take hold. The cumbersome language of BBS was but a memory, blurred by the rapidly developing Web. We developed Web pages. More programming issues. By now, I knew enough about programming to get the job done, but just enough. I never lost the focus of what I wanted technology to do, which is to help students learn. And the WWW started to reshape my career.
We survived the Y2K crisis without ever looking back. While hardware dominated the 80s and software the 90s, the 2000s are all about the Web. I became the queen of Blogs and later Wikis. I look at my lab today, and see that we still have a lot of software integrated into our curriculum, but the focus is moving more towards the Web. Web 2.0 draws us into and further defines the art of education. My new favorite language includes words such as Gabcasts and Mojitis, Twitters and Wikis, Hotlists and Blogs. And for the record, while I haven't abandoned PCs, I am back to my old Apple roots. They're just easier to use when working in the 2.0 environment.
I never set out to be a technologist. I just like to teach, and like to define the process of teaching. I'm not sure how I got to where I am, but I am quite pleased with how it turned out. Along the way, my staff and I learned together. I am thrilled that their passion matches mine, even if it is a click or two behind. I revel in the 'collective intelligence' that reigns supreme in the AELC. We've proven that technology and education can coexist elegantly. And we'll always be experimenting and learning.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Commentary: Sotir: Happy Birthday, Sputnik! (October 4, 1957)
It's been 50 years since that little 183 pound ball of aluminum made Americans sit up and take notice. It was about the size of a basketball, but the impact it had on the future was staggering. Americans were stunned and unnerved by the event, and everyone demanded that the U.S. respond. On February 7, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) which had, as its mission the charge of preventing technological surprises. So they launched, and we launched...and launched. It changed our lives, our furniture (remember the Sputnik-inspired lamps?) and our society. Of course, as society goes, so goes education. It became fashionable to do math and science became a major focus.
By 1960, ARPA was moving full steam ahead, funded with what seemed to be endless dollars all with the goal of putting America back on top. In 1962, ARPA established and funded the Information Processing Techniques Office. Although the title seemed less than inspired, the new director, JCR Licklider, was anything but commonplace. In 1960 he had published the much heralded 'Man-Computer Symbiosis' and showed the world his vision of the future. This article anticipated the development of many information technologies, including the Internet itself. While the Department of Defense had computers for quite some time, the new vision was to have those computers freely sharing their information. While the rockets still launched into space, the developments on this planet were staggering. ARPA funds were given to MIT to start Project MAC, and the inclusion of academic research combined with government agencies (and money) spurred on progress. The interesting factor was that Licklider had both the money and the talent to achieve amazing success. By the end of 1968, new technologies such as the mouse and hypertext links were forming the base of computer to computer communication. The first Arpanet host-to-host message was sent from UCLA to Stanford in 1969, which led to the first 'internetting' project linking various kinds of packet-switching networks.
It's hard to imagine a world without the Internet, or the World Wide Web. When I first got involved in technology, there was no Web, only a very rudimentary system called the Bulletin Board System, or BBS. Within a relatively short time, the BBS morphed into the WWW, and lives were forever changed. With visionaries such as Licklider and his talented teams from both government and academia, we have bounded into the future. All those 'Modern Math' classes that we had as children in response to the Sputnik-mania formed young minds and gave a base (of something other than 10) to the future. Children today do not know that there was a world without computers. I wonder what their children will know?
By 1960, ARPA was moving full steam ahead, funded with what seemed to be endless dollars all with the goal of putting America back on top. In 1962, ARPA established and funded the Information Processing Techniques Office. Although the title seemed less than inspired, the new director, JCR Licklider, was anything but commonplace. In 1960 he had published the much heralded 'Man-Computer Symbiosis' and showed the world his vision of the future. This article anticipated the development of many information technologies, including the Internet itself. While the Department of Defense had computers for quite some time, the new vision was to have those computers freely sharing their information. While the rockets still launched into space, the developments on this planet were staggering. ARPA funds were given to MIT to start Project MAC, and the inclusion of academic research combined with government agencies (and money) spurred on progress. The interesting factor was that Licklider had both the money and the talent to achieve amazing success. By the end of 1968, new technologies such as the mouse and hypertext links were forming the base of computer to computer communication. The first Arpanet host-to-host message was sent from UCLA to Stanford in 1969, which led to the first 'internetting' project linking various kinds of packet-switching networks.
It's hard to imagine a world without the Internet, or the World Wide Web. When I first got involved in technology, there was no Web, only a very rudimentary system called the Bulletin Board System, or BBS. Within a relatively short time, the BBS morphed into the WWW, and lives were forever changed. With visionaries such as Licklider and his talented teams from both government and academia, we have bounded into the future. All those 'Modern Math' classes that we had as children in response to the Sputnik-mania formed young minds and gave a base (of something other than 10) to the future. Children today do not know that there was a world without computers. I wonder what their children will know?
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