Social media in schools: The Meltdown

Social media addiction. Crackdowns on abuse. Passion for progress. Differing opinions have come to a head this week between those who would retain or recover pre-information-age social qualities and those who believe online social tools are an inevitability to be harnessed and prepared for. As with most things in life, education would seem to be the solution.

First, there's clear evidence that parents are largey unaware of the activities of even middle-school students. Many deny that their children participate in social media. Many simply don't know how pervasive social media are in their childrens' lives, both at home and at school. Before progress can be made with the students themselves, parents need to understand the reality of this modern age. They need to become involved and foster responsibility and safe behavior.

Next, the schools. There's still a harsh divide between classrooms that embrace technology as a learning tool and those that consider it a nuisance. Consistency must be attained with regard to expectation and enforcement. Not every classroom should directly utilize web-enabled devices, but the policy must be in place and understood.

Finally, the students themselves need training. They know how to use the technology, at least superficially, but they often don't have the mental maturity to make the right decisions. Bullying, inappropriate language or photos, and other abuse are sustaining and can be damaging to both mental health and reputation. What's online stays online for a long, long time. Children can't usually appreciate the permanence of their actions.

How this will all play out isn't entirely clear. What is clear is that we must all educate ourselves and be aware of what the children in our care are up to. The challenge is nothing new. Only the details are.

I welcome your comments.

Update: CNN did a story on Principal Orsini. Watch the video here.

More on teaching with iPods: Preserving tradition and culture

In a recent post I mentioned how the public often reacts strongly to the idea of new technology being used in the classroom. Perhaps one mistake we make is to not reassure them that good ol' fashioned teaching is still taking place, and that these new tools are only augmenting the traditional education they're afraid of losing.

One school in Minnesota is doing it very well:

A charter school on the White Earth Indian Reservation is using traditional culture and language to get kids and parents excited about education.

The aging brick school building sits across the road from a small housing development in Naytahwaush, a remote reservation village of about 500.

For generations, this school was part of the Mahnomen school district. School officials from 20 miles away made decisions about the classes and the kids.

Now, it's a charter school designed around community, culture and language. The school Web site hosts video language tutorials produced by third-graders.

It seems that the dedicated folks running the Naytahwaush Community Charter School in a remote northern Minnesota village are on the front line of teaching, just as they are down in St. Paul:

Teaching the public to look ahead

Anyone who has attempted to pass a public funding referendum for education knows how difficult it can be to convince John and Jane Q. Public of the merits of certain types of teaching. We're facing a revolution in teaching methodology, largely due to emerging communications and collaboration tools. But it's a tough sell.

An article posted last month on the Twin Cities Pioneer Press website has generated over 150 comments, the majority of which are critical and even hostile toward those teaching with iPods. The story takes place at Somerset Elementary, where math, spelling and other topics are taught interactively using the devices:

For fourth-grader Gabe Rivera, running vocabulary drills and solving mathematical problems on his classroom iPod Touch is a fun way to learn, in part because it's "something that is more newer than paper."

I Need My Teachers to Learn

This speaks for itself. I'll let it.

Bring Back National (or International) Thrift Week?

National Thrift Week had a 50-year run in our history before being dispensed with in the 1960s. It began on Jan. 17, 1916—the birthday of Benjamin Franklin, the “American Apostle of Thrift”—and soon spread to more than 300 communities. Everyone from the YMCA to the Jewish Welfare Board to the National Education Association sponsored the event. Indeed, educators, partnering with financial institutions and businesses, played a key role in promoting thrift during the week.

David Lapp, in a commentary for Education Week, proposes that we revive this product of the very early 20th century because of its relevance to our difficult current economic times. It seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Economic prosperity doesn't guarantee the future, and certain values that used to help protect us from fiscal disaster seem to have been lost, especially in the young.

But how could anyone become so excited about a mundane idea like thrift? Doesn’t thrift mean pinching pennies? Thrift leaders of that era were quick to point out that thrift is not synonymous with miserliness. They believed it was just the opposite. After all, they pointed out, the root of the word “thrift” is “thrive.” How is the thrifty person the thriving person?

Brad Flickinger to present at FETC

Brad Flickinger, educational futurist, will be presenting on Teaching with Netbooks Friday, 15 January at 12:30 courtesy of Atomic Learning. Brad's always popular, and this is a great topic.

Netbooks are going to change everything...When you get a complete set of netbooks for every student in your classroom your method of teaching will change forever. Imagine for a moment being a teacher in a one-to-one classroom where you stand at the front of the room and look down at your students in their desks with their netbooks open and ready to be instructed. What do you do?

The complete FETC presentation itinerary

About Brad Flickinger

Cyberbullying legislation in 19 states

Nineteen states have enacted legislation to prevent cyberbullying. Each state has different requirements as to how the policies are implemented; some have introduced new laws where as others have modified previous laws to include various pieces of electronic equipment.

Summaries of state laws regarding cyberbullying are available here. Regardless of the specific legislation enacted, teaching students to treat their peers with respect is something that any school district can embrace.

(Thanks to AtomicKristi)

If Only...

As I write this I am in seat 54D on the flight home. We are about to cross the International Date Line and get our lost day back;* we have traveled about 2600 miles since take-off and only have 5700 miles (about 9 hours) remaining. :-)

It's easy to complain that we have to be on a plane for 14 hours, in somewhat cramped conditions, (The person in 53D is reclined, so the monitor on my laptop is only about 70% open and to type I have to press my elbows against my seat back so my fingers don't overshoot the keys), with food that we may not make at home. There are some inconveniences, to be sure. There are only a dozen bathrooms on board for about 500 passengers, there are only 2 meal choices, and though I asked for Pepsi with a lemon they only had Coke and a lime.

It's easy to say “... if only...”, but let's break that down a bit:

It's about simple respect, really

Hello from Sydney! We spent today as tourists, (so far we have only been “travelers”), riding a bus to Featherdale Wildlife Park and The Blue Mountains. Featherdale started as a koala refuge and now is home to probably 50 different Australian critters—fins, feathers, flippers and fur all included. It was a delight to kneel next to (and pet!) a “free range” kangaroo relaxing in the sun and have a photo shoot with a snacking koala, (or his buddy in a eucalyptus-induced stupor!) Those non-bears are so adorable, and just watching a kangaroo move is a good lesson in physics. We loved the little penguins, and I think the wombat is probably the cutest thing on 4 legs.

What was most fascinating, however, was the behavior of some of the other guests at the park. We were “nudged” out of line by impatient adults and then waited through juvenile antics and various exhibits. Worse, though, were the folks who showed no respect for the animals. An eating wombat was pestered incessantly, first by folks putting their flash camera within inches of its face and then leaning over the rail of the enclosure trying to pet it. Later, a group of people took turns dancing with a kangaroo who was obviously not interested. As the roo got more and more agitated they tried harder and harder to be successful and get their photo, paying no regard to the animal and concerned only with satisfying our wants and needs.

Australia: Not upside-down, but certainly forward

When I was a kid growing up in the midwest, I was sure the people in Australia had a constant head rush, what with all that blood flowing to their brains from being upside down all the time
 
As I grew up, I still didn't understand how neither of us were upside down but blindly accepted my teacher's explanation and focused my down under attention on kangaroos, koalas (not koala bears), and around that time, Crocodile Dundee. Australia had always been a romantic, faraway, and exotic place, (a visit to which has been on my bucket list for years), but, I'm embarrassed to say, somewhat removed from my global understanding and perspective. Until now.

Save $50 at FETC 2010 in Orlando compliments of Atomic Learning, booth #946

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to participate in FETC 2010 – the most comprehensive ed-tech learning event in the U.S. — at a significant discount! FETC 2010 is the content-rich conference that brings education leaders and technology experts together to exchange techniques and strategies for administrative, teaching and learning success.

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the most comprehensive event of its kind, and an invaluable resource for educational innovation in your school and district.

Take $50 off full conference registration, or visit the conference hall FREE!

Download the $50 Attendee Coupon here.

The double-edged sword of competency assessment

Educators face an uphill battle when attempting to embrace 21st century teaching models. Regardless of the technical accommodations in a particular classroom, the instructor tasked with using those tools must be trained to apply them effectively. They must be equipped to create and adapt lesson plans to impact student learning.

How do educators avoid a negative-feedback loop, whereby a deficiency in training is only discovered once a piece of technology or an emerging concept is encountered? Often, the answer is pre-assessment of technology literacy. By determining the best areas in which an individual could focus training time and energy, professional development is made more efficient. Overall technical effectiveness is increased. 

The Forgotten 21st Century Skill

This morning I presented the topic, "Becoming 21st Century Ready" to a group of teachers and administrators from international schools around the world. We started the presentation by discussing what everyone thought of when they heard the term "21st century skills." To my delight, this group developed a list that was directly in line with the skills that Atomic Learning promotes. "The ability to research," "living a balanced life," "the ability to use technology," and "the ability to communicate" were just a few of the skills shouted from the group.

But as we went on to discuss the topic more, Mrs. K from the audience brought up an interesting point. She said, "I think we have forgotten an invaluable skill that we, as teachers, need to develop in our students.

Project Red educational technology survey

Technology use in schools is gaining momentum. To fuel this growth, educators need data. With your help, we can present the real-world picture of 'what works' to others to help them avoid pitfalls and be successful.You understand the power of technology to transform. We need your help so everyone else will.

Go to survey

An intriguing, frustrating conundrum

This morning I was repeatedly reminded of a dilemma professionals in many fields encounter. On one hand, an employee is expected to keep up with the latest technological tools available to them and relevant to their job. On the other, they may already feel overwhelmed with what's on their to-do lists.

Take teachers, for example. There's a transformation occurring in schools around the world right now. It's being driven by technology--or rather the use of it by kids. Children come to class natively fluent in social media, entertainment, and information channels. They don't know a world without it. And the teachers are being asked to catch up, and then get a step ahead of them.

Happy 40th, Sesame Street!

For millions around the world, one gang of friends commemorates childhood: The Sesame Street bunch. Here's a shot of some of them posing for a recent Google promotion. I guess you can't escape fame, even if you're a muppet.

Click image for a larger version. Here are more from this series.

We must change: Hope for 21st century education

Education ranks below coal mining in the use of technology

Training available on SMART Notebook 10, ActivStudio and ActivPrimary

Get SMART. Get ACTIV.


You have the technology. Now what?

Technology is reaching farther into the classroom every day and with tools like SMART Notebook, ActivPrimary and ActivStudio it should be easy—but that’s not always the case.

Did you know that you may have a training resource available for all of these technology applications 24 hours a day, seven days a week? Through a subscription to Atomic Learning's online technology training and support you have access to easy-to-understand tutorial movies on SMART Notebook 10, ActivPrimary, ActivStudio and more.

SMART Notebook 10
PC: www.AtomicLearning.com/smrt_nb10pc
Mac: www.AtomicLearning.com/smrt_nb10mac

ACTIVprimary 3
PC: www.AtomicLearning.com/activprimary3
Mac: www.AtomicLearning.com/activprimary3mac

ACTIVprimary 2
PC: www.AtomicLearning.com/activprimary_2_pc
Mac: www.AtomicLearning.com/activprimary_2_mac

ACTIVstudio 3 Professional
PC: www.AtomicLearning.com/activstudio3
Mac: www.AtomicLearning.com/activstudio3mac

ACTIVstudio 2 Professional
PC: www.AtomicLearning.com/activstudio2_intro
Mac: www.AtomicLearning.com/activstudio2_intro_mac

Interested in finding training on another application? Atomic Learning provides access to over 40,000 tutorials on over 120 applications for all teachers, staff, students and school families in those organizations with subscriptions. If you need help logging in, or would like more information on Atomic Learning, please contact your school or district’s Technology Coordinator.

Free FETC exhibit hall passes, compliments of Atomic Learning (booth #946)

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to participate in FETC 2010 – the most comprehensive ed-tech learning event in the U.S. — free! FETC 2010 is the content-rich conference that brings education leaders and technology experts together to exchange techniques and strategies for administrative, teaching and learning success.

With more than 200 Concurrent Sessions, 70-plus workshops—and an exhibit hall of 400-plus solution providers displaying and demonstrating the latest products and services—it’s the most comprehensive event of its kind, and an invaluable resource for educational innovation in your school and district!

Meet with more than 400 technology solution-providers in the Exhibit Hall & Technology Marketplace at FETC 2010 for FREE ($50 Value).  This exclusive, non-transferable offer lets you participate as an Exhibit Hall Attendee Only--courtesy of Atomic Learning.

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