Partnership for 21st Century Skills Website

This site bring a wealth of knowledge to teacher of this century.  From tools and resources to summit information and state initiatives, this websites strives to put the information at your fingertips on developing these necessary skills. I found the P21 State Implementation Guides very pertinent information for each teacher to assess his/her implementation of 21st century skills.  In reading through the state initiatives,  I was initially surprised there were only 15 out of 50 states currently involved, but as I read further I realized these states had to demonstrate a commitment  to the 3 R's and 4 C's (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation) through the key leadership positions of the state officials.  As I read through these guidelines, I automatically thought of the videos I watch with Dr. David Thornburg, and Dr. Chris Dede in this week's videos.  I was then greatly concerned that our nation only has 30% of its states willing to commit to these valuable skills...we've got a long way to go!!!  As I read through the self assessment tool, I would not have even considered my school, a beginning technology magnet school, only in the very early stages of the requirements necessary.  As a contemporary educator, I have to do my part of reading, preparing, training myself in these necessary skills before I can then teach them to my students.  Local, state, and national leaders must step up to the plate and show the leadership and financial support to bring our schools into the 21st century style of learning.


Resources:

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2010). Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Retrieved September 28, 2010, from http://www.p21.org

Dede, C. Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). [DVD]. Technology Interfaces. Baltimore: Author.
Thornburg, D. (2010). "Skills for the 21st Century" [Video file]. Laureate Education. Unknown.

Tearin' up the phone system!!!

Can you believe it...my students are rip-roaring down the phone lines of technology to complete their homework assignment in skip counting.  This week I implemented Google voice which allows our class to have a phone number/voicemail through Google.  I can forward all calls directly to the voice mail or to my cellphone if I wanted to talk with students/parents.  Parents and students can call me (without having access to my cellphone number) and leave messages or information accomplishing their homework assignments.

The beauty of this technology is EVERYONE has a phone, and completing assignments outside of class become easy to track.  Also, I can save these voicemails as mp3 files and use them in podcasts or presentations.

What I love about this type of assignment is students are accomplishing something at home that I don't have time to cover in class.  One of the most frustrating times I have as a Math teachers is dealing with students who don't know their basic math facts.  With my new Google voicemail, I set the assignment for practicing skip counting by a certain number.  They study, call in and try beat a certain time limit I set.  After a couple days of practice, those who accomplished the task within the certain time receive a special privilege or prize  .  Next week, we're searching for answers about severe weather in our textbook, and the first five callers with the correct answers from their reading, win a Skype call with their 2nd Grade buddy!

Sounds a little like bribery right?  Well, I choose to consider it training for intrinsic motivation, and preparation for 21st Century technology.  In considering the perspective of what I've been learning this week, I see this type of activity as a way of training students in motivation, how to figure out answers, distributed thinking, decision making and complex communication.  These are all ideas discussed by Dr. David Thornburg and Dr. Chris Dede in the videos, "The Changing Work Environment." As I prepare my students for this type of work force, any budding skills started now will blossom into viable competing skills for a globally competitive work force.



Thornburg, D. (2010). “The Changing Work Environment: Part 1” [Video file]. Laureate Education. Unknown.

Dede, C. Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). [DVD]. In The Changing Work Environment Part II. Baltimore: Author.

This week, my 4th Grade Math and Science students will be Skyping with a 5th Grade class at an intermediate school my students will be attending next year.  My goal is developing motivation within my students helping them to realize the information and curriculum they are using in my class will be used again in their next grade level.  This seems like a simple concept, but I truly don't think students grasp the depth of this idea.  During our video conference my students will be addressing 3 questions to the 5th Graders and taking notes on a graphic organizer of what they learn: 

1. Is what I'm learning in elementary school (especially in Math) DEFINITELY used in the intermediate school and if so, how?

2. What are some circumstances I might find difficult to adjust to in intermediate school if I'm not a diligent elementary student now?

3. What are some decisions I could make now that would ensure my success in intermediate school? 

My students will pose these questions, and the 5th Graders will have the responsibility of taking on the "mentoring" role giving advice back.   From the data my students collect in this video conference, they will post on our blog the main ideas that most impacted them.  They also will  respond to 2-3 other student's ideas and comments.  We will also be inviting the 5th Graders to join our blog and continue giving advice and suggestions throughout the year.  


I see this blog serving the purpose of developing motivation within my students for developing responsibility within their own learning.  Through not only hearing the interaction on Skype, my hope is that the student's Skype and blogging interactions and learning from one another will continue throughout the year!  While this may not be a "typical lesson" blog, I feel the motivation component could greatly impact many of my academic lessons in the future!

Passion

Are you academically learning about what you are passionate about?  In my reading of my graduate class textbook, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, I found these powerful questions I wanted to share with you:

• What are your passions?
• Who are your teachers?
• How are you building your own learning networks using these tools?
• How are you modeling your learning for your students?  

Reference:

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

A Challenge

This weekend as I've done a ton of research for my class, I have had a nagging challenge in the back of my mind.  Because of being exposed to many types of blogs, I am thinking I need to quit using my teacher website blog and instead transition to Blogspot or WorldPress.  Internally, I bristled at this thought as my old system worked and it would mean giving up something old and familiar.  The more I think about it, I know one idea I'm learning through all my technology training is letting go of the "familiar" for what works best in promoting interactive, engaging learning.  Am I the only one feeling this way?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

A Tool for "Doing Different Things"

This week in my studies, we were challenged to "do different things" not to just "do things differently." For instance word processing instead of writing on paper would be an example of doing writing differently, while blogging that same information allows for an interactive audience beyond the assignment.

Though our weekly discussion, I shared with my class a way I do things differently to actively engage my students through the use of flip videos. “…the digital camera is fast becoming a primary recording device for today’s active learners.” As Dr. Thornburg stated in his article, students enjoy the luxury of taking home the experiences around them through the digital camera. This footage can be used in making digital presentation, movies, books, or integrated with other technology. In the past, students could write about or take pictures of their experiences. Once these writings or pictures diminished the activity would also become more and more vague over time.

Now, students can do thing much differently through the use of recorded footage of the event. This footage allows them to richly relive the event unlike any other former generation. The advantages of this technology is the ability to remember and re-experience many important details of an event that would normally would fade from memory with time and distance between the event. This reliving of the experience can be done at the click of a button. Also, many more people can experience this event besides those who attended. "New technologies...make it easy to publish and distribute them to wide Internet audiences." The audience grows to anyone willing to watch the footage on a blog, a website, an animoto, or even on a Twitter feed.

I'd love to hear your ideas of how you use digital videos in your classroom!

Reference:

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Thornburg, D. (2004). Technology and education: Expectations, not options. (Executive Briefing No. 401). Retrieved from http://www.tcpdpodcast.org/briefings/expectations.pdf

Twitter in the Classroom

As I explore the world of blogging through my class assignments, I want to share some of the interesting topics I come upon.  One Web 2.0 tool that intrigues me is Twitter.  This summer in some technology classes I took, I was introduced to this tool.  In my research, I found many ways people are including it in their classrooms, but so far, it  has been an elusive technology tool, I am still waiting to incorporate into my studies.  To keep this idea in the forefront of my mind, I would love to hear how you use Twitter in the class, as your idea could possible spark and imaginative idea for myself or my audience on how to incorporate this tool.  I'm curious if you help your students set up Twitter accounts, and how do you get parents involved in this venture.

I came across this interview of a success story using Twitter in education.  Maybe some of you can use this information for your class.

The Beginning...My Purpose

In my class EDUC 6710: Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society,  my professor has given us the assignment challenge of starting our own blog for not only helping us learn the skills of blogging, but also to explore the frontier of new technologies that are emerging in today's world of educational technology.  With a vast expansion of digital interactive tools at teacher's fingertips, it is my hope in this adventure to be able to share these tools with my realm of educators that I come in contact with and influence.  I look forward sharing many learning experiences with you, and would invite your thoughts and input as we learn from one another.  Let the posting begin!