On Deck

 

 SOS podcast episode 10: When not to use Technology [44:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Introductions

Dave Navis, a 5th grade teacher from Hong Kong International School joined Jeff and David for tonight’s show.

Essential Question

When not to use technology?

David: See his post.

Jeff: See his recent post on his screen free week.

Dave Navis: See his post.

Blog Posts of the Week:

Jeff: Turn TV Off

David C: Jamie McKenzie’s FNO 500 Mile Project Leader Talk: Shift Happens- Now What?

Dave N: Alan November

Note: Don’t forget to register for the Learning 2.008 Conference. A new EdubloggerCon segment has been added to the program.

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* Next show is Thursday May 16th at 7:00 PM Shanghai time.
* Our guests will be Dennis Harter, Justin Medved & Kim Cofino of the International School Bangkok.
* Essential Question for the show: How do we connect technology and classroom instruction seamlessly?
* Don’t forget to post Web sites/blogs to the SOS Del.icio.us bookmarking site that support our upcoming EQ.

Technorati Tags: Dave Navis, SOS

 

 Shifting Our School episode 9: How do we go deeper?: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Introductions

Michael Lambert, a Middle School teacher from Concordia International School in Shanghai joined Jeff and David for tonight’s show.

Essential Question

How to go deeper in student learning? Why go deeper?

David: See his blog post.

Jeff: Engage student and allow them to be nodes of information.

Take away from the discussion-

Mike’s 5 Strategies for Deeper Learning:

1. Go one to one with laptops so students have access to information to answer their questions. Let’s students “rewind”, go back to information when they need to further their understanding.
2. Project-based Learning: cross discipline the learning in real world applications. Example: Mike’s class visited a bike shop which connected economics, science, math and community building. They also went to a landfill, about learned alternative fuels and made further connections to being better citizens of the Earth.
3. Visuals- let the images tell the story. Strong connection to student brains. Evokes the emotion which brings attention which drives learning. Using graphs. How to filer the information, make meaning of it. Media Literacy.
4. Build in multi-sensory experiences. Get the kids outside the classroom and engage in field trips, real world–new brain experiences. These are deeper. Sometimes means making mistakes, being uncomfortable which leads to learning.
5. Teachers need to let go. Let the kids be more in control. We need to be the coach. We can be co-learners.

Inquiry. Everyone provides questions. Help students take their passions and questions to design question to research and then come up with more questions that they want to answer.

Make connections across the curriculum then lead to questions and further applications that combine subject areas. Cannot be narrow with our curriculum. Ready to go in different directions.

We need to really focus on teaching students to be learners. If they are truly going to be independent life long learners, they have to have the skills to be active learners.

What does a shifted school look like?

Jeff: What is a Shifted School? A school that understands that learning is a 24/7 activity and engages students in THEIR spaces to learn. A school that instead of forcing student to come to them to learn, they go to them and create learning opportunities where the students are. They use tools that are familiar to the students, that engage them in the learning process and allow them to not only connect nodes of information, but also always them and teaches them to be a node as well.

David: What shifted looks like see 21st Century Schools & his post on the topic. School 2.0 wiki by Steve Hargadon as a place to read opinions on what shifted schools look like and add your opinion. And listen to episode 8 where Brent Loken talks about Hsinchu International School.

Mike: If you are using strategies for deeper learning and helping kids make connections, you are really focusing on learning which is what shifted schools are all about. We need to look at our pre-service teacher programs to shift them where teachers learn teaching 2.0 strategies while taking part in mentoring programs to get them up to speed.

Blog Posts of the Week:

Jeff: Remote Access A Difference Mark’s EdTech Learning is Messy

David: See Margaret’s comment for SOS episode 3.

Sign Off

* Next show is Wednesday April 30th at 8:00 PM Shanghai time. Note: This is a different day and time than our usual show.
* Our guest will be David Navis of Hong Kong International School.
* Essential Question for the show: When not to use technology?
* Don’t forget to post Web sites/blogs to the SOS Del.icio.us bookmarking site that support our upcoming EQ.

Technorati Tags: Deep Learning, SOS

 

 Student-Led Conferences: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (229)

Let me start this post with a disclaimer. There are a million ways to use blogs in education. The following is just one way we are using blogs at SAS.

As my time winds down here at SAS I find myself reflecting on the past three years and keep asking myself:

Did I leave a mark?

I think we all go through this and we all want this on some level. We want to know that our institution is better off because we were there. That somewhere we left a mark on a student, on the organization, or on fellow teachers. I think it’s a natural human feeling to reflect and hope that you have had a lasting positive effect at your workplace.

Last year I introduced blogging to SAS. A year later we have close to 700 student blogs/web sites and we’re closing in on 200 teacher blogs/websites. I say blogs/websites because I do believe the two are different and the way in which a user decides to use the space they have been given is up to them.

Last year we saw the blogs be “another thing” that we were doing at our school. This year thanks to some leaders in the classroom the blogs at certain grades have become just what we do.

Our middle school was been moving to a Student-Led Conference (SLC) format over the past two years. Personally I think it’s the only way to hold conferences with parents as it puts the student at the center of the learning process (what a concept). My last three years in the classroom I ran SLCs and at my last school in Saudi Arabia was head of a committee that saw us implement SLCs K-12 in our school (my lasting moment at that school).

(An article I wrote in 2002 on Student-Led Conferences as part of my Master’s Degree)

Student-Led Conference are usually built around a portfolio created by the student. This year our 8th grade team with the help of Amanda DeCardy (8th Grade Math teacher, and next year a technology integrator for the school) set out to use the blogs as a place for student to produce, upload, and reflect on work in their classrooms. Essentially creating an e-portfolios.
Early in the year I sat down with the 8th grade team for about an hour and we discussed how students could organize their blogs using categories. 8th grade was a great year to start this project as the year before in 7th grade all of the students were exposed to blogging in their technology class which was taught by no other than…..me.

The students already had a fundamental understanding of blogging before the year began. The teachers then had the responsibility to help the students create an organizational structure on their blogs. One that would work for both class work and random reflections as well as for an e-portfolio. Each student with their advisory teacher (students have an advisory class that meets every other day in which the portfolios are created and maintained) set up an organization structure that worked for them and their blog.

This was the school’s first year using blogs as an e-portfolio platform but we also realized that not everything has to be done with technology so the Student-Led Conferences this year are a blended model of using both the blog as a way to reflect and a notebook portfolio.

Yesterday I talked with Amanda to see if we could get a student and their parents to let us record their Student-Led Conference to share with others both in and out of our school. For our school this will become a training video and at the same time allows us to share the great work our students are doing at our school.

If you have questions about the set up, the format or the use of Student-Led Conferences you can e-mail me or leave a comment below. Amanda is also willing to answer questions as well.

The one thing that I ask is that if you use this video at your school, or if you enjoy watching this very personal experience for a student that you PLEASE leave him a comment on his blog. He took a risk (dragging his family along with him). The least we can do is leave him a comment knowing the impact this video has had on you and your school.

Thank you Alexi and the Msays’ family for allowing us to share this with the world.

My hope and vision for the blogs at SAS is this:

1.That they will be used as an e-portfolio platform for all students so that when a student leaves SAS whether in 9th grade to go to another school or when they graduate that they have a record of their learning that was shared with the world.

2.That teachers will continue to find innovative ways to use blogs for learning. E-Porfolios are just one aspect of the use of this very powerful and open platform. The ability to share knowledge with the world and receive feedback is a powerful learning journey.

3.That in two years time every student 5-12 has a school based blog that is part of their learning platform and is an embedded part of their schooling.

Technorati Tags: Amanda DeCardy, SAS, SLC, Student-Led Conferences

 

 SOS Podcast episdoe 8: How to Shift: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Introductions

Brent Loken, the Director of Curriculum and Innovation at Hsinchu International School (HIS) joined Jeff and David for tonight’s show.

Brent has a Web site and a blog where you can read more about his ideas.

Essential Question

How to Shift?

David> See his blog post for his Top 10 list of steps to take to shift.

Jeff> We need to think about the effect of small, start up schools like HIS and how they might bypass the traditional schools to offer the 21st century learning that our international corporate parents are realizing their children need.

Take away from the discussion>

-It is usually an evolutionary approach in most schools for them to slowly make the shift to School 2.0.
-So much more difficult to shift schools with history and culture that won’t adapt. But we cannot stop our efforts!
-If you are fortunate to be at a small school or one just starting up, you have a much better chance of getting everyone of like minds and beliefs onboard to take a more radical approach.
-”Rethink everything”. “Needs to be a revolution”. “Be bold”.
-The curriculum is not fast enough to keep up with the learning community of a shifted school. Must be ready to adapt it as your school adapts to the learning needs of its students.
-Possibility of competition from start-up schools? Just like in the business world.
-Healthy competition in schools provides more choices for parents and to choose from.

Blog Posts of the Week

Jeff: New Literacy Leader Talk
The Learning 2.008 Conference in Shanghai!

Brent: Arts and Smarts article Whole Child article
A Mind at A Time by Mel Levine

David: Powerful Learning Practices
9 Principles for Implementation: The Big Shift
Leading the Shift in International Education

Sign Off

* Next show is Thursday April 18th at 7 PM Shanghai time.
* Our guest will be Michael Lambert of Concordia International School in Shanghai.
* Essential Question for the show: How to go deep in learning? Why go deep?
* Don’t forget to post Web sites/blogs to the SOS Del.icio.us bookmarking site that support our upcoming EQ.

Technorati Tags: Learning 2.008, SOS

 

 EARCOS Live: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (196)

Over two days I set up shop at a desk in the commons area at the EARCOS Teachers Conference and recorded conversations with anyone who walked by and looked at the crazy guy with headphones and microphones set up. Thank you to everyone who stopped by or who I grabbed to get your prespective on the conference!

Podcast Link:

Webcast Academy how to record a two way Skype call with Audacity

Technorati Tags: Conference, EARCOS, SOS

 

 SOS podcast episode 7: How do Adults Learn: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Introductions

Jeff Nugent joined Jeff and David for tonight’s show.

|Essential Question|

How do adults learn?

David> See his blog post on which lists several factors we need to keep in mind when working with adult learners. And as with all learners, we must differentiate our instruction to meet their individual needs.

Jeff> We need to think about the following question:

What gets in the way of our veteran generation educators from going more public with their ideas and work?

Take away from the discussion>

-The forming of teacher cohorts focused around essential questions. Helps with feelings and fear of vulnerability. Building community, breaking down isolation. One might start with a book discussion then move into member offered topics and questions.
-How to support educators in taking risks?
-Form Professional Learning Networks (PLN) around different topics of interest to the members.
-Sustaining engagement and ongoing support is key.
-Creating a PLN and community in general is tougher in higher education. Having a physical and eventual digital space where folks can come together to form community is important.
-Adult learners wanting to be self directed and sometimes are overwhelmed by 2.0 learning tools.
-How do we support self-directed learning by minimizing some of the fear of leaving one’s comport zone? (Future EQ)
-Pre-service teacher education programs are so important. Build on these young adults’ natural inclination to socially connect and collaborate. There is a positive side to their sometimes very public nature of our youth and their social networking sites.
-What gets in the way of our older generation from going more public with their ideas and work? (Future EQ) Is this the nature of teachers?
-Backwards translation of our (IT/ET leaders) being way out there in blogging, Twitter, wikis, etc. to engage newcomers and overcome their pre-conceived notions of what these tools are about. Blogs are an example of folks thinking that you use them to tell your personal information only.
-Seeking to understand is central for the instructional/educational technologist. We are the “IT counselor” from time to time seeking to understand our teacher partners, their feelings about using technology and information tools and how they might take steps to find one or two that meet their needs. That human relation aspect of our job is huge.

|Blog Posts of the Week|

Jeff U: Webblogg-ed 2 Cents
Jeff N: Connectivism
David: Designed To Inspire

|Sign Off|

• Next show is next week from the EARCOS conference in Kuala Lumpur. Refer back to this site and Jeff’s The Thinking Stick main page for the date and time.
• Our guests will be teachers from around Asia.
• Essential Question for the show: How are you shifting?
• Don’t forget to post Web sites/blogs to the SOS Del.icio.us bookmarking site that support our upcoming EQ.

Technorati Tags: Adult Learning, PLN, SOS

 

 SOS podcast episode 6: Connecting Parents and creating portals for learning: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Introductions

Justin Hardman and Chris Betcher joined David and Jeff.

|Essential Question|

How to expand the learning community to the parents?

Jeff> Look at your technology vision and plan to include the development of a school portal that provides the tools to make the components of your plan a reality.

David> See his recent post that focused on two themes. One being that schools should use their portal to build on current practices that are already in place to connect parents and expand the learning community. Making information access and communication digital definitely enhances communication opportunities. A second theme is to invite our corporate parents working in 21st century information-rich jobs to our schools to share their experiences and expectations what skills they want their employees to have. Their real world experiences can help in the shifting process as teachers connect what they are teaching to the real world assessments their students will be experiencing.

Take Away from the Discussion:

-The recent breakout of a virus in HK reminds us of the importance of schools having the capability to go virtual with a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

-Sharing of the myDragonnet online learning platform with three components: classroom management tool, curriculum mapping tool and electronic portfolio. Justin has many insights to share.

-Wetpaint as a very useful wiki provider.

-Value of individualization in developing VLEs by having a programmer on school staff.

|Blog Posts of the Week|

Jeff: Planning for 21st Century Technologies

David: Jonathon’s Blog on VLEs

Chris: Clay’s Wedding Always Learning

Justin: E-Framework Electronic School

|Sign Off|

-Next show is Thursday March 20th. Catch it live at 7:00 PMShanghai time.

-Our guest will be Jeff Nugent from the Virginia Commonwealth Univeristy. Check out his Techne blog.

-Essential Question for the show: How do adults learn?

-Don’t forget to post Web sites/blogs to the SOS Del.icio.us bookmarking site that support our upcoming EQ.

Technorati Tags: Educational Portal, Parents, SOS, VLE

 

 SOS podcast episode 5: How do we connect? [60:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Introductions

Chris Betcher and Clay Burell joined Jeff and David.

|Essential Question|

How do we connect?

Jeff> The Shanghai American School blogging system is set up so that whenever anyone logs in, he/she sees a RSS feed with the latest posts from the other student and teacher SAS bloggers. We often focus in the blogosphere on connecting outside of our schools for learning. We also need to find ways to build internal learning communities and this is one way to do it.

David> Three ideas come to mind when thinking about how to connect. One is the way Kim Confino and Julie Lindsey build telecollaborative opportunities for students to connect to other learners around the world. When it comes to connect to this learning network, what hardware are we using to make the connection? Are we at the point of having a handheld device designed for the education market that allows for ubiquitous connectivity? And what about the thinking and learning that goes with students learning by making connections? See David’s blog post for more reflection on these questions.

Take Away from the Discussion:

• “Learning means risk taking.” How to apply this to the hiring process to look for new hires who take risks.
• How to work within the school day to build in the opportunities for making connections. We need to structure time in the day where students can pursue their passions and collaborate for learning.
• We need to demystify and translate the names and learning purposes for many of our Web 2.0 tools so that new users can understand and not see them as so daunting to try.

|Blog Posts of the Week|

Chris: Remote Access

Clay: Re(Musing)ings

David: Techne & The Far Side of Tech

Jeff: Drupaled & WordPress

|Sign Off|

• Next show is Thursday March 13. Catch it live at 7:00 PM Shanghai time.
• Our guest will be Justin Hardman from the Hong Kong International School. Check out his Blueprint: New World, New School blog.
• Essential Question for the show: How to expand the learning community to the parents?
• Don’t forget to post Web sites/blogs to the SOS Del.icio.us bookmarking site that support our upcoming EQ.

Technorati Tags: Chris Betcher, Clay Burell, Connecting Learning

 

 A Day in the Life of Jeff Utecht [23:21m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

My first attempt using iMovie to edit and create a video. Watch as the camera follows me through a day of what I do. Please remember this is not a rehearse video and very raw.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Ed Tech, SAS, Vidcast

 

 SOS podcast episode 4: Celebrating Shifted Teachers [47:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Introductions

Jeff and David go solo.

|Essential Question|

The SOS team paused tonight to celebrate the teachers in their schools who are making the shift. No philosophical discussion tonight, just concrete and practical instructional strategies.

David: See his Lessons Learned blog post where he shares information about teachers from Hsinchu International School and Hong Kong International School.

Jeff: Take a look at his links below from Shanghai American School.

|Supporting Links|
David’s:

HKIS Teacher Toolkit Best Practices
Hsinchu International School
Brent Loken of HIS: Using Geometry Sketchpad
Examples of “Exhibitions” by HIS students

Jeff’s:

SAS PE
SAS Humanities Wiki
SAS Humanities Culture Wiki
SAS Teacher Blog
SAS Math Teacher Blog
SAS 7th Humanities Class
SAS TOK Class
Voki Avatar Creation and Voice

Episode4 chatroom notes

|Sign Off|

• Next show is Thursday March 6th. Catch it live at 7:00 PM Shanghai time.
• Our guest will be Kim Cofino from the International School of Bangkok. Check out her Always Learning blog.
• Essential Question for the show: How to connect?
• Don’t forget to post Web sites/blogs to the SOS Del.icio.us bookmarking site that support our upcoming EQ.