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'The other day one of my veteran teachers came to my office to tell me that she had decided to retire. This was a bittersweet moment for me as I highly valued her commitment to the students of New Milford High School and knew I would have a huge void to fill, but was happy to see that she was at peace with her decision. During our conversation she told me how much she appreciated that fact that I never once micromanaged her, which promoted creativity in the classroom.
I recently saw Ben Franklin’s daily schedule and planner on Larry Ferlazzo’s website (which is an awesome resource for educators). I was a long time user of Franklin Quest (now Franklin Covey) paper planners and used their planning software and methods on my first PDA and had heard that they had gotten some of their ideas for planning from Ben Franklin, but had never seen Ben’s planner.
'Most schools and districts spend lot of time and effort trying to get their teachers up to speed on technology and its use/place in the classroom. And honestly that is where a majority of effort should be spent; working with those on the frontlines of instruction. However, rarely, if ever, is much time spent with administrators, working with them on ways they use technology to enhance what they are doing.
'If you go into any elementary, middle, or high school this time of year, you are likely to hear shouting like “Ace that Test” or “Let’s rock that test!” emanating from the Gymnasium. For once though, the shouting is not part of a pep rally to try to pump up an athletic team for an impending contest. It is a pep rally to get students pumped up to take state standardized tests.
Generative AI holds tremendous promise for all stakeholders in higher education. But guardrails are needed. Strong governance that empower instructors are at the core of a responsible approach to using generative AI in academia.
'Speckle Games is a page of interactives from Scholastic based on characters from Clifford. Younger or developmentally younger students would really enjoy these games! Technical Note: The site is Shockwave-based, and you may need to run an Adobe Shockwave update for the games to load. Language Lens: The games hit on cause-effect relationships and a variety of other concepts, categories and skills.
'Two years ago I "flipped" my high school Anatomy & Physiology class. Read my previous post for the full story. I learned by trial and error. I have also found some very helpful resources that I would like to share with you. 1. Camtasia Studio : The leading screen casting software title on the market. Easily zoom, pan, and create call-outs on your screen captures.
'As a result of being off the entire week for spring break I have had the opportunity to explore the many extensions available for Google Chrome. These free extensions not only optimize my Internet experience, but also provide a great deal of enhanced functionality to my work as an educator (especially as a blogger). I have begun to compile a short list of extensions that I am currently using.
'As a result of being off the entire week for spring break I have had the opportunity to explore the many extensions available for Google Chrome. These free extensions not only optimize my Internet experience, but also provide a great deal of enhanced functionality to my work as an educator (especially as a blogger). I have begun to compile a short list of extensions that I am currently using.
'Join me Thursday, April 28th, for a live and interactive FutureofEducation.com webinar with Dale Stephens, who has received a great deal of public notice lately for his launch of UnCollege - a "social movement supporting self-directed higher education." Date : Thursday, April 28th, 2011 Time : 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern / 12am GMT (next day-- international times here ) Duration : 1 hour Location : In Elluminate.
'Skype is a valuable tool that many teachers are discovering can break down the walls of their classroom. I have been doing several workshops lately to get teachers started with Skype and how they can connect their classroom to the outside world. Maybe you haven''t had a workshop where you are or you need more information. Here are several resources to get started using Skype in your classroom: First, what is Skype?
'I recently received a message from an administrator colleague who wanted to know how I use the iPad as an administrator. He was thinking about purchasing the device and was struggling with whether it would be a wise use of his money. I have been using the device for about four months now, and it is another tool in my educational device arsenal. The other tools include my two laptops and my Android phone.
'My Garden is a great springtime activity that is part of the incredibly rich Busytown Mysteries site, based on Richard Scarry''s books. I think this site would be great to explore further and implement as part of programming for K-1 or developmentally equivalent students. When you arrive in Busytown, to get to this activity, pick Countryside, then the Barn!
Schools face increasing challenges as technology becomes integral to education. Efficient device management is essential for maximizing technology use and safeguarding investments. Our article discusses the importance of tracking devices, outlines current challenges, and suggests modern solutions that go beyond traditional methods like Excel. Learn how advanced tracking systems can streamline operations, improve maintenance, and offer real-time updates for better resource allocation.
'I received an email this morning from Save Texas Schools reminding me that the Texas Senate is expected to issue its budget bill tomorrow, Thursday, April 21st. It is important that Texans concerned about school finance contact these Senate members and thank them for and encourage them in their efforts to create a budget that does not cut as deeply as the House version of the budget does.
'A slightly altered version of this post entitled "Learning Like Never Before" is cross-posted at the Huffington Post. Let me start off by saying that I work at an incredible school. When I came to New Milford High School in 2004 there were many amazing programs in place. One was the Holocaust Study Tour. This global learning endeavor provides some of our students the opportunity to travel to Europe for at least 10 days and study the Holocaust in depth.
'Last week I was asked to present on the Flipped Classroom at the Troy University e-Colloquium. Here is the screen cast of my presentation. If you''d like to click on the live links, use the presentation below. Thanks for subscribing to my blog. I always appreciate feedback on my posts. You can find me on Twitter (@jrsowash), Google+, Linkedin (jrsowash), and YouTube (jrsowash).
'If you have read any of my leadership posts in the past you know I am all about reflection. One of the most important things good leaders do is reflect. Time must be taken to think about the direction our organizations are going and if any adjustments, at any level, need to be made. Many leaders, schools and districts have done a great job with reflection.
How can we actively engage learners 24/7, on their level and according to their interests, while respecting their learning styles? It’s not impossible. In this guide: Explore how to transform traditional, one-way videos into two-way interactive learning experiences Understand different types of artificial intelligence (AI), including - Generative vs.
'Join us on Wednesday, April 20th, for a very special live and interactive event with educators from Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Morocco. We''ll be discussing the political changes taking place in the Middle East, the impact of technology on both politics and education, and student-to-student interactions worldwide. Hosted by Ed Gragert, Executive Director of iEARN-USA, this event is jointly sponsored by iEARN-USA , the Global Education Collaborative , and the Global Education Conference.
'This post originally appeared on TherapyApp411 App Name/Publisher: Garageband for iPad/Apple Description : Garageband’s app allows you to explore musical instruments, make recordings of digital instruments and voice, and combine your recordings and prerecorded loops into songs. Songs can be saved to the iPad, sent to iTunes or via email. Therapy Use : The app allows students to have hands-on, multisensory experience with musical instruments, a key language category.
'In response to those politicians in Florida and elsewhere who have pushed their merit pay bills through in the face of research that says it won’t work, and also in the face of many experienced educators who tell them the same, I post Daniel Pink’s TED video “The Surprising Science of Motivation.” I suspect it is just as Pink says: “What worries me as we stand here in the rubble of the economic collapse is that too many organizations are making their decisions, their policies about talent and p
'This past week as I was collecting information for my monthly Principal''s Report I was happy to learn about how technology was being integrated into some Spanish classes. For example, students in Ms. Schwarz’s Spanish 1 class had to write a dialogue based on the following situation. “This is your first day of school and you are introducing yourself to a bunch of classmates.
Speaker: Andrew Cohen, Founder & CEO of Brainscape
The instructor’s PPT slides are brilliant. You’ve splurged on the expensive interactive courseware. Student engagement is stellar. So… why are half of your students still forgetting everything they learned in just a matter of weeks? It's likely a matter of cognitive science! With so much material to "teach" these days, we often forget to incorporate key proven principles into our curricula — namely active recall, metacognition, spaced repetition, and interleaving practice.
'I like infographics, the cool artistic designs that display statistics. I''ve blogged about them both here and on the EdReach Network. Friend and fellow blogger Daniel Rezac sent me a link to Ionz , a neat little tool that will build an infographic representing your life. Answer a few simple questions and Ionz will build an infographic like this: While it''s neat, the information collected isn''t all that useful or in depth.
'Whenever I do a workshop, training or talk I like to start out with a video. And I always try to find one to capture what I am going to be doing or saying. For example, in a recent talk about teacher leadership I showed this video to a group of administrators to get them thinking about how they lead and how teachers in their buildings might lead as well.
'The following is a legislative action alert I received today from Jennifer Bergland and TCEA Advocacy. It is reposted here with permission. HB 6 is the companion bill to SB 6 which I testified on before the Senate Education Committee last week. Even if you are reading this late in the day Tuesday, call your rep! I called last week on a different matter at 7:30 PM thinking I''d get voice mail, and I got a live person!
'Sensory Garden is one of those great resources you can return to for many thematic lessons, with countless opportunities to model and elicit a skill. This interactive website presents you with a garden scene that changes across all 4 seasons, with each season providing different activities. In the " Activities ," um, activity, students are tasked to find all the actions one can do in the garden.
Managing a K-12 campus with constant pressure to meet performance metrics is challenging. And tardiness can significantly limit a school from reaching these goals. Learn more about why chronic lateness matters, and key strategies to address the following impacts: Data errors caused by manual processes Low attendance and graduation rates that affect a school’s reputation Classroom disruption, which leads to poor academic performance High staff attrition and “The Teacher Exodus” Unmet LCAP goals t
'I’ve given this every year since 08 & every year I think of dropping it –But it’s always a hit & all cool new gadgets keep coming out that excite me! Teaching is NOT about the Gadgets – it’s about the kids & content…but gadgets are cool! And with the right gadget in the hands of an engaged student & inspired teacher – magic can happen!
'A slightly altered version of this post entitled " The Social Media Time Debate " can be found at the Huffington Post There has been a great deal of discussion lately as to the necessity of Administrators utilizing social media as a part of their professional practice. There was even a comment on the Facebook page that I manage for my high school stating that I spend too much time on Twitter.
'I have been doing a lot of research on online learning lately. I''ve read several reports on the state of online learning across the country and around the world. Most of what I have read I had heard anecdotally from other sources. One statistic, however, shocked me: Although online enrollments have increased by 40% in 2009-2010, two state virtual schools, North Carolina and Florida, account for 96% of the net growth meaning that the total enrollment increases and decreases in other state virtu
'Using Voicethread TO Promote Learning Engagement and Success For All Students tags: voicethread favorite Eleven More Incredible iPad Resources Waiting To Raise Your iPad App…titude! | 21 st Century Educational Technology and Learning tags: ipad favorite Dropbox Forms Is the Easiest Way to Let Anyone Send a File to Your Dropbox Account Dropbox Forms Is the Easiest Way to Let Anyone Send a File to Your Dropbox Account tags: dropbox favorite Mobile Learning Resources tags: mobile favorite Classroo
Speaker: Chris Paxton McMillin, President of D3 Training Solutions
There are plenty of great authoring tools for developing eLearning, but the one you select could directly impact your course's outcomes. Depending upon your learners’ needs and your organization’s performance goals, you could be overlooking considerations that impact the both effectiveness of your courses and how long it takes to finish them. From general capabilities to specific workflow structures, some aspects are critical when it comes to learning objectives and deadlines.
'This is why. Why I have been thinking and blogging about budgets and politics and legislation lately. Because the thousands of Juliannas and Matthews and Amandas and Seans in Texas schools deserve educations that are adequately funded to provide rigorous instruction in core courses, enrichment classes to broaden their experiences and tap into their talents, and support programs to fill in the gaps in areas where they struggle.
'I know I said I was going on vacation but, well, after this. A Twitter conversation last night and today centered on conference handouts, and the upcoming CASLPA 2011 Conference. I HATE printers as a rule and also dislike having to organize printed stuff. It is also quite expensive and not very Green (Earth Day is next Friday) to print everything that comes across your computer screen.
'Join special host Alison Saylor on Tuesday, April 27th, for a live and interactive FutureofEducation.com webinar with Pam Moran and Ira Socol on the shift from scientifically-managed to community-driven schools. This webinar is sponsored and coordinated by TIE Colorado. Date : Wednesday, April 27th, 2011 Time : 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern / 12am GMT (next day-- international times here ) Duration : 1 hour Location : In Elluminate.
'For almost 2 years, I have been using Chrome as my default browser. I enjoy its simplicity, its speed, and most of all the extensions that are available for it. Recently, Eric Sheninger posted “Chrome Extensions for Educators” on his blog, and he provides an excellent list of must have extensions that educators would find useful. He included my all time favorite in that list, The Diigo Extension.
This white paper examines and proposes revisions to the "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education" introduced by Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson in 1987 for today's technology-driven world.
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