Choose Your Path

As with all things in life, there are choices we need to make – and a path we need to travel. Well… there is no exception with that statement in the classroom as well!

Check out these two “paths” and see if one or both will work for you/your students!

Curriculum Pathways:

• 8^th -12^th Grades
• Free Curriculum aligned to NC Standard Course of Study
• To create an account, contact your Technology Facilitator for the school login (After which, you can then create your own account login/password)
• Curriculum Pathways covers English, History, Science, Mathematics, Spanish and other searchable keyword topics
• 21^st Century Skills are integrated into the content!

Lesson Pathways

• K – 5^th Grades
• Free Curriculum/Teaching Resources
• Lesson Pathways covers Science, History, Reading/Phonics, Math and Language Arts
• Create a free account online: http://www.lessonpathways.com/
• Browse the educational content: http://www.lessonpathways.com/Pathways/Featured
• Over 900 free lessons
• Includes links to videos, handouts/worksheets, online games, references, etc.
• Lesson Pathways was formerly offered by subscription only but is now 100% free

Writing Resources... Constantly Updated

Want access to an ongoing list of great resources and information that encourages writing in the classroom? Be sure to bookmark my wiki.... http://writingacrossthecurriculum.pbworks.com/ - I update it every time I run across a useful tool that could make writing appealing to the 21st century students in our classrooms! Know of resources I need to add? Post a comment/info here on my blog, or post a comment/info on the wiki. Happy writing (and reading)!

More Online Resources to Encourage Classroom Writing...

Simply put... it is my mission to offer up any online resources pertaining to classroom writing that I think are just great!

Create Media (Newspaper, Brochure, etc.) -
http://interactives.mped.org/view_interactive.aspx?id=110&title=

Create a Flip Book -
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/flipbook/

Writing Activities -
http://lesson-plans-materials.suite101.com/article.cfm/creative_writing_in_the_classroom

Writing Worksheets -
http://www.schoolexpress.com/fws/cat.php?id=2257

Lesson Plan Idea -
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/classroom-writing-owner-manual-862.html

Graphic Organizers -
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/graphic-organizers/printable/6293.html
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/
http://freeology.com/graphicorgs/
http://www.educationoasis.com/curriculum/graphic_organizers.htm

Journal Ideas -
http://thewritesource.com/writing_topics/
http://classroom-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/writing_in_a_journal
http://42explore.com/journl.htm

Higher Ed -
http://www.writingclassroom.com/

Overall… great writing website –
http://www.everybodywrites.org.uk/

NCTIES 2010: Eliminating Writer's Block

NCTIES is always a much anticipated conference each year by North Carolinians who share a common thread and interest in education and instructional technology. This year, that excitement and anticipation was proven with a 40% increase in participant attendance!

There were several sessions I attended… The first being my own! My session stemmed from my true passion for writing coupled with educational technology in the classroom. “Writing Across the Curriculum: Utilizing Web 2.0 Tools to Increase Writing Skills in the K-12 Classroom” was designed with a specific goal in mind….. To Get Students Excited About Writing!

It is my personal belief that ALL students have an active imagination, are creative and CAN express themselves. But, just as some folks shy away from Math or History, we also have those students who quickly shy away from self expression through writing. My hope in presenting this session was to offer teachers new inspirational tools that would allow students the opportunity to write without simply being given a pencil and paper and hearing “go for it”!

My session structure was based on specific curriculum ideas and examples from the NCSCOS. To eliminate writer's block, a structured plan for beginning/completing the writing process should be given to the students. Check out some of these resources, which like all 21^st century tools can be great and highly successful with customization and creativity geared towards your specific area…

Instant and Engaging Discussion:

http://etherpad.com/

http://www.scrumy.com/

http://www.quicktopic.com/

Brainstorming:

http://www.text2mindmap.com/

http://bubbl.us/

http://www.gliffy.com/

Forming Content:

http://www.storyjumper.com/

http://storybird.com/

http://writeonwsfcs.pbworks.com/

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/

Writing Prompts: (quite a few….) Did I mention, writing prompts make my heart go pitter patter!!! Great way to get creativity and the brain going for students!!!!

http://writingacrossthecurriculum.pbworks.com/Writing-Prompts

Image Journaling:

http://writingacrossthecurriculum.pbworks.com/Image-Journaling

http://writingacrossthecurriculum.pbworks.com/f/imagejournalquestions.pdf

Now… I did get a chance to visit some other sessions that were really great…. Check out the NCTIES wiki for resource posts from the various conference speakers. http://2010ncties.pbworks.com/ Want to go next year? Plans are already underway… stay tuned. Oh, and one other thing… I walked away from this year’s NCTIES conference with a brand new appreciation (all over again) for Twitter. Smile.

http://writingacrossthecurriculum.pbworks.com/ is a wiki created simply to house the links used within my NCTIES session discussion.

It Takes A Village (and then some!)

We’ve all heard the saying… “It takes a village to raise a child” but, what exactly does that mean? This proverb is believed to have derived from African culture years and years ago. It simply alludes to a big picture ideal that learning from more than one source (other than simply ourselves!) is needed and a huge benefit all the way around. As a mom, I have come to realize that in this technological age… I have a PLN for motherhood – hundreds of resources are available for parenting, as well as age-old advice from others. Now… “It takes a village” was normally used simply within the same sentences and contexts for raising kids, but today, a “village” is smack in the middle of this technological age – aka 21^st century collaboration.

For starters, Webster defines collaboration as working “jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor”. In working together, we inadvertently form villages or teams, or groups… However you want to call it, it is collective ideas, thoughts, perspectives and opinions pulled together for the purpose of learning and reaching a desired outcome or goal.

We know that collaboration is essential in the list of 21^st century skills to incorporate into today’s classroom. But, what about using the village approach when it comes to the teachers/staff as well! There are many types of learning environments and resources that allude to the overall village-type community.

Let’s take a look at some specifics and define each of them.

Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s or PLN’s)

Purpose/Description: To categorize/sort teachers/staff into “working groups” geared toward a particular area of commonality, interest or field/topic area. Sole purpose? Collaborative learning!

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs)

Purpose/Description: Online applications used specifically for teaching and learning environments. Collaboration abounds!

Social Networks (Educational and Professional)

Social Networks are online collaborative sites for folks to gather (virtually). Discussions and tasks are based upon similarities in professions, industries, goals, etc. One of the main/major purposes is for the sharing of relevant information.

A great example of a social network with purpose…

Classroom 2.0

Classroom 2.0 is a social networking site that offers a collaborative place for those interested in Education, Web 2.0 and Social Media. Great resource! (Powered by Ning)

What are our “villages” within WS/FCS?

Learning Village Curriculum Warehouse

WSFCS Moodle (See how it works!)

WSFCS DIT Collaborative Resource Wiki

Want to learn more about collaboration/villages? Check out these two blogs for additional perspectives…

http://www.21stcenturycollaborative.com/

http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/

Pick a village (or two, or three…) and join. Collaboration or team-work… or village, however you choose to identify it - it has many benefits towards growth.

Null & Void

Null – According to Merriam Webster, it means amounting to nothing or having no value.

Void – Merriam Webster says void refers to anything that is not inhabited, contains nothing or is without something specified.

How does THIS relate to technology you ask? Simple. If your use of technology in your classroom is not directly tied to curriculum… it should be considered null and void.

Instructional technology is one specific area of technology that is sometimes squeezed into a box. But, on the contrary, it far exceeds any limitations that can be placed upon it and the value it holds for our students and teachers alike. Actually sitting down to “plan” the implementation of technology into the daily curriculums in our schools is (and should be) goal-oriented, copious, and even a bit circumstantial. What is my mission in this industry… to bridge the gap between those who see technology as a “thing” and those who see it as a resource with educational benefits beyond our imaginations. How do we accomplish this? Easily. With a plan.

So… you’ve actively participated in a workshop, or two, or seven that we’ve offered within our visits to your school. But, what’s next?

Start small….

• Identify a (that is just one for starters) lesson that you really, really like teaching.
• Take some time to mull over how you assess what the students have learned at the very end of the assignment
• Now… from that assessment, slide some type of technology application or resource into the final project and envision what that assignment would be like if they “turned it in” differently – using technology
• You should still be able to assess their learning levels – but – you should also notice a difference in their project engagement, overall assignment creativity, and a different learning perspective encountered.

What exactly does turning in assignments “differently” refer to? Here is a classic example…

Say you have assigned a research paper. The students are expected to pair off into groups of two, to do the research, write and/or type the paper and then turn it in. If time allows, you might even have them stand in front of the class the day the assignment is due to give a verbal recap.

Here is the 21^st Century Skills scenario #1. The students are expected to do the research, type the contents of the paper into a PBWorks wiki, where they can also add copyrighted images and a video. Now, not only does the “paper” come to you… it is there for the feedback from their peers in the form of comments, as well. Indirectly speaking, you are teaching the basic goal/overall objective for the research paper, but you have also added in 21^st century skills with keyboarding, digital citizenship, digital etiquette and online collaboration since the students were working in paired groups. How do you determine who did the most work? Easily…. With a wiki, revision histories are captured allowing you to see every time a student logs in and specifically what their contribution was. Did the public speaking portion get lost? Not at all. The day the projects are due, you can still have the students address the class, but… now they have visuals and talking points to go along with it. Want parents involved? Give out the wiki address and let them marvel at their student’s writing skills and use of technology in the classroom.

Here is the 21^st Century Skills scenario #2. Assigned yet another research paper? No problem! This time, the students take their finished paper along with copyrighted images they found and upload them into Microsoft Photo Story. In addition to the photos that visually tell the story of the paper, the students record their voice to do a narrative (straight from the paper they’ve written). Adding music to the background and saving it as a Windows Media Player file makes it a finished digital product.

So, at the end of the day – your assignment was still a research paper – but I am quite sure the lasting impact and impression from the finished project will go much further than just two pages of research typed and printed.

Just as passionate as I am about the direct integration of technology into daily curriculums? Check out these sites for further perspective and examples.

Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?

Technology Integration Made Easy

Make sure your use of technology in the class is for a specific purpose – and far from being null and void. If your choice of classroom technology is tied specifically to a SCOS goal and objective… you are on your way to technological success within your daily instruction! Need a beginning point? Find unit/lesson plans in our Learning Village Curriculum Warehouse.

5 Ways to Step Back in Time

History Buff? History Teacher? Regardless, there are various opportunities online for our students to step back in time. Check out some of these websites to bring history alive within your classroom.

History Mystery

This site offers games and activities on exploration, African-American History, Environmental History, Government & Politics, Social/Cultural History, etc.

Grade Level: 4-9

Archiving Early America

Short video clips at your fingertips! Each short video on this site offers a highlight of true, significant historical events based on the Early American Digital Library.

Grade Level: 3-8

National Geographic Expeditions

This site is described as being an interactive museum with geographical journeys including a telescopic view from space – there is even an archeological dig.

Grade Level: 5-8

Digital History

In addition to lesson plans/handouts… you can also find historical music, videos, games, interactive timelines and a digital textbook.

Grade Level: 3-12

Growth of a Nation

Only have a few minutes? This site offers a unique, narrated 10 minute presentation on the growth of our nation.

Grade Level: 3+

Comfort Zone?

So – at first this may seem unrelated to technology – but… give me a second…

How many times have we reached our comfort zone?

At some point in life, we all reach a zone of comfort where we feel like we have the bull by the horns. The tall, tall ceiling is our limit – and we reached it. We are on top of our game – masters of our roadmap. Simply put, we think we are just plain good. Hmmmm… does any of this sound familiar? This could be you in sports, a hobby, or even your job. But, I want to challenge you and that type of thinking.

Change can show up every day - is everywhere - and can effect everything.

How does this relate to technology? Let’s hit rewind. Technology is always changing – it will never be something we hit a ceiling on – glass or otherwise. That proverbial bull will, somehow, wiggle free, and sometimes mightily. The directions on the roadmap will need to be updated with added curves and additional turns – sometimes while we are still going full speed ahead.

In essence, what am I trying to say here? Keep your eyes and mind open – be willing to go with the flow. Technology is ever-changing – for improvements, innovation, enlightenment and the engagement of your students... Accept the challenge. Be in it for the long-haul. It is worth it. The use of technology in education is worth it.

Can We Skype You?

Recently, one of the schools within our district had a memorable experience.... they were able to talk one-on-one with a local TV celebrity. How did it happen? Did the students visit the TV station? Nope. Did the TV personality come to the school? Well... not exactly. Technology brought the two together using a computer, a web cam, a projector and Skype.

Skype is definitely not new to the tech scene. But, the experience it brings is always a new feeling, especially when you are a student sitting face-to-face with someone you wouldn't normally have a direct conversation with. So, what did the students ask Leigh Brock, a local meteorologist from WFMY? The normal questions we all have about the weather, our climate, and of course... the famous green screen!

The hosting school has a major goal for all of their teachers this year... make at least one global connection by the end of the year. Awesome task - and great for the students. Tons of benefits... exposure, change of pace, and learning right within the 21st Century Skills initiative. The school has defined the word "global" as simply any connection made outside of the normal classroom walls. Hmmmm.... classrooms without walls - that is what Skype can easily provide.

Where do you even find connections to Skype with? Couple of ways... there are various published lists of ideas you can find just by searching the web. Check out some of these resources.

Skype Virtual Guest Speakers
Skype in Schools Directory
Skype an Author
Cool Cat Teacher: Tips to Skype
See Me, Hear Me

Or... you can try the old-fashioned way... Call or email the person and simply invite them to Skype!

If you want to know more about the featured skyper from last week's class... Leigh Brock or WFMY - check them out online. BTW, Thanks Leigh!! We really appreciate you taking the time to help our students experience a prime example of what 21st Century Skills/Learning looks like!

Reading this blog and you want to get in on the Skype experience? Post a message here and you will be well on your way to communication on a whole new level...

Books at the Mall (National Mall, that is...)

This past weekend, I had the privilege of going, once again, to the National Book Festival in Washington, DC. What did I see? TONS of people and TONS of books! There were several well-known authors on site… Nicholas Sparks, Judy Blume, John Grisham, Walter Mosley, Ken Burns, Steven Kellogg, James Patterson, and Paula Deen – just to name a few.

In addition to the authors, there were countless big name sponsors to promote literacy in education. Although most sponsors were impressive in their literacy messages… The Digital BookMobile caught my eye!

Powered by OverDrive, The Digital BookMobile is quite similar to the bookmobile I remember as a child. It was quite cool to see the bookmobile pull up outside the school with “special” books the library did not have. The bookmobile can still drive up to your school… but, technology now replaces the standard book shelves and displays. According to their website, “the vehicle is equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high-definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players. Interactive computer stations give visitors an opportunity to search the digital media collection, use supported mobile devices, and sample eBooks, audio books, music, and video from the library.”

Now… if the bookmobile is not scheduled to stop at your school or in your county, what do you do? Simple. You visit the Forsyth County Library website to still gain access to those same eBooks, music and videos! Step by step guidelines and instructions are on the site to give you the ins and outs for getting started.

Take the tour to begin using ebooks in your classroom!

Train, Work, & Learn

"You've got to train for it and work for it and learn for it." This was what I consider an impressive charge from President Obama Tuesday in his message to America's students. Interesting thing about those words? That not only applies to our 21st century students of today - it applies to us as educators, as well.

Train for it... well, pretty obvious what he means... But, as educators, we have to put the time in to understand that our efforts on a daily basis make us better at what we actually do. Remember the coined phrase "on-the-job-training"? Hopefully, each day, we (on purpose!) get a bit better at what we do. Put into practice what you do know!

Work for it... You have to put your time in, as the old saying goes. Go the extra mile. Step outside the box. Don't expect something different if you're doing the same things to get there... The cliches applicable here are endless, but in reality, there is work involved in moving our classrooms into the here and now. No classroom will become a successful product of 21st century integration overnight. It takes time. The success will come and the results will be evident in your overall student engagement and learning. Day by day, week by week, semester by semester.

Learn for it... That is where technology staff development workshops and courses come into play. Participating in the workshops and online courses we offer gives a good foundation to get things rolling in your classroom. Hopefully, you will leave each workshop inspired to try something different in your classroom with your newly acquired 21st century skills. Learning is who we are as educators - so it should be happening all the time, right?

Want to watch the President's speech or read the script for yourself? Check them both out here...

• Video
• Script

Need a refresher on his views of American education? Here is a recap.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Today's blog post is inspired by a book I am currently reading... Laurie Richlin's "Blueprint for Learning". What caught my eye, instantly, was a simple, yet very thought-provoking sentence. "Every action we take as instructors is based on our expectation that our students will be able to change something that they know, feel, or can do." Wow!

As an instructor of teachers (and a former instructor of students) I can say that it is indeed true that our actions do speak louder than words. What are we saying to our students based on what we do and how we teach? We use all the 21st Century Learning buzzwords like engage, create, collaborate, design, etc. etc. But, what are we literally "doing" in our classrooms that physically show the meanings of those words and what it actually looks like to incorporate 21st century skills into the class... daily.

This post should cause some reflection... which then hopefully leads to inspiration... which should then lead to action. The ball is in your court. Let your actions show you are on board with technology not because you know the buzzwords, but because you believe it can truly change something a student knows, feels, or can do.