A new community of educators is gaining momentum....
Working Toward the 12th Dimension of the CASS Framework for School System Success
In fall 2010 CASS initiated the Network of 21st Century School systems to build leadership capacity by combining research and practical wisdom in four areas: • a forward looking, shared vision of 21st century learning and teaching, • transforming school and system leadership • IT governance • school systems as knowledge building organization". Check it out: http://cass.rockyview.ab.ca/
Friday, December 10, 2010
Is it also true for Canadian Intellectuals?
Just read an interesting article [forwarded by a colleague]: The Crisis of the American Intellectual. I couldn't help but wonder, is this true for Canadian intellectuals, as well? As a "cautionary tale" thought experiment, I reworded one paragraph that stuck out by inserting bold words:
... But the biggest roadblock to change today is that so many of Canada’s best-educated, best-placed educators are too invested in old social models and old visions of schooling to do their real job and help society and the education system transition to the next level. Instead of the opportunities that inquiry and technology bring to the classroom, too often, they see threats; instead of hope, too often they see danger; instead of the possibility of progress they see the unraveling of everything beautiful and true....
What do you think? Is there any truth to this thought experiment?
... But the biggest roadblock to change today is that so many of Canada’s best-educated, best-placed educators are too invested in old social models and old visions of schooling to do their real job and help society and the education system transition to the next level. Instead of the opportunities that inquiry and technology bring to the classroom, too often, they see threats; instead of hope, too often they see danger; instead of the possibility of progress they see the unraveling of everything beautiful and true....
What do you think? Is there any truth to this thought experiment?
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Five minutes to Twitter
I had a few minutes to spare today... thought a meeting started at 9:30, and it is actually scheduled for after lunch... Anyways, I figured it would be neat to start a twitter account... something I have been meaning to do for a few years now...
My first tweet: This holiday weekend I am looking forward to four hockey games, three shopping trips, two big sleeps and a very large bottle of red wine!
And my first re-tweet: Dave Hancock - Minister Hancock responds to Alberta Views article "More Choice, Less Education" shar.es/XqfPp
I am now following 24 other tweeters and have a follower!
Fun to come!
My first tweet: This holiday weekend I am looking forward to four hockey games, three shopping trips, two big sleeps and a very large bottle of red wine!
And my first re-tweet: Dave Hancock - Minister Hancock responds to Alberta Views article "More Choice, Less Education" shar.es/XqfPp
I am now following 24 other tweeters and have a follower!
Fun to come!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Jacobsen: Engaging Ideas in Education - Dec 7th
Engaging Teaching in a Participatory Digital World
Abstract: A participatory digital world calls for changed mindsets about schooling, knowledge, teaching, learning, and assessment. Information delivery approaches to schooling must give way to active, engaged, and collaborative teaching and learning relationships made possible by social networks and a changed media and technology landscapes. Already comfortable with broadcast and interactive technologies, teachers need support to embrace online and blended participatory learning designs for students who build knowledge in the 21st century. Simply training teachers how to use current technologies will not shift how they work with disciplinary knowledge, how they design for learning and assessment, and how they embrace technology for idea improvement. Instead, teachers require continuous professional support as they learn to design rich, authentic learning tasks and cultivate a knowledge building culture with their students.
Post-talk Conversation and Reflection
Thank you for attending my talk, and for asking such great questions! I hope that you will comment on my blog! Just click on comment, and follow the steps.
The complex challenges that arise when technology comes to school require that all members in the educational system to establish a shared vision (Alberta Education's Inspired Education is a great start! - Thanks, Dave Minister Hancock; The Institutional Learning and Teaching Plan, UCalgary - Thanks, Dennis Sumara!), to work together and think creatively to find solutions and appropriate actions, and then to pull in the same direction to achieve widespread changes.
Here are the videos I referenced during my talk - enjoy the full-length versions:
Seymour Papert Interview - One Laptop per Child (OLPC)
Innovator: Powerful Ideas, Children and Computers
Students Take on Modern Technology
Digital technology affects opportunities for learning
Sunny View School in Toronto
Choice and Voice for Every Child
I Wish... By Crosbie Heights
Hands on Vs. Hands U
Ridgeway Crystal Beach High School
What kids love to do with technology
Helpful Horse: Wild and Free
Inquiry Exemplars: Galileo Network
Check out these AMAZING Galileo Network Inquiry Exemplars:
SMART Table - Touch. Learn. Together.
Touch interactivity
Cisco TelePresence... Just for Fun!
Kids being kids
The Internet of Things
An interconnected system of systems
Arthur C Clarke predicting the future in 1964
Nobody has a crystal ball
Idea new ad on 'Education for all'
Mobile and Participatory Learning Opportunities - I showed this one to my own children, who shared my wonder and dismay that all children in the world do not get to go to school.
Abstract: A participatory digital world calls for changed mindsets about schooling, knowledge, teaching, learning, and assessment. Information delivery approaches to schooling must give way to active, engaged, and collaborative teaching and learning relationships made possible by social networks and a changed media and technology landscapes. Already comfortable with broadcast and interactive technologies, teachers need support to embrace online and blended participatory learning designs for students who build knowledge in the 21st century. Simply training teachers how to use current technologies will not shift how they work with disciplinary knowledge, how they design for learning and assessment, and how they embrace technology for idea improvement. Instead, teachers require continuous professional support as they learn to design rich, authentic learning tasks and cultivate a knowledge building culture with their students.
Post-talk Conversation and Reflection
Thank you for attending my talk, and for asking such great questions! I hope that you will comment on my blog! Just click on comment, and follow the steps.
The complex challenges that arise when technology comes to school require that all members in the educational system to establish a shared vision (Alberta Education's Inspired Education is a great start! - Thanks, Dave Minister Hancock; The Institutional Learning and Teaching Plan, UCalgary - Thanks, Dennis Sumara!), to work together and think creatively to find solutions and appropriate actions, and then to pull in the same direction to achieve widespread changes.
Here are the videos I referenced during my talk - enjoy the full-length versions:
Seymour Papert Interview - One Laptop per Child (OLPC)
Innovator: Powerful Ideas, Children and Computers
Students Take on Modern Technology
Digital technology affects opportunities for learning
Sunny View School in Toronto
Choice and Voice for Every Child
I Wish... By Crosbie Heights
Hands on Vs. Hands U
Ridgeway Crystal Beach High School
What kids love to do with technology
Helpful Horse: Wild and Free
Inquiry Exemplars: Galileo Network
Check out these AMAZING Galileo Network Inquiry Exemplars:
- Heritage Homes of Okotoks: Past, Present and Future - Grade 2/3
- Artistry of the Land, Ancient Stories and Art of Our First Nations People - Grades 2/3
- GOVERNOR GENERALS AWARD: What Stories Do We Have To Tell? - Grade 1/2
- History of Cowboy Culture - Grades 3, 6, 8
- GOVERNOR GENERALS' AWARD: Millarville Archaeology - Grade 4, 5
- GOVERNOR GENERALS' AWARD: Understanding Our Heritage Guides the Future - Grades 2/3
- GOVERNOR GENERALS' AWARD: Virtual Museum - Grade 7
SMART Table - Touch. Learn. Together.
Touch interactivity
Cisco TelePresence... Just for Fun!
Kids being kids
The Internet of Things
An interconnected system of systems
Arthur C Clarke predicting the future in 1964
Nobody has a crystal ball
Idea new ad on 'Education for all'
Mobile and Participatory Learning Opportunities - I showed this one to my own children, who shared my wonder and dismay that all children in the world do not get to go to school.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Ooops - where did November go? And, the addiction to family.
I am booking appointments into January 2011 right now, and it is not even December. So, I figured I had better blog at least once or I will miss this entire month!! I do not remember September, it is just a blur. October was crazy, with a conference in Newfoundland and another in Ontario, teaching a graduate course (excellent students, btw), keeping up with two research projects (and a new one that got funded), doing analysis and writing for a self-study of our graduate programs, editing the special issue of a journal, writing a proposal for a grant, EDSA, GPEC, DAC and FEC meetings, doing a few media interviews, talking with prospective students on the phone, moving from one office to another, and updating several websites.
But this month of November, which begins with All Hallows Day and ends with Mark Twain's and Winston Churchill's birthdays, has to be the busiest I have experienced as a faculty member in the last 10 years... No, Really!! I have the marked up, over-crowded postit-note plastered, dog-eared daytimer to prove it... BUT, SShhhh!! So far, I have successfully fended off attempts by my handlers to put my calendar online and accessible to others for booking meetings.... Anyways. To one of the points of this post. The other day, I got a note from my dean congratulating me and my team on a job well done. It is hard to describe how awesome it was to get this feedback and recognition; a simple little note, a moment of recognition for a job well done, and in spite of carrying two industrial sized bags around under my eyes from cramming my marking into the wee hours of the morning, I actually felt much lighter, even more positive about my job, and that much more happy to come to work.
Speaking of how one can be busy AND happy at work, I also try to maintain a healthy and balanced home life with dear husband and two children. Not. Always. Easy. Nor. Is. It. Nirvana. So, I actually paid attention to this National Post article when it crossed my virtual desk this week: The Greatest Addiction of All. I can certainly relate to the opening narrative in which a little child cuddles on a parent's lap, the cares of the day fall away, and all seems well in the world. Most mornings and evenings, and several times a day and at night on weekends, I, too, get numerous cuddles and kisses from two manic, wriggling, over-heated, often piercingly loud, sometimes smelly little bundles of unrestrained joy... Yup. There is the fantasy of parental bliss, and there is the reality.
Parenting is just as challenging, if not more demanding, than being a full time professor. In future posts, I might just detail some of the more humorous incidents and events that characterize my parenting journey. Suffice it to say, I often feel like a border collie - screaming banshee - Nanny McPhee - cross as I shepherd my two offspring through school, music lessons, sports activities and family and household chores and routines, take a deep breath before you smack one of them.... All of which foreshadows the next part of the article that resonated with me: "Research may depict parenthood as a bile-inducing, rage-fueling, stress-producing ordeal, but parents tell us that becoming parents is the best thing they ever did". Truly, while they are a work in progress, my two offspring are my greatest creations. Cute, smart, funny, exasperating, argumentative, entertaining, gifted, demanding, irritating....
My sister sent me this earlier this month, and I finally got around to reading it: Men are from mars, kids are from Pluto. Very funny and liberating -- so what if your child wants to wear a Halloween costume to kindergarten? Every... day... for... a... month... Must be normal on Pluto....
I realize I am blathering a bit. But, I do have a point. How to reconcile the tiny little cherished moments of bliss with the daily grind of full-time work and full-time parenting? Though the connection may seem awkward, it makes total sense to me: it appears that the tiny little moments in parents' lives, those cuddles and kisses, the lap time, AND those sporadic, congratulatory notes from the boss, are like narcotics to addicts. Yes, it is the hope for reward, not the reward itself, that often drives us; and it is the tiny little moments of bliss that sustain us through the hard work it takes to do anything well.
But this month of November, which begins with All Hallows Day and ends with Mark Twain's and Winston Churchill's birthdays, has to be the busiest I have experienced as a faculty member in the last 10 years... No, Really!! I have the marked up, over-crowded postit-note plastered, dog-eared daytimer to prove it... BUT, SShhhh!! So far, I have successfully fended off attempts by my handlers to put my calendar online and accessible to others for booking meetings.... Anyways. To one of the points of this post. The other day, I got a note from my dean congratulating me and my team on a job well done. It is hard to describe how awesome it was to get this feedback and recognition; a simple little note, a moment of recognition for a job well done, and in spite of carrying two industrial sized bags around under my eyes from cramming my marking into the wee hours of the morning, I actually felt much lighter, even more positive about my job, and that much more happy to come to work.
Speaking of how one can be busy AND happy at work, I also try to maintain a healthy and balanced home life with dear husband and two children. Not. Always. Easy. Nor. Is. It. Nirvana. So, I actually paid attention to this National Post article when it crossed my virtual desk this week: The Greatest Addiction of All. I can certainly relate to the opening narrative in which a little child cuddles on a parent's lap, the cares of the day fall away, and all seems well in the world. Most mornings and evenings, and several times a day and at night on weekends, I, too, get numerous cuddles and kisses from two manic, wriggling, over-heated, often piercingly loud, sometimes smelly little bundles of unrestrained joy... Yup. There is the fantasy of parental bliss, and there is the reality.
Parenting is just as challenging, if not more demanding, than being a full time professor. In future posts, I might just detail some of the more humorous incidents and events that characterize my parenting journey. Suffice it to say, I often feel like a border collie - screaming banshee - Nanny McPhee - cross as I shepherd my two offspring through school, music lessons, sports activities and family and household chores and routines, take a deep breath before you smack one of them.... All of which foreshadows the next part of the article that resonated with me: "Research may depict parenthood as a bile-inducing, rage-fueling, stress-producing ordeal, but parents tell us that becoming parents is the best thing they ever did". Truly, while they are a work in progress, my two offspring are my greatest creations. Cute, smart, funny, exasperating, argumentative, entertaining, gifted, demanding, irritating....
My sister sent me this earlier this month, and I finally got around to reading it: Men are from mars, kids are from Pluto. Very funny and liberating -- so what if your child wants to wear a Halloween costume to kindergarten? Every... day... for... a... month... Must be normal on Pluto....
I realize I am blathering a bit. But, I do have a point. How to reconcile the tiny little cherished moments of bliss with the daily grind of full-time work and full-time parenting? Though the connection may seem awkward, it makes total sense to me: it appears that the tiny little moments in parents' lives, those cuddles and kisses, the lap time, AND those sporadic, congratulatory notes from the boss, are like narcotics to addicts. Yes, it is the hope for reward, not the reward itself, that often drives us; and it is the tiny little moments of bliss that sustain us through the hard work it takes to do anything well.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
MUN's Murphy Mashup: Learning in a Smarter World
I am attending the EDGE 2010 Conference in St. John's Newfoundland today, and felt the urge to blog about an excellent keynote by Dr. Elizabeth Murphy (and not just because I enjoyed Mark, Mary, Dale and Michael's panel on blogging!).
Dr. Elizabeth Murphy's keynote presentation, entitled "Learning in a Smarter World: Imagining the Future", was delightfully different (at least to me). Dr. Murphy provided a brief introduction and concluding remarks that framed an engaging media mashup that she thoughtfully prepared ahead of time. Dr. Murphy's call to action focused on using our imagination and innovative technological resources to design smarter learning and learners. Key messages include:
I encourage you to experience a version of Dr. Murphy's presentation as preserved using delicious bookmarks and comments: Elizabeth Murphy's Edge 2010 keynote, Learning in a smarter world: Imaging the future
Dr. Elizabeth Murphy's keynote presentation, entitled "Learning in a Smarter World: Imagining the Future", was delightfully different (at least to me). Dr. Murphy provided a brief introduction and concluding remarks that framed an engaging media mashup that she thoughtfully prepared ahead of time. Dr. Murphy's call to action focused on using our imagination and innovative technological resources to design smarter learning and learners. Key messages include:
- Imagine a world in which every child is capable of critical and rational thinking. Imagine a world in which every child has access to all knowledge.
- Imagine every child regardless of gender, geography religion, race or income with open access to all knowledge and to sophisticated learning tools.
- Imagine more intelligent computers that help all students learn more effectively and efficiently. Imagine high quality learning activities and materials in the hands of every child.
- Imagine children learning through play. Imagine children engaged and enthralled by every learning experience.
- Imagine learning experiences designed for the whole child. Imagine a system of learning that responds to children's individual needs.
I encourage you to experience a version of Dr. Murphy's presentation as preserved using delicious bookmarks and comments: Elizabeth Murphy's Edge 2010 keynote, Learning in a smarter world: Imaging the future
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Divon's news: Tech-savvy teens take skill to the classroom
Read a recent news article about teens learning with technology. I really enjoyed talking to Jordana from Metro News about Sharon Friesen and my research on engaged teaching and technology enabled learning. Jordana quoted accurately and in an appropriate context:
- “We found they were a lot more creative in the types of projects teachers did with students, and they pursued more long term projects because the kids could take the technology with them at night to work on projects at home,” said Jacobsen.
- ... in spite of all the new advances in classroom technology, Jacobsen stresses the importance of having teachers on board. “All the technology in the world is not going to change things in classrooms if the teachers aren’t designing rich learning experiences for the students. So engaged teaching matters more than ever.”
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