Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech

Quick podcast ala Bud the Teacher, 12 minutes long on some reflections of things I’m working on.

Show notes: 

• Project Based Learning
• Cellphone Video Post
• Dale Basler twit
• Wes Fryer
• Jeff Utecht
• Vicki Davis
• Clay Burell
• Maria Knee
• Kathy Cassidy
• Erin Remple
• Lisa Parisi
• Alec Couros’ class
• Showcase 2008
• Tlt Learning Summit
  

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 Podcast 36...Project Based Learning and other stuff: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

As promised, here’s a quick inside look at one school’s efforts to use cellphones as learning tools. This video doesn’t really do justice to the actually learning that is taken place. The cellphone is enabling students to easily incorporate a variety of communication skills and allows them to share content easily. This is still in its early stages but does capture the concept that learning tools are right in our students’ hands.

Technorati Tags: cellphones, prairiesouth, craik

I had the great privilege of being invited to spend some time in a learning experiment in one of the local schools that I work with. The principal, let’s call him Gord (that’s actually his real name) emailed me about some interesting idea he and his grade 8/9 teacher had.  The class was studying the novel The Wave. The book is about an experiment itself so it seemed perfect to their teacher, Carla to try out an experiment of their own.

So I popped in for a visit and here’s what I found:

• Engagement. As Carla and Gord pointed out, the cellphone novelty will soon pass, the engagement was with the ideas and sharing. Students were not really dazzled by their phones, they simply used them to share ideas, pictures, sounds and videos. The real engagement was with each other and the story. The cellphones were almost seamless.

• Responsibility.  Clearly posted on the wall were a set of guidelines developed by the students and their teacher on how to use this tool wisely. Discussions of etiquette, manners, privacy and safety led them to their common understandings. While we know that kids will mess up, placing them in a position to determine the rules and understand their responsibility will go a long way. It’s called ownership.

• Innovation and Problem Solving. Students discovered their phones were also organizers, voice recorders, and multimedia creators. They discovered bluetooth was a great way to share files, they created concise summaries of their group discussions using voice memos or videos.

• Teacher as a Learner. Carla says she still can’t “T9” like her students, but she’s learning. She wants to understand for herself, how this can be used in learning. She texts her students in the morning to remind them of homework and they actually respond. That in itself is one positive outcome already.

• Reflective Practice. My discussion with Carla and Gord clearly indicate they aren’t sure of the role of these devices in learning but certainly can’t dismiss them as many have. Interestingly enough, the school has signs posted everywhere stating cellphones, mp3’s have to be in lockers at all times. Gord laughs as he realizes he’s circumventing his own rules!  He also realizes that this presents a challenge for his entire staff as they consider what this might mean. He doesn’t know yet but believes in the process of watching kids learn and determine what is best for them.

Not every student has a cellphone by the way. About two thirds have one so it’s not about every kid having it but about using the tools they come to school with. Those that don’t are using other tools like mp3’s and the web and Carla and Gord are looking at ways to support that as well. But these issues aren’t going to stop them from looking at this from a pedagogical perspective. They also get that today it’s a cell phone and tomorrow it’s something else. The question they seek is, “Can this powerful device help students learn?” So far so good.  PS. Video to come soon.

Technorati Tags: cellphones, prairiesouth, mobilelearning, thewave

Trying out Liz Kolb’s recommendation on using Gabcast with cell phones. Liz’ presentation was filled with a number of good ideas for implementation.  Wes is the epitome of an early adopter as he already posted a number of conference reflections using gabcast.

[tags]cellphones,gabcast,k12online07,wesfryer,lizkolb[/tags]

 

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Not sure if the prompting of Christian Long (sorry I can’t find the exact link) precipated this interview but regardless, it’s great to see a non-educator like Robert Scoble get close and personal with a personality like Eliot Soloway. The two sit down and talk about the future of education, the power of mobile computer, women in technology and access. Soloway does a nice job of expressing in a very positive way why things are changing and his vision for schools in the next five years. He’s a realist and provides some nice insights.

[tags]robertscoble,eliotsoloway,cellphones,christianlong[/tags]

Last week, the CBC asked for viewer feedback on the recent ban of Toronto school boards on cellphones. I weighed with this comment:

I’m not surprised by these comments. Most parents and educators are stuck in an old model of education where the teacher is in full control of the learning and disruption is a bad thing.

Cellphones have the potential of computers. Good and bad. Good teachers understand how to use technology for learning. The cellphone is already being used in powerful learning ways. I understand most readers think of them as disruptive and in no way educational. A desktop computer is no different.

In addition to the potential for learning, the recent events in Virginia will likely prompt increased use.

To those that talk about potential of cheating….I would hope that good teachers are not spending most of their time having kids answer questions that require rote answers. Learning needs to go deeper than that.

Why are we asking kids to learn the provincial capitals when Google gives you that answer in less than 1 second? I’m not saying knowledge isn’t important but the emphasis on assessing and evaluating students shouldn’t be here. It should be on a higher order thinking and performance that cannot be shared by a simple text message.

My ideal world has each student with a laptop, cellphone, ipod and whatever they need.

How ’bout you go to work tomorrow without these tools?

If you read the majority of the 52 comments you’ll see parents, teachers and students opinions clearly support the ban. In fact, I can’t find one advocating the use of cellphones in the classroom. I was a bit shocked by this and marveled at how the conversation could only speak of the use of cellphones under the traditional educational environment.  The possibility of a reformed educational system is a best just talk and at worst not even in the radar.  As my own school division contemplates budget cuts, I worry about the efforts to maintain status quo as being something to strive for. Yikes!

The possibility that student would voluntarily bring to class a computing device, be it a cellphone, laptop, ipod or handheld that could be leveraged for learning is just not being seen largely because it really involves a shift of power and control. We’re not close to being ready for that.  I know you already knew that, but I was just brought back to reality again.

[tags]cellphones, ban, Toronto, CBC, shareski[/tags]

Thanks to this tip from Jeff and my blog now looks pretty good on a handheld. An easy Wordpress plugin.