I think the phrase I'm looking for is intentional serendipity. I think it's Peter Skillen's term but there may be others using a similar concept.  In a world where play and wonder should really be considered essential dispositions, our education rarely values learning that isn't somehow tied to a chosen standard or outcome. Unlike a classroom...

I've had a few people ask me about this so I thought I'd share something I've been doing recently. Having done my share of workshops, I recognize it's challenging to spend a half day or full day with strangers and provide a meaningful learning experience. Most workshops I've attended usually consist of someone giving some type of initial...

Unless you've spend the last several years on another planet, you've been hearing about how the awful lectures are for learning. Often associated with these phrases, "sit and git", "stand and deliver", "teacher directed"  or "sage on the stage" for many, the word lecture has become synonymous with the worst...

Here’s a quick summary of some of the  sessions I attended at ISTE 2011. Skip the details and read the punchline at the end if you prefer. Saturday, June 25 Educational Reform Led by Jon Becker and joined by 10-12 others. This session considered what we mean by “reform” and considered various challenges and barriers. Key takeaway: Size of...

I had the privilege of presenting to 150 high school teachers in Elk island Public Schools on Friday. Keeping participants active with limited technology and  moving beyond table discussions to experience some of the themes I wanted to explore was a good challenge for me. Fortunately, I was able to work fairly closely with a great leadership team from the...

Next month I'm doing a session for our local teachers SESSION OVERVIEW: “How to Find a Needle in the Haystack…make your job easier by finding quality content and resources online”   This session will explore various techniques, tools and concepts that will begin to address the “information overload” that comes from the access...