Right now, Lumens Integration, Inc. – the creator of the 3D Ladibug – is hosting a video contest for educators.  This contest gives educators the chance to showcase their best practices and innovative ideas with document cameras in four categories…. and possibly win some great prizes:

Those who would like to compete in the contest need to complete a 1-5 minute video featuring a Ladibug document camera by May 1, 2013.  What’s interesting is that on the contest website they offer to loan a doc cam to any educator for 30 days, so that all teachers have a chance to compete.  Even though it has to eventually be returned, it’s a great opportunity for teachers without a digital camera, video camera or doc cam to use a powerful tool for demonstrations and media creation with their students for that month, too.

I know that, as educators, you are already putting so many hours into planning impactful learning experiences that will make a difference with your students.  So, if you are interested in 3D or document cameras, this looks like a great way to get some recognition for all of that hard work… and bring cutting edge technology into your classrooms in the process!

In particular, collaborative use of the Google Spreadsheet has great potential for creating impactful and thought-provoking learning experiences with our students.  These types of activities go a long way to meet the requirements set by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S).  Through collaborative work and discussion, students work on several of the standards and goals pertaining to problem solving, speaking and listening, presenting ideas, recognizing patterns and developing communication skills.  Plus, they develop creative and critical thinking through technology by using “models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues” (NETS 1c), “identify trends and forecast possibilities” (1d), “identify authentic problems for investigation” (4a), and to “collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions” (4c).

Here’s an example of how this can work:

- The teacher creates a Google Spreadsheet, formats and labels a table/chart, and shares it to the students in the class.  (As students become more comfortable with this tool, having them decide how to organize their information or data themselves can be a great part of the thinking/learning process!)

- The students research and collect data on a topic independently or in small groups and enter it into the spreadsheet.  For example, in PE, students could record the rate at which they can perform jumping jacks in order to set a goal for an upcoming fundraiser.  In science, the students might record weather data over time, comparing and observing weather patterns.  In social studies, students might collect population data, the cost of various goods, or information about elections.  In math, students can survey students about their favorite video games and tally results.  The possibilities are endless… and can easily be used in all grade levels and curriculum areas!

- Next, students use the spreadsheet tools to work with the data.  In the Google Spreadsheet, students can create graphs to model and compare the shared data, use formulas to find averages, and make predictions based on patterns recognized in the collected data.  Students can even sort and categorize lists and information as well.  As the teacher, you can monitor the students’ progress in real time by viewing the document and use your observations as formative assessment.  This catalyzes an opportunity to provide just-in-time support for struggling learners and enrichment for those achieving mastery.

- Finally… well, there is no final instruction. Why?  The collection and modeling of data is a great jumping off point for further learning, research and inquiry on any topic!  Use this collaborative knowledge base in your students’ spreadsheet to prompt class discussions, presentations, group work or even digital media creation.  In my third grade classes, students used the data they collected to inform persuasive data-driven writing and animated commercials like the one featured on this page.  In fact, cross-curricular integration possibilities abound when working with visual representations of data and information.

Best of all?  The kids love it!  The interaction between students, the camaraderie of building a knowledge base together (even in younger grades!), promotes a desire to learn and a love of the inquiry process.  It’s time to bring some excitement to the use of data in the classroom… and Google Spreadsheets are a great way to do it!

According to David Jonassen (2006), Mindtools allow students to create models of their cognitive connections. In Meaningful Learning with Technology, Jonassen and others elaborate on the Mindtool concept, stating, “When using computers as Mindtools to model phenomena, students are teaching the computer, rather than the computer teaching the student… learning with Mindtools requires learners to think harder about the subject-matter” (p. 193).  As a Mindtool, concept maps specifically provoke, and then aid in modeling, the cognitive connections that students are making.  Used effectively, concept maps provide an adaptive framework for students to use to identify and model connections and relationships between knowledge and ideas.

Jeff Hawkins

In the interesting TED Talk, How Brain Science Will Change Computing, Jeff Hawkins (starting around minute 10) talks about intelligence as the ability to recognize patterns and connections, then using that recognition to make predictions about novel situations.  In my experience, I have seen that concept maps help develop such intelligence by giving our students frameworks for developing and organizing their thought patterns.

Want an easy way to give this a try?  Bubbl.us allows students to have a free account where they can create and save up to 3 concept maps at any given time.  The application is incredibly easy and intuitive to use.

Plus, it gets better! Bubbl allows students to work collaboratively on the same concept map (sheet).  Students can “share” their concept maps with the other students to cooperatively work on brainstorming and research activities, provoking the type of reflective and deliberative thinking perfect for meeting Common Core standards!

Here are a few ideas for getting started!

• Collect research with source links on a social studies topic.
• Brainstorm ideas for writing a narrative story.
• Analyze a text and organize observations.
• Model the relationships between key concepts/vocabulary in a science unit.
• Identify the cause and effect relationships of various variables on a public policy.
• Compare and contrast the styles of a set of artists or authors.

And if you are a current Bubbl user or you decide to give it a try, I would love for you to share your ideas, success stories, or an example in the comments below! Happy mapping!

Howland, J., Jonassen, D.H. & Marra, R.M. (2011). Meaningful learning with technology (4th Ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice-Hall.
Jonassen, D. H. (2006). Modeling with technology: Mindtools for conceptual change. Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

This year I have the distinct honor and privilege of serving on the Board of Directors for the Florida Society for Technology in Education (FSTE). This passionate group is committed to creating a rewarding community of educators and educational stakeholders, providing high quality professional development and advancing the field of educational technology in Florida. Educators, schools and corporations can join FSTE to gain access to this incredible network and other ongoing resources.

This week, FSTE will have a presence at the FETC National Annual Conference in Orlando, FL. Several of the Board members and I will be presenting and speaking on topics from technology centers to iPads to global collaboration and more. Plus, FSTE will hold its annual membership meeting and reception on Thursday at noon. Click here to find out the full details or RSVP for this fun and informative event.

To learn out more about FSTE, you can also visit our newly relaunched website at FSTE.org or stop by the FSTE booth in the second floor concourse near S230 in the Orange County Convention Center during FETC. We would love to share with you about this great organization… and get to know you better, too!

1.  You deserve to treat yourself this holiday season! You’ve been putting in long hours grading papers and making hands-on lessons for months… and its time to reward yourself for all your hard work.

2.  It’s the perfect way to get a boost of creative energy to start the New Year!  Don’t just hear about new tools and ideas at FETC.  By attending a workshop, you will dive firsthand into the world of education innovation.  Hands-on and BYOD workshops let you try out tools and projects with expert support on deck!  Dig deeper into cutting-edge applications and inspiring topics… and see how they relate to your students, classroom and school.

3.  There are over 125 workshops to choose from, ranging from Web 2.0 to mobile learning and everything in between.  

I will be presenting the following 4 workshops… and would love to see you there!
– Powerful Technology Centers for Elementary Students: Monday, 8-11am, WMA011
– Create the Ultimate Technology Project – Today!: Monday, 4-7pm, WME044
– Transforming Technology Integration for the New Learner: Tuesday, 8-11am, WTA069
– Doc Cam Magic: Cutting Edge Visual Tricks: Wednesday, 8-10am, WW1098

Click here to see the full list and details for all of this year’s amazing workshops.  Consider starting off 2013 by registering for a professional development experience that will leave you wanting more!

One of the greatest things about the Global Education Conference is that they record all of the sessions, allowing the momentum of the conference to stretch throughout the year!  In case you would like to catch some of the great sessions you may have missed, here is the link to all of the session recordings.  My session, “It’s a Small World,” on Elementary Global Collaboration can be found here, as well.  (If you saw a powerful session that you would recommend us viewing, please share that in the comments below!)

And just because the conference is over, doesn’t mean that the opportunities to connect and participate in global learning are over.  By joining the GlobalEdCon community at GlobalEducationConference.com, you can connect with other educators, as well as create or join global projects all year long.  iEARN.org and ePals.com also offer free global communities, featuring ways to connect with other educators on transformative projects throughout the year.

Lastly, this conference could not happen without the leadership of Steve Hargadon and Lucy Gray.  I encourage you to follow Steve and Lucy on Twitter and/or send them a message to thank them for all of their time and effort to make this fabulous event happen.

Thanks!
~Nancye

Here are a few sessions to check out today in the Global Education Conference!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15
(All times given in Eastern Time, U.S. Use the full schedule linked below to confirm times in your area!)

4:00 PM — Session: World Language Meets Glocal PBL: Local Solutions for Global Refugees
Jennifer D. Klein, Global Education Consultant
Kelsey Vroomunn, ISTE Emerging Leader
Description: Glocal learning approaches allow students to address the global challenges of displacement and refugee life on a local level.
Link to Session: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=GECPart204

6:00 PM — Keynote: The Network is Us
Larry Johnson, CEO of NMC
Description: Social change is as timely as it is timeless… 
Link to Session: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=GECKPart32

9:00 PM — Keynote: The Rise of Makers: Rethinking Innovation and Education
Dale Dougherty
Description: The maker movement “invites participation of amateurs of all ages and takes advantage of new technologies for personal fabrication and physical/digital interaction.” This session digs deep into the “national effort to find opportunities to integrate making as a way of transforming education, providing hands-on experiences and open-ended projects that engage students.”
Link to Session: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=GECKPart30

Once again, the full GlobalEdCon schedule can be found  here.  And remember, you can follow #GlobalEd12 or me (@EngagingEdu) on Twitter for ongoing updates, tips and highlights as well!

Day 2 of the Global Education Conference has begun!  Yesterday was filled with inspirational speakers and practical tips.  I especially enjoyed Tony Wagner‘s ideas about fostering innovation in our students and Rita Oates’ practical tips for connecting with guest speakers who have International perspectives, yet live within our local communities. (If you missed them, I will be posting a link to the #GlobalEd12 session recordings later this week.)

As promised, tonight (or tomorrow morning depending on where in the world you live) at 11:00 PM Eastern Time, U.S, I will be presenting as well.  Here’s the scoop!

It’s a Small World: Elementary Global Collaboration
Nancye Blair, Education Innovation Specialist & ISTE Emerging Leader

Direct Link to the Session: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=GECPart101

Session Description: With mountains of resources available for Global Collaboration, elementary teachers often spend hours sifting through tools and practices to find the select few that will be successful for young learners. In this high-energy session, attendees learn about powerful web resources and best practices that are perfect for our youngest learners. With ideas for tools like Google Docs, Storybird, Voicethread, ePals, Skype, Flockdraw and more, participants will learn how to find other teachers and classes who are interested in collaborating, how to set-up 21st century learning activities that promote global awareness and real world problem solving, and easily implement these new tools in their classroom. In no time, elementary students can be blogging; digital storytelling; sharing videos, images, knowledge or skills; and even creating websites with other students across the classroom and around the world.

Today guarantees to be another wonderful day of connecting and learning.  Once again, the full GlobalEdCon schedule can be found  here.  And remember, you can follow #GlobalEd12 or me (@EngagingEdu) on Twitter for ongoing updates, tips and highlights as well!

Today marks the first day of the 2012 free, online Global Education Conference.  Running all week, nearly 24 hours a day, this conference offers incomparable diversity and opportunities for global connections.

If you are new to the Global Education Conference, #GlobalEdCon ”is a collaborative, inclusive, world-wide community initiative involving students, educators, and organizations at all levels. It is designed to significantly increase opportunities for building education-related connections around the globe while supporting cultural awareness and recognition of diversity.”

Here are a few of today’s sessions I think you’ll find interested… and details about the session I am presenting tomorrow, too!  The full schedule can be found here.  And remember, you can follow me on Twitter for ongoing updates, tips and highlights as well!

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12
(All times given in Eastern Time, U.S. Use the schedule above to check times in your area!)

10:00 AM — Opening Keynote: Creating Innovators
Tony Wagner, Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard
Link to Session: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=GECKPart1

1:00 PM — Session: #VideoGamesForGlobalLearning
Terry Heick, Institute for Habits of Mind
Link to Session: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=GECPart6

3:00 PM — Keynote: The Lessons I Learned While Making A Difference
Ilona Dougherty, Executive Director of Apathy is Boring
Link to Session: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=GECKPart13

10:00 PM — Top 10 Places to Find Real People in Your Community to Globalize Student Learning
Dr. Rita Oates, Oates Associates & Florida Society for Technology in Education
Link to Session: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=GECPart36

MY SESSION TOMORROW, TUESDAY, NOVEMEBER 13:

11:00 PM — It’s a Small World: Elementary Global Collaboration
Nancye Blair, Education Innovation Specialist & ISTE Emerging Leader
Discover powerful web resources and best practices perfect for connecting young learners around the globe. More details here.
Link to Session: https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=GECPart101

I would love to connect with you through #GlobalEdCon this week. If you see me, please say hello! And have a great conference!
~Nancye

Today commences the 2012 month of novel writing.  Students around the world are choosing a personal word count goal and launching on an adventure to tell a long narrative tale by November 30th.

Not only does this project significantly boost the quality of student writing through hours of deliberate practice and give amazing opportunities for powerful writing mini-lessons that students can immediately put into practice, but NaNoWriMoYWP also provides an appropriate learning environment for demonstrating  to students the power of setting and working toward a challenging goal.  Completing one’s first novel at the age of 8, 12 or 16 is something that belongs wholly to that student and can never be taken away.  It represents a lifelong transformation from writing student to author.   The message of empowerment is undeniable.

Click to download .pdf version.

So, I encourage you to take join my students, colleagues, friends, writers around the globe and me in taking the NaNoWriMo challenge in 2012.  Just because it is November 1, doesn’t mean it is too late to jump in. In fact, I am attaching a .pdf adapted from NaNoWriMo materials that can help you shortcut your planning time, turn your ideas into a true story concept and even connect with other NaNoWriMo-ers.  Plus, this month, I will be continuing to share writing resources, tips and student stories to keep your writers engaged and motivated along the way.

So, take the challenge yourself, integrate the program into your reading and writing instruction over the next month, or at least send a Twitter message to the many students on their way to becoming authors!

Let the novel writing begin!

“NaNoWriMo – I am an Author” – Video

Click here to read more about our 2011 NaNoWriMo experience!

Today is the FETC Free Virtual Conference.  There is a great line-up of speakers and sessions, plus opportunities to connect with other educators!  To register and log-in to the sessions, visit Register or Log-in Now.

Schedule:

CC License – Jon Snyder/Wired.com

“There’s an old Wayne Gretzy quote that I love.  ’I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.’ And we’ve always tried to do that at Apple.” – Steve Jobs

Today, one year after the loss of Steve Jobs, people still remember, celebrate and live according to his bold entrepreneurial lifestyle.  And I think that the education reform movement can gleam a lot from his example.

In his new book World Class Learners, Yong Zhao proclaims, “Everyone needs to be entrepreneurial in the 21st century.”

Zhao continues, “Entrepreneurs today are the “black-collar workers,” a term coined by Auerswald with inspiration from Steve Jobs’ black turtleneck (Auerswald, 2012b). A teacher who does not believe we need all to be entrepreneurs asked me the same question that Auerswald answers:

‘From where we sit now, it seems improbable that an entire economy could be built of such workers. Where are the drones in this picture? Where are the undifferentiated masses of the unfulfilled? Try asking yourself this question instead: from the standpoint of a 15th-century peasant, how likely is the reality of the present day? . . . Just as former farmers were compelled to convert themselves into blue-collar workers to realize their potential in the economy of the 20th century, so will former factory workers (and retooling economic drones of all types) convert themselves into black-collar workers to realize their potential in the economy of the 21st century.‘ (Auerswald, 2012a)”

The future success of our students is dependent on their ability to be self-directed, to create, to be entrepreneurial.  It is not enough to teach the content of reading, writing and arithmetic, or even the literacies of the 21st century information economy, without also giving intentional thought to how the pedagogy, the processes behind that teaching, is affecting the student-ownership of that very education.

Education, pedagogy, the learning process itself, must belong to the students.  We can no longer treat students merely as the customers of the current educational system, but instead must empower them as vital participants in developing the information economy of the future.

As Alan November states (in this video interview), “[Students] need to be self directed. They need to be life long learners, which means they need to be empowered to manage more and more and more of their own learning.”  Though a systemic shift of control from “the teacher managing learning” to “interdependent, globally connected students” may take the five to ten years November predicts, as educators, there are so many things we can do in the present to usher in this change and to prepare our students for the 21st century “black-collar” culture.

Over the next year, I will be sharing a series of posts and resources that I call “Super-Powering Kids.”  This important series will directly address strategies for empowerment and the development of student-driven learning.  I look forward to having you join me for the journey!

In remembrance of Steve Jobs for his unapologetic creativity and innovation
February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011

Auerswald, P. (2012a, March 11). Bliss is on the way: Black-collar workers and the case for economic optimism. Good. Retrieved April 5, 2012, from http://m.good.is/post/bliss-is-on-the-way-the-case-for-economic-optimism
Auerswald, P. (2012b). The coming prosperity: How entrepreneurs are transforming the global economy. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
November, Alan. (2010). “Alan November on Curriculum21.” Video retrieved on October 5, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivq3TZ6Bfic&feature=player_embedded.
Zhao, Yong. (2012). “Introduction.” World Class Learners: . Retrieved on October 5, 2012 from http://zhaolearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Introduction.pdf.

“Beyond waiting “To Grow Up”

For too long, our students have worked tirelessly for an audience of one: their teacher. When class assignments assume that work is simply preparation for some future “real world,” this singular audience makes sense. But in the course of a 21st century school year, if a class of students never produces anything worthy of being showcased for a real audience, the students’ potential has been both overlooked and under-realized.

Brilliant solutions to problems, insightful compositions, and entertaining performances are not unique to grown-ups. I have watched a fourth grader write a short novel that hit number seventy-five on an Amazon bestseller list, and a kindergartener execute a talent show performance that moved an audience to tears. In 2012, people across the nation marveled as 15-year old, Jack Andraka won the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair with research likely to revolutionize pancreatic cancer detection.

Each of these examples is the result of quality 21st century educational experiences… the result of experiences that allowed students to set personal goals, take ownership of their own progress, engage a real-world situation, and make an impact on a community significantly larger than an audience of one….”

Read the rest of my article and contribute to the conversation on the Creative Educator website.

CC License: Photo by Flickr @North Charleston

What should a good citizen do?

The question of “what a good citizen should do” in a democratic society begins with an assumption of a universal ethical imperative within democracy.  Perhaps this follows from the concept of democracy itself.  At the onset of American independence, the writers of the Declaration stated that it was self-evident that “all men are created equal” and that with that equality of nature comes unalienable Rights, such as Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  A democratic society could secure these rights through a government that derives its just power from the “consent of the governed.” 

Consent of the governed.  Perhaps, too often we overlook this essential democratic freedom, the Freedom of Consent.  The idea that democracy requires consent of the governed supports an imperative for the people of the democracy, the good citizens, to actively give a say, to give a consent or descent – through speech, voting, the practice of beliefs or religions, exercising their other freedoms – on the positions and actions of the government.

More than ever, it is vital that American citizens actively exercise their own rights and freedoms, while also working to promote the rights and freedoms of others.  Through both speech and actions, we must declare our consent or descent and encourage the equal participation of other citizens to do the same.  Howard Budin stated that “the heart of democratic action is collaborative decision making,” making “decisions with their fellow citizens to improve their lives and the life of the community or nation.”  In this way, all democratic citizens are benefited by the increased voice and involvement of others, even of those with whom we disagree.  To asymptotically approximate the ideals of democracy, citizens must have equitable opportunities, freedoms and rights to participate… and must actively exercise these opportunities, freedoms and rights within the collaborative society.

Too often in education, we speak of citizenship simply in terms of being honest, neighborly or kind.  Joel Westheimer and Joseph Kahane call this the “personally responsible citizen,” though they warn that this concept of citizenship alone does not necessarily foster equality, justice and democracy.  “Indeed, government leaders in a totalitarian regime would be as delighted as leaders in a democracy if their young citizens… don’t do drugs; show up at school; show up at work; give blood; help others during a flood; recycle; pick up litter; clean up a park; [and] treat old people with respect,” they write in “What Kind of Citizen? The Politics of Educating for Democracy.”

Somehow, the concepts of participation and activism are missing from much of today’s education on citizenship. In fact, when I asked, “What should a good citizen do?” to my twelve year old daughter at the dinner table yesterday, she responded with “don’t kill people,” even though she is active in community service and often engages discussions about social justice at her Montessori middle school.  She did not automatically associate those participatory practices with her responsibilities as a “citizen.”  Perhaps this is because what is often considered “good” behavior or citizenship at schools is not always aligned with the promotion of justice.  Frequently, the “good” child in class is the one who follows the rules, even when those rules are enforced in unjust ways.  It is important, especially in education, not to confuse the promotion of personal responsibility with that of standardization, compliance and obedience.

Instead, the good citizen needs to have the ability to transfer the qualities of personal responsibility to critical reflection, active participation (participatory citizen) and the promotion of social justice (justice-oriented citizen).  The good citizen must go beyond personal responsibility to participate in giving consent or descent, in effecting change and in encouraging equity.  In this way, the rights and freedoms of all citizens can be maintained and expanded in order to improve the quality of life for citizens and the collective life of the community or nation.

As educators, there are many opportunities to exercise our roles as citizens and to promote participation and social action in our students:

• Register to vote, vote, and encourage others to vote, too!
• Investigate educational issues being discussed in politics, not just in the Presidential race, but also at the local and state level.
• Call, email and write letters to your School Board or Congressmen, supporting funding for education.
• Provide community service learning opportunities to your students – serve meals at a homeless shelter; coordinate a canned food drive; raise funds to support cancer research or the creation of a local park.
• Engage your classes in student-driven action projects and competitions that focus on solving real world problems, like Heifer International Education Programs or the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge.

Today is September 11^th.  Yes, we mourn and remember the lives lost and the bravery of so many Americans eleven years ago, but we also celebrate the freedoms we enjoy in this democratic society.  Freedoms that we shouldn’t take for granted.  Freedoms that were earned with blood, sweat and tears.  Freedoms that we should exercise and should harness to advocate for equal rights for all people… here in the United States and around the world.

To celebrate, Montessori alums at Google displayed a Google doodle of traditional Montessori learning manipulatives on their homepage.  That’s right -  both Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, grew up as Montessori kids.  What’s more, it is this very Montessori heritage that they attribute to their success.

In a 2004 interview with ABC (embedded below), both Page and Brin spoke about the power of self-directed learning in the Montessori learning environment.  “I think it was part of that training of not following rules and orders -  and being self-motivated, questioning what’s going on in the world, doing things a bit different,” Page said of Montessori school’s role in his success.  Maria Montessori believed that children had an innate drive to learn and that the educator’s role was to remove obstacles and provide opportunities for the student’s educational growth.  The self-directed Montessori student is then able to concentrate on acquiring knowledge through experimentation with hands-on, personalized activities, according to their own interests and at their own pace.

In fact, Google’s infamous 20% rule – where employees spend 20% of their work week on something company-related that they are personally interested in, something not in their job description – is grounded in this idea of self-directed learning.  And success in the form of Gmail, Google Talk,  Google Maps, Reader and other innovations has been the result.  As is often the case, powerful things happen as the result of empowering people to follow their own dreams instead the dreams of someone else.

So, in Maria Montessori’s honor, I want to take a moment to celebrate her legacy – a legacy of respecting the dignity of every child and empowering children to be masters of their own learning.  Raise a glass, give a cheer… and let’s all spend a few minutes reflecting on our own educational practice, a few minutes dreaming up at least one practical way to give our students more voice in their learning this next week and, in doing so, continuing her amazing legacy.

Happy birthday, Maria Montessori.