engagement

Items re: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) for K-12, higher ed, & the corp world

On 03/11/2013, in A/V -- audio/visual, Apple, Bring your own device (BYOD), collaboration, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, higher education, innovation, IT in HE, K-12 related, mobile learning, mobile technologies, participation, web-based collaboration, workplace, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
The worlds of K-12, higher education, and corporate training/development are all seeking solid solutions to the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) or the Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) solution. (The way I see it, it would sure be helpful it Apple worked with the other relevant vendors to establish better wireless networking protocols.) Anyway, below are some items on this topic:

How to BYOT for Learning? –– from shift2future.com by Brian Kuhn

Responding to the “Shift to the Future” — from seanrtech.blogspot.com by Sean Robinson

BYOD: 7 reasons to leave them to their own devices — from Donald Clark Plan B

Ten reasons the iPad is an awesome tool for classrooms and education — from isource.com with thanks to Krista Spahr, Senior Instructional Designer at Calvin College, for this resource

The 4 easiest ways to mirror the iPad (comparison chart) — from edudemic.com by Seth Hansen; working off of a similar posting from Tony Vincent

Strategies for taking flight with BYOT — from byotnetwork.com

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills identified 4 critical areas of learning for students that include creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration. In Forsyth County Schools, we’ve been working hard with parents, teachers and students to embrace learning with student-owned technologies; something we call Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT). What we know for sure is that BYOT is really more like Bring Your Own Learning because we’ve discovered that it is NOT about the technology – it IS about the learning.

From DSC:
This aligns well with Alan November’s replacing “one-to-one” with “one-to-world.”

But whether we use the acronomyns BYOD, BYOT or BYOL (or whatever), it’s all about students being able to contribute content (hopefully that they created) and participate in the discussions.

From June 2012

Vision of a Next Gen Smart Classroom from March 2010

From October 2009:
Building off of Steelcase’s media:scape product line

Tagged with: A/V • Apple • Bring your own device (BYOD) • collaboration • corporate / business world • Daniel S. Christian • emerging technologies • engagement • higher education • innovation • IT • Keeping students engaged • Mobile learning • mobile technology • participation • web-based collaboration • Wireless • workplace

Excerpt:

It’s not unusual for a science fiction television show to spin off a video game. What is unusual is linking the show and the game together on an ongoing basis, with plot elements and characters from each crossing over to the other. In April, gaming company Trion Worlds and the Syfy cable television channel will unveil Defiance, the first such crossover massively multiplayer online game (MMO) and TV show.

From DSC:

Transmedia.

Multimedia.

Interactivity.

Participation.

Gamification.

Sounds like there must be something here for the next gen of learners — and learning from the living room.

Also see:

Six fascinating, informative, and just plain good lectures on videogames in iTunes U — from forbes.com by Carol Pinchefsky

Tagged with: 21st century • Daniel S. Christian • educational gaming • engagement • engaging students • etmooc • generational differences • ideas • innovation • interactivity • K-12 • Keeping students engaged • learning from the living [class] room • multimedia • participation • technologies for the home • transmedia

Reflections after reading ‘Warnings From the Trenches’ [Flaherty]

On 02/19/2013, in assessment, global / globalization, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, K-12 related, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, legislatures / government / legal, love of learning, passions, student-related, ubiquitous learning, by Daniel Christian

‘Warnings from the trenches’ — from insidehighered.com by Colleen Flaherty

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

“Thus, students arriving in our high school lacked experience and knowledge about how to do the kinds of writing that are expected at higher levels of education,” he wrote. And even though high school teachers may try their best to make up for lost time, they, too, are held accountable for standardized test scores. Beyond mandatory state tests, the broad scope of Advanced Placement exams can have the same short-sighted effect on instruction, he added (many of Bernstein’s courses were AP U.S. government and politics).

Consequently, he said in an interview, students now arriving at college — even elite ones — are better at “filling in bubbles” than thinking outside a discrete set of multiple choices, in the ways the higher education and adult life demand.

Bernstein said he’d planned on retiring from his Maryland high school several years from now, but decided to leave last month due to a combination of factors, including the increasingly frustrating nature of teaching in a test-focused system.

From DSC:

I saw a question out on the blogosphere the other day that asked, “After the SATs are gone, then what?” I’d like to see us pursue that line of thinking, as we need to strive to do more things for students’ learning and not so much because that’s the most efficient way to “manage” education. (I wonder about CMS’s/LMS’s in this regard as well.) My vote is for helping students identify their God-given talents, interests, passions, abilities and to help them develop those gifts — creating WIN-WIN situations throughout society and the globe. Assessment is a key element of teaching and learning, but I think we’ve gone too far with these standardized tests — the pendulum needs to swing back the other way.

Also see:

The Future of Education .. from Isaac Asimov, 1988 #edcmooc — from dontwasteyourtime.co.uk
Excerpt:
“Once we have computer outlets in every home, each of them hooked up to enormous libraries where anyone can ask any question and be given answers, be given reference material in something you’re interested in knowing … you ask,you can find out, you can follow it up and you can do it in your own home, at your own speed, at your own direction, in your own time, then everyone will enjoy learning.”

Tagged with: assessment • Daniel S. Christian • engagement • higher education • K-12 • Keeping students engaged • learning from the living [class] room • love of learning • passions • student-related • ubiquitous learning

Some great learning spaces from “Classrooms of the Future”

On 02/12/2013, in architecture, Australia, engagement / engaging students, Europe, future, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, learning theories, love of learning, by Daniel Christian

Classrooms of the Future

Excerpt:

This image gallery from Fielding Nair International, a group of architects working in education, shows lots of images from new and innovative schools around the world.

Addendum on 2/13/13, also see:

Colorful & Multifunctional Learning Spaces at The Vittra School, Stockholm — Vitra School Brotorp Rosan Bosch Architects

Vitra School Brotorp Rosan Bosch Architects

Tagged with: architecture • attention • Australia • engagement • engaging students • Europe • future • learning ecosystem • learning spaces • learning theories

Interesting use of augmented reality — The 2013 Toyota Avalon augmented experience

On 02/09/2013, in attention, Augmented Reality (AR), corporate / business world, creativity, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, innovation, interactivity, by Daniel Christian

The 2013 Toyota Avalon augmented experience

Tagged with: augmented reality • corporate / business world • creativity • emerging technologies • engagement • innovation • interactivity

What are science cafes?

On 02/05/2013, in biology, chemistry, engagement / engaging students, lifelong learning, physics, science, social learning / networks, by Daniel Christian

Also see:

Science cafes offer a sip of learning — from reuters.com by Barbara Liston — with thanks to Annie Murphy Paul (@anniemurphypaul) who used twitter to ask: Americans resist studying science in school, but they flock to “science cafes” on their own time. What gives?
.
Excerpt:
(Reuters) – Americans may be turning away from the hard sciences at universities, but they are increasingly showing up at “science cafes” in local bars and restaurants to listen to scientific talks over a drink or a meal.

Tagged with: biology • chemistry • engagement • Lifelong learning • physics • science • social learning

Games for a Digital Age: K-12 Market Map and Investment Analysis [Richards, Stebbins, & Moellering]

On 02/04/2013, in digital learning, educational games / serious games, engagement / engaging students, by Daniel Christian

Games for a Digital Age: K-12 Market Map and Investment Analysis — from joanganzcooneycenter.org by John Richards, Leslie Stebbins and Kurt Moellering
January 28, 2013

Download the report (5 MB)

Download Executive Summary (270 kB)

Tagged with: digital learning • engagement • games

Can you apply Google’s 20% time in the classroom? [Spendlow]

On 01/24/2013, in Google, ideas, K-12 related, more voice more choice more control, motivation, participation, student-related, by Daniel Christian

Can you apply Google’s 20% time in the classroom? — from guardian.co.uk/teacher-network by Stuart Spendlow
Google offers its engineers 20% of their timetable to work on their own projects. Keen to see if it could work for education, Stuart Spendlow introduced the idea to his own classroom

20% time developed a class of intrinsically motivated learners who strive to
make themselves proud without any fear whatsoever of making mistakes,
says Stuart Spendlow.
Photograph: Paul Doyle/Alamy

Tagged with: engagement • Google • ideas • K-12 • Keeping students engaged • more choice more control • participation • student-related

Speciality classroom technologies [1-17-13 Converge Special Report Update/Webinar]

On 01/21/2013, in A/V -- audio/visual, Adobe, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, immersion, innovation, K-12 related, learning spaces, multimedia, new media literacies, participation, smart classrooms, by Daniel Christian

Specialty classroom technologies — from centerdigitaled.com

Kristy Chapman | Special Education Director | Union County | Board of Education, GA
Kyle Li | Full-time Game & Learning Instructor | School of Art, Media, and Technology | Parsons, The Newschool for Design, NY
Moses A. Ojeda | Principal (I.A.) | Thomas A. Edison Career & Technical Education High School, NY
Denise Spence | Magnet Lead Technology Teacher | Academy for Technology Excellence | Academy for Digital Excellence | Academy for Game Design and Programming Excellence | Dunbar High School, FL

Session was moderated by Tom Ryan, Ph.D. | Sr. Fellow, Center for Digital Education | Former CIO, Albuquerque Public Schools

Resources

View the recorded session
View the final presentation (no audio)
Visit www.centerdigitaled.com/events for more event information.

Example slides:

Converge-1-17-13FullSteamAhead

Converge-1-17-13-2

Converge-1-17-13-3

Converge-1-17-13-4

Converge-1-17-13-5

Converge-1-17-13-6

Converge-1-17-13-9

Converge-1-17-13-10

Converge-1-17-13-12

Converge-1-17-13-13

Converge-1-17-13-14

Tagged with: A/V • emerging technologies • engagement • immersion • innovation • K-12 • learning spaces • multimedia • new media literacies • participation • smart classrooms

Grad student turns heads in Norwegian schools with technology-charged pedagogy [Brandon]

On 01/16/2013, in attention, educational games / serious games, engagement / engaging students, Europe, ideas, memory, Microsoft, pedagogy, student-related, by Daniel Christian

Grad student turns heads in Norwegian schools with technology-charged pedagogy — from beditionmagazine.com by DC Brandon; with thanks to brian k (@iEducator) for posting this on Twitter

Excerpt:

Salerno says using video games in the classroom is a sure-fire way to get students excited about learning. She used the example of a social studies unit that students are taught in Norwegian schools. In one particular unit, they usually read a textbook chapter about famous explorers. In the game-based version of the unit, textbooks may be used but are not relied upon.

So how does she incorporate video games into a social studies lesson?

She uses a Microsoft product called Kodu, although she says there are many other software products that could be used, like Minecraft and Little Big Planet.

She breaks the unit down like this (from the perspective of a student):

Choose an explorer to profile
Research the explorer’s history online and in textbooks
Create game map (games require planning to be successfully built)
Create game details and missions, mark out important plot points
Build world
Build in characters and plot in the form of missions
Demo game to classmates on “gameday”

Also see:

Using video games in a new language of learning — from beditionmagazine.com by Jane Marshall
.

Tagged with: attention • educational gaming • engagement • Europe • ideas • memory • Microsoft • pedagogy • student-related

Two excerpts from a solid infographic out at Knewton.com

On 01/14/2013, in analytics, attention, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, K-12 related, mobile learning, open courseware and systems, personalized/customized learning, play, United States, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
A solid infographic is out at Knewton.com — of which I want to highlight 2 portions of it (below).

This first excerpt is not to dog teachers but rather it’s meant to support them and to say that we need to change a losing game (at least a part of the solution in ed reform is to get out of the business of focusing so much on standardized tests and another part of the solution resides in the second graphic below):

Also relevant see:

Let children’s play (with technology) be their work in education — from Jackie Gerstein

Tagged with: analytics • attention • cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • customized learning • education reform • educational gaming • emerging technologies • engagement • K-12 • Keeping students engaged • Mobile learning • open • personalized learning • play • United States

8 things to look for in today’s classroom [Couros]

On 01/09/2013, in 21st century, education, education reform, engagement / engaging students, hearts -- matters of the heart, K-12 related, more voice more choice more control, student-related, by Daniel Christian

8 things to look for in today’s classroom — by George Couros

Excerpt:

As I think that leaders should be able to describe what they are looking for in schools I have thought of eight things that I really want to see in today’s classroom. I really believe that classrooms need to be learner focused. This is not simply that students are creating but that they are also having opportunities to follow their interests and explore passions. The teacher should embody learning as well.

From DSC:
If we can tap into students’ passions/hearts, I believe we’ll find enormous amounts of creative energy pour forth! I’m again struck with adding the tags/keywords to this posting — More choice, more control.

Tagged with: 21st century • education • education reform • engagement • hearts -- matters of the heart • K-12 • more choice more control • participation • passions • student-related

Lego brings some solid project-based learning to the classroom

On 01/07/2013, in emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, K-12 related, platforms, project-based learning, real-world assignments, robotics, staying relevant, by Daniel Christian

From DSC: I originally saw this at
Mindstorms EV3: LEGO Education unveils its next generation robotics platform
from HackEducation.com by Audrey Watters

Tagged with: engagement • K-12 • Keeping students engaged • platforms • project-based learning • real-world assignments • robotics • staying relevant

Case study: Flipped classrooms work for students. Period. [Grebow & Green]

On 01/07/2013, in budgets, engagement / engaging students, flipping -- inverted learning, hearts -- matters of the heart, K-12 related, Michigan, society, by Daniel Christian

Case study: Flipped classrooms work for students. Period. — from knowledgestarblog.wordpress.com by David Grebow and Greg Green, principal at Clintondale High School in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

I’m a principal at Clintondale High, a financially challenged school near Detroit. I’m in charge of doing my best to make sure that Clintondale students get the best education possible when they walk through our doors.

There are constant hurdles to making this happen. We are a school of choice, so not all students come in with the same skill levels in reading, math, science or other subjects. Almost 75% of our students receive free or reduced-price lunch because of today’s economic climate, and a large part of our student population commutes from Detroit, which often times takes an hour or longer, especially if the bus is late.

Every year, our failure rates have been through the roof. The students weren’t paying attention, they weren’t doing their homework, they were being disruptive, or they weren’t coming to school at all. Sadly, these issues are not that uncommon, particularly in this economic climate, where the percentage of students who fall into the poverty category is increasing by the day.

…

To watch this happen every day, where it is your responsibility to try to provide the very best you can for the students, is beyond frustrating. It’s heartbreaking.

Our staff agreed that our failure rates were not good. But how do you go about addressing these issues with no money, no additional resources and no clear solution from the experts who already know the system is broken?

…

How do you get your staff on board with change you want to implement, but no one else has ever tried it on a mass scale? How do you get your students excited about learning when they’ve never shown much interest before?

You flip it. Here’s how it works…

From DSC:

Thanks Techsmith for helping out here. You demonstrated that there can be a higher calling for business — helping out our fellow mankind with tangible/concrete/immediate assistance.

Tagged with: budgetary • engagement • flipping -- inverted learning • hearts -- matters of the heart • K-12 • Michigan • society

What an amazing person and teacher! [New York Times article & video about Jeffrey Wright]

On 12/31/2012, in engagement / engaging students, faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, neurodivergent/special needs, physics, relationships, teachers, by Daniel Christian

Article:

Video:

Mr. Wright said he decided to share his son’s story when his physics lessons led students to start asking him “the big questions.”

“When you start talking about physics, you start to wonder, ‘What is the purpose of it all?’ ” he said in an interview. “Kids started coming to me and asking me those ultimate questions. I wanted them to look at their life in a little different way — as opposed to just through the laws of physics — and give themselves more purpose in life.”

From DSC:
My thanks go out to Mr. Joseph Byerwalter for this very powerful piece…

Tagged with: engagement • faith • hearts -- matters of the heart • physics • relationships • society • sociology • special needs • teachers

Previous Entries Next Entries

Learning Ecosystems

Some great learning spaces from “Classrooms of the Future”

Interesting use of augmented reality — The 2013 Toyota Avalon augmented experience

Games for a Digital Age: K-12 Market Map and Investment Analysis [Richards, Stebbins, & Moellering]

What an amazing person and teacher! [New York Times article & video about Jeffrey Wright]

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