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I'm an enormous advocate of strong PD for technology in schools. T his article explains some benefits of online teacher professional development.

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5 Benefits of Online Teacher Professional Development | EdNews Daily

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What are the benefits of online teacher professional development? There are numerous-from saving money to flexibility. Check out our interview with Advancement

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Blended Learning Ted Talk

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Click here-- blended learning and the future of education: Monique Markoff at TEDxIthacaCollege

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Future Ready: Personalized and Blended Learning

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Indian Prairie School District discusses how "teachers teaching teachers" blended learning has been the way they have created a personalized professional learning program for faculty. Also discussed is how to personalize student learning. Personalized Professional Learning for Future Ready Leaders http://tech.ed.gov/leaders

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Future Ready: Examples of Personalized Tech-Infused Learning

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Joplin Public Schools describes how teaching and learning has changed over the years because of embedded technology. Personalized Professional Learning for Future Ready Leaders http://tech.ed.gov/leaders

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A review of the different framework models in Module 4

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A review of the different framework models in Module 4

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Does your institution have a framework for integrating technology into the classroom? Those of you nodding your head-do you know what SAMR, TPACK, or whatever framework you use actually means?

Kellie Ady, our Director of Instructional Strategy, and I decided to dispel any confusion around these terms in one of our LEAP Webinars. We discuss the frameworks in detail, including how they might look in a Schoology implementation. We also share creative ideas and applications that can be immediately used in your own classroom.

This is not your "pie in the sky" discussion, folks. You'll see that when Kellie and I address the SAMR model, for example, we will show you what Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition looks like in a discussion.

The Substitution discussion is the same as a discussion you'd have in person, just digital. An augmented discussion may enable them to contribute links to resources, videos, or images.

Augmentation of a discussion provides more avenues for students to contribute and more ways for student understanding to be assessed.

Is the learning enhanced? It may or may not be. This is just the second level or layer to your technology integration.

Let's look at Modification for our discussion example. This is where we start to think more about how students are responding.

While we tend to think of discussion responses as text-based, online discussions enable students to record a video response in the style of a newscast, post their own audio reading of a poem, or share images of a model they've built.

You'll notice that the S and the A in SAMR are more instructor centered. As we move into the M and R, this framework becomes more student centered.

Finally, we have Redefinition (the R in SAMR). Redefinition is when technology opens up avenues for learning that were previously inconceivable. Imagine hosting a shared discussion between your students and students in Switzerland. This can add numerous cultural layers to your students' understanding.

These are just a few examples of the specifics we dive into in our LEAP webinar. So grab some popcorn, a comfy seat, and join our discussion of these different technology implementation models.
Questions? Thoughts? Firsthand experiences? Let us know below in the comments section or tweet me @brdkmp #NerdChills.
About Schoology's LEAP Webinars

Schoology's LEAP Webinar is a global forum of Schoology Enterprise leaders hosted by Senior Instructional Designer Bradley Kemp. On the third Thursday of each month Bradley (and often Director of Instructional Strategy Kellie Ady) take an in-depth look at best practices, features, and hidden gems of Schoology. This webinar is for anyone supporting technology integration, instruction, and Schoology Enterprise adoption among teachers and faculty. Be on the look out for our monthly LEAP registration emails.

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Understanding SAMR, TPACK, and Other Tech Integration Frameworks

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Does your institution have a framework for integrating technology into the classroom? Those of you nodding your head-do you know what SAMR, TPACK, or whatever framework you use actually means? Kellie Ady, our Director of Instructional Strategy, and I decided to dispel any confusion around these terms in one of our LEAP Webinars.

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SAMR, developed by Ruben Puentedura, is one model for examining the evolution of tech integration in classrooms. It focuses on the type of work students are doing and how much that work deviates from traditional classroom practices. In a sense, it measures the future against the past. This four minute video is great if you would like to hear him explain it in his own words.

I like the SAMR model and I think it does what models are supposed to do, it get us talking and thinking about the work going on in our classrooms. This graphic shows the progression of a teacher's thinking with a bit of humor too.

As a model though, I think SAMR has some issues we need to talk and think about more. This is my list of concerns.

For further exploration:

It privileges the modification and redefinition stages such that good teaching without tech is marginalized. Even after five years of 1:1 I still have a few fabulous lessons that just work better on paper. They are worth keeping even if they do not integrate technology.

Teachers often underestimate the kinds of tasks that might qualify as redefinition. (I'm seeing this a lot lately and it worries me.) My friend Holly was tweeting about it from a keynote Dr. Puentedura gave in Boston a few weeks ago.

It scares teachers new to technology integration by placing substitution at the bottom of a steep climb, when many of them are still figuring out how to substitute effectively. I like this graphic better for working with teachers who are very new to educational technology. (If you work with teachers new to technology, take my advice, don't show them the SAMR model until they are already comfortable doing some substitution and augmentation.)

The assumption by educators, (though the model does not specify this,) is that responsibility for task design still rests with the teacher, but in reality the classrooms that really reach redefinition are often rife with student driven innovation.

What if SAMR focused on students and teachers instead of tasks?

TECH: For Teachers and Students by Jen Roberts is licensed under a

Because models are good for making me think, I began thinking about SAMR with a focus on the people in the classroom, not just the task being done. I wondered what a progression might look like that moved from a traditional teacher-created tasks to student-centered, tech-integrated learning. This image above is the progression I came up with and it fit rather magically with the TECH acronym. (That's a sign right?) I tried to combine the technology progression of SAMR with a progression toward student centered learning.

One thing I would add about both SAMR and TECH, is that none of these categories are exclusive. I think most of us spend most of our teaching time floating between the two middle categories of both models, occasionally hitting both higher and lower levels of pedagogy.

I'm interested in your thoughts and suggestions. This is just a first draft of my thinking.

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Turning SAMR into TECH: What models are good for

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SAMR, developed by Ruben Puentedura, is one model for examining the evolution of tech integration in classrooms. It focuses on the type of work students are doing and how much that work deviates from traditional classroom practices. In a sense, it measures the future against the past.

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Practicing Data-Driven Teaching

Educators strive to be purposeful, deliberate, and efficient in their teaching. They recognize the weight of every moment spent with a student, and the necessity for every learning opportunity to be recognized and acted upon. But translating that understanding into an actionable practice can be complicated. Knowledge mobilization empowers teachers to be purposeful and data-driven in the classroom. Essentially, knowledge mobilization refers to taking data about various practices in teaching and putting that data into deliberate use. It's about carrying purpose in every classroom decision, using proven techniques, and making the most of every learning moment.

Knowledge mobilization isn't exclusive to teaching - we can use research to power and perfect anything we do. But the education environment does present some unique opportunities to mobilize knowledge. Education also has significantly high stakes, so the research that contributes to its success shouldn't be overlooked. We believe that knowledge mobilization has the potential to drive student outcomes and empower teachers. So, we've outlined three of our favorite ways to put knowledge into practice in the classroom:

This type of knowledge mobilization is the most traditional - teachers, administrators, and other educators can find and share pedagogical research. When you know that a teaching methodology works, because it's been cycled through an empirical study, then it's time to put that method into practice - assuming the conditions of the study match those of your classroom. There are challenges associated with this kind of knowledge mobilization: for one, finding the research can be difficult. Simply searching online can be overwhelming, and even using a reliable database can be tricky. To ease yourself into researching practices, start by extending your PLN - see what studies your peers are talking about, and start your research there. Other challenges include understanding and navigating the study itself (administrators, this is a good place for you to consider PD integration). But once you've found your cadence, keeping up with and implementing the latest educational research will be a regular practice.

If knowledge mobilization is about being purposeful and data-driven, then consider what other data is available to you - aside from traditional pedagogical research - that could inform the way you teach. The data gleaned from assessments is perhaps the most immediate, actionable, and individualized information available to teachers. They way students perform can reveal exactly what they know, what they don't know, and what they're ready to learn next. Assessment data can be used in tandem with traditional research, and that traditional research could, of course, inform and influence the way you assess. The major difference with assessment is that you, as a teacher, are the researcher - and instead of looking at teaching from a more general lens, you're looking specifically at your own teaching, your own practices, and, importantly, your own students. With assessment data, you are mobilizing the knowledge that your students give you every time they demonstrate their own knowledge. Some assessment systems, however, will make that mobilization more meaningful than others. For help choosing an assessment system that will help you mobilize knowledge, see this guide.

Making use of knowledge can function outside of the data → action framework. For education content developers, an innovative type of knowledge mobilization now drives the way we construct digital learning programs: learning science. Learning science explores how students learn through what we know about the brain, behavior, engagement, and other factors that go into the learning process. Learning science is highly interdisciplinary, and draws from traditional research to drive new, groundbreaking conclusions about teaching and learning. Putting learning science into action involves careful, deliberate, and thoughtful design of teaching and learning programs or materials. Instructional programs built on the key principles and findings of learning science aim to optimize student outcomes, personalize instruction, and teach the way students are predisposed to best learn. For more on our approach to learning science, visit:

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3 Ways to Mobilize Knowledge in Education - Inspired Ideas - Medium

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Educators strive to be purposeful, deliberate, and efficient in their teaching. They recognize the weight of every moment spent with a student, and the necessity for every learning opportunity to be recognized and acted upon. But translating that understanding into an actionable practice can be complicated.

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Great for English teachers - allow students to write Essay's from Social Media posts!

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Writing an essay can be quite boring and tiring especially if you are limited to a certain topic that you are really not interested in or familiar with. But there is no need to worry about that anymore, we have gathered 13 hacks to make essay writing a pure pleasure for you:

1. Use Pinterest. Interestingly, it is not only a place for pretty photos but also for tips including making essay writing a simple task. Go ahead and look for those tips and hacks and enjoy the pretty photos while doing it.

2. Get creative. Essay do not have to be a bland narrative of facts. Try to tell a story like you would when sharing a secret with a friend. Try to use a little wordplay although you have to be careful not to overuse it.

3. Pick a ritual. Writing an essay does not have to be a chore. Consider it as an ad hoc event that you have to plan. Go to a coffee shop with a scenic view instead of staying home inside your room. Choose a time when your brain is most active. Some are morning risers and some other night owls. You do not have to follow the 9 to 5 rule.

4. Ask yourself if you are having fun. If the answer is no, then change your ritual. That simple. You have to understand that you do not have to go through what is usually practiced so follow your heart.

5. Stop worrying. Worrying too much will only hinder you from finishing the essay. You have to calm down and think of a plan. Write down just about anything that comes to mind and just edit later to remove the unnecessary details.

6. Research about your topic. Technically, you have to know the topic before you can write about it. A topic usually consists of subtopics and choose which ones interest you the most. When you actually like something, writing it will come easier.

7. Use other sources. Some students are not a fan of reading so we understand that you have to use other sources to gather information about the topic. Documentaries can be an alternative to books.

8. Start with your main points. When you feel like you will not be able to write down 2000 words, start by writing your major points. And work your way from there.

9. Use social media and collect ideas. Most of these social media accounts allow you to create groups. Create one and add up your family and friends. Ask them for ideas about the topic. Not everyone is going to be familiar with it but at least one is bound to be helpful.

10. Start somewhere. You do not have to write it chronologically. Just write down all of your ideas down. When you are done, you can just rearrange your sentences and paragraphs to make it sound more cohesive.

11. Change your environment. Sitting and working all day on the same workstation can be boring and uninspiring. Try to look for another place to work at. A change of scenery can be inspiring and will help you finish your essay on or before the deadline.

12. Use tools and apps. There are a lot of tools and apps you can find online to help you edit, proofread, and perfect your essay. Make use of these to ensure that your final essay will be free of grammatical and spelling errors.

13. Be poetic. You do not have to write in rhymes or be romantic about it. The point is for you to write something that will grab your readers' attention and maintain it until the end of your essay.

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Fun Task Ahead: 13 Hacks to Make Essay Writing a Pure Pleasure

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Writing an essay can be quite boring and tiring especially if you are limited to a certain topic that you are really not interested in or familiar with. But there is no need to worry about that anymore, we have gathered 13 hacks to make essay writing a pure pleasure for you: Use Pinterest.

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Awesome article - how could we infuse tech into this?

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In line with the start of the 2016-2017 college application, a number of common application essay topics have surfaced for aspirants to look into and start working on their college applications. The topics that have been confirmed are similar to that of last year's (2015-2016) and, likewise, they are subject to creative interpretation without compromising the core guidelines that students will have to follow.

A topic of your choice - it could be almost anything under the sun: an interest or a life-altering event that helped shape the person you are today. The good thing about this prompt is that you only need yourself as a source for this essay. There is no need to research further because you most likely already have the main points that you think deserve a space in your essay. Because it is, after all, your choice, it can be as simple as your favorite book, movie, or song to something more existential like the challenges you had to face when you moved out of your hometown to a strange new place. Use this to your advantage and pick a topic that is most interesting to you and you feel would be the easiest for you to put yourself in the best light possible.

Thinking about hiring professional writers to create this prompt for you? Get started with AwardedEssay.com.

How a failure affected you and what you learned from the experience - the key to answering this prompt is to understand that this is not simply about your failure but, in fact, more about the success that followed. It gauges how you are able to deal with failures, setbacks, and stress. It looks at your problem-solving ability to see if you are physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for college. After all, it is going to be a strange new world out there.

No idea how you can turn your failure into a success story? Let AwardedEssay.com do the work for you.

On challenging a belief or idea - this proves to be one of the difficult topics among the prompts provided that you will have to establish two theories - their theory and yours. This is also quite challenging because the goal is to be objective about it rather than to be preachy. Additionally, as this could end up quite controversial, the applicant must be cautious about not disrespecting the other theory in the effort to make it sound like you are right and that they are wrong.

Save yourself from the struggle and make it easier by hiring professional writers to help you out. AwardedEssay.com has exactly what you need.

A description of the problem you have solved or would like to solve - you can choose from various challenges including intellectual and ethical issues. Similar to Prompt #2, it showcases an applicant's problem-solving ability. Students can also have a free hand to choose between personal and social issues. They just have to consider which problem is most valuable and important for them to address. Note, however, that this prompt has to be addressed both substantially and creatively; that is, you will have to include at least objective solutions along with creative approaches.

Do you need ideas on how to answer this prompt? AwardedEssay.com has ideas.

An accomplishment or event that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood - this transition could be within the family or community whichever topic you are more comfortable with to discuss. The good thing about this prompt is that it is open to just about any idea including birthdays and graduations. Experience has taught us that any topic as long as it is authentic, honest, and well-written could go a long way and impress the admissions department.

Get started with this prompt and hire AwardedEssay.com to get into the school of your dreams.

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2016-2017 Common Application Essay Prompts: A Guide

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In line with the start of the 2016-2017 college application, a number of common application essay topics have surfaced for aspirants to look into and start working on their college applications. The topics that have been confirmed are similar to that of last year's (2015-2016) and, likewise, they are subject to creative interpretation without compromising the core guidelines that students will have to follow.

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One of the sources on the "Teaching with Technology" in Module 5. 

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One of the sources on the "Teaching with Technology" in Module 5. 

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Awesome information that might have been overlooked!

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This article describes the Kemp Instructional Design Model (also referred to as the "Morrison, Ross, and Kemp Model"), and also seeks to offer insight into some of the potential advantages of utilizing this framework. Incorporating a variety of approaches from a multiplicity of disciplines (Morrison et al., 2010), this model represents an innovative approach to instructional design by virtue of its non-linear structure, and the interrelated nature of its components.

See also: Instructional Design Models and Theories

In contrast to other models, such as the Dick and Carey Model, the Kemp Design Model adopts a circular structure, rather than one that is linear (Akbulut, 2007). This circularity is achieved by viewing the nine core elements of the model as interdependent rather than singular and independent. This allows instructional designers a significant degree of flexibility, because they are able to begin the design process with any of the nine components or stages, rather than being constrained to work in a linear fashion. In other words, designers are not required to consider the components in any proscribed "orderly way to realize the instructional learning systems design"(Akbulut, 2007). Depending on the process, a number of stages can be addressed simultaneously, and some design stages may not even be required. Due to the interrelation between components, the design process becomes cyclical, open to ongoing revisions and adjustments amongst the elements, in order to achieve the design best suited to the desired learning outcomes of a course.

In general, to achieve these results an instructional designer will need to take into account not only the learning objectives, but also a number of other factors, including the needs and characteristics of the learner, the instructional content and activities (including tasks and procedures), instructional resources and support services, and learner assessment and evaluation tools and methods.

These tasks coincide with the four essential elements defined as the basic framework for instructional planning (learner; objectives; methods; evaluation), as defined by Morrison et al. (2010). These four components are the basis on a functional design plan (Morrison et al (2010), which, when enriched with the additional components outlined in the Kemp Design Model, form a complete instructional design model (Morrison et al., 2010).

The circular approach adopted by the Kemp model guides designers to take the perspective of the learner, so that the learner's overall goals, needs, priorities, and constraints are taken into consideration when deciding on instructional solutions. The nine key components of the Kemp Instructional Design, which are intended to focus on the whole learner throughout the design process, are much more detailed and nuanced than those included in previous models. However, because the stress in the Kemp model is on the interrelatedness of these nine elements, the design process itself can be a more dynamic and fluid process than other models would allow.

The Kemp Instructional Design Model: Nine Core Elements

Determine the specific goals, and also identify potential instructional issues

Identify characteristics of learners that should be taken into account during the planning process

Clarify course content, and analyze the proposed task components in relation to the stated goals and purposes of the course

Define instructional objectives and desired learning outcomes

Ensure that content for each instructional unit is structure sequentially and logically to facilitate learning

Design instructional strategies to enable individual learners to master the content, and achieve desired learning outcomes

Plan the instructional message and the appropriate mode of delivery

Develop evaluation instruments suitable for measuring and assessing learners' progress towards achieving course objectives

Choose the appropriate resources that will support both teaching and learning activities

For the first element, the focus is on defining the learning outcomes for the course. This includes what the student needs to learn or the skills they need to acquire. For instance, what broad concepts, new knowledge, or course-specific content should the learner be have a fluent understanding about at course completion? What tasks should the learner be able to perform, or what skills should the learner be able to demonstrate? What ILOs are desired?

The focus of the second element is phase is on the learning styles and needs of students, as well as the germane cognitive load related to topics, tasks, and procedures.

The third element is similar to the third stage of the model proposed by Dick and Carey, as well as the analysis stage in the ADDIE model. It is a very important element, because it helps the designer to begin thinking about the overall content of the course in relation to the characteristics of the learner.

The fourth element, content and task analysis, is the phase that most specifically focuses on the whole learner, and determines the depth of understanding of new material that the learner should be able to demonstrate. Bloom's taxonomy is a good resource for helping ascertain the level that a learner can be expected to process new information.

Element five (determining objectives for learners) is similar to the first stage in the Dick and Carey model, which deals with examining the course ILOs. In this phase, the designer analyzes the broad learning objectives of the course, and translates them into more specific and defined goals.

The sixth element is the design of activities that will assist in course facilitation.

In the seventh phase, the designer decides what instructional resources are necessary to allow teachers to effectively teach, and students to effectively learn.

The eighth component is one which is unique in the Kemp model, because it takes into account support services that are available, or that may be required, to facilitate both teaching and learning activities. For instance, the instructional design may specify a requirement for technological support personnel, or special education assistants.

The final component, which deals with formative and summative evaluations and assessment modes, is similar to at least two other models (Spector, Merrill, Van Morrienboer & Driscoll, 2008).

See also: ASSURE Model
References:
Akbulut, Y. (2007). Implications of two well-known models for instructional designers in distance education: Dick-Carey versus Morrison-Ross-Kemp. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 8(2).

Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kemp, J. E., & Kalman, H. (2010). Designing effective instruction. John Wiley & Sons.

Spector, J. M., Merrill, M. D., Van Morrienboer, J., & Driscoll, M. (2008). Perspective principals for instructional design. In Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (3rd ed., pp. 173-183). New York, New York: Routledge.

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Kemp Design Model - Educational Technology

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This article describes the Kemp Instructional Design Model (also referred to as the "Morrison, Ross, and Kemp Model"), and also seeks to offer insight into some of the potential advantages of utilizing this framework. Incorporating a variety of approaches from a multiplicity of disciplines (Morrison et al., 2010), this model represents an innovative approach to ...

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Industry insights your peers are reading. The very best industry content from the EdTech Update community.

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Technology Second

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Education Week - Leading From the Classroom

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On Tuesday, July 10, the US Department of Education (ED) hosted "What Teachers Need to Know about Personalized Learning" as part of their Teacher Summer Seminars.
Richard Culatta, Deputy Director of the Office of Educational Technology, Matthew McCrea, Science Instructional Lead Teacher at G. James Gholson Middle School in Maryland, and I discussed our perspectives on promoting personalized learning in schools from the policy, classroom, and staff development perspective. What is Personalized Learning?
ED describes Personalized Learning as:

1. Adjusting the pace of instruction so that instruction is more individualized.

2. Adjusting the learning approach so that instruction is differentiated.

3. Leveraging student interests and experiences so that learning is more... personalized.

Richard emphasized the following points in his presentation:

The traditional teaching model treats all learners the same despite unique needs and strengths.

We need a new educational model that takes classroom learning beyond a one-size fits-all mentality.

Personalized Learning is not about technology, but technology helps.

Richard gave some examples of how technology empowers personalized learning from 1:1 computing, use of handheld devices, classroom response systems, and learning management systems.

Matthew shared the wonderful examples from his classroom including a blended learning model in 7th grade Algebra class with 1:1 laptops and a project based learning in 7/8 STEM class with 1:1 laptops.
More than Technology Required
From my perspective, with this new emphasis on Personalized Learning, any special education teacher understands that Personalized Learning is not new. It's what is done everyday in special education classrooms where services and instructional delivery are designed from the needs of the individual.

This focus on Personalized Learning is exciting because we've combined the emphasis on individual needs and empowered this approach with the power of technology.

But, with our focus on technology, one should hope that educational leaders will not view the purchasing of devices as providing quick and easy solutions. More importantly, Personal Learning demands a shift in how lessons are designed, which requires certain levels of knowledge and skillsets.

I posed the following question to the teachers:
"Let's say that a delivery truck shows up at your school and suddenly you have all these devices such as iPads, netbooks, classroom response systems, and learning and data management portals.... Will teachers in your school teach any differently?"
Teachers understand that change does not happen so quickly and easily.

Personalized Learning, like all other models of instruction that attempt to introduce innovation in schools, is about professional development and support.

Teachers need to have certain skills for Personalized Learning to use these technologies. It's about pedagogy and content:
Personalized Learning requires that teachers should:
1) Know their students: Teachers should know their students ' interests, know their learning styles, and know their ability levels.

In Personalized Learning, the teacher needs to be personable to the students. Teachers who already do this will be prepared for that shift; teachers that do not have this knowledge may not see the value in the technology. In order to "leverage student interests, one must first know the interests of their students and know how to act on it.

2) Know their pedagogy and content: Teachers should be able to implement multiple paths to knowledge- having a variety of ways to help a diverse group of students learn rigorous standards. This means having more than one resource or activity to teach a lesson and meet a goal or objective. This means teachers should be able to differentiate instruction, find all opportunities for remediation to help struggling learners, and understand how to provide enrichment to challenge the advanced student.

Simply giving a teacher an iPad will not guarantee this level of expertise.

3) Manage student learning: As teachers will now have classrooms where multiple activities may be occurring at the same time, this requires a level of classroom management, data keeping, and use of a variety of assessments. Not to stereotype, but elementary school teachers are more familiar with managing a classroom with lots of movement and activities going on- those teachers who rely on lecture only may need additional resources and support, as well as seeing other teachers in their subject and grade level who have this level of flexibility.

4) Access available resources
These can be tremendous challenges if teachers work alone. There is no need for teachers to reinvent the wheel. A teacher should not have multiple preps for a single class period.

As Mathew suggested in his presentation, teachers should beg, borrow, and steal the great lessons whenever possible.

In this regard, district and schools will have to provide curriculum support and ensure that all teachers have the resources to focus on student learning.
Transforming the Teaching Profession
Ultimately, just as Personalized Learning transforms student learning, it can transform the teaching profession as opportunities will be created for teachers to be design the instructional resources and provide support for teachers in schools.

And in this regard, Personal Learning has exciting potential for both the student and the teacher.

It's time. And with technology and our information-on-demand society creating opportunities for more students to learn academics outside of school through opportunities such as through Udemy, Khan Academy, and LearnZillion, perhaps this change is inevitable.

It's time to harness the power of technology to start meeting the needs of the individual during the school day.
So, if that delivery truck appears at your school and delivers these technologies for Personalized Learning, are you ready? For a similar discussion on Personalized Learning, join me on July 26 for the Alliance for Excellent Education's Webinar: The Role of Teaching in a Learner-Centered, Digitally Empowered Environment from 2:00-3:00PM. Follow me on Twitter at @Patrick_Ledesma

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On Tuesday, July 10, the US Department of Education (ED) hosted "What Teachers Need to Know about Personalized Learning" as part of their Teacher Summer Seminars. Richard Culatta, Deputy Director of the Office of Educational Technology, Matthew McCrea, Science Instructional Lead Teacher at G.

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One of the Module 3 articles - very down to each article about the current times.

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Saying that it has always been this way, doesn't count as a legitimate justification as to why it should stay that way. Teachers and administrators all over the world are doing amazing things, but some of the things we are still doing, despite all the new solutions, research and ideas out there are, to put it mildly, incredible.

I'm not saying we should just make the current system better... we should change it into something else.

I have compiled a list of 14 things that are obsolete in 21st-century schools and it is my hope that this will inspire lively discussions about the future of education.

1. Computer Rooms

The idea of taking a whole class to a computer room with outdated equipment, once a week to practice their typewriting skills and sending them back to the classroom 40 minutes later, is obsolete.

Computers or technology shouldn't just be a specific subject, that's not sufficient anymore but rather it should be an integral part of all the subjects and built into the curriculum.

2. Isolated classrooms

Classrooms can be isolated in two ways. One where parents, teachers or guests are not welcome because the door and drapes are always shut... which has the words "Don't come in here" written all over it. The other way is being isolated to all the knowledge outside the 4 walls. For example from the internet, videos, blogs, websites, and visits from authors or scientists through Skype, to name a few.

Tony Wagner, the author of the Global Achievement Gap says: "Isolation is the enemy of improvement". The classroom should be open, teachers should be able to walk in and learn from each other, parents should visit often, f.x. with so-called Extra Open Schooldays (where all parents are encouraged to visit classrooms anytime during the day). Isolated classrooms are therefore obsolete.

3. Schools that don't have WiFi

Schools that don't have a robust WiFi network for staff and students are not only missing a big change for teaching and learning but robbing the students of access to knowledge and also limiting their chances to learn about the internet and using technology in a safe way.

21st-century schools make it possible for students and staff to learn anywhere, anytime and schools that don't allow that are obsolete.

4. Banning phones and tablets

Taking phones and tablets from students instead of using them to enhance learning is obsolete. We should celebrate the technology students bring and use them as learning tools.

Phones are no longer just devices to text and make phone calls... when they were, then banning them was OK. Today there is more processing power in the average cellular telephone than NASA had access to when they sent a man to the moon in 1969. Yet most students only know how to use these devices for social media and playing games.

Today you can edit a movie, make a radio show, take pictures, make posters, websites, blog, tweet as a character from a book, have class conversations over TodaysMeet and Google most answers on a test with the device in your pocket. We should show our students the learning possibilities & turn these distractions into learning opportunities that will reach far outside the classroom.

5. Tech director with an administrator access

Having one person responsible for the computer system, working from a windowless office in the school basement, surrounded by old computers, updates the programs and tells the staff what tech tools they can and cannot use... is obsolete.

Today we need technology co-ordinators that know what teachers and students need to be successful and solve problems instead of creating barriers. Someone who helps people to help themselves by giving them responsibility and finds better and cheaper ways to do things.

6. Teachers that don't share what they do

Teachers who work silently, don't tweet, blog and discuss ideas with people around the world are obsolete. Teachers are no longer working locally but globally and it's our job to share what we do and see what others are doing. If a teacher is no longer learning then he shouldn't be teaching other people.

We should all be tweeting, blogging and sharing what works and doesn't work, get and give advice to and from co-workers around the world. We should constantly be improving our craft because professional development isn't a 3-hour workshop once a month but a lifelong process.
"We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience." -John Dewey
7. Schools that don't have Facebook or Twitter

Schools that think putting a news article on the school website every other week and publish a monthly newsletter is enough to keep parents informed are obsolete.

The school should have a Facebook page, share news and information with parents, have a Twitter account and their own hashtag, run their own online TV channel where students film, edit and publish things about school events.

If you don't tell your story, someone else will.

8. Unhealthy cafeteria food

School cafeterias that look and operate almost like fast food restaurants where staff and students get a cheap, fast and unhealthy meals are obsolete.

A few schools in Iceland and Sweden have turned almost completely to organic foods and given thought into the long term benefit of healthy food rather than the short term savings of the unhealthy. For example at Stora Hammar school in Sweden, 90% of the food served is organic.

Children should put the food on their own plate, clean up after themselves and even do the dishes. Not because it saves the school money on the workforce but because it is a part of growing up and learning about responsibility. What 21st-century schools should be doing as well is growing their own fruits and vegetables where students water them and learn about nature. Setting up a farm to feed students would be optimal, but if that is not an option (for example in big city schools) then they can at last set up a window farm in some of the school windows.

The goal of providing students a healthy meal is not only to give them enough nutrition to last the school day but to make healthy food a normal part of their daily life and get them to think about nutrition which is something that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

9. Starting school at 8 o'clock for teenagers

Research has shown over and over again that teenagers do better and feel better in schools that start later. Often parents or administrators get in the way of that change. Research (f.x. from the The Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics and University of Minnesota - video) show that delaying school start as little as 50 minutes and making it longer by 30 minutes instead has a positive effect both on learning and activities after school. Schools that don't do this are obsolete.

Starting later is easy and teachers could use the extra time in the morning to prepare class... it's a win-win situation.

10. Buying poster-, website- and pamphlet design for the school

When your school needs a poster, pamphlet or a new website they shouldn't buy the service from somewhere else (although that can sometimes be the case) and have students do it instead. In the best schools of the future, they will be the ones doing it as a real project that has meaning and as a collaborative project in language and art....using technology.

11. Traditional libraries

Libraries that only contain books and chess tables are obsolete.

A 21st-century library should be at the heart of the school and a place where both students and staff can come in to relax, read, get advice, access powerful devices, edit videos, music, print in 3D and learn how to code to name a few. This 21st-century learning space should give people an equal chance to use these devices and access information. Otherwise, these libraries will turn into museums where people go to look at all the things we used to use.

12. All students get the same

Putting kids in the same class because they are born in the same year is obsolete. School systems were originally set up to meet the needs of industrialism. Back then we needed people to work in factories, conformity was good and nobody was meant to excel or be different in that environment. That doesn't fit our needs today, let alone the future but many schools are still set up like the factories they were meant to serve 100 years ago.

We should increase choice, give children support to flourish in what interests them and not only give them extra attention to the things they're bad at. In most schools, if you are good at art but bad in german you get german lessons to get to par with the other students instead of excelling at art... All even, all the same!

Education should be individualized, students should work in groups regardless of age and their education should be built around their needs.

13. One-Professional development-workshop-fits-all

A school that just sends the entire staff to a workshop once a month where everyone gets the same is obsolete. Professional development is usually top-down instead of the ground up where everyone gets what they want and need. This is because giving everyone (including students) what they need and want takes time & money.

With things like Twitter, Pinterest, articles online, books, videos, co-operation & conversations employees can personalize their professional development. (Read about my article on Personalized Professional Development here)

14. Standardized tests to measure the quality of education

Looking at standardized tests to evaluate whether or not children are educated or not is the dumbest thing we can do and gives us a shallow view of learning.

The outcomes, although moderately important, measure only a small part of what we want our kids to learn and by focusing on these exams we are narrowing the curriculum. Alfie Kohn even pointed out a statistically significant correlation between high grades on standardized tests and a shallow approach to learning.

The world today and the needs of society are completely different from what they used to be. We are not only training people to work locally but globally. With standardized tests, like PISA, we are narrowing the curriculum, and all the OECD countries are teaching the same thing. Because of that, we all produce the same kind of workers, outdated workers, to work in factories. People who can comply, behave and be like everybody else.

In the global world today it is easy to outsource jobs to someone who is willing to do the same job, just as fast for less money. Therefore we need creative people that can do something else and think differently.

Andreas Schleicher (2010) said:

"Schools have to prepare students for jobs that have not yet been created, technologies that have not yet been invented and problems that we don't know will arise."

Standardized education might have been the answer once but saying that it's obsolete is putting it mildly and is only a way to try to repair the broken system. The results of those tests are, according to Daniel Pink (A Whole New Mind, 2005) in direct contradiction to the skills we need today. Those skills are for example design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning.

We should be solving real problems, asking questions that matter instead of remembering and repeating facts. Adults' accomplishments are linked far more strongly to their creativity than IQ ( source) and we should be celebrating diverse knowledge and interest instead of trying to standardize knowledge and skills.

I wonder if schools would finally change their direction if we designed a new standardize test that wouldn't measure numeracy, science, and literacy but empathy, creative thinking and communication skills... Maybe that is all we need.

Final thoughts

All the education systems on the planet are being reformed, but I don't think reform is what we need. We need a revolution and change the education system into something else. It isn't an easy task, but as S.E. Phillips once said:

Anything worth having is worth fighting for.

Doing something new and getting poor results on the old test shouldn't surprise anyone. What is the point of doing something new and different if we get the same results on standardized tests... then we might as well just do factory schooling, conform and comply.

"If I had asked the people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses"

That is exactly what we are doing today. We are asking our students to remember more, write better and repeat faster than before... just like we wanted the faster horse when really we should be asking for the car. Sure the car wasn't better than the horse in the beginning and our education system won't be perfect either. It will never be perfect, it should be constantly evolving and we should strive to make it better every day.

I don't know what a perfect education system looks like, and don't think it even exists. But I believe that if we talk, try something different, fail forward, investigate and share what we do, not only locally but globally, we can get a lot closer.

If you want to see a change in education, you should start in your own classroom.

"Education can be encouraged from the top-down but can only be improved from the ground up" - Sir Ken Robinson
Icelandic Educator. Creator. Designer. Stanford Graduate School of Education Alumn
Ingvi Hrannar Ómarsson

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14 things that are obsolete in 21st century schools

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Saying that it has always been this way, doesn't count as a legitimate justification as to why it should stay that way. Teachers and administrators all over the world are doing amazing things, but some of the things we are still doing, despite all the new solutions, research and ideas out there are, to put [...]

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I've looked back at this article multiple times when referring to my own thoughts on Twitter.

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Many regard Twitter as quite a useless social media sharing portal. Some have this negative opinion, mainly because of the fact Twitter allows you to "tweet" or post only 140 characters in length. This length equals the text of a regular SMS, and for some this is simply not enough. However, Twitter proves to be an extremely helpful little educational tool. By using Twitter in education, you can post only a few short sentences, but that is exactly enough to transmit the essence of your message.

Leading such busy lives, people do not have the time or the mood to read long walls of text. They prefer to capture only the essence, and using Twitter in education helps you with that. This social media portal is widely used among the academia all across the world. Students, journalists, actors, politicians, important leaders, and sports people... they all use Twitter. So how can such a tool really prove helpful in the educational field?

1. Tweet homework and assignments.

Both teachers and students can easily and quickly tweet details of homework and assignments using Twitter in education. You can also include links to important online sources/pages, and don't forget to mention the due dates in your tweet. This way, everyone with an account will receive a notification, and they can share, forward or respond to the tweet.

2. Get important educational resources.

Many times teachers are simply out of ideas regarding interactive and creative methods of teaching. Now, by searching for " Twitter for Teachers" resources, you can get instant access to hundreds of important links. Get insightful ideas from other teachers around the world, follow the good examples or share your own efficient teaching methods. Twitter is a good tool for professional development.

3. Student collaboration.

The email seems to become an old fashioned tool for collaboration. Now teachers can motivate students to use Twitter in order to work on collaborative assignments. This way, you can also intervene at any point by giving a good advice, sharing an interesting link with your students, or helping them with important resources for research.

4. Announcing field trips.

Students love surprises. Therefore, write a creative 140 characters long description of the great field trip you will all take together... if the classroom results are good for everyone. Within minutes, you will see dozens of messages congratulating you for the idea. Plus, by advertising the field trip through Twitter, everyone will get a real time notification.

5. Subscribe to relevant hashtags.

Discuss with students in the classroom what issues they would like to follow on Twitter. Have a talk on the relevant issues for your class, and then decide together what hashtags you should all follow. By getting regular news updates through following, there will always be an interesting topic to debate in class. Using Twitter in education provides a great way of socialization and encourages students to speak up for the issues they believe in, and become opinionated.

6. Tweet about changes in the program.

If there is any change your students should know about, you can use Twitter to inform them. For example, if the class will be held in another classroom or if the class will be skipped the next day. Students receive instant notifications, and they can share with fellow students. If there is any last minute change regarding the school program, just send out a short tweet.

7. Organizing contests.

Have students prepare for your next class by writing a nice essay, or by solving a tough math problem. Give them incentives, and motivate them to enter the contest. Students love to interact through social media, and you will get a great number of participants in your school related contest.

8. Syncing Twitter with relevant blogs.

It is very useful for teachers, parents and students. Twitter allows you to sync with WordPress blogs, and all update notifications will be received through Twitter. This way, everyone can tune in and check out the fresh updates of different logs, without actually entering separately each address. Teachers can check the posts of their students by clicking on the link, while students can follow the posts and updates of their peers.

9. Research tool for students.

Any student can quickly and easily find high authority research material using Twitter in education. All they need to do is type in the search bar relevant keywords, and they will receive a list with dozens of relevant websites and blogs. There is also the option to search for specific phrases, key figures, discussion topics, relevant discussion forums, etc.

10. Network through hashtag chats.

Search for any topic that you are highly interested in, and join other great groups available on Twitter. Make new friends, express your opinion on an academic matter, and ask your fellow students or teachers to join. You will form one huge and powerful army of experts and debaters on topics that are of high interest to you.

11. Share interesting topics.

Help your fellow students get a better understanding of a tough topic for class. If you found an interesting article, a website or even someone worth following on Twitter, share it with other students. The same goes for teachers, who should definitely share educational materials and links with students using Twitter as the main platform.

12. Create a unique classroom hashtag.

With so many hashtags available out there, it is quite difficult to find a unique one. However, find such a relevant word and use it for your classroom hashtag. Then ask all students and teachers to join, and this will be your little virtual online classroom. Hashtags are used to find groups of interest and then connect with them, so make sure you give away your hashtag only to those you want to join the respective group.

13. Write mini reviews.

Both teachers and students can use Twitter to write very short and concise reviews of a movie or a book. This way, you will make a recommendation to watch or not to watch a certain movie. Connect with your teachers and fellow students even for entertainment through Twitter. The reviews should be short, but they may contain links to the full article or review you posted on a website for example.

14. Surveying students.

Now and then it is worth engaging students into a poll. As a teacher you can now inform your students about the new survey through Twitter. Find out what they like/dislike about your class, what changes they would want to make, what books they prefer to read, or what recreational activities they would prefer more. It is amazing how many essential things you will learn about your students by having them complete such a survey (Twitter link to Survey Monkey for example).

15. Teach through play.

You could invite students to write collaboratively a nice poem. You suggest the first two lines on Twitter, and then everyone else will try to come up with a new rhyming and relevant line. This is particularly useful for creative writing or English class, and students will love your ingeniousness. Instead of a poem, you could ask them to write a letter, with each student adding a few lines until they create a nice story. Then, you will read the entire work of art in class and analyze it together.

Conclusion

These are only a few ideas on how to successfully use Twitter in education. This micro-blogging portal is not only for entertainment, but it can have a very important role in academia as well. Students, teachers and parents will all benefit of being active on Twitter. The portal also helps forming very united and compact groups, and it helps increase the productivity and responsiveness of students. Now the entire classroom can join Twitter, and everyone can start using all the amazing features offered by the portal: Advertise, inform, share, respond, create a buzz, invite... and anything else you can imagine!

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15 Ways To Use Twitter In Education (For Students And Teachers Alike) - eLearning Industry

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Many regard Twitter as quite a useless social media sharing portal. Some have this negative opinion, mainly because of the fact Twitter allows you to "tweet" or post only 140 characters in length. This length equals the text of a regular SMS, and for some this is simply not enough.

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Industry insights your peers are reading. The very best industry content from the EdTech Update community.

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Educational Technology Tools Archives - eLearning Industry

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Educational Technology Tools and eLearning go hand in hand. Visit eLearning Industry to find all the newest articles, written by our top authors.

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Great article - specifically about collaboration in the classroom.

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Great article - specifically about collaboration in the classroom.

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The teaching strategies based on educational technology can be described as ethical practices that facilitate the students' learning and boost their capacity, productivity, and performance. Technology integration in education inspires positive changes in teaching methods on an international level. Are you still wondering whether or not you should start relying on different apps and tools? The following list of benefits will help you come to a final conclusion.

1. Technology makes teaching easy!

Aren't you tired of giving theoretical explanations your students cannot understand? You simply cannot discover a way of presenting tough concepts that makes the concept clear for each and every student in the class. Technology has that power! Thanks to audio-visual presentations, your students will understand exactly how the knowledge is applied in practice. You can use projectors and computer presentations to deliver any type of lesson or instruction and improve the level of comprehension within the class.

2. Technology helps you track students' progress!

You are no longer limited to a plain-old diary and notes about every student. That would only get you confused. Today, you can rely on platforms and tools that enable you to keep track of the individual achievements of your students. MyStudentsProgress and theTeacherCloud Progress Tracker are great online tools that enable you to do that, but your school can also develop personalized software that would serve that purpose.

3. Educational technology is good to the environment!

Can you imagine the amount of paper and number of trees that would be saved if every school decided to introduce digital textbooks? Of course, that goal is far from realistic at this point, but you can make a change when you start from your own class. For example, you can instruct your students to take online tests and submit their papers and homework through email. You can also encourage them to use eReaders to go through the literature you assign.

4. Thanks to technology, students enjoy learning!

Students are addicted to Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Digg, and other websites from a very early age. The internet can distract them from the learning process, but you can also use their inclination to spend time online for a good purpose: Making learning enjoyable. Use touch-screen technology and online presentations to make the classes more interactive. You can also rely on technology when you want your students to take part in discussions. Set up a private Facebook group for your class and inspire constructive conversations!

5. Technology makes distance learning more accessible than ever!

Without the wonders of the internet, people wouldn't be able to get access to any type of information at the very moment they think of it. Today, distance learning is one of the most trending learning methods. Virtual lessons are slowly taking the place of traditional lectures. Students can organize their time in a way that works for them, and they can easily gain the knowledge they are interested in. For example, let's say one of your students shows great interest in Astronomy, but the traditional curriculum does nothing to feed that hunger for knowledge. You can recommend him/her to take beginner's course at Coursera, Udemy, or any other online service that offers high-quality virtual lectures.

6. Students and teachers can access information at any time!

This is possibly the most obvious benefit of technology. When old-school teachers were students, they had to spend hours in the library looking for the information they needed. Today, technology integration makes everything different and simpler. Students can easily access newspapers, scientific articles, studies, and any other type of content online. They can write better, deeper academic papers because they can support their arguments with more evidence. When you give a lecture the students don't understand, they can find simpler instructions and information with a single Google search.

7. Technology makes collaboration more effective!

Think about the way collaboration looks like in a traditional classroom setting. You organize groups, assign the projects, and suddenly the class becomes a complete mess. Some students express their opinions too loudly and firmly, while others don't get an opportunity to be heard. Online tools and apps offer a unique setting for students to engage in a group project. They can do the work from home; the team is connected through the Internet and everyone is inspired by the focused environment.

Don't Underestimate The Power Of Technology

You stand no chance of being called "the cool teacher" if you keep neglecting the use of educational technology in the classroom. The benefits of technology integration described above should convince you of the fact that this form education is great for both students and teachers.

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7 Benefits Οf Technology Integration Ιn Τhe Education Sphere - eLearning Industry

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The teaching strategies based on educational technology can be described as ethical practices that facilitate the students' learning and boost their capacity, productivity, and performance. Technology integration in education inspires positive changes in teaching methods on an international level. Are you still wondering whether or not you should start relying on different apps and tools?