EdTech for SD Teachers Podcast - Episode 15: Adopting iPads: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

This week, I discuss some things you really should consider before adopting iPads for your classes on a 1:1 basis. They certainly don't do everything and they aren't perfect educational devices. Here's what you need to know organized under three categories, the good, the bad and the ugly.

The Future of Teaching and Learning in the Information Age - In a Nutshell

I have given a lot of attention to the future of teaching and learning on this blog in posts such as: Is information presentation part of the future of teaching, Is grading a part of the future of teaching, and
The future of teaching and learning - Designing learning experiences. I thought that I could sum up all of these concepts in one slideshow that helps envision what the future of teaching and learning would look like in day to day classroom interactions. This slideshow is also a part of my book, Educational Technology for Teachers. It shows what the classroom of the future might look like as teachers become designers of learning experiences:

Are you doing this in your own classroom? If not, what is stopping you from moving toward the future of teaching and learning?

EdTech for SD Teachers Podcast - Episode 14: Classroom response sites for active learning with mobile devices

We're finally back from winter break! This week, I discuss some really cool classroom response sites for active learning with mobile devices.

Here are the links from this post:

• Screenleap
• Nearpod
• Poll Everywhere
• Socrative
• Padlet 
• Lino
• Awwapp
• Plickers

More information in my book - Educational Technology for Teachers - including a full list of recommended apps and websites for education.

Constructionism: An important learning method for the Information Age

We live in the Information Age, so it is important to teach using Information Age methods. Although it's been around a while, constructionism is a great Information Age learning method (Harel & Papert, 1991; Papert, 1993). Constructionism (with an “n”) is a student-centered learning theory that more specifically focuses on the role of technology in the learning process. In constructionism, technologies should not be used to simply present information to students. Instead, technologies should be tools that students use to think, to solve a problem, or to complete a task (Papert, 1993). This post is an excerpt from my textbook, Educational Technology for Teachers, which is now available online as an interactive pdf file and also on the Apple iBooks store. 

In constructionism, students should use technology to help them complete challenging activities that result in the building of an “artifact,” or representation of student knowledge. Constructionist theory further suggests that students should be able to make some of their own choices for learning as they create artifacts that represent their knowledge. Students could decide how to complete a task, how to work together, or what format to use when creating an artifact. Some examples of constructionist artifacts could include the following:

• A student-created website about the battle for Atlanta during the American Civil War
  
• A student-created printed brochure that portrays the health benefits of brushing your teeth
  
• A student-created video newscast that outlines the plot of a famous literary work

Note how all of the above examples require students to have knowledge of the subject area in question in order to produce the artifact. Technologies can play a role in all three examples because they provide students with applications to help create the artifact. According to constructionist theory, as students create an artifact like the ones featured above, they also build knowledge structures and learn the subject matter featured in the artifact (Harel & Papert, 1991; Papert, 1993). 

Two summer camp experiences that I have been involved with embody the concept of constructionism. These include Digital Media Camp, held each year in Aberdeen, SD, and GameWerks, held each year in Athens, GA. 

At the heart of constructionism, students create projects that represent their knowledge. Within the requirements of the project, students might make decisions on what steps to take, what resources to use, what format to use, and how to represent knowledge. This approach supports student-centered learning appropriate for the Information Age because it emphasizes student responsibility for learning within student-led projects. 

References:

Harel, I., & Papert, S. (1991). Constructionism. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing.

Papert, S. (1993). The children’s machine: Rethinking school in the age of the computer. New York: Basic Books. 

EdTech for SD Teachers Podcast - Episode 13: The CRAP test for Information Literacy

This week, I discuss the CRAP test to help you determine the accuracy of an information source. Teachers can adapt this test for different ages of students in order to help them learn this important 21st century skill. Here are the elements of the CRAP test:

Currency
Reliability
Accuracy
Purpose and point of view

Here are the links from this post:

• Reliability of Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability_of_Wikipedia

More information in my book - Educational Technology for Teachers - including a full section on information literacy.

3 Free Synchronous Distance Learning Tools

Do you want to have a videoconferencing session with a student or parent at home? Maybe you want to connect to another classroom on the other side of the world to learn about a different culture or language. Perhaps you would like to invite an expert into your classroom, but that expert lives far away. 

For teachers who wish to communicate with students and others synchronously (live), there are a variety of free tools available online. These tools — which include Skype, Google+ Hangouts and Talky — allow the teacher to connect with students, experts and other classrooms for distance learning. This post is an excerpt from my textbook, Educational Technology for Teachers. 

Skype 

Perhaps the most ubiquitous free synchronous communication tool is Skype, a communication tool that allows you to chat, call and videoconference with anyone who has an Internet connection and Skype account. Skype wasn’t necessarily created for educational purposes, but it has been used by teachers and students worldwide to share lessons, connect to other classrooms and invite experts to the class. 

All participants in a Skype call must first sign up for a free Skype account, but it has been estimated that as many as 33% of voice calls worldwide are made through Skype, so a lot of people already have Skype accounts. Videoconferencing is limited to five separate locations at a time and is dependent on the quality of the Internet connections of each participant. For voice-only calls, the number of possible separate locations that can connect is 25. To start a session in skype, simply click on the person in your contact list that you wish to call and then click “call” or “video call.” When the call has been established, there is a “+” button that lets you add more people for a group call. 

Google+ Hangouts

Google+ Hangouts is another free synchronous communication tool that features group chat and videoconferencing. As is the case with Skype, Google+ Hangouts was not created for educational purposes, but can be used to present a lesson, connect to classrooms, answer questions, and do other learning activities. Google+ Hangouts videoconference sessions are limited to only 10 people, and all participants must have a Google+ account before participating in a chat or live session. 

To chat or videoconference with people using Google+ hangouts, login to Google+ and then type their name in the “New Hangout” field. For a group chat or videoconference session, you can check the checkboxes to add as many people as you want. A new chat window comes up in which you can chat with the group. To videoconference with a person or group, you can click the “video call” button in the chat window. 

Talky

Talky is relatively new in the synchronous communication world, but it provides a high-quality interface for videoconferencing which requires no login or previous software installation. Screen and video sharing is possible by all participants in a Talky session, and through screen sharing, the teacher can show presentations, software applications and documents. Students can also share presentations and concepts using screen sharing in Talky. Starting a synchronous session is simple, you just go to the Talky website and then enter a name for the session you want to start. Once you have a session started, participants can go to the correct web address and join the session. 

My book, Educational Technology for Teachers, also includes videos showing how to use these distance learning tools. Don't forget about these useful videoconferencing tools the next time you want to communicate from a distance!

EdTech for SD Teachers Podcast - Episode 12: Technology: It's How You Use It!

This week, we talk a little about the future of education and how what we do now with technology in the classroom can be student-centered. Remember, it's how you use technology that really counts! Simply using technology in your classroom won't make a difference with student learning. Using it in student-centered ways will!



Here are the links from this post:

• Reinventing schools: It's time to break the mold (book) - http://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Schools-Time-Break-Mold/dp/1475802404
• Google Earth - https://www.google.com/earth/

More information in my book - Educational Technology for Teachers - including a full chapter on student-centered learning with technology.