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“The most important thing right now is that we are trying to get the standards in the hands of the population and bridge the gap between teachers and parents so we can start communicating around the standards, and that will take some considerable effort.” – USA
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“I hope one of the things I can contribute to this world is the opportunity for more children to have access to the best education possible by using technology to extend the reach of great teachers, redesign schools in student-centric ways, and bring the joy back into the learning process.” – USA
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“For me, the new possibilities for my students are the most rewarding. By using ICT, they can work with their peers from other countries.” – Macedonia
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“We often talk about what skills students require to be successful in the 21st century workforce, but what skills does the 21st century educator need to deal with a student who has all of these resources available to them?” – USA
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“It’s easy for students to lose motivation and give up. They become convinced that math is too difficult for them. With DragonBox we want to change that and help kids believe in themselves and their own abilities.” – Norway
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“Now that I am teaching I also want to inspire other teachers to think further than just their classroom so that we are creating opportunities for our students to be their very best — to be LIFE ready.” – JUSA
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“How do we keep effective teachers in the classroom? How do we make sure that schools have the kind of culture and conditions that reward teachers for their hard work and recognize them as professionals?” – Bill McDiarmid, USA
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“Let’s Not Forget: Teaching is an Art–The Intersection between Relationship, Curiosity and Content” – USA
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Daily Edventures Web Show: The Premiere!
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“Personalizing the learning environment is, to me, the most groundbreaking and exciting thing happening in education today” – USA
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While the concept of 1-to-1 learning (one device per one student) has been around for decades, its success can be measured to varying degrees. Yet something can be learned from both the successes and failures of the schools that are experimenting with 1-to-1 – or 1-to-many – models of teaching. That’s the viewpoint of Sean Tierney, academic program manager for Microsoft Australia.
Tierney is an experienced teacher, school leader and departmental manager who has studied 1-to-1 programs around the world and is an expert at distinguishing
a poor strategy from a great one.
In this recent article in Asia Futures Magazine, Tierney provides insights on some of the most successful programs throughout the world. He takes us through the best ways to
implement a 1-to-1 program, including how to choose the right device. “Ideally, schools would be looking to provide a 1-to-1 program that ensures students are doing things they couldn’t do before, and to much greater levels of complexity,” says Tierney. “Schools need to understand what is truly possible, and not be distracted by gimmickry, simple substitution tools or cheap distractions. Hopefully, schools will want to look around, do some research and see what’s possible.”
He also talks about the advantages and disadvantages of BYOD, and the ever-important role of parents. “I think the role of the parent is to understand and share the school’s vision for learning, and to contribute to it,” states Tierney. “The school is the expert in learning – it should bring the parents on board through structured conversations and examples of what good learning looks like.”
What do you think makes a great 1-to-1 program? Let me know @anthonysalcito.
http://www.asiafuturesmag.com/Article/ItemId/294/learning-programmes-of-the-future.aspx#
As part of our focus this month on teachers here at Daily Edventures, I’m pleased to share a one-hour special created by TED, WNET, PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting titled, “American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen.” John Legend hosted this exciting special which included talks from inspiring leaders in the world of education today, including Geoffrey Canada, Sir Ken Robinson, Pearl Arrendondo and Bill Gates, amongst others. Each of these talks is unique and rousing. I hope you take the time to watch it.
I’d particularly like to draw your attention to Gates’ TED Talk, which focuses not only on professional development for teachers, but specifically on feedback. “Everyone needs a coach,” says Gates. “We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve. Unfortunately, there’s one group of people who get almost no systematic form of feedback to help them do their jobs better. And these people have one of the most important jobs in the world. I’m talking about teachers.”
“Until recently, over 98 percent of teachers just got one word of feedback: ‘Satisfactory,” Gates noted. “Our teachers deserve better. The system we have today is not fair to them, it’s not fair to students, and it’s putting America’s global leadership at risk.”
According to Gates, supporting our teachers through systemic feedback, coaching and mentoring is an important step in improving our education system – for teachers, students and society in general.
Gates shares his views about how to enhance students’ outcomes, with an appearance from Daily Edventures alum Sarah Brown Wessling, who uses video in her classroom to help her learn and share best practices.
What do you think? Do you have feedback and coaching success stories that you would like to share?
Let me know @anthonysalcito.
Are you or is somebody you know an Expert Educator? The Microsoft Expert Educator program is an exclusive one-year program created to recognize global educator visionaries who are using technology to pave the way for their peers for better learning and student outcomes. Experts start the program by coming together for the annual Partners in Learning Global Forum.
To apply to the Expert Educator Program, and win a free trip to the next Partners in Learning Global Forum, go to www.pil-network.com/expert
Applications are being accepted through September 2013. Apply today!
If you think technology in K12 classrooms is being adopted slowly, well, you might want to think again.
In fact, according to the Pew Research Center – who surveyed teachers across the US – technology use is ubiquitous in K-12 classrooms across the US. Many classrooms use cell phones, e-readers, tablets, and smartboards, which not only influence the way teachers teach, but also how students learn.
Yet, while edutech is becoming more popular, some teachers still have concerns with how it affects students. For example, 87 percent of teachers believe that edutech may contribute to shorter attention spans in students, and 58 percent think it may hinder students’ ability to write.
What do you think? What are the best technologies in your classroom? How have your teaching and learning practices changed due to technology? What are the best opportunities to showcase the power of technology to enhance your students’ achievements?
Let me know @anthonysalcito
As we focus on teachers throughout the month of May, did you know that the supply of teachers throughout the world is falling, while the demand for teachers is growing? According to the latest UIS data, the world needs to create 1.7 million new teaching posts by 2015 to reach Universal Primary Education (UPE). Globally, 6.8 million teachers will be needed to ensure every child’s right to basic education.
This interactive infographic from UNESCO shows the gap between supply and demand, and the region where demand is most dramatic: sub-Saharan Africa.
What do you think? How are we doing on recruitment of new teachers? Are we getting the best and the brightest? What do we need to do different?
Let me know your thoughts @anthonysalcito.
Disruptive change in education is never easy or without controversy and the growing Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) trend is no exception. While many are touting the benefits of MOOCs in equalizing access to education, scaling innovation (and the reach of excellent teachers) and addressing the ways students actually live and work, the trend is not without its detractors.
In today’s Daily Edventure, I’m sharing a recent opinion piece from The Guardian with the menacing descriptor of MOOCs as “…an Avalanche that Might Just Get Stopped.” The piece points out that, while MOOCs are gaining steam in the US and elsewhere, the innovation hasn’t made much headway in the UK. The author cites recent efforts in California to allow students to get credit from public universities by taking online courses from private providers, a move that has sparked a great deal of debate about privatization of education.
According to author and University of California Professor James Vernon, studies have shown the “uneven effects” of online classes, particularly for underperforming and disadvantaged students. Says Vernon, “The promise of MOOCs to improve access and democratise knowledge is a chimera,“ and he concludes that, “there really is no replacement for face-to-face interaction between academics and students.“
Time will tell if Professor Vernon’s concerns are well founded, but in the meantime, millions of students seem to be benefitting from this new way to access learning. What do you think? Can MOOCs work, with the support of real relationships between teachers and students? Let me know @anthonysalcito.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/apr/29/massive-open-online-courses
While we talk a lot about technology here at Daily Edventures, we also believe that technology is not a silver bullet to the challenges that face educators today. Preparing our students for the 21st century, and the jobs and economy that face them tomorrow, is about more than just knowing how to use a tablet or smartboard. The tools of the 21st century – the skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication – require a new way of teaching.
If you’ve wondered how YOU can become an educator for the 21st Century, all it may take is a few simple steps. Perhaps you can collaborate with another classroom using Skype? Or maybe you can start your own personal learning network (PLN) on Twitter? If you’re interested in trying something new in your class, here’s a great list from Edudemic of more than two dozen steps to becoming a 21st Century Educator.
I’d love to hear which ones you’ve tried – which ones work for you, and which ones don’t. Let me know what you think @anthonysalcito.
As we often say here at Daily Edventures, it takes more than technology to achieve meaningful progress on the road to education reform. But technology does play a key role. Every day, I hear from teachers, and we’ve featured a number of them here, including Slovenia’s Gregor Hrastnik and Sweden’s Jerker Porat, who are innovating with the Windows 8 platform by developing their own apps.
Back in March, Microsoft announced that many schools around the US had adopted Windows 8, with teachers quickly familiarizing themselves with the platform and applying their creativity to make the most of it in and out of the classroom.
In today’s Daily Edventure video, you will meet some of these innovative teachers – not just in the US, but all over the globe — who tell us how they’re using Windows 8 and what apps they’ve come to rely on so far. Camille Rutherford, an education professor, talks about today’s “mouseless generation,” and how the touchscreen serves their unique needs. Favorite apps include SKYPE and Office 365, and according to special needs teacher Hans Smeele, “The most exciting thing about Windows 8 is that it’s easy to use it.” Teachers cite organization, look-and-feel and cross-device integration in their assessment of the Windows 8 experience in their teaching practices.
And you, how are you using Windows 8 in your classroom? What have you learned from your digital native students? And what apps do you love, or wish were available?
Let me know @AnthonySalcito, so I can share your stories.
Are you or is somebody you know an Expert Educator? The Microsoft Expert Educator program is an exclusive one-year program created to recognize global educator visionaries who are using technology to pave the way for their peers for better learning and student outcomes. Experts start the program by coming together for the annual Partners in Learning Global Forum.
To apply to the Expert Educator Program, and win a free trip to the next Partners in Learning Global Forum, go to www.pil-network.com/expert
Applications are being accepted through September 2013. Apply today!
Today is a big day here at Daily Edventures: we are thrilled to premier our very first Daily Edventures Web Show!
If you’re not yet familiar with the Daily Edventures Web Show, here’s what it’s all about: every day, I get to see and experience the best practices in education as I travel the globe and speak to heroes in education. We also hear that the readers of this blog love the videos we share. So, the Daily Edventures Web Show is our chance share and celebrate the best ideas and practices in education today in a fun and energetic video show. Each episode will be a little bit different, with a different theme – game-based learning, one-to-one, accessibility or building teacher capacity.
In today’s show, my co-host Lauren Woodman and I talk about the New Era of Digital Learning. We discuss how we all can make learning more immersive and engaging for students, as well as how to best build teacher capacity and help teachers use technology in their classrooms to prepare students for the 21st century.
This first Web Show is little bit special: before we mentions the content we received from the rest of the world to feature this month on the blog, we wanted to present you some outstanding opportunities to enter a worldwide competition for “heroes” in education.
More particularly, Lauren will give you some concrete ways to celebrate the best classroom educators from every corner of the globe by becoming a Microsoft Expert Educator or Microsoft Mentors School and “win” a chance to compete at the next Partners in Learning Global Forum.
For now, let’s kick off the “Teacher Appreciation Month” on Daily Edventures.
Please join us as we celebrate the best and the brightest educators globally!
And we can’t wait to hear what you think about the Daily Edventures Web Show!
Even more important, we hope that you collaborate with us on future shows! Our next installment will be in September – to mark the 10th Anniversary of Partners in Learning. It will be a worldwide celebration and recognition of teachers, school leaders, education leaders and forum participants who have participated in the program since its inception.
Anyone can contribute videos, ideas and stories. Just send your thoughts, photos and videos to dailyedventures@microsoft.com
And we will feature the best in the Web show teasing about what would be published the rest of the month on the blog!
Now, on with the show!
Technology has been a part of classroom education for years, but traditional pedagogy – in brick and mortar schools – remains fundamentally unchanged. That’s the view of Microsoft’s Senior Advisor to the CEO, Craig Mundie, and he has some fascinating insights on where we go from here.
In this recent interview with Asia Futures Magazine Online, Mundie describes the not-so-distant future of education, where a number of factors will come together to reshape traditional education, providing new opportunities to millions of students who previously had none. Foundational to this vision is universal Internet access. “There are new technologies emerging that could enable universal connectivity,” Mundie says.
How students access the Internet (and with it a virtually bottomless well of information), according to Mundie, may be a bit easier to solve. “The reduction in the cost of the computer, the introduction of the cell phone, and the marriage of those two to create tablets has produced a steady decline in the cost of the devices,” he notes.
Mundie also talks about the power of social media as part of this equation, and the big changes he sees coming to colleges and universities. But as I often mention, this transformation — I think of it as the new era of digital learning — requires scale to succeed. Regarding some early investments in education technology, Mundie notes, “None of the projects were disruptive. They didn’t scale up, or change the fundamental economic model of education.”
Ultimately, Mundie believes we have a tremendous opportunity right now to achieve the scale necessary to transform education, and with it, society. What do you think – are we at a tipping point?
Let me know your thoughts @anthonysalcito.
– Anthony
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