Promethean & BrainPOP

I recently came across a flipchart developed by the Director of 21st Century Learning at BrainPop focusing on Online Safety. It’s not only well-designed (interactive, engaging, collaborative, relevant, etc.) but integrates BrainPOP resources – which I know many teachers (including me) use and love. Given the importance of teaching and learning about internet safety and digital citizenship, this flipchart is an excellent resource. The flipchart incorporates formative assessment via the Promethean ActivExpressions, highlighting the seamless integration with BrainPOP’s quiz component. Students can use the ActivExpressions to take a BrainPOP quiz! To read more about the partnership between BrainPOP and Promethean, click here.

“Still a freshmen” – the impact of 9th grade retention on grad rates

Administrators and educators know the importance of freshmen year.  It is a make-or-break year for increasing graduation rates.  A new report recently released by the Everyone Graduates Center at John Hopkins University shows that in 2004-05, more than 90,000 students from six states – 16 percent of all freshmen – repeated their freshmen year.  In South Carolina, it was nearly 30 percent.  The study findings highlight the necessity for states to track and publish the number of first-time ninth graders in their data reporting, enabling better tracking of ninth grade retention.  The ninth-grade retention rates can act as an early warning system for high schools and also as an early indicator that reforms are effective or in-effective.  In essence, schools would not need to wait four years for a graduation rate to implement the necessary reforms. 

The report highlights that NCLB has helped focus schools on creating student-level data systems and that many large organizations (i.e. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) are indeed helping states implement such systems.  As of March 2009, 41 states and the District of Columbia have received at least one grant to develop and implement a longitudinal data system.

The hope is that the data will help schools focus on early intervention strategies.  The most logical option seems to be a proactive strategy – offer (or mandate) bridge programs for incoming freshmen in key areas (i.e. algebra) to prepare them for success as well as offer early remediation programs when students start to slip away (as measured by academic performance, attendance, motivation, discipline issues, etc.).  Does your high school do all that it can to ensure freshmen success?

Wanted: Self-learners

Scott McLeod’s recent Dangerously Irrelevant post speaks very loudly.  I have to pass it along.  To view the post directly, click here.

“You’re fired. I only want people who already know how to do their jobs.”

Posted: 16 Nov 2009 03:09 AM PST

Back in July I said that

I was concerned that we never seem to hold folks accountable for being self-learners.

I also noted that

In many job sectors, employees are expected to keep up with relevant technologies or risk job loss. When do we require that of K-12 and postsecondary educators? At what point do we say to them “No, we’re not training you how to use this. It’s easy enough for you to learn on your own. And if you don’t, we’ll find someone else who can.”

Many of you chimed in and shared your own thoughts on this topic. Apparently, now Dilbert has too:

When will we, as educational systems, redefine the job descriptions and expectations of educators to include their regular and effective incorporation of relevant digital technologies?

Online Learning Survey – state by state

The overall news is not entirely new or surprising (although very positive)… online learning continues to grow at a rapid pace. For the second year in a row, Florida was the No. 1 state in online education. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see Hawaii ranked as fourth nationwide!

This data is according to a new survey conducted by the Center for Digital Education (CDE) and titled “Online Learning Policy and Practice Survey: A Survey of the States” “at least 25 states now lead statewide online-learning initiatives… a dramatic increase from the 15 states driving programs only a year ago.” Education officials from 44 states provided insight that informed the report. The CDE ranked state programs looking at key areas such as program offerings, funding, policies, enrollment trends, course offerings, K-20 ventures, teacher licensing, and reform efforts.

The report presents very general information about online learning, tracking trends across states. However, it is not clear how CDE determined state rankings. So, while I’m pleased to see Hawaii in the top ten, I’m not exactly sure why… if you’re interested, you can find the report here.

Measuring teachers’ 21st century skills – for FREE

Calling all innovative, ed-tech minded administrators and teachers… now is your chance to participate in a beta testing of Learning.com’s assessment for the NETS-T, measuring teacher proficiency to ISTE’s NETS-T.  Committed to delivering psychometrically valid data, Learning.com rigorously tests their assessments prior to product release.  The benefit for you?  The opportunity to get valid data on teachers’ NETS-T proficiency – for free!  This data can help your school meets its educational technology strategic initiatives (seems like it would be great data for grant proposals!) by identifying staff strengths and weaknesses and thereby defining PD needs.  It’s an excellent, cost-effective way to implement data-informed decision-making at your school.

Here are the important details:

• Testing windows will take place in February 2010.
• Testing will take approximately two hours and can be completed anywhere with internet access.
• Training will be provided to testing coordinators via WebX and there will be a dedicated support person.
• Reports will be delivered to teachers/schools in March and April.

If you’re interesting in learning more, please contact me, Lia, at lwoo@iaak.net or 487.5437.

Aha!Science wins Tech&Learning’s Awards of Excellence

Learning.com’s Aha!Science program wins Tech&Learning’s Awards of Excellence.  Look for the article in Tech&Learning’s December issue or check back here (I’ll write about it, too). 

Aha!Science is an elementary and middle school supplemental program designed to help teachers teach core science concepts.  The research-based program is pedagogically-sound and engaging, meeting the needs of both teachers and students.  To learn more about Aha!Science, visit Learning.com’s website or call IAAK at 487.5437.

States lacking in educational innovation – according to recent report

Yet again education takes a beating… a recent report “Leaders and Laggards” sponsored by  the Chamber of Commerce, the American Enterprise Institute, a free-market-oriented think tank, and the Democratic-leaning Center for American Progress provides an overview of the state of educational innovation across all states.  The report uses state data and existing and original research to assess states, based on seven indicators of innovation:  school management, finance, hiring and evaluation of teachers, removal of ineffective teachers, data, “pipeline to postsecondary” (or high school quality), and technology.  The intent of the report?  To identify key problem areas and define promising solutions.  In other words, constructive criticism designed to spur change and begin reform.   

Thomas J. Donohue, the president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, sums up the overall conclusion, “We found only a faint pulse of innovation.”  Yikes.  Here is a quick summary… to review the full report, click here.  You’ll notice reference to several of Obama’s hot topics.

The good news…

National Educational Technology Plan under review

The new director of the U.S. Dept of Education’s office of technology has announced one of her first priority projects – to revise the national educational technology plan.  And, the committee wants your input.  There is a website that enables any and all to contribute thoughts/comments… and, you can review what others have contributed.  There are a host of interesting resources, case studies, applications shared – it’s worth checking out.  But, be warned, time can slip away.  I ended up spending more time than expected reading about a variety of different resources.   Cool resources!

Promethean & National Geographic – Young Explorer flipcharts!

Exciting news for elementary teachers using ActivClassroom!  Promethean and National Geographic have partnered to offer the Young Explorer magazine content in digital, flipchart format for K-1 students.  The Young Explorer ActivLessons provide a stimulating range of content designed for whole/small group teaching using the ActivBoard.  The ActivLessons focus on building literacy skills through science and social studies content, containing all the characteristics of the popular National Geographic publication.  Four engaging stories and provocative, high-impact photographs (true to National Geographic!) help children explore and make sense of the world.  The ActivLessons can be used with or without the Young Explorer magazine and include a Teachers Guide, printable blackline masters, and teaching notes.  There are free samples available and additional flipcharts can be purchased.  To learn more, click here.

Parents want more focus on 21st century skills

Project Tomorrow’s 2008 annual survey data on the use of educational technology in schools reveals a disconnect between school administrators and parents.  Parents are dissatisfied with the technology skills their children are learning at school.  According to the survey data, “…only one third of parents and 40 percent of students in grades 6-12 believe that schools are doing a good job of preparing students for the 21^st century.  In contrast, more than half of principals surveyed believe they are doing a good job of preparing students.”  Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow, states, “Parents do not feel that schools are effectively preparing students for the jobs of the 21st century, and [they] view technology implementation as essential to student success.”

Parents voiced their concern that teachers need more training and more access to current technology.  Parents also “…support the implementation of modern, technology-infused approaches to teaching and learning, ranging from online textbooks to tools such as interactive whiteboards, laptops for students, computer projection devices, and technology-based organizational tools.”

With parents and students as the “end user” or “client” of education, shouldn’t schools do all they can to meet their needs and wants?  I realize “easier said than done” but data speaks loudly and should lead to change. 

FYI – Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up project reports views of more than 335,000 K-12 students, parents, and educators.  Check out more details about the interesting findings at http://www.tomorrow.org/Speakup/.