Study shows 0 to 8 year olds are media consumers too

A study done by Common Sense Media, as part of its new Program for the Study of Children and Media, highlights how very different our world is today, even for our youngest – children 0 to eight years old.  I found myself continually surprised by the data reported in the eSchool News article and report.  For instance, 52 percent of children ages 5-8 use smart phones, video iPods, iPads, or similar devices.  And, four in 10 2-to 4-year-olds use the same devices.  The study compared the time children spend with screen media versus time spent reading.  “In a typical day, zero-to 1-year olds spend more than twice as much time watching television and DVDs (53 minutes) as they do reading or being read to (23 minutes).”  Wow – children 0 to 1!

Not surprisingly, an “app gap” has developed.  “Among lower-income children, 27 percent have a parent with a smart phone, compared to 57 percent for higher-income children.  One in 10 lower-income children has a video iPod or similar device in the home, compared to one in three (34 percent) upper-income children.  And, just 2 percent of lower-income children have a tablet device such as an iPad at home, compared to 17 percent of higher-income children.”  These statistics (and others found in report) re-emphasize the critical role schools play in helping bridge the divide.  If low-income children are not getting access to the tools that drive productivity in the world at home, shouldn’t they be able to use such tools at school, in relevant and meaningful ways?

Now, keep in mind that The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) still holds firm in their recommendation discouraging the use of media for children younger than 2-years old.

The study is dense with interesting and surprising statistics.  As a parent and educator, it is essential to understand the context within which we operate and teach.  Of course, what’s missing from this specific report is an analysis of the value media adds to learning and growth.  What impact does screen time have on children’s development and growth?  Now, that’s a larger, more complex question.

Large scale ed tech initiatives to follow

The U.S. Dept of Education and the Federal Communications Commission have recently launched significant ed tech initiatives, highlighting a shift in their roles from funders to facilitators.   The FCC announced its Internet Essentials program which gives families of students who receive free school lunch access to broadband Internet service for $9.95 a month, before taxes.  I was even more pleased to read that Internet Essentials will also provide families with a voucher to purchase a computer for $149.99 as well as offer free digital literacy training.  So, the offer not only provides access but the tool to get access and the knowledge to use it wisely.  Let’s see if these opportunities are well used.

Arne Duncan launched the Digital Promise center, a congressionally authorized clearinghouse dedicated to identifying, supporting, and publicizing the most effective education technology innovations.  I found the site not terribly usable (in terms of design) but I did scroll through a couple of the ideas and discussions which seemed interesting enough.  The center is definitely one to watch.  To read an EdWeek article on these two initiatives, click here.

Excitement builds for the Oct 19th Ed Tech Conference

In just under a month the IAAK Principals & Educational Technology Conference will take place at the Hawaii Convention Center from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.  I’ve highlighted some of the sessions here… for more information on the conference, click here.

Resources for the Classroom:

• You don’t want to miss learning about a new resource to be used on the IWB – Channel One News InterActiv, created in partnership with Channel One and CBS News, offers students in grades 3-12 daily high-quality broadcasts featuring current, real-world content.  The program offers teachers a simple and engaging way to integrate authentic experiences while modeling the effective use of IWBs.
• As the Common Core State Standards continue to shape teaching and learning in the classroom, teachers will need to increase the complexity of text and integrate more non-fiction text.  MyOn Reader is a great web-based resource which not only provides access to thousands of eBooks but also includes embedded assessments to measure and track students’ Lexile levels.  This session will focus on how several Hawaii schools are using the resource to promote reading.
• It seems the buzz these days is all about “learning across platforms”.  If this concept is buzzing in your brain, you probably want to attend the session focusing on how PBS Kids is engaging students across platforms through its characters and content.

Common Core State Standards:

We’ve spent a good part of the school year working with Kevin Baird of the Common Core Institute and several Honolulu schools, focusing on unraveling the Common Core Standards.  In this keynote session, Kevin will discuss the ways educational technology tools and resources can and should be used to support the implementation of the Common Core.  Drawing from his diverse experiences in education, Kevin does an excellent job highlighting priorities and sharing practical strategies with high impact.

Promethean:

There’s always exciting news and practices to share with regards to Promethean.

• Ensuring 100% response rate in the classroom just got easier!  Hear about Promethean’s latest development – BYOD (bring your own device) for collecting responses.
• There is so much to learn from our friends at Variety School.  Hear and see how teachers and students at the school are leveraging the capabilities of the ActivBoard to enhance teaching and learning for students with special needs.  You will be impressed!

Join on October 19th – we’d love to see you there.

Great ideas for using the NY Times to teach reading strategies for ‘informational text’

The Common Core State Standards shift the focus towards informational or nonfiction text across subject areas. This article in the NY Times provides excellent, practical ideas on how to integrate The Times in the classroom. For instance, I like the “Front Page Bingo” game that challenges students to find articles that fit specific criteria such as “A story that might benefit from a chart or graph, and why”. The article not only shares good ideas but also the resources (worksheets, templates, etc.) needed to implement as well as a list of effective reading strategies used in The Learning Network’s 13 years of lesson plans. Great ideas!!

Sophia – social teaching

A recent eSchoolNews article highlighted Sophia, a free website that takes Wikipedia to another dimension.  Sophia is a social teaching and learning platform that offers free academic content.  Anyone can register and create “learning packets”, essentially tutorials including a variety of multi-media components to teach a skill or concept.  Visitors can engage in a “Q&A” with the author (and others) around the content, serving as a supplemental source of instruction.

Sophia relies on a dual-review process whereby visitors can rate and review content for usability and appeal and “self-declared subject matter experts” can also rate and review content for accuracy.  When three reviewers have declared the content valid, the learning packet is deemed “academically sound.”  I know, I know, perhaps a little concerning in the K-12 realm but think about the teaching opportunities for emphasizing the concepts of author bias, credibility, purpose, etc.  There is also the option to create a private group (invite only) which would certainly ensure that students only have access to reliable information within the environment.

Recognizing that Sophia is only as good as its content and users, the “Sophia Score” is designed to drive quality activity in the environment by leveraging gaming and social networking appeal.

When you visit the well-designed site be sure to check out the “Sophia for Educators” page.  There, you’ll find great application ideas such as asking students to create learning packets to demonstrate their understanding or asking students to review certain learning packets to determine the accuracy and validity of the information.  Perhaps a new tool or resource for your classroom?

Hawaii ‘History Teachers’ produce music videos

I can’t decide what is most impressive about these music videos – the concept (bringing history to life through pop songs), the production quality (cool graphics, imagery, audio), or the passion (and effort) required to create such unique educational resources.  Kudos to local teachers Amy Burvall and Herb Mahelona for their creativity, passion, and innovative thinking. 

Read the article about the history teachers in the Star Advertiser and check out some of the videos on YouTube.  Here is a link to one: “Black Death” set to “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani.

Policy suggestions for digital learning

An Education Week article today features a new report “Digital Learning Now” published by the Digital Learning Council that identifies 10 ways for states to change policy to increase access and equity in digital learning.  Here are the 10 ways:

1. Make all students eligible to be digital learners.
2. Give all students access to high-quality online courses and content.
3. Allow students to customize their learning via online content.
4. Allow students to advance at their own pace.
5. Ensure that all online content is high-quality.
6. Ensure that instruction and teachers are high-quality.
7. Allow students access to multiple providers of content.
8. Measure content and instruction by student learning.
9. Create funding and pay incentives for performance.
10. Build infrastructure to support digital learning.

While some of the suggestions seem repetitive and somewhat obvious (i.e. high-quality online learning should be self-paced.  That, to me, is a no-brainer.), I like the general sense of empowering the student, making them accountable for their learning.  “Allowing students access to multiple providers of content” is particularly empowering.  Think about this scenario:  A student opts for online learning for algebra.  The student, then, selects from a menu list of providers (all high-quality and ‘pre-approved’ by the school or Hawaii DOE) based on his/her learning preferences (i.e. more video-based lectures and projects versus text-based instruction and multiple-choice tests) and educational needs.  Of course, there needs to be some education for the student to determine how he/she best learns.  The exercise will help the student build his/her metacognitive skills; skills essential to success in life.  And, of course, there needs to be a  teacher or counselor at the school to support the student in making an informed decision as well as to provide ongoing support to the student as he/she completes the course.  Do you think students would feel more ownership of their learning, be more engaged, and perhaps perform at a higher level?

What constitutes reading?

I was shocked to read this in Education Week’s Digital Education blog, sharing findings from a survey conducted by Scholastic:

Students and parents also differ on their views of what constitutes reading. For instance, a quarter of kids surveyed considered texting with friends reading versus 8 percent of adults, and 28 percent of kids considered spending time looking at comments and profiles on social-networking websites like Facebook reading versus 15 percent of parents.

Texting and perusing profiles on Facebook is thought of as reading by teens?! 

And, how about this equally disconcerting finding from the survey:

“…39 percent of students ages 9-17 agreed with the statement ‘The information I find online is always correct.’”

Oh my.  Think it is time for web/information literacy to be integrated throughout the curriculum?  I do.

Promethean Partnerships

There are some exciting new partnerships between Promethean and software/curriculum providers.  The shift is happening… comprehensive, classroom solutions are taking shape, making it easier and easier for teachers to capitalize on using diverse educational technology tools and resources in symphony to positively impact teaching and learning.

• Promethean & Safari Montage:  These two developers have partnered to offer schools an integrated tool for creating, storing, and sharing digital lesson plans.  Teachers use Promethean’s ActivInspire software to create flipcharts, easily integrating educationally-sound digital media found via Safari Montage’s robust media libraries.  Then, teachers use Safari Montage’s digital media management system to upload, store, and share flipcharts with other teachers within a school or even district.  Teachers will no longer need to use removable media storage devices to share flipcharts… everything will live on the server and be easily accessible.  Even better news?  IAAK represents both Promethean and Safari Montage here in Hawaii, so call us to learn more.  Or, visit my previous post on digital media and Safari Montage here.  
• Promethean & Waterford Institute:  Waterford has teamed up with Promethean to develop a set of ActivLessons designed to help early education teachers boost students’ reading comprehension.  The new Waterford Phonological Awareness ActivLessons feature a sing-along nursery rhyme, clickable illustrations, as well as researched teaching strategies designed to help students distinguish sounds when spoken.  President of Waterford, Benjamin Heuston, explains, “Developing Waterford ActivLessons for Promethean Planet community will allow us to adapt our proven early reading content into new, exciting teacher tools.  By harnessing the unique features of the ActivClassroom, such as ActivInspire, ActiVote/ActivExpression and ActivSound, we can partner with teachers to help students develop skills in phonological awareness and reading comprehension.”  Each of the ActivLessons will be available for purchase in bundles of three, individually, or by series on Promethean Planet.  You can download a free sample flipchart – I would recommend checking it out.  The illustrations are beautiful.  The interactivity is well-designed and there are excellent detailed teacher notes to ensure an effective delivery.  If nothing else, the free flipchart offers a “model” flipchart design to aspire to.  You can find more information about the Waterford ActivLessons here. 

 It’s exciting to think of the possibilities for teachers who are integrating such tools in their classroom!

Teachers use of digital media

I’ve posted several entries lately about digital media use in education.  The recent buzz surrounding digital media focuses on its impact in reaching and empowering students.  It seems that educators are slowly realizing its potential – according to recent survey data from PBS and Grunwald Associates.  It’s a good thing, considering that the majority of information consumed by the average American comes from digital media (see previous post). 

PBS and Grunwald Associates released data from their annual survey on teachers’ use of digital media.  The findings are encouraging – teachers are increasingly seeing the value of digital media in the classroom and more teachers are using media in the classroom.  Some highlights from the survey data:

• More than 75% of those surveyed reported using digital media in their classroom, up from 69% in 2008.
• 30% of pre-K teachers (surveyed for the first time this year) use digital media in the classroom.
• Teachers have greater access to tech equipment.
• Teachers use Internet to: 1) find games/activities for students, 2) locate PD resources, and 3) collect images.
• Half of the teachers agreed that digital media helps engage and motivate students, making them more effective.
• Increasing numbers of teachers are joining virtual professional communities—and many are comfortable using social networking tools in their personal and professional lives.
• Frequency of use is up:  more than four in 10 teachers (44 percent) say they use digital media in their classrooms two times a week or more.

Perhaps the tide is changing!