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Your achievements inspire others

2014 ISTE AWARD NOMINATIONS CLOSE FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Nominate yourself, a colleague, your school or your district for a 2014 ISTE award. Help us showcase the work that is changing lives!

The ISTE awards recognize individuals, from outstanding teachers and school leaders, to elementary educators and college faculty … and more. Winners receive: • Recognition at ISTE’s conference and expo — plus free registration! • A one-year standard ISTE membership • Additional prizes and cash awards

“It isn’t about using technology. It’s about how you connect kids to their community, how you as a professional work hard to better yourself, and how your students play a large role in that. Think about all the things that you do and the impact that you have and those who impact you. Because that’s really what it’s all about.” —Caroline Haebig 2012 Outstanding Young Educator

Learn more today at iste.org/awards!

iste.org/awards

CONTENTS FEATURES Learning & Leading with Technology (L&L, ISSN 1082-5754) is published eight times a year by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), 180 W. 8th Ave., Suite 300, Eugene, OR, USA, 974012916; 1.800.336.5191 (US & Canada); 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l); fax 1.541.302.3778; [email protected]; www. iste.org. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect ISTE policy. Subscriptions are $54 per year for U.S. ISTE memb ers ($77.70 Canada, $79 Int’l) and $100 per year for U.S. nonmembers ($155 Canada, $125 Int’l). For membership information, visit www.iste.org/join. Periodicals Postage Paid at Eugene, OR, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to: L&L, ISTE 180 W. 8th Ave., Suite 300, Eugene, OR, USA, 974012916. L&L appears in August, Sept/Oct, November, Dec/Jan, February, Mar/Apr, May, and June/July. ISTE® is a registered t rademark of t he International Society for Technology in Education. L&L is indexed in Current Index to Journals in Education, Education Index, and Library and Information Science Abstracts.

Chat It Up

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Twitter Chats but Were Afraid to Ask Jeffrey P. Carpenter and Daniel G. Krutka Did you know that you can access more than 150 free online professional development workshops each week— and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home or school to attend them? Learn how to find, participate in, and start your own Twitter chats with this easy-tofollow FAQ.

PAGE 10

Give Your Lessons a Tech Makeover Candace Schafer-Southard and Mark Hofer Use the TPACK learning-by-design method to turn a good lesson into a great one by incorporating technology that enhances—but doesn’t overshadow—the learning objectives. Then tweak it until you get it just right.

PAGE 16

Put Me In, Coach! I’m Ready to Teach with Technology Les Foltos By putting pedagogy first and tapping into the ISTE Standards for Coaches, ed tech coaches can help their learning partners successfully implement the Common Core State Standards while using technology effectively.

Member of:

2 Learning & Leading with Technology | February 2014

PAGE 22

LEARNING CONNECTIONS

Computer Science

Mark Savignano, Mia Kim Williams, and John Holbrook

26

Yes, Your Students Can Create Games That Land in the Apple App Store!

Volume 41 Issue 5

Tip

32

Beat Time Zone Delays by Collaborating with Classes on YouTube!

Holly Clark

Journalism Apps

29

Meet Common Core Using Educreations

33

Give Your Student News Program an Upgrade

Kristopher Hupp

Carrie Hillman

Senior Editor.........................................Diana Fingal [email protected] Managing Editor ...................................Paul Wurster [email protected] Associate Editor............................... Andra Brichacek [email protected] Art Director ..........................................Tamara Kidd [email protected] Columnists As I See “AT”........................................... Gayl Bowser

Mathematics

30

Editorial Editor..................................................... Kate Conley [email protected]

Connected Classroom................................. Glen Bull

First Graders Create Math Story Problems with Video

Research Windows, Know the ISTE Standards ................Talbot Bielefeldt

Richard Schaen and Janet Mannheimer Zydney

Voices Carry....................................Hilary Goldmann Curriculum Specialists Computer Science......................... Chris Stephenson ICT........................................................ Julie Lindsay

LEADING CONNECTIONS

Language Arts..................... Julie Duffield, Lisa Wahl Mathematics...................................................... TBA

Issue Oriented

4

Collaborate for Humanity

Kate Conley Point/Counterpoint

6

Should Schools Monitor Students’ Social Media Posts?

Connected Classroom

Glen Bull and Stephen Portz

As I See “IT”

Sean Junkins

35

38

Teach STEAM with Toys

Lessons from the Amish

Physical Education and Health ................ Ken Felker Science................................ Jared Mader, Ben Smith Social Studies............................................ Judy Britt Special Needs.........Joan Thormann, Cindy Anderson Visual and Performing Arts.............. Savilla Banister World Languages.............................Kathryn S. Land

J. D. Ferries-Rowe and Anne Pasco

Know the ISTE Standards

Advertising Sales Cici Trino, Association Outsource Services, Inc. Email: [email protected] Phone: 1.916.990.9999 Website: aosinc.biz

7

Readers Respond

Talbot Bielefeldt

Advertising Coordinator Danielle [email protected]

8

ISTE News

45

Coming Next Issue

L&L Website...........................................iste.org/LL Email the webmaster at [email protected].

Member Profile

47

Last Byte

Press Releases Send new product, services, and other resourcerelated press releases to [email protected]

9

Sara Hunter: You Don’t Have to Be a Scientist to Incorporate STEM

Sharleen Nelson

40

Standard 5: Digital Citizenship

ISTE in Action

Jessica Medaille

48

ISTE Members: A Breath of Fresh Air

Letters to the Editor Respond to the editors, columnists, and other peers [email protected] Reprints Contact the permissions editor for reprint or photocopy permissions information [email protected] ISTE Senior Leadership

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Brian Lewis, Chief Executive Officer

Buyer’s Guide

Maureen Yoder

42

3D Printers

44

What’s New

Wendy Drexler, Chief Innovation Officer Jessica Medaille, Chief Membership Officer Jodie Pozo-Olano, Chief Communications Officer Craig Thibaudeau, Chief External Relations Officer Anne Tully, Chief Operating Officer

February 2014 | Learning & Leading with Technology 3

ISSUE ORIENTED

connect www.facebook.com/likeISTE

KATE CONLEY Periodicals Director “Twitter saved my life!” That’s what Rafranz Davis told me at ISTE 2013. She credited the social media tool, despite its 140-character limit, with providing opportuntities for communicating and collaborating that have exponentially increased her productivity and creativity. Today we are seeing a remarkable explosion of massive-scale online collaboration tools, such as Wikipedia, Ushahidi, and Duolingo, which have the potential to help not just students and educators, but Joe Citizen as well. In his TED Talk (goo.gl/ TtFxYu), computer science professor Luis von Ahn describes the impressive impact such tools can have. Von Ahn has made some amazing contributions in this area, including—believe it or not—his invention of

❝

Collaborate for Humanity

Look for links to L&L articles and the latest Point/Counterpoint questions.

iste.org/counterpoint

CAPTCHA (an acronym for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart), that little box where you have to type the letters you see before you can finalize an online transaction. Though most of us Joes find that step annoying, von Ahn used it as inspiration to create another tool, Duolingo (duolingo.com). It helps millions of people learn a new language while translating the web quickly, all for free, by capitalizing on the time people spend typing in those dang CAPTCHAS. Clay Shirky has also made some interesting contributions to the discussion of massive-scale online collaboration tools. Shirky’s “cognitive surplus” idea combines technology and human generosity to create civic value globally (goo. gl/DVbiYL). Shirky argues

that we have about 35 hours per week to spend on extracurricular activities such as volunteer work. You get to choose whether you spend that time viewing LOL Cats or participating in a massive collaboration like Duolingo. Luckily for us, L&L authors are tapping their cognitive surplus to contribute stories all readers can benefit from. For example, co-authors Jeffrey Carpenter and Daniel Krutka have had very positive experiences using Twitter to collaborate from 1,000 miles apart to create projects for their teacher candidates. Turn to page 10 to learn how they use organized chats to deliver teacher PD. Happy surplussing! —Kate Conley is ISTE’s periodicals director and the editor of L&L. She has a master’s in journalism and was a high school English teacher.

Join ISTE’s LinkedIn group to participate in Point/Counterpoint debates.

Follow L&L’s editors Senior Editor Diana Fingal @dianafingal Managing Editor Paul Wurster @Paul_Wurster Associate Editor Andra Brichacek @andramere

[email protected] Send letters to the editor, and we may publish them.

iste.org/LL Find L&L and other great ISTE resources online.

tech we like Check out the useful resources the L&L team discovered while producing this issue.

Unofficial Index to Educational Hashtags: goo.gl/4CVDW Andra Brichacek plans to use this list of popular education hashtags when tweeting resources (page 11).

ISTE’s Coaching White Paper: iste.org/learn/coaching-white-paper Kate Conley enjoyed reading this coaching white paper (page 25).

Happy Snail Time: goo.gl/RlDFd5 Diana Fingal likes this game app developed by middle school students in Colorado (page 27).

Inspiring iterative thinking and decreasing the costs of failure are key to forming the habits of mind we hope to cultivate in our students. See page 36


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Automata Toy Construction Project: www.clohe-movingtoys.eu Tamara Kidd got a kick out of the CLOHE moving toys project described in the Connected Classroom column (page 35).

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point counterpoint Should Schools Monitor Students’ Social Media Posts? YES To allow students to set their own norms in a social world without modeling or guidance is to J.D. Ferries-Rowe condemn them to a virtual Lord of the Flies situation, then cry out in frustration when they end up making bad choices. The adult members of the school community have a responsibility to model appropriate behavior to our students, guide them when their behavior strays from acceptable norms, and provide a safe space for experimentation and boundary testing as well as a recourse from irreversible consequences when things go really bad.

And yet, we have to keep in mind that there is a distinct difference between effective monitoring in the context of a caring relationship and letting a machine take over the job of parents, teachers, and other involved adults by flagging keywords, sending out form-letter alerts, and racking up “bully points.” A teacher, for example, could privately call out a spring break profile pic showing way more skin than is appropriate in a public forum and give the student an opportunity to change it. A coach could reach out via direct message to a student who is complaining about bullies in school over Twitter. And a parent could scan her child’s Kik messenger feed to see if he is responding to the messages

he received at 2 a.m., when he should be asleep. Each of these are situations that have actually happened in our school, and they are all examples of monitoring students on social media within the context of a caring community of people. As we modified our school’s social media policy and began to share it with parents and students, our primary goal was helping our students develop habits of mind and skills of behavior and interaction that would influence them well beyond the walls of the school and long after they turned 18. We monitor our older students’ navigation of social media, just as caring parents and teachers watch as our younger children navigate playground politics:

technology is different, but the basic human instinct to connect is the same. Social media is also not just about socializing. High schools and colleges are increasingly using it to keep their student body engaged with their classroom activities and school events. And news outlets and organizations of every type that keep students in the know are growing their social presences. So social media is not the enemy—it’s an outlet we want our students to use. Of course, there is one difference between today and yesteryear: Today, when students make social mistakes and get involved in conflicts, it’s often open for the entire world to see. This was not the case for previous generations of teens. Our reaction has been

to lock down social media and monitor our students’ every move for fear of what might happen. Unfortunately, however, this reaction prevents teens from learning how to apply the social ethics we have hopefully taught them both in our homes and in our schools. It is our responsibility to teach students the dos and don’ts of social media, but at some point, they must be free to apply what they have learned. It is also our responsibility to provide a support structure so they feel comfortable asking questions when they are unsure if they should or should not post something to social media. So as it turns out, this is not such a new problem after all. At the root of the issue is whether we have taught

NO As any high school student will tell you, social media is often the primary form of comAnne Pasco munication for those under the age of 25. This may seem like a new development, but students who use social media are merely participating in the same types of social activities that teens in every generation have participated in. Before there were telephones, students gathered in homes and at social events to talk. Once the home phone became a staple, students talked on their landlines. Today, teens use texting and social media to communicate. The


readers respond Here’s what other ISTE members had to say about this topic.

NO 51% YES 49%

Participate in our reader poll at iste.org/LL. Reallocate Resources to Digital Citizenship

by modeling, redirecting, reflecting, and adjusting. And we encourage our willing teachers to interact with their students on social media, redirect them if necessary, and even occasionally call out inappropriate behavior. Because if we as adults do not help them recognize and live out appropriate norms, we as a society will reap the consequences of the inappropriate norms they learn in our absence. This approach isn’t cheap, or easy, or automated. But the most valuable parts of education never are. —J.D. Ferries-Rowe is the chief information officer at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana. He tweets as @jdferries and blogs about digital citizenship and other topics at geekreflection.blogspot.com.

our students how to treat each other respectfully. There will always be conflict. The question is how to best help them handle this conflict, particularly when it happens on a highly visible forum, such as Twitter or Facebook. Instead of spending our time monitoring and reacting to inappropriate posts, we need to spend it arming our students with tools for handling conflict so they will know when and how to face it if necessary, how to avoid it when appropriate, and how to seek help when it is more than they can handle. —Anne Pasco is chair of the Blended Learning department at Huntley High School in Huntley, Illinois. Follow her on Twitter @apasco 158 or visit her school district’s website at www.district158.org.

Monitoring students’ social media posts is an archaic and backward way to teach digital citizenship. Positive reinforcement is essential to promoting successful students, and punishing ex-“post” facto does not properly address the (albeit serious) issue of cyberbullying. The time and exorbitant resources poured into policing social media could better be spent properly educating students in all areas of digital citizenship. Erica Ellis Concurrent student coordinator Mesa, Arizona

In Loco Parentis

In loco parentis is a legal doctrine under which school systems assume parental rights, duties, and obligations. It has shaped the rights and responsibilities of schools and teachers for centuries. Just as educators check for comprehension and application of curricula, districts should monitor the public posts of those under their care for acceptable use. Arlen Walker Educational training coordinator Idaho State University Pocatello, Idaho

Who Is Liable?

Let’s say a student is considering suicide and writes this on Facebook. The school misses it, and the student unfortunately commits suicide. The parent wants to know why the school did not report what the child was posting, as they were previously [told] that the district would be monitoring cyberactivity. Therefore the parent felt safe and did not monitor it themselves. Rich Gaskill Associate professor, Ashford University Clinton, Iowa

POLL RESULTS Allow the Teachable Moments

Monitoring students’ social media posts is by definition an after-the-fact action. Better to spend time up front helping students become mindful citizens and humans so that online interactions can be civil, playful, helpful, supportive, and distinct. Mistakes will be made but, like all mistakes, will offer opportunities for engaged and wise teachers to help students reflect and learn. Steve Taffee Educational consultant San Francisco, California

Better Sooner Than Too Late

After a child has committed suicide due to bullying or has posted how s/he plans to take a gun to school to wreak havoc, engaging and reflecting are akin to grief counseling for the survivors. I agree that these are great tools to use, but intercepting a kid who plans to murder his classmates needs to be discovered before the event, not after the fact. Larry Edmonds Educator, editor, writer, speaker, trainer, and coach Arizona State University Phoenix, Arizona

Freedom of Speech

Social media posts are the modern-day equivalent of conversation. If there was a proposal to monitor all words that came out of students’ mouths just in case there was bullying or threats to student safety, there would be a public outcry that this violated freedom of speech. Social media needs to be included in the updated interpretation of speech as defined by our first amendment. Stacey Guney Executive director, Highlands Learning Center Austin Community College Austin, Texas

To participate in future Point/Counterpoint discussions, look for the Manager’s Choice discussion questions on ISTE’s LinkedIn group at iste.org/counterpoint.


news Moving E-Rate Forward

(Left to right) Laurie Thornley, Julia Fuller, Kara Gann, Camilla Gagliolo, Kim Hammond, Jo Williamson, Neal Strudler, and Shirley Campbell were among the committee members who met in November to put the ISTE 2014 program together.

Atlanta Conference Program Takes Shape in Eugene

Each year, more than 13,000 attendees and 5,000 industry representatives converge for the ISTE Conference and Expo. But if you think this conference happens by itself, think again. In November, 15 volunteer program team members assembled at ISTE’s Operations office in Eugene, Oregon, led by ISTE Program Chair Camilla Gagliolo of Arlington Public Schools in Virginia. Using input from 300 more volunteer reviewers, the team sorted, read, and scored a recordbreaking 2,572 session proposals. The program team spent a week transforming the reviewers’ recommendations into the final program for ISTE 2014, which will be unveiled on February 11, 2014. Visit www.isteconference.org/program after that date for details about sessions, workshops, speakers, and more.

Even More Wonderful Webinars

ISTE has made several changes to its webinar program to increase members’ access to free and affordable professional learning on a wide variety of hot ed tech topics. Members can now get hundreds of hours of free professional learning through ISTE’s library of more than 100 archived webinars, plus many more created by its special interest groups (SIGs). Just log in to the ISTE site to access the free content (iste.org/resources). ISTE also provides free webinars in cooperation with corporate partners. These hour-long sessions are presented by leaders in the ed tech community, who are often ISTE members themselves. The newest webinars are now organized into themed passes focusing on topics such as mobile learning, ISTE Standards, and tech integration. Each pass grants access to eight live webinars and a link to the archived recordings (iste.org/webinars). ISTE will be launching more free webinars and virtual content as part of Member Appreciation Month. Visit iste.org/appreciation beginning February 1 for more information. 8 Learning & Leading with Technology | February 2014

ISTE extends heartfelt thanks to all who helped with the ongoing efforts to modernize and increase funding for the E-Rate program. In November, ISTE submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) representing input from 600 educators in 45 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico (iste.org/erate). ISTE Board member Betsy Goeltz, the principal of Ellis Elementary in Pocatello, Idaho, was among the commenters. “I know that seamlessly infusing digital learning throughout the curriculum is a prerequisite for students to graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in today’s global economy,” she wrote. “Access to high-speed broadband is the key to allowing modern teaching and learning to occur in all schools across the country.” ISTE made several recommendations in conjunction with the comments submitted: 1. Increase funding to at least $5 billion annually, because E-Rate’s funding levels have not kept pace with demand. 2. Establish national bandwidth goals and entity-appropriate targets for the program. 3. Continue to focus on broadband connectivity while moving wireless LAN controllers and wireless access points to Priority I. 4. Increase discounts for rural schools and libraries for Priority I and Priority II to ensure broadband goals are attained. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel has stated that she’d like the FCC to take final action by the end of June so that changes to the E-Rate program can be implemented in the 2014–15 school year.

MEMBERprofile Sara Hunter

You Don’t Have to Be a Scientist to Incorporate STEM

M

ost people are content following one passion. But for Sara Hunter, the opportunity to merge her love of teaching with an intrinsic interest in technology led her to the ultimate dream job. As a third grade teacher at Union Elementary School in Zionville, Indiana, Hunter was the go-to tech person, which led her to attend the Reform Symposium Worldwide e-Conference (RSCON). That’s where she became familiar with the pedagogy of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching. In fall 2012, she accepted a dual position as an elementary STEM teacher/instructional coach. As a teacher, she introduced students to authentic learning, and as a coach, she showed teachers new ways to teach. Hunter piloted a flipped professional development model to help teachers integrate STEM into their lessons. Working with educators individually, she helps them map out strategies for incorporating technology in all subject areas. “We don’t want a substitute for what we already have going on in our classrooms,” she said. “We want to truly move to that transformational level that changes our practice as educators and provides our students with an innovative learning experience that invites them to learn in a different capacity.” Many teachers hesitate to integrate STEM, she said. “Some teachers say, ‘That is not me. I am not the expert,’ but one of the important pieces in the philosophy behind it is removing the role of teacher as expert.”

Students are capable of constructing their own meaning, she said. For example, Hunter centered a STEM lesson on a storybook called Sheep in a Jeep, which is typically used to teach phonics and sounds. Hunter took a different approach. “We looked at it in terms of what is at work around the jeep and the sheep that make them keep falling out, so it was really a lesson in force and motion—inertia,” she said. “We actually used little toy jeeps and sheep and let them watch as the sheep fell out, and the teachers had materials to design solutions for keeping the sheep in the jeep.” In addition to her work with educators, Hunter teaches 17 inquiry-based, hands-on classes a week in grades 1–4. Her STEM classes cover everything from programming robots to experiencing the natural world outside. She’s pioneered a model to leverage mobile technology while interacting with nature, and through her district’s robotics initiative, nearly 200 kids are getting hands-on instruction in programming. Although the student teams sometimes struggle to find solutions, Hunter believes a constructive environment for failure builds confidence. “I firmly believe it makes them much better critical thinkers and problem solvers, and it also makes success so much sweeter,” she said. Even her first graders participate by following the Mars rover Curiosity. The students received tweet replies from Mars. “It was the moment that was like TNT went off and blew the walls off the classroom—little first

graders realizing there was this thing on another planet that was communicating with Earth, that what they had to say about that robot on another planet mattered,” Hunter said. “That was an extraordinary and pivotal moment and probably one of the biggest buy-ins for all of those kids last year.” Hunter blogs at iceteacher.blogspot. com, presents at conferences, and is extremely passionate about sharing her STEM teaching experiences with others through ISTE’s Young Educator Network. But the best part for her is not only sharing her knowledge, but also listening to the voices of others. “One of the things I’ve learned in the last year in both my work with students and with teachers is how to ask better questions,” she said. “Instead of telling, I do a lot more asking.” —Sharleen Nelson is a freelance writer who covers educational technology.


By Jeffrey P. Carpenter and Daniel G. Krutka

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/KIMBERRYWOOD

Chat It Up

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Twitter Chats but Were Afraid to Ask


Did you know that you can access more than 150 free online professional development workshops each week—and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home or school to attend them? Learn how to find, participate in, and start your own Twitter chats with this easy-to-follow FAQ.

U

nless you’ve been living under a rock for the past five years, you have undoubtedly heard of Twitter. Beyond its entertainment uses, the free service has been a major boon to educators, who use it to connect with colleagues, share resources, communicate with experts, and personalize their professional learning. In fact, we authors met because we were both using Twitter with our teacher candidates. Even though we live 1,000 miles apart, we have collaborated on several projects while continuing to learn from each other via tweets. Using a service that limits communication to 140 characters may seem like a strange way to get professional development (PD), but educators have found it to be a powerful digital learning space where they can connect around shared interests. Scheduled Twitter chats, in particular,

have become a popular professional activity for many tweeting educators. Why, you ask? And how? Read on to find the answers to your questions about Twitter chats. Why Twitter? First of all, Twitter is not just limited to 140 characters. In addition to text, tweets can include images, short videos, and hyperlinks. Educators can also tweet links to recommended articles, blogs, websites, and other teaching resources. And Twitter’s 24/7/365 accessibility from multiple platforms, such as Twitter.com, HootSuite, TweetDeck, and several mobile apps, makes it easy to use anytime, anywhere. Twitter is also an open social network. While Facebook friend requests from strangers cause suspicion, on Twitter it’s normal to follow and be followed by people you don’t know. That means that far-flung educators who might otherwise never meet, but have some common interests, can still easily

Hash It Out Hashtags don’t have to be associated with live chats. Educators can keep the conversation going about their favorite topics asynchonously over Twitter by starting their own hashtags or by using an established one. English-as-a-foreignlanguage teacher and blogger Chiew Pang (@aClilToClimb) maintains a public Google Doc at goo.gl/4CVDW that tracks

connect through the medium. It is not uncommon for educators using Twitter to interact virtually for some time and then eventually meet face to face at educational conferences or teacher-driven unconferences or edcamps. What Is a Hashtag? Hashtags help connect educators with similar interests. A hashtag is a keyword or phrase preceded by the # symbol, which indicates that a tweet includes content on a particular topic. For example, users sending tweets related to the flipped classroom model might add the #flipclass hashtag. This mechanism allows educators to join ongoing discussions with others tweeting on similar topics and direct their messages and resources to those who have a shared interest. Hashtags are usually determined organically by users, and educators on Twitter have established and make frequent use of a wide variety of education-related ones (see “Hash It Out” below).

many of the most popular educationrelated hashtags in use. Here are a few of our favorites: #edreform #elearning #edtech #flipclass #highered


What’s a Twitter Chat? The term chat in the context of Twitter refers to synchronous events where many users participate in a discussion via tweets on a specific topic, usually using a predetermined hashtag at a designated time. Although the Twitter environment continuously evolves, a chat is typically a weekly one-hour live discussion that focuses on a specific topic. And they’re very popular: In a recent survey we conducted of 755 educators who use Twitter, 73% of respondents reported they had participated in a chat. Chats often encourage a more substantive and dynamic exchange of ideas than traditional, single-tweet activity. A new user who sends out an individual tweet may have little sense of the audience for that tweet and may not make any new connections with it. But taking part in a chat will let her get into immediate interaction and discussion and quickly expand her personal learning network (PLN). Larger chats can involve hundreds of participants and thousands of tweets during a single hour. If that seems overwhelming, keep in mind that many newbies just “lurk,” or follow chats without tweeting, while others find smaller chats to participate in at first. Why Chat? Participants join chats for many reasons, including resource sharing, networking, emotional support, community building, and contributing to their profession. The collective intelligence of a chat can provide educators with classroom-tested lessons, a variety of perspectives on specific problems, or an introduction to emerging technologies. Chats offer leaders opportunities to expand their audiences and influence, and they give voice to teachers who might not otherwise have the chance to exercise leadership outside their classrooms or schools. Educators also appreciate

that the medium is concise, immediate, and easily personalized to their professional needs. In contrast to traditional PD that often casts teachers into passive roles, chats can be dynamic, engaging, and even “oddly invigorating,” as one of our students said. Chats provide opportunities for teachers to interact with a variety of educators and other stakeholders in ways that are sometimes rare in schools, and they provide spaces for democratic and equitable interaction and collaboration. Plus, participation in chats aligns with the ISTE Standards for Teachers because it supports professional growth and leadership and allows educators to model digital citizenship and responsibility. Who Organizes Chats? Most chats are started and facilitated by a small group of self-nominated leaders, and some involve a companion blog or website with chat schedules, topic polls, and archives. For example, when several Oklahoma educators attending an edcamp decided in February 2013 to start using #OklaEd for a weekly moderated chat, they created a website (oklaed. blogspot.com), archiving account (storify.com/OklaEd), and private Google Doc to help organize and sustain the chat. Chats typically have one or two moderators. Some chats retain the same moderators for every session, while others regularly rotate moderators, feature guest moderators with expertise relevant to a particular week’s topic, or actively seek out moderators among regular chat participants. Moderators generally create the slate of questions or prompts for the chat beforehand. At the outset, they collectively welcome participants to the chat and often ask them to introduce themselves. After that, they periodically ask the predetermined questions and interact spontaneously


Give a Chat As of this writing, we are aware of more than 150 education-related Twitter chats. The most up-to-date list (bit.ly/officialchatlist) is maintained by tech director Thomas Murray (@thomascmurray), learning coach Chad Evans (@cevans5095), and writer/educator Jerry Blumengarten (@cybraryman1). Some chats, such as #edchat, tackle a broad range of education issues, while others are based on shared interests in a particular topic, content area, grade level, job type, or geographical region. Here are a few of our favorites:

General Education Chats

#edchat: This popular chat, moderated by Tom Whitby (@tomwhitby), Steven Anderson (@web20classroom), and Shelly Terrell (@ShellTerrell), hosts two discussions on a pre-arranged education topic every Tuesday at 9 a.m. PT/noon ET and 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. Find out more at edchat.pbworks.com. #satchat: This chat gets its name from its regularly scheduled time, Saturday mornings. Billed as a “global discussion for current and emerging school leaders,” the chat, co-founded by Brad Currie (@bcurrie5) and Scott Rocco (@ScottRRocco), happens every Saturday at 7:30 a.m. PT/10:30 a.m. ET. It was so popular that it’s spawned two geographically specific offshoot chats, #SatchatWC for West Coasters and #SatchatOC for educators living in Oceania (Indonesia, Polynesia, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, etc.). Learn more at www. bradcurrie.net/satchat.html.

Content-Area Chats

#engchat: This chat for English teachers to connect and share ideas, resources, and inspiration happens every Monday at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. Find out more at www.engchat.org. #mathchat: This UK-based chat is for anyone involved in mathematics, including students as well as teachers. It happens twice a week, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on most Thursday nights and 5:30 p.m./8:30 p.m. on Mondays. You can also follow @mathchat and visit the wiki at mathschat. wikispaces.com.

a Chance #sschat: This weekly chat for social studies educators happens Mondays at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. You can follow chat leaders Dan Krutka (@dankrutka), Melissa Seiderman (@melissaseideman), and Michael Milton (@42thinkdeep) for updates or visit the sschat.ning.com site for archives of #sschat and other social studies chats, including #wrldchat and #hsgovchat.

Job Type/Role Chats

#cpchat: The “cp” stands for connected principals, and the chat is moderated by a different team of moderators in that role each Wednesday at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. Read the Connected Principals blog at connectedprincipals.com. #ntchat: This chat for new teachers founded by ed tech blogger Lisa Dabbs (@teachingwthsoul) takes place on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. Read all about it at www.teachingwithsoul. com/ntchat.

Grade-Level Chats

#kinderchat: As its name suggests, this chat is for anyone involved or interested in kindergarten and early-childhood education, including teachers, administrators, parents, and organizations. It was founded by kindergarten teachers Heidi Echternacht (@hechternacht) and Amy Murray (@happycampergirl) and takes place every Monday at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. #1stchat: This chat about first grade teaching, facilitated by Valarie Ruckes (@valruckes) and Laura Comos (@lauracomos), happens on Sundays at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. Learn more at 1stchat.wikispaces.com.

Topical Chats

#pblchat: Project-based learning fans, unite and discuss on this chat moderated by Geoff Krall (@emergentmath), Theresa Shafer (@TheresaShafer), Mike Kaechele (@mikekaechele), and Andrew Miller (@betamiller). Tune in to tweet on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET, contribute a topic idea at goo.gl/2KxNbi, or see a chat archive at storify.com/newtechnetwork. #sbgchat: This chat, founded by Tom Murray (@thomascmurray), connects educators interested in standards-based grading every Wednesday at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. See an archive at storify.com/thomascmurray/ sbgchat.

Organization-Sponsored Chats

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#DENchat: Discovery Education Network (DEN) hosts its own general-interest education chat on Thursdays at 5 p.m. PT/ 8 p.m. ET. Read about it on the DEN blog at blog.discoveryeducation.com/blog/tag/ denchat.

State Chats

#CAedchat: California educators are invited to discuss education topics relevant to the West Coast on Sundays at 8 p.m. PT. Visit the companion website at sites.google.com/site/ caedchat. #NCed: This chat connects educators across North Carolina on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. Check out the companion blog at ncedchat. blogspot.com.

#mschat: My Middle School Chat, founded by seventh grade science teacher Todd Bloch (@blocht574), covers a variety of topics of interest to middle school educators. Check it out on Thursdays at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET and read about it on Bloch’s blog at sweattoinspire.com.


with participants. Most moderators pose 5–10 questions, but supplementary questions, diversions, and side conversations are common too. Although the moderators contribute important ideas to the chats, they usually try not to dominate discourse or control the flow of conversation to the same extent that a presenter might in a traditional PD workshop. In fact, some chat organizers empower participants by allowing them to select each week’s topic through an online poll that they tweet out and/or post on the chat’s website. How Do I Participate in a Chat? A diverse array of education chats is continuously emerging (see “Give a Chat a Chance,” pages 12–13). Some chats end up attracting participants, while others fail to find a long-term audience. Last year many state-based chats, such as #KSed for Kansas educators, sprung up as opportunities to connect and share resources with nearby educators. Numerous book group chats, which tend to be ad hoc conversations that typically exist for a short period of time, also started last year. For example, Dave Burgess’s

(@burgessdave) Teach Like a Pirate spawned book chats that he led as well as several spinoff chats that centered on applying the ideas of his book to specific educational contexts. And Clinton Public Schools in Oklahoma uses chats to connect educators within and across schools with the hashtag #cpsreds. It’s easy to take part in a Twitter chat. First, be sure your privacy controls are set to make your tweets public so all chat participants, not just your followers, can see them. Although it is possible to participate in chats using the regular Twitter interface, we recommend setting up a third-party account with a service like HootSuite or TweetDeck. These free services link to your Twitter account and allow you to more conveniently manage tweets and chats by creating multiple “streams” or columns that aggregate tweets by hashtag or search term. This will make it much easier to follow the flow of a chat and contribute. To keep track of which answers go with which questions, moderators typically label each question with Q1, Q2, and so on. Participants, in turn, preface answers with A1, A2, etc., so it’s clear which question they are answering.

Chatology

(Top) Twitter lets educators easily share links to helpful resources and categorize their tweets by topic using hashtags. (Left) Chat moderators often number their predetermined questions, to which participants align their answers. (Right) Free services such as TweetDeck let you sort your tweets by hashtag into columns, making it much easier to follow and contribute to a chat.


This approach allows participants to join chats late, discuss a particularly interesting question beyond the designated chat time, or catch up with conversations. Although anyone is welcome to ask questions of all participants, it’s good etiquette to generally respect the moderator’s role of guiding the conversation. Chats are generally welcoming environments, and many chat moderators support and encourage new chatters. Researchers Ceren Budak and Rakesh Agrawal, who have studied Twitter chats, found that newcomers feel socially included when fellow chat participants mention and retweet them. But they warn that more established chats with numerous regulars can be less inviting to outsiders and that the quantity of tweets or links shared might initially be overwhelming. Twitter has been compared to a waterfall: Users can hold out their cups to collect the water they need but shouldn’t worry about everything that passes by. Twitter chats, in particular, involve an immense amount of information and educational ideas, so keep in mind that it is pretty much impossible to digest it all.

The collective intelligence of a chat can provide educators with classroom-tested lessons, a variety of perspectives on specific problems, or an introduction to emerging technologies. What If I Miss a Chat? Although the live, dynamic nature of chats is part of their appeal, many chat transcripts are also archived on a companion blog or website. This is a valuable service for participants who want to review tweets because of the fast pace of chat or for those who miss a chat altogether. Users can also archive important individual tweets from chats they would like to view later by using Twitter’s “favorite” feature. Free apps like Evernote can also help you store tweets and links for later reference. How Do I Start My Own Chat? If a hashtag doesn’t already exist for a topic of interest, any user can claim it for a chat and spread the

word to others interested in the topic. But don’t forget that no one owns a hashtag. So if you decide to start using #MHSchat, for example, for a chat among teachers at your high school, don’t be surprised if teachers from a different “MHS” start using the same hashtag. That’s why it’s wise to choose a hashtag that others are unlikely to apply to a different topic. Twitter chats are a great way to model participation and innovation in a digital age learning culture. While Twitter is no panacea for professional development, an increasing number of educators turn to the free service again and again to energize learning and collaboration with their colleagues. And given the many demands on educators’ time, the sheer volume

of their voluntary participation is a testament to the value of chats. If you’re ready to join them, then find—or start—a chat that meets your professional needs. You may be surprised by what you can learn 140 characters at a time! Jeffrey P. Carpenter is an assistant professor of education at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina. His research interests concern innovations in teaching, and he is currently studying social media’s role in student learning and educator professional development. Follow him on Twitter @DocCarpenter. Daniel G. Krutka is an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. A former social studies teacher, his research interests concern how educators can nurture participatory and democratic educational experiences. Follow him on Twitter @dankrutka.

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By Candace Schafer-Southard and Mark Hofer

Give Your Lessons a Tech Makeover


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Use the TPACK learning-by-design method to turn a good lesson into a great one by incorporating technology that enhances—but doesn’t overshadow— the learning objectives. Then tweak it until you get it just right.

T

he state of technology integration in K–12 schools today is something of a paradox: Access to tools and resources is continually expanding, and most teachers report interest in educational technology, yet widespread and pervasive use of technologies in classrooms remains elusive. And while it’s easy to find examples of innovative and creative uses of classroom technology, systemic change has been slow to materialize. There are many possible reasons for this, including limited access to tech tools, the pressure of high-stakes testing, and the compartmentalized structure of middle and high schools that limits interdisciplinary projects. But perhaps the most fundamental and persistent obstacle to effective tech integration is the complexity of knowledge it requires. Think about the different kinds of knowledge teachers must draw on in the planning and implementation processes. It’s not enough to simply find and learn how to use an interesting tool or resource. They must also determine the right fit between the tool, the curriculum, and the learning activity. This kind of integrated knowledge is called technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge, or TPACK. Punya Mishra and Matthew Koehler, the developers of the TPACK framework, suggest that one way for teachers to build this knowledge is through “learning by design.” In this approach, teachers collaboratively design a solution to an instructional challenge. Then they put the solution to the test in the classroom, reflecting on and modifying it based on their experience. It is through this process of design, reflection, and tweaking that teachers can develop their TPACK. While this is a great way to create new lessons, for many experienced teachers, TPACK comes into play more in “re-imagining” units they have already planned. Candace SchaferSouthard, a high school history teacher, has put many of her tried-and-true lessons through the learning-by-design process to effectively integrate appropriate technologies. Read on to find out how she successfully remade one project into a technology-infused history lesson that students would not soon forget. —Mark Hofer

I redesigned the project to include use of video and audio software to enhance the end products and expand the amount of information I asked students to include.

New School, New Tools My professional teaching experience began in a living history museum. Hands-on experiences, artifact analysis, and the inquiry method were my favorite teaching techniques. When I began teaching in a high school, I had to figure out how to adapt these methods I had used in the museum to the classroom, where my access to authentic artifacts was limited. Over time, I was able to replace those artifacts through the use of multimedia technologies. But it was a slow transition because I didn’t have access to much technology at first. That all changed in 2007, when I transferred to Warhill High School in Williamsburg, Virginia. Billed as Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools’ “technology school,” Warhill opened with an array of technologies, including computer labs, four computer stations in every classroom, tablets, in-room projectors, wireless keyboards, a plethora of online resources, and access to many types of software. With these new tools came the expectation that teachers would modify their lesson plans and teaching methods to include the new technologies. Fortunately, our school’s instructional technology resource teacher (ITRT), Patti Bowen, was there to guide and assist the teachers with this daunting challenge. Training and Collaborative Planning During opening week, Bowen offered mandatory training sessions to introduce the available technology and help convert traditional classroom activities into high-tech lesson plans. First she asked us to look at our lesson plans and projects to see where technology might enhance the learning objectives. Once we had made our selections, she offered more in-depth training sessions for the technology applications we selected and worked with us to


ensure the technology did not overshadow the objective of the lesson. The ITRT was also available to meet with us during our planning periods to brainstorm ideas about using technology to enhance our lessons and teach us how to use the programs. This was the collaborative part of the learningby-design method. Old Project Meets New Tech Eager to use the tools available to me, I looked through my old lesson plans in search of a project that would benefit from the incorporation of technology. I zeroed in on an end-of-unit project from my World History II class (1500 to the present) focusing on the monarchs of Europe during the ages of Absolutism and Enlightenment. I chose this project as my first conversion from “old school” to “techno-school” because it was successful as originally designed, but it held the promise of being even better with the addition of technology. Going into the conversion, I truly believed that the technology would enrich the students’ educational experience and improve the outcome of the project without dominating the learning objectives or the focus of the lesson. My overarching goal for the project was to help students to not only remember monarchs from the ages of Absolutism and Enlightenment, but also have some creative fun with the information. I encouraged my students to find interesting personal stories about the monarchs that would make them more “real” and help bring them to life. My hope was that if the students could identify with the monarchs as people, they would be more likely to internalize the information and make connections. My original approach to the project required students to create a music CD cover that highlights 10 monarchs from this era (see some examples at monarchs.wmwikis.net/ CD+example). As part of the CD

Using the new programs greatly enhanced the project and helped the students create a much better overview of each monarch for the class to enjoy. cover, students created song titles that described each of the monarchs, wrote a few sentences overviewing each monarch’s reign, created a title and illustrated cover, and wrote an introductory paragraph about the era during which the monarch reigned. It was a fun and interesting project that helped students express their creativity while learning about the accomplishments of key rulers. I redesigned the project to include use of video and audio software to enhance the end products and expand the amount of information I asked students to include. In this new approach, the students worked in pairs to develop the CD cover as well as a short documentary on one of the monarchs. They found images and period-appropriate music online, then used either MovieMaker or Photo Story to create a 3- to 5-minute documentary focused on the featured monarch’s reign and accomplishments.

The experience I gained from completing the project as the students would was invaluable. It allowed me to write detailed directions for the class to follow, determine the pacing of the project, troubleshoot problems with implementation of the programs, and answer students’ questions based on my personal experiences. Completing my own project, though, was only the beginning. Once I finished my sample documentary, I began the preplanning for my classes, which included:

Testing It Out The learning curve for me in this lesson transformation was tremendous! Before I could expect my students to use the technologies successfully, I needed to learn how to use them myself. The ITRT helped me get started with the software. Then I went through every step that my students would be taking while working on the redesigned project: I selected a monarch, completed research online, wrote the narrative, located the visuals and period music, and documented my sources. I used Audacity to record the narrative and download the musical selection, and then I exported the audio into MovieMaker along with the visuals to create the final documentary.

The Students’ Turn On the first day of the project, I distributed detailed directions to the students that included a pacing guide (goo.gl/5sUjzO) and grading rubric (goo.gl/w3wFbM). I then showed the students the example project I had created (goo.gl/svKGCf), followed by a brief discussion of my requirements and expectations for quality. Next, I gave a brief lesson on how to use the software programs as well as the media center resources available. Then the students selected their partners, brainstormed documentary ideas, and decided how to divide project responsibilities. We progressed through the project in the following sequence:


• Determining the dates • Reserving the computers • Identifying useful websites and bookmarking them online for ease of student access • Reserving time with the media specialist to teach students how to use databases and print resources for their research • Writing the project plan • Creating handouts for the students

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The benefits to our students are well worth the effort and apprehension on our part.

Day 1: Introduction, sample project, topic selection, initial brainstorming Day 2: Creation of CD cover, including images, song titles, and descriptions; research, including image search Day 3: Polishing and recording of narrative, beginning of MovieMaker project, importing audio

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Days 4–5: Production of films and finalization of CD cover Day 6: Student film screening Differentiating by Skill Level One of the classes that completed this project was designated gifted and talented (GT), and the other was a class with heterogeneous ability levels. Both classes completed the project successfully but used different software at different levels. The GT section completed the full project using MovieMaker and Audacity, while the heterogeneous section used PhotoStory. Since the GT section progressed at a faster pace and had a few extra days to devote to the project, they were able to complete the project in a more complex way, using software that provided more advanced features. The heterogeneous class needed the shortened version of the project and the more limited movie creation software to keep up with the pacing of the course. Both groups, however, were able to meet the learning objectives while developing and applying different modes of creative expression. Both were focused on their research, excited about finding quality images to represent their monarchs, and intent on creating interesting CD covers. The main differences I noticed between the groups was the depth of


learning each achieved, the vocabulary they used in the narratives, and the lengths of their documentaries. The GT students included more information in the descriptions accompanying each song title and went well beyond my requirements to include more personal information and interesting stories about their featured monarchs in their documentaries. The students in the heterogeneous class included the required information but focused more on basic facts and omitted some stories about the monarchs that had perhaps been more difficult to uncover in their research. The GT students’ narratives included vocabulary that was more academic and similar to historians’ language, while the students in the heterogeneous section used intermediate-level vocabulary. Good Results I admit that I had reservations about incorporating unfamiliar technology into an already successful project. I was apprehensive about my ability to use the software and concerned about the project’s pacing. Mostly, though, I did not want the use of technology to overshadow the learning objectives. I’m happy to say that my fears were unfounded. Using the new programs enhanced the project and helped the students create a better overview of each monarch for the class to enjoy. Students actively sought more information and interesting facts to include in the documentary portions of their projects. As a teacher, I enjoyed seeing my students get so engaged and discovering how incorporating pedagogically appropriate technology could enhance a curriculum-based project.

Allowing the students—who, as digital natives, thrive on technology—to be creative within the parameters I gave them resulted in a memorable learning experience and some well-rounded finished projects. I used a rubric to assess student work on the project. The best projects showed creativity and included information that showed the monarchs as real people. Each group presented their CD case and video (MovieMaker or PhotoStory) to the class. This helped students see the monarchs in a variety of ways, and it served as a review before the test. At the end of the unit, the students completed a traditional multiplechoice and short-answer assessment. The classes that completed the movie project outperformed my previous classes that did this lesson the original way by an average of eight percentage points. That shows me that students learn at least as much from this new way of teaching the project. But most important, many have repeatedly told me that the remade project was the highlight of the course for them. Lessons Learned Like the majority of the faculty, I came to Warhill to take advantage of the technology. Some of my colleagues were overwhelmed with the prospect of effective tech integration and did not pursue more than we had to. Others maximized the opportunity and continued to find ways to incorporate more technology into their lessons, either by retrofitting or creating new lessons that use tools in pedagogically appropriate ways. The learning-by-design process has been challenging for me at times too. At first I was concerned that the tools would become the lesson rather than enhance the lesson. Then I was worried that if I gave the students too much creative license, they would not produce the desired results, and the project would not end up enriching their

K-12 Internet

Resource Center

K12IRC.ORG

understanding. But I discovered that the benefits to our students are well worth the effort and apprehension on our part. We did have some technical difficulties, but they were easily solved. For example, when students failed to save their progress in secure folders, other students unfortunately were able to tamper with them. We rectified this by reminding the students to save their work in the proper place. We also had initial problems with uncharged laptop batteries, which I addressed by bringing in power strips so students could plug in their machines before they lost any work. I also found that being conscientious and choosing the right technology to enhance a lesson is critical to success. Allowing the students—who, as digital natives, thrive on technology—to be creative within the parameters I gave them resulted in a memorable learning experience and some well-rounded finished projects. I was surprised at how amazingly creative they are and how they were able to take their projects in directions I had not imagined while still meeting their instructional objectives. Candace Schafer-Southard is a social studies teacher and department curriculum leader at Warhill High School in Williamsburg, Virginia. Prior to transitioning to the classroom, she presented museum education programs at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Mark Hofer is an associate professor of educational technology at the College of William & Mary. A former high school history teacher, he now focuses his research and development on curriculum-based technology integration.

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By Les Foltos

Put Me In, Coach! T

hese days, ed tech coaches are in high demand, thanks in part to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS, corestandards.org), which require educators to integrate technology into the classroom. Much like the ISTE Standards (formerly the NETS), the CCSS also clearly link technology with effective teaching, calling for mastery of the basics; more rigorous learning and creativity; and more emphasis on skills such as critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. These standards also require teachers to use more-engaging instructional strategies and technology as tools to help students develop critical skills and demonstrate their learning. These new requirements may ask ed tech coaches to re-evaluate their approach. But, as the ISTE Standards have long espoused, the place to start is still with content and pedagogy. The Learning Comes First Like the CCSS, the ISTE Standards for Students and Teachers emphasize the importance of tying technology use to effective pedagogy. The first thing ed tech coaches can learn from this is that their primary task is to

I’m Ready to Teach with Technology By putting pedagogy first and tapping into the ISTE Standards for Coaching, ed tech coaches can help their learning partners successfully implement the Common Core State Standards while using technology effectively.


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help educators give up the belief that integrating technology into their lessons—merely doing the same thing, just with technology—will make all the difference. After more than 20 years of using that approach, we should recognize that traditional activities that integrate technology in this way still focus on finding, recording, and repeating facts. In my experience, adding technology hasn’t changed traditional teaching and learning, but it has made poor pedagogy more expensive. And many experts, including education reform proponent Michael Fullan, have reached the conclusion that only effective pedagogy has the power to drive improvements in education (goo.gl/SW4nnS). Focusing first on pedagogy and learning objectives offers educators an effective strategy for integrating technology into classrooms. Some of the world’s best school systems are implementing this approach. In Finland, for example, pedagogical models and practices take center stage, while technological tools are relegated to a supporting role. And in Singapore, educators focus on high-quality instruction and see technology merely as an aid to that goal.

Tackle Technology Next Rather than planning activities around technology, the CCSS and the ISTE Standards emphasize teaching and learning, two issues educators are already very familiar with. What can coaches learn from this? When they focus on learning first, they can start the conversation on the educators’ home court—not outside their comfort zone, where technology often falls. Too often, coaches focus their efforts on sharing tech tools at staff meetings. This may be part of a broader effort to help teachers develop technology fluency, but usually they are hoping that teachers will make a connection to a learning activity and adopt the tool. The problem here is that this is “just in case” learning. Coaches are helping teachers learn about new tools just in case they might find a use for it in their classroom. This approach could work if the teacher identifies an immediate need for the technology, but if not, another dilemma surfaces: The blackboard seems to have the same half-life as plutonium, whereas technology seems to have the shelf life of milk. It almost needs a “best if used by” date on it. If teachers don’t adopt the tool instantly, it may not even exist by the time they choose to use it.

Effective coaches seek a purposeful and immediate link between the goals of an activity and the new technology the teacher learns about. Both the ISTE Standards and the CCSS ask students to communicate, collaborate, gather and analyze information, and express their learning in creative ways. Most likely, students will be using hardware and software to accomplish these tasks. Coaches can improve this process by helping teachers first define the tasks they want students to perform, such as communication and collaboration (ISTE Standard for Students 2) and then use that as the starting point for identifying and using the tech tools that best meet those requirements. Link Learning and Technology Successful coaches also work with their learning partners to explore the activity they are trying to improve and identify tasks that encourage creative expression, communication, collaboration, and the collection and organization of information. Together the coach and teacher clearly define these and other educational needs and then determine whether a given technology can meet them while enhancing learning. If the answer is yes,

The ISTE Standards for Coaches call for coaches to assist teachers in selecting and using technology for student research and collaboration as well as for developing creativity and higher-order thinking skills.


the teacher, students, and coach can learn just enough about the technology they want to use, just in time to use it in the project. Coaches might ask teachers the following types of questions and offer a few examples to help them determine how technology could better support their learning: Communication. Does the learning activity encourage students to communicate with peers? Are the students reaching beyond the classroom to get ideas or suggested solutions to problems? Are they seeking input from subject-matter experts? The coach might, for example, suggest to her collaborating teacher that he use a website such as iEARN (iearn.org), where educators can find students from around the world who are working on a project similar to the one the teacher is planning for his students.

Collaboration. Does the task ask students to collaborate with others in their local or global community to solve real-world problems or get feedback on their proposed solutions? A coach might suggest to a peer that students who are studying the impact of fracking in nearby natural gas fields use Skype to discuss their findings and solutions with an outside expert, such as a chemist, geologist, or petroleum company executive. Information gathering. To complete the learning task, do students need to gather information to draw conclusions and create knowledge? How will students be assessed on their ability to gather useful, relevant information? A coach could help the collaborating teacher create a Google Form so his students could collect water-quality data from other students who live in cities along a river for a project to improve water quality in their own town.

Information organization. Is the task shaped in ways that require students to organize, analyze, and synthesize the information they have gathered? A coach may help a teacher and students find online resources about environmentally friendly practices and then design a webpage where they can organize and share what they have learned more broadly. Expression. Are students demonstrating their learning by sharing their solutions with authentic audiences? Does the task encourage students to present their work in creative ways that are meaningful to them? Is the ability to include images, video, music, or dialogue important to expression? If a teacher asks her students who come from families that recently immigrated to the United States to draw on the immigrants’ experiences to reshape and retell John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, her coach can help

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her record a video of a stage production of the students’ story, upload it to the web, and gather online comments from the viewing community. Just-in-Time Tech Training The ISTE Standards for Coaches call for coaches to help teachers select technology that students can use for research, collaboration, and development of creativity and higher-order thinking skills (iste.org/docs/pdfs/netsc.pdf?sfvrsn=2). Let’s explore what this might mean in the classroom. The second grade teacher who wants to encourage her students to use images, video, sounds, and narration to demonstrate their learning may need help identifying relevant tools to assist with this. The teacher may feel it is important that her students spend their time expressing their ideas clearly instead of learning and manipulating complex video

editing software. The teacher may also need help learning to use the tool. The coach could suggest that this teacher follow her students’ lead, or she could provide some training. Of course, at this point, coaches face the same dilemma as teachers: Technology changes so quickly that they can’t possibly know how to use all of the available tools. But they don’t necessarily need to; they just need to know where to find tutorials that they, their peers, and students can use. Internet4teachers.com, Microsoft, Google, or Apple’s tutorials for educators are great starting places for commonly used software. The strategy of identifying common tasks in the learning activity focuses on the core of teaching: How will students learn and then demonstrate what they have learned? When coaches ask if the task requires students to gather information, collaborate with

others, present their findings, and get feedback, they are asking teachers to work in a realm they know and understand. With learning and teaching as the starting point, coaches can emphasize how a specific piece of technology might help students reach their learning goals and perform the tasks their teacher has defined. And coaches who play this role help us meet another valuable but largely unmet need: encouraging teachers to use technology routinely. Les Foltos, PhD, is the founder of Peer-Ed (peer-ed.com). He served as director of instructional technology for Seattle Public Schools and helped develop the ISTE Coaching Academy, which launched in March 2013. He is also a co-author of ISTE’s coaching white paper (iste.org/learn/coachingwhite-paper). This article is adapted from his book Peer Coaching: Unlocking the Power of Collaboration (Corwin, 2013).

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Computer Science 26

LEARNINGconnections

Apps 29 Mathematics 30 Tip 32 Journalism 33

Yes, Your Students Can Create Games That Land in the Apple

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/FLEAZ

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t’s becoming increasingly clear that teaching facts is much less valuable than it was a short time ago. Since the advent of internet search engines and wikis, the information that educators have historically “taught” is now at students’ fingertips. This presents a paradigm shift that many educators feel is long overdue: Inquiry, interpretation, and product-based collaborative projects are replacing the process of feeding students bits of information to memorize. But not all inquiry projects are created equal. The most successful are those that tap into students’ interests. We believe the booming video game industry can provide real-world projects that teach valuable digital age skills. Consider the advantages: Playing video games requires knowledge and skill acquisition as well as complex problem solving. And most games require vast amounts of self-directed learning. Situated cognition is an educational strategy where learners develop skills within a group. Research has shown that students who are exposed to situated cognition methods, which involve immediate real-world application and allow players to determine their own objectives, see greater value in learning.

By Mark Savignano, Mia Kim Williams, and John Holbrook 26 Learning & Leading with Technology | February 2014

Designing an App-Creation Project Over several weeks in a computer applications classroom at Centennial Middle School in North Boulder, Colorado, seventh and eighth grade students created game apps and a corresponding fictional gaming company. They began the semester learning basic programming with tutorials from the program Gamesalad. The tutorials demonstrated how to import pictures, program an object to move, and produce visual effects. They demonstrated their growing understanding of the programming language by creating a simple video game that required players to move a boat. Next, the students worked in pairs to create a unique game. They filled out planning sheets that detailed the look and theme of their games, the characters, and how to win or lose. Over the next few weeks, they built the game they had outlined using original artwork and music that they created in Photoshop and GarageBand. Creating a Company We could have stopped at app creation, and the students would have had a robust learning experience. But we wanted to take this lesson a step closer to the real world by having them create fictional companies to promote their apps and sell product merchandise, such as shirts and other products. Students created company logos and displayed them on cards,

App Store shirts, and stickers. Many used Google Sites to create professional-looking websites for their fictional companies that included screen shots, promotional details, and videos. Making Videos to Promote the Apps Once the games were finished, students were ready to start marketing the apps. First, we presented a short lesson on how to use iMovie, and then we examined a few gaming videos from the Apple App Store and the internet. These videos helped students visualize the direction and content of what they needed to do. We led a discussion about what to put in the video and key information to include. We had three main requirements: 1. They had to include a logo. 2. They had to show game footage and include the release date. 3. The video had to be 30 seconds long. We offered advice about keeping images moving in the video and suggested that no image stay on the screen longer than 3 seconds. This was a challenging task for many students. Some had trouble organizing the video or message. Others stuggled to make their videos as long as 30 seconds. And many of them had to redo their artwork to make the commercial look good. They worked through all these challenges and made great videos like the one at goo.gl/MH2Is3.

Computer Science Publishing the Apps At the conclusion of the project, students attempted to publish their apps. The Apple App Store accepted two of the student-created games, Super Happy Snail Time and CoinCatch. Super Happy Snail Time. Two eighth grade students created this app, which is based on one they previously designed called Super Happy Turtle Time. They improved on the original by changing the logo from a turtle to a snail, redesigning the background, and changing the objective of the game to collecting apples while dodging salt. During the process, the student developers struggled with programming the jump command because jumping requires a large number of programming commands. We suggested they use a bounce programming command instead. Once the student replaced jumping with bouncing, the game was complete. CoinCatch. Two seventh grade students created this game, which requires players to collect coins that fall from the top of the screen. Miss a coin and you lose a heart. When all five hearts are gone, the game is over. The background color changes to indicate the passage of time. After a predetermined amount of time, a boss—a green wallet—appears. The wallet tries to destroy coins by moving and shooting at them before players can collect them.

This scenario was not easy for the students to program. They had to set a variable to represent the location of each coin on the screen. Then they programmed the boss to check for the lowest coin on the screen. Once the boss found the lowest coin, it would move to the coin’s Y-axis and shoot at it. The students also developed a “disco mode” for CoinCatch featuring upbeat music and different background colors. Both games are free to download at goo.gl/RlDFd5. Project Reaps Impressive Results As expected, the process of playing, testing, and creating electronic games generated great interest among students. We noticed that motivation levels briefly tapered off during the middle of the project, possibly because of an unexpected delay in students’ ability to upload their game to the Apple App Store. Once students were able to upload games, and particularly after Apple published the first game, student engagement increased. When they were finally able to upload their app, the creators of CoinCatch decided their work wasn’t up to a high enough standard. They completely redesigned their app, stating, “We need to remake our game and make it better.” Ultimately, it was their new version that was accepted.


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Two eighth grade students created the app Super Happy Snail Time, based on one they previously created called Super Happy Turtle Time. They improved the original by changing the logo from a turtle to a snail, redesigning the background, and changing the objective of the game to collecting apples while dodging salt.

Students Worked through Challenges This project required technical expertise and introduced product development. The creation of physical media posed challenges, such as the variations in sizing, resolution, and quality when printing on different materials. Students overcame the hurdles and took pride in what they had created. Some designed and wore shirts with the logos of their fictional companies. Other students created and passed out business cards promoting their games and companies. Game Making Meets Standards Game making supports the creative process and reaches across academic boundaries to many subjects. For example, some students created a system to track players’ points that incorporated basic algebra: the use and manipulation of variables. Students unfamiliar with the necessary algebraic processes learned from other students so they could apply similar scoring to their games. This project addressed many of the ISTE Standards (formerly the NETS), including Creativity and Innovation; Communication and Collaboration; Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making; and Technology Operations and Concepts. For

example, students created and published with minimal guidance while working collaboratively. The assignment required students to use prior knowledge to construct new concepts and materials. The end result was students working collaboratively toward learning and mastering the complexities of a programming language to publish apps. Most of this learning was selfdirected: Students set learning goals that reflected the direction of their app designs. These goals varied greatly between groups. Some students wanted to learn how to program gravity into their games, whereas others wanted to learn absorption (when one object makes another disappear). Still others wanted to understand generation (the creation of one object from another). In each of these cases, students learned these concepts because they thought it would further the creation of their game, not because an instructor wanted them to learn the concepts. Students Can Control Their Learning As educators, our role was to ensure that students learned basic programming skills. We let students determine how to apply these skills and acted as mentors when students wanted to


learn more complex programming. Instead of teaching “facts,” we directed students to resources to assist game development. The project required multidisciplinary resources once students began incorporating algebra, music, physics, and artwork into their apps. The chance to have their work land in the Apple App Store was extremely motivating, and they developed a high level of expertise in creating physical media, websites, and the final apps. Evolving technologies have greatly accelerated the speed at which learners can acquire and apply information. Educators must be prepared to embrace these changes if they are to continue to prepare students for college and the workforce. —Mark Savignano is a PhD student at the University of Northern Colorado. He is also a fulltime teacher of social studies and technology in a small mountain school in Nederland, Colorado. —Mia Kim Williams is an associate professor of educational technology and educational foundations and curriculum studies at the University of Colorado. Her research focus is development of multimodal design and digital literacies that promote student voice and advocacy. —John Holbrook is a first grade teacher living in Columbus, Ohio. He is a graduate of Carthage College and Ohio State University.


Meet Common Core Using Educreations

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The Common Core State Standards emphasize the importance of students making sense of word problems in math and explaining how they solved them. Educreations is a whiteboard app that helps students meet these standards, as well as many others, because it allows them to create video lessons to share what they have learned with others. Students can use the app to write out the strategies they used to solve math problems, take pictures of their manipulatives, and record their voices explaining the process. In the past, my students would work hard to figure out math problems using their own strategies, only to have the bell ring before they had a chance to explain their thinking. By the time we met again, they had forgotten how they had solved the problem. Now they can save their work—and their thinking—using this easy-to-access free app. Educators can share links to the videos with parents, embed them in a blog or an e-portfolio, or share them on Facebook. If they want to keep the gallery private, they can do that too.

Carrie Hillman is a K–12 technology coach at Oelwein Community School District in Oelwein, Iowa. She oversees technology integration and professional development for the district, which is moving to a 1:1 environment. She was previously an elementary teacher for 11 years.

Platform: iPad Cost: Free

Here are more apps to help students meet the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Blogger: Compose a post, embed images, add tags, and more to meet writing standards. Android, iOS; free

LearnZillion: Watch videos and use teaching materials that highlight CCSS. iOS; free

Common Core Standards: Find standards by subject, grade, and subject category. Android, iOS; free

Numbers League: Assemble a team of superheroes to conquer villains and practice CCSS math concepts. iOS; $3.99

Evernote: Record thoughts, compose, rewrite, and share to address writing standards. Android, iOS; free

Reading Comprehension Camp: Help kids improve reading comprehension and monitor their progress. iOS; $19.99

Futaba: Build CCSS language skills with this word quiz game for four players. iPad; free

Scootpad: Practice CCSS concepts in this adaptive learning environment. Android, iOS; free

Geoboards: Stretch bands around pegs to form line segments and polygons and make discoveries. iOS; free

Skoolbo Core Skills: Practice CCSS literacy and numeracy in this 3D immersive world. Android, iOS; free

Intel Visual Ranking: Rank concepts in order according to pre-established criteria. Android, iOS; free

TI-Inspire CAS: Master algebra using this advanced computer algebra system. iPad; $29.99

Got an app for that? Email a description of your favorite app to [email protected].


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First Graders Create Math Story Problems with Video

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e know there are ways to help students gain deep mathematical understanding. But what do they look like in the first grade classroom, where the students are still learning basic math skills? By working with first graders to create videos illustrating math story problems, we gave some of our youngest students the chance to show what the world looks like from their perspective. We got the idea from a federally funded project called Math Pursuits (www.uc.edu/mathpursuits), which helped fifth graders gain mathematical problem-solving skills by creating story-problem videos. We wanted to see if we could adapt the project for the first grade level. It would be a great opportunity to show how young students meet the ISTE Standards (formerly the NETS), especially Standard 1.b.: Create original works as a means of personal or group expression, and Standard 2.b.: Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats. We knew that with the proper scaffolding, the first graders would rise to the challenge. As things turned out, their video-production skills exceeded our expectations.

Introducing the Project We embarked on this project as a collaborative effort between Elm Elementary School in Wyoming, Ohio, and the University of Cincinnati. On the first day, we introduced the weeklong project by showing the first graders some of the videos from the Math Pursuits website (located under the Classroom Connections tab) and discussing the math questions raised in these videos. We then challenged the first graders to make similar videos. These students had written story problems for lessons earlier in the year, and they quickly understood the goal of creating new problems for this project. They were excited by the prospect of making videos to illustrate their story problems. We placed students in mixed-ability groups of three to four students and provided a list of suggested topics that included playing a game (such as a video game or a board game), shopping, selling things, trading items (such as candy), or comparing measurements (such as people’s heights). The children in each group then selected a general topic for their video. Despite the variety of choices available to them, all the groups decided to make their videos about video games or shopping.

By Richard Schaen and Janet Mannheimer Zydney


Creating Math Stories As anyone familiar with 6- and 7-yearolds knows, coming up with a focused plan is not easy for first graders, especially when all group members have their own ideas, because the concept of collaboration is still new to them. So to create math stories, we took things step by step. Step 1: On the morning of the second day, we gave the children in each group the criteria to guide them in forming number sentences for their stories. For example, we requested that the Green Group make a number sentence where three numbers were added to equal a sum between 10 and 20. To keep things interesting, we gave each group different criteria. Some groups had addition number sentences, some had subtraction, and one had multiplication. Step 2: On the afternoon of the second day, the students turned these number sentences into stories. We knew that this creative piece could be difficult for the students, so we structured the activity and offered plenty of guidance. The groups rotated through 15-minute stations so that each group could meet individually with one of us. We used brainstorming sheets to jot down the groups’

Mathematics

ideas. The brainstorming sheets included these questions: 1. Where does the story take place? 2. Who are the characters in the story? 3. What are some details about the characters? 4. What is the problem in the story? 5. What is the solution? 6. What math question will be asked in the end? Step 3: Based on the long, rambling tales students told, we realized the groups still needed more focus. Our goal was to create simple, one-minute videos, not full-length motion pictures. So on the morning of the third day, the children in each group rotated through stations to meet with one of us to write short narratives that stemmed from their brainstorming sheets. Step 4: That afternoon, the groups rotated stations to create storyboards to plan each shot of their videos. We jotted down their ideas on a storyboard template that we made by printing handouts from PowerPoint with three blank slides per page. In the boxes, we drew pictures of the shot, and in the notes area, we wrote the dialogue and notes for the actors.

To keep things focused, we limited videos to six shots, although most ended up being a little longer. We feared that this storyboard process would be too difficult for the students, but we discovered that thinking like video directors seemed to come naturally to many of them. The groups’ storyboards included scenarios about getting the correct amount of change when paying for a teddy bear, dividing costs to pay for a video game, and adding scores to see which team got the most points in a video game competition. We also found that as the groups worked their way through the planning process, their stories changed from their earlier ideas. For example, the children in the Green Group—who created a story problem that involved shopping for candy, a stuffed cat, and baseball cards—changed some of the items and prices from their original plan. Considering that we wanted the whole process to be as student driven as possible, we tried to accommodate these changes, although this ended up becoming challenging during filming when the script didn’t match the props and needed to be changed on the fly. With all the hard planning behind them, the groups were now ready for some real fun.

The screenshots above are from the video created by the Green Group. The video begins with a shot of three friends in a store. The camera then zooms in on three items, with price tags, that the friends decide to buy: candy ($7), a stuffed cat ($9), and baseball cards ($2). As the friends walk toward the cash register, the camera focuses on one of them dropping her money. When the clerk asks the friends how they will pay for the items, they realize the money is lost! The friends then search and find the money. The next shot is of them paying for the items. The video ends with the narrator reading questionand-answer cards about how much all the items cost. View the video at www. elmgradeone.weebly.com/math-videostories.html.

The Fun Part! The fourth day of the project was dedicated to rehearsal and filming. We provided many of the props for the videos (a toy cash register, money, stuffed animals, etc.), but the students created many other things to individualize their stories, including store signs, video games, and price tags. Much of the morning was spent making these props and practicing lines. The class had several talks about the importance of things like speaking clearly and using “storyteller voices.”


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Then came time for the part the students had been waiting for all week— recording! One of us used an iPad to record each of the groups out in the hallway to cut down on the classroom noise. We greatly simplified filming and editing with a free app called VidEditorFree that allowed us to film each shot separately, decide whether to use or retake it, and then hit Save to have all the shots merged together into one video. One advantage of filming this way was that the students didn’t need to memorize all their lines for the entire video, which would have been challenging for first graders. The final day of this weeklong project was Premiere Day, which was the last day of school. Traditionally, the final week of school is filled with watching

videos. Our students, however, had created their own videos, so we all felt a great sense of accomplishment. Give Yourself Plenty of Time When we do this project again, we will change some things. For example, we will plan on more time for filming. We started in midafternoon, and because of last-minute changes of plans and the multiple takes required to get things just right, filming was still going on when the dismissal bell rang. And, in general, we will give the students more freedom in creating their videos, such as by offering fewer suggestions about what would make good problems in their stories. First graders are more creative than we sometimes give them credit for.

Overall, the project was a great success that could easily be adapted for other grade levels. Not only did it address the ISTE Standards for creativity and collaboration, it also met a variety of math and language arts standards and represented best practices that all teachers should strive to achieve: persistence, project-based learning, and real-world connections. Who would have thought that short videos created by first graders could pack in so much good stuff! —Richard Schaen is a first grade teacher in the Wyoming City School District in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio. Learn more about his classroom at www.elmgradeone.weebly.com. —Janet Mannheimer Zydney is an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati. She teaches instructional design and technology.

Beat Time Zone Delays by Collaborating with Classes on YouTube! Problem: Your students really want to collaborate via Skype or Google Hangouts with a class on the other side of the world, but time zones are making it nearly impossible. Here’s a solution: YouTube to the rescue! My seventh grade students in San Diego, California, had been blogging with kids in New Zealand and Australia, and they were eager to set up a Skype call with their new far-flung friends. While trying to work out the logistics of such a meetup, I realized that it would mean my students would have to come back to school in the evening to make it happen. While I knew that most kids would be excited to return to meet the other class, the students who could not attend due to family schedules would be disappointed. Then it hit me! Why don’t we send each other videos instead? We could

create introduction videos, which would give students experience creating autobiographies (a state standard for their grade level). Plus, the video storytelling aspect would teach video literacy as well! We had been blogging about sugar consumption, so the idea of a YouTube-powered debate was a natural next step. We took the structured format of debates and turned them into individual video segments that we uploaded and played each morning in class. After watching the videos from the other class, my students constructed and filmed their rebuttals and then uploaded them to our channel for the other class to watch the next day. I saw students writing and rewriting like never before as they created interesting and authentic persuasive pieces. The shared video pieces opened

their eyes to what life is like outside of their own communities. It turned out to be an enormously motivating experience as students worked on their projects with all the dedication and focus that I had always hoped to see coming from students. If YouTube is blocked at your school, try uploading to TeacherTube or Vimeo or just sending the videos in an email. My students liked having the videos accessible on our classroom YouTube channel so they could watch them over and over and comment on each other’s videos.

Have a tip to share? Email it to [email protected]. 32 Learning & Leading with Technology | February 2014

Tip

Holly Clark is a technology and innovation specialist in San Diego, California. She has overseen 1:1 iPad and Chromebook pilots and helps schools implement digital literacy programs.


Give Your Student News Program an Upgrade

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t Cornell High School, just outside of Pittsburgh, Penn- sylvania, a familiar tagline rings through the corridors to signal the start of the academic day: “We’ll see you in the halls.” Our CHS-TV news team of about a dozen students produces live video announcements each morning, complete with custom graphics, a weather report from outside the building, and even an occasional commercial. School news teams are nothing new, of course. But what makes our project unique is that we built our studio on a budget, and our students own the broadcast. Students receive no academic credits for participating, and yet they are willing to give up their breakfast to put on the broadcast each day and devote countless hours to preparation. In return, they get a chance to hone digital age skills and get real-world experience. Moving Our Studio into the Future The project started 3½ years ago when our technology education teacher, Larry DiSilvestro, and I set out to transform Cornell’s lackluster broadcasting

club. The students were broadcasting from the back of a classroom using our school’s cable network and the old TV sets we previously used to transmit Channel One News, which is prepackaged programming for schools. We had a steep hill to climb that first year. Not only did we aim to improve the overall production quality and teach students to create some of their own graphics and clips, but we also wanted to modernize the technology. We had lots of aspirations but no budget. Fortunately, the timing was perfect for us. Thanks to a series of grants, each of our classrooms had a projector. I had set up our wireless network a couple years before and understood that it could handle the extra load that transmitting video requires. All I had to do was find a means of distributing the video to the classrooms and a tool that the students could use to live edit. My research led me to a free open source solution to distribute the video across our LAN, Darwin Streaming Server (DSS). DSS receives a video feed from our studio and does

Thanks to a series of grants, Cornell High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was able to upgrade equipment in its TV studio.

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Journalism the heavy lifting of distributing that video feed to all the classrooms. DSS is based on Apple’s Quicktime Streaming Server (QTSS) and works on Macs, PCs, and Linux. There are also plenty of paid alternatives, such as Wowza Media Server and Adobe Media Server. After doing some testing, DSS worked perfectly for us and our budget. I was able to put it on an existing server that I manage. For the broadcasting software that the students use to add graphics, music, transitions, and switches between shots, we settled on Wirecast by Telestream. Wirecast has a strong reputation among internet broadcasters, and Telestream moderates an online forum of users who are willing to help others do everything from troubleshoot problems to select hardware. Initially we started with the lower-cost SD Studio version and have since graduated to the HD Pro version. Advancing Digital Learning Because our broadcast is run entirely by students, it has given them lots of opportunities they might not otherwise have had to develop skills. Each

One goal of the news program makeover was to teach students to create some of their own graphics and clips.

By Kristopher Hupp


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As the broadcast has grown in complexity, the possibility of problems has also increased. Since there is no studio identical to ours and we have limited resources, our students play a key role in identifying the causes of problems and finding the best resolutions.

Meeting the ISTE Standards This project meets the following ISTE Standards:

Creativity and Innovation 1.a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes Students improved the quality of their broadcast by experimenting with new techniques for delivering the news by virtual cameras and mixing prerecorded video with live video. 1.b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression The news team creates an original work each day that includes aesthetics they design.

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making 4.a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation Students identified technical issues, such as an unreliable microphone on a remote camera, and took steps to find the source of the problem and a resolution. 4.b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project The news team helped create steps to test each part of the broadcast before going live each morning to reduce the chance of technical errors.

Digital Citzenship 5.a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology Students were active in discussions about copyright as it related to audio and video clips that they used in the broadcast.

morning our students pull the announcements that teachers, coaches, and administrators submit using a Google Form and put them into a homemade teleprompter. Then students proofread the submissions and organize them into a script. Once they are finished, the on-air talent practices reading the text. Our students went from using premade graphics to designing everything from the lower third—the title graphic that appears on the bottom of the screen—to a weather forecast graphic that students create fresh every day and appears next to the weather reporter. The custom-made graphics are a far cry from the cookiecutter look and feel of the past, and they have allowed the group to develop a unique aesthetic. Students in the studio communicate to the mobile weather team to test audio and video, select the best shot, and cue the reporter. Although we supplied the students with walkietalkies, they have experimented and found their own cell phones to be the most reliable tool. When Things Go Wrong Hopefully, this description does not suggest that everything goes perfectly each day. As the broadcast has grown in complexity, the possibility of problems has also increased. Since there is no studio identical to ours and we


have limited resources, our students play a key role in identifying the causes of problems and finding the best resolutions. Last fall we encountered a software bug that caused a video and audio “stutter” in the broadcast. Our students were able to identify the events that would trigger the problem. We shared this information with the manufacturer and are waiting for a fix.This has led our students to become some of the most technically savvy kids in the school. Digital Citizenship As the broadcast has grown, students and parents have asked for the video to be uploaded to YouTube or streamed through our school’s website. This suggestion opened the door to conversations about fair use and copyright. Because we use a daily clip, “This Day in History,” from Learn360, we cannot put the show on the internet. We have a group of students working on their own video series that eventuall will replace “This Day in History.” Our goal is to have student-created content from start to finish. —Kristopher Hupp is a 21st century teaching and learning coach at Cornell School District in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. Before earning his master’s degree in instructional technology, he taught social studies. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Students can learn how a crank mechanism works while building a fun toy using nothing but paper and scissors. Add technology to the lesson by enhancing a cardstock toy with a Lego motor and motion sensor.

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eople used mechanical models extensively for both play and scientific exploration from the time of the ancient Greeks through the Renaissance. And now the trend has returned. The European Union established the Automata Toy Construction project (www.clohe-movingtoys. eu) to explore educational uses for mechanical toys, based on the premise that mechanical moving toys—sometimes known as “automata”—can combine play and technology to introduce the arts, engineering, and science to students of all ages. The National Science Foundation’s Albert Einstein Fellows (science.energy.gov/wdts/ein stein)—teachers who develop educational programs in collaboration with federal agencies— are exploring these possibilities in the United States as well. They are collaborating with educators and engineers at the University of Virginia to explore how we can use digital fabrication

technologies, such as 3D printers and computercontrolled die cutters, to create educational toys. One advantage of using a digital design process is that it allows teachers to easily share and replicate mechanisms. These emerging technologies, combined with inexpensive educational computers such as Raspberry Pi (raspberrypi. org), which is about $40, have fueled the rapid growth of the maker movement among children and adults who are designing and constructing their own physical inventions. The movement’s popularity is creating opportunities for educational innovation through the development of inexpensive tools and related communities whose members are often willing to volunteer their expertise to support schools. Want to get involved in the maker movement? You can get started by designing, building, and automating mechanical toys like these with your students.

CONNECTED CL ASSROOM

Teach STEAM with Toys


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Creating Cardstock Mechanisms The essence of engineering is designing, building, and testing prototypes while optimizing solutions. Inspiring iterative thinking and decreasing the costs of failure are key to forming the habits of mind we hope to cultivate in our students. Although high-tech tools, such as 3D printers, can enhance the types of mechanical models you are able to develop for your classroom, you can also construct surprisingly sophisticated models with just a pair of scissors and cardstock. Rob Ives, a Scottish math teacher who began constructing mechanical models for his classroom and now designs them full time, created a cardstock mechanical toy that illustrates how a crank mechanism works through the movement of a playful snake (see the photo on page 35). You can also build variations on this theme, such as a giraffe or dragon toy. For $15 a year, you can get a classroom license at Rob Ives.com that provides access to hundreds of models like this as well as suggestions for construction techniques. But mechanical models are just the beginning. With a little ingenuity and some inexpensive add-ons, your students can creatively enhance any basic mechanical toy. Adding Electronic Extensions These kinds of construction opportunities can give our students a feel for the movement and mechanics involved in machine processes. Automata also do a superior job of demonstrating systems thinking with input, process, output, and—with a little help from electronics—even feedback and control. For example, the Albert Einstein Fellow James Town replaced the eyes in Ives’ snake toy with LED lights. When you turn the crank, brush contacts light up the eyes alternately at different points in the cycle, which could illustrate parallel and serial circuits in a unit on electricity and magnetism.

A new field of engineering called mechatronics combines mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, and computer science and makes all three disciplines accessible to surprisingly young students.

When a user moves the bee across the top of this “bee box,” created by 5-year-old Oliver Watkiss and his father, a hidden magnet and reed switches activate a Scratch script written by Oliver’s 7-year-old sister to generate images of a flower and a hive on a computer screen.

You can also replace the hand crank with a computer-controlled motor. Just connect a simple Lego motor (about $8) to a computer through a USB port via a Lego hub ($45). And by adding a Lego motion sensor ($20), you can make the snake move forward when a hand approaches it. Students can then use the free programming language Scratch (scratch.mit.edu) to program the motor and sensor using a prewritten script. The program waits until the gap between an approaching object and the sensor hits 15 cm, and then it rocks the snake forward and back again. Students can also use Scratch to program the computer to issue a hiss or another suitable sound for dramatic effect. The script, prerecorded sound effects, and directions for the automated snake toy are available at www.MakeToLearn.org/toys. Have access to a 3D printer? You can use it to create a customized plastic version of the toy that is more durable and permanent.


Building Mechatronic Toys A new field of engineering called mechatronics combines mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, and computer science and makes all three disciplines accessible to surprisingly young students. In one striking illustration of the possibilities, Stewart Watkiss collaborated with his 5-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter to create a “bee box” using the Raspberry Pi with Scratch. A magnet in an artificial bee closes reed switches beneath the lid of a shoebox as you move it across the top of the box to places of interest for the bee, like a blossom or its hive. A Scratch script running on the Raspberry Pi generates an image of a flower on the screen when the user moves the bee to the physical flower on the box, then displays an image of a hive when the bee returns to the beehive. Watkiss’s son constructed the physical box and wired it with some assistance from his father. Then his daughter created the simple Scratch

Tell a

script that brought the project to life. A complete description of the project and instructions for creating it (which are free under Creative Commons licensing) are on Watkiss’s website (www. penguintutor.com/electronics/bee). You can also make any toy mobile. If you contribute to a Kickstarter project called BrickPi (goo.gl/9ovIg), you will receive an adapter that lets you use a Raspberry Pi with three Lego motors and four Lego sensors. A 9-volt battery allows you to untether the motors, sensors, and Raspberry Pi from the wall so your project can go mobile. Animating mechanical toys using these design ideas and resources provides a rich landscape for students to explore mechatronics, which makes complicated engineering concepts

accessible to young learners. These activities also provide excellent scaffolding for the study of systems thinking and engineering design while encouraging student creativity and expression—both powerful motivators for all learners.

new story.

Glen Bull is co-director of the Center for Technology and Teacher Education at the University of Virginia and a volunteer columnist for L&L. You can contact him at [email protected]. Stephen Portz is an Albert Einstein Fellow at the National Science Foundation, on leave from Space Coast High School in Cocoa, Florida. You can contact him at [email protected].

Available at iste.org/store

Learn from ed tech’s leading minds ISTE’s new webinars are dynamic and affordable. Pick and choose individual sessions or buy a series pass to attend eight webinars! The ISTE webinar lineup for 2014 will delve into some of the hottest topics in ed tech, including:

ISTE Standards

February–May 2014

STEM

June–Sept. 2014

Buy your ISTE webinar pass today!

iste.org/webinars


AS I SEE “IT”

Lessons from the Amish

By Sean Junkins As I See “IT” is an editorial opinion column that appears in every other issue of L&L. If you are interested in writing an As I See “IT” column, please email [email protected].

T

he Amish are a unique Christian sect. Focused on church and family, they welcome a degree of separation from the non-Amish world. They’re famous for their simple lifestyle, plain dress, and eschewing of the conveniences of modern technology. And yet, as non-Amish school districts continue to invest time, money, and other resources in educational technology, education leaders can learn valuable lessons from Amish society. While the Amish rely on a simple agrarian lifestyle, the principles they follow are exactly what school leaders need to help them integrate instructional technology effectively. Needs, Not Wants Many non-Amish believe that the Amish view technology as evil, but that’s not entirely true. The Amish see modern technology as a mere vanity. They embrace technology if it is truly needed, not simply desired. In classrooms, technology can aid in the acquisition of vital skills. But for technology to be used in a meaningful way, it must become seamlessly routine and practically transparent. If instruction focuses on the tool, then it simply becomes a distraction. Technology has to support academic standards and learning objectives in order to deepen understanding and enhance learning. If we do not employ technology to drive instruction, then questions will arise about its value in the learning environment.


Community Is Necessary Building a sense of community is not a random occurrence. It has to be created and nurtured intentionally. It begins with a vision and continues with a commitment to specified core values. The Amish have a set of beliefs that bind them together as a society, and schools can adapt this model. For example, by establishing a core belief that technology can help drive academic instruction, schools can begin to establish a commitment that fosters and sustains that vision. But, before we can use technology as a meaningful form of engagement in schools, teachers must have ample opportunities to build a learning community by collaboratively planning, sharing, and holding each other accountable to the fulfillment of their shared vision. It can’t be just words; it must involve action. One Size Doesn’t Fit All By some estimates, there are more than 225,000 Amish living in 28 U.S. states. While their overarching ideology is the same, there are vast cultural differences between Amish sects. In effect, they personalize their communities. In education, the personalization of learning is becoming ever more commonplace. Whether it is through a formal individualized educational plan (IEP) or another form of academic counseling, schools design an educational path that best meets the needs of each child and his or her unique style of learning.

When building a sustainable technology plan, schools can’t expect to just replicate the model of another school. It may have been very successful, and the core beliefs may be the same, but the methods of realizing that vision will vary greatly based on a school’s student body. Personalizing technology for a specific learning community is essential. When teachers and students feel that a plan addresses their specific needs, they are more likely to support the integration process. The increased desire to learn how to use technology ultimately leads to greater active involvement. No Rock Stars Trying to find a list of famous Amish people is impossible because the idea of “celebrity” goes completely against their way of life. The Amish rarely even pose for pictures because they consider photographing people to be disrespectful. While some of their reluctance has biblical origins, it is also a recognition that their community exists for a greater good. In their eyes, success comes from a shared vision rather than individual ambition.

The same is true in an educational environment. We must build connections for the benefit of all involved. Big personalities and self-promotion interfere with interaction. Integration strategies and sample project ideas are only a web search away, but a longterm commitment to using technology to move a shared vision forward requires trust and interdependence. The Amish have no need for rock stars, and neither should schools. Each member of an Amish community has a role to serve, and each member of a learning community has a responsibility to his or her collaborators. Authentic Learning Formal schooling for Amish students typically ends after the eighth grade, but learning continues. It just becomes more hands on. Boys work with their fathers in the fields, and girls work alongside their mothers in the home. While non-Amish students benefit from access to technology, it is still essential for them to develop those realworld skills that technology will never be able to do for them. Working with others as they hone their critical-thinking faculties makes

learning a collective endeavor that has a greater meaning. As Amish youth see their community’s hard work, they strive to be a productive part of it. If students are actively involved in a school’s vision and feel they have a specific purpose within it, they are more likely to feel a sense of responsibility for the outcomes of their participation. For the Amish, their success has hinged on a united obligation to their beliefs. For more than 300 years, their descendants have felt a sense of necessity in carrying on the core values of their society. Making technology work to enhance instruction isn’t about the tool; it’s about good teaching. That’s why the Amish are a good model. They know success isn’t based on technological proficiency but on committment to the realization of a shared vision. Sean Junkins is an Apple Distinguished Educator, a Google Certified Teacher, and a Discovery STAR Educator. He currently works as a digital integration specialist in Horry County Schools in South Carolina.


KNOW THE ISTE STANDARDS

Standard 5: Digital Citizenship

T

he American Civil War continues to be a sensitive topic in the United States, with different official interpretations of what the war was about and its meaning for presentday political and social life. Middle schoolers often study the war in a U.S. history class and use it as a jumping-off point for discussing social issues. The three possible class activities described in the table below show how a unit on the Civil War can address digital citizenship—a very modern social issue—to varying degrees. Using a search engine to pursue the assignment in the first activity brings up a variety of links to sites arguing about the role of slavery as a cause of the war. (Note that revisionist refers to the official position of some states that the war was about states’ rights.) The results they turn up show that this is one of those topics, like evolution

In each Know the ISTE Standards, an ISTE research associate describes a lesson from a classroom observation and evaluates its alignment with the ISTE Standards for Students (iste.org/standards/ standards-for-students).

INDICATORS

By Talbot Bielefeldt

or the World War II holocaust, for which naïve researchers need to pay close attention to information sources and biases. The first activity represents a poorly controlled assignment likely to result in misuse of information or even exposure of students to risk. ISTE did not actually elicit a personal email in this case, but partisan websites often include information request forms that can result in unwanted follow-ups. The subsequent activities increase the emphasis on digital citizenship in two ways. First, the assignments have requirements for citing sources, and second, they build in student interaction around the information. The last example has the most explicit demands for information diversity, as well as a cooperative-learning structure for shared accountability. Teams have to police their own members in order to pass.

STANDARD 5: DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

ACTIVITY 1: No evidence of the standard

Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.

Assigned to research causes of the American Civil War, seventh graders primarily use Wikipedia.com. Others draw on revisionist and anti-revisionist websites. One student quotes a personal email from a partisan blogger. Each student returns to class with strong opinions that are difficult to document because of a lack of citations.

a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.

Absent: The technology use is not responsible or even safe.

b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

Absent: Even if the attitude toward technology was positive, it did not support collaboration or quality learning.

c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.

Absent: Motivated students might display this indicator, but the activity in itself does not promote it.

d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.

Probably Absent: Unless a student argues for more careful research, this indicator is absent as well.

The inspiration for these examples came from an Arizona state social studies standard (goo.gl/zw6Zx3). 40 Learning & Leading with Technology | February 2014

In an actual observation, any of these scenarios might turn out to be excellent assignments if students have already internalized expectations for responsible information use. Teachers often address this when establishing the classroom culture. However, digital citizenship is a complex construct that involves attitudes and actions (such as a lifelong-learning mindset) that are influenced and evidenced outside of school. Individual lessons can address digital citizenship, but this standard will be hard to meet without support from the school system and community. Talbot Bielefeldt is a consultant in educational evaluation. He worked on the team that created the ISTE Classroom Observation Tool (ICOT) and has conducted hundreds of classroom observations using the ISTE Standards for Students.

The ISTE Standards for Students are more than an abstract framework. Teachers can use them to evaluate lesson plans and learning experiences. Classroom scenarios for student standards are available for free to members in the ISTE Store (iste.org/store) and through the ISTE Classroom Observation Tool (ICOT) webpage (iste.org/icot). Additional guidance on evaluating learning materials is available in the NETS Curriculum Planning Tool (www.iste.org/store/product?ID=2299). In the ICOT, marking an indicator as addressed means that students have opportunities to learn about or practice the indicator. That is usually how an indicator appears in a lesson. Marking an indicator as met means that students actually demonstrate the knowledge or skills. Consistently coding an indicator in lessons requires careful attention to both the wording of the standards and the details of the learning experience.

Tell us what you think. Comment on this column at www.surveymonkey.com/s/stand5.

ACTIVITY 2: Some evidence of the standard

ACTIVITY 3: Obvious evidence of the standard

Individual students present digital reports to the class on Civil War topics of their own choosing. They need to follow a template for presentation and citation, and the class is encouraged to ask questions.

Student teams assume historical roles arguing for and against secession. The teacher requires teams to consult their textbook and at least two other citable sources of their choice. The teacher asks students to summarize modern opinions on the issue but does not allow undocumented claims.

Addressed: The assignment is structured to require a level of accountability for information.

Addressed: The lesson balances conventional sources with exploration of other views.

Addressed: This indicator is addressed primarily through the presentation and debate.

Addressed: We do not know students’ attitudes, but the lesson was structured to require collaboration and team accountability.

Absent: Motivated students might display this indicator, but the activity in itself does not promote it.

Partially Addressed: The assignment recognizes the persistence of the issues.

Possibly Addressed: This indicator could be addressed, depending on the nature of the student discussion.

Partially Addressed: We do not know if students exhibited leadership, but if they did not keep their teams on track, they could not fulfill the assignment.


guide

BUYER’S

A

lso known as desktop fabrication, 3D printing involves creating solid, physical objects from software-generated digital models. These mini-manufacturing machines build objects layer by layer by spraying a medium on a base plate. The models here all use either acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)—the plastic used for Lego bricks—or the organic substance polylactic acid (PLA) plastic filament, which is made from corn starch, tapioca root, or sugarcane. 3D Printers in the Classroom Manufacturers already use 3D printers to develop prototypes and spare parts, and medical researchers can “bioprint” human cells that will soon reduce the need for animal testing. For many years, hobbyists used 3D printers they assembled themselves from kits, but today most are available preassembled. In recent years, prices have dropped considerably, putting these machines in reach for individuals and schools. 3D printers can offer an engaging introduction to industrial design and inspire our future inventors and designers. Beginning students can learn how a well-executed two-dimensional plan can evolve into a three-dimensional object by exploring the possibilities at sites such as Thingiverse (www.thingiverse. com). Advanced students can create their own, more complex models using free software such as Sketchup and 3DCrafter. Fablevision is developing Fab@School Designer, the first digital fabrication software for elementary and middle school students. The Printing Process 3D printing is a slow process. It can easily take several hours to produce a small item, so you won’t be able to create something in a single class or produce

one for every student. The process is fascinating, however, and many teachers encourage students to stop by and observe the progress as each layer contributes to a more recognizable product. All of the printers listed here print one color at a time. The larger printers have safety enclosures, but the smaller (and more affordable) ones require extra caution while printing, as the base plate gets very hot. There may also be a slight odor while a 3D printer is printing, so you shouldn’t use one in a small, unventilated room, such as a closet. Cost Considerations All of the models listed here come fully assembled. The Printrbot and Creator also come as kits for about $100 less. Software is either included or downloadable for free, and many 3D printers include preprogrammed designs. You will also have to budget for the consumable filaments, which cost $30–$65. If you want to try the process before you buy a printer, you can submit a design to Cubify (cubify.com), Shapeways (www.shapeways.com), or Sculpteo (www.sculpteo.com), and these services will print it for you for a fee. Professional Learning Professional development should be a high priority. Manufacturers offer video and print tutorials as well as tech support via forums, blogs, email, and phone. Maker Media is a global resource supporting professionals, hobbyists, and educators. MAKE Magazine began producing Maker Faire events in 2006 and has played a big part in the budding maker movement. For faceto-face connections and classes, browse hackerspace.org to find a club near you. —Maureen Yoder, EdD, is on the faculty of Lesley University’s educational technology program.


3D Printers Company

AFINIA

www.afinia.com

CUBIFY

www.cubify.com

MAKERBOT

www.makerbot.com

PRINTRBOT

www.printrbot.com

STUFFMAKER

www.3DStuffmaker.com

PRODUCTS & SERVICES |

Model

Price

H-series

$1,599

Physical Specifications

Print Speed

Max Printed Item Size

Filament Type & Cost

Software Included

9.64 × 13.78 × 10.23" 245 × 350 × 260 mm

1.18"/30 mm per second

5 × 5 × 5" 127 × 127 × 127 mm

ABS in 5 colors ($32–$45)

Imports STL files PC & Mac

Make magazine rates as “Best Overall Experience” with “Easiest Setup,” comes with postproduction kit, price includes one naturalcolor ABS filament


5.5 × 5.5 × 5.5" 140 × 140 × 140 mm

ABS or PLA in 16 colors ($49 each or 7 for $308)

Cubify Invent 3D design software, 25 free models PC & Mac

Print via USB cable, flash drive, or Wi-Fi; touchscreen; Cubify Cartridge recycle program; price includes one neon green PLA cartridge


11.2 × 6 × 6.1" 250 × 150 × 150 mm

PLA in 17 colors ($48 solid, $65 translucent)

MakerWare Bundle PC & Mac

Fast-draft setting, sturdy steel chassis, SD card slot for transferring files, price includes one True Red PLA filament


4 × 4 × 4" 100 × 100 × 100 mm

PLA in 6 colors ($30)

Repetier driver PC & Mac

Make magazine rates as “Best Value,” available as unassembled kit for $100 less, price includes one PLA filament


4.7 × 4.7 × 4.7" 120 × 120 × 120 mm

PLA in 7 colors ($42–$48)

Software included PC & Mac

Black or transparent, available as an unassembled kit for $135 less, 12V DC power supply not included

11 lb/5 kg

Cube

$1,299

10 × 13 × 10" 260 × 340 × 260 mm 9.5 lb/4.3 kg

Replicator 2 Desktop

$2,199

19.1" × 16.5" × 14.7" 485.14 × 419.1 × 373.38 mm 56 lb/25.4 kg

Printrbot Simple

$399

7 × 8 × 9" 177.8 × 203.2 × 228.6 mm 5.25 lb/2.38 kg

Creator

$665

18.9 × 18.9 × 19.5" 480 × 480 × 500 mm 19.84 lb/9 kg

Notes

February 2014 Learning & Leading with Technology 43

WHAT’S

new

The Council for Economic Education has introduced a free online resource for K–12 teachers. The new Common Core alignment tool includes more than 400 financial literacy and economics lessons. Through simulations, games, and discussions, students at various levels learn standardsbased economic concepts, such as understanding the stock market and how entrepreneurship benefits society, as well as personal finance skills covering topics such as saving, investing, using credit, and money management. Teachers can search by subject and grade level to find corresponding information about assessments, classroom resources, competitions, K–12 standards, professional development, activities, and webinars. MORE INFO: www.councilforeconed.org

Twin Cities Public Television (TPE) and 3M have launched a new website offering STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) content, social networking, and gaming features geared toward teens. Sparticl.org provides a social and learning community that combines fun activities with learning resources. The free site offers teen-appropriate content including articles, videos, games, and hands-on activities that they can rank and recommend, comment on, and share via social media, all while earning points.

StudyOutloud offers Outlines Outloud, an application that helps students study by converting their text notes to a sound file that they can listen to on an iPhone. They can save lecture notes in an outline format and place it in a Dropbox folder that they can access via the Outlines Outloud iPhone app. Playback settings allow listeners to vary the volume and speech rate, rewind or fast forward, skip or reactivate rows or sections, and loop. Additional controls allow users to adjust the outline view for focused study. They can also easily manage outline files that they sync with the iPhone on a computer. MORE INFO: www.outlinesoutloud.com

PBS KIDS has released 25 of its online games in Spanish. Designed for ESL students or children learning Spanish, the games help kids practice their math skills at home or in the classroom. Part of the Ready to Learn Initiative, these resources support the development of early math and literacy skills in children ages 2–8. Each game is linked to a common theme and math curriculum. Sixteen new titles are available from the Curious George: Busy Day collection; nine games from the Sid the Science Kid, Sid’s Super Fab Lab: Science Fair; and two games from The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! collection. MORE INFO: www.pbskids.org/games/spanish.html

MORE INFO: www.sparticl.org

Freelance writer Sharleen Nelson compiled this information from press releases sent to the L&L editorial office. The L&L staff does not review the products and resources, and they are offered here without recommendation. Send press releases to [email protected].


PRODUCTS & SERVICES |

Super Scratch Programming Adventure!, the best-selling guide to Scratch, has been updated to stay current with the new web-based Scratch 2. Filled with colorful graphics and descriptions that make it easy for kids to read, Superscratch Programming Adventure takes readers step by step through the process of making their own own video games. They’ll learn to create projects inspired by classic arcade games. The book was written by The Lead Project, an arm of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, and the English language version was published by No Starch Press.

The Belkin Store and Charge Station allows students and teachers to manage multiple mobile devices in the classroom. Designed to keep tablets, laptops, and e-readers organized and ready for classroom use, the station can store and charge as many as 10 devices at a time. It features integrated cable management to minimize tangle and clutter, an open setup that does not interfere with wireless syncing, and a surgeprotected power supply that defends device chargers from voltage spikes. MORE INFO: www.belkinbusiness.com/products/b2b074

MORE INFO: nostarch.com

A new teacher-led website offers online games designed to support cognitive development for children in grades 3–8. Thinking Skills Club uses a gamification approach that allows students to earn pieces of a six-part “brain puzzle.” Games are sorted into six categories: executive functioning, problem solving, memory, processing speed, social skills, and focus. Teachers can run clubs based on lesson plans or let students explore creativity in an unstructured way.

Course Hero has added several new features to its Flashcards digital learning tool, which allows users to browse existing flash-card sets or create and customize their own. The updates include a streamlined interface that provides users with the ability to create private sets, control access, upload unlimited custom images, print flashcard sets, and track study progress for group members. At the Course Hero website, teachers can browse topics including vocabulary, history, geography, art, languages, anatomy, biology, science, and psychology. Additionally, Course Hero has released an upgraded Edmodo Flashcards app that students can access from any iOS or Android mobile device. MORE INFO: www.coursehero.com

MORE INFO: www.thinkingskillsclub.com

COMING NEXT ISSUE Online Critiques Cause Robust Discussion Art students have long known that critiques can be valuable learning experiences. Now online critiques can offer a welcome alternative to the standard discussion forum and provide an innovative platform for collaboration across many subjects. Learn how to create critiques that foster student dialogue and build community by sharing constructive feedback.

Augment Your Student Art Gallery with AR The digital revolution has changed nearly every aspect of our lives, and art is no exception. Jason Ohler shows you how to engage your students’ creativity and take your art class to a whole new level using augmented reality (AR) features on mobile devices to blend the physical art on the gallery wall with virtual reality elements.

Student Hacking: Awesome or Awful?

Preparing Students for Future Careers We may not know what careers will be available in the future, but we do know that most jobs will likely involve communicating globally with people we’ve never met face to face. Barbara Boksz explains how she is teaching middle school students to communicate virtually to an authentic audience—students from distant schools. Debate this and other controversial issues on ISTE’s LinkedIn group page at iste.org/counterpoint.


Harness the power of mobile learning!

Professional learning for teaching with mobile Mobile Learning Academy Build the skills for successful integration in this five-course series for administrators, technology coaches and teachers. Mobile Learning Webinar Series Dive into the nuts and bolts of mobile learning, from choosing the right device for your school to finding tools for your BYOD classroom.

Find these and other professional learning products in the ISTE Store at iste.org/store.

iste.org

LASTbyte If you’ve been paying attention to the global economy over the past decade, you know that computer science skills are in high demand. According to this infographic from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, 150,000 new computing jobs will open in the United States every year over the next 20 years. And yet, by 2020, U.S. colleges and universities will be turning out about a million fewer computer science

graduates than are needed to fill those jobs. Why the shortfall? You can see a few of the reasons in the excerpt of the infographic below. More important, what can be done about it? The infographic suggests a few ways you can take action at your school, including implementing computer science classes, allowing them to count toward graduation, making them accessible to all, and improving teacher professional development.

See the complete infographic: computerscience.online.njit.edu/us-stem-initiative This is an excerpt from the infographic “Why the US STEM Initiative Shouldn’t Overlook Computer Science,” created by the New Jersey Institute of Technology, which offers an online master’s degree in computer science. You can find a collection of ed tech infographics from around the web on ISTE’s Pinterest page (pinterest.com/istepinterest).


in Action

ISTE Members: A Breath of Fresh Air Chief Membership Officer Jessica Medaille honors members for Member Appreciation Month.

A

re you feeling out of breath juggling 50-hour weeks, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and family time? Well, luckily, it’s Member Appreciation Month at ISTE. And we want you to breathe easier knowing how much we appreciate all you do. Air surrounds us, refreshes us, and helps us thrive. But it’s strange that something as invisible as air can be so vital. To your students, fellow educators, and others you touch every day, you are just as vital. And if you sometimes feel invisible, know that your impact is immeasurable. Some days it may feel as if the air around you is polluted. Negative media stories, an angry parent, or a student with a bad attitude can cloud your atmosphere. Discussing a new project with a fellow ISTE member, learning about a promising new tech tool, or hearing some supportive words can clear the air and help you lift your learning to new heights. Broaden your horizons even further with personalized professional development, updated technology standards, and a wealth of resources from practitioner experts, all available through the ISTE website (iste.org). Take advantage of all that your membership has to offer to raise your professional life to the next level—no hot air balloons required. The air outside may be chilly where you are this time of year, but you can stay warm with a hot new title from our bookstore (iste.org/store). Cozy up with some collaborators in one of ISTE’s many communities of interest (iste. org/connect). Refresh your lesson plans with ideas from ISTE’s free iBooks (iste.org/resources). And lift your learning in a face-to-face climate at ISTE 2014, June 28 through July 1, in Atlanta. “I think it’s important for people to know how powerful ISTE is as an organization.… It’s because of my membership in ISTE that I’ve been able to do some really incredible things in my practice. I think it’s important that we all get involved and allow our profession and our practices to expand, [similar to] the way that ISTE’s helped me.” —Matthew Winner


You are the wind in ISTE’s sails, propelling us all forward with your collective enthusiasm and dedication. ISTE members like you: • Share your passion with your peers via special interest groups and professional learning networks • Give generously of your time and expertise as volunteer leaders, committee and board members, and authors • Present great content at the ISTE Conference and Expo and for webinars and online courses • Voice your concerns for policy changes, such as increasing E-Rate funding and expanding broadband coverage for all learners But most important, you help fulfill our mission of creating a world where all learners thrive. So to commemorate Member Appreciation Month, we’re excited to share some new offerings just for our members. Visit iste.org/ appreciation to learn more about how your ISTE membership can help you breathe easier. Thank you for being an ISTE member.

Together we soar! February is Member Appreciation Month! Check out these special offers just for you, our valued member. ISTE Virtual Conference: Feb. 13 Join us online Feb. 13 for new content focused on the hottest topics from ISTE 2013 and a sneak peek at what’s in store for ISTE 2014 — plus live interaction and discussion with ISTE 2013 keynoter, Adam Bellow! New Learning Series Enjoy free webinars every week from now through June, presented by members for members, on topics such as BYOD networks, 1:1 strategies, augmented reality, makerspaces and more.

Unlimited access to webinar library ISTE’s webinar library is now free for members! Browse our collection of more than 100 previously recorded webinars at iste.org/resources. Great gifts for great members We’re giving away a prize each week in February. Enter the drawing at iste.org/appreciation to win exciting tech prizes, including an iPad Air!

Thank you for all you do! Access these resources at iste.org/appreciation.

iste.org/appreciation

More than ed tech Innovative solutions for every educator. Mark your calendar for ISTE 2014, the world’s leading education technology conference and expo. Connect with your colleagues from around the globe who are shaping the future of learning with technology.

You’ll experience more than: • 300 sessions, lectures and panels • 150 hands-on workshops • 500 exhibiting companies, agencies and organizations • 400 poster sessions and other informal learning environments • 18,000 educators and ed tech industry experts from all over the world

Important dates Registration Now open! Housing Now open! Super early bird pricing Ends March 31, 2014 Access program online Feb. 11, 2014 Conference June 28-July 1, 2014

Register today!

isteconference.org

#iste2014