Mr Bass Online

Last week I ran across a Tweet in my stream (I apologize to the tweeter, I cannot seem to find it again to give you credit) that pointed me to a this site with links out to a number of free e-books for people who innovate.  While these aren’t necessarily completely education related, I was interested to see Seth Godin’s writings on the list.  I’ve been interested in his stuff for quite awhile and, after poking around on his site, found some other short e-books that he’s released.  They’re not new and for those who are familiar with his work, it’s what you’d expect but I’m far more interested in sharing this with those who haven’t read his stuff before.  So, here’s my short list of little works that I would encourage folks to read.

• Brainwashed – My favorite so far. Inspirational writing on doing good, creative work. In this book, Seth lays out 7 attributes (he calls them levers) to reinvent oneself and to make a difference in the world. If we could harness some of these levers with our students, who knows what they might create.
• Knock Knock – on making websites work better
• Who’s There – on blogging and how it’s changing the world

One more that I’ve been told is good is Ideavirus.  It’s more to do with marketing but my understanding is that it’s good and it’s not a big leap to for educators.  To get this one, click on the “Get it” link at the top or go to this url.

Finally, last spring he put out one other e-book entitled “What Matters Now” about looking at things a little differently (much as we need to do in education). Definitely worth the read.

If you download one of these and read it. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

(Image from http://flickr.com/photos/tychay)

Education, Readings, Reflections, leadership brainwashed, ebook, free, Readings, seth godin

I’ve been thinking a lot about authentic audiences for the past few weeks and decided that it might help me to talk through some of my thoughts on the film festival that I run and the reasons that I think it’s so important.  If you listen, hopefully you’ll be able to learn from me and, in turn, I would like to learn from you.  Below you will find the two videos that I reference in the podcast as well as a link to the gallery of all films that were created for the film festival.  Leave me a comment or drop me an email with your thoughts about whatever comes up for you.  Thanks for stopping by.

Life of Bus One

Outsider Jeans

2010 Parkway Digital Film Festival Gallery

Authentic Audience – MP3 file

21st Century Education, Education, Film Festival, Reflections, Technology, authors audience, authenticity, podcast

Last Thursday we hosted our second film festival in the Parkway School District and, from the reaction we got from parents, teachers, students and administrators, it was a resounding success. If you’re interested in seeing some of the films, visit our gallery.

I’ve written about it before, and I’ve been trying to think about what I want to say about the work that students did for it.  The stories that we heard about the work that students did was amazing and I’m hoping to get some of those stories out, but, for now, until I decide what I really want to say about it, I’m going to refrain other than to say it was a good night. From watching my own kids walk down the red carpet, to the pride I felt knowing that we had over 1300 people in attendance as we honored the work of approximately 1000 kids, I just simply still don’t know what is the most important piece to chronicle.  So, as I think, I hope you enjoy some of the films.

Film Festival, Reflections, Technology, projects

At the end of January, I spent a week meeting with and learning from some fabulous people at the Midwest Education Technology Conference (METC) in St. Charles, MO.  In reflecting on the conference, I was thinking about some of the sessions I attended and I can’t help but wonder what conference goers want from a conference.  Is it to learn about the latest and greatest tools or is it more about strategies and concepts? As someone who presents at a variety of conferences and for a variety of groups, I spent some time watching people present and to a certain extent, analyzing their presentation styles looking for things that I might implement.

This year I’ve been thinking a lot about presentation styles and working with/leading groups.  I’ve read books like Presentation Zen and, while those have helped me think about techniques, it hasn’t really helped me think through my latest pondering, that being the responsibility of presenters to serve their audience. In one session, the speaker was describing the evils of filters and how filtering the web from students isn’t helping teach responsibility and ethics. Now let me be clear about this, I agree with this speaker. I’m not for filtering everything and I think that students miss out on a lot of information/experiences because of these filters.  However, I’m also a realist and understand that most districts are not about to completely open up the filter to the world. As a presenter, I feel as though I need another solution. What if YouTube is blocked in the district? Is suggesting breaking YouTube’s terms of service and downloading the video for use really the best idea? Sure it’s possible, but what are we then modeling? Certainly not ethical use. Is a school district likely to get sued? Probably not. Is that a good defense or justification? Definitely not.

In another session I attended, the presenter was “shocked” that sites like YouTube, Flickr and Twitter were blocked in schools. I was amazed. “How can you be shocked?”, I thought. “Are you ever in a school anymore?” More often than not, these kinds of sites are blocked for “safety reasons”. I’ve even heard of districts who’s filters are so locked down, the school website isn’t even accessible inside the district. Ridiculous.

However ridiculous, this is a reality. I hope it’s not a reality forever, but I also understand that many times, teachers have no control or say over what is blocked and unblocked. Rather than looking at them with incredulity when they ask what to do when a certain tool or site is blocked, I think it’s important to understand the plight of these teachers who desperately want to give their students access and try to help them by giving them alternatives or avenues to help them help those who make decisions to see the benefits of sites such as YouTube.

As I more time comes between me and the classroom, I’m going to try to keep my perspective and understand the limitations that teachers have based on the decisions of others.  I want to continue to work inside of schools and not just with teachers but with students as well. It’s important for those of us who are “spreading the word” to also live that life and get inside the classroom. Currently I’m working on three different presentations and will continue to keep revisit the responsibilities and understandings that I need to have about my audience so that I can answer those questions. I don’t believe that filtering online content is the way, but I also don’t want to rattle on about it with only one solution, to un-filter everything. I will be continuing to think about alternative solutions or approaches and welcome conversation about how to address the needs of classroom teachers.

21st Century Education, Education, Reflections, Technology, leadership, presentations

About a week ago I had a somewhat heated conversation about how technology is affecting students and their attention. Our biggest point of disagreement surrounded social and communication skills of “kids these days.” I’ll spare the details and get right to the point. Yes, kids communicate differently than many adults. Yes, there is some disconnect between the virtual and the real in some cases. However, a blanket statement about how Facebook and texting is the fall of communication isn’t just wrong… it’s ludicrous. Students today are reading, writing and communicating more than any other time in history but their communication is different than our own. I remember being in college as email was being introduced. I have to say, I was resistant. I saw email and text chat rooms as a waste of time but now it’s one of my primary forms of communication. At one time I made calls on my cell phone, now I do far more texting than talking. My communication has changed as technology has advanced and given me new ways to communicate. Yes, I want my children to be able to talk to real live people and have good social skills but I also understand that they will be tools that haven’t even been invented yet for their communications as adults.

So where does that leave us? Right now it seems that the most common approach for schools and educators is to ban the tools from use in the classroom under the guise of “removing the distraction” for students and focusing on more traditional classroom instruction. This practice makes students very successful at hiding their technology and communications and gives them great practice at playing the game of school and then going home to learn. Does that seem wrong to anyone else? By limiting their access to tools, they’re getting their education out in the world rather than in school. So, what becomes our message? Do we think that they will somehow magically figure out how to use resources safely? What about how to effectively write online? Will they know anything about copyright and ethical use? Ignoring these communication tools and processes just does a disservice.

Interestingly, I just read an article in Slate entitled “Don’t Touch That Dial!” which addresses the fact that this fear of advancing technology is not new. Anxiety has always existed, but, in this age of information and change, we as educators must also adapt.

21st Century Education, Reflections, leadership communication

As I was perusing my Google Reader, I ran across Seth Godin’s talk at 99% called “Quieting the Lizard Brain”. The question is poses is “why do human beings sabotage their work so often?”  As I watched his talk, I began to wonder h0w we can help students to avoid self-sabotage in the classroom and in their work.  As more students create their own experiences and begin to publish, how can we give them (and teachers as well) the freedom to put their work out there and get beyond the excuses as to why they can’t or shouldn’t.  I don’t have answers, but I did want to share.

As seen at Vimeo.

Education, Reflections, teaching

Over winter break I took advantage of a little time off to upgrade one of my laptops and one of my desktops to Windows 7, Microsoft’s newest operating system.  Both of these computers were running Vista prior to their upgrade and I must say that I do like the new OS.  During the same time period, I installed Google’s Chromium OS onto a 4 gig flash drive and boot my eeepc from it.  Showing my true inner geek, I thought that it might be fun to have a 5 computers running 5 different operating systems all at the same time just to see what I thought of each one in a side by side comparison.

I booted up my eeepc with Chromium OS, started up my work XP laptop, brought out my laptop with Windows 7 installed, dug out a MacBook with OS X and set all of these up beside my desktop with Vista running.  Granted, my wife and kids looked at me like I was a little insane, but I wanted to see the differences.  What I found is that I simply don’t care.  Sure, I like having Windows 7 and the new features that accompany it, but I also like the tried and true nature of XP. OS X has some great features but, as I said, I had to dig out that computer so it’s not one that I use all the time.  Then there’s Chrome OS. As it’s in beta and really hasn’t been released, I’m sure there will be more coming in the future, but right now, I don’t see that as my primary operating system.

As I was looking at all these systems and computers, I started wondering about the operating systems that my kids will use in their futures.  Will they beg me for a Mac in the future or will they just want a computer and an internet connection?  I imagine it will be the later. Thinking about my computing habits, with the exception of some specialized software, almost all of my work is now done online. Sure, I still want to be able to launch Photoshop or do some higher end video editing, but I think that for the most part I could do 90% of what I want to using online tools. Maybe Google is onto something with their OS that’s really just a browser. Regardless, I think it’s time that schools start thinking about their computing needs differently. License fees for software and operating systems may heed way to inexpensive hardware allowing for a more integrated experience. Regardless, the idea that students or teachers NEED to have a Mac or a PC may be on its way out. Instead, they need a computing device and a broadband connection so that they can complete projects and access information at will. That may be a tablet, a phone or an ipod touch, who knows?

I’m running Windows 7 and I like it, but the more I (as an adult and an educator) don’t care about what’s running on my computer, the more I wonder how important it is to students. Mac or PC, I don’t care, just give me the web and I’m all set.

Reflections, Technology, Tools, testing chrome, operating system, OSX, vista, windows 7

I work with teachers.  I work with A LOT of teachers. The work we do together encompasses many things, but mostly, I help them integrate technology into their classrooms, their lessons, and probably most importantly, I help them figure out how to help their students learn through technological tools. This morning I lost my mind for a little while due to some frustrations that I’m having around examples that are being set for teachers. Allow me to explain.

In my district we have a web-based, website authoring tool that we has been developed by our technology department for the purpose of providing teachers with a tool to make classroom websites that are hosted on district servers.  It’s not perfect, it’s still a work in progress. Sure, there are lots of tools out there that do the same thing, but the district provides this as a free place to keep parents and students updated on assignments and the daily classroom events. Teachers can even embed video from another in-house video hosting service as well as include all the embeddable tools that litter the internet these days. Basically, it’s a pretty good system.

I recognize that this is not really the norm. Many districts don’t have these resources for teachers and I’m glad that I can provide instruction on the best use of these sites so they are not simply document repositories, but that they also include instructional components.  What bothers me is that so many times, technology people (and this is not unique to my district), because they have more technical skills, create sites and structures using tools that are not available to the teachers that they are supporting. I’ve been guilty of this in the past and will probably do it again in the future, but I’m working on making sure that, as someone who supports teachers, the tools that I demo and the sites that I create can be used by them. It’s great that I know how to program Flash and HTML, but because I support teachers, I need to use tools to support them that they can actually use. Everything I make, demo or talk about is potentially something that a teacher in my district will want to use as a tool in their classroom and with their kids. Just because I have the technical ability, doesn’t mean that I should be free to create things that are unreachable for my teachers. By doing that I’m setting an an undoable example. Those of us who work with teachers need to be mindful of what our role is in our schools and districts.

It’s fun and easy to say “look what I can do” with a piece of software. Yes, it’s fun to make pretty pictures, but when teachers ask me to help them create the kinds of opportunities for their students and their classrooms using tools that they’ve seen me use, I need to be ready to help them make their goals into a reality. I don’t want to have to tell them that a higher end tool isn’t available to them because “they’re just a teacher” and it isn’t in the budget for you.

All of us who are involved in instructional technology and supporting teachers either at the building or district levels need to be cognizant of the tools that we use. We do set and example that is in fact doable.

There, rant over.

Education, Professional Development, Reflections, Technology equality, Tools

This morning I woke up at about 5 AM and wasn’t really interested in getting out of bed yet.  Everyone was still asleep so I rolled over, grabbed my iPod and proceeded to half watch, half listen to a TED talk by David Logan on Tribal Leadership. For the last two years, I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership and how it pertains to different groups both inside and outside of education. This was my first exposure to David and his book Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization. (Incidentially, Zappos is currently offering a download of the audio version of the book for free on their site.) In the book, David and his colleagues outline five different levels of tribes.

• Stage one – “Life Sucks”
• Stage two – “My Life Sucks”
• Stage three – “I’m great, and you’re not”
• Stage four – “We’re Great”
• Stage five – “Life is Great”

He goes into all of these levels and explains them individually, but I think that he makes some excellent points in his explanation.  When he addresses stage three, he talks about the idea of competition and that while it’s healthy and that we should be proud of accomplishments, there is a sense of individuality and participants of a group trying to outdo each other. As I read this I thought about my work and the students and teachers that I see everyday.  Teaching is a solitary profession.  That’s no secret. However, because of this solitude, there is a sense (especially at the secondary level) that the most important work being done is being done in my classroom. Because of a lack of collaboration across classrooms and outside of buildings, it’s easy to only look inward and focus on what I, as a teacher, can control. With that approach, moving to stage four is really difficult.  Logan acknowledges that often this is where tribes get and then stop.

In stage four, the participants recognize that they are a part of a group and part of the greater good.  They are a small piece of something that is makes a larger whole.  However, the focus is still inward on the group. I think that this is an important place for us to get in the world of education. It’s important that we see our student’s educational journey as a whole and recognize that there are many facets to this. As an English teacher, I often got caught up in my classroom and my building.  Now, I often fall into focusing on my buildings or my district instead of education as a whole. I’m not suggesting that this is easy but I am suggesting that this is worth it.

Finally, Logan talks about leaders of tribes and their role in change. One of his statements, and truly the reason that I decided to write about this, was about how great leaders who make change happen are fluent in all of the stages. He cites the Declaration of Independence and Ghandi and Martin Luther King as examples and notes that there are conflicting messages in their messages, but that those tribes who actually reach stage five are the ones who change the world.

As I think about the people that I follow in the world of education, it occurs to me that, although they may have differing messages, the ones who are really making strides and making people think are those who can address all these different stages in which tribes exist. When I hear them speak at a conference, they address all those different areas and help teachers wherever they are in their careers.  When I teach a class or give a talk, I want every single person to be able to walk away with something. I don’t pretend that I’m fluent in all stages, but I now have another context in which to think about where people are in their work. Not bad for 17 minutes of groggy watching.

If you’re not familiar with TED talks and you like to listen to really smart people, I highly suggest a visit to http://www.ted.com.

Education, Reflections, leadership community, TED, tribes

I just spent a few days at the National Staff Development Council’s Annual Convention that was held in St. Louis this year. Overall the conference was really good. I got to hear Michael Fullan and Geoffrey Canada speak so I now have two more people who’s work I need to follow. However, there was one conversation had with another conference goer around the topic of student behavior online that I can’t seem to shake. Our conversation took place in a hallway and basically went like this…

Conference goer: What we need in my school is a better way to monitor student behavior online.

Me: What do you mean?

Conference goer: You know, when students are on the computers, I want to be sure that they stay on task. I don’t want them playing games or checking their email.

Me: How do you handle it now?

Conference goer: Basically, I kick them off the computer if they’re doing anything that what I’m asking them to do.

Me: And how’s that working for you.

Conference goer: It’s not.

Ok, so obviously, I don’t have the exact words, but I think you get the gist of it. This isn’t a new conversation, I’ve had it with many teachers and administrators in the past, but this time I’m still thinking (dwelling) on it.  So, I’d like to outline a few strategies.

1. If you really feel as though you must monitor your students every move online, get out of your chair, walk around the room and interact with students as they do their work.  Sitting at your computer checking email and surfing the web while your students work is not the answer.  Even though you can use software allowing you to “spy” on their screens, this doesn’t mean that the interaction that you have with your students should end.  Stand up and be “on task” yourself.  Your task is teaching.
2. Design lessons that are compelling enough that students will be engaged.  If they’re engaged in what they’re doing, they probably won’t feel the need to get “off task”.
3. Create opportunities for students to make connections.  If you see them as “off task” because they aren’t on the specific website that you started them on, consider that maybe the nature of the web has come into play and they’ve followed a link and are making new connections.
4. Finally, and I think this one is the most important one, instead of banning them from the use of technology, follow the code of conduct for your building.  If a student isn’t on task when they’re writing a paper, should their pencil be taken away?  No, instead, expectations are set and then there are consequences for not following through with those expectations.  Taking the tool away is not helping, it’s hindering.

This reminds me of a column I read in T.H.E. Journal entitled Don’t Filter Out Responsibility from June 2008 regarding filtering.  I think the premise is the same, as teachers we must be responsible for teaching our students how to be responsible themselves.

Education, Reflections, Technology, cyberethics