Research and Publications. Research Alberta Education conducts research into emerging technologies and best practices in classroom technology use. Its research findings are shared within the department and with school authorities, allowing for better decisions to be made on technology implementation and teaching practices. Recent research projects that Alberta Education was involved in include: Promising Practices in Rural Elementary Education: Alberta Education worked with researchers and four school authorities to examine promising practices in rural schools, focusing on such topics as integration of technology to expand opportunities; inclusion of diverse learners; student, parent and community engagement; and instructional, professional and leadership practices. Emerge One-to-One Laptop Learning: Alberta Education worked with 20 school authorities to investigate best practices in student use of wireless technologies in the classroom.
Publications iPads: What are we learning? BYOD: Mobile devices belong in the classroom | Pivot Points. Photo: Thinkstockphoto Many teacher librarians find ways to provide leadership through their teaching, programs, and facilities. As the recent Pennsylvania study confirmed, effective school library programs positively impact student learning. While library leadership is essential, it may not be enough. We must think bigger. The Pivot: BYOD Until recently, most schools didn’t allow students to use their own technology devices in the classroom. The Points Digital citizenship. Leadership. Test beds. Great school libraries have always been about providing access to both technology and resources to create a learning commons.
Mark Ray (Mark.Ray@vansd.org) is the manager of instructional technology and library services at the Vancouver (WA) Public Schools. BYOD to the library - Doug Johnson. BYOD to the library Doug Johnson Head for the Edge, LMC August/September 2012 When I leave my smart phone at home, it feels like I’m operating with only half my brain all day. And heaven knows, I have little brain power to spare. My ubiquitous access to e-mail, contacts, and calendar are gone when my phone plays hooky. I am not alone. Schools that recognize the necessity of this connectivity for students are looking for creative means of supplying it. As the prices of tablets, netbooks, laptops, e-book readers, and smart phones fall, an ever greater number of families can afford these machines. My district has a BYOD project we call ELF-Tech (Extending Learning Forever with Technology). So what does this have to do with libraries? Here are some things all librarians should be asking themselves if their schools are figuring out ways of giving all students continuous access to online resources, whether through student or school owned devices:
The Library as Genius Bar. In Mercy High’s iPad program, librarian Linda Behen offers tech support and more When the class of 2016 enters Mother of Mercy High School this fall, each of the 135 freshmen will receive a new iPad. That’s part of the school’s mission: to help students access the technology best suited to their needs, according to Linda Behen, the school’s library media specialist. At Mercy, an all-girls Catholic school in Cincinnati, OH, they call this “tech-agility,” says Behen (pictured).
She helped support a spring 2012 pilot in which 20 current freshmen received iPads. But there are no plans for the school to go one-to-one across the board. All Mercy students are encouraged to bring in their own devices, whether they be tablets or smartphones, to facilitate classroom learning. Principal Diane Laake sees the iPads as offering freshmen a consistent platform for curating information as well as creating their own work. BYOD – Worst Idea of the 21st Century? In 1990, I began helping schools across the globe realize the transformational learning potential of a laptop for every child.
From the start there was a recognition of the certain inevitability that every student would own their a personal mobile personal computer in the near future, whether school provided it or not. Twenty-one years later, way too few students have a personal computer and the very issue seems to become more controversial with each passing day. Schools and school districts who have come to the personal computing party decades late now have conjured a cheap less-empowering way to produce an illusion of modernity. They call it “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) or “Bring Your Own Technology” (BYOT) and it’s a terribly reckless idea for the following reasons. BYOD enshrines inequity The only way to guarantee equitable educational experiences is for each student to have access to the same materials and learning opportunities.
The great BYOD debate. The great BYOD debate continues… Gary Stager wrote a post (Oct 2011) on BYOD the Worst idea of the 21st century. He provided some interesting arguments refuting the quality of the devices, educative potential, underfunding from schools - as well as the age-old equity issue. Audrey Watters response (two days later) provided some pedagogical questions to the debate, such as, “How will we tackle that very thorny problem of making sure that all lessons, projects, assignments, e-textbooks and so on are accessible across platforms, across devices?” How will students manage their own software, browsers on their own devices in the best possible way to ehnace their education? "And, of course, how do we make sure that everyone — from school districts to families — can have access to high-quality technology and to high-speed Internet?” How have schools in New Zealand tackled these issues so far – from within the school, to the wider community?
Claire Amos: Ten tips for BYOD BYOD PTA Presentation. All you need to know about BYOD (LiveBinder) Google Apps / Software for learning / Technologies. What are Google Apps? L Snapshot of learning l School stories What are Google Apps? Google Apps for Education is a free suite of hosted email and collaboration applications for schools and other educational organisations. Snapshot of learning Increasing ownership of learning through e-portfolios The processes and progress of learning were effectively documented in e-portfolios at Bucklands Beach Intermediate School. School stories Te Kura o Tiori Burnham School Rob Clarke, principal of Te Kura o Tiori Burnham School, explains how and why they use Google Apps. In the Interface magazine article, A new way of running school software, Rob explains the specific apps being used and their future plans.
Using Google Apps for future focused schoolsBlended e-learning facilitator, Brad Thomas and students from Ruawai School explain how using Google Apps has enabled a transformation in learning. Breen's Intermediate School Holy Cross School Ruawai Primary School Parkvale School Pt England School. Sharing book reviews with QR codes / Communication / Software for learning / Technologies. Kim BizoWe’ve got some really good readers in the school so we have a GATE reading group or extension group that have come and met in the library and we had a discussion about books and authors they were reading and what came up was really a lot of the children were reading the same authors and they weren’t necessarily challenging themselves with new authors and so I had a whole lot of new books and we decided to offer them a choice of these new books and for them to do a book review.
Student 1We are making QR codes because, because, so people can read books and so people can people will know if they like the book before they read them instead of reading them straight away. Kim BizoThis way we decided was to do, to create a QR code to slap on the back of the book and do a podcast and it's worked very well, so. Student 2Well we use Vocaroo because it's really easy to do. Student 2It’s about a worm that is like a superhero and loves helping other insects and is very strong and long.
35 Powerful Cloud Tools for Modern Librarians | Against The Grain. In a world where “everything is on the Internet,” public perception is that libraries are antiquated. The reality is that in a world of information overload, libraries are a valuable resource to vet credibility and, often, are the only guardians of content created in the pre-Web world. Now more than ever, the job of Librarian is about helping people access information. Curation, cataloging, and discovery — librarians sift through the continuing avalanche of written information to unearth the gems. The question facing the modern librarian is how to connect with today’s tech-savvy populace and keep content accessible despite budget cuts.
Interestingly, harnessing “the Cloud” may be the solution to both problems. Here are 35 ways librarians can use the Cloud to improve services, streamline their job and do more with less. These tools work as an alternative to Microsoft’s expensive Office Suite. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. For librarians stuck using proprietary technology, the Web is a lonely place. Best Apps and Websites Featured at ISTE. At the 2014 ISTE conference in Atlanta, Georgia, last week, Common Sense Media staff and Graphite Certified Educators presented a series of engaging, informative, and hands-on lightning-fast sessions. These 15-minute workshops showcased practical and engaging ways to use specific technology tools to enhance student learning. All of the apps, games, and websites featured in the roundups are reviewed on Graphite.
Other sessions focused on sharing our resources for teaching Digital Literacy and Citizenship or for rolling out a 1-to-1 program. Follow the linked titles below to see the specific apps, games, websites, and Common Sense resources featured in each session. What was your favorite app, game, or website that you discovered at ISTE or used in your classroom this year? Related Posts: Find Common Sense Media at ISTE 2014 Organize Inspiring Tools onto Boards You Create on Graphite. 10 Reasons Why I Will Continue to Give my Children Handheld Devices | Hipmombrarian's Blog. My children, both on handheld devices, learning and laughing. Last week the Huffington Post ran this article titled 10 Reasons Why Handheld Devices Should be Banned for Children Under the Age of 12. As an educator who advocates for the intentional and appropriate use of technology, I could go on about this forever. But instead I’m writing here as a mother. Here are my 10 reasons why I will continue giving my children handheld devices, and all other forms of technology as well. 1) Because banning things never, ever, ever works.
Remember when your parents wouldn’t let you watch rated R movies so you just went to your friends’ houses to watch them? 2) Problem solving. When my kids get really frustrated with not being able to do something, they don’t just quit. 3) Technology Skills Let’s be honest here. 4) Expectations in school I spend a lot of time in classrooms as part of my job. 5) Interest There are children out there who are motivated by technology. 6) Because I care about their brains.
Successful BYOD case studies. Graphite - Apps and online resources for learning. Common Sense: 1-1 Starter Kit. 1-to-1 Essentials Program. Creative use of multimedia and devices in the classroom - Home. Editable iPad rule posters. Happy (almost!) Thanksgiving!!!! This is the first year I've had ALL week off!!!!!!!!! And I'm absolutely loving it! No Sunday Night Blues on Sunday night!!!! Sleeping in!!!! Catching up (with chores and blog stocking and family and reality TV)!!! And Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year! Back in July I did a post about iPad Acceptable Use Policies. You can read about it { here }. I taught the kids their iPad rules using these posters and we recite the rules everyday... I was so excited to see so many people that were able to use these posters in their classrooms! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to keep up with all of the requests I was getting to change the wording on the posters as much as I wanted to.
You can edit the posters to say whatever you want!!! Joyce Valenza on edShelf. Top 5 things libraries can do to drive BYOD - Softlink. It seems that BYOD in education is inevitable. There are many benefits to BYOD for schools, including helping to create digitally literate students and work-ready adults, providing cost savings for schools, developing more engaged learners and much more. So, how can school libraries help to drive BYOD changes? Here are 5 things libraries can do: 1.
Don’t fight the digital evolution. Position the library as a leader and enable BYOD access to the library To connect to BYOD, libraries need to be digitally ready. Essential to the 21st century school library is a secure web-based library and content management solution as the central platform for managing school learning resources – whether physical or digital. Technology can also help libraries to lead successful BYOD programs by ensuring students access the right, curriculum-led and teacher recommended e-content such as eBooks, audiobooks and other digital resources. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Finally, the policy must consider future needs.