Schools Need Redemption, Not Innovation. SungardASVoice: An Unexpected Source Of Innovation: Asheville, North Carolina. By Kimberley Sirk Innovation can crop up where and how you least expect it. In our series “An Unexpected Source of Innovation,” we will visit some of America’s little-known hubs of technological creativity! Perhaps best known as a craft beer and independent restaurant mecca, and as a haven for musicians and artists of all genres, Asheville, North Carolina, frequently makes appearances on lifestyle-oriented “Top 10” or “Best of” lists. It is also a remarkably “green” community – some 80 percent of its 86,000 residents recycle. Nevertheless, freshly brewed ales, live music, and regular recycling can’t provide enough economic opportunity to sustain a rapidly growing and desirable community for everyone who is flocking to this mountain town.
Enter the Venture Asheville initiative. Innovation has been popping up in some unexpected places, such as Asheville, North Carolina. Accordingly, a new investor network was launched earlier this year: the Asheville Angels. 1. 5 Remarkably Powerful Habits of Great Leaders. There are literally millions of leaders, in all sorts of organizations, all around the globe. While some run businesses, others lead nonprofits and government offices and agencies. Regardless of the type of organization, however, great leaders all share certain habits in common. And these habits have a profound effect on their people, their customers, and their communities.
Says John Allison, president and CEO of the Cato Institute, and author of the book The Leadership Crisis and the Free Market Cure, when you become a great leader, not only will you be stronger and more effective, but you will be happier. In his book, Allison outlines 5 specific habits that every great leader does--habits that won't just lead to a highly effective organization, but to his or her personal happiness. 1. 2.
Just as every one of us wants to make a real difference in the world around us, so do we all want to want to work for an organization that makes a difference. 3. 4. 5. “Visibility Creates Accountability” Often when I am doing workshops on social media in education, I start off the day asking how many people are on Twitter in the room. More and more hands are going up in education, and people are starting to see it. Without any prompting or even teaching how to use Twitter, throughout the day, I ask if people signed up during the day and usually several hands go up. So why is that?
I think a lot of it has to do with the beginning of the day and seeing how many other educators are using Twitter and raising their hands. I loved that thought. The more we start showing what is happening in classrooms, and the more visible it becomes, the more I hope it sparks that feeling of both pressure and curiosity in educators to keep pushing themselves to embrace improving their practice. Blooms, SAMR & the 3 C's - iSupport. All the apps you’ll ever need As I prepared for an upcoming presentation at a local University I unloaded my test iPad of all its applications and created a new iPad, complete only with apps which I use at school every week.
This iPad would become my “essentials” iPad, strategically and efficiently full of apps I wholly recommend to every educator I meet. I went through the apps and I developed a list, indicating the apps purpose. I found that these purposes consistently fell into 3 categories: Consumption, Creation and Collaboration. I found I had many educational gaming type apps (gamification of learning) which fitted into the Consumption category. These gaming apps could be easily subdivided further into learning areas, English, Maths, Science, SOSE, Humanities etc, and i’ll do this in another post soon.
Today I chose to focus on these 3 “C’s” activities, and it was clear that they could be easily aligned to Blooms Taxonomy objectives. We are trying to close the achievement gap all wrong — teacher. On April 27, 2014, hundreds of high school students and other supporters participated in the March to Close the Gap. They walked from the Montgomery County Public Schools board of education building to Courthouse Square to in order to raise the awareness and garner support to close the achievement gap.
They are pictured leaving the Montgomery County Public Schools building. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post) You can’t have a conversation about education reform without the words “achievement gap” coming in at some point, along with specific plans on how to close it. By James Boutin When I started teaching, I had a radically different understanding of public schools and their purpose than I do today. Let me tell you about a student I once taught. Many days, Guillermo slept through class. A few years after I had him in class, I learned from our school counselor that the reason he slept in class so often was that his mom had relocated their family about 25 miles from our school.
Steve Jobs Meeting Techniques. Justin Sullivan/GettySteve Jobs. American businesses lose an estimated $37 billion a year due to meeting mistakes. Steve Jobs made sure that Apple wasn't one of those companies. Here are three ways the iconic CEO made meetings super productive. 1. He kept meetings as small as possible. In his book "Insanely Simple," longtime Jobs collaborator Ken Segall detailed what it was like to work with him. In one story, Jobs was about to start a weekly meeting with Apple's ad agency. Then Jobs spotted someone new. "He stopped cold," Segall writes.
Calmly, she explained that she was asked to the meeting because she was a part of related marketing projects. Jobs heard her, and then politely told her to get out. "I don't think we need you in this meeting, Lorrie. He was similarly ruthless with himself. 2. In a 2011 feature investigating Apple's culture, Fortune reporter Adam Lashinsky detailed a few of the formal processes that Jobs used, which led Apple to become the world's most valuable company. 3. Who’s stopping innovation in schools, teachers or administrators? Photo by monkeybusinessimages/Thinkstock You’ve probably heard all the buzzwords: inquiry- or project-based learning, blended classrooms, gamification, play, etc.
Whether the cheerleaders shout “21st-century skills,” “character education,” or “entrepreneurship,” it is clear that we want children to have a school experience that is not only about facts and content, but also about empowering thoughtful individuals. School administrators and teachers are mostly in agreement about these intentions and objectives. After all, they are browsing the same education blogs, reading the same books, and listening to the same speakers. I should know; I regularly give keynote talks at education conferences and presentations to principals, superintendents, legislators, education technology developers, and classroom teachers. Afterward, both teachers and administrators always approach me to share their enthusiasm for experimenting with new tools and teaching methods. The Problem Isn't Getting Rid of Teachers, It's Keeping Them.
6 Biggest Tech Debuts to Watch in 2015. Technology is always advancing, but it can be hard to know which advancements are really worth watching. Next year, these giant leaps forward could impact your business. An even thinner iPhone, a smarter car, and maybe even a Wi-Fi maker robot could debut next year. 1. Adobe Photoshop Web Last week, Adobe announced they are working on a pilot project for Adobe Photoshop to run on the Web. This is a bigger milestone than you might expect. In a demo, I saw how the app looks the same as it does in Windows and the Mac. 2. Apple will likely release their thinnest model yet next fall and finally use the iPhone Air nomenclature. 3.
After the success of the Surface Pro 3 (according to Gartner, market share for this tablet that also runs desktop apps grew a full one percentage point in Q3 of 2014), Microsoft will likely make a smaller tablet version similar to the iPad Mini. 4. 5. 6. This Will Revolutionize Education - This Will Revolutionize Education by TeachThought Staff “The job of a teacher is not to deliver information. It is to guide the social process of learning. The job of a teacher is to inspire, to challenge, to excite their students to want to learn.” To those at the forefront of progressive education–really, most teachers we’d think–this isn’t a new idea.
But it’s starting to spread, evidenced by a recent video from science video blog and YouTube channel Veratasium. The video (bravely?) The Motion Picture, The CD, Tablets, MOOCS Their conclusion? Our focus is wrong. While technology is useful, it’s only useful insofar as it promotes engagement with clear learning goals within a well-designed process. Their line of thinking is that education continues to focus on the wrong things–things outside of the learner’s heads rather than within them. “I think it is instructive that each new technology has appeared to be so transformative. My view is that it won’t, for two reasons: 1. The meritocracy trap. This recent quote from an early PayPal exec is absurd: “If meritocracy exists anywhere on earth, it is in Silicon Valley.” It's pretty common for successful people to imagine that their success is solely the result of merit. It's more satisfying than pointing to all the external factors that have contributed to that success.
The trap is in being satisfied. Satisfaction in their meritocracy causes companies, industries and cultures to calcify, to harden themselves against new ideas and new people. CULTURE is something we create, and culture works against pure merit. That's because culture creates insulation and connections and histories that count at least as much as the pure horsepower of merit. HEAD STARTS get compounded. LOCK IN means that organizations and ideas can succeed far longer than they would without it. And of course, lock in goes way beyond operating systems. And of course, it's not just Silicon Valley. For me, the huge hurdle we face is, "seems out of reach. " What Makes Leaders Innovative? New Study Identifies The 10 Keys. 10 Ways Content Will Change in 2015. Visionary Leaders Share How American Education Can Advance From B- To A+ 6 tech trends for 2015 that will change our future. Technology and innovation can be frustrating to watch in action. That’s because there usually isn’t much action — just incremental change with occasional flashes of brilliance.
But the only way to truly understand what’s happening and why is to keep watching. Breakthroughs from years ago are finally leading to real products and services today. Others are inching forward with the promise of big changes in 2015 and beyond. Of course, you have to know where to look. These are the tech trends that will matter in 2015. 1. Image: Mashable, Bob Al-Greene I suspect by now you’re getting tired about hearing about Big Data, but ignoring this number-crunching wave would be a mistake. We’re not just generating data; we’re capturing it at an unprecedented rate, first through web sites and now more frequently through mobile apps and sensors we'll wear with increasing regularity in 2015. Next year, companies such as Intel and IBM will turn all that data into powerful decision-making tools 2. 3. Shah said. What Most Schools Don't Teach. India's Premier Education Technology (EdTech) Community - EdTechReview™ (ETR)
Clockwork: Taylorism and its Continuing Influence on Work and Schooling | E. Wayne Ross. Exploring Taylorism and Its Continued Inuence on Work and Schooling E. Wayne Ross Context: Elementary E, Secondary E, 7-12, University NCSS Standards: II (ime, Continuity, and Change), VI (Power, Authority and Governance), VII (Production, Distribution, Consumption), VIII (Science, echnology and Society)INASC Standards: 5 (Learning environment), 6 (Communication and echnology), 9 (Re-ection and proessional development)opics: documentary lm, scientic management, standardization, testing, aylorismIt is only through enforced standardization o methods, adaptation o the best implements and working conditions, and cooperation that this aster work can be assured.
Clockwork (Breitbart, 1981): A Documentary Film on Taylor and Scientic Management Over 100 years ago actory owners and business managers saw poor productivity, rapid techno-logical change, and heightened competition as obstacles to increased prots. A veteran teacher turned coach shadows 2 students for 2 days – a sobering lesson learned. The following account comes from a veteran HS teacher who just became a Coach in her building. Because her experience is so vivid and sobering I have kept her identity anonymous. But nothing she describes is any different than my own experience in sitting in HS classes for long periods of time. And this report of course accords fully with the results of our student surveys. I have made a terrible mistake. I waited fourteen years to do something that I should have done my first year of teaching: shadow a student for a day. It was so eye-opening that I wish I could go back to every class of students I ever had right now and change a minimum of ten things – the layout, the lesson plan, the checks for understanding.
This is the first year I am working in a school but not teaching my own classes; I am the High School Learning Coach, a new position for the school this year. My class schedules for the day(Note: we have a block schedule; not all classes meet each day): 7:45 – 9:15: Geometry Wow. A veteran teacher turned coach shadows 2 students for 2 days – a sobering lesson learned. Enhance your #Google Drive with new Google Add-Ons. In this video, we will show you how to enhance your Google Drive experience by adding new Google Drive Add-Ons. Simply click on the red NEW button and click the MORE button to unlock hundreds of Google Add-Ons. Video recorded by Jeff Bradbury: @TeacherCast For more information about having TeacherCast broadcast at your event, please visit www.TeacherCast.net and follow @TeacherCast Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel today!
About the author Jeffrey Bradbury, the creator of TeacherCast.net and TeacherCast University is a highly respected educational consultant. Google Unleashes their new #Google Slides app on iOS !!! Learn how to use it in your classroom here! #GoogleEdu. Google Brings Slides and Presentations to the iPhone and iPad! On Monday August 25, the day after the TechEducator Podcast produced an amazing Google Slides Smackdown (see video above) Google heard our cries and released an amazing addition to the iPad lineup.
Google Slides is a free downloadable app that integrates seamlessly with your personal Google account or your Google Apps for Education suite. When you first start up slides you will be prompted to sign in to your Google Account or add a new account. From this point, Google Slides will provide you access to all of your created Google Presentations. It didn’t seem to matter where in your drive it was located, this app brought all of your slides in a beautiful color landscape to the front for you to view and manipulate. Menu options allow the user to see their slides, organize them by “starring” them, download them onto your iPad or switch over to the new Google Drive app.
Creating your First Google Slide Presentation on your iPad. Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement. Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement. The Power of the Pygmalion Effect. Sink Or Swim: A Tidal Wave Of Tech Is Shaping HR. Pubcon 2014 Keynote from Chris Brogan. Habits of Very Successful Innovators. Plickers - Clickers, Simplified. "Deeper Learning" Improves Student Outcomes. But What Is It? How to Embed Remind (101) Messages Into Google Sites. Why Does Sitting Still Equal Learning? | Rae Pica. How to Stream Google Hangouts On Air to Twitter and Facebook.
Trees of Knowledge. Technology SAMR Model for Administrators - Part 1: Staff Presentations. Introduction to Learning Technologies - Totally Open Online Course. The Power of "I Don't Know" Share Your Insights: The Future of Education. How to Stream Google Hangouts On Air to Twitter and Facebook. Trees of Knowledge. 10 Things Successful eLearning Professionals Do Differently. Boards by Jeff K. - Video Integration. Teaching and Learning: Four Big Ideas for What's Next. Welcome to Forbes. 5 Reasons Why Great Edtech Products Don’t Succeed. Glogin?mobile=1&URI=http%3A%2F%2Fmobile.nytimes.com%2F2014%2F09%2F24%2Fus%2Facademic-skills-on-web-are-tied-to-income-level.
Reading: Paper vs Digital - an archive of resources. The Joy of Learning. Announcing Drive for Education: The 21st century backpack for students. The unstoppable rise of the Deep Web. Announcing Drive for Education: The 21st century backpack for students. Learning That Matters. Bloomin' Apps. The iPad Pedagogy Wheel. Fear is not an option when it comes to social media in schools. Why I Just Asked My Students To Put Their Laptops Away… EDge - 7 Essential Questions That Guide School Improvement. Marzano's 9 Instructional Strategies In Infographic Form. A Diagram Of 21st Century Pedagogy - This Ain't Your Momma's Open House.
Home - My School Information Design Challenge. Curation and Learning Tools. Covering the curriculum. Why Marzano's Homework Research Is Flawed - Brilliant or Insane. 8 Characteristics of the “Innovator’s Mindset” Home | DAQRI | Augmented Reality Developer. Untitled. Instructional Coaching. The Sleeping Habits of Geniuses -- New York Magazine. 6 Ways Pushing Past Your Comfort Zone Is Critical To Success. 'Stop Stealing Dreams' Asks A Great Question. A Growing Resource List (505: Week 5) - Welcome to Karen's Online Learning Journey.
Stack Overflow Founder's Next Big Thing: Reinventing Online Communities. Redesigning School to Graduate Capable, Confident Learners. 14 Awesome Hacks Shared By A Startup CEO That Will Super Boost Your Productivity. Edsurge. 'Buy This Satellite': Ensuring Internet and Texting Access in Egypt. How-To: Link Audio Recordings to QR Codes - Cla... An 8-Foot-Tall Woman Is Destroying The Entire Music Industry. Should I Have Fired That Person? ISTE 2014. Edudemic - Education Technology Tips For Students And Teachers. Edsurge. Security Drones Dominate San Francisco, Then the City Fights Back. The Next Step: Amplification… Amplify… | Langwitches Blog.
Constructing Modern Knowledge. What is innovation? The current relationship between educators and technologies. 19 Proven Tips for Getting Parents Involved at School. What will happen? — Adventure '14. SE2R Feedback Revolutionizes How We Assess Learning. Canadian schools starting to teach computer coding to kids. Battushig Myanganbayar aced an edX MOOC, then gave lessons to MIT. Infographic: The State of Digital Education. Educational Discourse | Thoughts and ideas related to education and its improvement through thoughtful discourse. Today's schools lack creative teaching and learning, study says. How 21st Century Thinking Is Just Different. Drzreflects.sharedby.