Competition from New Models of Education
Excerpt from the Horizon's Report Preview
New models of education are bringing unprecedented competition to the traditional models of
education. Across the board, institutions are looking for ways to provide a high quality of service and
more learning opportunities. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are at the forefront of these
discussions, enabling students to supplement their education and experiences at brick-and-mortar
institutions with increasingly rich, and often free, online offerings. At the same time, issues have arisen
related to the low completion rates of some MOOCs. As these new platforms emerge, there is a
growing need to frankly evaluate the models and determine how to best support collaboration,
interaction, and assessment at scale. Simply capitalizing on new technology is not enough; the new
models must use these tools and services to engage students on a deeper level.
With these new models of education we must always keep students in the forefront. What is best for the students? With any new models there will be scepticism and hesitation. This scepticism and hesitation should not be taken as something bad. Educators need the time and resources to evaluate these new models and determine if they are truly best for student learning.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Friday, April 24, 2015
MRVED Business
Upcoming Meetings
May 8, 2015 Community Ed
May 11, 2015 Principals/TAC combined meeting (11:30 a.m. start time)
May 27, 2015 Superintendents' Council
June 10, 2015 MRVED Board (7:00 p.m.)
June 24, 2015 Superintendents' Council
Communication Tip
I find people who only read the first line of their email incredibly frustrating. This forces their colleagues to send additional emails just to get issues addressed. Nobody saves any time this way. It just creates angst and extra work. Slow down, read the whole email, and respond to all items. When sending emails, keep them short and to the point or you deserve to be ignored. Use numbered lists and bullet points to make your ideas clear and simple to address. If you have tons to discuss, pick up the phone.
May 8, 2015 Community Ed
May 11, 2015 Principals/TAC combined meeting (11:30 a.m. start time)
May 27, 2015 Superintendents' Council
June 10, 2015 MRVED Board (7:00 p.m.)
June 24, 2015 Superintendents' Council
Communication Tip
Read and Respond to the Entire Email
By Kevin Daum, Inc 500 Entrepreneur and best-selling author
I find people who only read the first line of their email incredibly frustrating. This forces their colleagues to send additional emails just to get issues addressed. Nobody saves any time this way. It just creates angst and extra work. Slow down, read the whole email, and respond to all items. When sending emails, keep them short and to the point or you deserve to be ignored. Use numbered lists and bullet points to make your ideas clear and simple to address. If you have tons to discuss, pick up the phone.
Tech Tip- National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
If you are looking to bring your math manipulatives to the 21st century, check out the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. They have virtual manipulatives for every grade level and area of math. The only downfall to the site is that it needs Java to run, thus does not work on the iPads, however there are a variety of iPad apps that will do exactly what the NLVM does. Bookmark the site today!
If you are looking to bring your math manipulatives to the 21st century, check out the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. They have virtual manipulatives for every grade level and area of math. The only downfall to the site is that it needs Java to run, thus does not work on the iPads, however there are a variety of iPad apps that will do exactly what the NLVM does. Bookmark the site today!
Help Students Score Higher on Their Tests
This was originally posted a couple weeks ago, but thought it was pertinent to bring it back again.
The reality of testing season is upon us. Whether we like it or not, our students will be tested and tested and tested some more in the upcoming weeks. Besides pounding more facts in their head, what can teachers and parents do? Below you will find a great article on what research says about what students need during the testing season. Hopefully you will find a couple tidbits you can send home in your newsletter or incorporate into your classroom.
Help Your Students Score Higher on Their Upcoming Tests by Eric Jensen
The reality of testing season is upon us. Whether we like it or not, our students will be tested and tested and tested some more in the upcoming weeks. Besides pounding more facts in their head, what can teachers and parents do? Below you will find a great article on what research says about what students need during the testing season. Hopefully you will find a couple tidbits you can send home in your newsletter or incorporate into your classroom.Help Your Students Score Higher on Their Upcoming Tests by Eric Jensen
Horizons Report - Challenges
Blending Formal and Informal Learning
The last of the easily solved challenges presented by the Horizon's Report is the ability to blend formal and informal learning. Formal learning is rooted in 19th and even 18th century schooling. This is where the teacher holds the knowledge and passes on the knowledge to a group of students in a room as the students pass from grade level to grade level. It is the industrial model, or assembly line model of education. With the growth of the internet, and the ability to learning almost anything, anywhere, at any time, a newer, self-directed model of learning has developed. This is called informal learning. We can see this model in science and history museums. People are left to roam around and explore and learn about various topics, many times without someone to guide them.
The challenge arises when these two models clash. How do we still hold true to the industrial model, that society sees as the best fit for education, but yet let students explore and learn on their own? Sir Ken Robinson talks at length about this paradigm shift in education in his TED talk "Changing Education Paradigms". If you have never heard this TED talk, I strongly suggest taking 10 minutes out of your day to hear the words of Sir Ken Robinson. We want kids to be self-directed learners and explore various topics, but the institution of education is still 18th century. How do we effectively make this shift? How can we blend the two types of learning in our classroom? How can we informalize learning in a formal environment? All good questions to ponder! Take a look at your own classroom; Are you still rooted in 18th century formalized learning?
The last of the easily solved challenges presented by the Horizon's Report is the ability to blend formal and informal learning. Formal learning is rooted in 19th and even 18th century schooling. This is where the teacher holds the knowledge and passes on the knowledge to a group of students in a room as the students pass from grade level to grade level. It is the industrial model, or assembly line model of education. With the growth of the internet, and the ability to learning almost anything, anywhere, at any time, a newer, self-directed model of learning has developed. This is called informal learning. We can see this model in science and history museums. People are left to roam around and explore and learn about various topics, many times without someone to guide them.
The challenge arises when these two models clash. How do we still hold true to the industrial model, that society sees as the best fit for education, but yet let students explore and learn on their own? Sir Ken Robinson talks at length about this paradigm shift in education in his TED talk "Changing Education Paradigms". If you have never heard this TED talk, I strongly suggest taking 10 minutes out of your day to hear the words of Sir Ken Robinson. We want kids to be self-directed learners and explore various topics, but the institution of education is still 18th century. How do we effectively make this shift? How can we blend the two types of learning in our classroom? How can we informalize learning in a formal environment? All good questions to ponder! Take a look at your own classroom; Are you still rooted in 18th century formalized learning?
Friday, April 17, 2015
MRVED Business
Upcoming Meetings
April 22, 2015 Superintendents' Council
May 8, 2015 Community Ed
May 11, 2015 TAC/Principals combined meeting
May 27, 2015 Superintendents' Council
Communication Briefings
People often use the word "literally" to emphasize a point: "It is literally a jungle out there," you might say, in an effort show the direness of the situation. But "literally" is an overused word that adds little to any sentence. In fact, its use can be confusing when, as in the example above, it is used in combination with a metaphor: In that case, a better word choice would be "figuratively" - although the sentence will be stronger without either word.
April 22, 2015 Superintendents' Council
May 8, 2015 Community Ed
May 11, 2015 TAC/Principals combined meeting
May 27, 2015 Superintendents' Council
Communication Briefings
People often use the word "literally" to emphasize a point: "It is literally a jungle out there," you might say, in an effort show the direness of the situation. But "literally" is an overused word that adds little to any sentence. In fact, its use can be confusing when, as in the example above, it is used in combination with a metaphor: In that case, a better word choice would be "figuratively" - although the sentence will be stronger without either word.
Tech Tip - Analog Twitter Wall
Analog Twitter Wall
In the theme of digital literacy, the idea of an Analog Twitter wall came to mind. It's not a new idea, but one worth exploring. Two Guys and some iPads is a blog I follow on a regular basis. Their blog post on creating an analog Twitter wall and how they did it is spot on. Being able to model appropriate online behavior in a controlled environment could be very powerful. The idea allows teachers to have the digital literacy conversation with their students, while still being able to interact with content.
There are many ways the idea of an analog Twitter wall can be used in the classroom.
1. Lunch count and attendance
2. Exit tickets
3. Chapter summary or introduction
4. Character development
The list could go on forever. All it takes is a little wall space in your classroom and it provides a way to continue learning content as well as 21st century skills. I would love to hear if you have ever used an analog Twitter wall in your classroom and how it went.
There are many ways the idea of an analog Twitter wall can be used in the classroom.
1. Lunch count and attendance
2. Exit tickets
3. Chapter summary or introduction
4. Character development
The list could go on forever. All it takes is a little wall space in your classroom and it provides a way to continue learning content as well as 21st century skills. I would love to hear if you have ever used an analog Twitter wall in your classroom and how it went.
Horizon's Report - Challenges to Implementation
Challenges to Implementation
The past two months we have looked at the Horizon's Report. The report outlines a variety of new ideas and technologies that could have an impact on education in the near future to seven years. If you have never seen the report, I highly suggest taking a glimpse at it.
There is also a section in the report that looks into the challenges to implementing some of the great ideas and technologies presented. We will spend the next couple weeks looking into these challenges, which range from easily solved to very challenging.
This week we will focus on the challenge of Adequately Defining and Supporting Digital Literacy. The traditional definition of literacy is the ability to read and write. The 21st century definition includes digital, cultural, and financial literacy, otherwise known as 21st century skills. The challenge is accurately defining and agreeing on what 21st century skills actually are AND if they are important enough to devote class time to. If we come to agreement and decide they are important enough to teach, the next challenge is how do we properly teach 21st century skills? What resources do we have? Some of the challenge for teachers is understanding a literacy that did not exist when they were in school.
Adequately defining and supporting digital literacy is a solvable challenge. Through good conversation and teamwork, a school can accurately define the 21st century skills and identify which skills need to be taught and develop a plan how to teach them. 21st century literacies are important and are needed for success in our current world. In 2015, our students need to learn how to properly read and write in a 21st century environment.
Next week we will look at the blending of formal and informal learning.
21st Century Skills Resource
P21
The past two months we have looked at the Horizon's Report. The report outlines a variety of new ideas and technologies that could have an impact on education in the near future to seven years. If you have never seen the report, I highly suggest taking a glimpse at it.
There is also a section in the report that looks into the challenges to implementing some of the great ideas and technologies presented. We will spend the next couple weeks looking into these challenges, which range from easily solved to very challenging.This week we will focus on the challenge of Adequately Defining and Supporting Digital Literacy. The traditional definition of literacy is the ability to read and write. The 21st century definition includes digital, cultural, and financial literacy, otherwise known as 21st century skills. The challenge is accurately defining and agreeing on what 21st century skills actually are AND if they are important enough to devote class time to. If we come to agreement and decide they are important enough to teach, the next challenge is how do we properly teach 21st century skills? What resources do we have? Some of the challenge for teachers is understanding a literacy that did not exist when they were in school.
Adequately defining and supporting digital literacy is a solvable challenge. Through good conversation and teamwork, a school can accurately define the 21st century skills and identify which skills need to be taught and develop a plan how to teach them. 21st century literacies are important and are needed for success in our current world. In 2015, our students need to learn how to properly read and write in a 21st century environment.
Next week we will look at the blending of formal and informal learning.
21st Century Skills Resource
P21
STEM Ambassadors
STEM Ambassadors – speakers for your classroom
Excerpt from the Science update from MDE
Spring is here and you want some fresh voices talking to your students about STEM. getSTEM, the website that makes connections between schools and businesses, has recruited business professionals to be STEM Ambassadors. Research shows that the most effective encouragement for students to pursue a STEM career is the opportunity to meet and interact with a STEM professional. One of the most frequent requests made by educators on getSTEM is for classroom speakers or career fair/night volunteers. New Ambassadors are being added right now and many professional societies want to promote their outreach efforts to you and your school. Check it out and keep coming back to see what new folks have been added! Don’t see what you are looking for? Make an ASK on getSTEM to request what you need from over 3,000 users profiled on getSTEM. Also check out the OFFERs that have been posted by the Minnesota STEM community and take advantage of all the cool things being provided. If you would like more information, please contact Tim Barrett at tbarrett@mhta.org.
Friday, April 10, 2015
MRVED Business
Upcoming Meetings
April 17, 2015 Title III Teachers
April 22, 2015 Superintendents' Council
May 8, 2015 Community Ed
May 11, 2015 Principals' Council/TAC Combined Meeting
May 27, 2015 Superintendents' Council
April 17, 2015 Title III Teachers
April 22, 2015 Superintendents' Council
May 8, 2015 Community Ed
May 11, 2015 Principals' Council/TAC Combined Meeting
May 27, 2015 Superintendents' Council
Horizon's Report - Adaptive Technologies
Horizon's Report, Adaptive Technologies
Adaptive technologies is a technology that is still four to five years from becoming widespread, but the possibilities of this technology are amazing. I couldn't figure out a better way to say it, so this information is straight from the report.
Adaptive learning technologies refer to software and services that adapt to individual students’ needs as they learn. These tools are now capable of learning the way people learn; enabled by machine learning technologies, they can adapt to an individual student’s progress and adjust content in realtime or provide customized exercises when they need it. Educators in higher education envision these adaptive platforms as new, patient tutors that can provide personalized instruction on a large scale. There are two levels to adaptive learning technologies — the first platform reacts to individual user data, and adapts instructional material accordingly, while the second takes into account aggregated data across a large sample of users for insights into design and adaptation of curricula.
Adaptive technologies is a technology that is still four to five years from becoming widespread, but the possibilities of this technology are amazing. I couldn't figure out a better way to say it, so this information is straight from the report.
Adaptive learning technologies refer to software and services that adapt to individual students’ needs as they learn. These tools are now capable of learning the way people learn; enabled by machine learning technologies, they can adapt to an individual student’s progress and adjust content in realtime or provide customized exercises when they need it. Educators in higher education envision these adaptive platforms as new, patient tutors that can provide personalized instruction on a large scale. There are two levels to adaptive learning technologies — the first platform reacts to individual user data, and adapts instructional material accordingly, while the second takes into account aggregated data across a large sample of users for insights into design and adaptation of curricula.
Next week, we will look at some of the challenges to implementing some of the technologies mentioned in the previous weeks. The preview of the report can be found here.
Education on Air Conference by Google
Education on Air Conference by Google
Google is hosting a 2 day Education on Air Conference. All you need to do is register and enjoy the keynotes and sessions at the comfort of your computer.
Date: May 8 & 9
Cost: Free
Google is hosting a 2 day Education on Air Conference. All you need to do is register and enjoy the keynotes and sessions at the comfort of your computer.
Date: May 8 & 9
Cost: Free
Tech Tip - ClassTools.net
ClassTools.net
This is one of my favorite web tools for the classroom. ClassTools.net offers tons of great tools to use in the classroom. Some of my favorites are:
This is one of my favorite web tools for the classroom. ClassTools.net offers tons of great tools to use in the classroom. Some of my favorites are:
- Fakebook - Create a fake Facebook page for anyone.
- Could be used for characters in a book, historical figures, scientists, etc...
- Twister - Create a fake Tweet
- Could be used for thinking about what a certain character or historical figure might Tweet
- SMS Generator - Create fake text messages
- Could be used to show a text conversation between characters or historical figures
Thursday, April 2, 2015
MRVED Business
Happy Easter
The MRVED would like to wish you and your family a Happy Easter. Whether you are spending time with family, doing outside chores, or relaxing, enjoy the weekend ahead.
Upcoming Meetings
April 8, 2015 MRVED Board (7:00 p.m.)
April 10, 2015 Community Ed
April 17, 2015 Title III Teachers
April 22, 2015 Superintendents' Council
May 8, 2015 Community Ed
May 11, 2015 Principals' Council/TAC Combined Meeting (NEW DATE)
May 27, 2015 Superintendents' Council
Grey vs. Gray
Have you ever wondered why you see gray spelled two different ways. "Grey" is the preferred spelling in British English; while "gray" is more common in American English.
Remember the difference by associating the a in gray with America and the e in grey with England.
(By Mignon Fogarty, Grammar Girl)
The MRVED would like to wish you and your family a Happy Easter. Whether you are spending time with family, doing outside chores, or relaxing, enjoy the weekend ahead.
Upcoming Meetings
April 8, 2015 MRVED Board (7:00 p.m.)
April 10, 2015 Community Ed
April 17, 2015 Title III Teachers
April 22, 2015 Superintendents' Council
May 8, 2015 Community Ed
May 11, 2015 Principals' Council/TAC Combined Meeting (NEW DATE)
May 27, 2015 Superintendents' Council
Grey vs. Gray
Have you ever wondered why you see gray spelled two different ways. "Grey" is the preferred spelling in British English; while "gray" is more common in American English.
Remember the difference by associating the a in gray with America and the e in grey with England.
(By Mignon Fogarty, Grammar Girl)
Horizon's Report - Wearable Technology
Wearable Technology
Last week we looked at the Makerspace movement and how it can have an impact on education. This week we will look at how wearable technology could have an impact on education in the next two to five years.
According to the Horizon's Report, wearable technology refers to devices that can be worn by users, taking the form of an accessory such as jewelry, sunglasses, a backpack, or even actual items such as shoes or jackets. Wearable technology, once a figment of imagination, is now a reality with such items as Google Glass, the Apple Watch, or the GoPro Camera. Much of the wearable technology today allows users to track sleep habits, location, and social media. The technology can even augment reality to display a virtual world right in front of the user.
Imagine teaching a unit about WWII fighter pilots and students being able to immerse themselves in the actual environment the WWII pilots were in during a battle. Students would be able to see and feel much of the same things these pilots felt. Think of the possibilities in student products after such an experience. Or, imagine a student having the ability to track their fitness levels throughout the day and actually track how active they are. Another possibility is a student on a field trip wearing a GoPro camera to keep a record of what they learned and did.
Cost is an obvious hurdle to implementing this technology in the classroom, but as these technologies become more popular and there is more competition in the market, expect the cost to decrease. Even if using these technologies is not possible in the near future, it is fun to think about the variety of things teachers could have the students learn and do.
Last week we looked at the Makerspace movement and how it can have an impact on education. This week we will look at how wearable technology could have an impact on education in the next two to five years.
According to the Horizon's Report, wearable technology refers to devices that can be worn by users, taking the form of an accessory such as jewelry, sunglasses, a backpack, or even actual items such as shoes or jackets. Wearable technology, once a figment of imagination, is now a reality with such items as Google Glass, the Apple Watch, or the GoPro Camera. Much of the wearable technology today allows users to track sleep habits, location, and social media. The technology can even augment reality to display a virtual world right in front of the user.Imagine teaching a unit about WWII fighter pilots and students being able to immerse themselves in the actual environment the WWII pilots were in during a battle. Students would be able to see and feel much of the same things these pilots felt. Think of the possibilities in student products after such an experience. Or, imagine a student having the ability to track their fitness levels throughout the day and actually track how active they are. Another possibility is a student on a field trip wearing a GoPro camera to keep a record of what they learned and did.
Cost is an obvious hurdle to implementing this technology in the classroom, but as these technologies become more popular and there is more competition in the market, expect the cost to decrease. Even if using these technologies is not possible in the near future, it is fun to think about the variety of things teachers could have the students learn and do.
Skype in the Classroom
SkypeHave you ever wanted to bring an expert into your classroom, connect with another classroom on the other side of the country, or take a virtual field trip? If so, check out Skype Education. There is a whole community of people willing to connect with classrooms on a variety of topics. This is a cheap, sometimes free, opportunity to connect with someone you normally wouldn't have the funds or ability to connect with. All you need is a camera and an internet connection. Google Hangouts for the classroom offers the same types of connections on a different platform.
Mathematics Teacher for Independent Study Job Opening
Mathematics Teacher for Independent Study Program – Minnesota Valley Area Learning Center
The Minnesota Valley Area Learning Center (MVALC) located in Montevideo, MN is seeking a positive and energetic individual to join our team as a part-time Independent Study (IS) Mathematics Teacher beginning with the 2015-2016 school year. Candidates must be licensed to teach mathematics in the state of Minnesota. The Independent Study Program of the MVALC serves students 16 and older who need a credit recovery option. The IS program has locations in Granite Falls (Monday and Tuesday, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.) and Montevideo (Wednesday and Thursday, 3:00 – 5:30 p.m.). Summer hours in Granite Falls are Tuesdays 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. and in Montevideo on Wednesdays 8:00 – 5:00 p.m.
For more information regarding this position, contact:
Karen Jacobson, Director
Minnesota River Valley Education District
P.O. Box 487
Montevideo, MN 56265
kjacobson@mrved.net
320-269-9297
Candidates should apply by going to http://www.montevideoschools.com/ click on District Office, Job Postings and then follow the directions listed for licensed applicants, applying through AppliTrack.
Position is open until filled.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The Minnesota Valley Area Learning Center (MVALC) located in Montevideo, MN is seeking a positive and energetic individual to join our team as a part-time Independent Study (IS) Mathematics Teacher beginning with the 2015-2016 school year. Candidates must be licensed to teach mathematics in the state of Minnesota. The Independent Study Program of the MVALC serves students 16 and older who need a credit recovery option. The IS program has locations in Granite Falls (Monday and Tuesday, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.) and Montevideo (Wednesday and Thursday, 3:00 – 5:30 p.m.). Summer hours in Granite Falls are Tuesdays 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. and in Montevideo on Wednesdays 8:00 – 5:00 p.m.
For more information regarding this position, contact:
Karen Jacobson, Director
Minnesota River Valley Education District
P.O. Box 487
Montevideo, MN 56265
kjacobson@mrved.net
320-269-9297
Candidates should apply by going to http://www.montevideoschools.com/ click on District Office, Job Postings and then follow the directions listed for licensed applicants, applying through AppliTrack.
Position is open until filled.
Equal Opportunity Employer