Change to Become Good

During the opening session of the 2009 NCTIES Conference, Vicki Davis encouraged her audience to follow the Kaizen philosophy of slow, steady improvement. I knew nothing about Kaizen but I liked the inference so I went to Google and began searching for an overview of the concept.

Background Information
Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy developed in the 1950's to help restore the nation after World War II. American systems of standardization and statistics based process improvement were the basis of the concept that focuses on continuous improvement. Toyota is well known for implementing the approach to improve productivity. Masaaki Imai, author of Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success, is credited for making the term famous.

Key Points

The Kaizen approach can be applied to all aspects of a business and involves every employee. External partners can also participate in the process.

This is a culture of small, continual improvements and standardizations that lead to large gains.

Kaizen is a daily activity that uses the scientific method to elimate waste and humanize the workplace.

This is a cyclic approach similar to the PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act).

Training and support are needed to set standards then constantly improve those standards.

So how does this apply to education? Proponents claim this approach works well in collective cultures where long-term change is needed. We talk about 21st Century tools and systems but delay implementing them. Slow and steady progress will help us break past molds and reach our goals. Let's have reflective meetings that embrace the concept of a Kaizen blitz or a Kaizen event to focus on particular issues holding us back.

We all face challenges at work, at home and in our communities. Let's look for ways to make small changes that will improve our quality of life. The Kaizen philosophy reminds us of the need to constantly move forward inch by inch. In Japanese, Kai means change or the action to correct and zen means good.

Let's make a commitment to change to become good.

References:
Wikipedia article on Kaizen
Value Based Management article on the Kaizen method
Graphic Products Kaizen tutorial
Strategos overview of Kaizen

Generating and Testing Hypotheses

Another proven instructional strategy focuses on inductive thinking by having students discover principals through generating and testing hypotheses. To be successful, learning experiences must include clear guidelines and structured tasks that guide students to a deeper understanding of the concept.

Technology can be a valuable tool throughout the process. Directions, tables and graphic organizers can detail the procedures and organize the data. Digital probes, microscopes and tools can be utilized to collect accurate data. Spreadsheet functions facilitate recording and analyzing results so students can focus on interpreting data rather than performing complicated calculations. Online simulations allow students to quickly perform multiple trials or run experiments that cannot practically be completed on site.

Need good simulation sites? A netTrekker is a great tool for locating reliable resources. Simply refine the search results for your chosen topic by selecting Learning Experiences under the Learning Aids category.

Let's rethink the possibilities.

Based on content found in:
Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement written by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock and Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works written by Howard Pilter, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn and Kim Malenoski

New Project Ideas from Flicker

Ready to move beyond PowerPoint projects? Have students summarize what they've learned by creating a trading card, motivational poster or jigsaw puzzle. Mark Samberg and Abbey Askew shared a site titled Big Huge Labs (http://www.bighugelabs.com/flickr/) during their NCTIES presentation. The site subtitle explaines these are Flickr Toys offering a variety of tools to something "cool" with your photos.

One feature allows students to summarize what they've learned using the Trading Card Maker (http://www.bighugelabs.com/flickr/deck.php). Begin by uploading a photo. Then add a title, subtitle and description. Clicking the Create button finalizes the card saving the image as a jpeg file.

Crisis or Opportunity?

Don't you just love it when the pieces begin to come together? Recent opportunities have allowed me to read The Thin Book of Naming Elephants and hear Will Richardson. I really didn't expect these two events to be related but I found a connecting idea.

The book encourages its readers to avoid the tendency to place blame. Instead a "surprise should be an opportunity to review and reexamine the system, our assumptions and choices" and "an opportunity to grow". I particularly liked the reference to Paul Romer's terminology "waste of crisis" which emphasises the short window of opportunity to take advantage of a difficult situation. Yes, take advantage. Desperate times can open the door to new approaches and new solutions. Legislators and administrators may be willing to consider alternate tools and funding allocations when times are tough.

In his presentation at the NCTIES Conference, Will Richardson suggested that during the current financial crisis, we may discover that digital is cheaper. What if we compare the cost of technology tools verses consumable tools? What if we fully utilize the power of technology to cut the cost of day-to-day supplies? What if teachers don't need to hoard and fight over paper?

Let's explore the possibilities and open some new doors. Let's think differently about our day to day procedures and welcome new approaches. Let's look outside the box for resources and tools to meet our needs.

Let's not waste the crisis.

Hammond, Sue A., and Andrea B. Mayfield. Thin Book of Naming Elephants. Bend, OR: Thin Book Publishing Company, 2004.

Simple Timer Solution

Need to focus that student who gazes around the room for 4 of the 5 minutes designated for an activity?
Need a timer everyone can see?
Need to limit your computer time for a more balanced life?

Check out http://e.ggtimer.com/ for an easy to use, highly visible, online timer.

Type in the amount of time (3 hours, 10 minutes, 5 weeks 2 days 4 hours 6 minutes 7 seconds, etc.) and click Go.

Your computer screen begins the count down. with a clear display of the remaining time as well as a page border that fills across the screen as the last minutes tick away or..

track the time on a browser tab in IE 7 as you access other websites. This is a fun tool that has no fear factor.

For more discoveries, visit the NCTIES section of our wsfcswiki and browse through our conference notes. Set the timer so you don't stay too long. We've posted lots of links for you to explore.

Make Connections - Make a Difference

Multiple education sectors stress the importance of global connections and refer to classrooms without walls, but how do we begin the process of expanding our classrooms?

Will Richardson's recent blog post titled "Working Together to Make a Difference" shares the work of 11 year old Laura Stockman. Laura uses her blog to promote community service and global connections to honor the memory of her grandfather who passed away in 2005 after a battling brain cancer. Visit her "25 Days to Make a Difference" site to learn more. Check out Laura's Ning titled "Working together 2 make a difference" for more suggestions.

These sites offer a variety of ideas, large and small, for helping people in your neighborhood or across the globe. Learn how other educators have taken advantage of opportunities to bring the world to their classroom. Then take the leap and look beyond the textbooks to see how you can make learning relevant and make a difference. Start checking out options now then make plans to take Laura's challenge and share your 25 days of making a difference next December.

Near or far - Make new connecitons - Make a difference

Edutopia: The George Lucas Educational Foundation

Yes, the George Lucas of Star Wars fame is interested in education. Edutopia focuses on what is working in public education. Content is organized around six core concepts:
Comprehensive Assessment , Integrated Studies ,
Project Learning , Social & Emotional Learning ,
Technology Integration and Teacher Development

As you might expect, a video library is one tool available for browsing through information about successful programs around the country. Spend some time exploring how other educators are using the power of technology to provide an enhanced learning experience for their students. You'll find some projects very similar to ideas that have been explored in our school system and some new strategies as well.

You can also respond to The Poll to voice your opinion and request a free copy of Edutopia magazine.

Make time to dream. Then work to make your dreams come true.

Providing Feedback

Research indicates that feedback should explain what corrections are needed, be delivered without delay and focus on performance related to specific skills or content. A few words of encouragement are always welcome and help keep students motivated and moving toward their goal. Let's not forget that students need to learn to self-access their progress as well.

Interactive sites provide instant feedback for students as they practice new skills. Microsoft Office Word features include readability scores to help students check the complexity of their writing. Classroom response systems offer instant feedback for students and teachers as well as multiple report options to track progress and target areas that need improvement. Carefully designed rubrics can facilitate self-evaluation as well as peer review. Blog and wiki posts also provide options for monitoring progress and providing feedback.

How have you used technology to provide feedback? What new tools could be used?

Let's rethink the possibilities.

Based on content found in:
Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement written by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock and Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works written by Howard Pilter, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn and Kim Malenoski

C-SPAN Classroom

The C-SPAN Civics Bus is visting the Triad area this week. Several local schools are enjoying the opportunity to learn more about all branches of our government and explore the collection of resources offered in the C-SPAN Classroom. If the bus doesn't make at stop at your school, simply visit the cspan.org website to create a free login and begin digging through the offerings.

The C-SPAN Websites button provides quick access to over 20 types of resources including: American Presidents, American Writers, C-SPAN Classroom, C-SPAN Video Library, The Capitol, Capitol Spotlight, Presidential Libraries, StudentCam and The White House. The extensive video library includes archives of all congressional speeches. These clips can be edited and saved as links for classroom use.

Discussion questions accompany the Clip of the Week and lesson plans created by current classroom teachers are posted for a wide variety of topics.

Sign-up today and begin bringing government to life in your classroom.

A Trainload of Resources

Here's a site for novice PowerPoint users and elementary school teachers looking for some new ideas. Pete's PowerPoint Station
offers three stops on your resources exploration adventure.

Pete's Presentations houses links to premade PowerPoint presentations for teacher and student use on a wide variety of topics. A collection of free clipart is also available.

Greta's Games organizes links to interactive and instructional resources by topic/subject. so you may find some current favorites in the list. Resources include a variety of formats including PowerPoint and pdf files in addition to the flash player based interactive sites.

Hanna's Help provides resources for improving research skills and utilizing search engines. PowerPoint templates for student projects are also available at this stop along with tutorials for improving your PowerPoint skills.

Many sites leave the Pete's PowerPoint Station site to increase the offerings. Watch for the related links to Google powered ads and search results if you feel adventurous.

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is not a new concept. Designing learning situations where students work together to achieve designated goals has been a long term instructional strategy. Research reminds us that effective learning groups are well structured and rely on positive interdependence, social interaction skills and accountability to assure success for all participants.

With these guidelines in mind, consider the expanded options for cooperative learning groups. Updated connectivity and global technologies make local and international collaboration equally accessible. Students can establish shared bookmark sites and online calendars to manage project tasks. They can use video conferencing tools to meet across the miles. Students can work together to complete quests online or in a virtual world.

As educators we have the opportunity to align with colleagues across the hall or across the globe to remove the walls and expand the outlook of our students. Let's think beyond our past experiences and embrace the power of technology.

Let's rethink the possibilities.

Based on content found in: Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement written by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock and Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works written by Howard Pilter, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn and Kim Malenoski

Don't be Left Behind or Left Inside

Public School Insights recently republished an article titled, "Last Child in the Woods": A Conversation with Best Selling Author Richard Louv. This served as a reminder that while many initiatives focus on leaving no child behind academically, we also need to be concerned about alienating children from the natural world. Schools are asked to take advantage of "nearby nature" to increase awareness of plants and animal life that are working to coexist with us in any environment.

Technology is portable. Take a laptop outside to record observations. Use the digital camera to capture images of interesting plants and animals to research back in the classroom. Go exploring.
Don't let our students suffer from "nature deficit disorder". Let's not forget our interdependence with the environment. As Louv points out, we use all our senses when we are outside which optimizes learning.

Get out and explore the wonders around you.

Being Deliberate

Today's scan of the collection of ideas and information gathered by my Google Reader included an Education Sector article by Andrew J. Rotherham. Mr. Rotherham points out that the need for critical thinking, problem solving and global awareness are nothing new. These skills have been necessary for advances throughout the ages.

What has changed is the need for the masses rather than the few to be trained in these areas. We can no longer hope students will be lucky enough to have a great teacher somewhere along the way who has the foresight to purposely structure instruction to address the challenges of the 21st Century. Schools and school systems must be "deliberate" about teaching these skills to all students.

The state requirement to develop new School Improvement Plans provides a wonderful opportunity to pause, reflect and make a dedicated effort to revise instruction with a focus on integrating 21st Century skills in every classroom. Let's stop preparing students for our past.

Let's make a deliberate effort to prepare all students to

meet the challenges of their future.

Read the complete article at http://www.educationsector.org/analysis/analysis_show.htm?doc_id=751582 .

KartOO Search Engine

While looking for different search engines to use, I found one called KartOO. Not really sure about the way it is pronounced, maybe "kar - too" like a sneeze or maybe "kart - oh". It was developed in France and can be searched for websites, images, videos, and Wikipedia content. KartOO is a free, cartographic search engine that retrieves results from numerous other engines, such as Yahoo, AltaVista, Hotbot (and the list goes on) and then shows them in a visual, interactive map using Flash.

You can choose which language you want to see the results in and the words and menus are specific to each country. The left-side column shows the initial search in categories. Then as you move the mouse cursor across the result pages, keywords are highlighted and a brief description appears on the left side of the screen. A separate window opens when you click one of the pages. Gold lines link the subjects and sites. Clicking on one of the Topics in the left column takes you to more interactive maps.

There is a filtering system, bit it is very weak. Some words would give the message that if you were under 18, please do not go on into the site instead of blocking it. Our District filter caught most of the "usual" searches, but unfortunately some others came on through. I wasn't able to create my own custom search engine like I do in Google so only specific sites can be searched.

A first time user may not find KartOO very user friendly. The graphics aren't displayed in any type of organization, just kind of thrown around on the page. Options for saving and printing the maps are two very usable features.

If you have found a search engine you would like to recommend, please leave us a comment.

Setting Objectives

Research says goal setting ...

provides "a direction for learning"

establishes a focus and helps students ignore unrelated information

should be general and flexible rather than specific

needs to be personalized

clearly states performance expectations, required conditions and evaluation criteria.

How do we ensure the participation and buy in of all stakeholders in clearly identifying goals and objectives? How do we ensure the success of all stakeholders?

Word processing features allow us to create unit plans students can use to focus on lesson goals as well as overarching competencies. Students can create KWL charts to track their progress as they bring background knowledge to a new topic, identify what they need to investigate and evaluate what they have learned. Contracts and rubrics are easily created to communicate expectations using word processing or online tools.

Graphic organizers can add flexibility to goal setting and provide a more appropriate format for visual learners. Students might make choices within specified parameters and/or use images to communicate. Organizers also provide structure for tracking progress and setting timelines to meet each expectation and master each concept. Technology based plans can easily be modified as the focus flexes to include more/less detail or adjust for individual needs/interests.

Surveys and spreadsheets provide data collection components that can provide the information we need to personalize objectives making them more meaningful. Online surveys that include open-ended items are a wonderful way to access students' background knowledge and interests. Lessons can then be modified to address needs, clarify misconceptions and construct engaging activities.

Blogs are another tool for maintaining focus and tracking progress. Each person can contribute their views, challenges and successes as the class strives to reach a goal. Blending perspectives helps everyone develop a broader vision and deeper understanding of the topic.

Let's rethink the possibilities.

Based on content found in: Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement written by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works written by Howard Pilter, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn and Kim Malenoski

Shifting Expectations

Here's the Challenge

Supported by a district requirement for technology staff development as a component of the certificate renewal process, District Instructional Technologists have offered a variety of workshops throughout the years. As we review the research and explore new training options, our focus is shifting. Yes, we are here to teach workshops; but we are also here to provide follow-up support to help teachers implement new strategies and utilize new tools.

Research shows that simply participating in 1 hour training sessions has little effect on classroom instruction. No one should be surprised by this.

As we fine tune our department structure to include new training options, we must also herald our willingness to assist teachers on individual technology based projects. Hopefully teachers will hear, "We are here to support you" and be willing to invest time and energy putting innovative approaches into practice.

Let's form a real partnership to take advantage of technology resources and work together to provide a 21st Century education for our 21st Century learners. Let's move from seat time to earn the required credits to truly implementing strategies identified as best practices.

Call on us. The Department of Technology is here to help you soar to new heights and bravely travel into new territory.

Be brave. Think and act outside the box.

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is not a new concept but it is often used ineffectively. Putting students in groups does not assure cooperation or learning. Groups must be defined and governed to promote positive interdependence and interaction as well as individual and collective accountability. Interpersonal, small group and group processing skills are also critical. Effective groups take time to establish. Structure and clear guidelines are fundamental elements of successful learning groups.

Multimedia presentations are a wonderful way to communicate group findings. Teachers should guide the process by assigning clear roles for creating and sharing productions. Tools include the traditional products such as Word and PowerPoint but it is time to consider other options. Podcasts, webquests and online collaboration can increase the options for learning and sharing. Shared bookmark sites and online communities can facilitate collaboration and expand group resources. Let's harness the power of the web to support and promote collaborative success.

What new approaches will help your students be productive group members? Join us in an exploration of 21st Century tools that can promote cooperative learning skills that will help our students excel in a global community.

Let's rethink the possibilities.

Based on content found in: Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement written by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works written by Howard Pilter, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn and Kim Malenoski

Basic Skills or 21st Century Skills - Not an Either/Or Issue

This week's RSS feeds led me to an Education Sector article titled Measuring Skills for the 21st Century. While the article focused on testing challenges and current initiatives to revise assessments, there were several other research-based points we need to keep in mind.

The Measuring Skills for the 21st Century article noted that "the best learning occurs when basic skills are taught in combination with complex thinking skills". We don't have to exclude 21st Century skills to focus on the basics. Instead, we need to incorporate approaches that allow students to utilize analytical thinking skills to practice basic skills. Let's harness the power of technology and 21st Century tools to join knowledge and thinking to help students acquire core content.

To be successful, district level personnel must value the combination of basic and advanced learning for all students. Training and on-going support for research proven techniques must be a priority. School level administrators must encourage implementation of integrated approaches powered by Web 2.0 tools. Teachers must be willing to explore options, work with new strategies and offer students new choices and opportunities. All educators have to accept the fact that we are living in the 21st Century. Students who master only the basic skills have no future in a workplace where fewer and fewer tasks require only routine skills.

Join us in the adventure of living and working in a global community. Let's take down the walls and remove the barriers holding our children back. Educators must lead the way to a future we cannot image by helping students become creators, thinkers and problem solvers.

"It is an emphasis on what students can do with knowledge, rather than what units of knowledge they have, that best describes the essence of 21st century skills."

Measuring Skills for the 21st Century

Visit http://www.educationsector.org/research/research_show.htm?doc_id=716323 to access the complete article.

A Call to Action

While scanning through the thoughts and ideas pouring into my Google Reader, I encountered Clay Shirky’s comment ...

“Social tools don’t create collective action –
they merely remove the obstacles to it”.

In the 2008-2009 school year we have expanded local workshop offerings to include a variety of tools to support collaborative projects and discussions. Several curriculum areas have created blogs and/or wikis to encourage online conversations between teachers spread across the district. Multiple training sessions have focused on Web 2.0 tools teachers and students can utilize to move beyond paper and pencil reports and worksheet activities.

But are those tools moving from the training room to the classroom? Creating a site doesn't guarantee site participation. Requiring site participation doesn't guarantee true collaboration or communication. We have to convince participants that these tools have value. We have to make it worth their time and effort. We have to provide ongoing support to assist new users of technologies new to them through the bumpy stages.

District Instructional Technologists are here to help. We are happy to provide training and support. School level administrators and curriculum/technical staff are also key players. Teachers are more likely to determine a new approach is worth the effort if it is valued and used by their peers and encouraged by administrators. To enhance the probability of success, teachers must be supported on all sides (administration, curriculum, technology). We need to go beyond removing the obstacles and actually move forward. Collectively we can make real progress.

Let's pull together and truly make a difference.

Nonlinguistic Representations

Research about the positive effect of nonlinguistic representations on student achievement has been shared and stressed in multiple initiatives. As educators, we need to provide graphic representations, models, images and images to help students organize and structure their learning. Over time students must also learn to create their own tools to translate the content into a structure that will improve learning.

How can technology help us accomplish these goals?

The district provides a variety of tools and resources for creating graphic organizers. Kidspiration and Inspiration software were designed to support organizer development. Microsoft Office programs are also very useful for creating images and diagrams to structure content. The resources section in our Riverdeep Lesson Plan Database contains Word and pdf versions of the Learning Focused graphic organizers as well as links to a variety of sites that provide organizer templates.

Many technology based tools also support the strategy of providing images to help students internalize concepts. Along with the standard Office products, we provide the option to run netTrekker images searches to locate appropriate pictures.

The save search and filtering features of netTrekker make it a great resource for locating kinesthetic activities to enhance student learning. Curriculum Pathways for grades 8 through 12 is an excellent source for web based activities and creative teaching strategies that meet the needs of all learning styles.

Make time to attend a training session to learn about new tools then take advantage of the resources that are just a few keystrokes away.

Let's rethink the possibilities.

Based on content found in:

Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement written by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock and
Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works written by Howard Pilter, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn and Kim Malenoski