Holt Think: Ed, Creativity, Tech, Administration

180 Questions on sale for just 99 cents USD

My first iBook, 180 Questions. Now on sale for 99 cents from the iTunes Bookstore. One week only. If you have not purchased an iBook, try this out. Written especially for those of you with iPads. 

From the description: 

For every educator that is part of a Professional Learning Community, there comes a time when the conversation about ‘learning about learning” slows down or even stops. This book is designed to get the conversation going again by providing daily “conversation starters” for PLCs no matter the grade level, the subject area, or the type of school. Tim Holt has created a daily reflection for each day of a typical school year that challenges educators to start really thinking about teaching and learning on their campuses. 

Some of the 180 Questions seem easy, some are more provocative, and some are humorous. All however, are designed to get the conversation in PLCs back to the subject of education. Each question is followed up something that allows the reader to delve more deeply into the topic, be it a web link, an essay, a video, or even a quiz. 

Please pass this on to fellow educators that might benefit from having a work that helps them in their professional learning community.

On Sale: 180 Questions for only 99 Cents

Beginning May 15 and for one week, my iBook 180 Questions will be on sale for just 99 cents USD in almost all iTunes stores across the globe. Now is your chance to got this book right before summer at an incredible price! Just 99 cents! 1/4 of a grande latte at Starbucks! Less than a 20 ounce Coke! Less than half the price of a big Mac! Almost half a cent a question! What a deal! 

You know you want it! Now is your chance to own it at an incredible price!

Speak Up Reports: Five Major Findings

Sometimes I wonder about these SPeak Up surveys. For instance, can anyone remember last year’s findings? Probably not, only some vague “something about mobile learning” stuff.  So I take each year’s survey with a giant grain of soalt, because each year they say that whatever they find out is going to change education as we know it…

So here are the five big points from this year:

Factor #1:  Whether state adopted or not, the Common Core State Standards are fundamentally changing the conversation about what learning should look like in our classrooms, and there is a new realization of the potential of digital tools and resources to help address those new standards.  In addition to improving teacher effectiveness, 48 percent of district administrators on this year’s Speak Up surveys chose “aligning local curriculum to national Common Core standards” as the strategy that has the greatest potential to enhance student achievement in their district.  Not coincidentally, nearly an equal percentage of administrators (49 percent) also see leveraging technology in the classroom more effectively as a key driver for student success as well.  Other well-known proposed solutions such as more Advanced Placement classes, 21st century assessments and career academies paled in comparison on the administrators’ rankings.    

Factor #2:  Today’s teachers, administrators and parents are increasingly mobile-using, texting, tweeting social media devotees whose personal and professional lives are dependent upon Internet connectivity and online collaborative learning environments.   In fact, a majority of teachers (52 percent), parents (57 percent) and district administrators (52 percent) are now regularly updating a social networking site, and many are using a personal mobile device such as a smartphone to do that.  This is creating an unprecedented “readiness” on the part of educators especially to adopt and adapt new technologies within learning.

Factor #3:  A continuation of the multi-year stagnation in funding for new education technology investments is now forcing school and district leaders to scrap many of the plans that have been on hold waiting for a resumption of funding.  Their new approach is to test innovative ways to leverage technology to increase revenue or decrease costs even though some of these approaches challenge conventional wisdom and long held policy positions.  For example, with 74 percent of technology leaders acknowledging that their ed tech budgets are less today than in the 2008/09 school year, it is not surprising that administrators are re-thinking their hard stance against student owned mobile devices in class. In just one-year from 2011 to 2012, districts piloting a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach increased by 47 percent.   

Factor #4:  Digital tools and resources have transcended the classroom and are emerging strongly as key components of 21st century school-to-home communications.  Today’s administrators are increasingly looking to engage parents as co-teachers in the learning process, and thus, the linkages between home and school are more essential than ever before. How the new “digital parent” wants to receive school communications is challenging many traditional assumptions.  Over one-third of parents (37 percent) now say that they would like their child’s teacher or school to communicate with them via text messaging; only 5 percent held that same view just two years ago.      

Factor #5:  The clamor of the corporate employers for better skilled employees with work ready, global skills is at a fever pitch – and this is propelling many economically minded school boards and mayors to put renewed pressures on school leaders for better student outcomes.  The implementation of Common Core State Standards in the majority of the states is at its core a response to the need for enhanced career readiness for all students.
Like puzzle pieces these five factors support one another, but also display unique characteristics that affect the readiness of some schools and districts to move forward with their plans for digital conversions.   So, how ready are our nation’s schools and districts today for a digital conversion?  And what is the evidence that today’s perfect storm environment will make a difference in the process?   

The bottom line on "no excuses"€™ and poverty in school reform

Placing blame for the achievement gap on bad teachers and schools is dangerous, and here’s why.

How Do We Address the Needs of Kids Without Mobile Access? | MindShift

This is an issue that is always bothered me.  I like the quote in there that we can’t let perfection standard of the way of implementation. If that were the case no businesses would be making webpages because not every customer has web access.

So where do you stand? How can we get those kids that don’t have Internet access up to speed?

Eight reasons why you should have a class blog

This article looks at 8 major reasons why you might want to blog in your class

1- Social Skills and confidence

2- Internet Safety

3-Blogging

4- Home School Connection

5- ICT skills

6- Classroom community

7- Authentic audience

8- Global Connection

Can you think of more?

Digital Storytelling Evaluation Rubrics for Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

This looks like a pretty good starting place for those of you that ware interested in digital storytelling in your classes.

From the site: 

Are you integrating digital storytelling in your course with your students ? Are you looking for a carefully crafted rubric to help you guide your digital storytelling activities ? Well you don’t have to go far, the answers are right below these couple of lines. This is probably the first time I am publishing a rubric on evaluating digital storytelling. I have previously featured several rubrics that are particularly technology focused and all are geared towards helping teachers better integrate technology into their teaching. Today and thanks to KSBE, Educational Technology and Mobile Learning is introducing you to excellent digital storytelling  rubrics.