Check out this new tool!

I am always looking for ways to improve teaching and learning. Today while browsing the Web, I came upon a curious tech tool. Now some would refer to it as a toy...not I! For any level of student, this is a great tool. A pen that will remember your pen strokes and then download the information to your computer to save/store for later. When you get tired writing, it'll record for you! Check it out here.

I love the implications of this for public education. What do you think?

Schools are Changing?

In this age of instant gratification using computers, I have a few concerns from a technology and an educational view.

1. If we are so tech savvy, then why was Sarah Palin vetted better?
2. If we are so tech savvy, then why are son many companies asking to be bailed out? Can it be that they were blind to what was coming or that they did not use technology properly to see what was coming?
3. If we are so tech savvy and want our students to be, then why do so many school systems block sites or worse, not have policies that govern technology use adequately or even worse, lack the hardware to use technology properly?

Just a few of my favorite questions at Holiday time...

Tech overload?

I was speaking to a friend the other day and she had just returned from a trip. She was complaining that her GPS battery ran out and she got lost. I asked her if she had a map. She stated that she did but that she had forgotten how to read it.

Ask a middle school student to multiply 15 X 18 and the first question you are likely to hear is "Can I use a calculator?"

Take them to the library and assign a research question and you will hear "Why can't I just Google it?"

My point is this...is technology eroding needed skills or is technology replacing needed skills? I concede that memorizing the counties of Maryland or memorizing state capitals is likely no longer a needed skill, however, technology is now replacing our need to do basic math, to spell and to use proper grammar. Not to mention basic research.

Is this a good thing? Is it a good thing to have basic skills mechanized? I am curious to hear your thoughts.

Kids and the Blogosphere

I have a blog, which you know if you are reading this. My 8 year old wants a blog. My wife says, "What's a blog?"

But blogging has issues in my mind.

Issue 1. Why blog? In the professional world it has the purpose of replacing the company bulletin board and constant access. Blogs are used personally to vent, share information or simply to create a community of like-minded individuals. In education, is blogging fair to those with limited or no computer access?

Issue 2. Technology for technology's sake. If a child cannot type, is a blog going to help or hurt that student? Is a blog going to really spark creativity in a child who cannot type? There is a fine line here between using the technology for a purpose and just using technology.

Issue 3. Access and monitoring. When blogs are used in schools, the whole monitoring thing comes up. Who will monitor the blog? How will we be assured that the rules of decorum are followed? More responsibility for the already overworked teacher?

Issue 4. Research. Kids and adults alike need to understand that blogs are largely opinions and should be treated as such. Information included in them should not be taken as the gospel truth unless they are backed up with an additional source.

I do not claim to have the answers, I am just posing the questions! Yours are welcome as well.

Education 2.0

Look out world! Web 3.0 is coming!

Web 3.0? Whoa!

There are those who read this who may say what happened to Web 2.0? Well, nothing happened to it, it is here! Kids are using it to communicate and network; and yes even to do homework. From facebook to myspace, kids are more wired than ever. What about us? Where are we?

I am not sure where you are, but teachers need to get into web 2.0 as they are what kids are using. We have the advantage of teachertube for videos, scriblink for whiteboards, Jing for screencasting, and sites for podcasting. How many adults cannot even create an e-mail attachment or open one? It is time all, no past time; to get on board. The Web 2.0 world is growing fast. Either we get on board the train or the kids will leave us behind.

Day 2 at i3U

Today at i3U sponsored by HCPSS concluded today at Marriotts Ridge HS. I attended sessions on the Personal Response System (PRS), Google Earth, Excel and the things hidden in MS Word. I learned some tricks to make data bases easier. I learned that I need to update my version of Google Earth and some of the nifty things that it'll do. Finally, I learned what the potential in Word and PRS there is. I learned how to make forms in Word! I had no idea that could be done. As for the PRS, I have one, now if I can get the software installed, I am raring to go!