Alan November @ NECC

Alan November gave a thought-provoking talk at a NECC2008 special session on Tuesday July 1, 2008. The session titled, "Designing Rigorous & Globally Connected Assignments" (among other NECC sessions) can be accessed in full at http://www.kzowebcasting.com/necc/

While entertaining and thought-provoking, attendees didn't come away with specific assignments or a step-by-step how-to procedure. I left the session with a somewhat random list of ideas and tools to consider when designing a globally connected assignment. These ideas and tools were woven into stories and opinions about the current state of education. November's opening story was about how his son received detention because he went to China for a week because going to China wasn't on the list approved absences for seniors. What was more disturbing for November was that not one teacher took advantage of creating an assignment that would enable his son to bring something back from the experience.

Here are other thoughts gathered from my notes...
1. Surveying your audience is very effective tool to bring them into your conversation, lecture, or lesson. November used a clicker-type device that allowed him to survey the audience, giving him a jumping-off point for his talk. I've also used these devices in this manner in the classroom and it is a beautiful hook for most students.
2. Knowing your audience is very important and students should understand audience when communicating. November shared a story about American students being hired by foreign companies that use Instant Messenger tools to communicate in the business world. November claimed that American employees were being fired because they used IM in non-professional ways because they lost site of their audience. I immediately thought of emails I received from some of my students that illustrates they have lost site of the fact that they are emailing an adult who is an authority figure. Our students definitely need to learn to match proper communication to audience.
3. Gathering a global perspective using Google search strategies was very insightful. This media literacy lesson demonstrated the western bias of a Google news search and demonstrated ways to avoid this bias. November cited an assignment where students needed to gather news about Pope Benedict's speech in September 2006 that linked Islam with violence. The caveat was to gather the perspective of Turkey, where the Pope was to speak after giving the speech. The first search attempt using key words in the Google news search brought up sources that indicated mostly a Western point of view. Using "site:tr" prior to key words (no quotes, tr=Turkey) brought up articles from the Turkish Daily News. These articles were not anywhere near the top of the previous search.
4. The most recent information on a topic is very important, especially in the area of medicine or technology. Using Google's "view:timeline" (again, not quotes) in the search box will provide information (web search or news) in a timeline format. This will allow you to see the most recent advances. For example typing "view:timeline cml treatment" in Google will yield this.
5. Create a custom search engine can be a very useful for teachers. I wasn't aware that Google allows users to build a custom search that will limit the search to specific websites. Whether it is one site or a collection of sites, Google allows you to host a search box on your own website that will allow students to do specific searches. Better yet, have students build their own custom search engine for your specific course. As you can see, I have added a custom search for this blog in the upper left corner.
6. Learner job descriptions can be one way to organize classroom tasks. November suggested the following roles: a) Classroom Web Research-builds classroom search engine, b) Videographer to teach course content, and c) Curriculum tutorial design team. One suggested tool to for developing tutorial tasks is Jing. Once Jing is installed screen captures (photos & videos) are made and shared easily.
7. Student created content was emphasized by November. November believes that learners need to contribute to the learning community either by producing or organizing content. Suggested ideas included collaborative note-taking, powerpoints, and contributions to a wikipedia entry (ex. Pitot House, view the history tab). Read more on students as contributors in this article on The Digital Farm.
8. Global connections are easier than ever and kiva.org allows students (or anyone) donate to entrepreneurs in developing countries and get money back on their loan. November suggested some students should make up a "Global Communications Team" that works to set up contacts around the world.

Cell Phones As Learning Tools (More NECC Day 1 sessions)

Liz Kolb's blog titled From Toy to Tool is an ongoing conversation about using cell phones as learning tools. I caught part of this conversation at my final Monday NECC session. You can find more information about this session from the Cell Phones in Learning wiki that Liz set up for this session. Liz opened with a video clip from NPR's segment Three Generations' View of Cell Phones. This reminds me of my own evolution regarding cell phones. I once had no concept why text messaging was so appealing to our teenagers. Now, I probably use the text feature more than the voice features.
Next came a mention of Wiffiti, which is a tool to have your text messages sent to public places. One way that Liz demonstrated Wiffiti was to pose a question to the class and have all participants text an answer to the screen. This would be useful for brainstorming tasks as everyone's responses would be seen simultaneously.
Liz outlined 4 reasons why we should use cell phones as learning tools.
1. The number of students who have cell phones. I believe over 60% of students 6-12 have their own cell phones. This number is dramatically higher among the 9-12 population. I talked to several teachers in low-income school districts who remarked that their students all had cell phones.
2. The students view of their cell phone. Just try taking away a teenager's cell phone. You will learn pretty quickly how much they value their cell phone.
3. The cell phone is an anytime, anyplace, any pace collaborative learning tool. This also happens to describe how students like to learn.
4. Preparation for 21st century skills. Only 23% of K-12 students believe they are being properly trained in schools for the 21st Century digital job force (from The Speak Up Reports and PEW).
Ok, now it's time to do the Cell Phone Cha Cha! Got a question that needs answered? Can't access the internet? Try the mobile phone Cha Cha service. You can either call 1-800 2 Cha Cha or text 242 242 and then ask any question. In a couple of minutes you will receive a text message response with the answer to your question. I just called Cha Cha for my daughter Zoe. She asked Cha Cha for Ashley Tisdale's phone number. In a few minutes we received her number via a text message. Zoe is very excited!! Give it a try now!
If any of you are familiar with CNN.com's new iReport feature then you might see the power of mobile blogging. Mobile blogging is simply the ability to post text, audio, photos, and video to the an internet blog from a remote location instantanously using your cell phone as the primary tool. There are many tools that allow for this type of reporting...Jott and Gabcast being two of them. Jott allows you to call a number, speak, and have the voice to text translation to occur so the text can be sent to a variety of places that you select. I will be definetly using Jott to send a voice message to my Google Calendar.
Finally, Liz discussed Textmarks. Textmarks is a tool that will allow my students to sign up for text message alerts. I plan to have all my students subscribe to my alerts so I can send them reminders about projects, exams, news, changes in schedules, etc. You can see what this looks like at my classroom website.
Since I plan for all of my students to have blogs this year, I see mobile blogging having lots of potential in the area of psychology. Using remote videos, photographs, and voice to record human behavior can be a very powerful tool. I am excited to see where this can go. Other uses might include the creation of tutorials, brainstorming, and pre-writing exercises. If you have ideas, please comment here!

NECC-Day 1--Classroom 2.0: Exploring the Potential of Web 2.0

Steve Hargadon moderates, with Vicki Davis, Lucy Gray, Karen Greenwood Henke, Rushton Hurley and Leigh Zeitz

One of the many features of Web 2.0 tools is a back-channel chat feature. What this means is that when a session, workshop, panel, or keynote is broadcast to a remote audience (or even the live audience), then all audience members can participate in a back-channel conversation. These participant chat-rooms can be set up at uStream if you are broadcasting live video or you can set up a room at Chatzy. I think it is important that someone is able to moderate the back-channel during the event. For example, I was attending a panel discussion and the panel was taking questions from the audience but they also took questions that were posted in the chat room by audience members who were watching the panel discussion from the comfort of their own homes. I was also logged into the chat even though I was attending live and was having an ongoing conversation about the panel's comments with the remote audience. You can view the chat for this session at this Chatzy Room (the password is necc). Some of the conversation surely stimulates thinking.
Hargadon also used Poll Everywhere to assess his audiences attitudes and interests before the panel discussion began. The polls can be viewed here. Poll Everywhere uses the power of cell phone technology and I've blogged about it's capabilities before.
Hargadon runs Classroom 2.0, a great Ning social network with lots of members, discussion, and information about web 2.0 tools and capabilities. Biographies of the other panel members can be found here.

NECC Day 1--Missing Link-21st Century Leadership

Christopher Moersch, Ed.D., of the LoTi Project led this session that previewed an Alan November survey in Tuesday's highlighted session which identified a lack of 21st century leadership and vision for technology integration. The LoTi Project as I understand it from this session, allows educational leadership to assess the level of integration regarding 21st century skills such as global awareness and entrepreneurship. Moersch made the important point that technology in the classroom does not equal 21st century learning. In fact, much of technology integration still only achieves lower level cognitive skill development.
In order to assess 21st century skills in any one lesson, Moersch applies H.E.A.T. analysis. Rate a lesson from 1-5 on H-Higher Order Thinking Skills, E-Level of Engagement, A-Authenticity of the student work, and T-Integration of Technology. If the lesson scores high in these 4 areas, then you most likely achieved a 21st century learning environment.
Dr. Moersch asked teachers in the room to create a performance task on the spot using the website www.270towin.com. This site provides historical date on every state's presidential election history. The point being made was how quickly a high level HEAT analysis lesson could be developed.
Educational leadership can use LoTi's 5 C's to integrate 21st century skills: Cultivation, Courage, Creativity, Commitment, and Communication. Learn more on the LoTi webpages.

Wishing You Were At NECC?

If you want to explore the topics and sessions of NECC 2008, you can attend by joining the NECC 2008 Ning Social Network. You can view live streams, link to other blogs, session links, and even have access to the handouts from sessions on the program pages off the NECC Main site. If you check out something of interest, leave a comment here.

N.E.C.C. Sessions-Day 1

After missing the keynote because of flight delays (had to stay in Detroit for a night), I finally began my sessions this morning with "Creating a PLN in SL." For those who are acronym-challenged, this means "Creating a Professional Learning Network in Second Life." I've blogged about Second Life before and I was curious to see how educators were playing in 2L. This session was a panel discussion by the Discovery Educational Nework (DEN) in 2L Leadership Council. This council began in May 2007 and currently has over 500 members in the 2L DENinSL virtual world. Some members that the virtual environment will some day become part of education in a big way but for now the focus was on using 2L as a way to expand professional and personal learning networks. The simplist way to understand how 2L can expand your learning network is to think about how you interact with other professionals during a conference you have attended. A real-world conference provides a gathering place for professionals with similar interest to interact. I am in San Antonio with teachers, administrators, and vendors from all over the world. It lasts for 4 days and then we go back home and rarely do the conversations continue. In 2L, this type of interaction can occur anytime and there is no travel involved. I can be at home with my laptop and attend a conference (or other professional development opportunities) virtually with people around the world and have conversations just as I would at a real-world conference. The key is networking. Who informs your learning? How do you inform your learning? Is it limited to the key people in your district or is it expansive and includes educational leaders from around the country and around the world?

NECC

I am leaving this Saturday for my first trip to the state of Texas for ISTE's NECC (National Educational Computing Conference). Check back (or better yet...learn how to RSS feed this blog) next week to see what I hope are daily updates. ISTE offers a nice conference planning tool and right now I'm looking at the following sessions (we'll see how many times I change my mind after getting recommendations once I'm in San Antonio. So if you are interested in any of the following topics I should have a report for you next week. And if you have any recommendations for San Antonio, let me know!

Sunday, June 29
5:45-7:00pm	Opening Keynote [Session; Keynote] Location: HGCC Ballroom C
Monday, June 30
11:00am-12:00pm	Mooovin' To Moodle [Session; BYOL] Location: Grand Hyatt Lone Star Ballroom D
11:00am-12:00pm	Breathing Life into Your Curriculum: Google Earth Advanced Placemarks [Session; BYOL] Location: Grand Hyatt Lone Star Ballroom B
12:30-1:30pm	Truly Technologically Integrated Planning for Teaching and Learning [Session; Spotlight] Location: HGCC 001 A
3:30-4:30pm	Creating Live Web TV for the Classroom for Global Audiences [Session; Spotlight] Location: Grand Hyatt Texas Ballroom D
Tuesday, July 1
11:00am-12:00pm	LOL @ NECC: We’re Baaaaaack! [Session; Spotlight] Location: Grand Hyatt Lone Star Ballroom F
2:00-3:00pm	Powerful Learning Practice: Creating Online Communities for Professional Development [Session; Spotlight] Location: Grand Hyatt Texas Ballroom D
3:30-4:30pm	It's in Your Pocket: Teaching Spectacularly with Cell Phones [Session; Spotlight] Location: HGCC Lila Cockrell Theatre
Wednesday, July 2
10:30-11:30am	Del.icio.us Research: Redesign Assignments with Social Bookmarking [Session; BYOL] Location: Grand Hyatt Lone Star Ballroom C
12:00-1:00pm	Making Microsoft Word Interactive: Using Forms, HyperLinks, and More! [Session; BYOL] Location: Grand Hyatt Lone Star Ballroom D
1:30-2:30pm	Digital Investigators: Using Digitized Media for Project-Based Learning [Session; BYOL] Location: Grand Hyatt Lone Star Ballroom C
2:45-4:00pm	Closing Keynote [Session; Keynote] Location: HGCC Ballroom C