If you research the term and practice on the internet, you will find that some educators find it a recent, ’21st Century’ phenomenon, related to updating and upgrading classroom practice to align with our often hyper-connected students, while other educators observe this as a clarification and practice of constructivist education. (See also Constructionism)

If we accept the notion that state standards and mandated state and national exams are a measure of the baseline, achievement of the educators ‘starting’ point rather than the ultimate goal, we can quickly realize there is both room and need for adapting the classroom. 

In order to move beyond this baseline of expectations, in order to provide a world class education, in order that we help our students to engage in critical thinking, education of the whole person and support the development of not just the future work force of America, but literally, it’s citizens, we come to recognize that constructivist theory and practice is a powerful opportunity.  The flipped classroom is a creative and dynamic way of achieving these ends, utilizing the teacher not as a lecturer but rather as a resource for deepening understanding and reinforcing prior learning.

There are a multitude of ways that a teacher may begin to apply the ‘Flipped’ philosophy… one example I learned of last year (out of the Tucson, AZ area); the teacher assigned the course work (theory) to occur out of the classroom, at home, study hall. Teacher had content online (Moodle – for our District this is CGOL), but one could use a variety of web based media (See Salman Khan TED Talk Video below) and resources, the students came to class 3 days a week, versus 5 (2 days were study hall/Media Center) and during the days in the classroom, students were discussing with the teacher, practicing the theory in a practical sense, developing products and artifacts as evidence of understating.  The teacher was the resource not the answer, the teacher challenged – through inquiry – students ideas and understanding. The teacher could easily guide dialog to real-world connections.  This teacher explained that his students were exhibiting self-reliance and personal responsibility for their learning, they were achieving a meta-state, learning about their learning through supporting their fellow learners.  The experience took the students, and the teacher, far beyond lecture, note, passing a test on Friday afternoon. 

Your environment may not allow for you to actually alter student schedules and whereabouts, but you can look at how you spend your class time, and how your students spend your class time.  Are you all putting into it, what you are getting out of it?  If not, maybe you’d like to Flip, maybe it’s modified to fit your environment, your students, your content, your need.  But give it a try.

Remember as a child, doing a somersault and giggling with joy, then doing another?
Go ahead, Flip your classroom and let yourself giggle for joy!

Resources:

The Flipped Classroom & Webinar an Wiki Resources
How the Flipped Classroom is Radically Transforming Learning
The Flipped Classroom Model: A full Picture, Jackie Gerstein, Ed.D
I had the pleasure of participating in a session and speaking with Dr. Gerstein at EduBloggerCon and ISTE 2011, she is a sharp, passionate dynamo with powerful ideas for teachers and learners!
Link to Dr. Gerstein presentations HERE
Learning Conversations, Flipping the Classroom

Video – TED Talks: Salman Khan, Khan Academy on Video as Flipped Instruction

Still wondering what to call this thing I do.  Mostly ‘Educational Technology’ seems to have taken deep root in the US, there are a few other names beyond the states.  I stumbled on ‘Academic Technology’ on LinkedIn and tried that on for size.  But if Emerson is on to something here, we need to call it by the best name.  Way Back Machine to 2008: http://tinyurl.com/26m5qme

A few years back I thought the words ‘Educational Technology’ would continue to propagate and reinforce the stereotype of this scope of work/study/practice being a stand-alone, separate activity – reinforce ‘otherness-ness’.

Have I lost you yet?  Words have power, they reinforce belief, they invoke bias.  What is this scope of work now?  It is embedded, in curriculum, in professional learning communities, in communication.  Embedded, entrenched, immersed….  How about this one:  Digital Academics! I think I shall put it on my email sig and see if anyone even notices.

Amy Chayefsky
Digital Academics Coordinator

Well, I may just like that?  Et tu, Brute?

PM for ClearCutter:  DAC?

Both of these roles are run by (what I like to call) my mighty department of one.  CTE was to be a portion of my work, not all of my work and EdTech has taken a sad back seat.  This has set my heart, my brain, my soul and my passion out of balance.

I have struggled with how to move forward and right my ship.  I reflect back to what believe about (1) ANTs and I am reminded of Gina Pinch’s words about being able only to (2) ‘change oneself’ versus changing others and having the ability and capacity to (3) ‘affect change within your own personal sphere of influence’.

I add this to some of the messages from our new leadership which practices and celebrates: (4) Leaders at all levels; (5) Decision-making closest to the point of implementation.

In these simple statements I find philosophical guidance – those things you know, but lose sight of as faced with the urgencies and fires of each day.  But become new again, obvious again when you hear them said, when the time is upon ou and your ears are wide open!

My ears are wide open!

Here is my pledge to me:

1.  I shall work to balance ANTs with the things I can influence through positive change
2.  Focus energy on improving my perspective/bias/beliefs, not attempting the impossible – trying to change others
3.  I shall focus on the optimistic people (like me) and the positive experiences within my sphere of influence (professional and personal)
4.  I shall seek opportunities to help develop leaders at all levels, within my personal and professional sphere of influence
5.  I shall stop to smell the roses.  By this I mean that I will permit myself the space to STOP (before reacting), OBSERVE (before acting), REFLECT (before doing) as I seek to recognize opportunities to move decision-making closest to the point of implementation.

Serious Gaming on my mind, its (and related evangelists) are suddenly everywhere I turn – beyond trend in educational technology, finally, the next big ‘shift’ in relevant educational technology.

Visions of Serious Gaming (as ‘Critical Friends’) for my Autistic friends.

That’d be my new twist an older theme: ‘Critical Friends’.

Video from TED 2010, Jane McGonigal ‘Gaming Can Make a Better World:

http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html

C’mon my game designer friends, let’s PLAY!

Blend your passions and achieve surprising and unexpected new flavors!

As educators, we are under constant pressure – and I believe personally obligated - to elevate our students, ourselves, our leadership and our communities into the (now 10 year old) 21st century shift to regain our (U.S.) competitive and innovative edge (Educate the ‘whole’ learner).  These decisions take education – and even more crucially, our society – back down that long hill.  Can we EVER hope to regain what we are abandoning in education and social programs now? We have not yet acheived our most  noble dreams and visions, if we continue to fall behind now, how many decades till we ‘catch-up’.  Can we ever make up this lost ground?  How much irreparable damage is being inflicted – now? 

Rapidly evaporating educational funds (in the form of state and federal grants) make it to some, which are quite often the innovators ‘at the top’ and those so far ‘at the bottom’ – all noble, but what about the majority in the middle?  Focus of funds only to classrooms ‘feels’ right, but can the classrooms elevate themselves all alone?  If they could, would we be having this discussion?  Legislators must begin to take the harder path, throwing out the notion that layoffs and teacher blame are any kind of solution.  We must explicitly support innovative and effective leadership that creates the infrastructure for, recognizes and sustains innovative and effective instruction.  Leadership that affects change to the culture and environment that impedes teacher success with students.  It is the long tail approach over knee-jerk reactions, that change too frequently for impact or measurement to meaningfully occur.

Is the our Sisyphus moment, can we ever get back to where we were? Is ‘where we were’ a reasonable goal?   What about where we hoped to be, meant to be? Don’t we still need to get over that hill? 

Children, Public Spaces, Free and Public (and I would add …. RELEVANT) Education for all. Isn’t one measure of an advanced society how we treat our vulnerable persons?   If this is true, does AZ get an F- as an advanced society?

After all – Society is Us!  And, through our vote, we get to decide.

CGUHSD just hosted the January countywide Tech Prep Professional Development at Vista Grande High School, our first at as host since I joined CTE as Coordinator in July 09.  Ten CGUHSD CTE Teachers participated, 50 teachers and CTE Directors joined, from across Pinal County.   Thanks to all our amazing CGUHSD teachers for their participation.  Special thanks to Debra Haught for channeling her inner Culinary Arts Host mode and taking care of prep, setup and tear-down, and for all our teachers who helped her.

In Educational Technology, through the State Grant, ‘Enhancing Education through Technology’, I registered teachers as AzTEA members, enabling them to apply for the AzTEA/QWEST Grants. These grants, if awarded, can bring $2500, $5000 and $10,000 toward classroom educational technology.  EETT funds also enabled me to send teachers to the ‘Teaching and Technology’ Conference in Tucson at Vail USD/Empire HS, last weekend and to register 3 teachers for the IDEAL Developing and Nurturing Vibrant Online Communities: Online Facilitator Training course.

MEC 2010 - I am delighted to announce that our proposal was accepted by the ASU Conference Committee.  Jeanine Nalepa, of Casa Verde High School, will join me to co-present with Gina Pinch of the Tempe Police Department, at ‘MEC 2010′ (Microcomputers in Education Conference held at ASU in March).  Mrs. Nalepa and I share a deep and mutual passion for educational technology.  Every year I happily spend much of my Spring Break to this 3-day Conference, this year Jeanine and I will spend those days together, presenting and absorbing the wisdom and experiences of other educators equally impassioned.  We are most certainly – 2 teachers on a mission!

As Board Member and Chapter Co-Chair for the AzTEA Eastside Chapter, I will be equally busy conducing the AzTEA Gala Luncheon, held at MEC each year.  This will be my third year coordinating this wonderful event.  Guests include leaders from AZ Dep’t of Education and AzTEA, Qwest Grant recipients and other special dignitaries.  Past keynotes include Carolyn Warner and last year Tom Horne, AZ State Superintendent of Education was recipient of the ‘Friends of Technology Award’, awarded at the luncheon  Presentation made by Cathy Poplin, Deputy Associate Superintendent of Educational Technology for ADE Pictures

Congratulations to Emily Riva, who has a full compliment of participants for both of the upcoming INTEL Courses she is offering to CGUHSD teachers.  Learn more at the link above.

This past year has seen much innovation and growth for Educational Technology at CGUHSD, to the benefit of our students and teachers.  I am proud to have the opportunity to be building this capacity at my amazing district and am so pleased to be in a thriving, forward looking, innovative environment of administrators with vision and teachers with passion and capacity to embrace that vision and make it their own.

The combination is rare and unstoppable!

Pictures from Tech Prep Professional Development at Vista Grande High School

It is amazing to think that 10 years ago we were not blogging or using wiki’s.  Teachers, in many districts, had, 10 years back, only recently gotten their own network logins and password and email.  Now the most ‘unsavvy’ user, has email.  Savvy and ‘un’savvy are redefined.  Microsoft and Apple were contenders, Google wasn’t known — yet (note to self – consider life before Google?), the read/write web was not available for the average user.  Webpages were still controlled by webmasters who were magical beings, seldom seen and since no-one could ‘do what they do’, seldom interfered with. The the ‘IT’ guys rose to prominence, cuz that network stuff… ‘no-one could do what they do’ and they were seldom interfered with (Disclaimer: ‘guys’ refers broadly to all the men and women involved in IT, network infrastructure and architecture).  We moved from 5 1/4″ floppy disks to 3 1/2″ to flash drives and tiny external drives, smaller than a tissue box, that have a terabyte of memory. All in less than 15 years.

A few short years ago, we were dazzled by automated answering machines and today, we cannot imagine being without our ‘smart’ phones.  It is archaic and untenable to have anything other than unlimited text messaging.  Chat is a thing of the not so distant past, sitting on the phone all day with friends, tethered to a wire that is tethered to a wall is becoming ridiculous.  Working on a computer that is tethered to a wire, tethered to a wall is waste of wire and seems almost laughable.  It is nearly impossible to participate in the commerce of life without an high speed internet connection.  According to the ‘pew Internet and American Life Project’, the new societal underclass are those homes and people without access to broadband.  Many have given up their land line phones in favor of mobile phones.  Family’s keep connected using web cameras and iChat.  Multiple generations stay connected over distance through social networking and photo sharing sites.  Most of this technology is free.  The rates for the fee-based are usually competitive because no-one wants to pay!  If you are any kind of provider, you had better provide something amazing if we are to spend our discretionary funds on your content, tool, product.  And if your free version isn’t marvelous, it will fail at the rate of any small business enterprise.

Form factors are so small I am still surprised when I see newer generation desktop computers (what’s a desktop?), chips are run in tandem or quad, costs have fallen, memory has increased, mobile is the new watchword – small, mobile, efficient, highly designed, inexpensive (and it had better be amazing), or free (go figure out the next marketing method on your own dime), stylish, intuitive.  AND we are all watching and judging and posting and voting and blogging and ranking.  Do YOU remember when beepers (grandma, what’s a beeper?) were the epitome of mobile communication?  SO if we are happy (or unhappy) thousands or millions may know.  We post video about it, about us, about them.  The music industry has had to evolve, the movie industry has had to evolve, commerce has had to evolve, to survive we have had to evolve.  We now can known anything at any time about any topic.  So what do we need?  We need to know how to discern, decide, determine… value, accuracy, authenticity (but that’s a topic for another day).  Technology has transformed elections, candidates, business.  Really? Does every news program need a Twitter account?  Global collaboration has changed and is changing … everything!

So in just slightly more than 10 years, how we do so many things, nearly everything, has changed irrevocably due to this amazing technological explosion.  And jump in the way back machine, back to the year 1010!  (Disclaimer, again! My research is NOT in depth, jut a quick root around… feel free to delight us with more information, through comments).

I can’t do better than this, so am simply listing a spread of years from this site – http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/Timeline.html#900
Picture:  http://commons.wikimedia.

800-1000
The first description of a rotary grindstone occurs in 834.

900-1100
Estimated population in Europe in 1000 AD
Estimated urban population in 1000 AD
The whippletree for the tandem hitching of horses to a wagon comes into general use in the 11th century.

The use of hops in brewing beer spread between the 10th Century and the 14th.

1000-1200

The horizontal loom appears in Europe in the 11th century, and in mechanized form in the 12th century.
The first artesian well in Europe was dug in Artois (hence the name) in 1126
Percussion drilling was first used in 1126 by the Carthusian monks.
Tidal mills first appear in Europe.
Rat traps are seemingly well-known by the 1170′s.
The first usage of glass mirrors is recorded around 1180
Windmills first recorded in 1185.
Spectacles are invented in Italy in 1285.
Arabic numbers start being mentioned in manuscripts around the start of the 13th century
Cakes of hard soap enter general use

1100-1300
Paper is first mentioned in Europe in the early part of the 12th century
Knowledge of magnets and magnetism available in Western Europe by 1140.

The compass is in use in Western Europe by the middle of the 12th century.

Estimated urban population in 1212 AD.

First illustration of a wheelbarrow in the first third of the 13th century.

What did I find most surprising? The advent of rat traps and spectacles.   I have Hollywood visions of old Europe as filthy, overcrowded urban centers and rat infested spaces.  Wonder what they used to catch rats before this.  Dogs, cats, farming tools, ferrets, rocks?  But spectacles?  I imagine myself, trying to survive in a world where I must sew and mend and do close work in poor light – without my spectacles?  Oh my head hurts at the thought of it.  But more interesting still, at least according to this list, which may not be exhaustive, above are 17 innovations from the 800′s to the 1300′s CE.  What would a list from the last 110 years look like by comparison, in the last 40 years, in the last decade?  After 200,000 years of relative simplicity (apologies to anthropologists everywhere, I know that’s a gross oversimplification) that sure is a lot of data in a single decade.  And, just how much memory would this list require?

Happy New Year!

It is great to be back, staff is busy readying for students.  Registration continues.  New Teachers started yesterday and I got to spend 3 wonderful hours with them.  After so many years in educational technology, I am delighted to report that teachers are so tech savvy!  the old fear facor is virtually non-existant and I didn’t hear that awful phrase once yesterday: ‘I don’t need to know, my husband does!’ or any of the myriad variations on that comment.

I didn’t need to open the class walking around with the traditional trash can in effigy routine — having participants throw out their fears, biases, negative thoughts toward technology, the I can’ts…  I am expecting this will be a permanent change as much of modern society needs some sort of computer-based expertise.  Afterall, some coffee pot programs require more know-how than many computer issues.  If nothing else, (I think) the coffee-pot requires more stick-to-it-iveness!!! This is a change I have waited for for many years and I celebrate the hire practices that brought thiws wonderful group of folks to us!

Vista Grande High School is OPEN for business and it is a fantastic environment, roomy, friendly.  The energy among the staff is super-charged and contagious.  Vista Grande is also home to the beautiful new Casa Grande City Library that partners as the school library!

This week I am introducing all certified staff to IDEAL, that is the Department of Educations premiere educator professional development portal.   It is robust and valued information adn I can’t wait to begin covering the myriad of resources that are provided in this one location!  ADE’s IDEAL Portal is the catalyst for this year’s CGUHSD Districtwide ‘Theme’:  The IDEAL District.

(Special thanks to Rick Baker, ASU -  Nan Williams, Alhambra  (formerly ADE) and Krystal Nesbitt, ADE)

We have many innovations coming this year!  Including: teachers and administrators  experimenting using socail networks to communicate witht heir ‘audience’; classes collaborating via webcam; administrators communicating with staff via Google Groups; teachers continue using Google Apps to support digital collaboration within their classorooms; and as always, I look forward to my favorite thing – developing more web-based global collaborations and distance classroom connections.   More news to come!

See you in the virtual spaces! A

It’s where you will find me, and if more needs to be said, tiny url’s will send you there.  I am on summer break but am looking forward to new things coming my way in July.

Watch for my updates at Twitter.

What’s on my mind for 09-10?

• Moodle on-line course management
• Google Docs and Groups
• Internet Safety Curriculum
• Drupal web pages
• Collaborations and Partnerships, in district and out
• Video and Podcasts
• IDEAL

and the beat goes on…..

Wishing you a safe and restful summer!!!  Day One is already moving @ the speed of light!!

But one of our School 2.0 groups had an interesting take on the inherent bias that can accompany words.  They suggested that the mere use of the word ‘school’ leads us to conjure images of traditional schools, the environments of our upbringing and our personal life experiences and educational beliefs.

What do you think?

I find great merit in this observation.   As we talk about agile and flexible and adaptable learning environments; as we talk about anywhere, anytime, anyway computing; as we talk about wireless, mobile devices, eTextbooks, no textbooks; as we talk about “flat classrooms” and schools without walls; as we talk about the trends toward eLearning and global connections — it is valid that we strive to find new language that defines a new vision.  Edu.gov did a great job on the eToolKit that helps prompt the conversation, but I agree with Marc, Rick and Emily.  School 2.0 by another name, could make the message even clearer!