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21 st Century Technology The Power of Collaboration. Tom’s 3 column Graphic Organizer. oh. Aha. OMG!. An upfront “oh” I have not used the term “student” and “learner” interchangeably “Student” – from studere – one who studies and attends school*
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Tom’s 3 column Graphic Organizer oh Aha OMG!
An upfront “oh” • I have not used the term “student” and “learner” interchangeably • “Student” – from studere – one who studies and attends school* • “Learner” – from lernen – to gain knowledge or understanding of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience* • * From Merriam-Webster OnLine
Learning like you’ve never imagined it could be! • One Premise • Beliefs Determine Actions • Two Questions • What year is it? • Do you believe it?
The Premise • Beliefs determine actions. • I WISH I could fly! • I don’t jump off of a 20 story building • Because I don’t believe I can fly • Belief determines action.
I WISH I could gamble and know I would win • I don’t gamble. • Belief determines action.
Remember the two questions? • What year is it? • 2. Do you BELIEVE it?
Do you BELIEVE it? • How many of you text regularly? • How many of you have an iPod? • How many of you use it personally for learning? • How many of you are in the blogosphere as blogger or reader? • How many of you have uploaded a video to YouTube or a picture to Flickr? • How many of you have a page on MySpace or Facebook? • How many of you play MMORPGs? • How many of you know what that means? • Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games
How many of you think your students would have answered all of those affirmatively?
How many of you use Skype? • In your classrooms? • How many of you believe that your classroom is the only place where learning is occurring? • How many of you link regularly for student learning with . . . • A class or teacher in another country? • A class or teacher in Nevada? • A class or teacher in your building? • Do your students know these things can be done?
How many of you . . . • Believe it’s 2008? • What evidence would you use?
And don’t tell me you use instructional technology as evidence • Most technology in classrooms is just used to do 1950’s stuff • – MORE LOUDLY • What I saw in a “state of the art” school
Could your students offer evidence that they believe it’s 2008?
How many of you believe in . . . • School Reform?
1990: I believe that all children can learn. • I believe if we do the right things in school we can make it happen for every child. • I believe that if we know what works and show others, they will do it and schools will be reformed! • I acted on those beliefs.
Boy did I act on them! • “King KERA” Hundred conferences and presentations • The teaching principalship • The active consultant
AND . . . • In a few places, there has been amazing success! • You can name them! • And it’s wonderful for kids!!!!
BUT, • It’s 2008 . . . • You saw the data – it’s not happening for kids the way it needs to! • That’s after working with the “easy” ones; the low-hanging fruit in the reform process.
My Observations. • Every child deserves to be a great learner. • Jim Collins sent us down the wrong path • We don’t have the resources to make every school a GREAT school. • It’s 2008.
Let me ask . . . • How many of you live in an area with magnet schools? • What magnets? • What about the rest of you? • What about your students? • What about kids in Battle Mountain? Or Wendover? Or Hawthorne? Or Wellington? Or ____ ? • Don’t they deserve those opportunities to learn?
It’s 2008, Why would we continue to act as if we believe that geography is the main determining factor in what a student can LEARN??? • I am the first to praise courageous school leaders
I WISH school reform were a viable model for bringing about change. . . • But remember Dorothy?
School Reform and . . . • The Wizard of Oz
We knew where we wanted to go • We believed in a myth • Put ourselves at great peril • Spent time on a difficult journey
The Secret of Oz • Have to have special glasses • If you wear your “school reform glasses” you can almost believe it’s going to work! • The Wizard’s way won’t get us “home” • We need another way to reach our destination • The answer was not in the Wizard’s system, the solution was letting Dorothy use what she had!
What year is it? • The tsunami is on its way
There is another way • The Virtual Learning Magnets • What this is NOT • Not National • Not School • NOT school reform • NOT school redesign • NOT school reinvention
This is about the complete transformation of opportunities for learners.
What is it? • Under the auspices of CCSSO • Works with a learner’s local school • Works with state/district Virtuals • Focuses on learning not schooling
Characteristics of each VLM • Targeted to individual learners and their passion • Strong post-secondary emphasis • Strong link to business and gov’t partners
State Compact • Agree to Performance-based credits • A. Use of existing state policy • B. Use of Chief’s waiver power • Agree to fully credential the learning on the report card. • Agree to aim for diversity that matches the learner population in the state.
The first VLM • The Virtual Learning Magnet for Space Science and Mathematics • In Cooperation with NASA • Proof of Concept starting in Fall 2008 • 500 learners • PofC finished by Spring 2009
Course Design • Non-traditional • Based on Big Ideas and Essential Questions • Non-linear • Computer-game metaphor • One teacher of Record
First course • SSM Physics 101 (comparable to AP, but not AP) • Not a general physics course • For learners who are “rocket kids” • Regular physics course, stripped of content • Repopulated by harvesting existing high quality NASA content
Essential concepts to understand • No formative and summative assessments • 2 types of assessments • Gateway assessments • Readiness assessments
2 Different Repositories • Content Repository • Initially with NASA content • Then partner content • Then learner content • Quality controlled through LMS • Learner Evidence Repository • Never static
MSSM Physics 101 • The Big Ideas • Kinematics • Mechanics • Gravity • Conservation of energy and momentum • Thermodynamics • Wave theory • Electricity and Magnetism • Nuclear Physics
Order of Units • Unit 1 • Unit 2 • Unit 3 or Unit 4 • Unit 5,6,7,8 in any order • Some will be learning in more than one at the same time!
How will learning take place? • activities • lessons • labs • podcasts • discussions • readings • videos • Second Life tutoring • . . .
How much does each learner have to do? • Whatever it takes to get through the gateway. • Evidence goes into the learner’s Learning Evidence Repository (ELR)
A Gateway assessment one place is a Readiness assessment somewhere else • Learning always has value • Extended learning has value • Learning is valuable and “portable” • The value is stored in the ELR
Other assessment requirement • Contribute to the Content Repository • Once as an individual • Once as members of a virtual cohort
Assessment as fractals of Fibonacci • Look for Evidence of Learning at each level • VLM down to individual concept
Link to 21st Century Skills • Independent study course linked to successive NASA missions
What EVIDENCE can you provide of your … • Global Awareness • Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy • Civic Literacy • Learning and Innovation skills • Information, Media and Tech skills • Life and Career skills
The Learner’s Evidence Repository • Common currency (the Franc vs Euro) • same evidence useful in other classes • leads to “compacting” of other courses • Spanish example • Isn’t limited by time • Can add more into the evidence of knowledge of physics after the credit
Forget the myth that we must choose EITHER a mile wide or an inch deep! • Learner may add to their knowledge in a course at any time – even after they have earned the credit! • We’re not in KANSAS anymore!
What’s ahead? • The VLM for International Relations • Focus on Mandarin • CAN’T redo traditional programs
The AHA/OMG moment • Basic courses can be repopulated by anyone, anytime