Friday, November 13, 2015

Final Class - Nov 14, 2015


Unbelievable...it's here, our final class of EDAD 536. This went entirely too quickly. It feels we're just getting started.

It's my hope this course met your expectations. Even though you'll do a more formal feedback at the end for Lewis & Clark, I'd love your more informal feedback for future classes.

The design and purpose of this class is to always make things relevant. This world of Educational Technology is large and I never expected to come close to covering it all.

However, I'm hopeful your interest is further piqued, and the drive to integrate instructional technology in your school setting has been inspired.

Thanks for your interest and engagement this fall!

Todd

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Future Ready Summit 2015













Designing Learning Spaces, David JakesFive Strategies:
  1. Develop a new language "Words impact change"
  2. Be a Defender of Ideas
  3. Develop a new lens and mindset
  4. Take Strategic Risks
  5. Develop spaces that develop genius
Questions:
How do you invite kids (and teachers!) into this dangerous journey? 
Is your classroom/school a base camp for wonder?
"Lab"rary - test kitchen and library
Immerse kids in entrepreneurship in a college dorm.
Schools should be generative/incubation places.


Saturday, September 26, 2015

Learning to Change, Changing to Learn

Keith Kruger's declaration that education was below coal mining as it related to its technology intensiveness was truly an insight into the mountain we face in public education. His work with CoSN over the years highlights this fact even more clearly--that in 25 years as Educational Technology (caps intentional) has grown, our ability to "face the pace" has diminished.

Friday, September 25, 2015

EDAD 536 - Fall 2015

Dear EDAD 536 Students,

I'm thrilled you've chosen to be here this Fall in our discovery of how technology is really about enhancing and enriching teaching & learning in our schools. As the building leader, it can be just another thing you have to manage and hassle with (how many boxes to buy, encouraging use, justifying purchases, etc), OR it can be an engaging, paradigm-shifting touch-point for learning--primarily for your students, but almost as importantly for your teachers and the rest of your staff.

As your building leader, being a model in the process of learning is the BEST thing you can do--whether you're proficient at technology or not.

It's my hope you will see technology is a tool to usher in and "set the table" for learning in a way that's engaging, captivating, motivating and deepening. Your staff is your classroom to model this shift; and everyone is on a continuum. Encourage appropriate risk-taking by those who are ready, utilize the power of modeling, and celebrate the process and progress.

Lastly, allow time for this shift. It won't happen overnight. Stay patient, persevere, stay positive when things don't go well.

My dream is that this course is just a starting point, and that your final project is just a dot on your own professional continuum. In six months, I can check in with you to see how the dot has progressed.

Thanks for being a part of this group, and I look forward to your posts!