By CJ - Posted on August 7th, 2009
Please follow the link to see the original post
http://infosherpas.com/libr246-11/node/1297
I think there is great potential in what second life has to offer in the realm of education. How amazing would it be to offer students a virtual tour of the Great Wall China, and as they take their virtual tour, they will be guided by real life tour guides. What an experience for students to collaboratively work with peers from China, South Africa, and Peru on a science project in an immersive digital environment. Students can take seminars from renowned experts from various fields. They can practice speaking a new langauge with native speakers. They can also go back in time to explore periods such as the Rennaissance. Through an environment like second life, students will have opportnities they would otherwise never have had. They will also have the valuable experience of working with people from various parts of the world.
Old teaching methods are fast becoming antiquated. Educators need to find a new way to reach this video-game oriented generation. I attended a conference where one of the speakers is member of the school design team of Quest to Learn in New York, a new school focusing on the uderlying form of games as a pedagogical model for 6th-12th students.
The school library can play a major role in this pedagogical shift, as a leader in implementing new technolgies. Just imagine library orientation and tutorials as games played in Second Life.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
A killer machine is a must for the TechEducator
The other day I was asked what would a good machine look like for the tech savvy teacher... Here are my thoughts:
HP Pavilion Elite e9280t - i7-920 processor (te open 34 lesson plans at once, all with video embeded), 750Gb 7200 RPM HD (enough space to have all the goodies a good teacher always has), Win 7 Professional (are we, or are we not?) 64Bit GeForce GT 220 graphics card (to teach in SL), 9Gb RAM, Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio (to hear the kids in the back channel), 15-in-1 memory card reader (to be able to get all the homework in all the formats with no blinks or overburns), LightScribe DVD/RW, 16X DVD ROM player (forget the paper labels or the permanent markers). Ethernet 10/100/100 card (is all about connections), Multimedia keyboard & HP optical mouse (to be wired does not mean to be tangled and trapped by your corded mouse).
HP Pavilion Elite e9280t - i7-920 processor (te open 34 lesson plans at once, all with video embeded), 750Gb 7200 RPM HD (enough space to have all the goodies a good teacher always has), Win 7 Professional (are we, or are we not?) 64Bit GeForce GT 220 graphics card (to teach in SL), 9Gb RAM, Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio (to hear the kids in the back channel), 15-in-1 memory card reader (to be able to get all the homework in all the formats with no blinks or overburns), LightScribe DVD/RW, 16X DVD ROM player (forget the paper labels or the permanent markers). Ethernet 10/100/100 card (is all about connections), Multimedia keyboard & HP optical mouse (to be wired does not mean to be tangled and trapped by your corded mouse).
Friday, October 30, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
As I Learn to Become a 21st. Century Educational Leader
Ten years ago, the conversation between a superintendent of schools and his IT system administrator could go like this:
Oh, no!” cried Mrs. Superintendent, “John, I don’t know where to start when it comes to computers and technology!”
“That makes two of us Mrs. Superintendent…”
Mrs. Superintendent shook her head after examining next year’s budget. “I can only allocate 5% of our funds for technology!” She threw the budget binder on the desk. “I want our teachers and students to have computers, read their e-mail, and maybe have a computer lab!.”
"Technology is here to stay Mrs. Superintendent. A day will come when you will have a whole educational technology department, with its director and staff.”
“Yes, you’re right. I am aware.”
Today, the word is not aware anymore. Educational communities across the globe have now an educational technology department. The head of that department works closely with the rest of the district’s leadership team, including heads of curriculum, student services, college preparedness and superintendents. Nevertheless, the responsibilities and challenges of a technology director in a parochial school system in South America would be different from those facing a technology director in a one-campus school district in Africa; and those challenges and responsibilities are all together special inside a rather complex, large urban school district in Illinois.
The role of today’s educational technology leaders is to build better educational communities of practice. In defining communities of practice, every educational technology leader must consider both his personal views, but most importantly, the views of the community he serves.
Yesterday’s visionaries of educational technology are today’s leaders in our educational communities of practice. They are paving the road of innovation, creativity, ethics and collaboration. Many them could be the rightful recipients of two or three honorary doctoral degrees and I am sure that every year, these leaders are carefully considered in many Honoris Causa committees, if they are yet to receive the call. Formal education is imperative for the rest of us, just entering with wondering eyes into the field.
I am thrilled to be a 21st century digital learner. As part of my formal education in technology leadership, I see a challenging opportunity. I am to work closely with the leadership team in my educational community to identify technological excellence and innovation in teaching that facilitates learning. The faculty in my team will seek my guidance when they develop effective methods for delivering instruction and I must have the knowledge of today’s technology tools to assist them.
As an educational technology leader, I need to use data from different evaluation tools provided at the local and govermental levels, to assess technologies’ instructional impact, learning space design and learning management systems. To complement existing evaluation tools, I am to develop unique measurement systems that will serve my learning community best.
It is important that I, as an educational technology leader, share information
regularly with faculty through the use of technology tools and e-presentations. This is perhaps would be the best way to “walk the talk”. And it could only be attained through research of safe educational technologies, knowledge of new educational technology initiatives; and ethical practice, guidance and assistance on using technology in support of teaching.
Oh, no!” cried Mrs. Superintendent, “John, I don’t know where to start when it comes to computers and technology!”
“That makes two of us Mrs. Superintendent…”
Mrs. Superintendent shook her head after examining next year’s budget. “I can only allocate 5% of our funds for technology!” She threw the budget binder on the desk. “I want our teachers and students to have computers, read their e-mail, and maybe have a computer lab!.”
"Technology is here to stay Mrs. Superintendent. A day will come when you will have a whole educational technology department, with its director and staff.”
“Yes, you’re right. I am aware.”
Today, the word is not aware anymore. Educational communities across the globe have now an educational technology department. The head of that department works closely with the rest of the district’s leadership team, including heads of curriculum, student services, college preparedness and superintendents. Nevertheless, the responsibilities and challenges of a technology director in a parochial school system in South America would be different from those facing a technology director in a one-campus school district in Africa; and those challenges and responsibilities are all together special inside a rather complex, large urban school district in Illinois.
The role of today’s educational technology leaders is to build better educational communities of practice. In defining communities of practice, every educational technology leader must consider both his personal views, but most importantly, the views of the community he serves.
Yesterday’s visionaries of educational technology are today’s leaders in our educational communities of practice. They are paving the road of innovation, creativity, ethics and collaboration. Many them could be the rightful recipients of two or three honorary doctoral degrees and I am sure that every year, these leaders are carefully considered in many Honoris Causa committees, if they are yet to receive the call. Formal education is imperative for the rest of us, just entering with wondering eyes into the field.
I am thrilled to be a 21st century digital learner. As part of my formal education in technology leadership, I see a challenging opportunity. I am to work closely with the leadership team in my educational community to identify technological excellence and innovation in teaching that facilitates learning. The faculty in my team will seek my guidance when they develop effective methods for delivering instruction and I must have the knowledge of today’s technology tools to assist them.
As an educational technology leader, I need to use data from different evaluation tools provided at the local and govermental levels, to assess technologies’ instructional impact, learning space design and learning management systems. To complement existing evaluation tools, I am to develop unique measurement systems that will serve my learning community best.
It is important that I, as an educational technology leader, share information
regularly with faculty through the use of technology tools and e-presentations. This is perhaps would be the best way to “walk the talk”. And it could only be attained through research of safe educational technologies, knowledge of new educational technology initiatives; and ethical practice, guidance and assistance on using technology in support of teaching.
Monday, June 15, 2009
S Ta R Chart Presentation Ns
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
S Ta R Chart Presentation Ns
View more OpenOffice presentations from Martin Alcala.
Technology Revolution in Texas' Schools - Part I -
Back in December of 2006, Mr. Rick Perry, the honorable governor of Texas felt -and I quote- "(...) compelled and obligated -on behalf of the students of Texas- to present the Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 (...)" This important document was not only signed by him, it was also andorsed by each member representing the 15 encompassing districts of the Sate Board of education, along with the members of the 80th Texas Legislature, and also the executive members of the Teaxas Education Agency. This ongoing plan is the child of a much earlier Long Range Plan for Technology that started back in 1988.
To put things into perspective, 1988 is just a year before the business world started looking at the World Wide Web as a viable project for business. To view our Texas Long Range Plan for Technology in perspective, please visit one of many interesting time lines available online. You will find some time lines more technical than others, but I chose the time line about the internet. I believe that the internet offers a strong point of reference for our Texas Long Range Plan for Technology for two reasons: One is that the internet is centered-stage of all endeavors related to technology, and it gives a pretty good idea of how this idea born in the craddle of the Cold War branched out to become the single most visible technological project in the world. The second reason is that, perhaps as a result of how complex the internet has evolved; planing and implementation need constant revamping and collaborative work in educational technology.
The actual document of the Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020 is worth reading. It is a comprehensive and strategic plan for technology in education divided into four domains: Teaching and Learning; Educator Prepration and development; Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support; and Infraestructure for Technology.
I will now focus on the first of the four domains: Teaching and Learning. In my next blog I will address the second domain, and so on. Please visit the blog or subscribe to its feed for updates.
Generally speaking, the Teaching and Learning domain is based on two premises: One is that all students in Texas can benefit from a teaching process that integrates technology, no matter their level of skill. This means that Johnny will greatly benefit from the use of technology in the history class, as well as Sue. Both students will benefit and make progress in spite of their different reading-proficiency levels.
The second pillar to this domain is the importance to incorporate technology in every-day teaching that;
• is rich and engaging educational content;
• contains constant communication among students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members;
• allows relevant collaboration from experts in the educational process as well as in specific group projects; that provides 24-7-365 access to online resources; and
• ensures effective access to online and distance learning opportunities.
There is a list of 13 recommendations speciffically addressed to Texas Education Agency inside the Teaching and Learning Domain. The eighth recommendation reads: "(To) encourage and support the continued development of innovative programs (...) designed to increase access to online learning (...)". This point deserves special attention, especially to those involved in technology in education.
Those of us monitoring the evolution of online options in education, we have seen a massive explosion of technology solutions and offers in all grade levels from both Open Source developers and commercial developers. We now have four-year institutions of higher education enrolling high school students in online dual credit courses in Missiouri; and in Texas (as soon as in september of 2009) among many offers in almost every state in the nation. It is also easy to find summer cybercamps for grade school children, cutting-edge e-labs for high school science, and many other options.
All these offerings should be carefully considered by students, teachers and parents. After all, we are only experiencing the begining of a new era: “The Unimaginable Annales of Technology Revolution in Texas Schools”.
To put things into perspective, 1988 is just a year before the business world started looking at the World Wide Web as a viable project for business. To view our Texas Long Range Plan for Technology in perspective, please visit one of many interesting time lines available online. You will find some time lines more technical than others, but I chose the time line about the internet. I believe that the internet offers a strong point of reference for our Texas Long Range Plan for Technology for two reasons: One is that the internet is centered-stage of all endeavors related to technology, and it gives a pretty good idea of how this idea born in the craddle of the Cold War branched out to become the single most visible technological project in the world. The second reason is that, perhaps as a result of how complex the internet has evolved; planing and implementation need constant revamping and collaborative work in educational technology.
The actual document of the Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020 is worth reading. It is a comprehensive and strategic plan for technology in education divided into four domains: Teaching and Learning; Educator Prepration and development; Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support; and Infraestructure for Technology.
I will now focus on the first of the four domains: Teaching and Learning. In my next blog I will address the second domain, and so on. Please visit the blog or subscribe to its feed for updates.
Generally speaking, the Teaching and Learning domain is based on two premises: One is that all students in Texas can benefit from a teaching process that integrates technology, no matter their level of skill. This means that Johnny will greatly benefit from the use of technology in the history class, as well as Sue. Both students will benefit and make progress in spite of their different reading-proficiency levels.
The second pillar to this domain is the importance to incorporate technology in every-day teaching that;
• is rich and engaging educational content;
• contains constant communication among students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members;
• allows relevant collaboration from experts in the educational process as well as in specific group projects; that provides 24-7-365 access to online resources; and
• ensures effective access to online and distance learning opportunities.
There is a list of 13 recommendations speciffically addressed to Texas Education Agency inside the Teaching and Learning Domain. The eighth recommendation reads: "(To) encourage and support the continued development of innovative programs (...) designed to increase access to online learning (...)". This point deserves special attention, especially to those involved in technology in education.
Those of us monitoring the evolution of online options in education, we have seen a massive explosion of technology solutions and offers in all grade levels from both Open Source developers and commercial developers. We now have four-year institutions of higher education enrolling high school students in online dual credit courses in Missiouri; and in Texas (as soon as in september of 2009) among many offers in almost every state in the nation. It is also easy to find summer cybercamps for grade school children, cutting-edge e-labs for high school science, and many other options.
All these offerings should be carefully considered by students, teachers and parents. After all, we are only experiencing the begining of a new era: “The Unimaginable Annales of Technology Revolution in Texas Schools”.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
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