Education Rambler

This week, we’re fortunate to have Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach working with us.  The crux of what we’re learning about is not so much about technology, but the power of technology to create networks of people so that they can share ideas and information.  In the age of 21st Century Skills, global awareness, communication, and collaboration are all important skills and themes to develop and be aware of.  Web 2.0 tools help to foster those networks and build bridges across vast distances.

During our week with Sheryl, one of the things that struck me was the idea that Sheryl is like the guy on the Verizon Wireless commericals.  (No, Sheryl doesn’t walk around asking “Can you hear me now?  Can you hear me now?”).  I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials where the Verizon guy–or a Verizon customer–is walking around with their phone and a vast network of people following him.  The idea is that wherever you go, your network follows.  In Sheryl’s case this is definitely true.

I think in education we’re all accustomed to having consultants come in and do work with groups of educators.  Sometimes it’s a keynote, and sometimes it’s a few days of intensive workshop work.  In nearly every case to this point, my experience has been that national and international consultants have brought their information with them, but they don’t necessarily share their network.  Last week, I was inspired by how Sheryl chose to share her network.

In the five days that she worked with us, we had several conversations with people outside of walls of the room.  Sheryl tapped into her network in several ways and invited a wide variety of experts to share information with the participants in the room.  Sheryl modeled global awareness, communication, and collaboration in a true 21st century direction.  In the five days she exposed us to the following great models of using Web 2.0 tools to share her network with us:

• Skype:  To connect with a single open-source specialist.
• Plurk and Twitter: To announce that we were inviting people to our UStream and Elluminate Sessions and to ask questions to the network such as “How do you define creativity?”  “What web 2.0 examples do you have for a 4-12 music teacher?” etc. etc.
• UStream: To broadcast to folks on Plurk and Twitter who were not in our physical space.
• Elluminate: To speak with consultants from all over the United States as well as Canada and New Zealand.
• Elluminate: To speak with a panel of high school and college students about how they use technology and how they think technology could have been used in K-12 and also college.

The important piece of all of this was that it wasn’t about the technology.  The technology is not the network.  People make up the network.  The technology is simply a tool and a catalyst for creating networks.  The technolgy makes it easy for the collaboration and communication to happen among such a wide array of people, but I had never seen someone model it so well and so consistently.  It drove home the fact that building a network of professional contacts is critical to success in the 21st century, and was glad to see it modeled rather than just outlined in a PowerPoint.

For me, I think it means I’ll continue to nurture my network and to expand it.

It’s never too late to learn something new, and I just learned to dance the ChaCha.  Well, not literally.  While at NECC, my colleague, Rick Weinberg, shared a site called ChaChawith us.  If you’re not familiar with ChaCha, you should be.

ChaCha has been around since 2006 (who knew!), and is basically an information site whose purpose is to find the answers to your questions.  Unlike traditional search engines, ChaCha allows users to get answers to their direct questions rather than forcing users to sift through a long list of search results.  If you want to know the price of tea in China (seriously), just ask ChaCha “What is the price of tea in China.”  Within a few mintues, ChaCha responds with an answer to your cell phone.  In fact, you can even text the question directly to ChaCha.

For a while at NECC, ChaCha became a bit of an addiction.  When asked whether Coke or Pepsi was better, ChaCha responded to me that Coke was better, but to my colleage that Pepsi was better.  When asked “Who killed the Wicked Witch of the East,” I got back the response “Who killed my sister?!  Was it you?!” along with the rest of the confrontation between the Wicked Witch of the West and little Dorothy. 

The brilliance of ChaCha is that it is run on people power.  ChaCha guides are live people searching the Internet for your answers.  Ask something legitimate, and ChaCha will usually come back with an accurate and legitimate response.  Ask something trivial or slightly funny, and ChaCha will come back with an answer.  Just careful what you ask for!  A colleague in a punchy mood asked, “Who’s your daddy?”  I’ll leave it at that.  There is such a human element and feel to ChaCha that I feel like I’m texting a friend nearly every time.

If you don’t believe how “human” it can feel, try asking:
1.  If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound?
2.  Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
3.  How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Each response will be interesting, and probably witty.  (Just know that you’re being charged for each text message out and each text message in.  I have 500 texts per month, so I’ve got to be careful how curious I am).  ChaCha guides can see the thread of your questions as you’re asking them so if you continue to reply to your messages with new questions, the ChaCha experience becomes more like a conversation. 

The real power of ChaCha?  I can’t WAIT until the next time I’m playing Trivial Pursuit or am called as a lifeline on Who Wants to be a Millionaire!

Some of the people I work with would say I may have a slightly competitive nature.  Some of the people in my personal life would likely agree with them.  I concede that I have a bit of a competitive streak, but am confident that I’m not one of those competitive personalities who makes everything into a “I MUST WIN” event (and when I do, it’s more for the comedy of it).  I don’t get angry if I don’t win, I don’t sulk, and I’m genuinely happy for others when they win.  Perhaps silently I’m kicking myself for not pushing myself a bit harder, but on the outside I don’t think most people would know that.

So what does this phych profile have to do with technology?  Karma.

In the new social networking site, Plurk, users are given a Karma score.  The Karma score is somewhat of a barometer for participation on the network.  Users gain Karma points for each quality post they publish, credit for commenting on others’ plurks, recruiting fans and friends, and even for attaching an image to their profile.  Although the exact “dark magic” behind the karma score is invisible, it’s interesting to me that all of the items users are evaluated on are things that could easily be incorporated into a rubric for being a participant in a social network.

I have tried in the past to be a better participant in communities like Twitter, but I never felt I was getting out of it what I put into it.  Granted, I didn’t spend much time putting in, but I’ve found that my competitive spirit wants to see that Karma score rising.  To me, it’s validation that someone (albiet that someone is a computer program) is measuring my progress.  In a way, I’ve become the carrot-lured horse drawing the cart and I just keep moving forward.  I don’t feel like my Karma score needs to be any higher than anyone else’s, but when I see my Karma score decline a bit, it’s an indication that I’m not doing something right and I become more thoughtful about what I’m giving back to the community.

My participation in Plurk has not been entirely motivated by my Karma, though.  I’ve found the ease of keeping track of various conversations has been the best benefit.  I’m also extremely grateful that there is a quality Twitter alternative.  My colleagues Rick Weinberg and Mark Carls can tell you I had a not-so-nice nickname for Twitter, and now that we’ve all converted I’m quite pleased (as long as my Karma keeps rising!).

I guess it’s sort of inaccurate to say that I’m a Twitter quitter if I never actually liked Twitter to beigin with, but it’s a catchy title, and I’m sticking with it.  Plurk seems like an evolved, more refined version of Twitter, and it does things I always wanted Twitter to do.

My problem with Twitter isn’t the complaint I hear so often which is that it’s under repair so often (frankly, I think plurk is in for some maintenance as it begins to catch on more), but that I’m not constantly logged in to Twitter.  Not being logged in means that any questions or comments I make get lost in the shuffle of everyone else’s.  I never really know if someone has answered my question, and I have a lot of trouble following any kind of thread (this is probably an indication of a very linear side of my nature).

Mark Carls recently invited me to Plurk and I think I’m hooked.  Rather than microblogging like Twitter, it’s a bit more like micro discussion threads.  If I post a question or make a comment, I can see right away if anyone has actually commented back.  I’m not good a sifting, so it’s extremely useful for me to be able to glance at my posts and others’ posts, and then focus on micro discussions that are happening in the timeline.

In case you want to check it out, I’m tclarkeee in Plurk.  It’s really worth getting an account and playing with it.  If nothing else, it’s fun to watch your karma grow.

Side Note: Along with Plurk, I’ve been using ChaCha like a fiend.  I hope my 500 texts per month on my cell phone plan don’t add up as quickly as I fear they will!

Thinking about the information you just read regarding LoTi, what do you think the implications of LoTi are for classroom use of technology?  Do you see yourself as being willing to “up the ante” in order to move to another level?  Should Level 6 be the goal of every lesson?

To refresh your memory of LoTi, click here.

Simply stated, a blog is a website.  However, just as a sneaker is a shoe with a specific purpose, a blog is a website that tends to have a specific purpose and funtions in a specialized way from other websites.  And just like different sneakers can be designed for specific purposes such as running, walking, or cycling, blogs can be designed for different purposes as well.

Wikipedia’s definition of a blog is a pretty good one because it incorporates the idea that blogs are essentially logs of information which tend to be organized in chronological order (most often with the most recent information listed first).  It also indicates that blogs often provide commentary on a particiular subject, and very often solicits comments from site visitors. 

In Will Richardson’s (a popular blogger and Web 2.0 enthusiast) book, he suggests a continuum of blogging.  At one end is using a website or blogging site for listing information, and at the other end of the continuum is the concept of blogging to tap into higher order thinking skills like synthesis and evaluation (the continuum mirrors Blooms Taxonomy in some ways).  “High Blogging” might include activities such as linking to an article or another blog, analyzing the information from that link, and then synthesizing information or beliefs from that source with your own information or beliefs. 

Edublogs, a popular free blogging tool for educators, suggests ten possible uses for blogs in the classroom.  They present a range of activities such as posting assignments, organizing, professional development, and even using it as a free website. 

Whatever you decide to use your blog for, just remember that some people would argue that “true” blogging only occurs when higher order cognition is being demonstrated.  This shouldn’t discourage you from using a blog.  There are many creative uses of blogs as portfolios or showcases that don’t necessarily tap into synthesis, evaluation, or critical thinking. 

Also remember to think about the types of specialized tools blogs incorporate:

• Blogs present “posts” of information in reverse chronological order.
• Blogs allow for comments from site visitors.
• Blogs are usually set up to archive the information as months or years pass.
• Some blogs (like edublogs) allow information to be easily categorized and searched so that entries or posts with similar themes can be easily located.
• Blogs, like many websites, allow for hyperlinks to be contained within the text of any entry.

I have to admit that when I began blogging just a 1/2 dozen posts ago, I was kind of skeptical. I mean, I had made the decision to do it for myself–if for no other reason than to take the time to actually reflect each day and write about my reflections. What’s interesting is that sometimes taking a risk yields unanticipated rewards.

After writing my thoughts on 21st Century Skills in my Cookie Cutter post, it appears I received a comment from Roger Schank himself (I say “appeared” because the person signed their ID as Schank and directed me to his website, but I don’t really have a definitive way to prove it was him).

Regardless of whether or not it was actually Schank who commented on my blog, I got directed to Schank’s site, Engines for Education and was able to learn about the VISTA project.

I plan on looking more into Engines for Education, but at this point I’m excited about what appears to be my first blogging breakthrough. That is, I’ve gone from simple journaling to making connections with a larger community of learners. Whether it was Roger Schank (I mean, what are the chances… really?!) or one of my friends tricking me into thinking it was Schank, the end result is the same. I wrote about what I think, someone read it, and pointed me in the direction of a place where I could learn more about it.

And, by the way, according to Engines for Education, it appears the “cookie cutters” are on their way.

In a recent post on his blog, Rick Weinberg cited an article from 2000 regarding a future vision (ironically it’s seven years later, and the vision has not come to fruition) for education as a result of technology.  Rick’s post focused mainly on empathy as a 21st Century skill.  Something that jumped out to me in the article was in the second introductory paragraph:

The computer will allow the creation of “learn by doing” courses designed by the best and the brightest experts in any given field. Quality universities will put their names on these courses, and companies will create them, guaranteeing employment to those who pass them. This will create tremendous change for everyone involved in the education system.

The notion of a “learn by doing” course struck me as the type of real-world, hands-on learning that I think is so critical for 21st Century students.  It made me think of the cookie cutter lessons that are available in the teacher manuals of so many text book series.  I’ve always felt that the cookie cutter lesson is a quick way for classrooms to become less lively and creative, but what I dislike most about many of them is the lack of hands-on, real-world learning.  This lead me to a new question: If cookie cutter lessons are a comfortable tool for lessons that don’t incorporate real-world learning, could modules be developed for teachers to encourage more real-world learning?

Of course as I write it and think it, I see an immediate flaw in my thinking.  For one, the real world isn’t planned, so trying to script a real-world experience isn’t as easy as being able to write up a scripted lesson for teaching letter-sound correspondance.  My idea comes from the idea that expecting people to jump head first into the strange new land of 21st Century learning may not be as realistic an expection as luring them in slowing with well-crafted, planned out learning experiences.  I know this loses the open-ended beauty of real-world learning, but perhaps it’s a step in the right direction.

What excites me the most about the article is Roger C. Schank’s prediction about the role of teachers:

Not only will teachers act much more as social workers or guidance counselors in the future, they will also lead courses that explicitly focus on developing social and interpersonal skills. In many ways these courses will resemble the kinds of programs provided by Outward Bound. The teacher will be an advisor to the team, or a guide on an expedition. Right now teachers are authority figures. Once teachers move out of that role, they will eliminate a roadblock that prevents them from connecting with the students who need the most guidance.

What’s most exciting about this notion is that I’ve seen it happen, and it seems to be working.  This very idea–along with a foundation of real-world learning–is already in effect at the Met School in Providence, Rhode Island.  In a visit this spring, I (along with about 50 educators from our region) witnessed students engaged in real-world learning that wasn’t dictated, but guided by their teachers and the individual interests and passions of the students.  Students were not taught in traditional classrooms, but while engaged in internships and real-world projects.

Whether real-world learning happens exclusively via online learning (which–come on–would not be real-world), or simply uses technology as a vehicle for communication and efficiency, we need to get away from assembly line education.  The idea that every brain needs to contain the same list of facts and figures when it leaves high school ignores indviduality, diversity, and specialization.

Now, back to cookie cutters…

For me, I know what my “end in mind” is for education.  I just wonder if a complete overhaul is as real-world as rehabilitating a system by providing 21st Century standards and 21st Century standard-aligned lessons for teachers in a system that has been built around content standards.

Remember, I’m just wondering… so I’d love to hear where you think we should start.

For many people Wikipedia is old news, but as part of my job, I feel obligated to make sure teachers know that it exists.  And, for people who know how Wikipedia works, there is always a tendency for people to dismiss Wikipedia as irrelevant because it’s perceived an inaccurate and subject to change.  Rather than debate the pros and cons of Wikipedia, I’d just like to list some of my favorite uses for it.

SCHEMA BUILDING
When I’m learning something new or I want to quickly understand something, one of the first places I go is Wikipedia.  For instance, just the other day I was back home in Pennsylvania and someone made some statements about “all the Amish and Mennonites down there.”  Realizing that I didn’t really know the difference between Amish people and Mennonites, I went to Wikipedia and typed in Amish.  The results took whatever background knowledge I had previously and coupled it with a better understanding of Amish and Mennonite traditions.

For about nine years, I taught an undergraduate American Sign Language course at a local university.  A huge component of learning any language is learning about both the langauge and the culture.  To assist my students in building schema around Deaf Culture, I gave them key terms and asked them to search Wikipedia and the Internet for information prior to the next class.  This allowed for students to come in the next week with a little bit of schema and a lot of questions which lead to a great conversation to synthesize their understandings.

MAKING CONNECTIONS / SYNTHESIS
If you’ve heard of the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon then you are on your way to understanding what I’m about to say.  In this conversational game, participants are asked to think of a movie and list one of the actors.  From this, they think of an actor who might have been in a movie with Kevin Bacon.  Although they’re not always able to make the connection, it usually only takes a chain of six actors before you eventually get to Kevin Bacon.

What I love while playing around in Wikipedia and other wikis is something I call “wiki hopping.”  It’s kind of like surfing a wiki.  When I look something up in Wikipedia I usually read the main article, but then go back to some of the blue links in the article to see what else I can learn about related subjects.   It also helps to clarify things that I didn’t quite have a full understanding of.

Let’s go back to my Amish example.  While reading the article about the Amish, one of the blue terms was Pennsylvania Dutch.  Where I’m from, Amish and Mennonites are sometimes referred to as “Pennsylvania Dutch.”  What became clear to me is that Pennsylvania Dutch refers to a dialect, not necessarily another group who might be mistaken for Amish.  In further reading about Pennsylvania Dutch, there was a cross link to the Industrial Revolution, and I’m sure I could have gone deeper and deeper from there.

My point is that in some way virtually everything is related–sometimes it’s just by six degrees.

SHARPENING THE SAW
Steven Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effecitve People) talks about the principle of sharpening the saw.  He uses this as a metaphor for becoming better at what you do by keeping your skills sharp.  My background is in deaf education, and with my current job I’ve become somewhat removed from it.  I enjoy going into Wikipedia and finding out the latest trends in Deaf Education and Deaf Culture.  I also like reading posts and finding places where my own contribution might clarify or add to a point that may not be presented in the most efficient way.

FOR SCHOOL?
I think all of the above uses of Wikipedia are totally appropriate for school, and I encourage teachers (and my college students) to use Wikipedia as much as they like.  My only rule for Wikipedia is that I will not accept it as a cited work in a paper or homework assignment.  I tell students to use it to get to the bare bones of what they’re about to study deeply, but they should use the understandings they gain from Wikipedia to sharpen their searches when looking for appropriate professional articles or publications.