June 16. 2008 18:01

I think that improving communication with parents and community via the internet, blogging, wiki's, podcasting, etc. will bring stakeholders up to par on what the heck is going on in schools these days. The vast majority of people are clueless about the things we are up against and how to really help their kids achieve on tests, and in the future. The interntet and its resources also can put parents in the know about what specifically is going on and help them plan and prepare for tutoring, activities, testing, etc.

June 16. 2008 18:14

OK guys let's BLOG!!! I am so excited about the kick-off of this new tool. I am here in sunny (AKA - really HOT!) Austin, Texas and anxious to hear from my fellow educators. Let me hear your opinions, are we on the right track with the use of technology to improve education? Is testing the best way we can devise to determine the success of our students, teachers and schools? I say no. I heard an awesome presentation about the truly technology integrated classroom at the Texas State Technology Immersion Confererence (for schools like mine w/ 1:1 computing) about what it really meant to thoughtfully utilize technology in a classroom to impact student acheivement. I am hoping the presenter Scott Person can weigh in with his opinions.
I am now at a Schlechty WOW conference networking with some awesome administrators from around the country on how we can transform (not reform) our educational system to find ways to engage every learner (learner meaning all students, teachers, parents, and community members) in meaningful ways.
I have heard awesome stories of how Prinicpals are communicating more frequently and providing more timely responses to stakeholders with amazing results. (Take a peak at the Principal video on eChalk's mainpage for an example).
Well that is it from me today, Keep On Blogging....

June 17. 2008 11:56

Has using today's web 2.0 technologies increased your communications? It has mine. But, using technology alone will not increase your communication with anyone very much unless you market that communication. And if all educational stakeholders are your target - that is a lot of mass marketing. But, you can use technology to do that marketing as well. Post a tiny url of your latest communication on Twitter. Include your blog url on every blog system that asks for your website (this one didn't). Set up auto email and rss feeds and gain permission to input email addresses of your stakeholders to that they automatically get your new posts. During trainings exchange blog urls with each other and encourage others to share your blog url. Good old word of mouth works really well also.

Do my blog communication increase test scores? Humm. That would be pretty far down the line as I am not a classroom teacher. Would it if I were a classroom teacher? Definitely. Based on the way I would use it, including student, parent, peer and content information/dialog, blogging would be an integral component of student learning. How would I accommodate students without home access? Classroom acccess, school, public and academic library access, community access, cell phone, partner and other e-access resources would probably be a first assignment research project.

My blog: http://cmasson50.blogspot.com
"M A G E E's Blog - Instructional Technology and Library Services
- A place of two-way communication - personally and professionally"

June 17. 2008 17:59

Thanks Magee, great remarks. I am so new to this world of blogging and learning more every minute and your advice will definitely help. We are trying to market by sending out emails and inviting people to join in but I think we may have to explore other options if we want to get the traffic and the exchange of ideas we were hoping for so your suggestions are a big help.
I am hoping the risk I am taking in jumping out into this world of blogging, w.o knowing all of the intricacies first, will inspire my teachers to take more chances in integrating technologies in their instruction.
I love your ideas on how you would use blogs in your classroom and appreciate the fact that you believe that meaningful integrated use of technology directly related to content really is a key to increasing our students success.
I'm off now to try to figure out how to post my blog URL other places, new ideas, I just love them, so let me hear more.

June 18. 2008 08:45

I too am venturing into the Web 2.0 environment. I have embraced technology for years as a great way to engage students and simplify educator workflow. I do think that it is important to understand that the biggest hurdle to accomplishing true technology integration is the teachers themselves. Students are much more familiar with this environment and willing to participate in it. For so long we have learned and practiced instruction in the same manner as Plato or Aristotle might have taught. To embrace and implement radical changes in the way we teach and recieve feedback from students, takes courage and a willingness to make mistakes.
The reason these risk are worthwhile is we can begin to create an environment where students take a larger role in their own education. Wikis, blogs, discussion and the use of other technology tools extends the classroom and provides more avenues for students to provide input into what they are asked to know. I am really glad to join in this blog as a learning experince and to practice what I preach.

July 9. 2008 09:42

I think that teachers don't truly understand the digital world we live in. It's like the story my mom told me about when her grandpa got their first electric washing machine...it started spinning and was off balance a little and started shaking, he said, "I thought it was going to go right out the door and hang the clothes up, too..."
Instead of EMBRACING technology, we see it as an extra. Instead of fighting it, educators need to use it and we as administrators need to be OPEN to the new, fresh, young teachers out there. Technology gives students the opportunity to do what they do best. When they can do that, they will be engaged, when they are engaged they learn. So this leads me to the whole concept of "Shaking up the School House" by Phil Schlecty and SCHOOL REFORM...we can't keep doing what we are doing, we have to move ahead in order to compete with this "Flat world" (Thomas Freidman)
For example, how would students relate to a grammar lesson that has mispelled words and punctuation on the overhead vs. Text 10 friends in informal register about this grammar lessons...ok, now text them in formal register...
I guarantee you'd have 100% Engaged Learners.
It is NOT about OUR favorite lessons anymore. It is how STUDENTS learn and what will engage them...CUSTOMER satisfaction.
Imagine going to a burger joint and someone telling you, "I know you ordered it this way, but I really think you should try this b/c I love it, and think it is better for you than what you ordered"
Just me venting again!
What do y'all think?!

July 9. 2008 09:47

One more thing while I am on a roll.
We need to come up with ideas to get teachers to embrace technology like we try to get kids to embrace grammar.
We need to use it ourselves in how we present Professional development to them, and ENGAGE them in learning by providing them a safe environment to use it without adverse consequences.

November 18. 2008 15:48

I'm new to blogging. I've been reading your comments and I agree that we need to have more communication via our technology among our students and teachers. I have enough laptops in my classroom for every student. In fact, we are at a point where we are close to 1:1 in the entire high school. We are using many of the resources these make available to us every day. But our biggest problem as teachers is training time on the new technologies. I have taught physics for 30 years and have always kept up with using new technology. But, I always had to do this on my own time. Many teachers have not been able to do this. Inservice when it comes to blogging, wikis, etc. has amounted to a few handouts and "try this out when you have time" and other such comments. We need inservice experiences that mirror the way we should teach. We need models, not just more talk.

March 20. 2009 13:01

WOW this blog is FAIL!!!!!!!!
Ths is why adults shouldnt be allowed to use the internet
over a year and no posts

March 23. 2009 11:22

No, Eric, not a FAIL!!!
People are busy and I think that all educators agree that something needs to be done. But there is only so much we can do, something has to spark something in the government with the funding and importance of education versus foreign oil!
If more young people used their voices, there may be more done!
Teachers, educators work their hearts out...and don't have time to blog like youngins!

November 5. 2009 17:30

Searching for this for some time now - i guess luck is more advanced than search engines :)