Empowering Contemporary Learners:

Are Virtual Teachers Better?

johndarcy — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 01:34:45 +0000

Sorry for the perhaps overly-provocative subject line but, quicker than most of us thought likely or at times possible, Sal Kahn’s tools and those being developed by others, including the IBO’s online courses, are no longer theoretical. Web-based instructional tools are forcing future-focused K-16 school leaders to reconsider how students have been instructed since the 18th Century. As we are in the process of writing our next strategic plan for educational technologies, one of the questions we are asking ourselves is, how does what we know to be true about web-based learning impact on our plan?

Whether we’re talking about public or private education there is a necessary economic reality. Khan presents, in the videos embedded at the bottom of this post, an alternative to the traditional relationships between teacher & student. He does not suggest that his model is going to change how classrooms work, he describes how it has already changed how classrooms are working. Khan demonstrates that the web-based model is not only a viable economic alternative, it’s also an effective instructional strategy.

The question teachers would be prudent to ask themselves is, can I be replaced by a web-based teacher? We should then be cautious about dismissing the question as ludicrous or even answering in the negative too quickly. The brave of heart might explore a little further the impact educational technologies are having on our profession by asking, what part of my job can be automated and how soon might that happen?

The classroom as we know it first appeared in the 18th century. And, as we’ve heard and read a thousand times, in the past 200 years our classrooms haven’t really changed. It may be relevant, as we chart our new path, to first reflect on why the classroom was invented. Has the original purpose changed? If not, is the original purpose still valid? If not, what is the purpose of the classroom as it now exists. These are not questions about whether teaching and learning will remain a necessary human experience in the 21st Century. Learning is fundamental and intrinsic to human beings. The questions posed here are about the best way to educate students and the structures that best support learning.

Are virtual teachers better? Listen to Sal Kahn’s TED Talk as he explains why web-based video instruction works. Sal tells of classroom teachers who have students watch the web-based videos for homework and then come to class to work on learning activities – that which used to be homework. My closing questions are, if Sal’s videos are teaching kids as effectively as we can (for free), are classroom teachers now becoming post-lesson tutors? What will the job description and contract look like for post-lesson tutors?

Salman Khan: School Day of the Future

Click here to view the embedded video.

Salman Khan talk at TED 2011

Click here to view the embedded video.

Remarkable Thomas

johndarcy — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 01:28:06 +0000

Lewis

johndarcy — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:02:22 +0000

Video

johndarcy — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:55:35 +0000

Video uploaded
Mar 18

From iPhone

johndarcy — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:40:13 +0000

This post is from my iPhone. March 18, 2011.

Enhanced Podcasting

johndarcy — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 00:27:09 +0000

What is an Enhanced Podcasting?

An audio-visual media product. Although it combines both audio and visual elements, the focus of an Enhanced Podcast is on the audio element. The visual elements should be thought of as supporting the audio file.

iTunes – Aloni’s Food Waste Podcast

IonicBonds

Click here to view the embedded video.

AndreaEdwardsPodCastCommercialDecmo

Click here to view the embedded video.

See Sample Keynote: From Telescope to Lander

What are today’s goals?

For everyone to understand how Enhanced Podcasts can be used for instruction as well as student knowledge building
Everyone will create, present, and add a two to three minute Enhanced Podcast to my iTunes Library
For everyone to learn a little bit more about Apple’s OSX and navigating around GarageBand, Keynote, iPhoto, and Safari

Pre-production

1. The Script

You will need a topic and a script for your Enhanced Podcast.

2. Visual Content

Download copyright free images:

http://images.google.com
http://search.creativecommons.org
http://pics4learning.com

(make sure you use Advanced Image Search and choose Usage Rights > Return any image that are labeled for reuse)

Manage your images with iPhoto

Use Safari to download images to iPhoto Library
Basic concept of iPhoto event and album/keyword
Export photos to medium size (no more than 100K and no larger than 800 x 800 each)

3. Keynote Intro

Templates: Themes and Masters
Views (changing views-zoom)
Media Browser to find pictures
Text boxes
Font Style, Size, Color

4. Meet the Keynote “Inspector”

Document Inspector: Slide Size – 800 x 800
Graphic Inspector: Reflection/Opacity
Metric Inspector: Rotate/Flip
Text inspector: Alignment/Column/Bullet

6. Keynote – Image Management & Manipulation

Arranging – Group/Lock/Front and Back
Format – Mask, Mask with Shape, and Instant Alpha
Smart Build

7. GarageBand

Picture Drag-in (length dragging)
Sound clean up / Enhancement
Time / chapter marking
Ducking/fading
Background music

8. Presentation techniques

- Mirror Display turned On (System Preferences > Display) if you want your screen the same as the projector screen
- Keynote with notes (View > Show Presenter’s notes)
- Remote control (Pairing)

If you want to see the Presenter’s notes on your own screen when presenting, do the following steps when you are connected to a projector:
1. Keynote > Preferences > Presenter Display (Select what you want to see as a presenter e.g. Notes) > Select “Use Alternative Display to View Presenter information”
2. Keynote > Preferences > Slide Show > Present on Secondary Display
3. Click on Open Display Preference > Arrangement > Turn Mirror Display OFF
Your keynote will be on the Projector’s screen so click on the Play Button to test out.

9. Sharing your slides

upload to SlideShare.net (join the contest at http://www.slideshare.net/contest/worlds-best-presentation-contest-2010?top_nav)
export as PDF
export as Quick Time movie
print your keynote (Slides with or without Notes, Handout, Individual slides, Layout-Pages per sheet)

10. Assessing student slide shows
CDNIS Lower School Information Literacy Scope and Sequence
Create presentations exhibiting synthesis of information which:

Customize the elements (background, transitions, sound effects, text and graphics, etc.) of the presentation to enhance communication
Practice presentation skills for audience (e.g. use of microphone, posture, delivery skills, projection device, etc.)
Demonstrate empathy and an understanding of your audience’s emotions about your presentation and make necessary changes in style/content to communication more effectively
Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Rubric for digital publishing

http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Rubrics+-+Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy

11. Keynote Tutorial

http://www.apple.com/iwork/tutorials/#keynote

Select and watch
a – “Getting Started with Keynote ‘09″
b – “Organizing Your Slides”
c – “Adding Audio and Video To Your Presentation”

Resources

3_KeynoteEnhancedSteps

1_Podcast Planner-Option 2 1_Podcast Planner-Option 1

ISSUU magazine

johndarcy — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 09:58:04 +0000

Learning to Change-Changing to Learn

johndarcy — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 02:22:44 +0000

The Consortium for School Networking(COSN) has put together this excellent video called, Learning to Change-Changing to Learn, Advancing K-12 Technology Leadership. It is a montage of talking heads describing contemporary education and the technologies that are challenging educators to rethink teaching and learning… to rethink education.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Although I agree with ideas expressed in the video, they are just that, ideas. If one wants to see what those changes look like they need only walk down the hallways of CDNIS and peer into the classrooms where our teachers and students are learning to change and changing to learn. If one cannot make it to CDNIS, the next best thing is to watch the videos in our showcase.

Fibre Optics Are The New Ivy

johndarcy — Thu, 13 May 2010 22:24:43 +0000

The metaphor of an ivy-covered school, grounded in years of tradition no longer represents the needs of 21st century students or teachers. Nor does it represent the best of what have traditionally been Ivy League schools, all of which are committed users of educational technologies. A 21st Century metaphor is a school wrapped in fibre optics. A fibre optic school is one that takes the best of the past and uses contemporary learning and teaching technologies and practices to engage students and teachers in innovation, research, knowledge building, collaboration, and creativity. CDNIS does not aspire to be an “old school” Ivy League commuity. We aspire to be part of the the new regime of Ivy League schools. We aspire to be a Fibre Optic School.

Four years ago, to meet the demands of 21st century education, the CDNIS community decided to integrate laptops into our teaching and learning. That decision started us on a journey that has transform our classrooms. Laptops are now integral to our day-to-day teaching and learning from grades 2 to 11. August 2010 will begin the final year of our phase-in cycle as grade 11 students move into grade 12 with their MacBooks. For most of us, it is difficult to imagine our classrooms without easy and regular access to learning and teaching technologies.

Knowledge of our successful technology programme has spread across South East Asia. The professionalism of our teaching staff, the commitment of our students to their leaning, and the work of our LTT Department, has resulted in CDNIS being regarded as the regional leader for technology infusion. Educational and technology leaders have referred to CDNIS as the premiere technology infusion school in Asia.

Gallery

johndarcy — Wed, 12 May 2010 01:48:55 +0000

[[Show as slideshow]]