Archives for July 2013
IDIOTS?
As I was flipping through my Facebook feeds on Sunday, I noticed the following post from Fast Company. I see their point, and I do understand that the behavior of some people can be labeled with no other word than distraction. However, I think it is how we use the technology that is often missing […]
Making the Time for Social Media
It’s sometimes a challenge during the school year to keep from getting absorbed in the “urgent” things that need to get done. Personal learning time is often the first thing that gets sacrificed. With the summer, though, comes a gentler pace that allows for more reflection and the opportunity to more easily commit the time […]
The Seven Essential Life Skills and Policy
The 7 essential life skills outlined in the video below are nothing new. We have been talking about these skills for nearly a decade, when educators started to feel the need to prepare students for the “21st century.” Here are the skills: Focus and self-control (this is the idea of attention and managing distractions) Perspective […]
Infographics…a way to manage large amounts of information
I’m currently listening to a very interesting audiobook – Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long. I am enjoying the book because the suggested strategies for dealing with distraction are rooted in how the brain works. Distraction, especially in our hyper-connected world, is a topic that […]
Superintendents and Technology
The Gallup Organization and Education Week recently teamed up to survey superintendents across the country. The organizations plan to administer similar surveys for superintendents four times annually. The first survey asked questions about Common Core Standards and the potential of technology. While only about 2,500 of 12,000 superintendents responded (NOT representing a nationally representative mix). […]
Are educators ready for Common Core?
Today I attended a very good professional development provided by Discovery Education – The ELA Common Core Academy. I left the session (another day tomorrow) feeling like I have a greater understanding of the Common Core Standards and the instructional shifts required of our teachers so that our students can meet these new standards. My […]
Using Technology: Wrong and Right (or Play and Think)
I pretty much dislike right/wrong dichotomies (things in life are rarely black and white), but this graphic posted by Bill Ferriter (@plugusin) on Twitter is worth sharing and briefly commenting on. I like the question, “What do you want kids to do with technology?” because the answer will show whether the thinking is stuck in […]