Excite Students to Learn with Technology

I spent this past weekend with my family on beautiful Big Stone Lake in western Minnesota. We always engage in the same activities of exercising, relaxing, fishing (hunting in the fall), sitting by the bonfire and talking about education and sports. Dad was a teacher, mom grew up as a teacher's child, my aunt was a teacher, both dad and brother were coaches, and of course, I was a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent. Consider all of this and one can understand our passion for conversations around the bonfire that always come back to education.

This past weekend was no exception. I am seen as the one messed up child addicted to social networking and learning with my laptop with me (it annoys the heck out of my brother and for some reason, I take joy in that). Mom finally said to me, "Don't you think that kids now days are missing out on real communications and relationships that are enhanced by getting outside and playing with each other rather than sitting in front of Facebook?" She's right in that we have to continue to push kids to play hard and engage in physical activities that force critical thinking, communication and conflict resolution.

It's almost sad that Facebook has come to be a term that angers and frustrates some much like text messaging. My reply was pretty candid after thinking that she was just upset at me for being on my computer again. I said, "Social networking is connecting kids from the across the classroom and across the globe." We must learn to take advantage of the way students want to communicate by integrating technology with instruction and recognizing that social networking can be a tool to engage the learner.

It was just a few minutes ago that I read this article (http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/06/28/survey-reveals-factors-in-ed-tech-success/) in eSchool News, and yes mom, I read it digitally with out flipping through pages, and I still learned. Did you know that students’ achievement scores on high-stakes tests have been on the rise, and among schools with 1-to-1 computing programs, that figure dramatically goes up. Hey, if we employ best practice strategies for success, including electronic assessments on a regular basis and frequent collaboration of teachers in professional learning communities, we will continue to see the benefits of technology.

I encourage all to continue reading about the advancements of technology and the impact it has on student achievement. Then, get ready, the mobile education technology boom is just in its infancy. These next few years will be incredible as we see students advance via technology integrated correctly with the result being highly educated students who are more creative, more intellectual and globally connected.

Technology to Extend Learning Opportunities

Educators are constantly talking about ways to extend a student's education beyond the regular school day, but most teachers don't offer a socially networked system of digital content. I keep "preaching" that we need to offer students the opportunity to learn with the way they communicate; they come to us "plugged in," but we ask them to "power down" once they enter the classroom. Many of them (perhaps most) have mobile access 24/7 to stay networked to systems of digital content, but we have to see beyond the fact that these devices are more than ways to "game" and stay socially connected.

So, as we move into the future, we must consider high access bandwidth (community-wide) so all learner have access. This is the way to provide advanced, dynamic and student-centered learning beyond the regular school day. After all, we are finding that on-line learners are engaged in learning at approximately twice the time as a traditional classroom setting. Can you imagine the results when we finally figure out that blended or hybrid on-line learning will be the way to really set the education world on fire?

We realize that the curriculum and instruction provided must meet the needs to all children. We know that what we do must align with the standards mandated, the assessments given and the outcomes expected. We know that we want research-based rigorous curriculum that promotes critical thinking; it must engage the learner. We realize that growth in the most important. But let's finally face the fact that technology must have a role.

Therefore, if we are truly going to be accountable for offering the best 21st century education possible, we must be prepared to preach, coach/teach, measure and live the technology opportunities that are at our literally at our finger tips. For examples, go to my Facebook page and start with this: http://www.garrisonsites.com/2010/02/schoology.html. My Facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/people/Steve-Jordahl/1758777858, but you will have to ask to be "my friend." LOL!

Minnesota on iTunes U

The Minnesota Department of Education and Apple have now established a partnership on iTunes U to create a portal for teachers to access, create, and share educational multimedia content and resources anytime and anywhere. This will lead our students and teachers to a meaningful learning experience and the ability to share content, strategies and best practices across the state and around the world.

This exciting multimedia experience will be announced in August of this year. The goals of Minnesota on iTunes U are to:

1. Leverage state-supported projects of new digital media for Minnesota’s learners.
2. Provide unlimited, free access to educational and professional development materials 24/7.
3. Support alternative modes of content delivery beyond the classroom.

Educational Podcasts of high quality based on state and national curriculum standards is intended to bring unique resources that allow teachers to engage students in additional opportunities and perspectives about what they are learning.

I have been fortunate to play a role in working with The Minnesota Department of Education, but the exciting work has been the work that a few of us, as superintendents, have been able to do with Apple and the iTunes project. I am certain that this will be the future of education and a way for students to feel like they can be “plugged in” even while in school.